Chapter 319: Returning to Seagral Square
Translator: Pluto Editor: Vermillion
The sky had already turned dark. The last rays of the setting sun disappeared into the dark blue skies. Once the sun had gone down, a few hundred lights lit up within Free District. Different Posthumans have different abilities and items so they each used their own means to illuminate the place. Some of the lights were like a resplendent, shimmering river. Others were like dancing flames. When she looked across the dilapidated city, it was like a dreamscape.
When Lin Sanjiu found herself standing in front of a nondescript residential building, she turned behind her and shot a glance at Soulsqn who had been quiet.
Even though Soulsqn was still wearing the same old skin, as time passed, she began to look different from the blonde-haired Walter. Soulsqn had a peculiar aura which made people uncomfortable. She seemed to be able to express this aura despite the skin she was wearing. It gradually changed the body to a point that it was a little difficult for Lin Sanjiu to remember Walter's original face.
If Lin Sanjiu was honest, she was actually quite grateful.
"If you want to change your human skin," she whispered and tried her best so that Muntjac wouldn't hear her, "I have a few empty skins with me. You can wear them. When we enter the Progressor Alliance's base, you must not lay your hands on anyone."
After Marlon's ambush, Lin Sanjiu was still wary of Soulsqn.
If that thing was adamant about getting a new body, she could use her illusion ability on any of those Growth-type members. If that was the case, the threat they posed was going to be far greater than Marlon. With this in mind, Lin Sanjiu decided to just fulfill Soulsqn's wishes.
"You chopped off my legs. I need to absorb a living person before I can generate the corresponding limbs," Soulsqn laughed, "Even though I can enter another empty skin, it wouldn't make a difference."
"If that is the case, you can let AYU carry you forever." After Lin Sanjiu said that, she suddenly thought of something, "Oh, unless you meet my enemy."
As continued as she walked, "He had converted many living humans into marionettes. If you see him, maybe you can wear one of those bodies. I really don't know which of you is more disgusting…"
Soulsqn clicked her tongue behind Lin Sanjiu. Although Soulqn had recently shown more human-like behaviors, it did not improve the impression Lin Sanjiu had about her. "They are wearable but unconsumable. If that is the case, it is more convenient to just use an empty human skin."
When Lin Sanjiu heard these words, she felt a warm night breeze on her face. She heard the sound of her hair rustling past her ears. Free District had a very comfortable climate at night, it was like an onsen.
However, Lin Sanjiu froze when she felt the hair on her back standing on end.
Progressor Alliance's short building was not far now. As she approached the building, she noticed that it was shoddily built. It was like someone had just stuck some wood and bricks together and made her wonder why it still had not collapsed. Muntjac Bai was just a few steps ahead of her. When he noticed that she had stopped, he was puzzled and turned behind to look at her.
Ignoring him, Lin Sanjiu turned behind and slowly narrowed her eyes and looked at Soulsqn, "How do you know that you can't absorb those puppets?"
The latter smiled again and gave her an unexpected answer, "I've seen them."
Lin Sanjiu heard soft footsteps approaching them.
Lin Sanjiu did not turn her head back, "Why didn't you tell me something like that earlier?"
"You didn't ask."
"Miss Lin, I forgot to ask you something. Who are your two friends?" Muntjac asked with a mild voice.
Before Lin Sanjiu could answer, she had already raised her skeletal wings slowly. The sharp bones sprawled open and blocked something. The thing hit her wings with a thud. It rolled off her wings and when she lowered her head, she saw a round ball.
The moment she saw it, her whole body reacted before she could even process her thoughts. Lin Sanjiu jumped upwards almost instinctively, thrusting her body upwards. It was only then that a thought flashed in her mind. She had seen that thing many times before in Kisaragi Station. It was a Ripple Sphere.
A loud explosion rang out behind her, as a warm blast of air rushed toward her. It was only then that she remembered something. She quickly pulled her black rope toward her. AYU who had been running crazily behind her managed to rush forward a few more meters with the additional momentum from Lin Sanjiu pulling the rope. Unfortunately, they were too close to the blast. They were caught by the strong gust of air and they were flung some distance away before landing heavily on the ground.
As Lin Sanjiu reacted quickly, her injuries weren't that bad. It was a different story for the other two Souls. They were only wearing humans suits. With that particular explosion, their human skins had become torn and tattered, revealing the red flesh underneath them. If the black rope didn't hold some of their skin together, they probably would even lose their human shapes.
A skinny silhouette emerged from the thick smoke and became clearer and clearer. Muntjac slowly walked out from the dust and embers. He looked at Lin Sanjiu and the other and was slightly surprised. The Souls were different from the other puppets he had previously seen, as they were very much alive.
"Huh?" he stared at the two Souls. "What are those?"
Lin Sanjiu panted as her face darkened. She climbed up from the ground. Amidst the smoke, an emotionless white face peered out from a window in the residential building.
Lin Sanjiu could feel the pit of her stomach churn a little as she asked with a hoarse voice, "Where are Reno and Rena?"
Progressor Alliance's meeting point in Seagral Square had obviously been raided by Puppeteer. If a person could figure out that meeting spot and also identify her as a 'Brain', the children had either joined the Puppeteer or something bad had already happened to them.
She did not know which answer was scarier.
However, Muntjac gave her a very vague answer, "They had been taken away by Father."
"Was he referring to Puppeteer? But, at least the two kids are still alive when they were brought away —" Just as that thought emerged, Muntjac made a gesture and suddenly expressionless faces appeared from all four corners of the alley they were on. Just like a nightmare, they walked toward them slowly and quietly. Their eyes were all on her.
If there were only two or three of them, Lin Sanjiu would have tried to fight them even if they still have their ability. However, one thing Puppeteer did not lack was puppets.
After she made a quick survey of her surroundings, she knew that there was at least a few dozen humanoid puppets. If each of them threw one Ripple Sphere, Lin Sanjiu would be blasted to bits. She made a quick decision and before they could surround her, she pulled the Souls behind her and started to run.
The sound of footsteps rang out behind her immediately. Unlike the footsteps of normal people, those puppets' footsteps were extremely uniformed. Their feet would always fall on the same beat. Yet, it did not hinder them from moving quickly. They immediately chased up behind Lin Sanjiu.
"What are you waiting for? Use your illusion!"
Lin Sanjiu's voice was marred with a furious annoyance. She wanted to just stop and tear each of those puppets to shreds but her rationality told her that she must not even slow down for a moment. Lin Sanjiu was angry at herself because of her own incompetence. Her eyes became red, "I don't care if you use your reality or illusions. Just be quick!"
"Do you think I haven't tried!" Soulsqn screamed back at Lin Sanjiu as she wobbled in AYU's arms. "Look behind. Among those puppets, that Muntjac guy is the only one with a conscious mind. Illusions don't work on things that don't have their own minds!"
"Your illusions don't work! And, you can't even absorb those puppets!" Lin Sanjiu snapped as she sprinted. There was a murderous malice in her voice, "What is the point of keeping you guys alive?!"
It was only then that Soulsqn remembered that she could do nothing much to the woman in front of her.
"Wait. Wait. Wait!" When she yelled those words, Lin Sanjiu had already grabbed AYU's collar. The skeletal wings on her back loomed dangerously above them. If those sharp bones swooped down, the two Souls would be riddled with holes. "There is another method. AYU can emit her pheromones—"
Lin Sanjiu glared at them with a pair of menacing eyes without any sign of clemency, "They are puppets!"
"Yes. But, their bodies are organic. They are not made of plastic. If they are still organic—"
Before she could finish her sentence, Lin Sanjiu yelled, "Do it!"
AYU stopped immediately and twisted her body sharply to look behind her. As she moved too violently, the black rope tore a huge piece of skin from her body. Her lower jaw fell from her face down to the level around her collarbone. Lin Sanjiu spotted a faint, fleeting pink in AYU's mouth.
No visible gas was emitted. With Lin Sanjiu's naked eyes, nothing in the air around them had changed. However, when Lin Sanjiu slowed down and looked back, she spotted the few puppets who were about to touch AYU starting to fall down noisily like bowling pins.
It was as if they had been caught by an invisible net. The puppets were running so quickly before. Yet, they fell one after the other. As the puppets running at the front of the pack fell so suddenly, those behind could not stop in time. They were tripped by their fallen companions and all of them fell into a chaotic pile.
"Run! Our pheromones are precious. We only have a very limited amount. We are not going to be able to stop those puppets behind!" Soulsqn said. This time, AYU ran faster and pulled Lin Sanjiu behind her.
With that short distraction, Lin Sanjiu didn't feel as anxious. She looked around and her eyes suddenly lit up. "Here!" She immediately changed her direction. When one of the puppets manage to chase up to them, it could only watch blankly as the three targets disappeared behind a rhombus door belonging to Seagral Square.