The Grotesque Miss’s End Story v3c68

Chapter 68: Puppet

After Luo Ling and Mao Ke finished their conversation, the isolating barrier dissipated.

Just then, Mao Ke felt a slight prickling sensation on her skin, like a premonition. She looked up and saw Linna aiming a firearm at her, her expression wary.

She paused for a moment, then turned to Luo Ling.

“Miss Cen, your knight is quite dedicated.”

The reason she called Luo Ling “Miss Cen” again was because Mao Ke had once again hidden the memories from within the isolating barrier into her consciousness, but her attitude hadn’t changed much.

This was a perfect concealment method. To deceive others, one had to first deceive oneself.

No matter what methods the Doomsday Messengers’ higher-ups used, they couldn’t find any trace of betrayal on Mao Ke, because even she didn’t know she was a traitor.

Mao Ke wasn’t some naive little bunny. Even before becoming a Messenger, or even a Doomsday Messenger, she held a high position in Columbia and was always on the front lines of the war against Puppet Ballad.

And Puppet Ballad’s most terrifying aspect wasn’t her combat power, but her omnipresent infiltration, so Mao Ke was very familiar with both infiltration and counter-infiltration, not just relying on the self-deception ability provided by Su Wan.

Even the most powerful ability ultimately needed a skilled user.

Undoubtedly, Mao Ke was a very skilled user.

“I’m fine, and she’s fine. Linna, put the gun down,” Luo Ling said softly.

She stared at Mao Ke, who was smiling as usual, feeling even more unable to understand her.

Her outward frivolity, occasional seriousness, and the faint sadness in her eyes… even after learning about Mao Ke’s past and the truth, Luo Ling still felt that everything about this last Columbian warrior remained a mystery.

However, since this was all arranged by her sister, Luo Ling decided not to delve into it for now.

She didn’t trust Mao Ke, but she trusted her sister.

Moreover, the matter of Columbia had always been a knot in her sister’s heart. If this operation with Mao Ke could alleviate it somewhat, Luo Ling was happy to see it happen.

“…Yes.”

Linna nodded slightly and put away the long firearm, but her expression remained wary.

Mainly because Mao Ke had suddenly pulled Luo Ling into an isolated space mid-conversation, and she couldn’t understand Mao Ke’s intentions.

They were currently deep behind enemy lines. A slight misstep could lead to unimaginable consequences.

But now it seemed there was no need to worry too much. Miss Luo Ling had reached some kind of agreement with Mao Ke. At least her attitude was different from before.

However, even knowing this, Linna still felt a slight aversion towards Mao Ke.

…Perhaps it was because Mao Ke always looked at Miss Luo Ling with those strange eyes?

“But you’re right. Even if I wanted to report, I couldn’t. Boss Zi Ke is out on a trip,” Mao Ke put her hands behind her head and walked towards the door leisurely, saying casually, “Even Sister Yin Ke went to deal with the Speakers. Only Elder Chou is still at home.”

“This is… the movements of the three original Messengers?”

Luo Ling’s pupils constricted, but Mao Ke had already left.

Luo Ling resisted the urge to chase after her. Since Mao Ke didn’t tell her about this in the isolated space, it meant that, in her sister’s plan, she wasn’t needed for now.

This was deep behind enemy lines, and just as Mao Ke said, with Elder Chou’s omnipresent surveillance, even she had to constantly maintain a state of self-deception, afraid of being exposed.

If that happened, her previous efforts would be wasted, resulting in a complete failure.

The three original Messengers weren’t easy to deal with. In other words, being able to survive for so long, it was always better to overestimate them.

Mao Ke wasn’t afraid of death. She had already died once, and even Columbia, the place she dedicated her life to, had been completely destroyed. She was only afraid of dying meaninglessly.

Since there was now hope of completely destroying the Doomsday Messengers, Mao Ke wouldn’t take any unnecessary risks.

“Phew…”

Watching Mao Ke leave, Luo Ling’s expression relaxed, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Recalling her recent experiences, a warm feeling surged in her heart.

At least now, unlike in Victoria, she was no longer fighting alone. Facing even more complex and powerful enemies, she had her family by her side.

Even deep behind enemy lines, she could still feel her sister’s presence.

However, for Linna, who was still clueless, Luo Ling, after some consideration, only revealed part of the information, indicating that Mao Ke was actually an ally.

Mainly because she didn’t want to disrupt her sister’s plan. Linna wasn’t a skilled Puppet Ballad user. Knowing too much might backfire, so it was best for her to remain undercover within the Doomsday Messengers for now.

After learning this, Linna had a strange look on her face for a moment, then scratched the back of her head and said, “Even so, I still think she’s creepy…”

“Mao Ke… is indeed a strange person.” Luo Ling said, then, thinking of Mao Ke’s past, she sighed. “But thinking about it carefully… it’s… quite normal.”

As a Puppet Ballad user herself, she knew the pain of being completely controlled by Puppet Ballad.

Moreover, Mao Ke’s situation was different from Linna’s. Luo Ling controlled Linna to save her life, and even so, Linna had a period of adjustment.

And Puppet Ballad back then was a true Grotesquery, naturally not considering Mao Ke’s feelings when acting.

Coupled with the situation in Columbia…

Mao Ke having any kind of personality now was normal.

“Miss Luo Ling, please don’t say things I don’t understand.”

Linna pouted, and Luo Ling detected a hint of jealousy in her tone.

“It’s just a casual remark, don’t mind it.” Luo Ling said. “Half a month… I have other matters to attend to. I’ll leave this side to you, Linna.”

After these words, she immediately diverted her attention elsewhere.

Her body softened slightly and collapsed. Linna quickly reached out and caught her.

Looking at Luo Ling’s sleeping face, the slight displeasure in Linna’s heart gradually dissipated.

Miss Knight looked up slightly towards the door where Mao Ke left, then down at Miss Luo Ling, who was busy elsewhere, and sighed softly.

“Miss Luo Ling… how can I… not be concerned about you?”

…….

Outside the door, Mao Ke had a satisfied expression, as if she had just eaten a full meal, almost exclaiming in satisfaction.

But soon, after taking a deep breath, she composed her frivolous expression, a serious look returning.

“I didn’t expect… such an outcome…”

Mao Ke’s interest in Luo Ling and Su Wan’s story wasn’t just about shipping sisters.

As a direct victim of Puppet Ballad, Mao Ke was actually quite interested in the White Witch replacing Puppet Ballad, wanting to know what exactly changed them.

However, she hadn’t had many opportunities to learn about it.

After all, only a few knew the truth about Jiangcheng County. Even when Mao Ke learned about Puppet Ballad’s reappearance, she couldn’t gather any relevant information, even through the Doomsday Messengers’ channels.

Then, Su Wan contacted her directly through their consciousness. Mao Ke still remembered the instinctive, bone-deep fear she felt when their consciousness reconnected. The shadows of the past returned, and she even had the urge to commit suicide.

Unfortunately, before Puppet Ballad, even suicide was an unattainable luxury.

However, Su Wan’s change was something she hadn’t anticipated. When Su Wan told her about the final struggle of Columbia, Mao Ke shed tears for the first time in seven hundred years.

She hadn’t expected that her homeland had ultimately achieved victory, even though the price was the entire Columbia.

However, Mao Ke didn’t completely trust Su Wan. Although she followed Su Wan’s arrangements, orchestrating a shocking attack on the Doomsday Messengers’ headquarters, spreading countless controlling spores, and creating chaos for the Doomsday Messengers to exploit.

But… Mao Ke never let her guard down.

Because the other party was Puppet Ballad.

Until… she met Luo Ling.

Mao Ke’s contact with Luo Ling was actually instructed by Su Wan from the beginning, but even she deceived herself, thinking it was just a coincidence. This was the safest approach.

Through interacting with Luo Ling, Mao Ke gradually understood the White Witch, who replaced Puppet Ballad.

Through Luo Ling, Su Wan, in her impression, gradually transformed from the terrifying Puppet Ballad into a sister who deeply loved her little sister.

Even if Luo Ling hadn’t initiated this confrontation and confession, Mao Ke would have found a chance to talk to her eventually.

“These sisters are truly…”

Thinking of them, Mao Ke’s expression softened considerably.

Although she was still stubborn, Mao Ke could now confirm that they were completely different from the Puppet Ballad she knew.

The most significant difference was…

Luo Ling and Su Wan always treated her as an independent individual, not a puppet.

Even when Luo Ling was dissatisfied with her distrust of her sister, she didn’t think it was just a puppet defying its master.

Mao Ke reached out and touched the ugly white patches on her face, concealed by some method, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

“If you keep treating me like this, I’ll almost forget… that I’m just a puppet with self-awareness.”

Even now, Mao Ke was still Puppet Ballad’s puppet.

As long as Su Wan had a single thought, everything about Mao Ke would be exposed before her. Not just her identity within the Doomsday Messengers, even the diapers she wore as a baby would be known.

But Su Wan didn’t do that, and her sister, Luo Ling, didn’t have such thoughts either. They treated Mao Ke as an independent person.

Regardless of their attitude, to Mao Ke, this was unimaginable respect.

“Why does this kind of Puppet Ballad seem even more terrifying? Even my consciousness is controlled by this gentleness…”

A strange thought appeared in Mao Ke’s mind, but even she found it amusing.

Regardless, now… was her happiest moment.

Luo Ling had asked her what kind of scene she saw when directly facing Doomsday. Mao Ke had been a little playful, but the actual answer was even more unexpected.

She didn’t see anything in the Doomsday Revelation.

Because at that time, Mao Ke was already in the midst of doomsday, and didn’t need It to bestow any revelation.

For her, the most despairing moment had already passed.

……

During this half month, Luo Ling was actually completely offline.

She realized this the moment she stepped through the door, knowing that all her consciousness would inevitably be drawn in, so she made arrangements in case of emergency.

First, she pulled Linna out, preventing her from directly facing Doomsday, because Luo Ling wasn’t sure what would happen and didn’t want Linna to take any unnecessary risks.

Thus, Linna achieved the record for the fastest Doomsday instance clear.

Second, her main body was being watched over by her sister, so there was no need to worry. The most important was the Xuanyuan clan’s situation.

However, since Luo Ling knew the Doomsday Messengers’ true situation, already preoccupied due to her sister and Mao Ke’s joint efforts, she had Xuanyuan Mu Yan temporarily station her forces at the two branch stations for rest and recuperation.

Doing so in the past would have been risky, but… the risk came from the Doomsday Messengers, and since they were currently dealing with their own internal issues, they naturally couldn’t threaten the Xuanyuan clan’s void battleship fleet.

Of course, this wasn’t a long-term solution. Half a month had passed. After a round of rest and resupply, the void battleship fleet had to set sail again.

Through Mao Ke, Luo Ling obtained the detailed locations of all branch stations, even the specific locations of the Twelve Hours of Doomsday. The former was information Mao Ke could access as a Messenger, the latter was the result of Su Wan’s infiltration.

“Should I find an unlucky target?”

Luo Ling thought carefully for a moment and chose a Messenger.

Chen Ke.

Almost all the branch stations under his control were lost in this internal strife, only Chen Station and its satellite station remained.

The others, unable to be maintained, were handed over to Chou Ke, just like the Hai Station where Luo Ling’s puppet and Linna were currently staying.

Even so, both Chen Station and its satellite station were quite vulnerable, and the two stations combined were indeed sufficient for the void battleship fleet to be stationed long-term, even supporting each other. They were the perfect targets.

Almost all other branch stations were under Chou Ke’s control, and Luo Ling didn’t want to confront this original Messenger for now.

“By the way, Miss Mu Yan, I need to utilize some of the Xuanyuan clan’s resources. Is that possible?” Luo Ling asked.

Xuanyuan Mu Yan was currently beside Luo Ling’s Black Kite puppet. This period could be considered a life-or-death moment for the void battleship fleet. Her every command could lead to a different outcome.

Bringing these brothers and sisters home was Xuanyuan Mu Yan’s top priority now.

“Just say it.”

Xuanyuan Mu Yan said seriously.

She wasn’t completely inexperienced in commanding battles and blindly following Luo Ling’s advice. It was just that, in the current situation, she didn’t have a better plan.

Not everyone could casually travel through the void…

In this completely unfamiliar place, Xuanyuan Mu Yan placed absolute trust in Luo Ling, entrusting her own life and the lives of all her brothers and sisters in the void battleship fleet to her.

“There might be a considerable price after this is over,” Luo Ling pondered for a moment and said, “Because the other party’s asking price is always quite high.”

“Hmm?”

Xuanyuan Mu Yan was slightly stunned.

“However, the result should be as you wish.” Luo Ling smiled faintly. “We’re… going to kill a Messenger.”

The internal strife caused by her sister before was just a minor inconvenience to the Doomsday Messengers. Only the death of a Messenger was a true loss.

Hearing this, Xuanyuan Mu Yan said almost without thinking, “If that’s the case, the Xuanyuan clan is willing to pay any price!”

Mentioning killing a Messenger, she immediately became energized. Her mother was constantly targeted by the Doomsday Messengers because she killed one of their Messengers. For the Xuanyuan disciples, this was a true badge of honor.

And the price the Xuanyuan clan was willing to pay to kill a Messenger was unimaginable, truly “any price.”

After these words, Xuanyuan Mu Yan added, looking at Luo Ling with burning eyes, “This is the consensus of the Xuanyuan clan, no need to consult the elders.”

“In that case… I understand.” Luo Ling smiled faintly and sent a message into Xuanyuan Mu Yan’s mind. “This is the specific location and their deployment. I’ll leave the rest to you. Just command as if there’s no Messenger present. I have other arrangements.”

“Chen Station, Chen Ke?” Xuanyuan Mu Yan’s eyes flickered, and she nodded firmly. “Okay!”

Saying this, she turned and quickly left the room, beginning to issue commands, mobilizing the void battleship fleet that had been dormant for a while.

“Alright, it’s time for me to move as well…”

Luo Ling breathed a sigh of relief, closed her eyes, and began to withdraw her consciousness.

Xuanyuan Mu Yan thought Luo Ling wanted to kill Chen Ke, but that wasn’t the case.

One Chen Ke wasn’t enough. Three had died at headquarters, and the Doomsday Messengers were still active.

So, the one she truly wanted to kill… was Chou Ke.

What would happen if an original Messenger died?

However, before that, she had another deal to discuss.

“A long-awaited reunion, Speakers.”