Doll Survival Game

Before truly experiencing what it felt like to be forgotten by everyone, Yuan Mo had moments where he thought it might be better if he were forgotten.

Because he felt like a useless person.

Before he turned twenty-five, he lived in a daze. His brother said it was as if half his soul was missing. Although he was a good kid, he couldn’t speak, smile, or even take care of himself.

He needed someone by his side constantly to survive.

His parents had sent him to school, hoping he could be like a normal child. But unfortunately, at school, he was like a puppet, motionless.

Curious children at school would poke him with glass, and though his body would naturally react with tears from the pain, he couldn’t comprehend malice or suffering.

When Yuan Mo heard about this, his first thought was-was I a fool before?

This incident led his parents to bring him home, and he never left the house again.

Yuan Mo had no memory of his life before twenty-five; his memories began after that age.

His father led the family in a suicide attempt, and his brother only managed to save him.

That was his first memory of existing in this world.

After he recovered, his brother began teaching him various things.

Drawing seemed to be an innate talent; he always had great inspiration and could create wonderful art. Since he was a homebody and afraid of going out, his brother taught him to draw on the computer, allowing him to start earning money.

Life seemed to be improving.

Until a year ago, when he and his brother entered the game.

They were among the first players to enter the game.

Later, his brother died in the game, and Yuan Mo developed a condition where people could never remember him.

When it was revealed that Yuan Mo was one of the players who survived “The Arena,” everyone present was momentarily stunned.

Via, in a rare moment of tact, asked, “Do you… look a bit different from before?”

Yuan Mo brushed his hair nervously, “My appearance hasn’t changed, just my physique… I’ve never been into exercise, and after my brother died, no one pushed me to work out, so my body changed a bit…” During that time, he was also nurturing the spirit serpent, which took some of his body’s nutrients.

Via and Li Qi Feng had both watched that instance, but it wasn’t until Yuan Mo spoke that they realized his presence. Yet, even then, they couldn’t recall what Yuan Mo did in that instance, not even his appearance.

They vaguely remembered him as a tall, strong figure.

Now, although Yuan Mo was quite thin, he was still tall.

“Does this count as not being forgotten?” Duan Miaomiao suddenly spoke, looking at Yuan Mo. She frowned, deep in thought, “We all know there’s such a person, but we don’t know what he looks like or what he’s done. It’s like a background character in a comic…”

She paused, then covered her face, “It doesn’t seem much different from being forgotten.”

Yuan Mo leaned against the tree, stretching out his hands. The faint sunlight filtered through the dense canopy above, falling onto his palms. Yet, the light carried no warmth. He murmured, “Perhaps one day, this background character will vanish from the comic. And because he’s just a background character, no one will even notice his disappearance.”

The hem of Li Qi Feng’s wide trench coat was tugged by Via. Lowering his head, he saw Via speaking earnestly, “Your situation is too strange… We can’t guarantee anything, but we’ll do our best to remember you.”

Li Qi Feng patted Via’s fluffy head and nodded.

Yuan Mo curled his lips into a faint smile. “That’s enough.”

The doll observed his gentle smile, then raised a hand to touch his own face. Though his gaze remained impassive, a soft smile gradually appeared on his face as well.

“It’s fine,” the doll said, pointing to himself. “I think I can remember you.”

The magician let out a quick, soft chuckle.

The doll ignored him, twirling his index finger thoughtfully. Up until now, he hadn’t forgotten a single detail about Yuan Mo-from their first meeting to Yuan Mo’s veiled comment about his lack of intelligence. He remembered it all. Watching Yuan Mo nod firmly, the doll once again cut himself slightly to feed the spirit serpent to Via.

Via watched as the spirit serpent, as thin as a pinky finger, slid into his mouth. Smacking his lips, he commented, “No taste.”

The doll suddenly seemed to recall something. Turning to Yuan Mo, he suggested, “You could try sticking with them. If you stay together, maybe you won’t be forgotten.”

After all, Yuan Mo’s current condition wasn’t as if parts of his existence were erased the moment someone finished speaking to him. Perhaps constant proximity would prevent the memories from fading.

Yuan Mo froze, then fell into deep thought.

“If you’re willing, why not?” Via beamed, pointing at the doll. “Besides, we’re planning to go through a few more instances with the doll. You wouldn’t even have to leave his side.”

“Really?” Yuan Mo’s face lit up as he looked at the doll.

The doll rubbed his chin, glancing at the group. Go through a few more instances together? When did that become a plan?

Lin Ye cleared her throat softly. “We do seem to have some kind of connection, don’t we?”

Zhang Mimi leaned in. “Connection is one thing, but honestly, this guy just wants to form a guild. Yesterday, all the players who met the conditions for creating a guild got a notification. After the game update, there will be an instance that only guild-affiliated players can enter. The game explicitly stated that one of the rewards for that instance is revival potions-and not just one bottle.”

The doll: “…”

Duan Miaomiao added, “Even players who are already in guilds received the same notification.”

Lin Ye raised her eyes. “You mentioned before that revival potions can’t be used yet. But now they’re appearing more frequently, which means they’ll definitely become usable later. It’s just that the conditions for their use haven’t been met yet.”

Hearing this, Yuan Mo suddenly said, “The conditions might be tied to the game update.”

He hesitated. “And these potions might be for reviving those who’ve already died-players whose souls are trapped in their personal spaces…”

“Ah,” Duan Miaomiao exclaimed, raising her hand as if struck by a thought. “Do you guys remember that this instance is very likely being live broadcasted?”

“It’s fine,” the doll said, swinging his legs slightly. “It’s not exactly a hard conclusion to reach.”

Then he turned to Via. “Do you have someone you want to revive?”

Via met his gaze, then broke into a sly grin. “No, we’re just drawn by the other rewards. The list is pretty long, after all.”

The doll let out a sigh.

Lin Ye tapped a few times on her holographic display. “This notification popped up just before I logged off last night. I figured you wouldn’t want to be around others, so I didn’t invite you right away.”

Temporarily, meaning she would eventually come looking for him.

The doll pondered for a moment, then turned to Yuan Mo. “Is there someone you wish to bring back to life?”

Yuan Mo hesitated before nodding.

Luo Yiran lowered his crimson eyes, glancing at Xia Lang. “Let’s discuss this in detail after this instance is over.”

Having room for negotiation was a good thing. Lin Ye surveyed the surroundings again-having the doll on their side would increase their chances of winning. After all, his participation was aimed at victory.

“By the way, when will Xia Lang wake up?” Via, seeing the previous topic had ended, leaned closer to Xia Lang and asked.

The black-brown hue around Xia Lang’s shoulder wound had stopped spreading and seemed to be receding.

Yuan Mo, still lost in thought, responded to Via’s question by sensing the spirit serpent inside Xia Lang. “The poison isn’t lethal, just stubborn.” He glanced at the blue countdown in the sky. “Probably when this countdown ends.”

That would be in the evening.

Via looked down at his own itching arm, feeling a bit restless. “So, should we still go after the treasure now?”

“No. The injured need to rest,” the doll said, looking up at the countdown. “The others will keep watch. With Yuan Mo, we now have three people who need rest.”

“And we currently have three treasures…” The doll touched the small flower on his head. To be honest, this treasure didn’t feel significant to him, though others might see it differently. “Three treasures mean we’ve practically monopolized the option to find treasures in task two.”

“And there’s still plenty of time left, no rush,” the doll squinted. “It’s them who should be worried. After all, Wang Xiaoming has already proven that killing the boss isn’t easy.”

Otherwise, the equivalence of two bosses’ lives to five boss treasures wouldn’t exist.

Lin Ye kept watch from the treetop, looking down. “Wang Xiaoming is the second-in-command of the [Hunter]. Although he didn’t kill the unicorn, he obtained the treasure. Given the typical personality of most hunters, if he determines he can’t clear the instance with the treasure, he’ll destroy it.”

“What a strange title for a second-in-command!” Duan Miaomiao muttered.

Via, sitting by Li Qi Feng’s legs, shook his head. “It’s a common term for bandit leaders on TV, and it’s what they call themselves.”

“Destroy it?” The doll recalled something the vine monster had said and chuckled. “Whether it can be destroyed is another question.”

The group was taken aback.

The doll tilted his head slightly on the magician’s shoulder and clapped his hands. “Why don’t you all stay put? Rest until this countdown is halfway through.”

By staying put, he meant not provoking the boss or other players.

“Stay put,” Li Qi Feng said, leaning against a tree. “If the treasure can’t be destroyed, then three days is enough for us to get the remaining two.”

Duan Miaomiao rested her chin on her hand. “And there’s the rule about player battles at night. So far, besides Xia Lang, we haven’t encountered many players. They’re probably avoiding us on purpose.”

“But at night, the rule seems to be that if you sense another player or if two players get within a certain range, a battle will be triggered,” Li Qi Feng said, glancing at Via’s arm. “So I suggest everyone stay and rest, recharge. Some players aren’t easy to deal with.”

Zhang Mimi raised his hand. “Agreed, some players have really bizarre and scary items.”

Lin Ye listened with her arms crossed. After everyone had spoken, she glanced at the doll, who had a smile on his face. “But you won’t stop to rest, will you? You said ‘you all’ instead of ‘we.'”

Luo Yiran paused, then looked up, his eyes curving into a gentle arc. “Right, because dolls and puppets don’t get tired… right?”

The magician knew those last words were directed at him, so the bandage on his face curved into a smile. “Yes, young master.”

Via blinked and pointed at Xia Lang. “That guy’s been calling for you. Aren’t you going to keep him company? He might want to see you when he wakes up.”

The doll’s expression remained as gentle as before. “It’s fine. Just message me when he wakes up, and I’ll come find you.”

Lin Ye glanced at the groggy Xia Lang, then refocused on Luo Yiran. “What are you planning to do? Honestly, I don’t want you going out alone. You’re taking two treasures with you, and if you die, it would greatly affect us.” It would almost mean their demise too.

“I’ll stay far away from all players and bosses,” the doll reassured with a smile. “I’m just going to check the terrain on the map and see the players’ choices.”

“Not going to do anything dangerous.”

Zhang Mimi suggested, “How about I go with him?”

“You’re strong, so you should stay. What if you encounter something more troublesome?” The doll declined. “Besides, didn’t you say your holographic display can show my health bar? Nothing will happen.”

“That’s a classic flag,” Duan Miaomiao muttered softly.

Lin Ye crossed her arms and sighed. “It’s not just sightseeing, is it?”

The doll smiled without answering, but then he seemed to think of something. “The vine monster’s flower should be transplantable. I’ll only take the puppet with me.”

“Your life is what’s important,” Lin Ye said, rubbing her forehead.

The doll waved his hand dismissively. “Then there’s nothing to worry about. I’ll prioritize my safety in everything I do.”

“Rest assured, I’m not that easy to kill when I’m being cautious.”

At this point, the magician suddenly spoke. “I didn’t know the young master could be a little persuasive. Shouldn’t you just say your piece and leave?”

“After all, we’re teammates now,” Luo Yiran said with genuine sincerity. “Teammates need to communicate well.”

“…”

The magician commented, “Young master, they’re silent now.”

The doll’s smile faded. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Lin Ye raised her hand to cover her eyes, exasperated. “Just go.”

Everyone else nodded in agreement-

For some reason, after that conversation, looking at the doll’s earnest face… it was kind of nauseating.

“…” Luo Yiran glared at the magician.

The magician’s mouth twitched slightly, the bandage forming a small curve, which the doll didn’t notice.

Unicorn Territory.

The forest echoed with a thunderous sound, and then a massive mechanical blue arm suddenly lifted and slammed down. The second-in-command, Wang Xiaoming, leaped into the air, dodging the attack. In mid-air, he silently raised his hand and forcibly tore off the pure white horn from his forehead.

Blood trickled down from his brow as Wang Xiaoming landed steadily on a tree branch, gazing at the horn in his hand.

He then looked up at the humanoid machine ahead, which had been just a small cube not long ago.

Without hesitation, the robot raised its arm, which disassembled, sending blue mechanical chains toward him.

Tsk.

Wang Xiaoming dodged again, soaring into the air as he tapped on his holographic display. In the next instant, a massive scythe appeared. He tucked the horn at his waist and charged forward, slicing through the mechanical chains with one swift stroke.

Item: Death Scythe

This wasn’t the ideal place to use it. The Death Scythe primarily harms souls, making it perfect for dealing with ghosts. Using it against a robot was far from optimal.

But it was the largest and longest blade he had, suitable for cutting through the myriad of mechanical chains.

Unfortunately, there were no players around anymore. Earlier, he had tried to transfer the horn by finding two players and slashing their foreheads to place the horn. However, those players were easily killed by the robot, and after their deaths, the horn returned to him.

From the pattern of the horn returning to the previous holder after death, it seemed the horn would only go back to the unicorn if he died.

Well, might as well destroy it.

Being constantly chased was annoying.

As the mechanical chains attacked once more, Wang Xiaoming leapt onto a tall tree and threw the horn. The massive scythe swung high, its blade striking the horn.

A piercing sound rang out. He had used great force, but the feedback was the scythe breaking.

Wang Xiaoming: “…”

The Death Scythe was truly a great item; otherwise, Wang Xiaoming wouldn’t have brought it in.

But now it was shattered, broken before a mere horn.

Wang Xiaoming’s face darkened, and to make matters worse, as he dodged the chains, the horn was struck by the mechanical chains and sent flying. Judging by the arc, it was likely headed to another territory…

Wait, another territory? If he wasn’t in the unicorn territory anymore, would the robot continue to chase and attack him?

Worth a try, especially since he needed to chase after the horn that was knocked away.

However.

He hoped no one would pick up the horn he had worked so hard to obtain.

Wang Xiaoming dodged the mechanical chains again, his eyes filled with impatience-otherwise, he wasn’t sure what he might do to that person.

…

Just arriving at the no lord’s territory between the serpent man and unicorn territories, the doll controlled the magician to stand atop a tall tree.

The wind lifted the magician’s gray hair, and the doll sat in the magician’s palm, quickly looking down and then up. He compared the map, observing the unicorn territory ahead. Suddenly, the magician spoke, “Young master, it seems something is flying over.”