Volume 1 Chapter 609

Chapter 609: Hostility and Puppets

The metallic liquid covered the "chef," and Lalea looked at Kanor.

In just a moment, she understood what Kanor meant by this.

"Is there something wrong with this guy? Is he… fake?"

Lalea asked.

"He is real, but he is just being ‘controlled,’" Kanor said, as the silver metal liquid surged and began to spread outward. "It’s very hidden… but it’s a technique similar to ‘controlling puppets.’"

The mercury-like metal surface drew fine threads, like dew hanging on thin strings, outlining an invisible and extremely subtle shape of magic.

That invisible magic spread into the surrounding darkness, thick and dense in all directions.

Like a spider web, it sank into the body of the "chef."

This made Lalea’s expression change slightly.

"That’s really disgusting…"

She complained like this, and Kanor started to laugh.

"Sister Lalea, do you know what is even more disgusting?"

Lalea looked at Kanor and immediately shook her head.

"You don’t need to tell me the details…"

"I didn’t ask if you wanted to know."

As Kanor said this, she released more metal liquid into the surroundings.

This metallic liquid seeped through the "protection" made by the Holy Light lantern and drew closer to the darkness.

Then, near the darkness, there were countless invisible, writhing threads that twisted, shaped by the drops of mercury.

They stretched out as if Lalea and Kanor were trying to find their way, but quickly withdrew as soon as they touched the Holy Light.

Lalea’s face instantly showed concern.

"Those who are consumed by darkness will become ‘puppets’… So, Sister Lalea, be careful."

"You can’t trust everyone you see."

As she said this, Lalea gave a slight nod.

"I’m not one to easily trust others either… But what should we do about this guy?"

Lalea pointed at the person swallowed by the "Versatile Kitchenware."

Kanor gently placed her hand on the round sphere made of liquid metal and then shook her head.

"The soul is already full of wounds; freeing him from his control will only lead to death."

"After all, this is the technique of ‘puppet manipulation’… Puppets, where is there any living thing?"

She whispered softly, and Lalea also showed a look of regret.

"I see…"

She didn’t feel too sad for this stranger.

After all, this was the normal state of this world.

In the lower levels of the United Kingdom of South Sotua, people died every day.

Killed by the Superoperators, or affected by the Superoperators’ actions.

Going out of the city to the magical mining zone to mine, dying from diseases caused by magic corrosion, or being eaten by magical creatures on the way back.

This was very common.

Lalea looked at Kanor, a little worried that this eight-year-old girl’s mindset might change.

She could still sense it; although her methods were extreme, this little girl…

Perhaps, at her core, could still be called kind.

However, seeing Kanor’s calm expression, Lalea quickly realized she was worrying too much!

Moreover, Kanor’s mindset was much better than she had imagined.

"Since there’s no hope, I might as well use him for some experiments," the little girl muttered to herself, and the metal liquid began to change.

The magic inside suddenly became active, as if it were about to burn!

However, at the moment the metal liquid changed its magic, a strong sense of hostility appeared from the surrounding "darkness"!

It seemed that something extremely terrifying was about to emerge from the darkness of the village!

Kanor immediately stopped, and the darkness slowly calmed down.

"I confirmed that ‘it’ can sense the actively released hostility and attacks," Kanor said softly, then she withdrew the metal liquid and took out an Abyss Daydream Fruit from her pocket. She crushed it with magic, turning it into purple mist, which she spread on the still shocked chef’s face, "And, the ‘puppet’ is also part of the darkness."

The chef who had been turned into a "puppet" slowly fell down.

"Isn’t this an attack and hostility?" Lalea couldn’t help but complain.

"Of course it’s not! I was filled with the mindset of ‘this is for his own good’ when I fed him this precious fruit that can restore his spirit," Kanor said, spreading her hands, "Alright, we now have a clever trick to deal with the ‘puppet’—let’s keep going."

The little girl said this, and Lalea was stunned.

Then, she laid the "sleeping" chef back down in the darkness.

Although in a sense he was already "gone," he was still "alive" as long as this darkness had not disappeared.

Let him walk through this final moment in the wonderful dream woven by Daydream Fruit.

Although she seemed very calm on the outside, Kanor felt…

"What an infuriating guy."

Hearing Kanor’s quiet murmuring, Lalea was slightly moved.

It turned out the little girl was not as calm as she had imagined.

She only appeared calm and did not let her emotions control her.

But this did not mean that Kanor had no feelings.

"Are we going to the banquet hall now?"

Lalea asked.

"Of course, let’s go to the banquet hall, see how many of those Church of Light people still have some resistance, and observe the ‘rules’ of this place…"

"Then think of a way to find the person behind all this and give them a good punch."

Kanor said calmly.

Now, no matter what purpose she intended to achieve, or how she originally planned to slack off and improve her reputation in the Church of Light…

She wanted to punch that hidden mastermind right in the face!

Even though she had not yet had direct contact with them, the way this "dark" master treated ordinary people, and even Superoperators, as lower beings, revealed their arrogance without a doubt.

It was a coincidence that Lolth had recently influenced her…

Kanor could not stand this at all.

At the same time, she needed to move quickly…

Kanor had already realized it.

If Master Lolth was also within the Holy Capital, she would not miss this situation!

Now is not a good time to meet Master Lolth!

Kanor thought about this and quickened her pace.

Meanwhile, in the corridor on the third floor of the Bennett family manor castle…

With the darkness growing thicker, Master Bennett’s steps also grew faster.

His steps became more hurried, and his voice grew colder.

"Hurry up, keep up with me."

"Don’t fall behind."

"We will arrive soon."

"Once we find my uncle, we will be safe."

"And… go even faster…"

As if urging the two, he kept talking.

Patricia could feel the waves of "power" in the other person’s voice.

It was like a knock on her very soul.

If it were not for the Holy Light shining on both of them now, after every sentence, she could feel a gentle power entering her soul…

No, even if this Holy Light power did not come from the Rod of Eden, a Divine Artifact…

I’m afraid both I and Dorothy would have already lost our will!

This is probably why I did not doubt the other person’s identity from the beginning…

This is a hint from the power of "rules"!

However, since the other person’s rank is limited, it cannot compare to the "purifying" effect of the Divine Artifact-level Holy Light.

But continuing like this is not a solution.

Patricia could only slowly pray that this path would not be too long!

She just hoped the other person had a reason not to keep going.

Otherwise, the situation for both her and Dorothy would become more and more difficult.

Because Dorothy could not unleash the full power of the Rod of Eden, this Divine Artifact.

Therefore, even the protection of a Divine Artifact could not resist or cancel all the "corruption."

Now, Patricia could faintly feel that a thought and urge had begun to rise in her heart, "Don’t think about anything, just keep following."

To resist this urge, Patricia’s casual prayers became more serious.

"Lord, blessed be, God of Light, this is your land, and I am working with the Lolth you have chosen… Even though I don’t believe in you, please bless me a little!"

And this sincere prayer seemed to have truly brought blessings and good luck…

That young master Bennett…

Finally stopped his steps in front of a big door!

This was a heavy but simple big door. It was easy to guess that behind the door should be a formal and serious place like the Bennett family’s meeting room or the elder’s study.

And looking at the denser "darkness" flowing from the crack in the door…

It was indeed impossible for Dena Bennett to be behind this door!

Young Master Bennett reached out his hand, as if he wanted to push the big door open.

"We’re almost there, we’re almost there."

He was mumbling to himself.

At the same time, the even scarier, denser "darkness" behind the door seemed to be stirred by him.

The "strange" sensation hidden within Young Master Bennett finally became visible.

Patricia and Dorothy noticed it one after the other…

From his body… no, to be precise, from his soul spread a countless number of threads, like silk, sinking into the surrounding darkness with extraordinary power.

"What is this?"

Like Lalea, Dorothy and Patricia’s first reaction was to feel a tingle on their scalps.

Dorothy couldn’t help but cry out in surprise.

However, it was fortunate that Young Master Bennett had clearly entered a kind of "trance" state, so he did not pay much attention to Dorothy’s soft exclamation.

Patricia shook her head as well.

"I don’t know… but…"

"This is an opportunity!"

As she said this, she shook the Green Sky Star Heaven in her hand.

"Ancient stars, please lend me your fleeting light, so that I may shine as you do in this moment!"

Patricia softly sang, and a gentle starlight radiated from her and the magic wand of Green Sky Star Heaven!

The starlight sparkled, but only for a brief moment!

Yet in that fleeting instant, the starlight shone a hundred times brighter than the Holy Light sword that Dena Bennett had used before!

This is the way of expertise…

Throughout this journey, though there were no "senses" at all…

Patricia, as the Great Sage, was always "thinking"!

She was pondering which spell she had mastered was truly the most suitable.

In such a situation, using a forbidden spell recklessly might not be the best choice.

After all, even though she couldn’t quickly come up with a "pattern" like Kanor had…

Seeing Dena Bennett’s circumstances, Patricia was also cautious about whether to use the "high attack."

Moreover, even the "Insaesya Fear Ray" might not truly pierce through the all-encompassing, seemingly endless darkness!

So, Patricia had only one goal…

That was to quickly deal with the "Young Master Bennett" in front of her.

Level eight Star Spirit Magic, a fleeting flash of light.

It could dispel mental attacks and curses while causing maximum shock and damage to hidden, sneaking, and uncertain enemies in the dark.

At the same time, it activated very quickly and faded just as fast—there was a chance it could go unnoticed by the "darkness," possibly avoiding being targeted for an attack!

This was the best solution Patricia could think of!

Just as her spell finished, the threads deeply rooted in Young Master Bennett’s soul truly broke, leaving only a few.

Although he did not show any pain, his breath suddenly weakened.

At the same time, his movements became very awkward, like an online player whose connection suddenly failed and started lagging.

He turned his head in a mechanical and stiff manner.

"Hurry, I have opened the door—quickly go inside!"

As he said this, the surrounding darkness suddenly began to boil.

The "aura of terror" that had been felt around Dena Bennett suddenly reappeared in Patricia and Dorothy’s senses!

Clearly, even though the "Flickering Light" was fast enough…

It still could not escape or deceive the senses of this "darkness."

The door in front of Young Master Bennett swung open, revealing a darkness that felt almost solid!

And the darkness behind them began to boil, as if terrifying monsters were emerging!

Even Patricia could sense that something was "locking onto" her!

"Damn it!"

She instinctively raised the Green Sky Star Heaven, frowning slightly, wanting to cast a protective spell for herself and Dorothy.

However, just as she began, the hostility grew even stronger.

"Patricia, stop! Don’t use any spells!"

Dorothy said this, then grabbed Patricia by her collar and pulled the Great Sage backward into the door!

Young Master Bennett continued to gesture "please," watching the two enter the room!

And in the next moment, the place where the two had stood…

A monster made of darkness on the ground opened its terrifyingly large mouth and fiercely bit at the air!