NOVPUBI never thought things would go so smoothly.
After coming back from Snowy’s house, I’d looked up Black Street on my phone out of curiosity, but no one could explain exactly where it was located.
So I figured I’d just give it a try... and to my surprise, some random homeless guy actually knew how to get there.
But thinking about it, I wasn’t all that surprised. After all, the guy had a [Title] floating above his head too—[Background Actor].
Just like all the other pedestrians around me now.
Perfect. I’d made it into this mysterious street once again.
I had promised Snowy I’d come hang out at her place again soon, but time was tight right now—so I needed to prioritize something else.
I didn’t know where most of the exits from this place led, but there was one I remembered for sure!
I started running—sprinted past the bakery up ahead, then turned left at the next intersection... I saw it! That alley!
If I went through there, I’d reach the Jinhua Department Store. And somewhere near there was the Jingxuan Hotel, where Lillian’s birthday party was being held.
Alright! No time to waste—go!
I pulled out my phone while running, checking the time as I dashed into the alley.
It was 7:55 a.m... Just barely on time!
I shot out from the other end of the alley and looked up, trying to figure out which direction the hotel was in—only to realize...
I was still in Black Street.
“...Huh?”
What the hell?
I clearly remembered that last time I walked out of this alley, I came out right by the department store. But now, standing here, it was clearly still Black Street. 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓅𝓾𝒷.𝒸ℴ𝓂
I could tell because the people around me still had the same [Title] floating above their heads: [Background Actor].
What the hell is going on here?
I turned back and ran through the alley again, and—
I ended up in Black Street. Again.
I didn’t believe it. [N O V E L I G H T] I tried three, four more times—running in, out, back, and forth—and finally came to a painful realization:
I really couldn’t get out.
So it’s true—I can’t leave this place on my own!
Last time, Snowy was the one who led me in and out. And when I entered just now, that homeless man literally kicked me through the threshold...
Which means—I need someone from inside this street to lead me out.
Alright. Guess I’ll go ask Snowy for help.
There was no way I’d make it on time now anyway. Since I was already going to be late, I might as well stop rushing and try to salvage what I could.
With that slightly bitter thought in mind, I headed back to Snowy’s mansion.
I was planning to knock and see if she was home, but when I reached the front door—I realized it wasn’t even locked.
So I just pulled the handle and walked right in.
“Snowy?”
No response.
I stepped into the living room, then headed upstairs to check her room.
“Are you here, Snowy?”
The blankets were neatly folded, and a set of pajamas was folded by the pillow. From the looks of it, she’d already gotten dressed and gone out.
I wasn’t satisfied, so I went around and checked every single room. I even peeked into the “spare parts storage room.”
Still nothing.
When I returned to the front entryway, I noticed something: the slippers I’d bought her were neatly lined up in the shoe cabinet, but one pair of sneakers was missing from the bottom row.
So she really had gone out.
Still, you should at least lock the door when you leave... Then again, maybe she didn’t care because the old guys were still here?
No... knowing Snowy’s personality, she probably just doesn’t give a damn either way.
No helping it. If Snowy wasn’t around, then my only option was to ask one of the other locals to guide me out.
Sure, I didn’t love the idea of dealing with those weird background actors, but there was no other choice now.
As I stepped outside, I noticed the sky had darkened. It looked like rain was coming.
But the biggest change—
Every single [Background Actor] had disappeared.
There wasn’t a soul on the street.
A sinking dread began to spread through my chest. I broke into a jog, searching for any sign of another person.
Nothing. No matter where I went—no one.
I started running around aimlessly—diving into alleys, trying windows, circling back—but it was no use.
I couldn’t get out.
“What the hell is this?!”
The hell is this...
...is this...
...this...
...s...
I clutched the sides of my head and screamed into the sky. My voice echoed back at me like I was in some massive cavern.
“...Heh... Haha...”
Is there really... no one left?
At this rate, forget being late—I might not make it to the party at all before it ends. I could be stuck here the whole time...
“What the hell?!”
Feeling completely helpless, I randomly picked a bookstore, stepped inside, grabbed a book off the shelf, and sat down by the entrance.
Like a castaway stranded on a desert island, clinging to the desperate hope that some ship might eventually pass by, I stared out at this street—this street where I was the only soul left—hoping I’d run into someone who could lead me out.
And that’s where I met Snowy.
The time she asked for my nail clippings...
...
Thinking back on it, that’s pretty much how it went.
And now—
I was sprinting down the empty length of Black Street with everything I had, and Snowy was chasing after me. She moved without a sound, like a ghost.
No matter how fast I ran, I could still hear the footsteps behind me.
Tap. Tap...
The sound of her shoes hitting asphalt.
She was tiny. Her strides were short. I should’ve easily been able to outrun her... but even with me in a full sprint, she was still gaining on me with just a walk!
The reason? Simple—Snowy lived here. She knew every inch of this street like the back of her hand.
She did say... something would happen next time we met. And now, I understood what she meant.
And that’s exactly why I didn’t know what to do.
The closer we got, the more she wanted to be near me. The more she wanted to reshape me into her “ideal form.”
And to someone like Snowy, a [Proactive Masochist-Obsessive], the ideal form... was one that was broken.
That’s why she asked for my hair. For my nails. It was never about the items themselves—it was about seeing me without them.
Honestly, if it were just a whole nail, I could grit my teeth and rip it off for her. Barely.
But if I gave in this time, what about next time?
Yeah... what really scared me was the thought of what she’d ask for next.
Based on what I’d seen in her “spare parts storage,” would it be... a finger? An eyeball?
Either way, it’s way past my limit!
Nails grow back. But once a finger’s gone, it’s gone for good!
If this kept going, I’d probably end up as one of the specimens in that storage room of hers...
If I were the protagonist in some horror story, anyone reading it would probably be thinking, “Oh, he’s done for...” Ha... hahaha...
No! No, no, no!
Calm down, Ethan An!
Don’t spiral—think! Think, damn it!
As long as I was stuck here in Black Street, I couldn’t outrun Snowy. Just running around aimlessly was only going to get me caught eventually... which meant—
I had to flip the script. I had to catch her instead!
Yeah. Running forever wasn’t an option. If getting caught was inevitable, then it was time to gamble everything on one desperate counterattack!
I just needed to make sure she couldn’t chase me anymore!
First, I had to restrict her movement. For that, I needed to lead her into a building. And the best place for that was... her own house!
I ran straight back to Snowy’s place, slammed the door shut the second I got inside, kicked off my shoes, and dashed to the living room. I grabbed a pair of chopsticks and a bottle of vinegar, then bolted upstairs.
While doing so, I shouted toward the door—
“Snowy! Don’t forget to change your shoes when you come in!”
That would buy me a few seconds. She’d definitely stop to switch into slippers like a good girl.
I rushed into her room and opened the window.
Just in case. I needed an emergency escape route. Jumping out might sprain my ankle if I was unlucky, but it was still better than getting caught and game-over’d by Snowy.
Next, I set the trap.
I jammed the chopsticks into the doorframe, balanced the bottle of vinegar between them—boom. Instant door trap. Then I tied one end of her bedsheet to the bed frame and held the other end in my hand.
Time to wait.
I crouched at that spot—the sweet spot. One hand gripping the sheet, the other holding a blanket. I steadied my breathing and waited in silence, like a predator stalking its prey.
Thud. Thud...
The sound of slippers on the wooden floor.
She was coming up. Good.
As soon as she opened the door and stepped inside, the trap activated. The bottle of vinegar tumbled down, aimed squarely at her tiny skull.
Of course, Snowy reacted instantly and leapt to the side. A simple trap like that wasn’t going to catch her off guard—but that’s why—
That’s why I pulled the bedsheet at that exact moment, creating a tripping line midair!
Once you’re airborne, you can’t control your momentum. No one could dodge this. Not even her.
Sure enough, she got snagged. Her leap turned into a stumble.
Thud! Clatter!
She hit the floor, and the vinegar bottle shattered, splashing its contents across the room.
That was my cue. I threw off the blanket and dove.
The bottle’s contents soaked the floor with sharp vinegar fumes, and Snowy lay there, tangled up—only for me to smother her instantly with the blanket.
I got her!
But I couldn’t relax just yet. Snowy was small. Flexible. She could easily slip through a gap if I wasn’t careful. I couldn’t just use my arms and legs—I had to press down with my whole body and pin her beneath me!
Forget her feelings. This was about survival. I had to be ruthless. I flattened myself over the blanket like a frog, my cheek squished against hers through the fabric... And I could feel other parts of her too. Even through the blanket, I could sense it, and—ugh—some nasty thoughts nearly slipped into my mind...
No! Focus! Suppress her! Mentally and physically!
Snowy struggled a little, squirmed, then stilled.
I adjusted my posture, gradually spreading the blanket out, repositioning myself.
Her body outline began to emerge beneath the blanket. I pressed down on her arm, wedged my knee beside her thigh, and locked her waist in place.
She couldn’t move at all now.
Phew... I did it!
I caught the dangerous loli!
