The walk back felt different. Lighter. The plastic bag with its two strange, new noodle flavors swung at his side like a trophy. He’d done it. He’d navigated the outside world and made a choice that wasn't born from utter necessity. He even re-traced his route with his head a little higher, noting the familiar car, now with a fresh parking ticket tucked under its wiper.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBUApdyepP
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He scanned the brick wall for the cat, expecting to see it still reigning supreme over its domain. But the wall was empty. A sharp, furious hissing sound cut through the morning quiet, followed by a low, guttural growl. His eyes darted to the source.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSof7d07vw
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The cat was there, but it was no longer grooming. It was on the opposite wall, its back arched, fur standing on end, spitting venomously at something in the narrow alley below. And then he saw it.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5C1R1xtdqp
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A dog. But something was terribly wrong. It was a medium-sized mutt, its coat matted and dirty. Foamy, thick drool dripped from its jowls, stringing down to the pavement. Its eyes were wide, unfocused, and held a terrifying, mindless aggression. It swayed on its feet, letting out another low, rumbling growl at the cat above.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTorCLWnXWn
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Rabid? The word exploded in Eon’s mind, cold dread instantly dousing his earlier good mood. His heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat of pure fear. Every instinct screamed at him to fight or flee. His body automatically dropped into the boxing stance he’d practiced so much in-game, his hands coming up, his weight shifting.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8p7XzZJ2N
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But a louder, more rational thought overrode the impulse. One scratch and it's over. It's got the plague. Or rabies. Whatever this game's version is. This wasn't a Horned Rabbit with a predictable lunge pattern. This was a chaotic, diseased, real-world threat. His fists were useless.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7iwQkU7eiA
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCibHbXMJE
He stood there, frozen, a statue of indecision. The dog’s head swiveled slowly. Those clouded, insane eyes locked onto him. The growling stopped, replaced by a terrifying silence. Then, with a sudden, jerky burst of speed, it charged.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgs1nCos0rL
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The spell broke. Flight won over fight.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnErpcXOOAh
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Eon spun on his heel and ran. He ran like he had never run in his life, his worn-out sneakers slapping against the pavement. The plastic bag of noodles whipped wildly in his hand. He didn't think about where he was going; his legs carried him back the way he came, toward the only place of relative safety he knew: the convenience store.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjww2JaYdG
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His breath sawed in his lungs. The sound of scrambling claws and a frenzied barking echoed behind him, getting closer. He didn't dare look back.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3jFA73MBE
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He rounded the corner, the store's blinding fluorescent sign a beacon of hope. And there were the guys, still lounging by the door, now watching his panicked approach with amused curiosity.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZMkkojoQS
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"Whoa, dude, what's—" one of them started.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wnKW9ed7e
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Eon didn't stop to explain. He lunged for the automatic doors with a rabbit-like quickness he didn't know he possessed, a desperate, adrenaline-fueled version of the Dexterity he’d been grinding. He practically fell through the opening, the doors hissing shut just as a snarling, slobbering muzzle slammed against the glass with a loud THUMP.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODq7ftpZww
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He lay on the cool linoleum floor, chest heaving, staring through the glass at the frenzied animal now throwing itself against the door. The guys outside were backing away, their amusement replaced by genuine alarm.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SbDLCy41J
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Safe. For now. The quest for noodles had just turned into a survival horror game.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4TPezJkuj
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He lay on the cool linoleum, his heart trying to punch its way out of his chest. The clerk, a pimply young guy with a look of perpetual boredom, was now staring at him with wide, shocked eyes, then past him at the snarling, slobbering nightmare throwing itself against the glass.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTjub7DI0p
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9biepHuyKP
Then, two sharp, deafening CRACKS split the air.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHSUTfwoSsU
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Eon flinched, squeezing his eyes shut. The sound was so much louder, so much more visceral than any game effect. When he opened them, the dog was no longer at the door. It lay still on the pavement a few feet away.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ58PGuqxtg
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The world outside fell silent for a beat, the echo of the gunshots hanging in the air. Then, the nervous chatter of the guys outside resumed, louder and more frantic.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZtFWLsXUM
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The clerk, his hands shaking, fumbled for the phone behind the counter. "Yeah— yeah, 911? There's a... a rabid dog, I think. It was attacking people. Then... then there were gunshots. On the corner of Elm and 5th." He listened for a moment, his eyes darting between Eon on the floor and the scene outside. "I don't know who shot it. Some guy. He just took off running. Yeah. Okay. Okay."257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKRw912K3D
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUGtfU8hcz
He hung up and looked at Eon, who was slowly pushing himself up to a sitting position. "Cops are on the way. You okay, man? That thing almost got you."257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmv3QIyECt
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjngenQEU5g
Eon just nodded, his throat too tight to form words. He wasn't okay. His hands were trembling. The adrenaline was receding, leaving a cold, shaky emptiness in its wake. He was trapped inside the store, a prisoner of circumstance. The cops were coming. He'd have to talk to them. He'd have to explain.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYbQacRXgs
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhD0YBzzSK
He pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them, trying to make himself small. He focused on his breathing, a technique he’d seen in one of the countless videos he’d binge-watched. In... out... He could still see the dog’s clouded, insane eyes. He could still hear the wet sound of its body hitting the glass.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJXK8CxaRp
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftBP2hzKni
The quest for noodles had gone horribly, terrifyingly off the rails. All he’d wanted was some Lobster Bisque flavor. Now he was at the center of a police incident, his safe, controlled morning utterly shattered by the unpredictable chaos of the real world. He closed his eyes, wishing desperately for the simple, predictable violence of slimes and rabbits.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpzAnC2IA9
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4qTOdFOFR
A few agonizing minutes later, the distinct wail of a siren cut through the tension, growing louder until a police cruiser screeched to a halt outside, its lights painting the storefront in frantic flashes of red and blue. Two officers stepped out, their postures all business as they assessed the scene: the group of shaken guys, the clerk peering nervously from behind the counter, and Eon, who was still sitting on the floor looking shell-shocked.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWLT9Lywyd
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The clerk, finding a voice now that authority had arrived, launched into a rapid-fire explanation, pointing at Eon and then at the motionless form on the pavement. One officer nodded, taking notes, while the other approached Eon.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPq0mQamln1
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"You the one it chased?" the officer asked, his tone neutral but firm.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkae7aya9t
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Eon managed a weak nod, pushing himself fully upright. "Y-yeah. It just... charged. Out of nowhere." His voice was thin, but he got the words out. He explained his walk, seeing the cat, the dog's foaming mouth, the mindless charge. It was a short, simple story.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6LbZMnOLw
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The officer listened, his eyes occasionally flicking to the dog. "You did the right thing running. Never try to handle an animal acting like that." He turned to his partner. "Call it in for pest control and cleanup."257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpzqug9Zf5
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The other officer was already on his radio, requesting the necessary services. The body on the pavement was just a problem to be solved, a biohazard to be removed.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9dEgpxHnf
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The cops then turned their attention to the guys outside. After a brief conversation, one of them returned. "One of them has a registered piece. Says the dog was a clear threat, charging people. Fired two warning shots into the ground. Didn't hit it. The dog just... dropped. Probably from the stress or the disease. Heart gave out."257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7eejuwC0M
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJPrL0OdZT
The other officer, who had been examining the dog from a distance with a flashlight, called out, "Spiked collar here. No tags, though. Was probably someone's pet. We'll run the description, see if any reports match. Try to track down the owner."257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRvvFtbfVd
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSubz4Tlu1m
The formalities wound down. The immediate danger was past. The bureaucratic machine was handling it. One of the officers looked at Eon. "You free to go, son. You need a ride somewhere?"257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcdKyliSit
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Eon shook his head quickly, the idea of being in a confined police car making his skin crawl. "N-no. I'm close. Thanks."257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPly5f0DZm
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The officer gave a short nod. "Alright. Stay safe."257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡviuhH3O2dL
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And just like that, it was over. The police began stringing yellow tape, the clerk went back to his magazine, though he kept glancing at the door, and the guys outside were dispersing, the excitement fading. Eon was free to go.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZ89E4OGEc
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHvdhqMMtI
He stood there for a moment, the plastic bag of noodles still clutched in his hand. The adrenaline was gone, replaced by a deep, weary trembling. He had faced a real-world monster, and the system had dealt with it. He pushed the door open, stepping back out into the morning air, which now felt heavy and different. He didn't look at the shape on the ground. He just started walking, his steps quickening until he was almost running again, not from a threat, but toward the only sanctuary he had left.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj63SKMlswk
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoopQYZaaZ
He practically fell back into his apartment, the door shutting behind him with a final, heavy thud that echoed the slam of his heart. He stood there for a long moment, back against the door, breathing in the familiar, stale air. The plastic bag of noodles dangled from his hand. Quest Complete.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1I7700CZ5l
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But there was no feeling of victory. Just a hollow, shaky aftermath.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIILfjjn2Ko
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93mXPpIG1Z
Just like the awkward collision with the girl days before, the memory of the chase began to replay on a loop in his mind. The drooling muzzle. The frantic barking. The sound of his own panicked breathing. The two, world-shattering CRACKS of the gunshots. The sudden, awful stillness of the dog on the pavement.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbNlvgq7s6
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He slid down to the floor, the noodles forgotten beside him. He looked back, dissecting the event with a brutal, hyper-analytical focus. 257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xkNwgR90Q
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If I hadn't looked forward... If I had just kept my eyes on the pavement like I always do... I wouldn't have seen the dog from a distance. I would have walked right into it. It would have been on me before I even knew it was there.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQgNL8g9xp
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The possibilities raced, each one worse than the last. A bite. A scratch. A frantic, losing battle on the ground. The disease. Hospitals. Needles.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TcenMJAZz
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The awkward interaction with the girl would have been a thousand times better. A silent nod from an old man would have been a masterpiece of social success compared to this. He had wished for something more interesting than his routine, and the universe had delivered a dose of pure, terrifying chaos.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicEGY7RkRE
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He sighed, a long, shuddering breath that seemed to come from the very bottom of his soul. The tremor in his hands was finally starting to subside. His stomach, ever pragmatic, chose that moment to let out a loud, demanding rumble.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqb2m6e4n8
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Right. The noodles. The whole point of the disastrous expedition.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmKPsmp7Ol
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILWoIdYgow
He pushed himself up, went to the kitchen, and boiled water with mechanical movements. He tore open the Lobster Bisque package, the adventurous choice that had started it all and prepared it. The familiar routine was calming. He ate at his desk, the steam from the cup warming his face.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYB6a9DRc3
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWaotEUyXEA
But the silence of the room was too loud, filled with the echo of gunshots. He needed noise. Something simple, something innocent. He pulled up a compilation of cute cats falling off couches, the digital equivalent of a security blanket.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYl0gG4Dvb
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDS8vuaidvE
The first spoonful hit his tongue and his face immediately contorted. He’d been so focused on the act of making it, on the normalcy of the routine, that he’d forgotten the actual product.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomlPBwIxyd
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The Lobster Bisque noodles tasted like shit.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPx9KG6PSY
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It was a horrendous, artificial medley of salty dust, fishy chemicals, and a cloying sweetness that had no business being anywhere near a bisque, lobster or otherwise. It was, without a doubt, the worst noodle flavor he had ever subjected himself to. A catastrophic loot drop.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrJBSXn1ga
257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHcNSDdtL9
He watched kittens tumble into laundry baskets. The mindless, cheerful videos slowly overwrote the horrific footage playing in his head. The real world had been too much, too real, too sharp. He needed the soft, curated edges of the virtual one. He needed to log back in, where the dangers were predictable, the consequences were stats, and death was just a respawn timer.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FeYOleqtr
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He finished the noodles, the bizarre bisque flavor a footnote in the day's drama. The capsule sat waiting, a silent promise of a simpler, more manageable reality.257Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGUAi9IzTz
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Without another thought, he stood up, walked away from the disgusting failed experiment, and climbed into the waiting VR capsule. The lid hissed shut, sealing him away from the terrible taste in his mouth and the even worse memories of the morning.
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and then Add to home screen.