episode_0065

Xiao Ge’s questioning voice came through the communicator.

Gu Tong froze in place, her movements stiffening for half a second.

But this was within her expectations—she had approached the situation with skepticism from the start.

Gu Tong cast an inquiring glance at Xu Nian, as if hoping to find answers from her.

Hearing Xiao Ge’s response, however, Xu Nian felt the tension in her chest ease.

This meant the simulated crisis hadn’t yet occurred—a good sign. There was still time to resolve it, or even prevent it entirely.

Xu Nian didn’t bother justifying herself, nor did she pay any mind to Gu Tong’s strange look.

She quickly took the communicator and spoke in a low voice.

“Captain, could you hand the communicator to Su Qingya? There’s something I need to tell her.”

“Fine.” After a brief silence, Xiao Ge passed the communicator to Su Qingya.

“What’s wrong, Nian Nian? Did something happen?”

Only when Su Qingya’s puzzled voice came through the communicator did Xu Nian finally relax.

“Qingya, you need to come out right now. There’s something important I have to tell you.”

“Can’t you just say it here?”

“No, it’s too important. I have to tell you in person.”

“Is that so? Then… I’ll try my best.”

Su Qingya hesitated but ultimately agreed to Xu Nian’s request.

Xu Nian’s reasoning was simple—if staying inside meant danger, then getting Su Qingya out would solve the problem.

Her gaze swept absently across the surroundings. Having been stopped by Gu Tong earlier, she still hadn’t entered the hospital, lingering near the entrance where the usual flow of people moved about, everything appearing perfectly normal.

Peering through the hospital doors, Xu Nian suddenly felt a strange detachment, as if part of her consciousness had been pulled away. Her vision blurred momentarily.

—

Su Qingya handed the communicator back to Xiao Ge, who studied it briefly. “She wants you to leave?”

“Yes.”

“But we’re already close to that Emotion Beast.”

Su Qingya hesitated, suddenly torn.

They had overcome countless obstacles to get this far, only for Xu Nian to call and demand she leave immediately.

Should she go or stay?

Staying would surely upset Nian Nian—but what could be so urgent?

Yet leaving now meant abandoning their hard-won progress. Xiao Ge wouldn’t let her go alone, either—it wasn’t safe. If she insisted, he and Leng Xiao would have no choice but to withdraw with her, forfeiting their chance at the Emotion Beast right before them.

“The choice is yours,” Xiao Ge said.

“Captain… what pathway does this Emotion Beast belong to?”

“[Solitude].”

Su Qingya recalled Chen Qiu’s lectures.

The Solitude and Serenity pathways were similar—both associated with quiet states—but fundamentally different.

Like fear and astonishment, their core distinctions were stark.

Serenity was an active pursuit of peace, a positive emotion born from a dislike of noise. Their hearts were calm.

Solitude, however, was passive loneliness—those who feared isolation yet were trapped in it, unable to escape, with no one to reach out to them.

Their hearts were restless, with no outlet.

So what could a [Solitude]-path creature do?

Su Qingya only remembered one striking detail:

[Solitude]-path beings were nearly invisible.

Their lack of presence could render them eerily undetectable.

No matter what they did, no one would notice—akin to the perception-altering stealth in certain comics.

Of course, their capabilities varied by star rank.

They would toy with their chosen targets, making them feel utterly alone until, bored, they disposed of them.

Capturing a [Solitude]-path creature required special methods.

Even Xiao Ge and Leng Xiao had struggled to reach this point.

“Sorry… I think I need to leave.”

Su Qingya bowed deeply.

After weighing the options, she had made her decision.

Whatever Xu Nian’s reason, she had to comply.

Because in her heart, Xu Nian was the only one who truly mattered.

“Understood. Then let’s go.”

“Captain, just like that?” Leng Xiao’s expression twisted in disbelief.

“Yes. I said the choice was hers. But next time, getting back in won’t be so easy.”

“I’m sorry.”

Su Qingya bowed again, her apology heavy.

Leng Xiao could only grit his teeth—Xiao Ge had given the order.

With a frustrated silence, the three turned to leave.

—

“Wait! Wait! How can you just leave like this?”

Suddenly, as they turned away, an impatient, almost frantic voice called out behind them.

Su Qingya stiffened.

Those words alone told her everything.

“You can’t leave! Weren’t you going to play with me?”

Su Qingya spun around, chainsaw in hand—

But someone was faster.

Xiao Ge’s fist was already hurtling toward the Emotion Beast, his face contorted with fury, eyes blazing with rage.

He had snapped into combat mode instantly.

“Yes, yes! That’s how it should be! You’re supposed to play with me! Ahahaha~”

Its laughter was shrill, piercing.

On closer inspection, it was a tattered humanoid doll.

Xiao Ge’s punch didn’t land—in that split second, its body shrank away.

Su Qingya noticed Xiao Ge’s eyes glaze over briefly. When she blinked, the doll had vanished.

A doll? Had there been a doll just now? What doll?

Leng Xiao immediately struck his Emotion Tool, the deep toll of a bell reverberating through the space.

The sound forcibly yanked the Emotion Beast out of its illusory state.

But the doll had never left—it stood there all along, a knife in hand, poised to stab Xiao Ge.

The bell’s resonance froze it mid-motion, its thoughts momentarily paralyzed.

Xiao Ge’s fist crashed into its skull. His muscles bulged violently, his body erupting in flames.

“Four stars? Its energy signature was masking at three?”

Leng Xiao’s voice was thick with disbelief.

A three-star Emotion Beast would’ve had its head obliterated by that punch.

Yet now, there was only a hairline crack.

“Giggle… no, no fun. This isn’t fun at all.”

“Why does it keep saying weird things? Is it actually a [Joy]-path beast?”

“No. This is definitely [Solitude].”

Leng Xiao dismissed Su Qingya’s question without explanation.

Xiao Ge ignored their exchange.

Right now, he was pinning the beast down, fists raining blow after blow, eyes alight with unquenchable fury—determined to reduce the damned doll to splinters.