Chapter 26 Mad Dog Hotel

Leaving directly might sound like a suicidal choice, but it's also the only way out.

The group had all stayed up all night yesterday, and they didn't know what they would face next. After discussing it, they decided to take advantage of the safe time to rest and recharge before taking any action.

Lu Shi'an suggested that the two girls sleep on the sofa while the three men stayed to watch over them, but Lulu refused.

“There are two rooms. I'll guard Lu Qi, and you two go to the other room to guard Tian Miaoying.”

His tone was so matter-of-fact it bordered on dictatorial, leaving the others stunned. Lu Qi tugged at Lulu, "What are you saying?" Was it appropriate to have two men watching Tian Miaoying sleep?

“It’s safe in the room,” Lulu said softly. “There’s no need to gather in the living room.”

“It’s safe now, but who knows what will happen later.” Lu Qi frowned. “Even if it’s just sleeping in a bed, it’ll be one bed for me and Miao Ying, and one bed for you and the others.”

Lulu frowned, making no attempt to hide her disgust: "No, I won't share a room with a man, and I can't leave you either."

The other three looked increasingly complicated, unsure of what to say.

Lu Qi was embarrassed by his antics, so she said, "Then we'll all sleep in the living room."

Fearing Lulu might say something shocking again, she lowered her voice and gently warned him, "These are special times."

Lulu was very unhappy, but Lu Qi's tone left no room for argument.

He then took over the largest sofa, looked around the living room, and sat down boldly, patting the person next to him, "Lu Qi, sleep here."

Although this was indeed Lu Qi and Lulu's room, it was just a room randomly assigned by the hotel. Lu Lu's selfish behavior of grabbing resources made Lu Shi'an very unhappy.

Lu Qi couldn't stand it either.

She grabbed Lulu and pointed to the bedroom across the way, "Bring the blankets and pillows over."

Lulu gave a pitiful "hmm," reluctantly leaving her chosen spot.

Lu Qi ignored him and went to another bedroom to get her bedding.

A large rug was laid out in the living room. She put the pillows on the floor and asked Tian Miaoying, "Do you want to sleep on the sofa or on the floor?"

Tian Miaoying stared at Lulu's unfriendly gaze and moved closer to Lu Qi, "Let's sleep on the floor together and let them sit on the sofa."

"good."

Lu Qi threw off the covers and lay down on the spot. Lulu immediately abandoned the sofa and sat down next to her.

The two girls lay down side by side, with Tian Miaoying on Lu Qi's left and Lulu on her right.

With her back to the others, she stared disapprovingly at Lulu, feeling that some of his actions today were really inappropriate.

She glared at him, but received a graceful smile from Lulu.

He reached out and patted her head, his smile growing even brighter.

Lu Qi's displeasure instantly turned into astonishment and helplessness.

What kind of reaction is this? She sighed inwardly, thinking that beneath the young man's noble appearance lived a simple-minded dog.

Was he like this before...?

Lu Qi was puzzled; Xiao Lu seemed to have become somewhat assertive these past two days.

There's another point she hadn't noticed before, but clearly realized during today's discussion—

She took out her phone, typed a message, and handed the phone to Lulu.

Lulu took it and saw that the memo read: Why don't you speak up during discussions?

Lu Qi recalled that Xiao Lu in the hospital was always ready to answer any questions. He was a man of few words, but not inarticulate. He was warm and friendly to guests and provided detailed explanations.

But in the past two days, he has hardly participated in their discussions, and has said no more than ten sentences in total.

He wasn't silent because he had no thoughts; when Lu Qi asked him privately, he was able to offer his opinions.

Even if he really had no ideas, he should still have some emotions after something like this happened.

Even the usually calm and collected Lü Shi'an uttered a couple of exclamations, but Lulu never showed a single word of surprise.

Lu Qi realized that Xiao Lu's personality had changed a bit since they entered the hotel. Although it was all minor, he was indeed quite different from how he was outside.

Lulu returned the phone to Luqi and filled in the answers to her questions:

"I'm not used to interrupting."

This answer was unexpected.

But Lu Qi thought about it again and it seemed that was indeed the case.

Whether in the hospital or the hotel, Lulu's words were mostly spoken when she was being asked questions or in one-on-one situations.

Even when he was holding Lü Shi'an and Zhao Feipeng hostage, he didn't say a word, but directly attacked without interrupting them.

What kind of habit is this?

Were you often taught as a child that "children shouldn't interrupt adults"?

Many children are taught this way, but few of them strictly adhere to these rules when they grow up.

Lu Qi thought aimlessly for a while, then leaned against Lulu's knees and slowly fell asleep.

She and Tian Miaoying slept for three hours, then got up to let the three men rest.

I was exhausted, but in this situation, my anxious mind couldn't get a good night's sleep.

After taking turns to rest, it was already 2 PM.

They found some self-defense tools: a knife from the kitchen, a solid wood cutting board, and a stainless steel electric kettle.

Lu Shi'an placed his hand on the doorknob and turned to look back at the group.

After receiving confirmation from his companion, he gently opened the door without removing the safety chain.

Through the crack in the door, Lü Shi'an observed the situation on this floor.

Lu Qi was still holding her original electric kettle, nervously waiting for Lü Shi'an's instructions.

Suddenly, Lulu bumped into her.

Lu Qi turned her head sharply and saw Lulu stuffing a small paper packet into her pants pocket.

Upon opening it, I found a dark, oval-shaped object inside, resembling an olive.

This strangely familiar shape couldn't possibly be the one she was thinking of.

She looked at Lulu and asked what it was. Lulu rewrapped the napkin and firmly put it into Lu Qi's pants pocket.

He solemnly instructed her, "You must never let it leave your side."

"What exactly is this?"

Lulu was silent for a moment, then said, "Amulet."

He mentioned that he had a serious illness when he was a child, and Lu Qi guessed that this was probably something his adoptive parents prayed for on his behalf.

Lulu still carried it with her after the other person passed away, so it must have been a very precious item to him. Lu Qi wanted to return it to Lulu, but he grabbed her hand.

He solemnly said, word by word, "Take it with you, never leave your side."

Lu Qi was deeply moved.

Regardless, Xiaolu's feelings for her remained unchanged.

She underestimated him; he loved her more than she expected.

After checking that it was safe, Lü Shi'an removed the safety chain.

He led a few people out the door.

Entering the corridor, Lulu led Lu Qi past him and walked to the front of the line.

Lu Shi'an felt confused, but there was no need to argue. Since Lulu had gone to the front, he made way for her, signaling Tian Miaoying to go to Lu Qi's side, while he and Huang Zhenyi brought up the rear.

Just to be on the safe side, they went down through the emergency exit.

The hallway was quiet. When they got down to the 6th floor, Tian Miaoying asked in a low voice, "Should we go find Professor Meng?" Professor Meng was in room 601t3.

Lu Qi shook his head, "Let's not trouble her before we're sure." They themselves weren't even sure if this trip would be fruitful.

Leaving the hotel went very smoothly; the classic horror scene of the "stairs" did not happen at all.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, the sun was shining brightly, and the large windows on each floor were brightly lit, revealing the dust on the floor; there was no gloom to be found.

They went downstairs smoothly and arrived at the lobby on the first floor.

As soon as the emergency exit door was opened, three receptionists, four hostesses, and two security guards all looked over.

Lu Qi held Lulu's hand tightly.

Every staff member wore a friendly, professional smile, but their pupils were so large that they almost filled their entire eye sockets, leaving no whites visible.

Staring at them with those dark, gaping eyes, everyone started to feel a chill run down their spines.

They lowered their heads and walked straight out the door.

As we passed through the gate, four hostesses suddenly said, "Please take care, and have a safe journey."

The simultaneous sound of four perfectly synchronized voices startled the four already tense individuals.

The hostess made no attempt to stop him. Standing in front of the wide-open glass door, Lu Shi'an hesitated, while Lulu strode out.

“Wait…” Lu Shi’an’s words caught in his throat. They saw Lulu standing in the sunlight, without any change in her appearance.

It seems that simply walking out of this door will not cause any harm.

The remaining few people carefully stepped out of the house.

Step outside, cross the spacious forecourt, and walk along a two-kilometer tree-lined path to reach the hotel entrance.

The sky was clear and the weather was fine.

The smooth road is lined with sycamore trees, and behind the trees is a lush green lawn where pigeons peek at the grass.

Lulu led Luqi along the sidewalk, sensing her tension and wanting to soothe her and let her appreciate the tranquil scenery.

He disliked Lu Qi's tension and anxiety, as it was an unhealthy and unstable state. If Lu Qi remained in this state, he would become ill.

But no matter how much he kissed and comforted her these past two days, Lu Qi couldn't relax. Lulu began to consider that perhaps she should confess everything to Lu Qi, tell her that he was back, that this wasn't some kind of ghost story, but a home he had prepared for them.

Then they can play ball on the lawn, take a walk on the beach, and shower together in the spacious bathroom. After showering, Lu Qi can touch him, kiss him, and knead his ears or hands and feet as she pleases.

Lulu opened her mouth and exhaled puffs of white breath.

Lu Qi immediately looked at him: "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Why did you suddenly start panting?

Lulu was extremely excited. He lowered his head, rubbed Lu Qi's forehead, and let out an unbearable sob.

"It's nothing," he said, trying his best to remain calm. "I just want to finish this quickly and go home as soon as possible."

Lu Qi pursed her lips and squeezed his hand.

“Yes,” she whispered, “we will go back.”

After walking a little further, something that appeared on the lawn made the group wary.

"Dog!" Tian Miaoying exclaimed softly, covering her mouth.

Three or five dogs were lying on the grass sunbathing, all wearing collars.

People were passing by, and they looked over. A Schnauzer barked at them.

The five people stopped and stood frozen in place, watching the pack of dogs, at a loss for what to do.

As they stopped, the other dogs stood up and faced them.

"What should I do...?" Huang Zhenyi was about to cry.

As a veterinary trainee, he never imagined that one day he would tremble at the sight of a dog.

"Woof!" After the Schnauzer, another Shiba Inu started barking.

The barking quickly spread to the other dogs, who stood on the grass and barked at them. With no cover in front of them, the group of dogs were watching them intently, leaving them in a precarious situation, unable to advance or retreat.

Lulu lowered his eyes. Of course, he could teach these dogs a lesson, but he also hoped that these dogs could stop Lu Qi and make her go back.

"They even said [pet dogs are friendly]..." The barking became increasingly violent, and Tian Miaoying was on the verge of tears. "What should I do, Sister Lu? They keep barking."

As Lu Qi's assistant, she subconsciously asked Lu Qi, and Lu Qi subconsciously replied, "Don't look!"

This is something she often taught Tian Miaoying at the hospital.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Lu Qi paused, then murmured, repeating Tian Miaoying's words: "[Pet dogs are friendly]..."

Pet dogs are friendly; please do not harm them excessively. Stray dogs and wild dogs are dangerous; please be extremely careful.

These are the rules of the room next door; I don't know if they're true or not.

They have already proven Tian Miaoying's rule to them with the dog-headed man: [Pet dogs are loyal companions to humans; if you have a pet dog in your car, please do not scold or chase them away.]

If Tian Miaoying's rule is completely correct, then the rule that "[pet dogs are friendly]" is also very likely correct.

How should you treat a friendly pet dog?

Lu Qi immediately withdrew his wary gaze and only glanced at them out of the corner of his eye.

The dogs stood still, their tails wagging rapidly, their bodies not stiff, and their ears not behind their backs.

Peeling back the intimidating veneer of the bizarre, if you simply treat them as ordinary dogs, getting through this is very easy.

But are they really ordinary dogs?

Can we really apply the same behavioral interpretations of ordinary dogs to dogs in ghost stories? Could we arrive at completely opposite conclusions?

Lu Qi wasn't sure, but she felt she could at least try one thing: "Don't look at them! Don't look!"

All animals, including humans, dislike making eye contact with strangers;

Most ghost stories also forbid people from making eye contact with strange creatures.

The principle of "avoiding eye contact" should apply to most beings in both the Yin and Yang realms.

But it's hard for people not to pay attention to things that threaten them. Hearing Lu Qi's words, Lü Shi'an hesitated for a moment.

He understood what Lu Qi meant. Unlike ordinary doctors, Lu Qi was one of the very few doctors who had studied pet behavior.

Most first-time pet owners treat veterinarians as behavior experts, consulting them about behavioral issues such as barking, inappropriate urination, and biting.

In fact, veterinarians and animal behaviorists are completely different fields. Moreover, they cannot go door-to-door to observe the layout of each home and understand the details of the relationship between owners and pets.

Once the pet is taken to the hospital, the doctor's job is to check for health issues. If the pet is completely healthy and there are no mental illnesses, they will refer the owner to a pet trainer. If the condition is more serious, they will recommend euthanasia.

They are doctors; behavior correction is not their job.

Lu Shian had always done it this way until Lu Qi came to Anxin Hospital. During the year and a half he worked with Lu Qi, he witnessed her unique working methods.

That's not very appealing.

What could be solved with a single injection of tranquilizers, she had to risk being bitten and spend half an hour to resolve.

No one will thank her for her patience and courage; she will not only receive no extra reward, but will also cause her owner worry.

After Luqi was bitten and cut several times, her owner, fearing she would report it to the government, instead accused her, saying, "I told you to use a sedative, but you insisted on agitating it!"

Even though she successfully calmed the pet, no one was hurt, and both the owner and the pet were happy, she wasted too much time.

The hospital was very busy, and her actions not only made the patients behind her wait a long time, but also resulted in very low performance bonuses for her.

Lu Shi'an admired her gentleness towards animals, but her dual studies in veterinary medicine and behavioral science did not bring Lu Qi any benefits; instead, they placed unnecessary shackles on her.

To put it bluntly, Lu Qi failed to recognize her own position and wavered between two professions. This ambiguous attitude naturally hindered her work.

Only newcomers are amazed by her methods of subduing vicious dogs, and they will curiously surround Lu Qi and ask her questions for a while.

Lu Qi is generous in helping her colleagues interpret the language of cats and dogs, but after spending a month at the hospital and witnessing her thankless efforts, the newcomers will give up the idea of ​​imitating her, obediently follow the supervising doctor in using anti-bite gloves and sedatives, and finally contact the government to 'destroy' them.

As a doctor, Lü Shi'an couldn't condone Lu Qi's actions; but at this moment, she was the one among them who understood dog language best.

He made up his mind and did as Lu Qi said. Huang Zhenyi and Tian Miaoying also realized this and quickly looked away and down at their feet.

"Look up," Lu Qi said hurriedly. "Don't look down! Don't walk fast, look up and relax your body."

She took Lulu's hand and started walking first.

The group followed behind, barely daring to breathe. They passed Schnauzers and Shiba Inus, but the dogs on the lawn only barked and didn't rush over.

Amidst the constant barking, they managed to traverse this stretch of road without incident.

Lulu felt a mix of relief, pride, and a touch of regret.

If Lu Qi can stop here, they can go back sooner.

It's okay, he thought optimistically. The weather is nice and it's still early. It's good to take a walk outside. He likes Lu Qi's outings and activities. Sunshine and exercise are good for health.

The barking stopped quickly after they left.

The entrance and exit were right in front of them. Before they could even catch their breath, the scene that followed made them break out in a cold sweat.

More dogs appeared on the lawns on both sides.

"No collar!"

Dogs of various breeds sat on the lawn; at a glance, there were more than thirty of them, and none of them were wearing collars.

The rules refer to dogs without collars as "stray dogs" or "wild dogs," and the descriptions of them convey a sense of danger.

"But they're wearing clothes!" Huang Zhenyi noticed. "Only pet dogs wear clothes, right?"

“Wait a minute, these clothes…” Lu Shi’an’s face paled slightly, “They look familiar.”

There are many kinds of pet clothes sold on the market, and some are quite exquisite, but the clothes worn by these dogs are just inexplicably awkward.

They are neither exquisite nor simple; they are somewhere in between, possessing an overly everyday, anthropomorphic realism.

No one spoke; they had already recognized the origin of the clothes:

They were guests they had met at the hotel.

Those tenants left and never returned.

Just hours ago, the five were discussing where they had gone; now they knew—

They are here.

Less than 100 meters from the entrance and exit, the grass on both sides was full of dogs wearing clothes.

They stared intently at the five approaching people, and the countless gazes made Lu Qi's heart pound like a drum and his hair stand on end.

There's no need to question the correctness of the rules anymore; Lu Qi is very familiar with this look:

This is a red, dangerous look in the eyes of a vicious dog that will actively attack people; it's the kind of dog the government will humanely euthanize.

She told herself not to be afraid, that dogs are very sensitive to emotions, and that once they sense she is nervous or scared, they will immediately pounce and bite.

There's nothing to be afraid of. Whether it's a pet dog, a stray dog, or even a wolf, all animals will try their best to avoid fighting.

Animals have a very low tolerance for error; an infection from a wound can lead to death. Unless it is unavoidable, animals will not attack.

There is no conflict of interest between her and them regarding resources, and they have no reason to attack them.

That's how it should be—theoretically, that's how it should be, but for no apparent reason, the rules of her room popped into Lu Qi's mind:

[A person is a person, and a dog is a dog.]

Unlike dogs, humans don't need any reason to commit acts of violence.

Just like that winter night, she was wearing a school uniform, without makeup or perfume, and walked obediently on the inside, avoiding eye contact with the other person. She did not show any weakness or fear, but she still could not leave safely.

Humans have far more uncertainties than animals.

Lu Qi whispered a reminder to the group: "Don't be afraid, just walk through normally."

"Are you sure everything's okay?" Huang Zhenyi's voice trembled noticeably. "These dogs seem a bit different from the previous ones..."

Lu Qi knew he was in trouble as soon as he heard his voice.

Dogs are very sensitive to human emotions, and in order to communicate with humans, they have even evolved inner eyebrow muscles that wolves do not have.

Their understanding of humans far surpasses that of other animals.

No matter how calm Lu Qi is, it's meaningless if others feel guilty and weak. Besides, she's not as fearless as she thinks she is.

"Why have they turned into dogs?" Tian Miaoying's voice was even more panicked. "Should we...should we still go forward...?"

What's terrifying isn't just the dogs, but also the reasons they became dogs.

The guests were turned into dogs as they left the hotel, and now they are only a hundred meters away from the exit.

Should we continue?

Lu Qi swallowed hard. The sun was high in the sky, and it was clearly the dead of winter, yet she was sweating from the heat.

The sweater was sticking to her body, and Lu Qi wanted to pull it open to let in some fresh air, but she was too stiff to lift her hand.

She worried that raising her hand would provoke the strange pack of dogs.

The five people moved forward extremely slowly. Even the other three, who did not understand behavioral language, knew that turning around at this moment would attract a pack of dogs to chase them.

They couldn't stand still, or the dogs would mistake it for a standoff; but no one knew what would happen if they went any further.

They were caught in a bind, and until they could come up with a solution, they could only grit their teeth and move as slowly as possible.

"There seems to be something on the ground," Tian Miaoying whispered.

Lu Qi squinted and noticed a line drawn on the ground at the entrance gate.

Black and red lines.

"Was it there when you came?" Lu Shi'an asked.

Tian Miaoying shook her head frantically, "I don't remember, aren't the lines on the ground usually yellow and white?"

"I have a feeling that something bad will happen if I cross that line," Huang Zhenyi murmured.

Suddenly, he yelled, "Holy shit!"

The others instinctively looked at him.

Lu Qi turned around, and the scene behind her almost made her hair stand on end.

Just like the childhood game "What time is it, Mr. Wolf?", a dozen dogs dressed in human clothes stood behind them, less than twenty meters apart.

As they moved forward, the dogs on either side of them that they had overtaken quietly left the lawn, their silence gathering behind them as they followed them without a sound.

A dozen pairs of pitch-black eyes without any whites stared at them, and they stopped when the five people turned around.

There was no barking, no wagging of the tail, no barking of teeth, and no opening of the mouth or sticking out of the tongue. Like commuters on the subway during rush hour, it stared at them expressionlessly and silently.

A person is a person, and a dog is a dog.

A person is a person, and a dog is a dog.

[A person is a person, and a dog is a dog!]

An alarm bell rang wildly in Lu Qi's mind, and she realized that the rules in her room might be correct!

This is absolutely not how dogs behave! Pet dogs, stray dogs, wild dogs, even dogs suffering from mental illness wouldn't act like this. This is a human! This is humanity! They are all human beings!

A dozen or so dogs stood there, blocking the entire road.

Ahead was the exit marked with a black and red line, and more dogs were standing on the lawns on both sides.