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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 481: Human Skin Puppet (Part 44)
The wild ghost had stolen the memories of Mi from my mind and put me into a deep hypnosis. A fleeting thought crossed my consciousness, something that felt particularly significant to me. But in an instant, I was captivated by the sight before me, and the one calling my name was none other than Mi.
Mi appeared so vividly in front of me that I couldn't help but chase after her. Various kites fluttered in the wind, making a delightful sound as they danced joyfully. The patterns on the kites were lifelike, featuring eagles, centipedes, and even Sun Wukong.
Mi ran ahead, calling my name as she went. I smiled brightly, but just then, a kite seemed to snap its string and fell directly onto my face. In a flurry, I tried to pull it off, but at that moment, I heard someone say to me, "Ma Qi, you’ve been hypnotized. If you don’t wake up soon, Qin Jian will really be in trouble."
As I heard the voice, a flash of white shadow flickered before my eyes—a vague silhouette stood in front of me. I felt as though I had seen this White Shadow before, but I couldn't recall where.
"Do you remember me now? I am an ancient spirit trapped within a terrifying Evil Arts talisman. You freed me, and in gratitude, I tried to stop you from falling into this trap. But you insisted on proceeding, which led to your further hypnosis. Everything you see now is an illusion."
An illusion! How could I truly wake up from this?
The White Shadow was a woman with a slender figure; her voice was melodious, like a lark singing. Yet no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t see her face clearly. Sensing my thoughts, she smiled gently and said, "I don't know what era this is. Although I'm just a Shadow, I still have consciousness. This era is unfamiliar to me, but I can distinguish between good and evil. As a Shadow, you cannot see my appearance; I've even forgotten what I look like..."
"Do you have a name?"
"I do—Qianmi."
"That sounds very similar to Mi's name... I was taken aback." With her reminder, I focused on strengthening my awareness and determination. Reciting the dispelling incantation silently, I summoned a Demonic Needle into my hand: "Dispel evil! Exorcism! Banish evil! Command and strike!"
The Demonic Needle shot forth with a swift whistle, piercing through the air. Before my eyes, it split the black curtain of illusion in two. At the same time, I saw the wild ghost dragging Ling Juan into the house. The girl was terrified and cried out hoarsely. Upon seeing me, she exclaimed with joy, "Brother Qi! Save me!"
The wild ghost likely did not anticipate that I could bring the Shadow spirit into the hypnotic space. After receiving a warning from the Shadow spirit, I broke through his illusion. Ling Juan was calling out, and he was taken aback. The eyes that had seemed particularly kind suddenly flashed with malice, yet he was reluctant to abandon the lamb that had come so close to his grasp. He let out a cold, sinister laugh, seized Ling Juan, and pointed his hand, instantly merging into what appeared to be a large mirror-like wall.
I rushed after them, momentarily stunned, questioning how to get past this wall. Just then, Qianmi appeared in time: "You can go in; just block out any distracting thoughts. This is the wild ghost's illusory space. If you hesitate any longer, that girl will be in danger." Her reasoning was sound; if I delayed further, Ling Juan would surely be at risk. Thus, I hurriedly blocked out my distractions and charged straight toward the wall.
As I prepared to enter, Qianmi added, "What you see inside may not be real, and what you hear may not be false; it all depends on your own ability to judge."
I didn't have time to respond to Qianmi. In truth, I wished she could come in with me. The boundary between the real world and this illusory space felt as thin as paper; passing through was like entering another realm. To my surprise, everything was filled with Dizzy fluff—pink everywhere. Upon closer inspection, I realized these were petals of a flower known as cherry blossoms.
The ground was covered in cherry blossoms, and there were trees adorned with them as well. Suddenly, it struck me that this illusory space had a unique setting, and in my memory, Japanese cherry blossoms were quite famous.
The wild ghost had filled his illusory space with so many cherry blossoms for one of two reasons: either he was originally Japanese or he had a particular fondness for Japanese cherry blossoms.
The drifting petals danced with the wind, their fragrance intoxicating. I had no time to admire the flowers; my focus was solely on finding Ling Juan, knowing full well that the wild ghost's cultivation was profound. This place not only featured cherry blossoms but also roads, sunlight, and a shack, all set up to resemble the real world almost perfectly—except it was too beautiful and flawless, giving it an unreal, ethereal quality akin to a dreamlike illusion. Anyone with weak mental fortitude would surely linger here unwillingly.
The cherry blossoms were stunning; the scenery was too perfect—bridges over flowing water with fish swimming beneath them, flowers blooming everywhere amidst lush grass. By the stream's edge were various green, orange, and golden plants whose names I couldn't recall. It was truly eye-catching and refreshing.
I scanned my surroundings warily; this place seemed untouched by human pollution—clean, fresh, and immaculate—as if every leaf had been meticulously washed. Not even a speck of dust could be seen. As I crossed the bridge, I faintly heard voices coming from the plants surrounding the shack by the stream.
At first glance, there were sounds of laughter from women followed by a man's hearty voice: "We have some rare guests coming soon! You sisters should take this opportunity to chat more; I'll go see if our special guests have arrived."
Could this rare guest be me?
I quickly hid behind a cluster of dense plants that grew perfectly without any flaws. Such plants did not exist in the real world; otherwise, how would I not know their names? Crouching beside the plants, I sensed someone approaching. After hearing rustling footsteps, someone laughed: "Can't wait to welcome them?"
I peeked out, seeing a man and a woman with their backs to me, facing the Wild Ghost. They looked somewhat familiar; could they be Qin Jian and Chi Xinrong? As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I really wanted them to turn around and look this way.
However, they never turned to face me. Instead, they casually followed the Wild Ghost inside.
It seemed I wasn't the special guest for the Wild Ghost after all. I let out a sigh, unsure of how to approach the people inside. If I rushed in carelessly, the Wild Ghost would surely frame me as a Thief or something similar. Even Qianmi had its implications; what I saw in this illusory space might not be real, and what I heard might not be false.
With two more people in the house, the laughter grew louder. I crept closer under the eaves, trying to support myself in a way that wouldn’t disturb those inside. I could only crouch down and slowly raise my head. Peering through the gap in the window, I caught a glimpse of the people inside.
There were three women and two men in the room, one of whom was the Wild Ghost. The other man still had his back to me, as if he knew I was watching and had prepared himself just to show me his back. Yet, there was something familiar about his silhouette; in this situation, my mind was a jumble, and I couldn't recall whose back it was.
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