Does It Guarantee Pain?

No way out?

When Fu Qian returned to the Warehouse, he realized he might have underestimated how difficult this job would be.

In just a few minutes, his Sanity Value had dropped to 17 points. At this rate, becoming an idiot was just around the corner.

The problem was, it looked like neither force nor persuasion would work!

Wait!

Judging by the Old Man's unfathomable combat ability, force definitely wouldn't work.

But persuasion... Based on the Old Man's reaction the last time, at least he was willing to communicate.

As long as he could talk to the man, reasoning with him wasn't impossible.

It was just that the guy had a keen eye.

Even if Fu Qian gritted his teeth and said it didn't hurt, his expression had already given him away.

His expression... His expression...

Fu Qian suddenly had an idea. He grabbed the work ID hanging on his chest and tore it off.

His vision flashed, and he was back in the familiar surroundings of home.

Without hesitation, he grabbed his phone and headed out.

"Sir, are you... looking for someone?"

Half an hour later, at a Maternity Center, the young woman at the front desk eyed Fu Qian warily.

"I heard you have equipment that lets people experience the pain of childbirth?"

"...We do! Are you interested in trying it?"

The receptionist's eyes lit up instantly, as if she'd spotted meat on a chopping board.

"What a wonderful man. Whoever gets to be your wife will be so for—"

"Does it guarantee pain?"

Fu Qian interrupted her, asking the question he cared about most.

"G-guarantee... pain?"

His question clearly caught the young woman off guard, freezing her smile.

"...Of course. Our equipment is the most advanced on the market, and it does an excellent job simulating the experience."

"Then set it up."

Fu Qian blinked.

"I can't wait."

Soon, Fu Qian was lying on the torture device—no, the machine.

Several women in their thirties and forties gathered around him. The one in the middle, who looked like a department head, was flipping through his file.

"Mr. Fu, the machine has ten pain levels. We'll increase the intensity gradually, and you can tell us to stop whenever you can't take it anymore. If you're ready, we'll start at level one."

"No need. Set it straight to level ten."

Fu Qian's expression was calm.

As if! Once he was back in there, no one would give him time to adjust.

The whole point was to build up his tolerance to that kind of intense shock.

Of course, he wasn't putting on a relaxed front to psych himself up or anything like that.

He'd finally found an establishment that was a little less than reputable, with staff who were a little less than professional. Naturally, he had to squeeze every last bit of value out of it.

He needed fairly intense training, so a little provocation would help motivate the staff.

"Are you sure?"

"What do you think?"

Sure enough, the women exchanged glances, their eyes brimming with murderous intent.

"Turn it on!"

That's it?

It didn't seem much different from getting kicked between the legs.

The machine started up, and a sharp pain hit him.

Fu Qian focused on the painful sensation of the electric current, doing everything in his power to keep his expression neutral.

"Sir, does it hurt?"

A few minutes later, the women staring fixedly at him wore huge question marks on their faces. They couldn't help checking the machine.

"It hurts. Can't you tell?"

"Not at all..."

With that expression, you looked like you were soaking in a hot spring. How were we supposed to tell?

The women frowned and fell into thought.

It still didn't feel like enough.

Fu Qian wasn't satisfied either.

"Does it only go up to level ten?"

In terms of pain, it was still a little short of what he'd experienced in the Containment Scene.

"The machine itself goes up to level twelve, but..."

Caught off guard by Fu Qian's question, the department head hesitated.

"Give me level twelve."

Fu Qian didn't give her a chance to argue.

How arrogant!

After five seconds of inner struggle, the department head glanced at one of the others.

"Turn it up to level twelve."

"But—"

"It's fine. The machine might be broken, so we may as well test it."

Ha... Ha...

Now this was more like it!

A moment later, Fu Qian gasped twice, then strained every muscle in his body to maintain the smile of the Mona Lisa Kill.

"Are you all right?"

His bizarre expression made the staff shudder.

"I'm fine. I feel great!"

After working at it for a long while, Fu Qian finally managed to turn the Mona Lisa Kill into the Mona Lisa. Satisfied, he left the Maternity Center.

A few minutes after he left, a slaughterhouse-worthy scream rang out from inside.

With a solemn expression, Fu Qian put on his work ID and returned to the Warehouse.

[Would you like to spend one point of Sanity Value to attempt containment again?]

[Yes]

"You're awake?"

With that familiar voice, pain surged over him like a tide.

Fu Qian controlled every muscle in his body, filling himself with an air of kindness, peace, and innocence.

"Yes. I feel much better today. I don't think I need any more treatment."

"Is that so?"

The Old Man stared closely at Fu Qian for a long time before finally murmuring, "All right."

With a wave of his hand, he pulled the long needle out of the back of Fu Qian's hand.

"The moon is especially warm tonight. Go outside and have a look."

Persistence pays off. At least all that nearly knotting-up of his intestines hadn't been for nothing.

Fu Qian sighed inwardly, but kept his expression calm.

Carefully controlling his body, he climbed out of bed, gave the Old Man a cool nod, and headed in the direction he'd indicated.

Only now did Fu Qian get a good look at the whole room.

It was a wooden building that, at first glance, looked like some abandoned hospital or clinic.

Strictly speaking, it wasn't small, but most of the space was crammed with all sorts of junk. Random odds and ends littered the floor.

They creaked underfoot.

The place looked so rickety that if he kicked the wall, he might end up looking at the moon from inside the room.

Still making snarky remarks in his head, Fu Qian soon reached the door. It was in terrible shape, and half of it was blocked by junk.

"Hurry up. The moon's going down."

Just as Fu Qian was about to take a closer look outside, the Old Man's sinister voice came from behind him.

Was that a threat?

He'd already pulled out the IV. Was the Old Man going to chop him up if he didn't go outside?

Fu Qian snorted. Then the corner of his eye caught sight of the Old Man standing up—

The Old Man was holding an absurdly huge scythe. Its cold gleam stung Fu Qian's eyes.

Fu Qian stepped outside without a second thought.

So... beautiful!

A vast, azure canopy of stars stretched over him, deep and boundless, with an enormous full moon in the middle.

The Old Man hadn't lied.

Fu Qian had never seen such an astonishing full moon in his life. It seemed to fill half the sky.

It felt like Mount Tai was bearing down on him. Someone with a fear of large objects would probably have collapsed on the spot.

Most importantly, as the moon's silvery light washed over him, the pain in Fu Qian's body quickly faded.

So this was how the pain disappeared!

Praise the mo—Fu Qian took two steps forward, unable to resist striking a pose.

Hiss!

The wind whistled. Blood sprayed everywhere!

Pain struck Fu Qian's back, and the scene before his eyes rapidly faded.

In his final moments, he used all his strength to turn his head, wanting to see who had stooped so low as to sneak up on him—

There was nothing there!

[Containment failed. Survival time: 5 minutes]

[Evaluation: You've caught a first glimpse of the dreamscape. Pain can refine the soul, and the moon has you entranced.]

[Reward: Inspiration +1]

[Inspiration: Increases your ability to sense intangible things.]

[Current Sanity Value: 16]