met free Chapter 30 stole my spotlight
Chapter 30 stole my spotlight
When I groggily opened my eyes again, I found myself seemingly locked in a warehouse, staring at the high-tech lasers and falling silent once more.
He stood up, leaning against the wall, shook his head, and looked around at his surroundings.
"...I feel like I've seen this somewhere before?"
He tried to move, glanced at the key clipped to his waist, and breathed a sigh of relief: as long as he still had the key, he didn't have to worry about becoming a ghost if he didn't move around enough.
"But weren't Qiu Shui An Ke and I still inside the secret realm... how did we suddenly end up here?"
Looking confused, he remembered the hooded man he had encountered before losing consciousness, and patted his head in regret.
"How could I have fallen for that so easily... There was something wrong with it at first glance..."
The other party clearly intended to kill him, but it seems that he saved himself by using the key. The key issue is that he still doesn't know why the other party wanted to harm him.
"Anyway, it's inextricably linked to the world's consciousness... They can't lock onto me, so did they specifically hire someone to mess with me?"
But the disgust for the world's consciousness in the other person's eyes was genuine, and he could even clearly sense that the person was sincere when making the oath: otherwise, they wouldn't have gotten close so easily.
"Headache……"
After a brief analysis of the current situation, my system has finally regained its connection.
"Host! I'm so glad you're alright!"
"That wave of energy just now was designed to destroy your soul..."
"They even blocked out the original storyline..."
"I have no idea how he blocked me... he just tampered with the code..."
"Woooooooo..."
He nearly choked on his own saliva; he admitted he had indeed been in mortal danger. But he hadn't expected the other party to try and kill him outright. He'd finally managed to breathe a sigh of relief, and now he was being dragged back into this predicament.
Meanwhile, the system was also filled with lingering fear and kept making a racket.
"Thank goodness... the key's timing saved the host."
"It seems the other party also had some reason for leaving..."
"This scared the system to death! This system has never encountered anything like this before..."
The blue panel kept displaying crying emojis, making it impossible for him to calm down and think about everything. So, he could only try to comfort the other person first.
"I'm still alive, aren't I? Don't worry."
"Next time I see them, I won't believe a single word they say."
"Waaaaah, the system manual didn't teach me how to do this!"
"Host, next time you encounter this opponent, just run away first. If you can't beat them, don't fight. You can always outrun them."
That's for sure; it would be rather foolish not to run away if you couldn't win.
However, he was more interested in understanding his own situation, since he had been unconscious the entire time and had no idea what was going on.
"Host, you should now have been randomly teleported to a location by the key."
"As for other details, I'm not sure either. I was also trying to find a way to break free from their blockade on the way."
"And because the other party forcibly destroyed your frequency, the host will now become very sensitive to the frequencies around you..."
"The host's chances of traveling through time will now span a very large period, and the probability of that happening has also increased significantly."
Take care.
He nodded, indicating that he had remembered the system's instructions. He then officially began searching for clues, rummaging through the pile of wooden crates in front of him, and finally found a plank.
"This thing looks like an encrypted communication touchpad... How did it get here?"
"And what's written in the notebook on the other chair?"
He didn't rummage for long before he found something very important. He picked up the roster from the chair, looked at the names on it, and remained silent for a long time.
"The 'List of Members of the Returning Souls Mutual Aid Association'... This thing looks so familiar..."
"Isn't this the organization from the Yinlin mission?!"
Good heavens, where did I get this string of beads from?
The scene of this imprisonment felt strangely familiar. Had I stolen the role of the wanderer?
Now he understood what the touchpad in his hand was for. He could only thankful that he had become familiar with these tools while following the wanderer. After thinking for a moment, he decided to send out the code.
After doing all this, just as he was considering whether to transform into a phantom and leave, the warehouse's lasers activated, and a mature and sexy voice rang out.
"Awake? Then come out."
It was another familiar voice. He quickly went outside and, sure enough, saw the red-haired woman waving at him.
"Who are you? Where is this place? Why did you bring me here?"
Yinlin walked over and wasn't surprised that he would ask such a question; she simply began to explain.
"Yinlin, that's my name."
"This is the Soul Returning Mutual Aid Association, a place where we use doll bodies to fulfill our fantasies."
"I found you on the road. Master Yanshi took a liking to you the moment he saw you, so he brought you back."
"You've been unconscious for so long, I was even planning to go see Dr. Wu Sheng to check on you."
With just a few words, he analyzed the current situation: he had most likely been teleported outside by the key, and by some twist of fate, the other party had found him. Then the puppeteer took an interest in him and brought him back.
Good heavens, so that's how I stole the spotlight from the wanderer!
"Oh...so you're saying I can't leave?"
"If you want to die from poisoning... feel free to try it."
He laughed. The thing he feared least in his life was poison. He possessed a natural healing talent, not to mention his body was composed of frequencies, making poisons utterly ineffective.
Should we cooperate?
"OK then"
"...You seem to trust me quite a bit."
What else? Although I didn't watch the plot very closely, I could tell the other person was a good guy, and besides, if all else fails, his strength could make up for his weaknesses. Believing him wouldn't be a big deal.
Would you consider joining us?
"Perhaps it can make up for your past regrets."
"..."
"No need, no one important to me has left me yet."
In his past life, he was all alone. The few people he was truly close to in this life are probably doing quite well now.
So, which story point is the Wanderer at now? If I take this point, it shouldn't cause any problems, right?
Yinlin didn't say anything more, just nodded, and then led him forward.
"Looks like you're quite lucky."
"Whether you join or not, come and take a look first."
Since I had nothing better to do, I didn't refuse and followed the other person inside.
"Miss Yinlin...who is this person?"
"Master Yanshi's 'guest,' you need not be afraid."
He stood to the side without saying a word, but he could clearly sense that the child behind the other person was a doll.
He didn't speak, watching the other person as if they were his lifeblood. He didn't want to expose someone's dream, so he simply turned his head away silently.
"..."
Seeing that the other person didn't question her at all, Yin Lin raised an eyebrow slightly, but then led him to the next place.
Upon entering the camp, he heard a violent coughing fit. Frowning, he could clearly sense that the person before him was in dire need of medical attention—someone who would likely perish if they remained near the puppet any longer.
"Dr. Wu Sheng, how is Li Rong?"
"Cough cough cough... I'm fine..."
"As long as my daughter is still here, that's all that matters."
Li Rong saw the two people walk in. She struggled to defend herself, while simultaneously pushing her daughter further behind her, protecting her tightly.
"Who is this……"
Seeing that everyone's attention had turned to him, Mo Wunian, who had originally wanted to remain invisible, had no choice but to step forward.
"I was rescued; this doctor should have seen me before."
"Were they poisoned?"
Perhaps because his reaction was too ordinary, the others looked at him with a mixture of shock and seriousness.
Why are you looking at me? I didn't say anything wrong.
"If you should spend time with them, then do so."
"I can't possibly bother you."
"...You know that the people around us are all dolls, right?"
He tilted his head, blinked innocently, and then nodded.
"Um"
This left everyone even more bewildered. Perhaps because they had been discriminated against for so long, they were somewhat unaccustomed to seeing someone with such a normal attitude for the first time.
Mo Wunian didn't care about these things. Having received a modern education, he naturally knew that some people needed some kind of spiritual sustenance.
Anyway, they've decided they're willing to pay the price for this, haven't they?
As long as they don't hurt others, it's fine; after all, they haven't laid a hand on anyone he cares about.
He glanced at Yinlin, signaling with his eyes that there was anything else he wanted to tell him. Yinlin immediately understood and led him out.
"I didn't expect your attitude to be so calm."
Arriving at an open space, Yinlin spoke first, sharing her thoughts, and looked at the other person thoughtfully.
"They're just pitiful people who have lost someone important to them; it's normal for them to need something to hold onto."
"Ultimately, the price is paid on oneself; it's a kind of transaction. Especially considering they're all people who have suffered hardships."
"...However, their purpose in bringing me back wasn't that pure, was it? Or rather..."
His motives were never pure to begin with.
He could sense someone rapidly approaching, and after careful observation, he detected the frequency emanating from Chixia. He hadn't expected them to arrive so quickly, so he decided to prioritize advancing the plot as soon as possible.
Brother Chao, you can't blame me this time.
"You guessed pretty accurately."
"Everyone was just a test subject, used to help him complete the last two puppets."
"That naturally includes you, someone who is as famous as the wanderers of Imaizu."
He should thank them; they're practically on par with wanderers.
"You're different from what I expected; I have more information than that person."
“You should have had countless ways to escape, but in the end you chose to stay…”
"Even their attitude towards those dolls... is different from others."
He didn't know how to respond to Yinlin's evaluation. If he had to say something, he could only thank 21st-century education.
"I should thank my past education; everything I've experienced has shaped my attitude."
"I admire you more for treating those people and dolls this way under such circumstances."
Under Yin Lin's curious gaze, he simply shrugged and said nothing more.
"I'm even more curious about your secrets now... but someone's coming."
Seeing Chixia rushing over with a group of people, before he could even utter a word, he felt threads wrapping around his body.
I couldn't help but sigh once again that I had gone through this part of the story for Brother Chao.
"Hey!!! Release Mo Wunian right now!"
"If you dare to do anything to him, we won't let you get away with it!"
When Chixia saw that the hostage was Mo Wunian, she panicked instantly, unsure whether to put down her weapon or pick it up again.
"...We also have to thank Chixia for coming this time."
He muttered to himself: "If it were the Wanderer or Yangyang, they'd see right through his act. After all, the ability to manipulate the virtual and the physical at will is, in some ways, incredibly powerful."
"I won't do anything to him for now... but if..."
As soon as Yin Lin finished speaking, he felt a terrifying frequency instantly appear around him. Although he could tell it was being released towards the people around him, the familiar yet powerful sensation made him tremble all over, almost causing him to lose his composure.
Yin Lin clearly felt it too; the silk thread in her hand trembled slightly, but she quickly regained her composure and continued the performance.
"This person is also a guest of Imaizu; if anything happens to him, don't blame me."
He also gave Chixia a frantic look, signaling her not to act rashly. He wanted to convey that he was fine and that she shouldn't worry.
But he admitted that in some situations, one cannot rely on the other person's intelligence.
"Everyone...put down your weapons."
"...I'll send a message right away and have the wanderers come and help!"
"???"
No? Ma Xiaofang, what are you doing? You brought these wanderers here, do you even want the people here to live?
He was 100% certain that if the other party actually made a communication call, his solo operation would come to an end.
She gave him another frantic look, signaling him not to do it. This confused Chixia greatly; she held the terminal, unsure whether to call or not.
I can solve this.
I forced myself to lip-sync, and immediately sensed that Yinlin's condition was off; the message I sent him had also deviated significantly from the original plot.
"There's a problem with the puppet master. Come with me first."
A bad feeling crept into his heart, but he slowly followed the other person back. Just as they reached the factory gate, the other person released their restraints and bluntly explained everything to him.
"The puppeteer colluded with the Remnant Star Society, providing the Soul Returning Puppet that triggered overclocking, while the other side provided the resources and materials."
"I have no evidence, so I need your cooperation."
He stretched his body, but then spoke cautiously.
"Aren't you going to plant any listening devices on me or something? Wouldn't it be a bit inappropriate to just tell me directly?"
Yinlin had anticipated this situation, and nodded with some worry, his eyes showing a seriousness he had never seen before.
"I just received a distress call from the puppet master... The factory has been attacked."
"All the listening devices on you have been unilaterally cut off... The fact that they could do this means the other side has already infiltrated the factory..."
"We're in the final stages now... I'm not sure what went wrong."
"Although the other party has indeed done many wrong things, they were still the one who adopted me and raised me. Even if they are wrong, they should be punished by law."
Although he didn't know what went wrong with the original plot, he had a premonition—the reason for the error was probably related to him.
Nodding to indicate that she understood, Yinlin quickly opened the factory door, but the two of them were stunned by the scene before them.