The Cubs Can’t Possibly Be This Well-Behaved! – CH5

Chapter 5

As the metal door closed, Su Ci’s brows furrowed slightly, recalling the little girl’s smile.

Turning his head, he watched Number Eight shuffle aimlessly toward the end of the corridor. Finally, Su Ci stepped forward and followed him, both arriving at the elevator.

“Warning: Obstruction detected. Unable to close—”

“Warning: Obstruction detected. Unable to close—”

The elevator doors opened and closed repeatedly, the control panel emitting a steady stream of alerts.

Number Eight seemed entirely unfazed. When the elevator doors opened again, he stepped inside, pressed the button for the fourth floor, and stood rigidly in the center, waiting like a wooden puppet.

Su Ci stepped in front of him and waved a hand in front of the boy’s face.

The child didn’t react, staring blankly ahead and mumbling, “Go back to my room… eat in my room…”

The lively, wagging tail that had been a constant behind him now hung motionless, its tip dragging on the floor.

Su Ci retracted his hand and turned toward the source of the elevator’s malfunction. At the base of the door was a spoon, bent out of shape from the repeated collisions with the closing mechanism.

He bent down and picked it up.

Ding—

The elevator doors finally closed and began to ascend, reaching the fifth floor in mere moments.

Just as Number Eight had said earlier, 4586 was there, spinning in anxious circles in the hallway. Its electronic eyes displayed two spiraling “mosquito coil” patterns, reflecting its frazzled state.

“Su Su!” it exclaimed, its voice dizzy with relief upon seeing Su Ci step out of the elevator.

The robot, evidently not the brightest, hadn’t even thought to use the stairs after the elevator malfunctioned.

Su Ci gave it a brief nod, while Number Eight walked past it without a word, his dazed demeanor unchanged. He shuffled directly to the door marked “8.”

“Beep—Unattended cub detected. Room 503 of the cub-rearing facility is now open for containment.”

As soon as Number Eight reached his room, the screen on the door lit up, and the metal door slid open. Once the boy entered, it closed automatically behind him.

Su Ci approached the door and initiated the verification process.

After the door opened, he glanced inside to find Number Eight sitting properly at the table. His dinner, placed there by 4586, was already waiting for him.

The boy’s gaze remained blank, but his hands moved deftly. He gripped the lid of the meal box, opened it, and leaned in to take a direct bite of the meat jelly inside.

Half of the meat jelly smeared across Number Eight’s face.

Yet he seemed oblivious, chewing and swallowing mechanically. Gradually, the previously limp tail behind him began to stir and wag gently.

Under Su Ci’s watchful gaze, the vacant look in Number Eight’s eyes started to fade, replaced by a flicker of liveliness.

The boy blinked, his hands still shoveling food into his mouth. He began to look around the room, his frenzied eating slowing as confusion crept in.

Huh? This place looks familiar.

Wait… wasn’t this his room? When had he gotten back?

Number Eight’s consciousness fully returned.

Realizing he’d somehow ended up back in his room without remembering how, he turned toward the door. There, the new caretaker stood, observing him with a curious gaze.

The caretaker’s dark, beautiful eyes held a hint of intrigue, as if studying something novel. The bright red plastic flower clipped to his hair was particularly eye-catching.

“You…”

Number Eight’s eyes widened, and in the next instant, he sprang into action.

His movements were swift—blurring as he dashed to the door. In just another second, he’d be able to tackle Su Ci and escape into the hallway.

But at the critical moment, Su Ci took a slight step back.

Bang—

The metal door slid shut without a sound, and Number Eight slammed his forehead into it with a loud, painful thud.

In the silence that followed—

Bang, bang, bang! Bang, bang, bang!

Number Eight pounded on the door furiously, venting his frustration.

From inside the room came the sound of Number Eight pounding on the door.

“Let me out! I want out! Open the door right now!”

His loud shouting was accompanied by a strong mental wave radiating from the room, an explosion of the boy’s anger and violence.

All those emotions combined into a clear message: The moment I get out, you’re all doomed!

Su Ci raised a single brow at the mental display. Just then, 4586, now fully recovered, floated over to his side.

“Great, Number-Eight is back in his room,” the robot said cheerfully, its electronic eyes forming a smiling pattern.

Su Ci gave a slight nod, his gaze fixed on the glowing “503” on the door. Meanwhile, his thoughts wandered to Number Five and her cherubic face.

Verbal influence? Mental manipulation?

While Su Ci pondered, the electronic screen on the door lit up in response to Number Eight’s continued pounding.

[Beep—Detected: Cub Number Eight in an emotionally agitated state. Risk of berserk behavior imminent. Deploying sedative JH05493 for pacification. Monitoring data has been recorded.]

[Sedative deployed. Timing initiated…]

[Cub Number Eight has exited berserk edge state. Duration: 3 minutes, 54 seconds. Sedative effective.]

As the text scrolled across the screen, Su Ci could indeed sense the violent mental waves gradually subsiding. The sound of pounding on the door diminished.

Finally, silence fell.

“Looks like Number-Eight has calmed down,” said 4586.

Su Ci turned to the robot, which extended a mechanical arm to tap on the screen.

The display now showed a large photograph of Number Eight.

His black-gray hair and green eyes were unmistakable, though the boy in the image appeared younger and thinner. What stood out most was his radiant smile—so bright and carefree it was hard to reconcile with the aggressive youth now barricaded behind the door.

Below the photo were statistics displaying his physical condition. Each parameter was followed by the green word “Normal.”

4586 skimmed the data quickly and concluded, “Su Su, Number-Eight’s stats are stable. He’s fine now.”

The robot closed the interface and turned to Su Ci. “Let’s go! I’ll take you to the caretaker dormitory.”

With that, it floated toward the elevator.

However, Su Ci didn’t follow.

His gaze remained fixed on the closed door of Room 503. Faint mental waves emanated from behind it, stirring something sharp and cold in his otherwise tranquil black eyes.

After a moment, Su Ci stepped forward, initiating the access verification process at the door.

[Beep—Identity verified.]
[Welcome, Apprentice Caretaker Su Ci. Detected: Cub Number Eight emotionally stable. However, JH05493 sedative residue remains in the room. Entry is not advised unless for emergencies.]
[Proceed with emergency entry into Room 503?]
[Note: This action will be logged and reported to the inspector. Proceed with caution.]

Seeing Su Ci’s actions, 4586 immediately tried to dissuade him. “Su Su, the room still contains residual sedative. Regulations state that entering now is not allowed…”

But before it could finish, Su Ci had already tapped “Confirm.”

Although he was only an apprentice caretaker, as the only living human besides the cubs in the facility, Su Ci’s clearance was evidently quite high. Once he confirmed, the sealed metal door slowly began to slide open.

A sharp, acrid smell wafted out as the door to Room 503 slid open. It was undoubtedly the scent of the sedative lingering in the air.

Su Ci wrinkled his nose but seemed otherwise unaffected.

The room, freshly sprayed with sedative, was pitch dark and eerily silent.

Su Ci stepped forward, triggering the ceiling’s motion-sensitive lights. The cold white glow illuminated a small figure on the ground—Number Eight, rendered limp by the sedative, lay sprawled at Su Ci’s feet.

The boy who had been a whirlwind of rage and violence moments ago was now as powerless as a ragdoll. His small body lay lifelessly, his beastly ears and tail gone.

At this moment, he looked no different from an ordinary human child—fragile, vulnerable, and in need of protection.

Su Ci’s lips pressed into a thin line as he crouched down. Bending over, he picked up the child and placed him gently on the bed, pulling the blanket over him up to his chest.

Number Eight didn’t resist; he had no strength to. His face was pale, and his forehead was swollen and bruised—likely from his earlier collision with the door.

“Do you have medicine?” Su Ci asked, glancing over at 4586.

The robot hovered at the doorway, its posture somehow radiating hesitation despite its expressionless mechanical form.

Hearing his question, 4586 quickly replied, producing a bottle of medical spray from within its round body. Its mechanical arm extended with a whoosh, offering the spray to Su Ci.

Su Ci took the bottle, and the robot’s arm promptly retracted with another whoosh. Throughout the exchange, it never crossed the threshold into the room.

Recalling how Xun Xiaoyu had used the spray earlier, Su Ci aimed it at the boy’s swollen forehead and applied it. The spray worked effectively; the swelling visibly reduced almost immediately.

After wiping the remnants of meat jelly from Number Eight’s face, Su Ci confirmed that the child’s condition had stabilized and prepared to leave. But as he took his first step away from the bed, he stopped abruptly.

Looking down, Su Ci noticed that Number Eight’s small hand had emerged from beneath the blanket and was now gripping the hem of his shirt tightly, the fingers so tense they had turned white.

His eyes flickered as he turned to look at the boy.

Number Eight’s eyes opened a crack, just enough to meet Su Ci’s gaze. Within those emerald depths, there was a mix of defiance and a deep, seething hatred.

If the boy had even a fraction of his usual strength, Su Ci knew he wouldn’t hesitate to strike.

Su Ci remained still. The two locked eyes—one standing, the other lying down—in silence. Eventually, the boy’s grip loosened as his strength faded, and his hand fell back to the bed.

Watching as the boy’s eyes fluttered shut again, Su Ci bent down, tucking the small hand back under the blanket. Finally, his pale hand brushed lightly over the boy’s hair.

“Rest. I’ll check on you tomorrow.”

With that, Su Ci straightened and walked out of the room without hesitation, passing 4586 on his way to the elevator.

The robot glanced between him and the closed door, its mechanical hands clasping nervously over its chest. In the end, it hurried to catch up, floating into the elevator just behind Su Ci.

Inside the elevator, Su Ci stood straight, staring ahead. His expression hadn’t changed, yet there was an unmistakable chill in his demeanor.

Perhaps sensing the shift—or perhaps merely curious—4586 studied him for a moment before asking in its chipper mechanical voice, “Su Su, were you affected by the sedative?”

Su Ci glanced at it. “What exactly is that sedative?”

“The sedative is a special formula developed by the base to handle berserk cubs,” 4586 explained. “Because it’s very potent, it can’t be administered by injection. Instead, it’s delivered through inhalation and is typically only used in the cubs’ rooms.”

The robot continued, detailing why the sedative was deployed this way. Since it took time to take effect, using it elsewhere in the facility risked giving cubs the chance to escape. Additionally, the lingering sedative could interfere with caretakers and the Operations Division during containment efforts.

While the sedative was powerful and caused minimal side effects, its use was highly situational.

Su Ci listened quietly but offered no comment.

4586 tilted its head, its round electronic eyes fixed on him cautiously. Finally, in a tone that was almost human, it asked, “Su Su, are you angry?”

“No,” Su Ci replied.

He wasn’t angry—just in a bad mood.

Turning his gaze to the now-still elevator doors, he asked, “What’s next? You mentioned the caretaker dormitory earlier?”

The dormitory—a place for caretakers to stay.

If he returned to the dormitory, could he finally do as he pleased?