The camera loved Er'gou tonight.
Close-up after close-up.
That face.
That expression.
Frozen between dignity and existential despair.
Live comments exploded:
[Er'gou: Who am I? Where am I? Why am I riding this disgraceful wooden creature?]
[That look… like he's attending his own funeral.]
[For kibble, even a former top idol must descend into the sea (of horses)!]
[HAHAHA but he didn't destroy the carousel horse?? The restraint! The maturity!]
Lin Wan, perched on a painfully pink pony nearby, nearly lost control.
Er'gou's side profile under the carnival lights radiated tragic hero energy—
Like a general marching to glorious doom.
She slapped a hand over her mouth, shoulders shaking.
When the carousel finally slowed, Er'gou hopped down.
His steps wobbled slightly.
Not physically.
Psychologically.
But within seconds, he recovered.
Head toss.
Fur shake.
Posture straightening.
As if those humiliating minutes had never happened.
As if reality itself owed him an apology.
"Congratulations!" the director announced."First Starlight Sticker obtained!"
Lin Wan knelt and stuck the glittering cartoon dog sticker onto the side of Er'gou's black collar.
Er'gou glanced downward.
Visible disgust flickered across those icy blue eyes.
…but he didn't remove it.
The following challenges turned into Er'gou's personal highlight reel.
Ring Toss:He swatted every ring into the air with a single paw—Perfectly landing them around the staff's scoreboard.
Pet Basketball:He calmly nudged the ball with his head, walked beneath the hoop, jumped—
Score.
Landed.
Looked at the camera like a king tolerating peasants.
Gasps.
Cheers.
Laughter.
Viewership climbing.
Su Xiao's Ragdoll cat remained aloof elegance incarnate.
It completed exactly one task:
Scratching a designated post.
Gracefully.
Refined.
Internet-approved aristocracy.
As Er'gou passed by, he cast the cat a brief sideways glance.
The Ragdoll lifted its sapphire eyes.
They locked gazes.
One second.
Two.
The cat turned away with deliberate indifference.
Licked its paw.
Er'gou huffed quietly through his nose.
Tail tip flicking once.
A verdict delivered without words:
Decorative object.
Lin Wan: "..."
She was becoming increasingly convinced this husky possessed a disturbingly sophisticated social hierarchy chart inside his head.
Sticker collection progressed smoothly.
Their group drew closer to the final zone:
The Ferris Wheel Plaza.
The air thickened with overlapping scents:
Caramel popcorn.
Rubber balloons.
Sweaty children.
Perfume.
Makeup.
Fried food grease.
Er'gou's nose began working overtime.
Subtle twitches.
Ears rotating.
Focus sharpening.
The playful aloofness faded.
Something else surfaced—
Calculation.
Alertness.
At last—
Final preliminary task cleared.
The director raised his voice dramatically:
"Everyone!Let's move toward tonight's ultimate challenge—
✨ THE STARLIGHT FERRIS WHEEL! ✨"
The crowd flowed forward.
And that's when Lin Wan noticed it.
A scent.
Wrong.
Not cotton candy.
Not grease.
Not human.
It was sharp yet sweet.
Cold, metallic, damp—
Blended with an unsettling floral-fruit note.
Like an expensive perfume desperately trying to hide something rotten beneath.
Er'gou slowed.
Stopped.
Inhaled deeply.
Blue eyes narrowing.
Confusion.
Wariness.
He nudged Lin Wan's leg.
Soft but urgent.
A low warning rumble vibrated in his throat.
Lin Wan crouched instantly.
"…The special scent?"
Er'gou nodded.
"Can you identify it?"
A pause.
Then—
He shook his head.
Too layered.
Too contaminated.
Too deliberate.
And worse—
It wasn't coming from a single source.
They reached the Ferris Wheel Plaza.
Crowds thicker.
Lights brighter.
The colossal wheel turning slowly overhead—
Each cabin glowing warm yellow like suspended lanterns.
Beautiful.
Unnerving.
The final challenge setup stood at the center:
A circular ring of colored lights.
A velvet-draped pedestal.
And atop it—
A lavishly decorated chest.
The "Starlight Treasure Box."
Locked.
Waiting.
The host beamed:
"For the Starlight Guardian Challenge, pets must perform protective rituals around the treasure box. Once completed, the key will be awarded!"
Other participants went first.
Heartwarming.
Predictable.
Harmless.
Then—
Lin Wan and Er'gou stepped into the glowing circle.
Three steps forward—
Er'gou slammed to a halt.
Ears snapped upright.
Back fur bristling.
A low, lethal growl rolled from his chest.
His gaze locked onto the treasure box.
No—
Not the box itself.
The shadow beneath the velvet folds.
The metal lock.
The base of the pedestal.
Lin Wan's pulse spiked.
"…Er'gou?"
He didn't respond.
The leash slipped loose from her fingers.
Er'gou advanced.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Every step tense with predatory caution.
He lowered his head.
Nose hovering inches from the chest.
Breathing.
Analyzing.
The strange scent here was overwhelming.
Even Lin Wan caught that sickly-sweet discordance now.
Suddenly—
Er'gou lifted his head.
Eyes blazing.
And unleashed a thunderous warning:
"WOOF!!!"
Before anyone could react—
He stepped back.
Coiled.
Then launched forward like a missile.
BOOM!!!
His skull slammed into the Starlight Treasure Box.
The chest flipped violently off the pedestal—
Crashing onto the ground.
The lock snapping open.
Velvet cloth tearing loose.
Gasps echoed across the plaza.
Crew frozen.
Cameras shaking.
And as the box tumbled—
As the velvet drape twisted—
As hidden compartments were violently exposed—
Several objects rolled out from inside the chest…
…and from beneath the pedestal.