Chapter 56
The wolf cub’s words left the little white deer equally stunned.
He blinked, his confusion evident as he stammered, “It… it was this morning in the activity room. You even passed out from the cold…”
“Huh? So you were berserk back then?” Number Eight exclaimed, his face full of shock. “I thought it was just bad weather again!”
Then, with an even more astonished expression, he examined Number Seven and said, “Wow, when you go berserk, it’s so different from the rest of us! You don’t even move! So, the cold I felt was your powers being released?”
The little white deer nodded.
Watching the wolf cub’s awestruck face, Number Seven hesitated before finally voicing the question that had been on his mind. “So, why did you hug me back then? Weren’t you mocking me just before?”
If Number Eight hadn’t mocked him for crying, he wouldn’t have lost control of his emotions, his bloodline powers wouldn’t have erupted, and he wouldn’t have come so close to stabbing him with the ice spike.
Even though it was his first time manifesting the ability, Number Seven understood all too well that if that ice spike had pierced Number Eight’s flesh, his blood would have frozen instantly. It would have been nearly impossible to save him.
He had almost killed Number Eight.
But Number Eight hugging him and ending up nearly frozen to death was a very different scenario. Number Seven recognized that distinction clearly, which only made it harder for him to understand why Number Eight, who had been mocking and bullying him a moment ago, would then turn around and offer him warmth and protection.
Number Seven considered himself clever, but he couldn’t follow Number Eight’s train of thought at all.
Then, he saw the wolf cub scratching his head, as if trying hard to recall. Finally, Number Eight said, perplexed, “When did I mock you? Wasn’t it always you mocking me?”
The little white deer puffed up his cheeks, annoyed. “You mocked me for crying!”
“When did I ever mock you for crying?” Number Eight protested, looking utterly wronged. “I was comforting you! I was just saying that even though I play the flute better than you, there’s no need to cry about it!”
Number Seven was dumbfounded.
Comforting me? That was clearly mocking! Who comforts people like that?
Meanwhile, Number Eight felt equally aggrieved. He muttered under his breath, half in defense and half in complaint, “I didn’t call you stupid. How is that mocking? You’re the one who keeps calling me dumb, always picking on me, and calling me a big dumb wolf! Clearly, you’re the one mocking me!”
The little white deer’s mouth opened slightly. He wanted to retort, You are dumb—I’m not wrong, but seeing the wolf cub’s aggrieved and saddened expression, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
In the past…
To fit in and appear strong enough to avoid being bullied, Number Seven often targeted Number Eight. After all, he had never met Number One, Number Two and Number Six were his allies, Number Four was too strong to provoke, and messing with Number Five meant inviting trouble from Number Four. That left only Number Eight.
He knew Number Eight hated being called dumb, but because they were adversaries, the more Number Eight didn’t want to hear it, the more he said it.
However, listening to Number Eight’s complaints now, Number Seven found he couldn’t justify his actions with the same confidence as before.
“I… I…”
The little white deer hesitated, then finally lowered his head and weakly said, “I’m sorry… I won’t say that to you anymore.”
Hearing the apology, Number Eight didn’t know why, but the resentment and frustration that had built up in his heart over time suddenly eased significantly.
He even felt that, even without any compensation, just this apology was enough for him to forgive Number Seven for all the teasing he had endured.
So… apologies really work this well?
The wolf cub was shocked. Some of his deeply ingrained beliefs seemed to waver for the first time.
After apologizing for his past behavior, the little white deer grew even more curious.
“Didn’t you hate me before? So why did you protect me when I was in danger?” he asked, staring at Number Eight with confusion.
Whether Number Eight had known he was berserk or not, he had stayed despite the cold, even using his body to warm him. That was an undeniable fact.
If their roles had been reversed—if Number Eight were in danger—Number Seven wasn’t sure he would have done the same. At least… during one of Number Eight’s berserk episodes, he wouldn’t have approached him.
Instead, he would’ve run away to protect himself.
Thinking this way made Number Eight’s actions seem all the more perplexing.
When faced with Number Seven’s question, Number Eight also looked puzzled. “I just felt like I should do it, so I did. Do I need a reason for that?”
“And besides, it was so cold at the time—hugging each other was a smart way to stay warm!” The wolf cub felt quite proud of himself for his clever decision. The only unexpected part was that the cold hadn’t been from the weather but from Number Seven releasing his icy energy.
Still, Number Eight didn’t regret his actions.
After all, Number Seven had thanked him, which meant his choice had worked. Hearing someone who usually looked down on him express gratitude felt incredibly satisfying!
Thinking about this, Number Eight’s tail wagged high in the air, his face smug. “I really did dislike you before, but after you praised my flute playing, I realized you’re not so bad after all!”
Number Seven blinked. That’s all it took? Really?
He glanced at the caretaker leaning against the doorframe, looking relaxed and drowsy as if he might fall asleep at any moment.
So, the caretaker’s advice really worked?
Just complimenting Number Eight could not only stop him from bullying but even make him protect him? Number Seven felt like his perspective on things had shifted completely.
Was I really wrong all along? How could it be this simple?
At that moment, Number Eight spoke again.
“But of course…” He glanced at Number Seven and clarified with a huff, “That doesn’t mean I like you or anything. Don’t get the wrong idea.”
Number Seven was speechless but decided to nod anyway.
He didn’t need Number Eight’s affection; as long as the wolf cub stopped bullying him, that was enough. With one less enemy, he’d feel safer.
However, seeing Number Seven agree so quickly made Number Eight feel a little unhappy.
He pouted and let out a soft “hmph.”
Number Seven noticed the wolf cub’s mood shift but decided not to pay it any mind. While their relationship had improved a bit, they weren’t allies yet, so he didn’t feel obligated to cater to Number Eight’s emotions… right?
Now that he had returned the flute and cleared things up, Number Seven glanced at Number Eight, then at the caretaker. With one less worry on his mind, he finally felt ready to rest. Thinking about sleep made him stifle a yawn.
So… shouldn’t they leave now?
Number Eight, of course, didn’t catch on to Number Seven’s intentions.
Feeling increasingly annoyed for reasons he couldn’t quite pinpoint, the wolf cub glanced down and saw the bamboo flute in his hand. A brilliant idea suddenly sparked in his mind.
“Do you want to learn this?” He waved the flute in the air. “I can teach you!”
Number Eight’s offer surprised even Su Ci, who had been fighting off his own drowsiness. The caretaker looked over at the wolf cub, a trace of curiosity flickering in his half-lidded eyes.
As for Number Seven, he immediately perked up, fully awake.
“L-learn what?” He stared at the flute in Number Eight’s hand, not quite daring to believe what he was hearing.
The wolf cub’s bright, sunny voice rang out enthusiastically: “Haha, what else? Learn how to play the flute! Didn’t you say I play well? I can teach you!”
Play the flute?
Number Eight wanted to teach him how to play the flute?
“Really?”
Did I hear that right? Number Seven thought, his mind spinning in disbelief. The big dumb wolf—no, Number Eight—was actually offering to teach him how to play the flute? That seemed far too generous, coming from him. But…
Playing the flute! It was something Number Seven had dreamed of learning!
To him, the flute held a very special meaning. He couldn’t remember who it was that had played it in his memories, but he just…
He desperately wanted to play the same tune that person had once played for him.
He still remembered the melody. If he could learn to play the flute, perhaps he could recreate the song. And if he managed that, maybe… maybe he’d recall more about the person from his memories.
“Number Eight, are you really going to teach me how to play the flute?”
For the first time, the little white deer took the initiative to approach the gray wolf. He even reached out his small hand and tugged on the hem of his shirt.
The boy, already as delicate and charming as a snow sculpture, had shed all his usual prickliness. Tilting his head back, he gazed up at Number Eight with wide, expectant eyes brimming with eagerness.
Seeing such a soft and adorable version of the little white deer, Number Eight was completely dumbfounded.
Even though he was the one who had offered, facing Number Seven’s earnest question now made him inexplicably nervous. He stammered as he replied, “Y-yeah! If… if you want to learn, I can teach you! Number Three is learning with me too. You can join us and we can play together!”
When Number Eight confirmed his offer, the little white deer’s eyes lit up even more. His excitement was palpable as he quickly responded, “I’ll join! Please teach me to play the flute!”
Staring into those sparkling deer eyes, Number Eight’s fluffy tail wagged high in the air again, and all traces of his earlier bad mood vanished.
For the first time, Number Eight thought having a friend like the little white deer might not be so bad.
When he’s not calling me a big dumb wolf, he’s actually kind of cute!
Then, as if remembering something, Number Eight turned to glance at the caretaker standing behind him. Their eyes met, and the young man raised a brow ever so slightly.
Instantly, the wolf cub’s smug expression vanished, replaced by a slightly guilty look.
How did I forget? I haven’t actually mastered the flute myself yet! And the real teacher was standing right there.
Looking between the overjoyed little white deer and the caretaker behind him, Number Eight hesitated. He opened his mouth to explain but couldn’t bring himself to reveal that this was all part of his transaction with Su Ci. After a moment of internal struggle, he clenched his teeth and said, “Number Seven, wait here for a bit!”
Before Number Seven could ask any questions, Number Eight grabbed Su Ci and pulled him into the hallway.
Once the metal door slid shut behind them, sealing them off from the little white deer’s curious gaze, Number Eight finally turned to face the caretaker.
Su Ci crossed his arms and casually studied the wolf cub, a faint smirk on his lips.
“Su Ci…” Number Eight began but then paused. After a moment, his voice softened, shifting into a practiced, syrupy tone. “Su Caretaker, look, Number Seven really wants to learn how to play the flute. Can you teach him too?”
When Su Ci didn’t respond right away, Number Eight grabbed the sleeve of his shirt and leaned closer. His whole posture radiated the innocence of a child trying to charm a close elder.
“Please, I’m begging you, teach him along with me, okay?”
The wolf cub felt that whenever it came to the caretaker, asking for help just came naturally. It was as if, deep down, he believed that he wouldn’t get hurt when dealing with Su Ci.
However, he was starting to realize that not all his pleading worked.
Su Ci showed no particular reaction, only saying calmly, “If I remember correctly, teaching you how to play the flute was part of a transaction.”
Hearing this, the wolf cub’s tail, which had been wagging high and proud, drooped instantly. He muttered “stingy” under his breath but quickly regained his spirits.
“Then let’s keep trading! I’ll let you touch my ears again, and you can teach Number Seven how to play the flute!”
Having already let the caretaker touch both his ears and tail before, the wolf cub no longer had any objections to it. Once you’ve been patted, what’s a few more times, anyway? he reasoned.
As long as Su Ci could teach Number Seven to play the flute and save his image in front of him, what did it matter if he was patted a few extra times?
Su Ci crossed his arms and looked at the wolf cub, whose furry ears were twitching as he leaned his head closer. Though he was tempted to give them a rub, Su Ci restrained himself.
“We can continue the trade, but I’ll need to pat your tail instead.”
The wolf cub, who had been eagerly leaning his head toward Su Ci, froze in place at these words. He looked up with a pout. “But we agreed earlier—one tail pat equals two chips.”
Touching his tail was fine, but that had its own price!
The caretaker didn’t respond, just lazily stared at him, relaxed and unhurried.
The wolf cub’s resolve weakened instantly.
Thinking about the delicious potato chips, he hesitated. After a moment of inner conflict, he tried to negotiate. “Then… how about you pat my tail twice? I really want those chips…”
Potato chips were just so good—once you had a taste, you’d want them every day!
Two tail pats would solve everything. One would help the little white deer, and the other would get him his two chips. It was a great deal!
In fact, aside from chips, the wolf cub had all kinds of other snacks he wanted to try. Now that he knew Number Seven could produce cold air, he’d even started dreaming of making ice pops.
All you needed was water and sugar. Freeze it, and you’d have a delicious ice pop—who wouldn’t like that?
But for now, securing the chips was the priority.
Watching the wolf cub enthusiastically wagging his tail, Su Ci finally agreed to the deal.
To be honest, Su Ci hadn’t expected the wolf cub to go this far for the little white deer. Though clumsy, he had a good heart. With this attitude, the wolf cub was bound to make plenty of friends in the future.
White deer were inherently spiritual creatures. Number Seven had exceptional talent, but his temperament had strayed off course. It wasn’t something that could be corrected with a few words.
More interactions with someone as straightforward as the wolf cub might help guide Number Seven back onto the right path.
The wolf cub’s thoughts, of course, were much simpler. Once Su Ci agreed, he cheered and immediately turned around, offering up his fluffy tail with practiced ease.
“Hurry, pat it! Number Seven’s waiting for us!”
*
Meanwhile, downstairs in Room 402…
After finishing his lunch, Number Two sat quietly in his room, releasing his spiritual power. He wasn’t entirely sure what this ability was called, but he was convinced that practicing it more couldn’t hurt.
As he extended his spiritual power outward, he noticed something surprising: his range of perception today seemed to have expanded compared to yesterday. He suspected it might be the result of having partially tamed the unruly bloodline power within him.
Suppressing the flicker of joy in his heart, Number Two focused on observing the activity outside.
Despite everything, he hadn’t given up on his escape plan. He pushed his spiritual power further, reaching outward, and soon…
He found himself “seeing” the scene upstairs.
Number Seven lived in Room 502, directly above him, and standing outside Number Seven’s door at that moment were the wolf cub and the caretaker.
Once again, he “saw” Number Eight presenting his fluffy tail to the caretaker, allowing him to stroke it without any resistance.
Number Two’s expression shifted from hard-to-describe disapproval to resigned numbness.
This is… shameless. But…
If I could tolerate being hugged by the wolf cub all morning, what’s the big deal about letting the caretaker pat my tail?
Looking at Number Eight, who had managed to get tail pats two days in a row and had even been allowed outside of his room freely despite it not being activity time, Number Two felt an undeniable pang of envy.
I want to go out too!
Number Two clenched his fists.
Being stuck in a confined room, constantly monitored, with no freedom or privacy—it was unbearable.
Except for the mysterious Number One, he was the oldest of the group.
He had been sent to the nursery when he was just four years old and had lived there for almost seven years. He had long since grown tired of this existence.
When he was younger and more naïve, he hadn’t fully understood the injustice of his situation. But even back then, he had resented the adults for forcing him into this life. Resistance had only resulted in stricter surveillance and harsher restrictions.
Number Two didn’t know when these days would finally end. But now, as he entered adolescence, the suffocating nature of his life had become unbearable.
Even with signs of his bloodline power being subdued, his desire to escape Base 24 hadn’t waned. He craved freedom, yearned for the outside world. Even if it meant risking his life, he was willing to take that chance.
And now…
It’s just getting my tail touched, right? If Number Eight can do it, so can I!
The red-haired boy’s expression hardened with determination.
Having made up his mind, the next step was figuring out how to execute his plan.
Just then, he felt the limit of his spiritual power being reached and withdrew it from the outside world. Sitting back, he began strategizing how to approach the caretaker and negotiate a deal without raising suspicion.
The scene portrays a vivid, heartwarming interaction between Su Ci, the young wolf pup, and the white deer in the nursery facility where they are housed.
The young wolf, oblivious to once again “dying of embarrassment,” had no idea of the white deer’s peeking or its deeper thoughts. Su Ci, though aware of the white deer’s curiosity, couldn’t quite guess his intentions.
After thoroughly stroking the wolf pup’s tail twice, Su Ci withdrew his hand in satisfaction and, just like the previous day, handed the child three chips.
The wolf pup was ecstatic! They had agreed on just two chips, but every time the caretaker gave him an extra one. The caretaker was amazing! He loved the caretaker so much!
“We have a deal—you’ll teach Number Seven how to play the flute,” the wolf pup wagged his tail as he said cheerfully, holding the chips in his hands.
Su Ci nodded and opened the door to Room Seven once more.
After Su Ci and the pup had stepped out earlier, Number Seven had been waiting nervously by the door. Being left there after the wolf pup had dragged the caretaker away had made him uneasy.
Fortunately, it wasn’t long before the door reopened.
Unlike the cautious and hesitant entrance of before, the wolf pup charged into the room the moment the metallic door slid open.
“Dun-dun-dun-dun!”
He dramatically raised both arms and hummed his own triumphant entry theme, looking smug as he presented the chips in his hands to the white deer.
The white deer couldn’t help but swallow reflexively at the sight of the chips.
However, his gaze soon returned to the wolf pup’s face. The boy’s smile was as bright and radiant as the sun, lifting the spirits of anyone who saw it.
The white deer wondered, why had he never noticed how infectious Number Eight’s smile was before?
While the white deer was lost in thought, the wolf pup seemed quite pleased with the impact he’d made. Holding one chip in his right hand, he waved it in front of the white deer’s nose before quickly pulling it back.
“Does it smell good?” The wolf pup grinned mischievously. “Do you know what this is?”
Seeing the boy’s expression, as if daring him to admit ignorance, the white deer almost blurted it out. But remembering Number Eight’s promise to teach him the flute, he hesitated and held his tongue.
“What is it?” The white deer asked, ignoring the caretaker’s knowing gaze and playing along.
The wolf pup laughed heartily when Number Seven admitted his ignorance. Wagging his tail with glee, he explained seriously, “This is a chip!”
Watching the boy’s smug expression, the white deer couldn’t help feeling a little regret. But the next moment, the wolf pup pressed a chip into his hand.
Caught off guard, the white deer stared blankly at the gift in his palm, while the boy said happily, “This one’s for you! You’ve probably never had anything this delicious before. I’m telling you, even Number Three loves chips!”
Of course, the white deer knew how delicious chips were. If it were him, he would never share them with anyone.
So, his surprise only deepened.
“You… you really want to give this to me?” He stared at Number Eight in disbelief.
“Yeah! Go on, eat it. Afterward, we’ll go find Number Three and learn the flute together.” The wolf pup waved grandly, urging him to hurry.
Meanwhile, Su Ci, munching on chips from his own bag, watched the exchange with amusement.
Looking between the wolf pup, the caretaker, and the chip in his hand, the white deer felt his nose tingle, though the emotion didn’t make him sad.
He took a bite of the chip. It was crispy and delicious, the same flavor as the one he’d eaten last night, but somehow, it tasted even better.
“Number Seven!”
The wolf pup suddenly called out to him.
The white deer thought for a moment before replying, “I’m not really called Number Seven. Before coming to the nursery, the people at the welfare home used to call me Youyou.”
For the first time, he shyly shared his name. “You can call me that too.”
The wolf pup blinked in surprise. “Youyou?”
“Yeah!” The white deer nodded before looking at the wolf pup curiously. “What about you? What was your name before?”
Number Eight had only been in the nursery for less than a year. He must have had a name before coming here.
But when the white deer asked, the boy’s green eyes darted nervously, and he stammered, unable to answer.
