Doll Survival Game

Li Qi Feng sighed lightly, “Via, stop messing around.”

Via truly wanted a doll; otherwise, he wouldn’t have tried to snatch Luo Yiran when he first saw him. But now, he pouted and stood aside, feeling aggrieved.

Li Qi Feng looked at the doll, curious about how Luo Yiran’s appearance had turned into a mermaid, but he didn’t ask. Instead, he seized the moment to inquire about the mermaid, “Isn’t Idia a mermaid?”

“Idia is human,” the doll replied, picking a scale from his tail and examining it curiously. “And I don’t know where his true form is.”

Li Qi Feng frowned, “Then where’s the real mermaid?”

The doll was about to say it might be in the prison, but he paused as he looked up. At the same time, Li Qi Feng and Via sensed something, prompting Li Qi Feng to step back while Via positioned himself protectively in front.

Luo Yiran watched as a black cloaked man approached slowly, step by step. Under the hood, silky silver hair swayed gently with each movement.

He reached out with his slender hand and removed the hood, revealing a face that seemed meticulously crafted. On that face, blue eyes shone like vast stars, mysterious and profound.

A peculiar, irresistibly attractive face.

Unlike Idia’s pure innocence, this face seemed inherently alluring, filled with… no, it was tempting the desires of the world.

Luo Yiran understood the old man’s words about the mermaid having human emotions, naturally attracting human desires, and that the mermaid would eventually become human.

But indeed, it was even more beautiful than Idia. Luo Yiran flicked his tail and said to Li Qi Feng, “Look, the real mermaid is right here.”

Li Qi Feng and Via quickly snapped back to reality. Li Qi Feng turned away, while Via blocked his path, smiling as he drew his weapon and faced the mermaid.

The mermaid had returned to his own head, having killed a black cloaked man in the prison and temporarily grafted his head onto this body. Because of this task, he hadn’t gone after Xia Lang when he escaped, and by the time he was ready, Xia Lang was long gone.

But when he sensed Idia also appeared in the lower class area, the mermaid thought of many things.

For instance, it was very likely that Luo Yiran had guided Xia Lang to the lower class area.

Feeling deceived, the mermaid laughed in anger and decided to come slowly, waiting for the doll to be torn apart by Idia before appearing.

Yet the doll was unharmed, and Idia had left swiftly.

The mermaid ignored Via, who was holding a weapon, and instead focused on the doll, demanding, “Where’s Idia?”

“You’re asking me?” Luo Yiran tilted his head, soft black hair hanging above his eyelashes, his face showing mockery. “You arrived so late and ask me where Idia went? Of course, he’s gone.”

The mermaid frowned tightly, disregarding his own tardiness, and accused, “You broke your promise.”

The doll was silent for a moment, then blinked, his eyebrows drooping, looking pitiful. He touched his tail, “But I tried my best. Look, Idia turned me into this.”

The mermaid laughed in anger, “You cooperated with Idia; otherwise, Idia wouldn’t have let you live…”

Before he could finish, the magician’s disapproving voice interrupted, “Young master, don’t act coy with it.”

The atmosphere instantly dissipated, even Via, who was on guard, was momentarily stunned.

The doll, unfazed, expertly manipulated the magician to tear off a piece of his clothing and gag his mouth.

Then he looked at Via, “Aren’t you here to kill the mermaid? Get on with it.”

“He’s definitely the mermaid.”

Via: “…” Of course, he knew it was the mermaid; some bosses could be identified as soon as they appeared.

But… there was no need to be so eager to announce their intention to kill it.

The mermaid chuckled softly, “Kill me? Then come on… I don’t mind killing a few more before I end.”

Bringing his own head was meant to better deal with Idia, but now he’ll deal with these three first.

Hiss. Via watched the doll clearly wanting to flee, his gaze shifting to Li Qi Feng, who had hidden in the shadows.

Li Qi Feng hesitated for a moment, then directly fired at the mermaid’s slightly rear position.

This time, he used a gun without bullets. As soon as the sound rang out, Via cursed under his breath but still acted in sync with the gunshot.

The mermaid should have retreated or leaned back when Via moved; it was instinctual, but the mermaid didn’t move.

Thus, the bullet missed, and Via faced the mermaid directly.

Luo Yiran smiled, knowing Li Qi Feng’s actions were a signal to him-he could leave.

Li Qi Feng would indeed do this.

Luo Yiran manipulated the magician to grab the unconscious Artel and leave the lower class area, the mermaid’s voice rising behind them, “I will… come to kill you!”

The doll paused, not letting the magician stop, but instead poked his head out, extending his hand-at certain angles, one could see a fine silver thread connecting from his fingers to the ground.

The fingers lifted, the silver thread contracted, sharply slicing across the mermaid’s soles, and Via, having watched the doll raise his hand, easily dodged.

The doll spread his fingers, suddenly very happy, and his smile widened, “No, I think you’ll die here.”

“…Luo Yiran!!!”

Screams, pleas, and blood surrounded him as Xia Lang stood silently on the street, watching the people in the lower class area go from hesitant and slow to bloodthirsty.

Xia Lang remembered Luo Yiran saying that people in groups are easily influenced, like in school during self-study sessions; if most people don’t show up, even the few who do will leave.

Not only to avoid being an outlier but also…

Someone suddenly stumbled to Xia Lang’s feet, not having seen Xia Lang kill anyone, and grabbed his foot, “Save, save me! I was wrong… I was wrong…”

Xia Lang remained motionless.

A person from the lower class area ran over and stabbed the man in the back, blood splattering onto Xia Lang’s black cloak, barely noticeable.

“Boss…” The bloodthirsty man wiped the blood off his knife, staring at the frail Xia Lang, “Why aren’t you killing anyone?”

Ah… I’ve been targeted.

Xia Lang raised his eyes, his cold, indifferent gaze meeting the man’s, the wound on his neck large and terrifying, “Then how about I kill you?”

The man snapped back to reality for a moment, trembling, turning to leave quickly, but the next second, his vision went black, and intense pain shot through his eye sockets as he screamed, clutching his eyes and falling.

It was a playing card, directly piercing the man’s eye.

Xia Lang turned sharply.

The magician had appeared behind Xia Lang at some point, in his wrinkled suit pocket, the doll with scales on his face watching him.

“Xia Lang, this is in the game,” the doll said.

In the infernal Water City, Xia Lang lowered his head slightly, the blood-red long sword rising, slicing off the man’s hand covering his eye, then looking at the surrounding lower class area people observing him.

“First offense, just a hand,” he said, trying to minimize words to avoid throat pain, “Next time, no mercy.”

The surrounding gazes retreated, blood spreading, Xia Lang watched as the lower class area people gradually advanced, slaughtering those in Water City who couldn’t reach the shelter one by one.

He remained motionless, suddenly finding everything absurd, so he looked at the doll, his gaze incredibly fragile.

“Come here.”

Xia Lang walked over, turning his back on the bloodshed and cruelty.

“They… perhaps, don’t deserve to die…” Xia Lang said haltingly.

“Just manufactured NPCs,” the doll’s voice was soothing, “And it’s not your doing, is it?”

Xia Lang slowly knelt before the doll, his hands resting on the ground, tears falling in large drops.

“Xia Lang.” The doll extended his hand, the sorrowful Xia Lang leaned closer, and the doll’s hand touched his hair, “Thank you for helping me.”

“…Ah… Ahhh…”

Crying was painful, Xia Lang cried while in pain, his face covered in tears, helpless, “Ran, Ranran… I’m scared… scared to break my promise…” to die where you can’t see.

This was a promise he begged for; he couldn’t break it.

The magician silently watched the sobbing Xia Lang and the unreadable doll, suddenly feeling a twinge of pity for Xia Lang.

So pitiful, like that child.

The doll said nothing, quietly listening to Xia Lang’s fears and anxieties, until Xia Lang gradually returned to his usual self.

Luo Yiran withdrew his hand, knowing Xia Lang’s breakdown wasn’t just about nearly breaking his promise; it was about recalling something more important.

-“In this game, there are thousands of players, and the only commonality among them is that they’ve all killed.”

This was the trigger.

Luo Yiran didn’t bring up the matter again, looking toward the road leading to the shelter, “Xia Lang, let’s go.”

Xia Lang asked no questions, following the magician controlled by Luo Yiran, even lifting Artel’s head to prevent it from bumping.

The doll turned back.

Xia Lang smiled sheepishly.

They found a tall building near the shelter and climbed to the top floor, where a small room stored items for barbecues.

Once inside, Xia Lang asked, “Why are we here?”

The storm raged outside, the doll looked at the ominous sky, “Waiting for someone.”

Xia Lang’s eyes widened, “Cheng-Ge?”

“No.” The doll turned to Xia Lang, “You should rest; he might come out when the tide rises.”

Xia Lang didn’t want to sleep, but he was exhausted, so he watched the doll until he fell asleep.

Though no one spoke, the world wasn’t silent, with the storm raging loudly.

The doll untied the cloth strip from the magician’s mouth, “You wanted to say something?”

The magician was surprised the doll knew he wanted to speak, smiling in the dim room, “Young master, I want to get soaked in the rain.”

“No, I’ll get wet too.” The doll disliked being drenched, “Besides, a drizzle is one thing, but with rain this heavy, is it getting soaked or taking a bath?”

The magician laughed, “Then chat with me, and I won’t go.”

The doll was about to refuse, but the magician spoke first, “Young master, don’t spoil Xia Lang like that.”

Spoil? The doll chuckled, but his smile froze at the magician’s next words.

“I’ll get jealous.” The magician said with a smile.

Even knowing Xia Lang would be pitiful in the future didn’t stop the magician from being jealous now.

The doll’s entire body froze, and after a long time, he asked again, “Do we know each other?”

“Yes, and no.” The magician asked softly, “Young master, may I perform a stage magic for you? As a hint.”

The doll frowned, his finger curling.

“I won’t harm the young master now, and… I can’t kill the young master now.” The magician’s voice was full of amusement, “Letting me go for a while won’t matter.”

That wasn’t the reason the doll relaxed. But he was curious about the so-called hint; in his memory, there was no such person as the magician, with such a vivid personality he wouldn’t forget.

So the doll manipulated the magician to place himself opposite him, then released the magician, who let out a suppressed laugh, touching the bandage on his hand, and as his fingertips drew away, a playing card appeared in his hand.

It was the Ace of Hearts.

The card transformed into a blooming, fiery red rose before the doll, then fire ignited from the center of the flower. The flames danced before the magician and the doll, casting deep and shallow light on their faces in the dim surroundings.

A simple stage magic, yet the actions flowed smoothly, as if performed countless times.

But the doll didn’t understand the hint.

The magician offered the burning red rose to the doll, laughing silently, the bandage stretching into an exaggerated arc, “The person I’ve seen most suited to a red rose is you.”

“Young master, you once gifted it to me.”

“…”

The doll was stunned-finished, he had given roses to many people, so many that even his memory couldn’t recall them all.