Chapter 377: Finally Comprehended
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Inside the manor's exhibition hall, the organizer of the exhibition, who was also the owner of the manor, was laughing happily as he introduced his art pieces.
The evaluation of those within the circles was that his style was too utilitarian but that it would still be popular in the market and that his ability was equal to a veteran within the painting circles.
Will counted the time as he viewed the paintings. Although he didn't like this person's paintings, he had to admit that their painting techniques were worth learning from. Of course, he was even more willing to bring Curly Hair out and foster some inspiration. That was what he thirsted for the most. Many times he had felt that he was close to achieving his goal, but whenever he picked up the brush, he was at a loss.
After browsing through all the paintings in the exhibition hall, Will glanced at the time. Only 30 minutes had passed; he needed to continue listening to the host's exaggerated bragging, but it was simply contaminating his mind!
Will didn't continue listening. Instead, he went upstairs alone to check out the host's private collection. The owner of the manor loved to flaunt. Besides his own works, he also displayed his own collection, which was comprised of artistic treasures.
There were fewer people upstairs, so it was quieter. Will decided to kill time here and endure for one hour before leaving with the dog. As he viewed these items, a loud boom shocked him to his core. Afterward, some flames rushed up and ignited the large paintings in the exhibition hall in an instant.
Some people were at a loss, faced with these sudden unforeseen circumstances. The exhibition hall suddenly descended into chaos as some people tried to flee and others searched for people they knew.
Will was a genius when it came to painting but was a noob in other aspects. For example, the ability to flee for his life.
When the accident occurred, Will stood rooted to the spot in a daze at a time when every second counted toward being able to escape with his life. Will only reacted when people that were viewing the art pieces reminded him. His first reaction was to run after the people ahead of him—he had completely forgotten where the exits were.
Inside the chaotic exhibition hall, people who were cultured and graceful most of the time no longer gave a sh*t now that their lives were threatened. They ran for their lives. Will, who was an artist that stayed shut in most of the time and didn't pay any attention to training, was gently squeezed out and knocked down by the people behind him, like a weak chicken. He fell to the ground and couldn't get up; his leg was sprained.
There had originally been fewer people upstairs, and in a flash, Will was the only one left.
The smart fire-control facilities had become ornaments.
And his own personal terminal bracelet wasn't working properly.
Will had never imagined that he would encounter such a situation. He was caught off guard. He hadn't been least bit mentally prepared. People would only understand true despair when they reached such a state.
Will was coughing. His throat felt as though it was being choked by something sharp. Breathing became difficult, and his cries for help were drowned out by the surrounding sounds. His eyes were uncomfortable and watery. In his narrow and warped field of vision, the columns of thick smoke were like a terrible monster reaching toward him.
For Will, who placed painting above everything else, right now, his mind was actually overflowing with inspiration. His strongest thoughts right now were actually about painting...
While Will's line of thought was caught up in the confusion between fleeing, inspiration, and painting, the back of his hand brushed against a moist nose.
"Woof, woof, woof!"
Will's mind sobered up, and he turned his head.
Curly Hair rubbed his nose into Will's arm once more. "Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof!"
Will didn't wonder why Curly Hair, who was supposed to be locked up in his cage, had appeared here. Right now, he was filled with a deluge of thoughts. He was touched, rueful, and immeasurably regretful. Curly Hair had actually found him before his own bodyguards. Oh, right, and painting. He still hadn't achieved the target he had set himself for this period of advanced studies.
When he thought about this, Will tossed all other complicated thoughts from his mind. "Hurry up and get out... Cough, cough, cough..."
Saying just a few words was extremely difficult.
Curly Hair barked loudly a few times, then bit into his sleeves and pulled him toward the exit.
Ssss—
His sleeves tore.
Will was even more touched. "Run, cough, cough, cough... Go find someone... You can't move me..."
He had not yet finished speaking when Curly Hair gave up on his sleeves and instead grabbed Will's collar and ran like the wind. It wasn't any different from running with a stick in his mouth.
Will, who was being dragged along easily: "..."
Crash—
A row of display cabinets came crashing down where Will had been lying just moments ago.
Will watched the rapidly falling ceiling and the continuously collapsing objects. There were concentrated sparks flying in the distance.
In this instant, Will finally comprehended.
When Curly Hair dragged Will over to the top of the flight of stairs, the bodyguards that had rushed into and were searching the exhibition hall heard the sound of barking and came over. The hurriedly placed a breathing mask on Will's face and carried him to the exit.
Curly Hair followed by their side.
Outside the exhibition hall, emergency rescue had already rushed over and were treating the injured.
Will, who was being carried, only felt the temperature around his body becoming much cooler. The light had also become much brighter. He could faintly hear the sound of dogs barking in the distance, as well as some lady's high-pitched shouting.
Having reached a safe place, the bodyguard put Will down. Seeing Will's dazed manner, he was worried and thought to himself, Is he in shock?
"Sir! Mister Will Jr.!" the bodyguard called out.
Will, who was drowning in his own thoughts, snapped out of it. He raised his hand, indicating that he was fine, before returning to his dazed state and muttering, "Wrong... I was wrong before..."
Seeing Will in this state, the bodyguard was even more worried. He has really suffered a severe shock. Hurry up and inform Mister Will Sr.!
During the video call, Will Sr., who was attending some other event, turned pale until he learned that Will was safe.
Currently, Will was in a sorry state. His enter body was grey and sooty, and his hair had a burnt smell. One side of his sleeves was torn and his eyes were blank. When Will Sr. saw this, he was no longer in the mood to continue with his current activity. He placed all matters aside to rush over. At the same time, he arranged for a private medical team and even more bodyguards to rush over as well. He also made an appointment with a psychiatrist. How much of a mental shadow had been cast on his son, having encountered such an accident?
At this time, ambulances, fire engines, and police cars were gathered at this manor away from the city, making quite a din.
The only good news was that there were no casualties as of yet. Even the dogs from the designated location were safe, though they had run out, so some people had been sent to catch them.
There was no need for Will to say anything. The bodyguards brought the curly-haired dog with a value of 200 million with them as they left.
Seeing the bodyguards taking Will away, some of the people gathered there started to discuss what had happened now that their lives were no longer in danger.
"I heard that Will was dragged out of the exhibition hall?" someone said.
The person beside him was astonished. "Eh? Didn't the bodyguard bring him out?"
Yet another person chimed in. "I know! I just heard a bodyguard from that side say that Will was found by the dog. The bodyguard heard the dog's barks, then found and brought out Will!"
"Heh, I really never expected that such a small dog could actually drag a grown man."
"...Explosive power? Otherwise, why would the dog have a value of 200 million! I wonder if the dog's owner insured it? I saw that its fur was all curled up from the fire."
"No, its fur is naturally curly. It appeared quite lively when it came out. It shouldn't be hurt; otherwise, the compensation would have to be quite high."
"Will didn't leave the dog at the designated location?"
Someone else joined the discussion. "You still don't know? The dog cages at the location were all opened and the dogs all ran out!"
"What? There's still such a thing? Didn't I say that I saw dogs running outside! Who did it? Perhaps they were trying to steal some of the dogs?"
"No idea. I heard that the surveillance cameras were damaged. Some special pliers or equipment were definitely used, to have been able to break the cages' metal locks that easily."
"Forget about the dogs for now. How did all this happen in the first place?"
"What else could it be? The manor owner must have offended someone, and this was revenge! We were all caught up in this grudge! I wonder what sort of trivial matter it was."
...
Will didn't know about the follow-up about the matter at the manor. After leaving the manor, he was sent to a hospital ward. Because he was entranced by his own thoughts, during the doctor's questioning, his reactions were sluggish. He appeared as though he was in a daze and he didn't know what he was saying.
By the time the medical examination was completed, Will's parents had arrived. Seeing the miserable state of their son lying in the bed, their hearts ached and their eyes welled up with tears. Upon hearing from the doctor that Will's mental state seemed abnormal, the old couple were even more depressed.
Indeed, their child had been traumatized! No one knew how long a mental scar would take to vanish. If Will Sr. had known this was going to happen, he wouldn't have forced Will to attend the art exhibition!
But before the old couple could say anything, with great difficulty, Will lifted his hands toward a bodyguard by his side. There was an unprecedented glow in his eyes. "Lift me... up. I want to paint!"
After that, Will's desire was firmly suppressed by his father.
Still thinking of painting at this time? Paint, my *ss! Don't think about touching a brush till you get better!
Before Will Sr. had arrived at the hospital, he had gotten someone to inform Fang Zhao. After all, that dog was valued at 200 million. It was best for the owner of this "precious item" to be in the know.
Having received the news, Fang Zhao hurriedly applied for leave from the project team and rushed over. Fang Zhao hadn't expected such an incident to occur when WIll had just brought Curly Hair along to an art exhibition.
Will's parents hadn't been there for long when Fang Zhao arrived.
Will Sr. shook Fang Zhao's hand and expressed his thanks. He had already heard that if it hasn't been for Curly Hair's barking, the bodyguards might not have found Will so quickly and Will might have died. However, Curly Hair wasn't cooperating and wouldn't let the vet near him.
Curly Hair was being looked after well. The dust and soot on his body had been cleaned off. He looked like he hadn't experienced this whole incident at all. When Fang Zhao saw Curly Hair, the dog was currently gnawing on a bone. Clearly, Curly Hair simply hadn't been affected by this whole incident. His appetite was great, and his tail wagged vigorously as he whined when he saw Fang Zhao.
As the savior dog that had saved Will's life, the gazes of Will parents toward Curly Hair were full of appreciation, as though they were looking at a glowing little angel.
The "Glowing Little Angel" was brought away from the hospital by Fang Zhao, and they returned to the dormitory at HuangArt.
Fang Zhao gave Curly Hair a checkup and then fell silent as he stared at the metal fragments he had pulled out from Curly Hair's teeth.