For a moment after the runway pose—
The lobby fell completely silent.
Then the place exploded.
Laughter. Cheers. Applause.
"Did that dog just hit a runway mark?!"
"That pose was illegal!"
"Teacher Er'gou: I'm not modeling. I'm inspecting my territory."
"That paw-on-the-railing move—I'm finished. Someone call an ambulance."
Lin Wan stood there like a random pedestrian who had accidentally wandered onto a supermodel runway.
Er'gou, meanwhile, simply lowered his paw, turned around calmly, and walked off the stage.
No celebration.
No acknowledgment.
Just business concluded.
The host tried to stop him with a toy.
"Teacher Er'gou, want to—"
He walked past.
Didn't even look.
Jumped down from the stage.
Interaction rejected.
"Alright!" the host announced, recovering quickly.
"Final game of the night!"
"The Ultimate Pet Synchronization Challenge!"
"You Draw, I Guess — Pet Edition!"
Rules were simple.
The owner looked at a word.
Then used body language to act it out.
The pet had one minute to understand and respond.
The results so far had been chaos.
Someone acted out "bone" and their dog brought a slipper.
Someone mimed throwing a frisbee and their corgi began spinning in place like a malfunctioning helicopter.
The crowd was dying.
Then it was Lin Wan and Er'gou's turn.
First word:
Phone.
Lin Wan thought for a moment.
Then made the universal gesture.
Hand by the ear.
"Hello? Hello?"
Er'gou stared at her.
Blink.
Blink.
Then—
He turned.
Walked straight to the chair where Lin Wan's backpack sat.
Pushed the zipper open with his nose.
Dug his head inside.
And—
Pulled out her actual phone.
He carried it back.
Placed it neatly at her feet.
Then looked up.
Expression calm.
Mission complete.
The lobby erupted.
"WHAT?!"
"Did that dog just understand the concept of a phone?!"
"That's not guessing—that's execution!"
"Teacher Er'gou: Next question."
Lin Wan herself looked stunned.
Okay.
That one she did not expect.
Second word:
Sadness.
Lin Wan froze.
How do you act that out?
She tried.
Dramatic crying face.
Fake wiping tears.
Er'gou watched her performance.
Two seconds.
Processing.
Then he did something no one predicted.
He walked over to the bee-costume Shiba Inu from earlier.
The one still radiating existential despair.
Er'gou raised a paw.
Gently tapped the Shiba on the shoulder.
Then—
He lowered his head.
Lay down on the floor.
And released a long, soulful sigh.
"...Haaah."
The Shiba Inu looked like its soul had left its body.
Crowd: stunned.
Livestream comments exploded.
"He comforted another dog?!"
"That sigh had emotional depth!"
"Shared sadness between species!"
"Teacher Er'gou: Human sorrow may differ, but dogs understand."
"Shiba: Please stop helping."
Lin Wan was biting her lip to stop from laughing.
Final word.
Last round.
She glanced at the board.
And blinked.
King.
This one was abstract.
She straightened her posture.
Lifted her chin.
Pretended to hold an invisible scepter.
Trying to look majestic.
Er'gou watched.
Quiet.
Calculating.
Then—
He turned away.
And walked to the center stage.
The highest point of the small runway.
He turned to face the crowd.
Sat down.
Back straight.
Front paws aligned.
Chin slightly raised.
Blue eyes sweeping across the room.
The tiny black devil horns remained on his head—
But somehow—
They didn't look ridiculous anymore.
They looked ceremonial.
He didn't act.
He simply existed.
Like a ruler surveying his kingdom.
The music stopped without anyone realizing.
The lobby went silent.
Every person.
Every dog.
Watching the husky on the stage.
Five seconds.
Pure stillness.
Then—
Some dog barked.
Just once.
The spell broke.
The lobby exploded.
Cheers.
Whistles.
Laughter shaking the ceiling.
"That's a KING!"
"He didn't act it—he was it!"
"That aura is insane!"
"Teacher Er'gou has ascended the throne!"
"Bow down!"
The host nearly lost her voice.
"My goodness! The synchronization! The performance! Tonight's champion of the synchronization challenge—without question—Teacher Er'gou and Lin Wan!"
Lin Wan stood there in the storm of applause.
Watching the "king" sitting calmly on the stage.
Pride.
Amusement.
And something else.
Concern.
Because Er'gou was getting better.
Too good.
Too natural.
Too far beyond "a smart dog."
Sooner or later—
Someone would stop laughing.
And start asking the wrong questions.