"The last ones to catch the madness infection were outsiders wearing hazmat suits. A whole team of them ran into the pipes, but only one made it out," the Silicone Doll recalled.
"People from the Cleaning Company?" Gao Ming took out the walkie-talkie he had picked up earlier and turned the dial. "Listen and see if you recognize this man's voice."
He switched channels. Before long, the man's curses came through, repeating over and over that he wouldn't fall for it and that Gao Ming should give up trying to murder him.
"He was there. I peeked out of the bathtub once. The man with that voice was very young and handsome, with a body just like the male dolls in the factory." The Silicone Doll gave him high praise.
"Then do you think he sounds like he's caught the madness infection?" Gao Ming continued.
"No. Once you catch the madness infection, you turn into Auntie. He clearly hasn't lost himself yet." The Silicone Doll seemed to suddenly remember something. "Farther in, you'll see lots of abandoned drainage pipes. Some lead to other neighborhoods, some to the deepest part of the Underground River, and some outside the city. When the City Water Network was renovated, all of that area was abandoned. Only a few small monitoring stations were left. The trapped man is probably hiding in one of them."
"Thank you. You've been a great help." Gao Ming thanked her sincerely. Two patches of red rose on the Silicone Doll's cheeks. Her personality seemed to have been programmed to make her easily embarrassed.
"It's nothing, really." The doll poked her head out of the bathtub and pointed in a direction. "If you don't know the way, you can carry some meat with you. The fish in the water will help