Doll Survival Game

The Demon glanced at Little Red, who raised her right hand with fingers tightly together. The surrounding monsters halted, standing motionless in a circle.

“Thanks, Little Red~” The Demon resumed his smile, his wings retracting into his body, and the damaged clothes instantly restored. He bounced towards the doll, standing before him, “Really, so small.”

The Demon bent down, extending his hand, “To meet eye to eye, I could lift you up.”

Luo Yiran placed his index finger at the corner of his cold lips, pushing it upwards to reveal a gentle smile. The bob jingled, and two monster corpses were dragged before the doll. Using the silver thread, he lightly leaped onto them, gazing at the top of the Demon’s head, his voice equally soft, “Please stand upright, I don’t want to see the top of your head.”

The Demon straightened, maintaining his smile, “You’re truly adorable.”

Luo Yiran sat down, responding to the Demon’s query, “I dislike you for resembling him.”

The Demon raised his eyes, his nostrils flaring slightly, “Honest words.”

The doll remained silent, staring into the Demon’s eyes, “Very beautiful eyes… Do the magician’s eyes resemble yours?”

The Demon paused, “When you said ‘resemble,’ you weren’t referring to the eyes?”

Luo Yiran smiled with eyes curved, resembling a doll displayed in a shop window, “Wasn’t I talking about the ‘feeling’?”

The Demon’s voice softened, recalling, “Indeed, my apologies, I got too fond of you, excitedly overlooking that.”

“When you said ‘resemble,’ you placed your hand below your eyes.” The doll cheerfully swung his legs, “Being able to discern truth from lies makes you quite at ease, doesn’t it? You’re so candid.”

The Demon didn’t deny it, nodding, “Yes, considering there’s a heap of people who can’t defeat me, and no one can lie in front of me… Shouldn’t I feel confident?”

“Exactly, exactly.” The Demon leaned forward, closer to the doll, his smile airy, “Let me ask you something. If you answer truthfully, I’ll reveal all the rules of the judgment instance, okay? It’s an early disclosure, as long as you keep surviving, you’ll definitely encounter the judgment instance.”

Luo Yiran leaned back slightly, as if he were sitting on that red velvet bench in his personal space. His chin lifted, exuding an air of arrogance. “So, what is it that you want, Mr. Demon?”

The Demon’s eyes shone brightly, reflecting the image of the doll before him. Although Luo Yiran believed he wore a gentle smile, what he saw in those mirror-like eyes was a rather sinister version of himself.

It was like a creepy doll straight out of a horror story.

Hmm-

The doll touched his own face. He was sure he was displaying the same expression as in reality, so why did it look so different? It must be the doll’s appearance causing this effect.

“I want you,” the Demon stated politely, placing a hand over his chest. “If you lie, then you’ll be mine… I really want to collect you.”

“Would you agree? It’s just a simple answer,” the Demon coaxed. “You needn’t worry about me not telling you afterward, because this is…” He mouthed the words “live broadcast” and continued with a smile, “There are witnesses, a mutual… well, let’s call it a wager, which must be honored once both parties agree.”

The Demon lightly tapped his toes, glancing up at the bright moon above, and leapt slightly. “You see, living isn’t easy for us either, with rules everywhere.”

“Can you assure me you won’t be penalized for this?”

“Oh, I will,” the Demon’s gaze returned to the doll. “The judgment instance has been predetermined, so even if I reveal it, the rules of this instance won’t change.”

“So!” the Demon emphasized with a smile, “I will face severe punishment.”

The doll’s expression suddenly turned very calm, even bored. “How dull.”

The Demon was taken aback.

“Don’t you get it? It seems you’ve been spoiled by your so-called power and abilities,” the doll stood up again, looking directly into the Demon’s eyes as if he were observing something utterly mundane. “The game didn’t stop your proposal, which means that even if this rule is revealed and you’re punished, it holds little significance for me.”

“In other words, this is an instance where knowing the rules in advance won’t change anything.”

“And you’ve already revealed quite a bit,” the doll felt incredibly bored and somewhat disappointed, glancing casually around. “And the live broadcast audience are the witnesses, right? Do you think something involving instance rules would be broadcast?”

He had learned from Lin Ye that when the game involved matters that shouldn’t be widely known, it would be muted or blacked out.

“Alright then.” The Demon finally stopped smiling, though his expression remained untroubled until the doll’s next words caused his eyes to darken.

“And the question you want to ask me, it’s related to the game, isn’t it?”

The doll temporarily tore away the long-standing facade on his face, revealing a peculiar expression. “I’m sorry, I refuse. This ‘wager’ is too dull and unequal, I don’t like it.”

Luo Yiran showed an apologetic expression. “And I’m also sorry for saying you resemble the magician earlier. The magician isn’t boring at all, quite unlike you.”

Demon: “…”

Little Red, who had been sitting obediently behind, burst into laughter, patting the rabbit head in her arms. “Hahaha, serves you right!”

After laughing, she glanced at the moon in the sky, and the system’s notification sounded in her ear. Little Red was momentarily stunned, then immediately stood up. “Alright, alright! Conversation over! I have work to do. Demon-Ge, you’ve had enough time, don’t waste mine!”

The treasure was constantly changing hands, the boss was dying, and she had at least, at least crippled one of the doll’s legs, right? Otherwise, it would be too embarrassing!

The Demon showed no sign of anger. He gave the doll a slight bow, “It’s a pity I didn’t think this through, leading to an unpleasant end to our conversation.”

The doll chuckled, then opened his mouth, “It wasn’t entirely boring, after all…”

He paused subtly, and for once, the Demon felt a twinge of unease. Then he heard the doll, with a smile, articulate each word clearly-the rules of the judgment instance.

He was… guessing!

Yet, the Demon’s ears were filled with the game’s beeping alerts, the cold voice announcing the penalty for revealing hidden rules.

The information the doll had could only be from the trivial hint the Demon had deliberately dropped earlier and his own abilities, so he must be guessing.

But.

The Demon was distracted, listening to the doll’s malicious recounting of the rules-how could his guesses be so accurate? Accurate enough to trigger a game warning.

And he said it out loud, definitely on purpose!!

The doll stopped speaking, watching the Demon’s body slowly turn transparent. He clasped his hands together, intentionally flashing a sweet smile, his tone filled with curiosity, “It’s a bit different from the magician’s forced logout, isn’t it? He vanished instantly… By the way, why don’t you bleed?”

“When the magician was warned, he bled all over, probably with wounds appearing on every part of his body. Why don’t you? Seems like this rule isn’t that important after all…”

The doll lowered his hands, his smile fading into a blank expression, “Truly boring, not a hint of sincerity.”

The Demon wanted to say something, but in the next moment, his body vanished from the spot.

Little Red watched the doll’s expression and hissed-perhaps he had a good synergy with the boss.

But the most important thing right now.

She snapped her fingers, and the previously still monsters around them suddenly sprang to life. She puffed up in frustration, “Wasting my time again, did that guy forget this is my turf!”

“Why is the doll’s screen still black? What on earth is the Demon saying to him?” Tian Tang impatiently swung her legs, “I wanted to watch him fight the monsters, it’s quite a spectacle.”

Fang Jincheng glanced at the surrounding audience, “Not many are focusing on the tug-of-war with the doll now… there were quite a few when the live broadcast first started.”

“That’s because everyone wanted to see if they could figure out how to score high from the doll,” Wei Lianlian, who had slept little over the past three days, rubbed her eyes tiredly, “But this instance doesn’t involve exploring the background, so scores probably won’t appear.”

“What a shame,” Tian Tang cradled her face, “I wonder if there will still be live broadcasts after the game updates… but maybe we’ll have a chance to meet in an organization instance, and we can ask nicely then.”

Nicely.

Fang Jincheng’s mouth twitched.

Guan Cheng didn’t join their conversation, focusing intently on the display panel showing Xia Lang and Via’s fusion, his hand at his side clenched tightly.

Fang Jincheng glanced at him, then his gaze shifted-still a chaotic scene.

But the system’s voice kept echoing as the display panel disappeared.

The people in the lobby didn’t listen closely; they just watched as the werewolf faction wiped out the unicorn faction.

The horn was taken by An Ming and then snatched by Zhang Mimi.

As Zhang Mimi tried to leave under Li Qi Feng’s cover, Duan Miaomiao arrived. Her bizarre body was recovering at an incredible speed, and she intercepted Feng Bai.

“An Ming actually let Zhang Mimi take the horn?” Tian Tang exclaimed in surprise.

Wei Lianlian pointed at the display panel showing Li Qi Feng, who was coldly holding a gun. “He proposed a deal.”

“What?”

Fang Jincheng leaned forward. “Because An Ming doesn’t have time to collect all five treasures now, Li Qi Feng suggested that An Ming kill the players under the vine monster’s faction after Lin Ye kills the vine monster. This also serves to settle the score for snatching the elf’s head.”

Tian Tang was astonished. “They’ve discussed so much already?”

Wei Lianlian replied, “You’ve been focused on the doll’s display panel and missed this side.”

Tian Tang watched as the players from the werewolf faction were capturing those from the vine monster faction. “Alright.”

“Once Lin Ye kills the vine monster, then they’ll target the players under the vine monster.”

“So, are they… cooperating?”

“Yes and no,” Fang Jincheng observed Wang Xiaoming being relentlessly beaten by An Ming. “An Ming’s goal is to take the werewolf’s tooth from Wang Xiaoming; she doesn’t plan to help Zhang Mimi and the others kill Wang Xiaoming.”

Wei Lianlian closed her eyes briefly. “That’s sufficient. They’re just dealing with Wang Xiaoming and Feng Bai, who aren’t at their full strength.”

Currently, the doll’s faction possesses the flower of the vine monster, the unicorn’s horn, the elf’s ears, and…

“By the way,” Tian Tang’s expression turned serious, “if the puppet disappears, does it still count as a treasure owned by the doll?”

“The system hasn’t sent a notification, but it probably doesn’t count anymore… otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair since something that no longer exists can’t be taken.”

Tian Tang glanced at the holographic display. This instance is nearing its end, and the werewolf faction is certain to clear it, because even if Lin Ye can’t kill the vine monster, she can stall until An Ming arrives to finish it off.

“What a pity, the doll’s faction can only choose to desperately try to kill the serpent man’s faction now,” Tian Tang said with feigned regret, but her voice was full of schadenfreude. “Go Xia Lang, go Via! The hope of your team rests on you…”

“They can still meet both conditions and achieve a perfect score, after all. If the doll wants, he should be able to seize Little Red’s treasure.”

Fang Jincheng’s gaze shifted between the display panels of the doll and Xia Lang and Via. “But it really depends on Xia Lang and Via here.”