The Grotesque Miss’s End Story 52

Chapter 52: Eradication

The children didn’t seem to fully realize that “Old Man Huang” had become a grotesque monster.

In their eyes, he seemed just as he always had been.

Why…?

There was only one answer.

They were also Meat Puppets of the Puppet Ballad, also playing roles assigned by the Grotesquery.

“Puppet Ballad…”

A tragedy orchestrated by the Puppet Ballad was unfolding in Baiyan Village, the curtain far from falling.

Everything was fake.

The villagers were fake, the peaceful atmosphere was fake, all of it was fake.

The real Baiyan Village was buried in the hellish subterranean cavern, becoming the soil from which this tragedy bloomed.

“Go somewhere else?” An Yu hesitated. “But there’s only one entrance to Baiyan Village… everywhere else is just mountains and forests.”

“…”

Luo Ling didn’t reply. She had just sensed the connection with her scouting Spores being severed.

This had almost never happened before. Even in the subterranean cavern, she had chosen to withdraw the Spores herself, unable to withstand the mental assault.

And the Spores whose connections had been severed… were just up ahead.

They had been exposed.

…It was too late.

The boisterous children suddenly froze, turning to look at Luo Ling and the others, their eyes devoid of childish innocence, filled only with a bone-chilling coldness.

“Run!”

Luo Ling didn’t hesitate. She immediately turned Elsa’s wheelchair around and ran.

An Yu reacted a beat slower. Only when she saw a two-meter tall, wrinkled husk of skin, animated by white mycelia, peeling itself off the wall of the small store, its bulging, distorted eyes fixated on her, did she finally realize the mortal danger approaching.

Perhaps it was because of their earlier reckless actions in killing “Old Man Huang,” or perhaps because the Puppet Ballad was gradually awakening…

The peaceful facade of Baiyan Village had been torn apart, revealing its monstrous fangs.

“Run… run!”

An Yu finally snapped out of her daze and ran, leaving behind the bag of fruits and vegetables her grandma had given her, only carrying her backpack filled with equipment.

“Elsa’s ability can’t completely kill Meat Puppets. It only shredded ‘Old Man Huang’s’ outer layer… The exposed Grotesquery is barely maintaining its programmed behavior. If we’re not careful…”

Luo Ling had a few chilling theories, all of which would worsen their current situation.

“Run towards the forest, away from the villagers,” Luo Ling’s voice echoed in An Yu’s mind.

“Ah… okay!”

An Yu nodded and immediately plunged into the nearby forest.

In direct combat, her useless ability would only be a burden, but when it came to running… few in the group could match her.

Even Luo Ling and Elsa, who had started running first, were a few steps behind her.

However, An Yu thought Luo Ling wanted them to stay away from the villagers to protect them, when in reality, it was to protect themselves.

After “Old Man Huang” was awakened, the children were also awakened, meaning these Meat Puppets shared senses to a certain extent.

Luo Ling’s first theory was that this awakening was area-based, meaning when one was awakened, all nearby Meat Puppets would shed their disguises. Her second, more terrifying theory was… the entire village had awakened at this moment.

Regardless, the forest was their only escape route.

Luo Ling didn’t dare release her Spores anymore. She wasn’t sure if it was the Spores or something else that had triggered the Meat Puppets’ awakening.

Perhaps the peaceful facade of Baiyan Village had been a fragile illusion, destined to shatter the moment they stepped inside.

They could only become Meat Puppets, or become the Meat Puppets’ prey.

“Big Sister Bai, I can…”

Elsa said as they ran.

“It’s useless. Their souls and consciousness can’t influence their physical actions,” Luo Ling said softly. “Your ability won’t work, just like your voice has no effect on me.”

“Why?”

Elsa was taken aback.

“Because this Grotesquery’s path is Silent Demise, controlled only by the flesh,” Luo Ling replied.

“Ah, Big Sister Bai, how did you know…?”

Elsa stopped mid-sentence, seeing Luo Ling’s grim expression, and wisely kept quiet.

Perhaps this was Big Sister Bai’s secret, and she shouldn’t pry.

Just like she had her own secrets she didn’t want others to know.

Just then, An Yu, who was running ahead, suddenly stopped and turned back to Luo Ling and Elsa, her face filled with terror.

“Go back, Xiao Bai, Xiao Qian, quick… run back!”

Luo Ling looked up and saw several smaller Meat Puppets blocking their path.

The Meat Puppets wore the tattered remains of children’s skin, their faces, torn into pieces, clinging to masses of white mycelia.

Was it teleportation?

But their movements weren’t fast…

So why were they ahead of them?

Luo Ling looked around, and her blood ran cold.

It wasn’t that the Meat Puppets were blocking their path, but that their path was leading them towards the Meat Puppets.

The Grotesquery’s barrier in Baiyan Village was manipulating their escape route, leading them straight into the Meat Puppets’ waiting arms.

…A ghost wall.

But if they took a step back, a two-meter tall Meat Puppet, wearing “Old Man Huang’s” terrified face, was closing in on them.

“We have to break through.”

Luo Ling took a deep breath, stopped, and drew her dagger.

At the same time, Elsa didn’t hesitate. While the smaller Meat Puppets were still some distance away, she uttered a few words.

“Ci!”

“Yi!”

“Mie!”

The Meat Puppets shuddered, the skin clinging to them tearing further, the faces on the skin contorted in pain.

But their movements didn’t slow, still advancing towards them, driven by the white mycelia.

“I… I’ll help too!”

Finally facing the Grotesquery battle she had always dreamed of, An Yu’s heart was filled with conflicting emotions. She was facing the villagers of Baiyan Village, the people who had watched her grow up.

An Yu drew her bone blades and, alongside Luo Ling, who was charging forward, slashed at a Meat Puppet.

It was effective. The Meat Puppet was cut in half.

But before she could celebrate, the severed parts of the Meat Puppet reconnected, instantly healing.

And at the same time, the Meat Puppet reached out its “hands” and grabbed An Yu.

“This…”

Whether it was mental or physical attacks…

These Meat Puppets seemed completely impervious.

“An Yu, look out!”

Bai’s slightly anxious voice echoed beside her ear, but the “hands” were unavoidable.

A gust of wind swept past, and An Yu crashed to the ground.

Along with her right arm, almost half of her body had vanished in an instant.