Category: The Grotesque Miss’s End Story

Chapter 29: Joining the Group

After leaving the ward, Luo Ling sat down on a nearby chair.

“I didn’t expect Ji Ying to be a High-Order Awakened One…”

Luo Ling was inwardly impressed.

Awakened Ones from First to Third Order were considered Low-Order, Fourth to Sixth were Mid-Order, and Seventh to Ninth were High-Order. Each Order represented a significant leap in power.

Under normal circumstances, a High-Order Awakened One had an overwhelming advantage over a Low-Order Awakened One, although there were exceptions.

But thinking about it, if she weren’t a High-Order Awakened One, how could Ji Ying dare to investigate the High-Risk Grotesquery, the Puppet Ballad, alone?

This further solidified Luo Ling’s resolve not to reveal any information about the Puppet Ballad. Even Ji Ying struggled against it, let alone other Awakened Ones…

At the same time, Luo Ling felt a sense of unease. Was this the level of enemy she had to face?

Unfortunately, Luo Ling didn’t know how her own Order was calculated. It felt different from ordinary Awakened Ones.

Lost in thought, Luo Ling saw the ward door open slowly, and a wheelchair was pushed out, with the girl holding the teddy bear sitting in it, eyes still closed.

The others followed, leaving only Ji Shinian, the group leader, inside the room.

Luo Ling watched as they approached, feeling their gazes on her.

Her expression remained indifferent.

“I recognize you,” the burly man with crossed arms spoke first. “You’re a wanted fugitive, charged with murder, a brutal one at that.”

“Huh?” Before Luo Ling could respond, the heavily made-up woman exclaimed in surprise, “Liu Songyi, you really do recognize her? I thought you were just trying to hit on her…”

“…Yang Meili, can you let me finish?” Liu Songyi glanced at Yang Meili. “Do I look like someone who hits on little girls?”

“Isn’t Xu Qian the one you brought back?” Yang Meili raised an eyebrow.

“That’s right, that’s right, perverted police uncle!”

The teddy bear in the wheelchair girl’s arms chimed in with its shrill voice.

“Ugh…”

Liu Songyi rubbed his temples. He really wasn’t used to the eccentric personalities of his group members.

“I didn’t kill anyone,” Luo Ling said in a low voice.

“I know, it was a Grotesquery,” Liu Songyi nodded, finally someone brought the conversation back on track. “But ordinary people can’t perceive Grotesqueries, so you’ll have to bear with us for a while. I’ll find a way to close the case later.

“Also, we apologize for what happened earlier. Old Ji just told us what really happened.”

“So…rry…”

The girl in the wheelchair spoke first. As her ethereal voice echoed, everyone present, except for Luo Ling, felt a momentary trance.

She covered the teddy bear’s mouth and nodded apologetically at Luo Ling, her eyes still closed.

After snapping out of it, the others looked at the girl in the wheelchair with lingering fear.

They really didn’t want to hear her speak…

Unfortunately, with the teddy bear’s chaotic and mischievous nature, it would definitely scare away the newcomer who had just joined the Patient Exchange Group.

The other two also mumbled apologies half-heartedly, their perfunctory attitude clearly showing it was at Ji Shinian’s request. But Luo Ling didn’t mind.

She could sense that Ji Shinian had deliberately withheld the truth from them at first, testing her.

Testing her strength, or her personality, or perhaps both. In any case… old people were wily, and Luo Ling didn’t believe Ji Shinian was just a frail old man lying in bed, coughing up blood.

She couldn’t be sure how much of what he said was true or false. He must have been calculating something.

“Anyway, welcome to the Patient Exchange Group.” Liu Songyi extended his hand, then thought better of it and awkwardly withdrew it. “Old Ji said you might have some information about Sister Wu Qin…”

“Mm.”

Luo Ling nodded.

From the information Ji Shinian had revealed, Luo Ling realized she had only killed Wu Qin’s body; the real Wu Qin had died long ago.

So, who killed Wu Qin?

Was it Li Tianming?

Li Tianming had needed Wu Qin’s assistance to deal with her. His actual combat strength was no different from an ordinary person’s.

So…

Luo Ling realized there was another mysterious figure behind all this, a dangerous person who had been overlooked.

“Mm… it’s getting late. How about tomorrow,” Liu Songyi looked at the sky and said, “Tomorrow is Sunday. Come to the hospital in the afternoon. We’ll have a patient exchange meeting, and you can meet the other members of the group.”

“Okay.”

Luo Ling had been concise throughout their conversation, speaking only when necessary.

“Give me your WeChat, I’ll add you to the group chat, so it’s easier to communicate.”

Liu Songyi took out his phone, wanting to add Luo Ling as a friend, but saw a look of embarrassment flash across her pretty face.

“I… don’t have a phone,” Luo Ling looked away.

Her family only had an old flip phone, which her sister used, and it didn’t have WeChat.

“You don’t even have a phone?” Yang Meili’s eyes widened. “Wow, I can’t imagine a modern person living without a phone! Are you a time traveler from ancient times?”

Luo Ling remained silent.

Liu Songyi, being a criminal investigator, noticed something after observing Luo Ling. Her clothes were of poor quality, barely decent, suggesting her family was struggling financially.

He pondered for a moment, then pulled out a thick wad of cash wrapped in paper and handed it to Luo Ling.

“We still have some funds left over from the group’s last quarter’s budget. Take this and buy a new phone—don’t refuse, consider it a welcome gift.”

Luo Ling hesitated for a moment, then accepted the money.

“Tha…thank you…”

She estimated there was at least 30,000 yuan inside.

She really needed this money; she hadn’t figured out how to pay for the school dormitory yet.

She had been planning to do manual labor…

After all, she was incredibly strong.

“Such a naive little girl. Ordinary money means nothing to Awakened Ones,” Wu Hai said disdainfully. “Sacred Relics are the real currency.”

“Didn’t Old Ji tell you to shut up?”

Liu Songyi glanced at Wu Hai, who just snorted and remained silent.

“This has my WeChat on it. Add me when you get a phone.”

Liu Songyi handed her a business card with his name, contact information, path, and title.

Judgment path, Ancient Martial Artist.

“Go home early, don’t worry your family.”

After saying this, Liu Songyi pulled—or rather, dragged—Wu Hai away from the ward entrance.

Yang Meili gave Luo Ling a playful look and sashayed away.

Only the girl in the wheelchair remained. She approached Luo Ling slightly and said in a friendly tone,

“Hello, my Chinese name is Xu Qian, you can also call me Elsa.”

The voice that emanated without her opening her mouth was still ethereal but more coherent now, as if she had sensed that Luo Ling wasn’t afraid of the strange power in her voice.

Chapter 28: The End of Fate

“Is it… too much?”

Luo Ling scratched the back of her head.

Excessively so!

The old man suppressed the urge to yell, took a few deep breaths, and then said,

“Young lady, it seems you have some understanding of the Awakened world, but not much. Generally speaking… a Grotesquery around Sequence 300 is something only a team of Mid-Order Awakened Ones is qualified to hunt.

“Moreover… the appearance of such a Grotesquery is not an opportunity, but a disaster. A slight misstep could lead to the deaths of thousands!”

“That terrifying?” Luo Ling’s eyes widened. “Then… a Sequence below fifty…”

“No, no, young lady, you’re not thinking of asking for a Sacred Relic of that level, are you?” The old man was even more astonished, his eyes wide. “I’m not exaggerating, but those High-Risk Grotesqueries… each one has the potential to wipe out an entire region.”

Seeing Luo Ling’s confused expression, the old man realized the pretty, white-haired girl truly knew nothing about this and patiently explained,

“Several confirmed High-Risk Grotesquery disasters, the most famous being the ‘Black Death’ that ravaged Europe from 1347 to 1353, has been confirmed to be the work of Sequence Twenty-One, ‘Pestilence.’”

Luo Ling couldn’t hide her shock. She finally realized what kind of existence the Puppet Ballad was. Even in its dormant state, it could easily subdue Ji Ying.

If it truly awakened…

Luo Ling thought of her own ability and shuddered.

Countless Spores scattering across the land, parasitizing ordinary people, then Proliferating, Controlling…

What kind of hell would Jiangcheng County become…? No, perhaps, far more than just Jiangcheng County.

Ji Ying, realizing this, had wanted to track down the Puppet Ballad’s true form while it was dormant. This was the only way to prevent this disaster.

“Young lady, what are you thinking?”

The old man’s words brought Luo Ling back to reality. He looked at her hesitant expression and asked curiously.

“Nothing…”

Luo Ling ultimately chose not to mention the Puppet Ballad.

It was a terrifying truth, and even more terrifying was the fact that this truth couldn’t be known by others.

The last person who knew was Ji Ying, and she had been targeted by the Lambs, somehow discovered by the Puppet Ballad. Even now, her whereabouts were unknown.

Luo Ling had to be extremely careful.

Those who hadn’t encountered the Puppet Ballad mustn’t gain knowledge about it.

The old man didn’t think Luo Ling knew anything. Even with his Other Shore ability, he couldn’t see much, let alone Luo Ling, who was currently a low-level Awakened One.

He believed in Luo Ling’s potential, but not her current strength.

“Have you considered it? If you need a Sacred Relic, we have a few group members who can help. This is a routine operation, not a condition,” the old man said kindly. “Or, is there anything you want to know? Perhaps I can help you glimpse it… Of course, not about yourself, I wouldn’t dare.”

His last accidental glimpse had left a deep impression on him, worsening his already frail health.

Of course, using his ability normally wouldn’t come at such a great cost.

Luo Ling hesitated. She had come here to join a group, and since the old man was offering her a glimpse, she might as well take it.

She thought for a moment and asked, “Can I see where someone is right now?”

“What’s your relationship with this person?” The old man spread his hands and said frankly, “If it’s a family member, forget it, I wouldn’t dare.”

“No, just a casual acquaintance.”

Luo Ling replied. She had only met Ji Ying two or three times.

“No problem.”

The old man breathed a sigh of relief, clapped his hands, and a deck of cards appeared out of thin air.

He drew a card and handed it to Luo Ling.

“Hold this card and picture this person’s information in your mind. I can use this information to find their corresponding thread of fate.”

Luo Ling took the card and examined it. It seemed ordinary, except for some crystals attached to it.

She closed her eyes and pictured everything she knew about Ji Ying in her mind.

“Alright, give me the card back,” the old man said.

Luo Ling opened her eyes and noticed that there seemed to be more crystals on the card.

The old man took the card, and his eyes turned into a starry sky as the card floated in mid-air.

Luo Ling watched his every move intently, not out of suspicion, but curiosity.

After all, she hadn’t seen many people use their abilities, especially not like the old man, who seemed to be performing a magic trick…

The old man stared at the card, seemingly searching for something through the crystals. After a while, he whispered,

“I see it…”

Before he could finish, the old man suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, and the medical equipment beside him started beeping.

Huh?

Luo Ling was stunned. Why did he suddenly vomit blood? Was this also part of using his ability?

“Old Ji!”

The four people who had tried to intimidate Luo Ling at the elevator entrance burst into the room.

The burly man quickly used the nearby medical equipment to treat the old man, while the others watched Luo Ling warily, the atmosphere tense.

“Cough… don’t… don’t attack…” Old Ji coughed up more blood but managed to raise a hand weakly. “It’s my own fault… I accidentally took another look…”

Luo Ling: “…”

…Why did she feel like a walking disaster?

Why did this old man keep peeking at her…?

And wasn’t he supposed to be finding Ji Ying’s location? Ji Ying wasn’t even with her.

After his heart rate stabilized, Old Ji finally caught his breath. He leaned against the bed and looked at Luo Ling, his voice weak.

“I could only tell that she’s a High-Order Awakened One, but… I couldn’t see her location, I’m sorry.”

“Mm… alright.”

A flicker of disappointment crossed Luo Ling’s eyes.

What else could she say?

He had been injured again while trying to help her, and it was because of her… although she hadn’t intended for it to happen.

“Young lady, please leave for now. I need to talk to them,” Old Ji forced a smile. “Of course, our deal is still valid.

“Welcome to join us, the Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital Patient Self-Help Exchange Group, or Patient Exchange Group for short. I’m the group leader, Ji Shinian.”

The other four looked at Luo Ling with suspicion. They had no idea what had just transpired.

“Mm.”

Luo Ling nodded at Ji Shinian and left the ward.

After Luo Ling left, Ji Shinian finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He closed his eyes, imprinting the fleeting glimpse he had just seen in his mind.

In the image, the person he was looking at was gently cupping the white-haired girl’s face, gazing tenderly at her tear-stained cheeks.

At the end of the thread of fate.

Chapter 27: A Lion’s Share

The seventh floor of the hospital was eerily quiet. As Luo Ling walked down the long corridor, the silence made her question whether she had actually come to a psychiatric hospital. However, pushing open the door to the room at the very end of the hallway dispelled some of her doubts.

This was definitely a hospital, at least in appearance.

A withered old man lay on the bed, eyes closed, an oxygen mask covering his face. A bewildering array of medical equipment surrounded him, seemingly struggling to keep him alive.

“…You finally came.”

The old man slowly opened his eyes, his lips moving slightly, his voice echoing directly in Luo Ling’s mind. He didn’t seem to be speaking aloud but using some sort of ability to transmit his voice directly to her.

“You know me?” Luo Ling frowned. She had no recollection of this old man.

“No, but I’ve seen you,” a faint smile touched the old man’s lips. “In a mistaken glimpse…cough, cough…Let your hair down. I know it’s white.”

Luo Ling’s eyes flickered, and she slowly removed her beanie.

A cascade of pale, white hair tumbled down, adding an ethereal touch to her youthful appearance.

Removing her mask, Luo Ling asked in a low voice,

“Where have you seen me?”

The old man didn’t answer immediately. He stared at Luo Ling for a long moment, then said with a smile,

“Indeed, it is you…Didn’t I say? A mistaken glimpse, which has left me confined to this bed, struggling to survive.”

“…I didn’t do it.”

Luo Ling’s lips twitched. It sounded as if the old man had tried to peek at her and she’d put him in the hospital…

At least she was certain she hadn’t hit an old man. Her family couldn’t afford the medical bills.

“Of course not, it was my own doing.” The old man didn’t try to hide anything, explaining directly, “My path is Other Shore. I can briefly glimpse certain points along the threads of fate…When I was looking into Wu Qin’s death, I accidentally caught a glimpse of you.

“Do…you believe you killed Wu Qin?”

“Didn’t I?”

Luo Ling asked, confused.

She clearly remembered shattering Wu Qin’s defenses in her demonic form and destroying her brain.

“Of course not. Wu Qin was already dead. You didn’t kill her; on the contrary, you saved her,” the old man said slowly. “Wu Qin’s thread of fate should have been severed a year and a half ago, but due to a Grotesquery’s interference, her suffering was prolonged until your arrival brought her release.

“She was a Second-Order Awakened One. If she hadn’t willingly released her Bone Steel, with your power…how could you have pierced through so easily?”

The old man raised a trembling hand and tapped his temple.

Seeing his gesture, Luo Ling’s eyes widened in shock. Had the old man seen through everything with his ability?

Then her true identity…

“Unfortunately, even that fleeting glimpse was enough to severely injure me, almost fatally…And that was only possible because your thread of fate was entangled with Wu Qin’s,” the old man said with a smile. “You hold many secrets, not all of which can be easily probed. That’s why I call it a mistaken glimpse.”

Had he only seen her transformed appearance?

Luo Ling wasn’t sure. She looked at the old man silently.

“Let’s make a deal,” the old man, wise to the ways of the world, knew what Luo Ling was thinking and spoke directly. “The reason you came here must be related to the Grotesquery that interfered with Wu Qin’s thread of fate.”

“Did you also glimpse that?” Luo Ling asked in a low voice.

“Young lady, using my ability comes at a great cost, especially for you. I’m merely speculating,” the old man chuckled. “You don’t think I’m omniscient, do you? I’m just a Mid-Order Awakened One. Perhaps a High-Order Awakened One on the Other Shore path could achieve that, but I no longer have the opportunity.

“In reality, after glimpsing Wu Qin’s death, I followed the Grotesquery-interfered thread of fate until its very end, where it completely vanished, and I accidentally caught a glimpse of you.”

The old man extended a trembling hand. Just as Luo Ling thought he was about to use an ability, he pulled out a phone from his pocket, fumbled with it for a moment, and handed it to her.

The phone displayed a picture: a floor scattered with broken mirror shards, reflecting the fragmented image of a pale girl with a terrified expression.

“This is…”

Luo Ling recognized herself from that moment, but why was it on his phone?

“I drew it from memory. This old man studied oil painting in his younger days. Not bad, eh?” the old man said cheerfully. “This is the culprit who almost cost me my life. If I hadn’t captured the image, wouldn’t my suffering have been in vain?”

…She hadn’t expected him to preserve the memory this way.

“What deal?”

Luo Ling composed herself and asked.

“Join us, even if only temporarily,” the wrinkles on the old man’s face deepened as he spoke seriously. “We need you.”

“…Me?”

Luo Ling was taken aback. She was useful, but not to the extent that someone like him would… need her?

At least not now.

This felt like a recruitment pitch…

“I’ve glimpsed a more distant future, heh…and the injuries I sustained were no less severe than this time,” the old man turned slightly, gazing out the window at the setting sun. “I saw a future of despair, countless threads of fate severed at the same moment.

“Perhaps you, whose fate I cannot clearly see, can change this predetermined outcome.”

After hearing this, Luo Ling was silent for a moment, then asked, “Do you know what Grotesquery interfered with Wu Qin’s death?”

The old man didn’t expect Luo Ling to ask this question. He shook his head.

“If we knew, we wouldn’t be so helpless.”

He didn’t know about the Puppet Ballad!

A flicker of surprise flashed through Luo Ling’s eyes, but this time, she concealed it well.

Hearing the old man’s description, Luo Ling’s first thought was the Puppet Ballad, the High-Risk Grotesquery of Sequence Forty-Nine. Only it could cause such widespread devastation.

It was still dormant, but once it awakened…

The future of despair the old man had described might become reality.

“Do you have any other concerns? Speak your mind,” the old man said slowly. “I’ve asked the others to stay away from the ward for now. It’s just us here. You can ask for anything… within reason, of course.”

“Mm…” Luo Ling thought for a moment, then said cautiously, “A Grotesquery Sacred Relic? Around Sequence 200 would be fine.”

The Puppet Ballad was Sequence Forty-Nine, so asking for one around Sequence 200 wasn’t too much, right?

The old man’s eyes widened. She really wasn’t holding back.

He had seen people make unreasonable demands, but this was on a whole other level… She wasn’t even being remotely polite!

A Dangerous Grotesquery around Sequence 200 was a formidable opponent, even High-Order Awakened Ones had to be cautious when dealing with them, and facing one alone could be fatal.

Under normal circumstances, even a Grotesquery around Sequence 300 would be enough to make a Mid-Order Awakened One’s hair stand on end.

Chapter 26: The Group Leader

“Cough, cough…”

Shen Miaoyun choked on her own saliva and coughed for a while, while Luo Ling turned her gaze to the landline phone at the reception desk.

Only one sentence had come from the phone, then silence.

“How could Old Ji let the enemy up here…?”

Shen Miaoyun wiped the corner of her mouth, looking at Luo Ling with apprehension and suspicion.

“I’m also an Awakened One.”

Luo Ling blinked her beautiful eyes, but Shen Miaoyun couldn’t see her expression because of the mask.

“I know…”

Shen Miaoyun twitched the corner of her mouth. That was stating the obvious. If she weren’t an Awakened One, how could she have killed Sister Wu Qin?

With Wu Qin’s ability, even ten machine guns firing simultaneously couldn’t kill her.

If it weren’t for this, the exchange group wouldn’t have been so shocked.

Anyone in the group could have died quietly, but Sister Wu Qin, the least likely to die, had mysteriously fallen… The group had been keeping a low profile for over a year because of this.

“About her… I’m sorry,” Luo Ling hesitated, then apologized. “I didn’t mean to, I had no choice at the time.”

From the nurse’s expression, she could tell that the Bone Doctor had been one of them, and an important one at that.

But to Shen Miaoyun, this apology sounded more like a provocation… like in a card game, when your opponent keeps saying “sorry” while having a huge advantage, you wouldn’t think they were genuinely apologizing.

“They’re all on the seventh floor. Go on up.”

Shen Miaoyun looked away from Luo Ling.

Hmph, this little girl looked cute, but she was so ruthless, truly… appearances could be deceiving!

Luo Ling had no idea what Shen Miaoyun was thinking, but she didn’t care much either. After nodding at Shen Miaoyun, she turned and walked towards the elevator.

She didn’t have much time. Squeezing in a visit to this psychiatric hospital amidst her busy senior year schedule, she had to settle things quickly.

After everything was dealt with, Luo Ling still had to rush back and catch up on her studies.

Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital wasn’t as terrifying and gloomy as the rumors said. At least, so far, besides being a bit deserted, it seemed no different from an ordinary hospital.

Of course, she hadn’t been to the area where the mental patients were actually held.

The elevator quickly reached the seventh floor. As the green light above the door lit up, Luo Ling sensed something amiss.

Someone was waiting for her outside the elevator!

Luo Ling’s eyes narrowed, and she instantly released Spores, catching a glimpse of the scene outside.

“One, two, three, four… four people.”

A burly man, a tall, thin man like a monkey, a heavily made-up woman, and a girl in a wheelchair.

They were all guarding the elevator entrance, seemingly trying to intimidate her.

“Heh…”

A faint smile appeared on Luo Ling’s lips. She wasn’t going to be intimidated so easily.

Puppet Ballad, first skill, Proliferation.

The Spores attached to the elevator entrance began to grow, assimilating with the floor.

Before the four people at the entrance could react, the ground beneath their feet began to rise, forming four small stone pillars, lifting them into the air.

While everyone was still stunned, the elevator doors opened.

A girl wearing a bulky beanie walked in casually. The four people blocking the entrance now looked like an honor guard, watching as the girl walked past them.

“Hello, brothers and sisters,” Luo Ling looked up, her expressive eyes smiling. “Thank you for coming to greet me.”

The four exchanged glances.

…This little girl was no pushover!

They didn’t know about Luo Ling’s conversation with Shen Miaoyun downstairs. The only thing they knew was what the group leader had said: this girl was connected to Wu Qin’s death.

Sister Wu Qin’s death had been a heavy blow to the Patient Exchange Group, not only because they had lost their strongest fighter, but also because almost everyone here was an Awakened One protected by Sister Wu Qin.

“Let her come in…”

Just then, the same elderly voice from the phone call echoed again, seemingly from the end of the seventh-floor corridor.

“Yes, Group Leader.”

The four exchanged glances, bowed respectfully towards the depths of the seventh floor, and then stepped aside, making way for Luo Ling.

Group Leader?

Why did the leader of this organization have such a strange title…?

Luo Ling felt a sense of unease but continued walking towards the end of the corridor.

After she passed, the Awakened Ones quickly stepped down from the stone pillars.

“My god… what path is that ability from? Wu Hai, can you tell?” The heavily made-up woman bent down slightly, examining the protruding stone pillars with astonishment.

“Elemental, maybe? But that doesn’t make sense. Earth or stone abilities from the Elemental path shouldn’t manifest like this…”

The skinny man touched a stone pillar. It felt incredibly smooth, more like… a part of the marble floor had suddenly grown upwards.

“And, and! How did she know where we were standing?! The elevator doors weren’t even open! And she made the stone pillars grow right beneath our feet! That’s so, so, so scary!!!”

A sharp, piercing voice suddenly erupted, not from the girl in the wheelchair, but from a small teddy bear she held in her arms.

The teddy bear’s exaggerated expression and shrill voice made everyone cover their ears.

Its owner, the girl in the wheelchair, remained silent, her eyes closed, as if detached from the world.

“Don’t worry about it, Yang Meili. The Group Leader asked her to come up. I said there was no need for such a show of force, but you insisted,” the burly man said gruffly, but he frowned slightly as he looked in the direction Luo Ling had left. “However, I feel like I’ve seen this girl somewhere before…”

“Hey, hey, hey, Liu Songyi, she’s a minor! And you’re a police officer! That’s a double offense!” Yang Meili said angrily, hands on her hips.

“That’s right, that’s right! Double offense! Double offense! Death penalty to start! Death penalty to start!”

The teddy bear chimed in excitedly.

“Xu Qian, can you control your bear… My ears are about to explode…”

Wu Hai rubbed his aching eardrums with a pained expression.

“Sorry…”

The girl in the wheelchair didn’t speak, but an ethereal voice echoed through the corridor.

Everyone’s eyes glazed over for a moment, then silence fell.

“Forget it, let’s just let the bear do the talking…”

Chapter 25: At the Hospital Gates

Dusk.

Jiangcheng County wasn’t a large county, located inland, surrounded by steep mountains.

Only the county center was somewhat prosperous, not exactly impoverished, but that was the extent of it.

The remote outskirts were practically indistinguishable from the countryside.

The Jiangcheng County branch of Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital was located in such a place, far from the bustling city center, with not even scattered farmhouses nearby.

After all… the patients in a psychiatric hospital weren’t ordinary patients. Some, in severe cases, might attack people indiscriminately without legal consequences.

If such dangerous patients were to reach a populated area… the consequences would be disastrous. Hence, Qingshan Hospital’s remote location.

Working at this hospital, infamous and avoided by everyone in Jiangcheng County, especially as a receptionist… was incredibly boring.

Only when particularly interesting patients arrived could she find some amusement.

Shen Miaoyun munched on sunflower seeds, her eyes glued to the soap opera playing on her phone, engrossed in the drama of love and hate.

It was Saturday, close to closing time, and she didn’t expect any more patients to arrive today, so she didn’t bother looking up, continuing to slack off.

Just then, a soft, childish voice called out.

“Excuse me…”

“Restroom, third corridor on the left, cafeteria, elevator to the first basement floor on the right. Hey, whose kid is this?”

Shen Miaoyun rattled off the usual directions before realizing a petite girl was standing at the reception desk.

She wore a black beanie that seemed stuffed with something, and a large mask covered most of her face, leaving only a pair of beautiful, curious eyes visible.

“I’m not looking for the restroom…” Luo Ling said helplessly.

“Ahem, there are always some lost patients,” Shen Miaoyun’s mood brightened at the sight of the cute little girl, and she asked gently, “Little girl, where are your parents? Should I help you find them?”

“I…” Luo Ling looked around, then lowered her voice. “I’m looking for someone.”

“Looking for someone? Is your family member in the hospital?” Shen Miaoyun was taken aback. “Are they… a medical staff member or…?”

Could she be the child of a mental patient?

How could they let such a young child come to a place like this…

Luo Ling hesitated for a moment, then took out the nameplate.

“Looking for her.”

The name on the nameplate was Wu Qin, the deceased Bone Doctor.

Ji Ying had given her the nameplate to use when she went to Qingshan Hospital, and this was the time to use it.

“So it really is a child of a mental patient…”

Shen Miaoyun saw the nameplate and immediately knew it belonged to a patient.

After a moment of contemplation, she glanced at the name and her expression changed slightly.

“…Wu Qin?”

Sister Wu Qin… wasn’t she dead?

Even her body had disappeared…

How did her nameplate end up in this little girl’s hands?

Shen Miaoyun looked at Luo Ling in astonishment. Could it be that this cute little girl… was that woman’s child? Or subordinate?

A year and a half ago, Wu Qin, the “Bone Doctor,” the administrator of the Qingshan Patient Exchange Group, had mysteriously died one afternoon.

The group leader had spent considerable effort and resources, using an Other Shore ability, to catch a glimpse of the killer’s trace.

It was a thin, indifferent woman.

For over a year, the group members had been searching for this woman, but to no avail.

And the nameplate, which should have been lost, now appeared in the hands of a little girl.

…What was going on?

“Nurse, what’s wrong?”

Luo Ling tilted her head slightly, looking up at Shen Miaoyun and blinking her beautiful eyes.

Although her voice was childish and cute, to Shen Miaoyun, it sounded like a death knell.

“How… did you get this nameplate?”

Shen Miaoyun reached out, wanting to take the nameplate, but retracted her hand just before touching it. What if the nameplate was imbued with some kind of ability?

“Do you know this person, Nurse?”

Luo Ling didn’t answer Shen Miaoyun’s question directly but asked another one instead.

It was obvious that Shen Miaoyun’s reaction after seeing the nameplate wasn’t normal. She might be one of the mysterious Awakened Ones in Qingshan Hospital, but Luo Ling wasn’t sure, so she probed again.

“Know… her?”

Shen Miaoyun was sweating profusely, praying that Brother Liu or Sister Yang would pass by. Why was she, a mere receptionist, encountering something like this?

She was being threatened right at her workplace!

“It seems like you do,” although Luo Ling didn’t understand why Shen Miaoyun was panicking, since things had come to this, she dropped the pretense. “Nurse, are you an Awakened One?”

Are… you… an Awakened One…?

She actually said it directly…

Was she about to attack?!

“I’m sorry, I’m not, please don’t kill me! The club activity room is on the seventh floor, up the elevator to the right! They’re all there!”

Shen Miaoyun immediately squatted down, covering her head with her hands. Why should she, a support-type Awakened One on the Myriad path, risk her life? Wasn’t fighting the job of the seniors?

“…”

Luo Ling fell silent. This was her first encounter with an Awakened One other than Ji Ying. Why did it feel… different from what she had imagined?

The mysterious and powerful image she had in mind shattered completely…

“Alright, I’m just here to find the Awakened Ones,” Luo Ling put away the nameplate. “I know the Bone Doctor is dead. I took this from her body.”

“You killed Sister Wu Qin?”

Shen Miaoyun looked up at Luo Ling in disbelief.

“Mm…”

Luo Ling nodded slightly. Although unbelievable, she had indeed killed the Bone Doctor, who was under the control of the Puppet Ballad.

Shen Miaoyun felt a chill run down her spine.

According to the group leader’s estimation, the woman who killed Sister Wu Qin had to be at least a Mid-Order Awakened One, possibly on the Oneiric path.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to break through Bone Steel’s defense in an instant, leaving Sister Wu Qin no time to even send a distress signal.

Even if they found such an enemy, the exchange group would need a meticulous plan to confront her, let alone now that she had come to them…

When was the Patient Exchange Group exposed?

Could there be a traitor among them?

Luo Ling didn’t know how many thoughts flashed through Shen Miaoyun’s mind in that instant. Her gaze gradually hardened.

No, if it really was a Mid-Order Awakened One, she had to inform the group leader, they had to be prepared…

Otherwise, everyone… would die.

Shen Miaoyun was determined, even if this little girl killed her on the spot, she had to get the message out.

She opened her mouth, about to shout.

Then, the phone at the reception desk rang, automatically answering itself. A calm, elderly voice came through.

“Let her come up, Narcissus.”

Chapter 24: Performer, Artist, Scientist

When Luo Ling saw the photo the police officer handed her, her first instinct was to prevent her sister from seeing it.

Because if her sister recognized her transformed appearance, she would realize the person the police were looking for… was her.

But it was too late; her sister had already seen the photo.

Luo Ling’s heart pounded in her chest. She didn’t know how her sister would react.

Su Wan stared at the surveillance photo, studying it carefully.

After what felt like an eternity to Luo Ling, her sister finally spoke.

“Mm… I haven’t seen her.”

“What about you?” the police officer turned to Luo Ling.

Luo Ling looked up and said slowly,

“I haven’t seen her either.”

“Alright, thank you for your cooperation. If you have any information, please report it to the police immediately… She’s dangerous, please don’t approach her,” the officer took the photo back from Luo Ling. “Have a good day.”

After that, they turned and left, heading to the next house without looking back.

After the police left, Su Wan quickly closed the door and pulled Luo Ling back inside.

Luo Ling lowered her head, her mind racing, trying to figure out how to explain to her sister.

Su Wan drew all the curtains, then stood in front of Luo Ling and lowered her voice.

“Xiao Ling, tell me the truth, are you hiding something from Sister?”

“I…”

Luo Ling opened her mouth to speak but was stopped by Su Wan’s gaze. Her sister asked in a low voice,

“Do you… know that girl with the white hair?”

“Huh?”

Luo Ling, who had been prepared to reveal part of the truth, was dumbfounded.

Hadn’t her sister seen her transformed self?

How could she not recognize her?

Seeing Luo Ling’s stunned silence, Su Wan sighed and said,

“If that girl is your friend, you should advise her to turn herself in. Confession is always the best policy, especially since she’s a minor… Where are her parents, by the way?”

Luo Ling remained silent, unsure what to say.

Her sister… really didn’t seem to recognize her transformed self?

What was going on…?

“Mm…”

Luo Ling nodded hesitantly.

“Didn’t expect me to know, did you?” A smug smile appeared on Su Wan’s lips. “Little girl, I’ve watched you grow up. The look on your face when you saw the photo told me everything. You definitely know her.

“But I’m curious, what did this girl do to make the police search door-to-door?”

Luo Ling shook her head and replied,

“I’m… not sure.”

After calming down and thinking carefully, Luo Ling figured out why the police were looking for her.

It was the murders at the hospital!

Although it was the Forgotten River Child who had killed the two doctors, she was the only one ordinary people could see, and there was Director Li as an eyewitness. It was normal for the police to investigate her.

Although Luo Ling had returned to her normal form when she came back from the graveyard, she had been in her “Bai” form on the way there.

The surveillance footage wouldn’t lie…

Fortunately, this was a suburban area. The surveillance could only show that she had left from this area but not her exact location.

“Alright, Xiao Ling, don’t worry too much about this,” Su Wan ruffled Luo Ling’s hair. “Focus on your studies for now, and put other things aside.”

“…Mm.”

Luo Ling kept her head down.

Although she didn’t understand why her sister didn’t recognize her transformed self, this… seemed to be a good thing.

Good for both her sister and herself.

“I’ll go back to studying now.”

Luo Ling said, she didn’t dare stay here any longer. Her sister knew her too well and could easily see through her thoughts.

There were still many things she couldn’t let her sister know.

“Okay, go ahead.”

Su Wan patted Luo Ling’s shoulder.

Luo Ling walked upstairs and, glancing back, saw her sister watching her.

Her gaze was distant and lingering, as if seeing through Luo Ling’s thoughts.

“What’s wrong? Did you forget something?”

“No, nothing…”

Luo Ling quickly closed the door.

After calming down, she opened her textbooks, put aside everything about Awakened Ones for now, and started catching up on months of schoolwork.

No matter what… she had to get into a good university and put her sister’s mind at ease.

…

“Please, kind sir… please…”

People bustled through the busy streets, ignoring the legless beggar sitting on the roadside, begging for alms. His greasy hair and dirty face made people avoid him.

Just as the beggar thought he would end the day empty-handed, he saw a woman walking towards him.

He opened his dirt-encrusted eyes and lowered his head further.

“Kind madam, kind madam… please spare some food, this old man hasn’t eaten in days…”

“Look up.”

The woman’s voice was soft and elegant, the voice of a well-bred lady.

The beggar, thinking his luck had finally turned, raised his head slightly and looked at the woman.

He froze.

This woman… looked even crazier than him, wandering the streets in a hospital gown. Although it was clean, a faint, unpleasant odor clung to her.

“Look into my eyes.”

The woman spoke again.

The beggar felt resistant, but for some reason, he couldn’t help but raise his head a little further, meeting the woman’s gaze.

The moment their eyes met, the beggar’s expression turned blank. Then, he heard the woman’s voice again.

“Artist, it’s been a while.”

Artist?

Him, a crippled old beggar on the streets, being called an Artist?

Before the beggar could say anything, an unimaginable pain exploded in his mind, as if something was being forced inside.

“Oh, isn’t this Performer? Where have you been developing your love life and career all this time?”

The beggar was horrified to find his mouth speaking words he couldn’t understand, as if another person was speaking through him.

“Something came up.”

“Did your method go wrong? You’re almost as bad as me now.”

“Less sarcasm. I’m in Jiangcheng County, Huazhong region. There’s a suspected Dangerous Grotesquery here, estimated to be around Sequence 120. I believe ‘He’ will be very interested.”

“Really?” The Artist’s tone turned serious. “Performer, you know the price of deceiving ‘Him.’”

“Do I look like someone who jokes around?”

“Alright, I’ll go with Scientist. You investigate the situation there first. If there are no high-Order Awakened Ones… the ‘cleaning’ will be left to you.”

“Mm.”

The woman nodded.

As her voice fell, the beggar finally felt he had control of his tongue again.

He looked terrified and was about to scream.

But his open mouth couldn’t make a sound, frozen in place.

The woman elegantly adjusted her clothes and walked away slowly.

No one noticed the beggar collapsing silently behind her.

His brain had turned to mush. He was dead.

Chapter 23: Visiting and Investigating

The girl in the mirror looked slightly pale, but not sickly, just a result of long-term malnutrition.

Her previously striking dark gold eyes had faded, appearing only slightly brown unless examined closely. The canine teeth that Luo Ling worried about most had also shortened.

It seemed these inhuman traits had receded after her demonic transformation.

…Luo Ling didn’t know if this was a good or bad thing.

At least she didn’t need any extra disguise; she looked like an ordinary high school girl.

As for her other form…

Luo Ling took a deep breath and mentally reached for the other power within her.

She didn’t close her eyes but stared intently at her reflection.

A coldness surged from her bone marrow, spreading throughout her body. Her short, black hair began to turn white and grow longer.

Her already pale skin became deathly white, almost sickly.

Her plain features shifted slightly, taking on a captivating, ghostly allure. Combined with her pale skin and hair…

Luo Ling thought that if she went out for a walk late at night in this form, she could probably scare someone to death.

At the same time, her height shrunk from a little over five feet three inches to around four feet seven inches.

The transformation was complete when Luo Ling sensed the Spores she had planted earlier reactivate. The entire process took only about two seconds.

“Ah, ah—just like last time, even my voice has changed.”

Luo Ling tested her voice, still not quite used to the childish tone, which was a little… too young for her.

Looking at her reflection again, Luo Ling noticed that her skin was even paler than last time. Combined with her alluring, almost ethereal beauty, she looked like a deadly ghost from a storybook.

Just a bit too young.

“Is this because of the ability upgrade? I look much better than last time… but a bit too eye-catching.”

Luo Ling frowned and decided she should wear a mask when going out to avoid attracting too much attention.

More importantly than the change in appearance was the new skill, Proliferation.

With this skill, Luo Ling could now be considered a First-Order Awakened One… or a First-Order Grotesquery?

“Let’s test its effects.”

Luo Ling released a Spore, just like before, and controlled it to land on her desk.

The Spore attached itself to the desk, sharing a part of its perception.

Then, Luo Ling activated Proliferation on the Spore.

An amazing scene unfolded. The wooden desk began to sprout new branches and small, green leaves at the point where the Spore had landed.

“This…”

Luo Ling was stunned, then noticed cracks appearing on other parts of the desk, spreading rapidly. A faint cracking sound echoed.

“Oh no!”

Luo Ling quickly stopped Proliferation, and the cracks on the desk stopped spreading, but the entire desk was now ruined.

A sapling stood on the desktop, while the rest of the desk had turned into decaying, cracked wood, seemingly ready to crumble at the slightest touch.

Luo Ling examined it for a moment and murmured,

“Proliferation, Spores begin to grow and can assimilate to a certain extent… So this is assimilation.”

The Spore had absorbed the desk’s life force as nourishment for its growth, and the new growth had assimilated with the desk. This was the effect and cost of Proliferation.

“If this is the effect on a desk, what about on a person? Would it… make an extra arm or leg grow or something?”

Luo Ling shuddered at the thought of such a grotesque image.

Grotesquery abilities… were truly abnormal.

However, besides this grotesque use, there seemed to be another application.

Like repairing severed limbs or healing external injuries.

Luo Ling wasn’t sure, and she didn’t want to experiment on herself.

If the injured Ji Ying were here right now, she might be willing to try it as a last resort.

“I’ll find a guinea pig next time.”

After testing her new ability, Luo Ling immediately switched back to her original form.

At least for now, she still had to be an ordinary high school girl.

The less connection between “Bai” and “Luo Ling,” the better.

“Oh right, I need to buy some new clothes… I can’t keep wearing the same outfit with a different identity, it’s too easy to be recognized.

“And I need to change my personality too… I can’t be too much like myself…”

Lost in thought, Luo Ling pulled out a battered notebook from the drawer of her broken desk and frowned.

“No, I can’t write these things down in a notebook.”

Luo Ling had always had the habit of recording things in a notebook, but from now on, she had to change this habit.

Who writes diaries anymore?

With that thought, Luo Ling put away the notebook that documented her recent changes, intending to burn it later.

Just then, a knock sounded downstairs.

“Who is it?”

Su Wan, who was doing housework downstairs, called out.

“Police, open the door.”

A muffled voice came from outside.

Luo Ling was startled. Had the Lambs found her?

She immediately left her room and met Su Wan’s anxious gaze at the top of the stairs.

“Xiao Ling, this…”

Su Wan was still puzzled by the previous events and hadn’t completely put them aside. Hearing the police at the door made her even more anxious.

“Don’t worry, Sister,” Luo Ling said softly. “They’re probably not here for me.”

“Is anyone home?”

The police officer’s voice came again, more impatient this time.

“Coming.”

Luo Ling calmed herself, touched the dagger in her pocket, and went to the door.

With a creak, the door opened.

Two tall, burly police officers stood outside. Seeing Luo Ling open the door, they took out their IDs and said,

“Jiangcheng County Public Security Bureau, conducting a neighborhood inquiry.”

Luo Ling glanced at their IDs. They were auxiliary police officers.

…Not the special police who were chasing Ji Ying.

Hearing this, Su Wan, who had been on edge, relaxed and said hospitably,

“Officers, would you like to come in for some water?”

“No, thank you,” the two auxiliary police officers waved their hands. “We still have to cover the rest of the neighborhood this afternoon, so we won’t trouble you.”

“Officers, what are you investigating?” Luo Ling asked.

“Oh, we’re just asking if you’ve seen this person?”

One of them took out a photo from a surveillance camera and handed it to Luo Ling.

Luo Ling’s breath hitched when she saw the photo.

She glanced at Su Wan, who was leaning in, her nervousness evident.

In the clear surveillance photo, a young girl with long white hair was hurrying somewhere. It was Luo Ling in her “Bai” form.

***

“Bai” (白) in Chinese means “white”.

Chapter 22: Qingshan Hospital

After lunch, Luo Ling told her sister she was going to pack her things for school and returned to her room.

Although a brutal murder had taken place in this room, perhaps because the victims weren’t human, Luo Ling didn’t feel any unease.

“Let’s see what Ji Ying left me…”

While outside, Luo Ling hadn’t dared to take the items out, fearing the Puppet Ballad’s spies.

Back home, she didn’t want to worry her sister, so only now did she have the time to examine them.

Luo Ling took the items out of her pocket and placed them on the table, instantly grateful she hadn’t taken them out earlier.

Whether it was people outside or her sister, seeing these things… would definitely raise some questions.

There were two items. One was a sheathed dagger, the weapon Ji Ying always carried.

The hilt and sheath were both jet black, radiating a cold, murderous aura. A bright red gem was embedded at the top of the hilt, looking like a blood-red eye.

Luo Ling drew the dagger and examined it closely, realizing it wasn’t made of metal.

The slightly translucent blade contained wisps of smoke-like material, and its icy cold touch suggested it was made of some special kind of ice.

Even just looking at it, she could feel its sharpness, as if it might cut her eyes.

…A top-tier weapon, who knew how many Grotesqueries it had slain.

Luo Ling quickly sheathed the dagger and carefully placed it close to her body.

Such a weapon was extremely valuable. Ji Ying must have only lent it to her temporarily. After all, Luo Ling had never had a proper weapon, previously using only ballpoint pens and utility knives, not even suitable for a school fight.

As for the other item…

It was a nameplate with a name Luo Ling recognized.

—”Wu Qin.”

“…The Bone Doctor?”

Luo Ling picked up the nameplate, flipped it over, and her expression turned serious.

On the back of the nameplate was a logo and a line of text, both of which looked familiar.

“Qingshan Hospital, Jiangcheng County.”

Qingshan Hospital was a well-known hospital in Jiangcheng County, but its reputation… wasn’t exactly positive.

Because its most famous department was psychiatry, it was also known as Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital.

Her sister had previously suggested sending Luo Ling there, mainly because Qingshan Hospital was the only one that offered 24-hour psychiatric care, but at a steep price.

…The reason the mad woman had stayed at the People’s Hospital instead of Qingshan Hospital, besides Li Tianming’s intervention, was that she couldn’t afford it.

Qingshan Hospital was a private hospital and wouldn’t accept mentally ill patients who couldn’t pay.

However, besides being a psychiatric hospital, Luo Ling hadn’t forgotten the other side of the hospital that Ji Ying had mentioned.

—A gathering place for Awakened Ones.

Ji Ying had even suggested that Su Wan and Luo Ling seek refuge there, but she hadn’t considered that… they were poor and couldn’t afford it.

“Bone Doctor Wu Qin… was she a member of this hospital?” Luo Ling frowned, holding the nameplate.

Ji Ying had dealt with Li Tianming and Wu Qin’s bodies, so it wasn’t surprising that she had the nameplate.

But why give it to her?

Could it be…

That she wanted her to use the nameplate to seek refuge at Qingshan Hospital?

No, that wasn’t it…

“Ji Ying said that if I wanted to quickly increase my strength, I had to obtain more Sacred Relics… On my own, let alone defeating Grotesqueries, even finding them would be a problem.”

Luo Ling thought for a moment, organizing her thoughts, and then it clicked.

“So, she wants me to join Qingshan Hospital.”

Or rather, join temporarily.

This was indeed the only path Luo Ling could take now. Her current strength wasn’t enough to go solo.

Even the powerful Ji Ying couldn’t resist a dormant Puppet Ballad, let alone her. She probably couldn’t even handle a Grotesquery around Sequence 400.

Unless she used her demonic transformation, but Luo Ling had a vague feeling that every time she used it, she lost something intangible.

However, although she had decided to join Qingshan Hospital, she still needed to consider how.

After entering the mindscape for the second time, Luo Ling discovered she could now freely switch between her Puppet Ballad form and her current form.

The two forms were completely different, in terms of aura, appearance, and abilities.

“I’ll join Qingshan Hospital as ‘Bai,’” Luo Ling decided after some thought.

First, she still had to go to school. She had promised her sister she would go to university, and she didn’t intend to break that promise.

Therefore, “high school student Luo Ling” should avoid getting involved in Grotesquery incidents as much as possible.

Second, the Puppet Ballad’s abilities were more defined. Its innate ability, Spores, was already very useful.

The reason Ji Ying could appear by her side in time and quickly locate the Forgotten River Child was because of the Spores… Otherwise, the Forgotten River Child could have escaped.

Not to mention she now had the first skill, Proliferation. Although Luo Ling hadn’t figured out how to use it yet, it was a skill of the Puppet Ballad, so it couldn’t be bad.

Most importantly, “Bai” was more of a support role. After joining a team, she could provide comprehensive protection, which would be safer for Luo Ling.

Of course, Luo Ling wasn’t completely without combat power. In critical moments, she could switch back to her original form.

Her powerful physical strength and the “demonic transformation” when facing a life-threatening situation could give her a chance to fight back.

Luo Ling looked down at her hands. The back of her hands still had a faint, eerie blue tinge, a remnant of her last demonic transformation.

After the transformation, she could even pierce through the Bone Doctor’s defenses, although part of the reason was that the Bone Doctor herself had been resisting Li Tianming’s control and wasn’t fighting at her full strength.

And… the Bone Doctor at that time seemed to have regained some of her will and had deliberately held back.

“But unless absolutely necessary, I can’t reveal the power of my demonic transformation…”

Luo Ling knew the importance of a hidden card; it might save her life in a critical moment.

Let “Luo Ling” be an ordinary high school girl…

“Now, I should first figure out the Puppet Ballad’s first skill… After all, as Ji Ying said, ‘Perceiving the limits and weaknesses of each other’s abilities, and grasping the ever-changing situation on the battlefield, are the keys to victory.’”

Luo Ling clenched her fists, stood up, and prepared to actively switch forms for the first time.

She was also curious about what the transformation process would be like. Previously, she had either been in a state of clouded consciousness or unconscious.

Luo Ling stood in front of the only full-length mirror in the room, looking at her reflection with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.

Chapter 21: Junior

“My name is Luo Ling,” Luo Ling extended her hand. “Thank you for saving me. It would have been troublesome otherwise.”

“You’re welcome, you’re welcome…”

An Yu shook Luo Ling’s hand, chuckling awkwardly.

She hadn’t done anything, just shouted a few words from the sidelines.

However… Senior’s grip was surprisingly strong.

After letting go, An Yu secretly rubbed the sore spot between her thumb and index finger, wincing slightly.

She didn’t know that Luo Ling had been deliberately holding back.

After returning to her original form, Luo Ling’s monstrous strength had returned. Conversely, she could no longer use the Puppet Ballad’s abilities.

However, the Spores she had planted earlier still existed; they wouldn’t disappear with her transformation.

“Even if you’re on leave, don’t wander around alone. It’s dangerous for a young girl like you to be outside,” Luo Ling said with concern. “There are many bad people out there.”

And many Grotesqueries.

If this cute freshman had arrived a little earlier, she might have run into the Forgotten River Child.

Facing an ordinary person, the Forgotten River Child would definitely possess them without hesitation. If that happened… An Yu’s fate wouldn’t be much better than the two unfortunate doctors in front of the morgue.

“Thank you for your concern, Senior. Actually, I’m here to…”

Touched by Luo Ling’s concern, An Yu almost revealed her purpose. “I just came out for some fresh air… ahaha…”

Luo Ling could hear the underlying meaning, but she wasn’t interested in the extracurricular activities of a truant schoolgirl.

It was just a chance encounter; they might not even meet again.

Nodding slightly at her junior, Luo Ling hurried home.

She had promised to be back by noon in her note and couldn’t keep her sister waiting.

Watching Luo Ling’s receding figure until she disappeared from sight, An Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Good, good, I didn’t expose myself…”

Then, she took out a compass, examining it closely, her pretty brow furrowed.

“Strange, why did the Grotesquery’s reaction disappear? I finally encountered a weakened Grotesquery… Sigh, another lost Sacred Relic.”

After searching the area several times with no results, An Yu could only give up.

She had finally mustered the courage to act alone, and this was the result…

An Yu sat dejectedly on a stone bench by the roadside, taking out a three-inch bone dagger and stroking it gently. Memories surfaced in her eyes, and she sobbed softly.

“I’m sorry, Teacher, I’m still too weak…”

…

At noon, when Luo Ling returned home with a bag of stationery, she saw her sister pacing anxiously.

As soon as Luo Ling opened the door, Su Wan rushed over, taking the bag from her hands and scolding her worriedly.

“Xiao Ling, how could you just leave a note and go out? I could have gone with you to buy stationery…”

Su Wan had taken leave these past few days specifically to help Luo Ling prepare for her return to school.

“Sister, I’m not a child anymore. Besides, I wrote in the note that I’d be back by noon,” Luo Ling said with a smile.

“You just recovered from your illness. I was worried you might have an accident on the road… Did anything happen?” Su Wan walked around Luo Ling, checking for any injuries.

Luo Ling had cleaned herself up before returning.

However… she found it strange that her sister didn’t seem to care much about her changed appearance.

Even though Luo Ling had returned to her normal form, her sister didn’t comment on it.

…It seemed her sister had truly accepted everything she had said.

Luo Ling’s eyes flickered, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

“Aiya, Sister, I’m really fine. Have you made lunch yet? I’m starving.”

This was a lie. She wasn’t hungry at all.

After awakening, Luo Ling had lost her normal appetite. Only when holding a Sacred Relic would she feel a craving, a “hunger.”

“Oh, I was so worried I forgot. I’ll go make lunch now.”

Su Wan patted her forehead and hurried to the kitchen.

Her light steps showed that her mood had improved considerably.

The familiar warmth allowed Luo Ling to temporarily forget everything she had just experienced, the other side of the world, the cruel reality of Awakened Ones and Grotesqueries.

However…

Luo Ling reached into her pocket for the item Ji Ying had given her at the last moment, intending to take a look. Just then, Su Wan’s voice called out.

“Xiao Ling, come and help!”

“Okay!”

Luo Ling quickly withdrew her hand, stood up, and went to the small, shabby kitchen, expertly picking vegetables as she always did.

The sizzling of the wok and the pungent smell of oil filled the air. Her sister, her face covered in soot, was stir-frying a few pieces of meat, black smoke rising from the stove.

This was the life Luo Ling was familiar with.

Perhaps in the near future, she would drift further and further away from this warmth…

But at least for now…

“Sister, do you want to live in a big city?”

“Of course, that’s why you have to study hard, Xiao Ling. When you get a job and earn money, Sister can enjoy life.”

A bright smile appeared on Su Wan’s tired face, the marks of time clearly visible.

“Okay.”

Luo Ling nodded.

She was now an Awakened One and could use her abilities to earn money.

Yes, although Luo Ling herself couldn’t escape the Puppet Ballad, nor could she abandon Ji Ying, who was trapped by it, Su Wan could.

Saving enough money for her sister to leave Jiangcheng County, this place of danger… was undoubtedly the best choice.

Before that, Luo Ling needed a convincing reason for her sister to leave, an opportunity for her to leave without worry.

“Sister, I want to live in the school dormitory,” Luo Ling put down the vegetables and said seriously. “The academic workload in my senior year is heavy, and our home is a bit far from school, half an hour by bike. It’s inconvenient.”

Su Wan was taken aback, a worried frown appearing between her brows.

“That’s true, but the dormitory fees—”

“The school has subsidies, it doesn’t cost anything.”

She could just go and do manual labor. With her current strength, she could probably work a truck to its limits.

“Really? But, can you… manage on your own?” Su Wan was still hesitant. After all, Luo Ling had always grown up under her care.

This… was the first time she would be leaving her side, and it was Xiao Ling’s own suggestion.

For some reason, Su Wan felt a sense of loss.

“Don’t worry, Sister, I’m a grown-up now, I can take care of myself…”

Luo Ling lowered her head, trying to hide her expression.

Only when she was independent enough could her sister feel at ease.

Could she escape.

Chapter 20: The Girl in the Void

Stepping through the silver door, Luo Ling found herself in a silent void.

Before everything began, after everything ended.

Within the ethereal nothingness, a lone girl sat curled up, hugging her knees, drifting slowly.

As before, Luo Ling recognized this girl as herself.

Not the pale, young girl with long white hair, but her high school self.

But… something was different.

Her shoulder-length hair, usually tied in a ponytail, flowed freely in the void. Her closed eyes faintly shimmered with a dark gold hue, and pale red markings traced the corners of her eyes. Blue scales, disturbingly familiar, covered her arms and spread across her entire body, giving her a demonic appearance, yet an aura of deep sorrow surrounded her.

Luo Ling remembered this clearly. This was her appearance when she lost control, when she killed Li Tianming.

…Was this her true self?

Luo Ling slowly reached out, gently touching the girl in the void. A piece of information instantly appeared in her mind:

[???: ???]
[First Authority: Devour — Consume It, Understand It, Become It]
[???]

“…”

Just like when she touched the girl in the coffin, specific information about an ability was displayed.

But the path and name were question marks, and the description of the ability seemed strange…

Why was it called an Authority?

Luo Ling realized that her inexplicable hunger and uncontrollable craving for Grotesqueries likely stemmed from this Authority called “Devour.”

It seemed she truly was an Awakened One, just with a rather unusual ability: consuming Grotesqueries to gain their power.

Of course, not all Grotesqueries were deemed worthy of Devour. After consuming the Forgotten River Child, Luo Ling hadn’t gained its abilities but had instead strengthened the power of the Puppet Ballad.

Perhaps… only High-Risk Grotesqueries were considered worthy, while lower Sequence Grotesqueries merely served as nourishment.

Just then, a sense of rejection arose.

Luo Ling found herself being pulled away from the silent void and her other self, drifting towards the silver door.

In the last moment, she seemed to see the girl in the void open her eyes, gazing at her calmly.

And her perspective seemed to split. From the other perspective, she clearly saw a gray shadow slowly receding…

At the same time, Luo Ling’s consciousness wavered, and a faint voice called out to her, laced with concern.

“Hey, hey, wake up…”

“Hiss… Is she dead? She’s barely breathing… what should we do?”

“Mouth-to-mouth, we need to give her mouth-to-mouth! The teacher taught us during military training!”

Luo Ling slowly opened her eyes and saw a small, cute face with closed eyes approaching her, an expression of nervousness… and anticipation?

“…I’m awake,” Luo Ling turned her head slightly.

“Eek!”

The cute girl jumped back, looking at Luo Ling with embarrassment. “S-sorry, I saw you were unconscious and thought…”

“It’s okay.”

Luo Ling rubbed her temples. After leaving the mindscape, a wave of exhaustion washed over her.

She suddenly remembered her previous experience. After touching the girl in the coffin, she had transformed into that form. She quickly checked her hands.

…Fortunately, she hadn’t turned into a demon.

But Luo Ling confirmed that her appearance had returned to normal; she was no longer the young, white-haired girl who looked underage.

—Now she at least looked like an underage high school student.

“How did you faint here?” the cute girl asked curiously.

“I’m… a little anemic.”

Luo Ling, not good at lying, avoided her gaze and stood up, cautiously looking around.

This place seemed to be not far from the graveyard, but fortunately, no police were chasing after her.

It seemed… Ji Ying was right. The Puppet Ballad was currently only focused on her.

“But it’s class time,” the cute girl frowned slightly. “This is far from Huabei High School…”

“How did you know?”

Luo Ling’s heart skipped a beat. She was indeed a student at Huabei High School, but how did this girl know?

Could it be… a Lamb controlled by the Puppet Ballad?

Only then did Luo Ling carefully examine the girl who had tried to give her mouth-to-mouth.

She had short, refreshing hair with cute bunny hair clips, and just the right amount of baby fat made her look even more adorable, especially her lively eyes, brimming with youthful energy.

She wore a simple, light yellow dress and a small, Q-version Hello Kitty crossbody bag. Although petite, her figure suggested she was about the same age as Luo Ling.

“See, your shoes? I’m also from Huabei High School, a freshman this year. Just call me An Yu,” the cute girl said with a bright smile, then asked with confusion, “But I don’t think I’ve seen you before?”

Luo Ling looked down at her shoes, her heart easing slightly.

These were the shoes she had bought during military training in her freshman year, with the words “Huabei High School” clearly printed on them.

Because her family couldn’t afford new shoes, Luo Ling had been wearing them ever since.

Although they had been repaired several times by her sister, she continued to wear them.

“I’m a senior, it’s normal that you don’t know me,” Luo Ling said calmly. She wasn’t a prominent figure at school. Her grades were decent, but she had never participated in any school activities, just a small, unremarkable student.

“A senior still wearing military training shoes…”

An Yu’s eyes widened, then she realized she had misspoken and quickly changed the subject.

“But Senior, aren’t you seniors very busy? Why are you here?”

“I’m on sick leave,” Luo Ling shook her head and asked in return, “What about you? Why are you here?”

She still hadn’t dismissed her suspicions about An Yu. Lambs controlled by the Puppet Ballad only had parts of their memories altered and were mostly normal.

“I…”

An Yu hesitated, her gaze darting away.

Stupid!

An Yu wanted to hit herself. Why did she have to mention class time to a senior on sick leave…?

How should she explain this…?

Right, she could use the same excuse as her senior!

“Because… because I’m also on leave,” An Yu said weakly.

“…”

Luo Ling was silent for a moment. She considered herself a bad liar, but seeing this junior, she could only sigh.

There were even greater experts!

With her appearance, she shouldn’t be a Lamb, right?