Chapter 037: Rampaging Lolita—Dani

The sound was shrill, making his eardrums itch. Li Tianque, standing by the bedside, felt a chill run down his spine—the noise was coming from behind him.

It was an uncanny sound, reminiscent of a rusted machine being forced to operate, or a dilapidated house on the verge of collapse swaying under the assault of wind and rain. It was profoundly unsettling.

Li Tianque immediately turned around, eager to see what was happening behind him.

But the moment he saw the scene before him, cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.

The quilt he had just tucked around Dani was now puffed up, like a freshly steamed bun. Whatever position Dani was in beneath the quilt, she was pushing it up.

The bulge grew taller and taller, finally standing upright on the bed like a tent. The strange sound was emanating from within.

Li Tianque swallowed, stunned, and asked, "Dani... are you awake?"

Dani didn't answer. The eerie sounds continued, echoing throughout the room.

The noises sent tingles across Li Tianque's scalp, making him shudder. He hurried to press the bedroom light switch.

After he pressed it, the light only flickered, crackling, and failed to fully illuminate the room. Then, whether due to unstable current or some other reason, the bulb burned out after a few flickers, plunging the room back into darkness.

In the blackness, a faint, luminous glow seemed to flicker from under the bulging quilt, shaped like small pebbles—strange and indescribable.

"Dani... are you alright?" Li Tianque tentatively retreated, inching towards the door.

Dani gave him no response. The unsettling sound and glow persisted.

Li Tianque considered leaving, but then remembered that Lü Mou had arranged for him to stay here—surely there wouldn't be any real danger...

So he returned to the bedside, determined to see what was wrong with Dani under the quilt.

As he approached, his nostrils filled with the pungent stench of rust and solder.

The quilt had stopped bulging, but the glow still flickered. This time, Dani seemed to speak—but her voice was impossible to decipher:

"Squeak squeak... ee ee ah... squeak... mm hmm..."

"Hey, are you alright?" Li Tianque tried again, thinking perhaps Dani was simply sleepwalking.

Gathering his courage, he sat beside Dani, intent on pulling the quilt off her head.

Just as he reached out, he caught a glimpse of Dani through an opening in the quilt.

Her hair lay scattered before her, long black locks piled like seaweed over her face. Through the strands, her eyes were revealed, terrifyingly blood-red.

Her pupils were unnaturally shaped, as if assembled from electronic chips.

When Li Tianque caught sight of those dreadful eyes, her gaze met his instantly.

At that moment, Li Tianque felt as if he were being hunted by a wild beast—his instincts screamed at him to flee.

But he didn't, perhaps because there was no time.

Dani's body emitted another mechanical, twisting sound, and suddenly she lunged out from beneath the quilt.

Now Dani was fully visible before him.

Her pajamas had been invaded by some bizarre force, covered in strange, colorful substances, making her look like a rusted circuit board.

Her long hair still hung over her shoulders, but appeared damp.

Her pale face was half-hidden in her hair, her expression cold and detached. Her lips had turned indigo and trembled uncontrollably.

"Dani... what happened to you?" Li Tianque asked.

Dani didn't reply. Instead, she opened her mouth and lunged at him.

A wave of metallic stench assaulted him, like a whirlwind of scrap iron.

Li Tianque had no time to escape—Dani tackled him, slamming him against the wall.

Though her arms were slender, her strength was astonishing, gripping his wrists like a pair of pincers. Her damp hair draped across his face, like the tongue of a venomous serpent sizing up its prey.

Li Tianque struggled desperately, but, having not eaten, found himself powerless to break free.

After immobilizing him, Dani opened her mouth wide, revealing a mouthful of sharp metallic fangs.

Li Tianque realized she was aiming for his neck. Acting on instinct, he lowered his head, presenting his crown to the attacking Dani.

Her jaws did not relent—she bit forcefully at Li Tianque.

With a sharp crack, Dani's teeth shattered his beret.

Li Tianque was filled with despair. Such fearsome teeth biting into his skull felt no different from a pair of pliers crushing a walnut. Surely, there was no way out this time.

But unexpectedly, after biting through the hat, Dani let out a piercing scream.

She released Li Tianque's wrists, clutching her mouth in agony. The metallic stench in the room intensified.

Still shaken, Li Tianque touched his head.

He remembered the black iodide coating on his hat—Dani must have come into contact with this strange substance when she bit through it.

Apparently, her body had a violent aversion to it, which caused her to scream so terribly.

Li Tianque wasted no time pondering; he dashed for the door.

Smoke poured from Dani's mouth, with black, cotton-candy-like material stuck to her lips.

She quickly grabbed the bedsheet, frantically wiping her mouth, smearing the black substance onto the fabric.

After a few guttural cries, Dani tore at the bedframe in fury, splintering it with flying shards.

Li Tianque had no interest in Dani's state; he only wanted to escape as quickly as possible.

But Dani soon pursued him.

Her movements were strange—she didn't run on all fours, nor on two legs, but moved sideways, propelled by one leg and one arm.

Despite her bizarre posture, her speed matched Li Tianque's, even allowing her to cling to the surface of the stairs, rolling forward as she advanced.

Li Tianque pushed himself to his limits.

Though the door was close, it felt farther than running a marathon.

He recalled hearing that people could unleash incredible strength at their limits, but this theory seemed to fail him now.

His speed showed no superhuman surge.

Ten meters, five meters, three meters...

Closer and closer—almost free...

Li Tianque scrambled and crawled desperately, but Dani leaped sideways from the stairs, aiming straight for him.

He burst through the door just as Dani caught up.

The girl with the strange posture vaulted over him, landing directly in front of his escape.

Dani's blood-red mechanical eyes locked onto Li Tianque. Her mouth, corroded by the black iodide, dripped an unknown, blood-like substance. She stood sideways, her head twisted toward him.

The once adorable little girl had become a savage demon.

Li Tianque had nowhere to run; in utter despair, he grabbed a broken piece of door panel from the floor, preparing for a final struggle.

But before he could act, Dani lunged again, fast as lightning, tackling him to the ground...