Doomsday Asylum Chapter 28

“Wolves are carnivores and cannot eat too many human snacks.

Ning Xin searched through the warehouse, but the only food that could be considered meat was bacon, which was too salty.

They went outside and cut down a few trees, brought back water, made their own meal, and Ning added a large pot of water to the pot, put the meat in, and simmered it over low heat.

After cooking for the whole morning, the meat was cooked, and most of the salt had been cooked out, making the meat less salty.

She put it on a plate and placed it in the cage.

The little wolf sniffed it, visibly perked up, but hesitated and refused to eat.

The other party had already shown its true form last night and could understand human speech.

Ning Xin squatted outside the cage, patiently persuading.

“You’re so weak, eat a little bit, only when you’re full will you have strength.”

The little wolf shifted to the corner, turned its back to her like before, showing resistance all over its body.

She tentatively reached out a hand, wanting to grab it back.

The other suddenly turned around, bared its teeth, and growled fiercely.

Ning Xin had to give up, and Nie Ran’s faint voice came from behind.

“This is a wolf with a white eye.”

It’s not good to speak ill of others in front of them. Ning Xin dragged him back to the living room and asked softly.

“Do you think he’s the patient we’re looking for?”

Nie Ran shrugged. “Whether he’s a person is uncertain, but being ill is certain.”

“Do you know how to tame a wolf?” she glanced at him.

“Do you want to keep him?” he asked coldly.

Ning Xin was puzzled. “Isn’t that my job? To bring in more patients for the asylum, otherwise why are we here?”

He responded indifferently with an “I don’t know” and turned to leave.

Ning Xin was speechless for a few seconds, then ran after him and grabbed his sleeve.

“You are the first patient and also a veteran of the asylum. When new patients come in the future, how about you supervise them?”

Nie Ran stopped and turned his face.

“Supervise what?”

“Well…” Ning Xin thought for a moment and said, “You have good physical strength, you can lead them in exercises, keep them fit, and protect the asylum. You can handle everything within the scope of work. As for me, I’ll take care of everyone’s meals, manage the asylum’s funds, and work hard to improve everyone’s lives. How about that?”

Nie Ran sneered. “What benefit do I get from doing all this?”

Ning Xin tentatively suggested, “We can pay you a monthly salary?”

“And where would I spend it?” he retorted.

“Well… you can spend it when you go back to the 21st century. You can buy whatever you want, isn’t that great?” Ning Xin smiled brightly, but Nie Ran remained unmoved.

She had to try another approach.

“You can ask for anything you want, and if it’s within my power, I’ll fulfil your request.”

Anything he wanted?

He looked her up and down, she was petite, with thin arms and legs.

Her eyes were beautiful, filled with anticipation.

He remembered that night when she struggled in his grasp, although their strengths were on different levels, she was lively, stubborn, full of vitality.

He didn’t know what he wanted, but he knew why he was willing to stay here.

Seeing him silent for a long time, Ning became worried and decided to coax him with her charm.

“Please help me, we’ve been friends for a long time, right? We’ll go through thick and thin together in the future, I really need you.”

The word “need” made Nie Ran change his mind, and he headed towards the door without looking back.

Ning Xin asked in confusion, “Where are you going?”

Without turning his head, he replied, “To teach you how to tame a wild beast.”

“Really? Thank you!”

Ning Xin didn’t expect him to agree so easily. She happily followed him. However, just as they were about to step out, Nie Ran suddenly hushed her and gestured for her not to proceed.

There was a faint noise outside the door, and the two of them quietly peered out.

They saw the little wolf happily chewing meat in the rough cage, enjoying its meal.

It turned out it was just hesitant to eat in front of them…

Ning Xin looked at the chubby little wolf and couldn’t help but find it amusing, but she couldn’t shake off the memory of the handsome grey-haired young man from last night, finding the situation incredulous.

“Is he human or wolf? What did he do to end up here?”

Nie Ran remained silent, his gaze fixed on the little wolf. Suddenly, he coughed without warning.

The little wolf happened to be swallowing a piece of meat, and Nie Ran’s cough startled it, causing it to choke, unable to swallow or spit out the meat, coughing violently, almost choking.

After finally managing to swallow the meat, Nie Ran walked out leisurely.

The little wolf gave him a resentful glare and turned towards the wall.

Ning Xin followed beside him, waiting to learn from his experience.

“What should we do? Should we establish a good relationship with him first?” she asked.

“A good relationship?” Nie Ran sneered. “He’s a wild beast, do you want to be friends with a wolf?”

“I…” Before she could answer, Nie Ran opened the cage and pulled out the little wolf, tossing it heavily onto the ground.

The little wolf immediately tried to escape, but Nie Ran reacted swiftly. Every time the wolf thought it had found an opening, the next moment, Nie Ran’s blade would be aimed straight at its face.

The two engaged in a cat-and-mouse game, continuing for over ten minutes.

The little wolf exhausted its strength and surrendered, lying on the ground whimpering discontentedly.

Nie Ran murmured, “Beasts have wildness in their bodies. Talking to them about emotions is useless. The most effective method is to use overwhelming force to make them submit, so they dare not resist.”

Ning Xin wasn’t entirely in agreement with his approach.

Not everyone possessed great strength.

For example, she had always relied on perseverance and persuasion to solve problems.

For her to use force to subdue others or even a wild beast was almost unthinkable.

But now Nie Ran was her strength, and their goals were aligned, so she watched him with interest, curious about what he would do next.

Would he beat the little wolf as before?

Nie Ran knelt down, patting the ground in front of him, and issued a command to the little wolf.

“Come here.”

The little wolf was two or three meters away from him. Instead of coming closer, it seemed to intend to go in another direction.

He picked up a stone and flicked it with his finger, the stone striking the little wolf’s buttocks accurately, eliciting a painful yelp.

“If you don’t come over here, what falls on you next won’t be a stone.”

Nie Ran’s tone was calm, but even Ning Xin standing beside him could sense the underlying threat.

The little wolf hesitated, conflicted for a few seconds. With a glimpse of Nie Ran raising his hand again, it quickly turned around and walked to him.

“Come a bit closer,” Nie Ran commanded, his demeanour resembling that of a master directing a servant.

Reluctantly, the little wolf inched forward a bit, then plopped down, refusing to look at him.

“Roll over and expose your belly,” Nie Ran ordered.

The little wolf hesitated. He intended to die rather than submit.

Nie Ran pulled out Dawnbreaker, running his finger along the blade.

“This knife has only tasted human blood, never wolf blood.”

The little wolf’s body tensed up, its sharp nails protruding as it glared at him ominously.

Nie Ran seemed unfazed. With a sudden burst of strength, the little pounced towards his face…

Midway, Dawnbreaker swung out, its blunt side hitting the soft belly of the wolf. Though it didn’t draw blood, it knocked the wolf out of the air, causing it to crash onto the ground, curled up in pain and unable to move for some time.

Nie Ran calmly reached out and rubbed the wolf’s belly.

“If you want to attack others, first hide your own weaknesses.”

The cage descended from above, enclosing him once again.

Nie Ran stood up and returned to the room. The little wolf, gasping for air, watched his receding figure, its eyes filled with a mixture of emotions.

Ning Xin didn’t know to what extent things had escalated, but there was a lot to be done at the asylum. She decided to leave the little wolf alone and started assigning tasks with Nie Ran.

Doing laundry and cooking were her responsibilities.

Fetching water, sweeping, and repairing the doors and windows damaged by the creatures fell to Nie Ran.

Throughout the whole afternoon, the two of them worked diligently. By the time the sky was filled with the colours of the sunset, dinner was ready.

Ning Xin cooked another piece of meat for the little wolf, pondering that if he truly stayed at the asylum in the future and went back to the 21st century, she would need to buy a flock of sheep.

Putting the meat into the cage, she was about to leave when a small paw reached out and scratched her hand.

Ning Xin turned around in surprise and crouched beside the cage.

“Is something the matter?”

The little wolf scratched at the cage, as if indicating it wanted to come out.

She shook her head. “Not now.”

The little wolf whimpered, pleading with her and wagging its tail, looking very pitiful.

After some thought, Ning Xin went to fetch Nie Ran, seeking his opinion.

The wolf appeared fragile, but transformed into a person taller than her. Even though she felt sympathy, she didn’t want to risk her life, no matter how compassionate she was.

After hearing her description, Nie Ran asked, “What do you intend to do?”

Ning Xin contemplated, “If it can be guaranteed to be safe, why not let it out and give it a try?”

He raised an eyebrow and simply took away the cage.

The little wolf regained its freedom and, after a moment of adjustment, ran to Ning Xin’s feet and crouched there.

She couldn’t help but feel amused and exasperated. “What are you trying to do?”

The little wolf pawed at her pants leg until she bent down to pick him up.

Nie Ran watched him expressionlessly as Ning Xin and he returned to the room to eat.

The little wolf lay on the dining table, sniffing around and drooling incessantly.

Ning Xin brought the meat over, placed it in front of him, and hastened her own meal. After setting down her utensils, she picked up a roll of tape intending, like yesterday, to seal off all the cracks in the building to prevent any light particles from escaping.

Nie Ran ate an extra bowl of food, then tidied up the dishes and grabbed another roll of tape to seal the cracks on the second floor.

In the twilight glow of the setting sun, the two of them busied themselves separately, accompanied by the beautiful scenery outside the building, creating a tranquil and serene atmosphere.

Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Ning Xin thought Nie Ran had run out of tape and was about to offer him a roll. But when she turned around, she was startled.

Standing behind her was not Nie Ran at all, but the little wolf, now transformed into a human shape, though she didn’t know when it had happened!

He had a handsome appearance, with a snow-white body, and since he wasn’t wearing any clothes, he presented an enticing sight.

But Ning Xin reacted instinctively, opening her mouth to call for Nie Ran.

He pre-empted her and spoke first. “Don’t call that person. I want to talk to you.”

Ning Xin remained on guard, ready to flee at any moment. “What do you want to talk about?”

“You must leave this place.”

“Why should we leave?”

He hesitated, reluctantly saying, “There’s nothing here. You won’t get anything.”

Ning Xin couldn’t help but chuckle. “Why are you so defensive? Are you hiding some treasure, afraid we’ll find it?”

The little wolf was speechless, unable to say a word for a while.

Having gained some insight, Ning Xin pulled him to sit on the sofa. “You don’t need to be like this. We’re not enemies. Maybe we can even help you. Where did you live before? And what about your family?”

The little wolf pursed his lips, remaining silent.

Nie Ran came down the stairs and saw the two of them sitting together, one of them barely dressed. His expression suddenly changed, and he spoke coldly, “What are you doing?”

As Ning Xin was about to ask him to help persuade the little wolf and take advantage of this rare opportunity to find out his identity, Nie Ran intervened.

Just as Nie Ran spoke, the little wolf transformed back into his wolf form and darted under the sofa.

Ning Xin exclaimed, “You scared him away again.”

Nie Ran shrugged. “I haven’t scared him away enough.”

There was still a small gap in the window that needed sealing, so the two of them worked together to finish the task.

As dusk approached, Ning Xin felt much calmer than on previous nights because they had found a solution. She even felt like grabbing some snacks to eat.

Entering the warehouse, she exclaimed, “How come there’s a hole here too?”

Nie Ran went over to take a look. It was much smaller than the one in the living room, too small for a person to squeeze through.

“It must have been left from a few nights ago. Let’s seal it up,” he suggested.

Ning Xin nodded and went to fetch some cement. However, she suddenly remembered something and hurried back to the living room, where she lay down on the floor to inspect.

After waiting for her for a while with no sign of her returning, Nie Ran walked out of the warehouse.

Ning Xin turned her head just as Nie Ran emerged. Her face was smudged with dirt, and her eyes were filled with shock and confusion.

“It seems like… he ran away,” she said.

Despite searching the entire building, they couldn’t find any trace of the little wolf. Night fell, and darkness enveloped the surroundings.

As light particles began to fly, a thick branch swept over like an irritable python, shattering the glass on the balcony!

Ning Xin only had time to grab a crossbow before Nie Ran pulled her out of the building. They fled amidst the onslaught of creatures from all sides, running frantically.

The attack this night was particularly fierce. Initially, Ning Xin was able to keep up with Nie Ran, but after being entangled by vines around her ankles several times, he threw her onto his back again and carried her as he ran.

The monsters were too fast, and he had no time to confront them. He could only manoeuvre wherever there was an opening.

Several times, they narrowly avoided death, making for a heart-pounding scene.

Ning Xin clung tightly to his shoulders, her legs wrapped around his waist. Despite her fear, she bit down on her teeth to remain silent, afraid of distracting him and being caught by the monsters.

However, Nie Ran suddenly growled, “Guide me!”

She hesitated for a moment, then realized what he meant. She looked around, spotted the brightest source of light, and shouted into his ear, “To the left, at the three o’clock direction!”

Nie Ran immediately prepared, seizing the opportunity to turn left.

One person ran while the other directed.

Nie Ran quickly became drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through, yet the monsters continued to pursue relentlessly, closing in.

This couldn’t go on.

Gradually, Ning Xin gained some experience. She observed in advance, judged the situation, and directed him to run towards safety ahead of time. In between, she feigned a few moves as bait, and unknowingly managed to put a distance of three to four meters between them and the monsters.

Passing through the woods and flower fields, they arrived at the riverbed.

The source of light was not in the same place as last time, but rather in a valley ahead.

Carrying her on his back, Nie Ran ran into the valley. As they entered the light, a cool breeze greeted them, causing him to involuntarily slow down his pace.

Once his eyes adjusted to the light, the scene before them became clear.

Ning Xin frowned as she looked at everything, finding it difficult to believe her eyes.

In the valley, there was a vast, flat grassy meadow, where a large group of wild wolves were leisurely resting.

From their sizes, it was discernible that the largest one lying on the left was likely the wolf king, currently dozing lazily with closed eyes.

Scattered around were several male and female wolves, while in their midst, several wolf cubs of various sizes were frolicking and playing.

Among them, the smallest one was the same wolf cub that had been captured by them earlier.

The grass was dotted with wildflowers, the light was bright, and a gentle breeze brushed by, creating a scene as beautiful as a dream.

Ning Xin glanced back, then looked at them again.

The two worlds were divided by the light, resembling heaven and hell.

Seemingly unnoticed by the wolf pack, Nie Ran walked behind a large rock before setting her down.

As her feet touched the ground, they felt somewhat weak due to the shock.

Ning Xin carefully leaned against the rock, cautiously looking outside, still feeling incredulous.

“Could there really be a pack of wolves living here?”

What do they survive on? Can these wolves all transform into humans like the little wolf?

What exactly are they?

Nie Ran remained silent, his brows furrowed as he focused on observing the wolf pack.

After playing for a while, the wolf cubs grew tired and returned to their mothers to sleep.

The little wolf also returned to his mother’s side, who was a white she-wolf. Even from a human aesthetic perspective, her appearance could be considered beautiful, with her pristine white fur groomed immaculately, appearing very elegant.

The little wolf suckled from her belly for a while before lying down beside her, falling asleep.

Just as Ning Xin was considering what to do next, a group of people suddenly emerged from somewhere and rushed into the valley, breaking the tranquillity.

Judging from their attire, they looked like ancient hunters, holding weapons such as hatchets and bows.

Though their equipment was rudimentary, they seemed strategic as they lit torches and directly set fire to the surrounding trees and grass.

Ning Xin, nervous, grabbed onto Nie Ran’s clothes tightly as the group approached with great force.

But to her surprise, those people passed straight through their bodies, as if they were phantoms.

Before she could react, the valley was filled with the howls of the wild wolves.

Several wolves were hit by arrows, awakened by the fire. The lead wolf, who was guiding the pack in search of an escape route, noticed the hunters and growled menacingly before lunging at them.

The hunters, experienced as they were, immediately stepped back and drew their longbows.

Arrows whistled through the air, and while the wolf king managed to dodge them, many of the other wild wolves were not as fortunate, suffering heavy casualties.

Enraged, the wolf king opened its bloody mouth and let out a furious roar.

In a corner, the little wolf trembled in the arms of the white wolf.

Meanwhile, blood had already stained a large portion of the white wolf’s fur red.

Ning Xin had never witnessed first-hand the struggle between hunters and beasts, but her experiences in the previous world had strengthened her resilience, preventing her from turning and running at the sight of bloodshed.

However, witnessing the entire ordeal was far from enjoyable, especially the final moments when the hunters collectively killed the wolf king and carried all the bodies out of the valley.

Just moments ago, a peaceful group of wild wolves now only had the little wolf left alive.

Hiding beneath his mother’s stiffened corpse, he dared not show himself.

A hunter walked by, moved the wolf’s body aside, and upon seeing him underneath, exclaimed in surprise, rallying others to come and see.

The group surrounded him, exchanging words as if they had encountered something extremely rare.

Finally, they tied him up with a rope and took him away.

Ning Xin pulled Nie Ran along to chase after them. Outside the valley, she realized that the scenery had changed drastically.

The flower sea and the woods were all gone, replaced by a small town.

The buildings inside were mostly made of brick and wood, giving them an ancient and nostalgic appearance.

The variety and quantity of goods on the street were far less than in modern times, but it still counted as bustling.

The wolf carcasses were skinned, and the meat was sold separately.

Only the little wolf was not disposed of. He was kept by a hunter for a few days before being sent to the government office.

After some twists and turns, the little wolf became the property of an official and was kept in the secluded backyard.

The backyard housed only him. Every day, someone would bring him food, but the gate was tightly locked, preventing him from going outside. His living space went from the vast wilderness to a tiny courtyard with no trees, just a few clusters of dry grass on the dry mud ground.

The little wolf couldn’t go out, but that didn’t stop people in the mansion from mocking him.

After a few days of good treatment, meals became irregular. People would sneak to the wall to see him, ridiculing him as if he were a monster, and even throwing stones at him.

There was no furniture in the house, so he slept on the floor. He shivered in the cold and was covered in mosquitoes in the heat.

Occasionally, during a visit from guests of the official’s family, he would be grabbed by a servant, bathed, dressed in clean clothes, and brought to the banquet hall to be exhibited like a monster.

Ning Xin couldn’t understand. “He’s just a wolf, what’s so special about that?”

It seemed like ancient times, but even people from ancient times should know about wolves, right? The Zhongshan wolf has been passed down for a long time.

Nie Ran whispered, “He’s not a wolf.”

“Huh?”

“He’s a human.”

At first, Ning Xin couldn’t understand why he would say that. But when she replaced the image of the little wolf with that of a person, everything suddenly made sense.

Indeed, the official proudly introduced:

“This person, when he was young, hadn’t learned to speak or walk yet and was abandoned by his parents in the deep mountains. Strangely enough, not only did he survive, but he was also adopted by a mother wolf as her cub and fed with her milk. Later, he was discovered by a hunter and brought back to the city. Seeing that he was alone and helpless, I decided to keep him in the mansion to provide him with food and clothing. Unfortunately, he had already acquired the wild instincts of a wolf. He can’t speak, can’t walk, and spends every season of the year naked. Despite years of effort, I’ve only managed to get him to occasionally wear clothes, but he still doesn’t look like a human.”

The guests chuckled, “There are plenty of people who can walk in the world, but those raised by wolves are not so common. I heard that the Prime Minister loves rare things. If we were to present this person to him, it would surely win his favour.”

Because of these words, the little wolf was once again transferred, from the desolate and simple courtyard to a huge iron cage in a refined garden.

He was kept inside, and whenever someone entered or left the Prime Minister’s mansion, they could see the pale young man inside the iron cage, unable to lift his head due to the shackles.

The Prime Minister’s fondness for rare things didn’t stop at merely keeping him in captivity. He hired a beast tamer at a high price to train him to jump through hoops, walk on tightropes, and perform handstands.

The little wolf often ended up covered in injuries, curling up in his cage at night to lick his wounds.

One day, he accidentally injured a guest.

The Prime Minister was furious and ordered his legs to be broken before being thrown into the woodshed.

But the little wolf, relying on his self-healing ability, stood up after enduring hunger and suffering for several months.

Taking advantage of a moment of carelessness, he escaped and the first thing he did was bite the Prime Minister’s neck.

He fled back to the wilderness, not staying for long, and ran all the way to the old town where he killed the hunter one by one.

The local authorities couldn’t capture him, so the imperial court sent troops to besiege him. The little wolf, relying on his vigilance and speed, managed to evade them for several months, during which he killed countless soldiers.

Human society also taught him things, such as arson.

In the deep of midsummer nights, several major fires caused countless losses and led to innumerable people becoming homeless.

Five years after escaping from the Prime Minister’s mansion, the little wolf grew from a youth into a young man and suddenly died in a cave.

When the soldiers found his body, it was covered with a blanket made of white wolf skin, gently embracing him like a mother.

A white light flickered, and the scene changed.

The soldiers, the cave, and the white wolf skin were all gone. The little wolf lay alone on the grass, staring motionless into the dark distance.

White light particles danced around him, like fireflies, like starlight.

Ning Xin finally understood everything, feeling an indescribable sorrow in her heart. She walked over, wanting to hug him.

But Nie Ran shouted, “Come back!”

She stopped in her tracks, being pulled back to his side.

Suddenly, the white light surged, and the surrounding animals and plants, which had been waiting for a long time, rushed forward, crazily absorbing the energy from his body.

Before disappearing, the little wolf glanced sadly at Ning Xin.

The monsters overwhelmed him, and Nie Ran called out to Ning Xin. Seeing her in a daze, he simply picked her up and returned to the valley.

As the night ended and the sun rose, the world returned to its beauty and tranquillity, but the destruction of the night seemed even more terrifying.

The two decided to return to the asylum. As they walked on the dry riverbed, Ning Xin widened her eyes in astonishment.

Right where the little wolf disappeared, a thin and frail young man lay there, his light grey hair shrouded in a layer of golden light.

She quickened her pace and ran over, squatting down to shake him.

“Wake up! Wake up!”

The person opened their eyes, looking at them blankly, taking a while to slowly regain their memory.

“Please leave this place,” he stood up and made the request again.

Ning Xin hadn’t spoken yet when Nie Ran suddenly walked to her side.

“Don’t you want to be saved?” he asked.

He froze for a moment, then said firmly, “No one can save me.”

Nie Ran raised his arm and put it around Ning Xin’s shoulder.

“You won’t know unless you try,” he said.

The little wolf’s eyes swept back and forth between the two, seeming unsure of their relationship.

Ning Xin seized the opportunity to introduce herself.

“I run a mental asylum, of course, I don’t mean to say you’re crazy, but if you often lose control, perhaps you could try inpatient treatment.”

The little wolf looked at her coldly, clearly uninterested.

Ning Xin gradually upped the ante.

“You’ll be the second patient, and I won’t charge you.”

“You’ll have a single room and VIP treatment.”

“We have everything you need, and you won’t have to worry about food and drink.”

“You’ll be eligible for government-funded vacations every month…”

The little wolf listened, completely confused. Ning Xin signalled to Nie Ran with her eyes, and he, understanding her, took the opportunity to knock him out while he was bewildered.

Ning Xin said, “…I just wanted you to help convince him.”

Nie Ran rubbed his wrist, “You’re welcome.”