Book 7: Chapter 40: Flesh Puppets

Book 7: Chapter 40: Flesh Puppets

Xiao Xia removed the amulet from over her heart. After adjusting its straps, she wore it like a circlet on her forehead. This time, the amulet was used to prevent Zhang Jia Lin from probing her thoughts!

She merely wanted to warn Ruan Zhan not to come save her carelessly. Therefore, the moment she sensed his worried response, she immediately cut off the connection. Allowing him to contact her spirit and find his way here was not what she wanted!

She was his companion, not his burden. These words werent just for show. She would definitely accomplish it! Thinking of this, she calmed her breathing and bravely started trying to save herself.

Her cell phone was on her left wrist. Because she was afraid of missing calls, she would put her phone in a wrist strap every summer. The first thing she did after getting dragged here was secretly take the battery out. This phone was her only way to contact the outside. It could even save her life. She couldnt let Zhang Jia Lin find it!

Secretly putting the battery back, she hesitated for a moment before covering the phone tightly and pressing a button. The beep of the button still transmitted from her palms, seeming exceptionally loud in the silent room. She jumped.

Luckily, the room still remained silent. Xiao Xia gulped and slowly took the phone out from her palms.

The screens faint blue light after a long period of darkness was a little dazzling. Xiao Xia needed several seconds to adjust. From the abnormal darkness, dampness and smell of mildew, she had assumed she was locked in a windowless basement that was around a dozen square meters. The screens light completely confirmed her guesses.

She raised the phone and looked blearily around. Five meters in front of her was an empty wall. There was nothing else apart from a very sturdy-looking wooden door.

Despite knowing the door couldnt possibly be unlocked, she still slowly walked over and gave it a try. Her footsteps echoed, each one seemingly stepping on her own heart, putting her on edge. She only now realized that loneliness was eerie. The smallest sound would get magnified, clashing with the silence and weighing heavily on the heart.

When she touched the door handle, the cold, sticky sensation of rusted metal or perhaps a layer of lichen made it seem like she was touching a snake. Xiao Xia immediately jerked her hand back and wiped her hand on the wall, having confirmed this path was blocked. Thus, she thought to look around the room to see if she could find any wooden planks or metal rods to use as tools. But she had just turned around when she got the strong feeling that there were many people in the room, not her alone!

This whole time she felt she was the only one in this basement, and had never sensed anyone else. Yet at this moment, she suddenly did, making her hairs stand on end. Thinking of having sat here in the darkness with many people staring at her whilst she was unaware made her heart almost stop beating!

Without any warning, her phones light vanished, plunging her back into darkness. It takes some time to adjust to light from darkness, but to adjust to darkness from light took even longer! The darkness in front of her eyes was like a bottomless abyss. Even worse, she knew she was surrounded by many people at the moment!

She stood frozen, not daring to move.nove(l)bi(n.)com

The silence continued, as if they were in a standoff. Gritting her teeth, Xiao Xia pressed the button on her phone again, enduring the beep that seemed to shatter the air. She took a step forward so the screens light could reach further.

The darkness across wasnt the solid surface of the wall. Instead, it was a dense shadow obscuring irregular shapes of varying heights. Although she couldnt see clearly, Xiao Xia could still tell those were many humanoid shapes. Based on their appearances, they seemed to bemany children!

Her heart pounded, making it hard to breathe. Only one thought slowly filled her mind. Her legs were limp, as if another step would bring her to her knees. However, she still involuntarily inched forwards.

One of the childrens figures appeared in her vision.

It was a girl around five or six years old. Her curly hair was brushed neatly but her clothes were sloppy, the buttons unbuttoned and her shoes were on the wrong feet. She was leaning against the wall in a strange posture, almost as if reaching out for a hug.

Her skin, hair and eyes all seemed real, but her expression was dull and her eyes were unblinking. She merely stared ahead vacantly and remained unmoving, more wooden than a piece of wood!

At that moment, Xiao Xia wasnt sure if it was a puppet or a real person. Therefore, she forced herself to reach out and lightly touch the little girls face and hair. As she made contact, she immediately jerked her hand back. The sensation told her that the girl was real, but it was also a soulless puppet. It was a living doll!

Then bring it on! Xiao Xias anger overcame her fear.

There was a swish as a gust of wind suddenly swept up in the enclosed basement. The wind was so cold that Xiao Xia felt as if she had been plunged into icy water. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably.

After locking you up for ten or so days, your amulet will run out of holy light. After all, it is no treasure. It only protects you via the magic and willpower imbued upon it. The small shade spoke in an adult manner. However, I cannot wait that long. In ten days or so, your skin will shrink from hunger and itll make things difficult!

Xiao Xia was horrified! Was she going to peel her skin off?

As the small shade approached, she instinctively retreated until her back het the wall.

Dont worry, Im not after your skin. What I want is your body. Without the amulet to shield her thoughts, Xiao Xia no longer bothered to try and the small shade started reading her mind again. I am already over three centuries old. I cant keep looking like a child, right? My soul cant be supported by just skin. Therefore, I want all of you.

It turns out this small fiend girl wanted her body? But why her?

You arent that beautiful, but my big bro likes you. The fiend girl suddenly changed her tone as she grumbled. Besides, I dont just want one body. I will also prepare a few other sets of clothing! She started laughing cheerfully, her laughter echoing in the empty room.

Xiao Xia imagined herself hanging in this basement like an outfit for the little fiend girl to wear whenever she pleased. A sense of resistance arose in her heart.

But I really wish I had my own body, just like big bro. That way I can slowly grow up! The fiend girl sighed gloomily, her tone extremely sad and helpless. Hearing it in the current situation was both pitiful and frightening.

Go reincarnate! Xiao Xia responded. Recalling the Ksitigharba Bodhisattva, she was about to recite the first phrase when she was interrupted.

Invoking her name is meaningless against me. Ive never been to her side, so she cannot affect things on my side! The fiend girl suddenly turned fierce, waving a hand at Xiao Xia. A gust of Yin wind struck her. Although its might was halved by the amulet, the remainder still felt like daggers across her arm. But at this moment, a thought flashed through her mind that distracted her from the pain.

Did she just say big bro? Was it Lil Tong? She said her big bro could grow up naturally. Lu Yan had only become pregnant after Zhang Zi Xin died. Could Lil Tong be a ghost child from birth? But according to common knowledge, humans had souls when they were born. Then what was Lil Tongs soul? Why hadnt the fiend girl also become a ghost child?

No one gave me the chance to reincarnate, so now I dont want to go! The fiend girl was lost in her resentment and hadnt noticed Xiao Xias thoughts. No one will have power over me ever again!

I pity you. However, youve already turned from victim to aggressor. Xiao Xia knew persuading the fiend girl whose grudge ran deep was definitely not going to be effective. However, she still spoke for the sake of buying time. At the same time, she pushed the button on her phone again, preventing the room from falling into darkness. You cannot escape causality, and will only bring trouble upon yourself!

Fool! The fined girl said disdainfully. I really dont understand why big bro wants to marry you!

Marry her?! What was going on here?

This was the first time she conversed with the culprit of the two cases. The consecutive reveals were difficult for Xiao Xia to accept, but none were as scary as this one! Was the big bro the fiend girl mentioned really Lil Tong? But he was only five. No, no, he was over three hundred years old! But no matter how old he was, what did it have to do with her? Why did he choose her? Why did these siblings both choose her? Was she especially unlucky or was there something she didnt know?

Xiao Xias mind was a mess, somewhat unable to process the situation. While she was frozen, the fiend girl took a step forward but was rebuffed by the glow of the amulet.

This infuriated her. She sneered and made a seal with her hand, pointing towards the children!