Doll Survival Game

She pedaled uphill, her mind already plotting the murder-how to dispose of the body in a way that would buy her more time, and how to eventually reconnect with the hunters for a safe haven.

Some members of their organization had already met in person in the real world. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to join them.

It was a pity, though, about her current husband. He was such a rare find-a genuinely honest man-and they’d been together for quite a while now…

Screech-

The sudden sound of brakes.

Lei Jing stared at the young man standing at the base of the hill, looking back at her. A strange feeling crept over her, as if he had been waiting for her all along.

But the slight panic in his expression disrupted her train of thought. He had stopped his bike and was now looking up at her. “You… you’re not… that person, are you?”

That person? Lei Jing instinctively interpreted his words as referring to the wanted notice. She got off her bike and began pushing it downhill. “What are you talking about? You left something at my shop earlier, so I brought it over for you.”

The young man’s expression softened slightly, as though he was beginning to think he might have been mistaken. He patted his pockets, looking a bit confused, his eyes blinking in uncertainty. “I left something?”

Lei Jing thought of Xia Lang from the game. If that doll was a friend of Xia Lang’s, then perhaps he was around the same age as Xia Lang… which would mean he was about the same age as the young man standing before her.

Perfect.

She took a step closer, her hand slipping into her bag. “I brought it for you… Honestly, you kids these days. I called out to you earlier, but you didn’t even turn around.”

The young man seemed to genuinely believe he had left something behind. He hurried forward a few steps in a fluster. “Thank you…”

His expression shifted abruptly. He saw the knife Lei Jing was pulling out of her bag.

…

The houses in the village were spaced far apart-so far that even a loud scream wouldn’t carry from one to the next. Lei Jing knew this well.

Years ago, she had brought an outsider to this very village. She killed them and buried the body beneath a tree.

She had originally planned to leave after that, but it turned out no one ever came looking for the person she had murdered. So she had stayed, living peacefully for the past few years.

The only downside was that surveillance in the nearby town had increased over the years. There were fewer blind spots now, which meant she hadn’t committed any crimes in quite some time.

Dust had settled thickly in the abandoned house. Lei Jing crushed the young man’s phone underfoot, then picked up an axe lying nearby. Though it was filthy, it had a certain visceral appeal-this was the kind of weapon that made killing feel real.

Lei Jing carefully shut the door behind her, her steps deliberate as she moved further into the house. Her voice softened, taking on an almost nurturing tone. “Hey, kid, what’s your name?”

“Come on, don’t hide. Look at me-I’m just an ordinary, weak woman. I can’t do anything to hurt you…”

Lei Jing enjoyed clean, decisive kills, but she also took pleasure in instilling fear, drawing out the tension bit by bit. The house wasn’t large, and as she reached the table, she suddenly bent down, peering underneath. Empty. She clicked her tongue in annoyance-she had thought the young man might be hiding there.

Still, she couldn’t help but smirk at his foolishness. Running into a place like this? Typical. Fear always made people lose their sense of direction.

Outside, the faint sound of a car passing by reached her ears. She paid it no mind, dragging the axe along the floor, the grating sound echoing ominously. Lei Jing searched the entire house but found no trace of the young man. She paused for a moment, then abruptly swung the door open.

There he was-standing by the well outside, his eyes wide with panic. He stumbled back a couple of steps before tripping over nothing and falling flat on the ground.

Seizing the moment, Lei Jing raised the axe and charged forward!

“Stop!!”

A commanding voice rang out from the side, full of authority. Lei Jing’s heart skipped a beat. Her axe landed just inches from the young man, who, oddly enough, didn’t flinch or try to dodge. His expression carried a hint of mockery, as if he had known all along that she wouldn’t be able to strike him.

“We’re the police! Drop your weapon!” The voice was firm, laced with undeniable power. The young man, still sprawled on the ground, began to inch backward, his face transforming into one of genuine terror.

Everything happened so fast.

One moment, she was the predator, toying with her prey. The next, she was the prey, ensnared by a more formidable hunter.

Instinctively, Lei Jing reached for the young man, aiming to take him hostage. As her gaze darted around, her peripheral vision caught sight of another young man standing among the officers in blue uniforms. He was partially obscured, his face hard to make out, but there was something familiar about him. Where had she seen him before?

Bang-

Before she could grab hold of her target, her hand jerked violently. Her eyes widened as she collapsed to the ground.

Blood pooled rapidly, and as her world spun, Lei Jing caught a glimpse of the young man’s terrified expression.

Something was off… Or perhaps her streak of good luck had finally run out?

—

By the time they left the police station, it was already late afternoon, around five or six o’clock. The officers had spent a long time comforting the two shaken boys. They learned that Xia Lang had no family, while Luo Yiran’s only remaining relative lived far away. In a gesture of kindness, the police treated the two young men to dinner and even bought them milk tea.

“They said we might need to go back tomorrow,” Xia Lang murmured, cradling his cold milk tea like it was a sacred artifact. Walking beside him, Luo Yiran sipped his piping hot, full-sugar milk tea, already halfway through it. Xia Lang couldn’t hold back his curiosity. “Ranran, why did you go through all that trouble to catch… that person?”

He didn’t dare say Lei Jing’s name.

Luo Yiran glanced at a nearby watermelon stand, biting down on his straw. “It was fun.” He had been facing Lei Jing directly at the time, and he had seen the transformation in her expression-the instant it shifted to pure despair. It was fascinating.

Of course, there were other reasons as well.

In the real world, he couldn’t talk about anything related to the game. To avoid accidentally crossing any boundaries that might render him unable to speak, he had opted to follow the safest course of action.

It also helped avoid suspicion.

After all, he was just an ordinary young man who had gone out to buy something, only to be chased by an overly imaginative murderer.

And when he had been standing outside the shop, he hadn’t actually dialed the phone. The real call had been made after he had climbed over the mountain. That call hadn’t involved any conversation-it was merely to provide evidence that he had indeed contacted Xia Lang.

…Though, he probably should have called the police first. But then Xia Lang wouldn’t have had the chance to “unwind” by getting involved.

Xia Lang sipped his milk tea absentmindedly, his thoughts drifting. The middle-aged police officer who had shot Lei Jing earlier was the same one who had handled the “accidental death” of his father years ago.

“The officer already knows Lei Jing’s identity,” Luo Yiran said, recalling how the police’s expressions had shifted earlier that afternoon after receiving some kind of notification. They had assured the two boys that their names would not be disclosed to anyone.

Luo Yiran hadn’t studied much criminal law, but he mused, “Killing more than five people… that’s probably a death sentence, right?”

Xia Lang was still lost in thought. Luo Yiran glanced at him briefly before turning his attention elsewhere. “Let’s buy a watermelon,” he suggested. “We’ll split it in half, and by the time we’re done eating and taking a walk, it’ll probably be around nine.”

Xia Lang snapped out of his daze, blinking for a moment before his face lit up. “Great! When we get back, we can soak it in cold water for a bit before eating!”

“Mm,” Luo Yiran replied, taking another sip of his milk tea.

He didn’t like dwelling on the past. It was something unchangeable, something better left untouched.

“Let’s go. You pick one with thin skin and a sweet taste.”

—

9:00 PM.

Luo Yiran entered the game right on time. As his surroundings lit up, he found himself back in the small box-shaped room. But this time, there was a cacophony of noise in the background.

The doll froze for a moment, startled. He sat up on the bed-where was the noise coming from?

Climbing down from the bed, he caught sight of himself in the mirror. The reflection showed a doll dressed in a soft lace shirt and blue suspender shorts.

“Young master… you’ve finally arrived.”

The magician’s voice came from outside the box, and a pair of hands wrapped in bandages slowly opened the lid.

The gray-haired puppet let out what sounded like a low sigh. “I’ve missed you so much.”

Luo Yiran’s first instinct was to look out the window. Outside, the world was brightly lit, with the faint silhouettes of people moving about.

The magician extended a hand.

The doll stepped onto it. As the magician raised his arm, Luo Yiran got a clearer view of the world outside the window.

It was nothing like the silent darkness he had seen before. Now, every house was illuminated, and small shops lined the streets. It looked like a bustling, vibrant place-almost as if it could exist somewhere in the real world.

Lively and full of life.

“Puppet, what is this?” Luo Yiran asked.

The magician, smiling faintly, walked over to the window. “It’s a little surprise I prepared for you. Doesn’t it feel more… human this way?”

The doll paused.

“And there’s another surprise,” the magician added, setting the doll down on the windowsill and picking up a pair of socks and small leather shoes from nearby. “But that one will have to wait a bit. I promise it’ll leave you astonished.”

Astonished? Luo Yiran felt a twinge of unease. “No need.”

The magician gently lifted the doll’s small leg with his index finger, carefully sliding on a white sock. His movements were delicate, and Luo Yiran couldn’t avoid them. “That won’t do,” the magician said softly. “I’ve already prepared it. If you don’t like it, I’ll just have to come up with another surprise.”

Outside the window, people bustled about. The doll let the magician put his shoes on without resistance. Just then, his phone chimed-a notification, likely a message from Xia Lang.

The doll was about to check his phone when the magician suddenly spoke. “By the way, young master, are you still interested in the character Tang Bai is playing?”

The doll paused, his phone in hand, and looked at the puppet’s bandaged face.

“I can’t allow my young master to be taken advantage of. Questions that need answers must be answered,” the magician said, his thumb brushing lightly through the doll’s hair. “Even though, up until now, the young master hasn’t once asked about my injuries.”

The doll was silent. He had to admit, the puppet always had a way of leaving him speechless.

“How are your injuries?” Luo Yiran asked, his tone flat as he went through the motions, his gaze falling on the magician, who looked entirely unscathed.

The magician didn’t seem to mind the doll’s perfunctory concern. He beamed. “All healed!”

The doll replied, “Then tell me about Tang Bai’s identity.”

“…” The magician’s tone shifted, becoming lazy and nonchalant. “Young master, he admires ‘Lin Na.'”

Tang Bai liked “Lin Na.” But in that environment, where everyone either bullied or stood by as onlookers, Tang Bai never showed his affection. Instead, he pretended not to see any of it. Only after “Lin Na” was hurt would he step in to comfort her. Tang Bai was afraid-afraid that if he stood up for her, he would replace her as the one being bullied.

He was a cowardly and timid person.

Hearing this, the doll frowned slightly. “I thought it would be a victim from the real world entering the game and becoming the boss.”

The magician froze for a moment before bursting into laughter. He bent down, leaning in close to the doll, their faces mere inches apart. With a grin, he asked, “If that’s the case, then why didn’t ‘Lin Na’ enter the game instead?”

The doll froze.