Category: The Grotesque Miss’s End Story

Chapter 19: Proliferation

“Listen, Miss Luo Ling, remember what I’m about to say.”

Ji Ying looked at Luo Ling, speaking rapidly. “The Puppet Ballad has noticed me. These people are its Lambs, intending to imprison me…

“The Puppet Ballad is still dormant. None of its Meat Puppets are a match for me, so it can only deal with me this way. Don’t worry, as long as you get away, they won’t notice you.

“You must take this Sacred Relic. Awakened Ones can level up by progressing along their paths, and the Sacred Relic allows you to deeply perceive their power. If you want to quickly increase your strength, hunt more Grotesqueries.

“Don’t trust anyone. Anyone could be a Meat Puppet or a Lamb, including me… Only you, with the Puppet Ballad’s power, are the true hope of killing it.”

As if trying to say everything she could in one breath, Ji Ying crammed all these words into less than two seconds.

Before Luo Ling could react, Ji Ying pushed something into her hand and gave her a meaningful look.

“…Go.”

Ji Ying’s form slowly dissipated, ripples in the air spreading towards the approaching police officers.

“That lunatic! Be careful not to get hurt!”

“Damn it… who let her out?”

“Shoot, shoot!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Seeing the blood splattering in the air, Luo Ling finally understood how Ji Ying had been injured.

These police officers… could ignore Ji Ying’s Hidden Kill and Illusion, pinpointing her location.

And these weren’t ordinary firearms; they seemed to possess some special power.

…And they were just the Puppet Ballad’s Lambs.

The Puppet Ballad’s true form was still dormant; this was just a fraction of its power.

Luo Ling finally realized the kind of terror they were facing…

However, she didn’t dwell on it.

She put the item Ji Ying gave her into her pocket, grabbed the Forgotten River Child’s corpse—or rather, the Sacred Relic—and ran towards the other exit of the graveyard.

Against opponents Ji Ying couldn’t handle, she would only be a burden.

The noise behind her gradually faded. It started to drizzle. Perhaps due to overuse of her Spores this morning, Luo Ling felt mentally exhausted.

She couldn’t muster the energy to think about Ji Ying or the Puppet Ballad, her steps mechanical.

Only one thought remained in Luo Ling’s mind: to go home.

It was almost noon, her sister must be worried…

Wait, she still had the Sacred Relic. She couldn’t let her sister see it. What if she thought she was still crazy…?

As Luo Ling pondered, her long hair slowly floated up, emitting a strange white glow, and pierced the Sacred Relic, extracting a tangible form of power.

…A wailing baby.

The Forgotten River Child’s original form.

“I’m a little hungry…”

Luo Ling instinctively grabbed the baby. She was startled at first, then a familiar scene replayed itself.

She watched as she devoured the baby, bite by bite.

Only after finishing it did Luo Ling realize what she had done.

She had… once again inexplicably eaten something grotesque.

“Ugh…”

Luo Ling felt nauseous but couldn’t vomit.

After an unknown amount of time, when Luo Ling finally regained consciousness, she sensed a change in her Spores.

Closing her eyes, the information about her ability appeared again.

[Silent Demise: Puppet Ballad]
[Innate Ability: Spores — Can parasitize any being with “Spores.” The host and the “Spores” share senses and vision.]
[Skill 1: Proliferation — Spores begin to grow and can assimilate to a certain extent.]
[Skill 2: Locked (0%)]

…Her first skill had been unlocked just like that?

Was it because she ate the Sacred Relic?

Was this how Sacred Relics were used…?

However, Luo Ling didn’t experience the profound sensation that Ji Ying had described when an Awakened One leveled up.

If she had to describe it, it was a sense of relief, as if a burden had been lifted from her mind, even lessening her fatigue.

Also, Luo Ling had a vague feeling.

Her situation didn’t seem quite like that of an Awakened One, but more like… a Grotesquery.

Even her path was the path of a Grotesquery.

“Never mind, I shouldn’t think too much about it. This is good too. I won’t worry Sister when I get home.”

Luo Ling breathed a sigh of relief. If she had returned home in a daze, her sister would surely have suspected a relapse.

As for Ji Ying… Luo Ling still had many questions, but she couldn’t focus on them right now.

However, as Luo Ling looked up to head home, she found herself in a familiar place.

A dim corridor, antique wooden doors.

“Mindscape?”

Luo Ling first tried to leave the mindscape. After all, she was still on the road, and collapsing at any moment wasn’t a good thing.

But she failed.

After a few tries, Luo Ling gave up on leaving for now and began to examine her mindscape.

Just like last time, the wooden doors on both sides were closed, but this time, besides the candle on the first door, there seemed to be another one lit.

Where was it?

Luo Ling looked around, then something caught her eye in her peripheral vision. She turned around.

“This…”

Directly behind her was a door that was clearly different from the other wooden doors, much larger.

This large door was made of some kind of silver metal, covered in intricate patterns that resembled drawings or text, but Luo Ling couldn’t recognize them.

Similarly, a candle burned above the silver door, but its flame was much weaker than the one on the first wooden door, as if it might extinguish at any moment.

“Can this door be opened too?” Luo Ling wondered. “Could it be… an exit or something?”

She checked the first room again. Besides the girl in the coffin looking even paler, there seemed to be no other changes.

Leaving the room, Luo Ling looked at her only option.

She took a deep breath, reached out, and slowly pushed open the seemingly heavy silver door.

But perhaps because this was her mindscape, the door was weightless. Even with Luo Ling’s current weakened strength, she could easily push it open.

Stepping inside, Luo Ling was immediately stunned by what she saw.

Unlike the first wooden door, what lay beyond the silver door wasn’t a place she had ever been.

…It couldn’t be.

Chapter 18: Graveyard Danger

The stagnant air rippled slightly, distorted light and shadows flickering momentarily, followed by the sound of flesh being sliced.

The unfortunate doctor was cut in half at the waist, his twisted body crashing to the floor, dark purple blood gushing out and splattering across the narrow corridor.

But a clear line remained a foot in front of Luo Ling—the splashing blood stopped abruptly at this point, not a single drop crossing it.

“Are you alright?”

Ji Ying’s voice echoed again, this time beside Luo Ling.

“I’m fine,” Luo Ling glanced sideways, her expression changing slightly. “Are… are you alright?”

Ji Ying looked terrible. One arm hung limply at her side, half her face was a bloody mess, and even more horrifying, several holes gaped in her chest, blood dripping from her fingertips.

“Sorry, I was delayed by some trouble and couldn’t meet you in time,” Ji Ying said calmly, raising her remaining dagger, her one good eye staring calmly at the terrified Forgotten River Child.

Sister, is this what you call “some trouble”… Should we call an ambulance?

Oh wait, this is a hospital…

Seeing Ji Ying’s state, Luo Ling felt guilty for her earlier suspicions.

The Forgotten River Child, which she couldn’t handle, hadn’t even lasted a single round against Ji Ying. The opponent who had inflicted such injuries on her… must be even more terrifying.

Despite her condition, Ji Ying had kept her promise to Luo Ling, arriving before she was seriously harmed.

“Waaah… waaah…”

The Forgotten River Child’s large head was filled with terror, emitting infantile cries. Its shadowy form darted around frantically, finally breaking through the ceiling and fleeing the hospital.

It didn’t even dare stay in its home turf, the morgue.

Even a heavily injured Ji Ying could instantly kill its host. The timid Forgotten River Child wouldn’t dare gamble its life.

“Chase it.”

Ji Ying said softly, her gaze locked on the direction the Forgotten River Child had fled.

“Sister Ying, are you… really okay?” Luo Ling couldn’t help but ask. She could practically see through the wounds in Ji Ying’s abdomen.

“As long as I’m not dead,” Ji Ying said slowly. “Give me its coordinates, Miss Luo Ling.”

“…Okay.”

Luo Ling nodded and didn’t delay.

She had taken precautions regarding the Forgotten River Child’s movements, attaching a Spore to its shadowy form during the fight.

Through the connection between the Spores, Luo Ling shared the Forgotten River Child’s real-time location with Ji Ying.

Ji Ying nodded slightly at Luo Ling, her form dissolving into the air, disappearing into the shadows, undetectable even by Luo Ling’s Spores.

…Ji Ying hadn’t told Luo Ling about all her skills. This must be an ability she gained after leveling up.

“I wonder what Order Sister Ying is…”

Unconsciously, Luo Ling felt the distance between her and Ji Ying had shortened, her earlier wariness easing.

But as she came back to her senses, Luo Ling looked at the dismembered limbs and bloody mess around her and shuddered.

“This… this time, it’s really not my fault…”

At the same time, Director Li, who had fainted earlier, groaned and sat up, clutching his head.

“Ouch, who was that? No respect for their elders…”

“Oh no!”

Luo Ling’s eyes widened. This scene would be difficult to explain.

One doctor cut in half, another with a hole in his heart, while she was unharmed, holding the murder weapon (a utility knife)…

“Come here.”

Just as Luo Ling was about to explain to Director Li, Ji Ying’s voice echoed in her mind again, weaker than before.

Director Li was still dazed, leaning against the wall, groping for his glasses.

After a moment of hesitation, Luo Ling suppressed her anxiety and rushed towards the morgue elevator.

As she was about to leave, Director Li finally put on his glasses and was about to stop Luo Ling when he smelled a strong scent of blood.

He turned around, and his legs went weak.

“Oh my god… ugh…”

Nauseated by the bloody scene, Director Li quickly called the police, then hurried back upstairs.

“Murder! Murder!”

“…”

Silence returned to the area in front of the morgue, leaving only the bloodstains and two mangled corpses.

…

Weekday mornings were always bustling, with commuters rushing through their lives.

Of course, this had nothing to do with Luo Ling. She followed the Forgotten River Child’s location, chasing it from crowded areas to desolate places.

Jiangcheng County was, after all, just a small town. Apart from the bustling town center near the hospital, the surrounding areas were mostly quiet and secluded.

Especially…

The graveyard.

The Forgotten River Child didn’t dare show itself among crowds, even if they were mostly ordinary people. So, it chose to flee to the place with the heaviest concentration of Yin energy in Jiangcheng County, besides the hospital morgue.

Fortunately, after the Forgotten River Child reached the graveyard on the outskirts of town, its coordinates stopped moving, allowing Luo Ling to catch up.

“Huff…”

Luo Ling panted slightly. Only after entering the graveyard did she finally sense Ji Ying’s coordinates, near the Forgotten River Child.

She looked up and saw Ji Ying’s bloody figure standing not far away, the dagger in her hand stained with foul pus.

The Forgotten River Child was no match for Ji Ying. It was cut in half in an instant.

“Just in time,” Ji Ying glanced at Luo Ling, then pointed at the grotesque corpse of the Forgotten River Child. “Take the Sacred Relic and let’s go.”

“Huh?”

Sacred Relic?

Luo Ling followed Ji Ying’s finger, which pointed at the Forgotten River Child’s corpse.

“Hurry up.”

As always, Ji Ying didn’t explain her words.

Luo Ling didn’t dare delay. She quickly walked over and, fighting back nausea, picked up the so-called Sacred Relic. Suddenly, she heard an angry shout from afar.

“She’s here!”

Ji Ying turned her head and sighed. “We didn’t make it in time after all.”

“More pursuers…?”

Luo Ling thought of Ji Ying’s severe injuries and felt a chill run down her spine.

If Ji Ying was injured so badly, how could she possibly handle them?

But when Luo Ling looked in the direction of the shout, she was stunned.

There were indeed pursuers, and quite a few of them.

But… they weren’t Grotesqueries, and probably not Awakened Ones either, because Luo Ling recognized their uniforms.

—They were all police officers, even SWAT officers with guns.

But… wasn’t Ji Ying a police officer herself?

Chapter 17: Three Seconds

After another failed attempt to contact Ji Ying, Luo Ling stopped at the entrance to the morgue.

Currently, her Puppet Ballad ability was mainly for information gathering and lacked direct combat power.

And the morgue was the Forgotten River Child’s home turf. Luo Ling wasn’t reckless enough to barge in and confront it at its peak strength.

Until she could reach Ji Ying, Luo Ling didn’t plan to enter the morgue.

However, she wasn’t idle. She had deployed numerous Spores around the area, effectively sealing off the entire morgue.

As long as the Forgotten River Child left the morgue, Luo Ling could pinpoint its location instantly, ensuring it wouldn’t escape her sight.

Even just standing near the morgue, Luo Ling could feel an intangible, chilly wind blowing, accompanied by faint, almost imperceptible ghostly wails.

Whispers of resentment seeped into her ears, trying to stir fear within her.

…It seemed the Forgotten River Child had sensed her presence and recognized her as Li Tianming’s killer.

However, the cautious Forgotten River Child didn’t dare leave the morgue to confront her.

As the standoff continued, the elevator behind Luo Ling suddenly lit up. The doors opened, and three figures rushed out, charging towards her.

“Don’t move!”

Luo Ling looked back and saw three doctors in white coats. She recognized one of them, Director Li, who had given her permission to visit Huang Xiuqin.

Seeing that Luo Ling hadn’t entered the morgue yet, Director Li breathed a sigh of relief, then glared at her.

“Little girl, who told you to come here and steal a corpse?”

Some people superstitiously believed that dead babies could be used for certain witchcraft. The hospital had encountered similar incidents before, but this was the first time he had seen a minor being used for such a thing.

“I…”

Luo Ling was about to explain when a chilling sensation washed over her, making her hair stand on end.

…It was the Forgotten River Child!

It had come out of the morgue!

A gray shadow, barely visible to the naked eye, darted through the morgue door, past Luo Ling, and straight towards the doctors at the elevator.

Through her Spores, Luo Ling “saw” the Forgotten River Child’s form. It was even more grotesque than the small monster she had seen before, fitting her image of a Grotesquery perfectly.

The Forgotten River Child now existed between substance and nothingness, with a distorted face, inhuman limbs, and a large head covered in thick, dark veins. A gruesome, spiral-toothed maw replaced its eyes.

“Don’t be afraid, just tell us. I’ll vouch for you, you won’t get into trouble, just a reprimand at most.”

Director Li was still trying to persuade Luo Ling, oblivious to the fact that one of his colleagues beside him had bulging eyes, blood trickling from his orifices, his mouth open in a silent scream.

“Look out!”

Luo Ling shouted, rushing forward and kicking Director Li, who was still talking, sending him flying and causing the transforming doctor to miss his attack.

Before the last doctor could react, the doctor possessed by the Forgotten River Child pierced his heart, instantly taking his life. His flesh withered and turned to black ash.

“Hee hee hee hee…”

The Forgotten River Child, rooted in the poor doctor’s head, its grotesque face contorted in a mixture of laughter and tears, stared at Luo Ling with malice.

Due to the Forgotten River Child’s possession, the doctor’s body had taken on grotesque features, his hands transforming into bony claws, his decaying skin oozing green pus.

Although still technically alive, he was no different from a corpse.

Luo Ling glanced at Director Li, who had been kicked aside. He had merely hit the wall and fainted, suffering a concussion at most, but no harm from the Grotesquery.

At least she had saved one…

But Luo Ling’s situation was now even more dire. Having obtained a host, the Forgotten River Child had shed its timidity and become reckless.

The host not only gave it the ability to interact with the physical world but also acted as a shield, able to absorb a fatal blow.

In other words, if the Forgotten River Child were killed now, only the possessed doctor would die, not its true form.

“Hiss… hah…”

The doctor, his distorted face contorted in terror, gasped for air, his bulging eyes fixated on Luo Ling. His outstretched claws, as if pleading for help, reached for Luo Ling’s heart.

Luo Ling didn’t hesitate. She released another Spore, instantly perceiving the Forgotten River Child’s every move, narrowly dodging the attack.

“Bang!”

The steel door of the morgue behind Luo Ling was pierced by the claws, which only suffered minor damage.

Corrosive, foul blood dripped onto the floor, sizzling. The doctor’s head slowly turned, the Forgotten River Child’s face superimposed on it, a mocking smile on its lips.

“Hee hee hee hee…”

It knew.

It now understood that this Awakened One, Luo Ling, was all bark and no bite, lacking the true strength of an Awakened One.

Or rather, she currently lacked combat power.

“Have you encountered the Forgotten River Child?”

Just then, Ji Ying’s voice finally echoed in Luo Ling’s mind, sounding strangely weak.

“Yes…”

“Does it have a host?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“The hospital morgue.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Just a few brief words, less than a second, and Ji Ying’s connection cut off again. Luo Ling pulled out the utility knife from her pocket.

Among the portable tools she could buy, the utility knife was the most lethal.

But seeing the utility knife, the mockery in the Forgotten River Child’s eyes intensified, its playful attitude towards its prey evident.

The Forgotten River Child was the epitome of a bully, especially now, having confirmed that Luo Ling’s combat strength was no match for its own.

Luo Ling gripped the utility knife tightly. She didn’t know how long it would take for Ji Ying to arrive. Until then… she had to survive.

Seeing that Luo Ling wasn’t afraid but staring at it with fighting spirit, the Forgotten River Child became enraged. Its sharp, ghostly shriek almost pierced her eardrums.

A series of cracking sounds erupted from the doctor’s body as the Forgotten River Child forcibly pushed past the limits of its host, lunging at Luo Ling with incredible speed.

It wanted to ensure that even if its movements were seen through, Luo Ling wouldn’t have a chance to dodge.

Luo Ling’s pupils constricted. She did see through the Forgotten River Child’s movements, but even at her limit, she couldn’t dodge.

The Spore showed her a clear trajectory, a desperate speed.

No escape.

Luo Ling stared at the Grotesquery, a flicker of dark gold in her eyes, faint blue scales appearing on her fingertips.

At that critical moment, a cold voice echoed from nowhere,

“Three seconds… a little late.”

Chapter 16: Psychological Suggestion

The nurse guarding the door was leaning against the wall, scrolling through short videos on her phone, when she saw the white-haired girl, who had just entered moments ago, burst out of the room and hurry away.

The nurse wanted to follow but, seeing Huang Xiuqin’s room still open, rushed over to close it.

“Wait, nurse,” Huang Xiuqin said softly. “I’m a little hungry, could you bring me something to eat?”

“Oh, just a moment…”

The nurse instinctively shuddered at the sound of Huang Xiuqin’s voice, still traumatized by her previous experiences.

But seeing Huang Xiuqin’s calm demeanor through the crack in the door, she relaxed slightly.

“What would you like?” the nurse asked cautiously, standing at the doorway.

“A serving of fear will do,” Huang Xiuqin looked up, her calm gaze meeting the nurse’s, a darkness flickering within. “Please bring it to me.”

—Oneiric, Psychological Suggestion.

The nurse’s eyes glazed over, then widened in terror, as if she had seen something horrifying. A scream escaped her lips.

“Ghost!”

After the scream, the nurse collapsed, her face drained of color, foam bubbling at the corners of her mouth, completely unconscious.

At the same time, a touch of color returned to Huang Xiuqin’s haggard face.

“What’s going on, what’s going on?”

Hearing the scream, nearby doctors and nurses rushed over.

They first saw the unconscious nurse on the floor, then the open ward. Their faces paled—everyone in the neurology department knew this patient was best avoided.

But hadn’t they said the mad woman’s condition had improved, that she had even let go of her child…?

“Get out of my way.”

A heavy voice boomed from the doorway. Director Li approached with a grim expression, his face darkening further at the sight of the nurse.

“Where’s that little girl with the white hair?” Director Li asked in a low voice.

The surrounding nurses and doctors looked at each other, unsure what to say.

They usually avoided this ward, so they didn’t know what had happened.

It was Huang Xiuqin inside the ward who spoke.

“After asking where Dong’er’s body was, she left.”

Director Li’s already sparsely haired head seemed to shine even brighter, his expression anxious. “Damn it, she really was after the dead baby!”

Shortly after arranging for the nurse to take Luo Ling away, the thought that the little girl might be after the dead baby had popped into Director Li’s head.

At first, he had dismissed it as his own overthinking, but the thought grew stronger, so he came to check.

And it was true!

“What are you standing around for? Hurry to the morgue and stop that girl!” Director Li said angrily. Ultimately, this was his responsibility.

If things went wrong, his reputation would be ruined, and he might even lose his position as director.

…Who would have thought a pretty little girl would come to the hospital to steal a dead baby?

After Director Li’s outburst, the doctors and nurses hurried away towards the morgue. A few stayed behind to carry the unconscious nurse to the emergency room.

Of course, Huang Xiuqin’s ward was locked again. Until they were sure she wouldn’t have another episode, she would be treated no differently than a severely mentally ill patient.

After the prison-like ward fell silent again, Huang Xiuqin’s expression returned to calm.

She wasn’t an ordinary person, but an Awakened One.

If she weren’t an Awakened One, how could she have endured being consumed by a Grotesquery for over a year?

“Li Tianming is dead… Who could have killed a monster whose body was completely occupied by a Grotesquery?” Huang Xiuqin tapped the table lightly, lost in thought. “That white-haired girl just now? No, she must have just awakened. She wouldn’t be able to deal with even a Forgotten River Child…”

The thought that had suddenly popped into Director Li’s head was Huang Xiuqin’s doing. Sending him to the morgue was also her intention.

Huang Xiuqin knew that the Forgotten River Child would definitely retreat when facing an Awakened One, even a weak one.

But if there were ordinary people nearby, the Forgotten River Child would parasitize them. A Forgotten River Child with a host could escape even if killed, giving it the courage to fight an Awakened One.

As long as it could engage in combat… the Forgotten River Child would discover the white-haired girl’s weakness.

Awakened Ones were highly nourishing for Grotesqueries.

“It seems there are quite a few hidden talents in Jiangcheng County. Besides Li Tianming, whose body was occupied by a Grotesquery, there are other high-Order Awakened Ones…”

Huang Xiuqin took a deep breath, recalling her painful experiences over the past year.

“To think I would be defeated by an ordinary person…”

Awakened Ones were nourishing for Grotesqueries, but the reverse was also true.

If an Awakened One wanted to level up, besides progressing along their chosen path, there was another very effective method: killing a Grotesquery of the corresponding path and obtaining its corpse, known as a Sacred Relic.

But killing a Grotesquery was no easy feat.

Even the weakest Grotesquery could be fatal if one was careless.

Moreover… Grotesqueries weren’t everywhere.

So, Huang Xiuqin had come up with a method.

—Creating her own Grotesquery.

Forgotten River Children were one of the few Grotesqueries that could be mass-produced, but those created through ordinary methods were too weak and difficult to control.

Huang Xiuqin’s method was more ruthless. She planned to refine her own child into a Forgotten River Child.

First, she would trick a man into having a child with her. Then, when the child reached full moon, she would kill it and use the man’s blood to initiate a blood sacrifice ritual, transforming the child into a Forgotten River Child.

The flesh and blood of an Awakened One, combined with the blood of a close relative, would create a powerful Forgotten River Child from birth, and most importantly… it would be easier for Huang Xiuqin to control.

She would use this Forgotten River Child to hunt ordinary people and Awakened Ones. After it reached its peak, she would kill it again, and the resulting Sacred Relic would be extremely powerful.

Huang Xiuqin had used this method to advance to Mid-Order Awakened One, but she hadn’t expected to be defeated by an ordinary person.

After she killed her son in front of Li Tianming, the enraged Li Tianming had wanted to kill her.

In the end, Li Tianming used some unknown Grotesquery ability on her during their lovemaking.

But perhaps because she was a Mid-Order Awakened One, Li Tianming couldn’t completely control her. He could only fix her in the “doting mother” persona she had been “performing,” preventing her from returning to normal.

That was why Huang Xiuqin had been insane until now, only awakening after Li Tianming’s death.

“…So be it.”

Huang Xiuqin stood up and walked to the door.

The nurse at the door opened it for her in a daze, watching as she walked out of the ward, step by step, towards the hospital exit.

She had more important things to do.

Chapter 15: He’s Already Dead

The nurse looked at Luo Ling, whose height barely reached her shoulders, with a puzzled expression, then glanced at Director Li, who sat at his desk with a serious look.

After seeing Director Li nod silently, the nurse stepped aside slightly and said,

“Miss Bai, please follow me.”

Although the nurse was curious why the director would let such a young girl visit the mad woman, she didn’t show it on her face.

Luo Ling didn’t have time to worry about the nurse’s strange look. She had already begun her preparations quietly.

She would likely face the Forgotten River Child directly soon. Although it was only a low-level Grotesquery of Sequence 388, Luo Ling didn’t dare to underestimate it.

She planted Spores throughout the hospital, the nearly invisible white hairs scattered in every corner.

Of course, due to the limitations of her mental fortitude, Luo Ling couldn’t sense multiple Spores simultaneously; she could only handle the perception of two at most.

But even so, the ubiquitous “standby surveillance” formed a tight net, leaving the Forgotten River Child with no chance of escape.

To avoid alerting the Grotesquery, Luo Ling didn’t immediately use a Spore to scout the ward but instead set up a surrounding formation.

As for direct combat…

Luo Ling gripped the utility knife in her pocket. She would avoid revealing her true strength in front of the Forgotten River Child if possible.

Forgotten River Children were timid by nature. Simply revealing her identity as an Awakened One should be enough to scare it off.

After learning the truth about the Forgotten River Child from Ji Ying yesterday, Luo Ling had researched ghost child raising. She wasn’t an expert, but she at least knew how to deal with it.

“Miss Bai, do you know the mad… Miss Huang?” the nurse couldn’t help but ask on the way. “Are you her daughter? Or a relative?”

“…Neither,” Luo Ling replied.

“Oh, alright, haha…”

The nurse’s face mirrored Director Li’s disappointment. The nurses had suffered the most from Huang Xiuqin’s situation and were eager for her family to take her away.

“I thought, since both your surnames are colors, you might be related somehow.”

Seeing Luo Ling’s impassive expression, the nurse awkwardly tried to recover from her previous statement.

“My surname isn’t Bai, my name is Bai,” Luo Ling shook her head.

She had considered this when signing the form. Since her appearance had completely changed, it was better to use a different name.

Luo Ling wasn’t good at choosing names, and in that moment, she couldn’t think of anything particularly impressive, so she simply wrote down her hair color.

She had given the same explanation to Director Li earlier.

“Just a single name… that’s rare,” the nurse muttered but didn’t press further. Luo Ling’s indifferent attitude made her feel uneasy, so she chose to remain silent.

Soon, the nurse led Luo Ling to the ward at the far end of the third floor. The dilapidated door was covered in patches and secured with heavy locks.

“Here we are,” the nurse turned and said. “Little Miss Bai, although Ms. Huang’s condition has improved unprecedentedly these past few days, remember not to provoke her.

“Oh, and it’s best not to mention her child. We finally managed to…”

Realizing the mad woman was just behind the door, the nurse covered her mouth and quickly unlocked the ward.

“Be careful.”

The nurse warned, then quickly stepped back, clearly traumatized by previous experiences.

Luo Ling remained silent. She first used a Spore to scout the surroundings, then slowly stepped into the unusual ward.

…The room was old, small, and dilapidated, unlike any ward Luo Ling had seen before. It resembled a prison cell more than anything.

A smell of blood and rust permeated the air. A few rays of light filtered through the boarded-up window, illuminating the pockmarked walls.

The room contained only a bed and a small table. Everything else had been removed, and even the corners of the bed and table were padded with foam, seemingly to prevent the patient from harming herself.

A woman sat on the bed with her back to the door, staring blankly out the window. She didn’t react to Luo Ling’s entrance.

“Auntie Huang?”

Luo Ling called out tentatively.

The woman flinched. Just as Luo Ling thought she was about to have another episode, she turned around and looked at Luo Ling with confusion. “…Who are you?”

Huang Xiuqin no longer looked as frantic as before. After being cleaned and having her hair combed, she looked like an ordinary young woman, around twenty-five or twenty-six years old.

Luo Ling didn’t answer. Her gaze fell on Huang Xiuqin’s arms, which were empty.

—No child.

…What was going on?

“Little girl, I don’t think we’ve met before,” Huang Xiuqin asked calmly. “What are you doing here?”

Luo Ling remained silent, using her Spores to frantically search the hospital, trying to locate the Forgotten River Child, but to no avail.

Seeing Luo Ling staring at her arms, Huang Xiuqin suddenly realized something and blurted out,

“Are you looking for Dong’er?”

Luo Ling immediately looked up at Huang Xiuqin.

She wasn’t sure if Huang Xiuqin was currently under the Forgotten River Child’s control.

“…Did he hurt you before?”

Seeing Luo Ling’s cold expression, Huang Xiuqin’s face softened with understanding and apology. “I’m so sorry, I had a mental breakdown some time ago and did a lot of wrong things. If there’s anything I can do to make amends, I will.”

Luo Ling looked at her and asked slowly,

“Now, do you still believe your child is alive?”

Huang Xiuqin gave a wry smile and replied,

“Dong’er… he’s already dead, I know.”

She had accepted the truth!

This meant the Forgotten River Child had left its host! That was why Huang Xiuqin had returned to normal!

While this was good news, it was a terrible situation for Luo Ling.

If they couldn’t catch the Forgotten River Child this time, she and her sister would face its vengeance at any moment.

She could handle it, but her ordinary sister probably couldn’t withstand the mental torment of a Nightmare Grotesquery…

“Where… is your child’s body now?” Luo Ling’s voice was laced with urgency.

“Of course, it was sent to the morgue according to hospital procedures,” Huang Xiuqin sighed, her expression turning haggard. “Poor Dong’er, I wonder when he’ll finally be at peace…”

“The morgue?”

Luo Ling’s pupils constricted. Her previous search had indeed overlooked the morgue located on the third basement floor. Her Spores’ range couldn’t reach that far.

Not good!

The Yin energy and resentment in the morgue were nourishing for a ghost child.

If it leveled up because of this…

Luo Ling might not even be able to stall it.

Chapter 14: White

The hospital was relatively quiet on a weekday morning. A few patients in hospital gowns sat near the lobby, and the occasional doctor hurried past.

This was the first time Luo Ling had entered the hospital in a fully conscious state, but even so, she was familiar with the place.

During the months of her strange illness, the hospital had practically become her second home.

“I remember, the mad woman was Li Tianming’s patient, she should be on the third floor…”

Luo Ling recalled carefully. She hadn’t interacted much with the mad woman, only knowing that she was also Li Tianming’s patient.

Of course, now knowing the truth, Luo Ling understood that the poor woman… was likely just sustenance for the Forgotten River Child.

Thinking about a worse possibility, perhaps the woman had been driven half-mad because Li Tianming was using her child as a ghost child.

In any case, Li Tianming was dead, and she should finally be at peace.

After entering the hospital, Luo Ling tried to contact Ji Ying again, but still without success.

Whether Ji Ying was testing her with the Forgotten River Child or genuinely occupied with other matters, Luo Ling didn’t know. But regardless, she now had to face the Forgotten River Child alone.

Luo Ling walked towards the elevator, attracting the attention of several patients. Her appearance as a young girl with striking features and long white hair was hard to ignore.

Even passing doctors and nurses took a second glance, their gazes lingering on her white hair. Such pale hair must be due to a severe case of albinism, right?

However, perhaps due to the hospital environment, few people approached her. She quickly reached the third floor and found the familiar place.

—Li Tianming’s office.

Of course, a different doctor was now on duty in the office, an elderly man past sixty, his shiny bald head a testament to his experience.

Luo Ling recognized him; it was Director Li from the neurology department.

Director Li had also been present during her previous consultations, a stern yet kind old man.

It seemed he had temporarily taken over Li Tianming’s position after his death.

However… although Luo Ling had interacted with Director Li many times, she now looked different, and he probably wouldn’t recognize her.

As Luo Ling was thinking about how to ask about the mad woman’s ward, Director Li noticed her and said in surprise,

“Little girl, you’re in the wrong place. This is the neurology department on the third floor, dermatology is on the fifth floor.”

Luo Ling was taken aback. What… dermatology? What did she have to do with dermatology?

Then she saw her long white hair and instantly understood what Director Li meant.

“Sir, I don’t have albinism,” Luo Ling lifted a finger and tucked her hair behind her ear, slightly embarrassed. “I’m here to see someone in the neurology department…”

“No?”

Director Li frowned, put down his pen, and said sternly, “Dyeing your hair at such a young age? And such a large area… Where are your parents?”

As a senior doctor, Director Li’s tone was naturally didactic, and Luo Ling could only smile wryly. She hadn’t expected the first problem she encountered on her first solo outing with this new appearance would be this.

“Which parent is so irresponsible? Hair dye is so damaging to a child’s hair and skin, not to mention the amount needed to dye so much hair…”

Director Li muttered as he examined Luo Ling’s hair closely. Although his stern face was intimidating, his words revealed a hint of concern.

“Sir, this is natural, really,” Luo Ling quickly said, then hesitated before asking, “I’m looking for a patient under Dr. Li’s care.”

“Tianming’s patient?”

Director Li stopped his rambling, surprised.

Luo Ling nodded. “Yes.”

A flicker of sadness crossed Director Li’s cloudy eyes, but he quickly composed himself. “Tianming’s patients are now under my care. Which patient are you looking for?”

Seeing that Luo Ling didn’t behave like a spoiled child, Director Li’s expression turned more serious.

Some people had a naturally youthful appearance due to various reasons. As a doctor, he had seen many such cases.

“An… auntie, holding a baby,” Luo Ling described the mad woman as gently as possible. “About this tall, mentally unstable…”

“Huang Xiuqin?” Hearing Luo Ling’s description, Director Li immediately sat up, his expression agitated. “Are you her family? Child? Or relative?”

It was no wonder Director Li reacted so strongly. The mad woman had been living—or rather, staying—in the hospital since last year.

They couldn’t find any information about her background. Her mental state fluctuated between normal and insane, but regardless, she clung to her dead child, refusing to let go even as the body decayed and reeked.

It was mainly because Li Tianming, who was in charge of Huang Xiuqin, was kind-hearted and willing to cover part of her medical expenses, along with some public pressure, that she had been cared for by the hospital for so long.

However, for over a year, no one in Jiangcheng County had been able to identify her.

And now, with Li Tianming mysteriously dismembered and his body dumped in the wilderness, this troublesome matter had become even more complicated.

If her condition hadn’t inexplicably improved in the past two days… the hospital would have started considering taking necessary强制 measures against Huang Xiuqin.

Director Li had been worried about how to deal with the half-mad Huang Xiuqin, and Luo Ling’s arrival was a welcome surprise.

But he quickly noticed Luo Ling’s puzzled look and realized he had lost his composure. He coughed a few times and said,

“Little girl, are you the patient’s family member?”

“No.”

Luo Ling shook her head.

Director Li’s hopeful expression immediately fell, replaced by disappointment.

“Alright.”

He composed himself and asked, “Can you tell me why you’re looking for her?”

“I might know her, but I’m not sure, so I wanted to ask,” Luo Ling replied. She had prepared this excuse beforehand.

Without Li Tianming’s support, the hospital would surely want to get rid of this burdensome patient. They would grasp at any straw of hope.

Besides, who would have ulterior motives towards a mad woman, especially a young, innocent girl?

“Really?”

Director Li’s face lit up again.

“…I’m not sure.”

Director Li frowned, thought for a moment, and finally sighed.

“In principle, the hospital doesn’t allow visits from non-family members, but… Ms. Huang’s case is special.

“Tell you what, leave your information, and I’ll have a nurse take you to see her—no need to look so surprised. Honestly, the hospital also hopes Ms. Huang can… be discharged.”

Director Li rubbed his nose awkwardly. “It would be great if you really know her or her relatives.”

“Perhaps.”

Luo Ling replied vaguely.

Although this wasn’t her primary purpose, as long as she dealt with the root cause, the Forgotten River Child, everything else would fall into place.

Looking at the visitor registration form Director Li handed her, Luo Ling hesitated for a moment before signing a name,

——Bai.

Chapter 13: Small Happiness

…Turn herself in?

Luo Ling looked surprised. Why would she turn herself in?

“Could it be… that I remembered wrong again?”

Su Wan looked bewildered, her voice uncertain. “I remember, after you woke up, you stopped me from going to the police station to turn myself in. You said you didn’t kill anyone.

“In the end, I couldn’t persuade you, so I stayed home and waited for your news…”

Luo Ling’s heart clenched as she listened to her sister’s description.

But she quickly understood.

It was Illusion!

Ji Ying’s Illusion!

Ji Ying had used Illusion on her from the beginning, making everyone ignore her presence.

Now it seemed that Illusion was more powerful than Luo Ling had imagined, even erasing memories of face-to-face conversations.

That was why her sister’s memory was distorted.

Moreover…

Luo Ling looked at the two cups of milk tea on the table, her suspended heart slowly settling.

…She had almost thought Ji Ying was just a figment of her imagination.

“Xiao Ling, you…”

Su Wan’s heart was in her throat. She didn’t know if it was her own problem, or if her sister’s illness had worsened.

Or perhaps, Xiao Ling was just deceiving her…

“I misremembered, Sister. I slept for two whole days, I’m still groggy,” Luo Ling quickly said, seeing her sister’s pale face. “Officer Ji was the kind police officer who took my statement at the police station.”

“Is that so?”

Although some suspicion remained in Su Wan’s eyes, her expression eased considerably.

She reached out and stroked Luo Ling’s hair lovingly, the smooth texture under her palm calming her.

“Xiao Ling, don’t hide anything from Sister. I promise I won’t hide anything from you either. Let’s not worry each other, okay?”

“Mm…”

Luo Ling replied, but her eyes darted away.

Fortunately, she lowered her head slightly under the guise of Su Wan’s touch, so her sister didn’t notice.

I’m sorry, Sister, but this one thing… I have to lie to you about.

Seeing her little sister’s obedient demeanor, a comforting smile spread across Su Wan’s lips.

No matter what happened, as long as the two of them were okay… that was enough.

“So this is milk tea?” Su Wan picked up the cup from the table and examined it. “I often see customers buying it from the convenience store, but I’ve never had it myself. I should thank Officer Ji.”

“I already did,” Luo Ling looked up and blinked.

Su Wan smiled and took a tentative sip. “So sweet!”

“Is it good?”

Luo Ling watched her sister intently, afraid she wouldn’t like the taste.

“It’s good.”

Su Wan nodded, the fatigue on her face easing with the sweetness.

“When I finish school and start earning money, I’ll buy it for you every day,” Luo Ling said, her eyes curving into crescents, her pretty face glowing. Su Wan was captivated.

This was her sister, her dearest sister.

“Okay, Sister will wait,” Su Wan said softly.

“By the way, Sister, I’m almost fully recovered. I’ll go back to school in a couple of days,” Luo Ling stood on tiptoe and touched Su Wan’s cheek. “See? My strength is back to normal. I’ve been awake for so long and haven’t fallen asleep.”

“…Really?”

Su Wan looked up at Luo Ling in disbelief.

When they went to the hospital a few days ago, Dr. Li, who unfortunately passed away from a heart attack, had said Xiao Ling’s condition had worsened.

How could she suddenly recover in just one day?

“Really.”

Luo Ling rubbed Su Wan’s face with a playful smile, her long eyelashes fluttering.

“Okay, okay… Sister will pack your things, okay… okay…”

Su Wan said, turning her face away to hide the tears welling up in her eyes.

Her wishes weren’t grand. This small happiness was enough.

“Mm!”

Luo Ling nodded vigorously, her smile widening.

The sun set, casting long shadows.

Dusk had arrived.

…

The next morning, Luo Ling woke up at dawn for the first time in a long while.

The return to a normal sleep schedule felt unfamiliar. She quietly opened the door but didn’t see the familiar figure outside.

However, through the Spore, Luo Ling could see her sister sleeping peacefully in her room, which put her mind at ease.

So much had happened in the past few days that Luo Ling felt a bit on edge. The Puppet Ballad probably hadn’t fully noticed her existence yet.

Otherwise, during the day she had been unconscious after killing Li Tianming and Wu Qin, she and her sister would have already been in grave danger.

Luo Ling considered making breakfast for her sister but worried the noise might wake her. Soon, however, she didn’t need to worry.

A familiar, cold voice echoed in her mind.

“Miss Luo Ling, are you awake?”

“Ji…”

“No need to speak. Focus and talk to me in your mind—you don’t know how to use Spores, do you?”

“…”

Luo Ling really didn’t know. She hadn’t had time to figure out the details of her abilities yet.

She hadn’t expected that besides surveillance, Spores could also be used as a mental intercom…

“I’ve already located the Forgotten River Child yesterday. It’s at Jiangcheng People’s Hospital.

“I was planning to deal with it myself, but I’ve been held up by something… I need you to go there first and at least prevent it from escaping too far. I’ll be there soon.

“Don’t worry, the Forgotten River Child’s direct combat ability isn’t strong, so it’s quite cautious and timid. It’s a Grotesquery of the Nightmare path—the opposite of Oneiric. Please be careful of mental attacks.”

After these words, Ji Ying’s voice disappeared. Even if Luo Ling tried to use the Spore to communicate again, she couldn’t.

A Nightmare Grotesquery…

Luo Ling remembered Ji Ying mentioning yesterday that the paths of Grotesqueries were opposite to those of Awakened Ones. Nightmare should have mental-related abilities.

And in her mindscape, Luo Ling had seen that the Puppet Ballad’s path was Silent Demise, the opposite of Myriad.

She was walking the path of a Grotesquery.

“Never mind that, asking me to face a Grotesquery alone, is Ji Ying… trying to test my strength?” Luo Ling frowned slightly.

She knew she was different now compared to when she faced Li Tianming. Apart from a part of the Puppet Ballad’s ability, she was no different from an ordinary girl.

After transforming, she no longer fell into periods of drowsiness, but she had lost that strange, immense strength.

But thinking back, even if Ji Ying hadn’t appeared, Luo Ling would have investigated the Forgotten River Child herself. It was the only clue left by Li Tianming.

If she didn’t eliminate the threat of the Puppet Ballad, she and her sister would never have peace.

Moreover, she had personally killed the Forgotten River Child’s master, Li Tianming. The vengeful ghost child would eventually come looking for her… or perhaps even her sister.

If her sister were to get hurt or even… Luo Ling couldn’t bear the thought.

“In any case… I have to be careful.”

Luo Ling exhaled, her gaze softening as she looked towards her sister’s room.

To protect her and her sister’s small happiness, she would do anything.

“I’ll leave a note for Sister, saying I’m going to buy some stationery and will be back by noon, so she doesn’t worry too much.”

Chapter 12: Illusion

“This is the first lesson I’ll teach you about being an Awakened One: never trust others easily, and never reveal your abilities readily.”

Ji Ying said calmly, “However, trust is reciprocal. Since you’ve told me about your ability, then I…”

As she spoke, Ji Ying’s form began to fade into thin air, her voice echoing from nowhere.

“This is my ability, ‘Hidden Kill,’ from the Judgment path. My first skill is ‘Illusion.’ All my actions are forcibly ignored by others.”

By using invisibility and illusion simultaneously, Ji Ying could become an omnipresent assassin on the battlefield. Her opponents wouldn’t even be able to raise their guard, making her the perfect assassin.

It was because of “Illusion” that the other customers in the milk tea shop had ignored Ji Ying and Luo Ling, oblivious to their shocking conversation.

“I… don’t seem to have a first skill yet,” Luo Ling said. “Just an innate ability…”

“I know,” Ji Ying said, picking up the pale strand of hair from her shoulder. “I’ve been tracking the Puppet Ballad for a few years now, so I know a thing or two about it.”

“Why… are you tracking the Puppet Ballad?” Luo Ling hesitated for a moment before asking.

A flicker of emotion crossed Ji Ying’s eyes.

She lowered her head slightly, as if looking at something, and whispered, “Just seeking revenge.”

Luo Ling wanted to ask more, but Ji Ying stood up.

“Let’s end it here for today. Don’t worry your sister too much. I’ll contact you later,” Ji Ying said, wrapping the Spore around her wrist. “Through this.”

Luo Ling could share senses with the Spore, showing that Ji Ying truly understood the Puppet Ballad.

“Oh, Officer Ji,” Luo Ling suddenly remembered something. “Li Tianming mentioned having an accomplice, something called ‘Forgotten River’…”

“Grotesquery Sequence Three Hundred and Eighty-Eight, ‘Forgotten River Child.’ I didn’t expect him to be raising a Grotesquery…”

Ji Ying frowned slightly, seeing Luo Ling’s confused expression, and explained, “Have you heard of the witchcraft of raising ghost children? The ghost children they raise are ‘Forgotten River Children.’ They are also a numerous type of Grotesquery.

“They are one of the few Grotesqueries that can be controlled by humans. While they are not extremely troublesome, they are still difficult to handle..”

Raising ghost children…

Luo Ling had seen it on TV. Recalling some of the details, she suddenly realized where “Forgotten River” was.

—The little monster in the arms of the mad woman at the hospital!

“But you don’t need to worry about this, I’ll handle it,” Ji Ying raised an eyebrow, her expression softening slightly. “You should go back now. Look at the time… Ms. Su must be getting anxious.”

Luo Ling hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Through the Spore she had left at home, she could sense her sister’s anxiety after she left. She shouldn’t keep her worried.

“I have other matters to attend to, so I can’t walk you back.”

Ji Ying stood at the entrance of the milk tea shop, looked back at Luo Ling, and smiled faintly. “Goodbye, Miss Puppet Ballad.”

“…”

Luo Ling remained silent. She didn’t dare to claim the title of Puppet Ballad.

However, her current situation was indeed troublesome. As Ji Ying had said, within Jiangcheng County alone, there could be countless of the Puppet Ballad’s agents.

She also didn’t know if the Puppet Ballad’s true form had noticed her…

After Ji Ying left, Luo Ling sat for a while longer.

She mulled over Ji Ying’s words and sighed softly.

“Things have come to this, I can only take it one step at a time…”

Luo Ling stood up, saw that Ji Ying had only taken a few sips of her milk tea before leaving it on the table. After a moment of hesitation, she picked it up.

“Can’t waste it…”

Luo Ling decided to give her own cup to her sister and drink the rest of Ji Ying’s.

For her sister, who pinched every penny, milk tea was an almost unattainable luxury. She probably hadn’t had it many times and would surely be happy.

Thinking of the smile that would bloom on her sister’s tired face, the little bit of melancholy in Luo Ling’s heart dissipated, and her steps as she left the milk tea shop were a little lighter.

Shortly after she left, a child in the shop finally couldn’t help but ask his mother,

“Mommy, why was that pretty lady with white hair at the next table talking to herself?”

“Shush! Don’t mind her, she’s crazy…”

…

When Luo Ling opened the door to her apartment, Su Wan practically pounced on her, checking her over for injuries before finally sighing in relief.

“They didn’t do anything to you, did they?” Su Wan asked nervously.

“No, they just took my statement and let me go,” Luo Ling replied with a smile, then handed Su Wan the milk tea. “Here, Officer Ji even gave me this.”

But Su Wan didn’t take the milk tea. She hesitated, seeming to think carefully before asking, “About yesterday…”

“Sister, I’ve confirmed with Officer Ji,” Luo Ling said softly, “Nothing happened yesterday.”

She was determined not to involve her sister in these dangerous matters.

“…Really?”

Su Wan’s face paled slightly, a look of uncertainty crossing her features.

Her mind was in turmoil. No matter how she tried to recall, the events of yesterday were incredibly vivid.

Even just standing in the upstairs room, she could smell a faint, terrifying scent of blood, a sickening stench lingering in the air.

But everything in the room was as it always was, unchanged.

Were these really just her delusions?

Just psychological effects?

Su Wan’s thoughts were a mess.

Seeing her sister’s pale face, a pang of guilt and distress shot through Luo Ling.

She knew she was deceiving her sister, but… it was better than letting her sister doubt her own sanity, better than letting her know the cruel truth.

“By the way, Sister, don’t mind what Officer Ji said,” Luo Ling took a deep breath and said softly, “You’re just tired. Get some more rest, and you’ll be fine.”

To pay for her medical expenses, her sister had been working overtime, her face looking increasingly haggard over the past few months.

Luo Ling was determined not to let her sister work so hard anymore.

Also, she said these things to prevent her sister from overthinking, lest she make herself sick with worry.

As for taking her sister to Qingshan Hospital for refuge, Luo Ling had considered it on her way back but decided against it.

Firstly, they probably couldn’t afford the hospitalization fees. Secondly, Luo Ling didn’t fully trust Ji Ying and was suspicious of this so-called Awakened One gathering place.

She wasn’t comfortable leaving her sister in an unknown place.

She would wait until she had investigated it herself…

“Mm…mm?” Hearing these words, Su Wan’s expression suddenly froze. She looked up in confusion. “Officer Ji? Which Officer Ji? Said… what?”

Luo Ling was taken aback. “Officer Ji Ying, the one who took me to the police station. Didn’t you meet her?”

“…”

Su Wan was silent for a moment, then slowly said,

“Xiao Ling, didn’t you turn yourself in?”

Chapter 11: Awakened Ones and Paths

In the end, Ji Ying didn’t take Luo Ling to the police station.

Luo Ling’s report yesterday hadn’t been recorded; her earlier words to Su Wan were just a pretext to get Luo Ling alone.

They went to town, found a milk tea shop, and sat down to talk.

At first, Luo Ling worried their conversation might be overheard, but for some reason, the few customers around paid them no attention, not even glancing their way.

Luo Ling realized this must be Ji Ying’s ability.

“First, you need to understand yourself, an ‘Awakened One.’ Under certain circumstances, some people develop special abilities. Like you and me, we are called Awakened Ones.

“The abilities of Awakened Ones vary. Currently known abilities can be categorized into six paths: Oneiric, Myriad, Judgment, Elemental, Order, and Other Shore. But we don’t rule out the possibility of abilities from other paths.”

Ji Ying dipped her straw in milk tea and drew six symbols on the table, beginning her explanation.

“Generally, each Awakened One can only master one path, gaining abilities through it. After progressing a certain distance along the path, they can increase their Order.

“Take the ‘Bone Doctor’ as an example. Her real name is Wu Qin, and she’s one of the few Awakened Ones whose abilities are completely public. She gained the ability called ‘Bone’ from the Judgment path, allowing her to freely disassemble and reassemble her bones. She has also transcended the limitations of flesh and blood—even if only her bones remain, as long as her brain is intact, she can sustain her life.

“As for her two skills, ‘Bone Steel’ and ‘Bone Spike,’ I believe you’ve experienced them firsthand during your fight.”

Luo Ling nodded thoughtfully. She had indeed experienced those two skills during the fight.

“So, a Second-Order Awakened One has two skills?” Luo Ling asked after a moment of thought.

“Not necessarily,” Ji Ying shook her head. “It’s like allocating points. After leveling up, an Awakened One might gain new skills or enhance existing ones.

“From Third to Fourth Order, Sixth to Seventh Order, and possibly Ninth Order and above, all abilities of an Awakened One will be greatly enhanced.”

She paused, then continued, “Of course, a higher Order doesn’t necessarily mean stronger. You defeated a puppeted Second-Order Awakened One, while you yourself might not have even mastered a single skill.

“Perceiving the limits and weaknesses of each other’s abilities, and grasping the ever-changing situation on the battlefield, are the keys to victory—or at the very least, you can choose to run.”

Luo Ling remained silent. She felt her situation was special because she didn’t know how she had done it.

“This is between Awakened Ones, but Grotesqueries are different. Besides having paths completely opposite to Awakened Ones, they also have ‘Sequences.’”

Mentioning Grotesqueries, Ji Ying’s expression turned serious. “The ‘Grotesquery Sequence’ originates from a mysterious stone tablet. Whenever a new Grotesquery trace is discovered, its corresponding sequence and pronounceable name appear on the tablet.

“Grotesquery Sequences within the top one hundred and fifty are classified as ‘Dangerous Grotesqueries,’ the top fifty are ‘High-Risk Grotesqueries,’ and the top ten are absolute ‘Taboos,’ untouchable existences.”

“Currently, the weakest known Grotesquery is Sequence Four Hundred and Twenty-Six, ‘Silly Child,’ and the strongest is Sequence Six, ‘Knight.’ The Puppet Ballad is Sequence Forty-Nine, a very dangerous ‘High-Risk Grotesquery.’

“It’s important to note that lower Sequence doesn’t necessarily mean easier to deal with. Even a Seventh-Order Awakened One could die at the hands of a Sequence Three or Four Hundred Grotesquery if they’re careless.”

Luo Ling nodded thoughtfully and asked,

“The weakest is over four hundred… does that mean there are only over four hundred Grotesqueries in the world?”

“First, using ‘only’ as a quantifier isn’t accurate. Grotesqueries don’t all take biological forms. They could be objects, phenomena, or even environments.”

Ji Ying explained slowly, “Second, there might be many instances of the same Sequence Grotesquery. For example, Sequence Two Hundred and Forty-Seven, ‘Masterless Vermin,’ is a hive-mind Grotesquery with an uncountable number of individuals.”

“…So, there could be many Puppet Ballads?” Luo Ling shuddered.

She had witnessed the Puppet Ballad’s power, and now, possessing a part of its ability, she understood its terrifying nature even more.

Silently controlling and changing a person without them even realizing it.

“Don’t worry, there’s usually only one instance of a High-Risk Grotesquery. The Puppet Ballad should only have one true form.”

Ji Ying said, looking at Luo Ling, “From your words, you still intend to join me in tracking down the Puppet Ballad? This is very dangerous, your sister will be worried.”

With just a few glances, she could tell how much Su Wan cherished her younger sister, even if she wasn’t sure if Su Wan was a Lamb of the Puppet Ballad…

“I… I’m afraid it’s hard for me to stay out of this.”

Luo Ling gave a wry smile and extended a strand of hair. A Spore landed on Ji Ying’s shoulder. “My ability is the Puppet Ballad.”

This… couldn’t be hidden.

With Ji Ying’s understanding of the Puppet Ballad, she would definitely notice if Luo Ling used her ability.

Unless Luo Ling chose to avoid contact with Ji Ying and face the High-Risk Grotesquery alone, which would be a dead end.

After learning from Ji Ying what Grotesqueries truly were, Luo Ling knew she was already involved and couldn’t escape.

With the Puppet Ballad’s ability, Luo Ling wasn’t safe anywhere. Anyone could be a puppet controlled by the Puppet Ballad, even… her sister.

The moment Luo Ling spoke, Ji Ying’s hand instinctively went to the dagger at her waist.

But after sensing the Spore on her shoulder, she lowered her hand, her expression turning grave.

“It’s actually… the ability of a Grotesquery.”

Luo Ling’s Spore’s aura was weak, clearly not that of a Meat Puppet.

Because… such a weak Spore couldn’t control anyone, and the Puppet Ballad’s Meat Puppets were used to control Lambs or absorb nutrients.

“However, you’re still too young, Miss Luo Ling,” Ji Ying said seriously, putting away her dagger. “You shouldn’t have told me about your ability so readily, even if I might have figured it out eventually.

“Trust is precious. Giving it to a stranger you’ve only known for two hours is not worth it.”

Chapter 10: The “Real” World

—”Treatment.”

Hearing Ji Ying say this word, Luo Ling’s expression changed. It was a keyword she was all too familiar with.

Li Tianming had used the guise of “treatment” to try and erase her consciousness, turning her into one of the Puppet Ballad’s many puppets, controlled by a Grotesquery.

So, as Ji Ying’s words fell, Luo Ling immediately pulled out the pen from her pocket.

But she didn’t expect Ji Ying to be faster, too fast for her to even see.

Before Luo Ling could fully draw her hand out, another slender hand clamped down on her arm, holding it in place.

At the same time, Ji Ying’s pretty face suddenly came close to hers.

A pair of deep eyes stared intently at her, and a flicker of panic flashed through Luo Ling’s eyes.

She realized that her monstrous strength… was gone. She couldn’t break free.

However, what happened next was unexpected. After a brief, intense gaze, Ji Ying released her grip in disappointment.

“So it’s not a Meat Puppet…”

She murmured, then glanced at the weapon in Luo Ling’s hand, frowning slightly. “Why are you carrying a pen? I thought you’d at least have a utility knife or something.”

Luo Ling shook her head. “I don’t have anything like that at home.”

Then, she became alert again.

“Who are you?”

“An officer from Jiangcheng County, or rather,” Ji Ying said flatly, “—an Awakened One.”

She looked at Luo Ling and continued, “An Awakened One, just like you.”

Luo Ling’s pupils constricted.

She looked at Ji Ying with shock, her chest rising and falling slightly.

Awakened Ones truly existed!

In reality, even Luo Ling herself had been uncertain about this.

Her mental state yesterday had been precarious, and even the most real sensations now felt as illusory as a mirage.

Because of her changed appearance and aversion to killing, Luo Ling had been forcing herself to avoid considering the other possibility.

That she had actually killed a doctor who wanted to treat her.

If that were the truth… Luo Ling might truly break down.

Seeing Luo Ling’s bewildered expression, Ji Ying pulled out the dagger from her waist and, to Luo Ling’s astonishment, sliced her palm, drawing bright red blood.

She raised her hand slightly so Luo Ling could see the dripping blood more clearly.

“Don’t worry, I’m not a Meat Puppet—a puppet of the Puppet Ballad.”

Seeing this method of proof, Luo Ling suddenly recalled that when she killed Li Tianming and Wu Qin, their flesh and blood seemed to be replaced by white threads.

Thinking back now, they must have been the mycelia of the Spores.

A sudden fear gripped Luo Ling. Would she also have this ability in the future?

She remembered the first skill in her mindscape, currently only 10% unlocked.

Would she be able to control this terrifying power in the future?

Luo Ling felt inexplicably afraid.

“I thought you had become a Meat Puppet during yesterday’s fight. Your aura was similar, but not quite…”

Ji Ying crossed her arms, studying Luo Ling with a scrutinizing gaze. “Of course, it’s better that you’re not. But this means I’ve lost a lead in tracking down the Puppet Ballad.”

“So, I really did kill the Puppet Ballad yesterday…” Luo Ling mused.

“Just two Meat Puppets,” Ji Ying corrected. “However, I can’t imagine how you dealt with the ‘Bone Doctor.’ She was a Second-Order Awakened One, after all.”

Bone Doctor? Second-Order?

She must be referring to Wu Qin… Second-Order, was that the rank of an Awakened One?

Luo Ling frowned slightly, but she was more concerned about something else.

“Then what you said to my sister just now… what was that about? Could it be…?”

“You actually believed that? Didn’t you kill them yourself?” Ji Ying raised an eyebrow. “After receiving the report yesterday, I came over and took care of everything. I even replaced the broken mirror in your room with a new one, leaving no trace.”

Luo Ling was speechless.

“It’s best not to mention the Puppet Ballad’s existence casually unless you’ve had direct contact with it, like you… It might be listening,” Ji Ying said with a grave expression.

“Mm…” Luo Ling pondered for a moment, then looked up. “Have you been tracking the Puppet Ballad?”

“Why, do you want to join?”

Ji Ying frowned slightly. “The Puppet Ballad is a high-risk Grotesquery, ranking within the top fifty. You seem to have only recently awakened… You probably know very little about Awakened Ones, let alone Grotesqueries.”

“But it has already threatened my life.”

“It’s fine, you and your sister can seek refuge at Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital.”

Seeing Luo Ling’s confused expression, Ji Ying explained, “Don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying you two are mentally ill. It’s just that there are many Awakened Ones there who can protect you.”

“…There are many Awakened Ones?” Luo Ling asked in surprise.

“Not exactly many, I don’t know that many myself,” Ji Ying shrugged. “I suggest you go to Qingshan Hospital for your own good.

“Heh, right now, no one knows how many Meat Puppets and how many Lambs are in Jiangcheng County… let alone the ones hiding deeper, it’s impossible to tell them apart.”

Luo Ling rubbed her temples, her head spinning from the unfamiliar terms.

“Officer Ji, why don’t you tell me a bit about Awakened Ones and Grotesqueries? I don’t understand what you’re talking about…”

After waking up today, she had spent a lot of effort accepting everything, but Ji Ying’s appearance had reshaped her worldview once again.

The Grotesquery Sequence, the Awakened One ranks, more information about the Puppet Ballad, and the strangest thing of all, a psychiatric hospital being a base for Awakened Ones…

Thinking of this, Luo Ling’s expression turned strange.

However, considering that her experiences had been dismissed as hallucinations by her sister, it wasn’t entirely incomprehensible.

“It seems you really don’t know anything.”

Ji Ying looked at Luo Ling meaningfully. She hadn’t let down her guard until this moment.

“I can tell you everything, but you need to be mentally prepared,” Ji Ying said slowly, her expression serious and somber. “Because what you’re about to face is a part of the ‘real’ world.”

“Shall we go to the police station to give our statements first, and then you can explain in detail?” Luo Ling blinked.

“…After I’ve said all this, do you think we still need to take statements?” Ji Ying’s stern expression faltered slightly.