Doomsday Asylum Chapter 27

Ning Xin’s hand paused in mid-air, and after a long while, she chuckled dryly, saying:

“I almost forgot.”

Nie Ran muttered softly, “I wasn’t in a good mood at the time.”

She had intended to brush past this chapter, but hearing his words suddenly made her angry.

“Just because you were in a bad mood, does that give you the right to do such things?”

No wonder he was sent to purgatory, turns out he’s just a criminal.

He mocked himself, “Because I realized my own weakness.”

Ning Xin frowned, looking at him puzzled.

“I hope we can always stay in that world, because only then, you can only see me in your eyes. If there’s someone else, I can’t guarantee you won’t care more about them.”

She was astonished, “How could you think like that?”

Nie Ran didn’t look at her, “I’ve never been a likable person, not in front of the king, nor in front of the people.”

Her heart felt like it was pricked by a needle, and she immediately denied it.

“Who says that? You’re not like that at all.”

“Then do you like me?”

Nie Ran finally lifted his head, and in his deep black eyes, there was a subtle expectation that was hard to discern.

She pressed her lips together and after several seconds, she said:

“You’ve saved me many times.”

Just now, it was also him who carried her on his back, using his body as a shield, breaking through the encirclement.

Although he was indeed unlikeable at many times, but Ning Xin herself wasn’t someone universally loved and admired, so… who could fault whom?

Nie Ran sneered, “So you’re only bound by gratitude.”

She impatiently sat up, hugging her arms.

“I didn’t expect you to be so nitpicky, is it really important why? Anyway, you’ve saved me many times, and you’re still the first patient in the asylum. No one can replace your position.”

His lips moved, but he didn’t speak.

Ning Xin looked up at the sky, murmuring:

“The sun is coming out.”

Several hours later, the sky brightened.

Animals and plants returned to their original state, and the valley once again became a picturesque scene.

Nie Ran held a knife, while Ning Xin held the dog, slowly walking back to the asylum.

Thanks to their early departure last night, the house didn’t suffer much damage, just a bit of a mess in the living room.

The two of them hadn’t slept all night and were a bit tired, so after putting the dog in a cage and tossing it a couple of sausages, they each went back to their rooms to rest.

Ning Xin slept until the afternoon, feeling extremely hungry, so she went downstairs to find something to eat.

Passing by the dog’s cage, she glanced at it curiously.

The casings of the sausages were peeled off, but the sausages themselves were untouched. The puppy was originally lying on the ground, but upon seeing her, it immediately scurried to the corner and crouched down, only revealing a chubby little bottom.

Ning Xin brought out two packs of biscuits and squatted outside the cage, eating while observing.

The cage was originally an aluminium alloy box used for storing construction materials, flipped over to serve as a cage. It was quite large but roughly made, with small spikes along the edges.

The puppy had probably bitten it, and there were traces of drool on it.

In such a crude environment, coupled with its pitiful appearance, it was beyond pathetic.

Ning Xin found a chopstick and poked at the sausages, pushing them towards the puppy’s feet.

“Come on, have a couple of bites, they’re delicious.”

The puppy didn’t even bother to lift its head, instead shrinking further into the corner, as if it wanted to squeeze into the cracks between the bricks.

Didn’t it like these?

She rummaged through the warehouse and came out with several kinds of food.

When she originally purchased them, she had prepared extensively, with plenty of snacks that dogs would probably be interested in, like dried squid, beef jerky, and small chicken legs.

She opened each packaging one by one and brought them to its mouth.

The aroma wafted into its nostrils, and the puppy couldn’t help but twitch its nose. Its saliva started flowing uncontrollably, and its eyes couldn’t help but look towards the beef jerky.

“Eat up, don’t be shy.”

Ning Xin coaxed, and it seemed like she was about to succeed when suddenly a voice came from behind.

“Stay away from it.”

The puppy was startled by the voice, its body trembling as it turned away from her, even more resistant than before.

Ning Xin stood up impatiently.

“You came just in time.”

Nie Ran heard the sarcasm in her tone but didn’t retort, only saying:

“It’s dangerous.”

“Will it bite me to death with its little teeth?”

“Those trees during the day can’t harm you either, try going out alone at night.”

At this, she was very puzzled.

“Clearly, once night falls, all the animals and plants here change, yet it’s still staying in the brightest spot. Why hasn’t it changed?”

Nie Ran shook his head, standing outside the cage, carefully observing for a while before picking up a knife.

“It’s better not to get ahead of ourselves…”

Ning Xin hurried over to pull him away, struggling hard to drag him to the kitchen, and snatched the knife away, saying:

“We’re starving, let’s cook some food first.”

How could Nie Ran not see through her intentions? He smirked, picked up a bucket, and went outside to fetch water.

The well was still dry, but ever since they learned the secret of those plants, water was no longer an issue.

He walked a bit farther, picking up plants near the riverbank, and filled two buckets with water. When he returned, Ning Xin had already chopped the vegetables.

Then they cooked together, one handling the ladle, the other lighting the fire, achieving a silent understanding through their days of being together.

While stewing potatoes, Ning Xin covered the pot and looked at the trees outside, saying:

“Do you think we should take advantage of their vulnerability during the day and wipe them all out?”

Nie Ran shoved two pieces of firewood under the pot, “How do you propose to do that?”

“Well…”

She rubbed her chin, pondering, “Set them on fire?”

“The asylum is in the forest. Unless you plan to move the entire building, if the forest catches fire, do you think there’s a chance of survival here?”

…Well, there aren’t any other houses around here to move into. If it burns, they’ll be left to camp out in the wilderness.

Moreover, she couldn’t bear to burn down the house after putting so much effort into renovating it.

Setting fire, No.

“Should we chop down the trees?”

“Just in this forest alone, there are hundreds of trees. How many days do you plan to spend chopping?”

Not to mention that endless sea of flowers.

Ning Xin proposed several ideas, but each was refuted by Nie Ran, who had valid reasons, leaving her feeling frustrated.

“Is there really no way out?” she sighed. Should they just wait to die every night?

Nie Ran watched the flickering flames in front of him and said in a deep voice, “There must be a solution.”

The Purgatory Realm was based on the misdeeds of the imprisoned individuals, rooted in their subconscious. No one’s mental state could be flawless, so as long as they found the imprisoned person, there must be a way to break the deadlock.

He turned to look at the dog in the cage. It still crouched in the corner, looking harmless.

It must have a secret.

Lunch was eaten late, and by the time they finished, it was already evening.

Once again, they gathered by the cage. Ning Xin picked up the cage, while Nie Ran grabbed the back of the dog’s neck and lifted it out.

In the lingering sunlight, he carefully examined the puppy’s claws, fur, and after a few minutes, came to a conclusion.

“It’s not a dog,” he said.

Ning Xin was astonished. “Then what is it?”

“A wolf cub.”

She swallowed hard. “Are you sure you didn’t make a mistake?”

Nie Ran gave her a disdainful look. “Or do you want to take a look?”

She quickly waved her hands, “No need, no need, I can’t tell at all. But… would a wolf be so obedient?”

“Where do you see it being obedient?” Nie Ran pinched both sides of its lower jaw, forcing it to open its mouth, revealing its sharp teeth.

Ning Xin hadn’t paid attention before, but now knowing it was a wolf, she realized that its teeth were indeed much sharper than a dog’s, and they seemed to gleam with a cold light.

Thankfully, it was still young. Otherwise, if she had been bitten by it last night, her arm might not have been spared.

Rubbing the bitten area with lingering fear, she said, “Since that’s the case, let’s just release it.”

Nie Ran looked up, “Are you scared?”

“Scared of it? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Then hold it.”

With that, he handed over the dog… no, the wolf.

Ning Xin quickly stepped back.

“I won’t hold it, my arms are sore.”

He chuckled, tossing the wolf back into the cage. “The little wolf is here. The mother wolf must be nearby. Let’s keep it and see if we can catch the mother by keeping the bait.”

After Nie Ran finished speaking, he went upstairs, leaving Ning Xin alone in the living room with the little wolf.

The wolf crouched in the cage, clearly frightened, and Ning Xin was even more afraid. Glancing around, she grabbed the water bucket and placed it on top of the cage before swiftly running upstairs.

Though Nie Ran mentioned catching the mother wolf as a strategy, with their small number and lack of strength, it might just lead to inviting trouble.

Since arriving in this new world, Ning Xin’s biggest goal had been to survive each night safely.

Tonight was no exception. She rummaged through all the usable items in the room, eventually finding something precious, and went to knock on Nie Ran’s door.

When Nie Ran opened it and saw her, his mouth twitched.

“What are you wearing?”

She was covered from head to toe in transparent tape, unable to apply it to her hair, which was covered by a shower cap. Only her nostrils were left open for breathing, sealed tightly around with tape.

Ning Xin tried to explain, but her mouth was stuck shut. After struggling for a while, with Nie Ran’s help, she managed to expose her mouth.

“The reason those things are chasing us is because they need the moisture in our bodies. As long as we disguise ourselves and make them unaware of the moisture, won’t we be safe?”

Unlike the sofa and stools in the living room, they certainly didn’t give any indication.

Nie Ran asked, “What if it doesn’t work? What if they find out about the moisture through other means? If you’ve made yourself like this, how do you plan to escape?”

She held her ground, saying, “I can still run fast like this.”

“Is that so? Try going down the stairs.”

Nie Ran leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, waiting for the show.

Ning Xin took a couple of steps but gave up. “Well, then what do you suggest?”

He turned and fetched something from the room, handing it to her.

“Try this.”

“What is it?”

“A crossbow.”

It was previously issued to soldiers during battles, easy to use, powerful, but requiring precision.

Because of his interest in structures, Nie Ran had studied them and even made a few with special materials, rewarding them to soldiers who performed well.

This crossbow was made from leftover construction steel, very sturdy, capable of piercing through wooden boards from a hundred meters away, making it quite effective for self-defence.

Ning Xin held the heavy crossbow, feeling strangely touched.

“Were you working on this in your room just now?” she asked.

Nie Ran stood up straight and cleared his throat.

“We’re short on time, so I only made four bolts. They can be fired in pairs. Try practicing now.”

For the first time in her life, Ning Xin had a weapon other than a kitchen knife. She felt extremely excited as she peeled off all the tape from her body, ran downstairs, found a cardboard target, and prepared to shoot it with the crossbow.

Nie Ran walked up behind her, his hands encircling her body, holding her hands.

“The posture should be like this, lower your right hand a bit…”

He patiently taught her, but Ning Xin suddenly felt her heart racing, her breath quickening.

“What’s wrong with you?” Nie Ran asked, tilting his head.

She stammered that everything was fine.

“Then focus on learning.”

He finished by helping her pull the trigger. With a whoosh, the bolt flew out like lightning, piercing through the cardboard and embedding itself deeply into the wall.

Ning Xin was amazed. “This is incredible…”

The bolts could be reused. Nie Ran pulled the arrow out of the wall and placed it back in its pouch.

Ning Xin tried a few times on her own, but her accuracy was lacking, and the arrows always missed the target, landing beside the cardboard.

The arrows were particularly powerful, and once they pierced the wall, they couldn’t be pulled out.

She turned back to seek help from Nie Ran, only to realize that without her noticing, the sky had turned completely dark.

Previously, there had been some moonlight, but now it was pitch black.

Nie Ran retrieved the arrows, blew out the candles in the living room, and waved his hand to disperse the darkness.

Ning Xin was completely focused, on high alert.

Unexpectedly, before the enemies arrived, a strange scene unfolded.

Particles of light flew out of the cage, floating in the air, seemingly weightless.

This was exactly what Ning Xin had grabbed last night, the thing that caused the plants to change.

When she found the wolf cub last night, the light around it was dazzling, but no source could be found. Could this be the reason?

The light particles kept emanating from the wolf cub, not only floating out of the cage but also wobbling towards the door and window seams, seemingly about to escape.

Ning Xin thought of the tape in her room and quickly asked Nie Ran to bring it.

Without needing to ask, Nie Ran guessed her intention and swiftly brought back several rolls of transparent tape.

They split up, one sealing the windows and the other sealing the door seams on the first floor, then repeating the process on the second floor.

Though they were pressed for time, and some light particles still managed to leak out, the quantity was too small. After being absorbed by the plants, they didn’t cause any noticeable changes.

These few minutes were crucial. Exhausted, Ning Xin almost collapsed on the ground after they finally finished.

The light particles continued to emanate from the wolf cub, unable to escape and gathering in the small building. As they drew closer to each other, they began to merge, transforming from tiny particles into glowing orbs, eventually filling the entire room with brightness akin to daylight.

Ning Xin experienced first-hand the sensation of light turning into substance—intangible and elusive, yet tangibly flooding the asylum.

The wolf cub remained crouched in the corner. Ning Xin couldn’t resist approaching to inspect it, but suddenly heard banging noises from the kitchen.

Both of them immediately became alert. Nie Ran grabbed his knife, while Ning Xin gripped her crossbow, aiming toward the source of the sound.

A few seconds later, a plastic basin leaped out.

They were baffled, but their confusion quickly turned to relief when the basin was cracked open, revealing the true culprit—a sprouted garlic bulb.

The garlic had grown several times its original size, slightly smaller than the basin. It had sprouted eyes and a mouth, waving its garlic shoots wildly as it rushed toward Ning Xin.

With a swift motion, Nie Ran intervened, stomping on it without a hint of emotion, then crushing it underfoot.

A strong scent of garlic filled the living room, as if someone had just finished eating roasted oysters.

Ning Xin had never expected such a situation. As a precaution, she quickly inspected all the vegetables in the kitchen pantry. Any showing signs of sprouting were sorted into boxes, wrapped in layers of tape, before she could finally relax.

What were these lights exactly? And why were they emanating from the wolf cub?

Her curiosity was overwhelming. As she stepped out of the pantry, Nie Ran happened to be carrying the wolf cub, giving it a firm smack on its backside.

She jumped in surprise and ran over, asking, “What are you doing?”

“Bringing out its true form,” he replied.

He had originally thought that the mother wolf behind the scenes would be the most difficult to deal with. But now, it seemed uncertain whether there was a mother wolf at all. This little cub was definitely not innocent.

He wanted to tear off its pitiful disguise.

The wolf cub yelped as he smacked it, the scene appearing both comical and brutal.

Initially, Ning Xin supported him, but after several minutes of hitting with no effect, she couldn’t help but say, “Is there even a true form to reveal? Maybe we shouldn’t hit it anymore.”

However, Nie Ran didn’t stop. He even poked his fingers into its throat, causing it to retch repeatedly.

After a near-painful howl, the wolf cub’s body suddenly stiffened and rapidly grew in size.

Nie Ran swiftly threw it to the ground.

Under their watchful eyes, its limbs elongated, its head enlarged, and in just a moment, a naked grey-haired youth lay on the ground, turning around indignantly to accuse them.

“You’ve gone too far!”

“…..”. Ning Xin was stunned by this scene, at a loss for words.

Nie Ran seemed as if he had anticipated this, remaining calm and collected. He stepped forward and grabbed the youth by the neck, demanding, “Who are you?”

The youth opened his mouth to bite, but adult teeth were much more practical than a wolf cub’s milk teeth, yet the other party reacted quickly. Not only did he dodge his attack in time, but he also slapped him back.

His skin was very fair, and after being hit, a swollen red handprint quickly appeared on his face. Water glistened in his grey-green eyes, and all the pent-up grievances from being hit all night burst out, and he began to wail loudly.

Nie Ran hated indecisive people the most, especially crying men. He frowned, preparing to act again.

Ning Xin grabbed his wrist and whispered, “Don’t act rashly. Since he can speak, let’s ask him properly.”

Nie Ran raised an eyebrow. “Interrogation is the most efficient form of inquiry.”

“But he might not be an enemy. He could be the patient we’re looking for. Leaving a negative impression isn’t good.”

If he was a patient? That would warrant even more reason to hit him, to make him turn and run, never daring to come back.

Nie Ran pondered silently, gritting his teeth, but ultimately refrained from acting, stepping aside to let him speak.

The young man was tall and slender, with skin as fair and tender as a baby’s.

His appearance was quite handsome, and his unique eye colour added a touch of mystery to him.

Unable to resist, Ning Xin took several glances, but when her gaze fell on his waist, she immediately turned away, fetched a jacket, and covered his waist with it, then said softly, “You haven’t eaten anything all day, are you hungry? Would you like to get up and eat something?”

The young man didn’t say a word, just cried, gasping for breath, his eyes red, pitiful enough to tug at one’s heartstrings.

Ning Xin signalled to Nie Ran with her eyes to fetch some food from the warehouse.

Nie Ran, with an unwilling expression, reluctantly went, and tossed a large pumpkin to her.

Ning Xi: “Uh… big brother, how do we eat this?”

“You care so much about him?”

“You…”

Seeing Ning Xin about to get angry, he then took out a pack of sausages from his pocket and threw it to her.

Ning Xin opened one and handed it to the young man.

“Have some, and after you’re full, let’s sit down and talk slowly, okay?”

The young man threw the sausage far away, pushed her aside, and tried to escape.

Nie Ran, as fast as lightning, blocked his way with a knife, and said coldly, “Be honest!”

He remembered the power of his slap, hesitated for a moment, then ran to the corner of the wall and squatted down.

Ning Xin was pushed to sit on the ground by him, but she got up and dusted off her bottom.

“This kid is stubborn.”

“It’s clearly because you’re not firm enough.”

Nie Ran lifted his chin, grabbed the pack of sausages, and walked over, placing the knife against his neck.

“Are you going to eat or not?”

Tears welled up in the young man’s eyes, and he seemed about to cry again.

Ning Xin reached out and touched his head.

“Don’t resist like this, we don’t mean to harm you.”

With the knife against his neck, saying such things seemed a bit uncertain.

But after starving for a day, his determination had already wavered. Hearing her words and seeing her tears, he reluctantly opened his palm.

Ning Xin felt relieved and opened a sausage, placing it in his palm.

He swallowed it down in one gulp without even chewing, then reached out for more.

They became like an assembly line, Ning Xin peeled one sausage, and he ate one.

In no time, the entire bag was finished. She asked Nie Ran to fetch more, and he frowned, clearly reluctant.

With a pleading look, Ning Xin persuaded him, and he reluctantly put away his knife, begrudgingly acting as their porter.

After eating two bags of QQ sausages, one pack of ham sausages, four packs of biscuits, one bag of Jinhua crispy cakes, and one pack of instant noodles, the young man’s eating speed finally slowed down, and he blissfully savoured a piece of chocolate.

Seeing him enjoying his food and feeling that it was almost time for a chat, Ning Xin tentatively asked, “What’s your name? I’m Ning Xin, and he’s Nie Ran. Can we get to know each other?”

The young man looked at her with a vacant expression, his mouth smeared with chocolate.

Ning Xin smiled warmly and gently wiped his mouth with a tissue.

“Have you been living here for a long time? What about your family?”

Family…

As he choked back tears, a stream of tears rolled down his cheeks, and he buried his head in his hands and cried.

This time, his crying was different from before, full of sadness, and it was unclear what he had experienced.

Ning Xin didn’t like crying herself, and with few friends to confide in, she felt helpless in this situation and turned to Nie Ran.

He was equally at a loss, so both of them remained silent, sitting on the couch and watching him.

The rhythm of his crying was strong, and its hypnotic effect was quite effective. Ning Xin fell asleep unconsciously. When she woke up, the sun was already high in the sky, the front door was open, and a ray of morning light fell gently on her.

Covering her stomach was a blanket, which puzzled her. Memories of last night slowly emerged, and Ning Xin remembered why she was lying here. She quickly looked around the room, but there was no sign of the young man.

Where was he? And where was Nie Ran?

She got up in a hurry, intending to search for them, but Nie Ran came down from upstairs, and they almost collided with each other.

“Awake?”

“Mhmm.”

She remembered the young man and hurriedly asked, “What about the little wolf? Did it escape?”

“Cried all night and turned back to its original form, then went back into the cage.”

“Where’s the cage?”

He led her outside, and sure enough, the cage was placed against the wall, with the little wolf lying quietly inside.

Ning Xin was puzzled. “Why did you put it outside? What if it runs away?”

Nie Ran’s expression turned disgusted as he explained, “It keeps pooping everywhere.”

Pooping?

Ning Xin took a closer look and indeed saw two soft and oddly coloured piles inside the cage, with even half-digested ham sausages vaguely visible.

Um… They didn’t eat too much last night, so why so much poop?

Just as she was thinking, the little wolf suddenly convulsed, then vomited a large pile with a loud splatter. After vomiting, it lay back down, looking feeble.

Could it be sick?

Ning Xin walked over with concern, crouching down to inspect.

She hadn’t raised pets before and didn’t understand much, but she could tell with her naked eye that its condition was definitely not good.

“Is it poisoned?”

She turned to ask Nie Ran.

Nie Ran looked down at the two from a higher vantage point.

“Wolves are carnivores. They only occasionally eat other things to balance their diet. You fed it so much random stuff last night, it would be strange if it didn’t get sick.”

Ning Xin exclaimed, “Then why did you give me chocolate?”

“I handed it to you, but you fed it to him.”

…This petty man, was he doing this on purpose? Just because she stopped him from hitting him last night?

Ning Xin felt at a loss, nervously biting her finger.

Seeing her overly worried, Nie Ran added, “Wild animals are quite resilient. Once they’ve emptied their stomachs, they’ll be fine.”

Really?

Ning Xin looked at the little wolf, which didn’t even have the strength to open its eyes, feeling completely uncertain.