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.
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