Volume 4, Chapter 36: Wendy, My Suffering Surpasses Yours Far More Than You Realize

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Xia Chen returned to the Dominion Theater once again, only to find it in utter chaos.

It was clear that someone had caused havoc here, most likely Wendy, although he couldn't rule out others' involvement either.

His immediate task now wasn't to locate the dolls but rather to find Wendy herself.

Following the traces of battle, Xia Chen reached the auditorium's hearing seats.

How peculiar; not a single doll present to judge him.

A thoughtful expression flickered in his eyes. "Do they believe ordinary methods no longer work on me?"

Xia Chen never underestimated the intelligence of the Herrscher of Dominance. The term 'rabble' referred to a group united by common interests, but it did not imply they were fools.

Just as he was about to leave the Dominion Theater, his brows suddenly furrowed.

There was movement.

Amidst the scattered limbs of dolls in the audience seating, one figure began to rise.

The appearance of this particular doll seemed oddly familiar.

"Otto."

Staring at the masked individual, Xia Chen's gaze sharpened slightly. "Although I suspected it multiple times before, seeing it with my own eyes is still surprising."

Among these dolls, one was Otto's Soulium body.

He glanced deeply at Xia Chen and said, "I can tell you have many questions for me, and coincidentally, I too have numerous questions to ask you."

With that, Otto turned and began walking away.

Xia Chen immediately followed him.

Together, they stepped outside the Dominion Theater into a void-like space.

"You're not planning to exile me, are you?" asked Xia Chen while activating the World Anchor artifact. In the simulation scenario, Otto had exiled him once before. Although unsure of the source of this ability, Xia Chen used the artifact to prevent getting lost during the process.

"Oh, so you know about that as well." Otto narrowed his eyes, conversing as if with an acquaintance. "Fear not, for now, you still serve a purpose."

The implication was clear: Since you remain useful, I won't harm you.

This reflected Otto's arrogance. Despite Xia Chen causing multiple 'accidents,' they held little significance for the current Otto.

"The others might not know my intentions, but I believe you understand what I aim to achieve." Otto's eyes radiated arrogance and superiority. "I am confident in my success, for it is inevitable. I have gathered all the means necessary, leaving no room for failure, correct?"

"Yes, you have left no room for failure," Xia Chen agreed wholeheartedly.

It was evident that Otto had meticulously planned everything in Klostern.

If Kiana fails to meet his expectations, he would revert time by five hundred years to alter the outcome; if she succeeds, then he himself will fulfill one of the possibilities.

Regardless of the scenario, Otto ensures his victory.

"I'm just curious as to why you're in such a rush. I expected you to wait until other Herrschers emerged before initiating this plan."

"Because those with potential are not limited to you alone." Otto narrowed his gaze at Xia Chen.

"How can an ordinary person grasp the Authority of God? And how could anyone dare to make deals with divinity?" Otto continued, "I imagine you're equally intrigued, much like I am by your unique power."

"So, let us strike a deal."

Wendy had already saved countless individuals.

However, the stream of people being bound by dolls and brought to the theater seemed endless. Some were still struggling, but the majority gradually succumbed to their inner despair and transformed into dolls themselves.

This was a chaotic mob.

A kingdom of despair.

The ones she previously rescued crumbled under the relentless expanse of the seemingly infinite corridors. At that moment, Wendy abandoned her efforts to save more people, realizing it was futile.

There was no food or water here, yet the physical toll from constant battles remained significant. She decided to conserve her energy, ignoring everyone else, and focus on finding a possible exit. This was the wisest choice given the circumstances.

Wendy wasn't one with excessive empathy; most often, her actions were driven by reason, whether in combat or emotions. Rarely did anything cause her to lose control.

Along the way, she encountered several instances where people were being assimilated by dolls. Hearing the dolls' taunts towards them, she found it somewhat amusing.

However, these individuals were not like her, and she refrained from judging them.

Her only course of action was to eliminate every doll she came across.

Yet, the endless labyrinthine corridors seemed never-ending, making Wendy realize that continuing the search for an exit would be fruitless. In other words, this horde of dolls likely had no intention of allowing her to leave.

Her gaze slightly hardened.

"If that's the case, let's fight."

The girl did not despair but chose to adapt her approach. Since those dolls aimed to trap her here, she wouldn't make it easy for them either.

With this determination, Wendy began searching various corridors for dolls.

Ammunition was a strategic resource and needed to be conserved. Therefore, Wendy relied on hand-to-hand combat techniques involving both fists and kicks.

Feeling her stamina rapidly declining, she consciously started seeking supplies. Wendy believed there must be energy replenishing items here, as even dolls cannot escape the law of conservation of energy.

"I hope there can be normal food around."

Wendy felt somewhat weary.

The battles themselves were not challenging, but the lack of food and water, combined with the vast emptiness without finding an exit, could easily lead to mental breakdowns. Witnessing one person after another transforming into dolls heightened the sense of fear significantly.

Yet, she remained unafraid.

As time slowly passed, she located and eliminated each doll one by one, leaving only emptiness around her.

Eventually, when her physical strength reached its limit, Wendy had no choice but to find a place to rest, a sense of helplessness beginning to seep into her thoughts.

Suddenly, she noticed a thread wrapping around her.

Wendy took a deep breath and stood up.

"I won't let you succeed."

Pointing the gun at herself, she prepared to fire.

The golden thread instantly shattered.

"Why!" A sharp voice echoed as a doll emerged from an unknown location. "Why haven't you succumbed to despair despite everything?"

Clearly, driving Wendy to despair was part of the doll's plan.

Without hesitation, Wendy redirected the gun towards the doll.

"Because the pain I've endured far surpasses anything you could inflict."

A gunshot rang out.

Silence once again filled the theater.

At that moment, there was movement in the surrounding space near Wendy.

She looked over and saw Xia Chen appear.

"Apologies, I'm late."

His face appeared slightly pale, indicating he had likely been injured earlier. "Let's go, I'll take you out of here."

Wendy's eyes shimmered with emotion.

"Yes, but what about this place..."

"It will be taken care of," he reassured her.

Dealing with the Dominion Theater was not his responsibility; it was part of his deal with Otto.