Return to the Mortal Realm

"The Process of Assimilating the Puppet Was Quiet.

There were no grand manifestations, no miraculous treasures recognizing their masters, nor any strange, ethereal phenomena.

"Thank you, Director! I'm very satisfied with the puppet!"

Once the assimilation was complete, Yi Bai didn't immediately attempt to activate the puppet. Instead, he expressed his gratitude to Quirls. The puppet had been crafted quickly, and it perfectly met his expectations—it was portable, which was exactly what he needed.

It was clear that Director Quirls had put in a lot of effort, and a simple thank you seemed well-deserved.

"I'm glad you're pleased. Creating this puppet was the fulfillment of my lifelong wish. I should be thanking you instead!" Quirls responded courteously, clearly appreciative of Yi Bai's attitude.

"Would you like me to find a spacious area so you can test the puppet's abilities?"

Seeing that Yi Bai didn't seem inclined to activate the puppet immediately, Quirls couldn't help but ask. After all, if he didn't see his creation in action, he wouldn't be satisfied.

However...

Yi Bai shook his head. "No need. I'm already familiar with its capabilities from the feedback, so there's no need to test it further."

Quirls was momentarily speechless and found himself regretting how perfect he'd made the puppet.

The process of assimilation had been flawless. Once completed, the puppet's details and abilities were thoroughly conveyed to Yi Bai. The name "Parasitic Puppet" felt most fitting for what Quirls had crafted.

It wasn't just because the puppet possessed the strength of a Red-Clothed Ghost; it was much more than that.

On the surface, it was merely a puppet, but in reality, it could become many different puppets. That was because Quirls had cleverly preserved the parasitic ability of Jack, the Scarecrow, as part of the puppet's essence. He even incorporated another Red-Clothed corpse that Jack had left behind—an eerie, bound body that adorned the puppet's crucifix.

The first level of the puppet's activation involved this bound corpse. The body would detach from the straw cross and assume its original form, becoming a fully functional puppet capable of wielding Red-Clothed Ghost-level strength. However, it didn't have any extraordinary abilities—its main strength was its resilience and recovery.

The second level activated the scarecrow's body—essentially the straw cross itself. The parasitic straw, which was both flexible and sharp, possessed the ability to grow, extend, and entangle its foes. Its most dangerous feature was that Yi Bai could control the straw to invade a victim's body, thereby creating more puppets.

But the most exciting ability lay in the third stage: the full parasitism process. The parasitic scarecrow could consume the soul of its target and control their body entirely, turning them into a puppet. The power the puppet could wield depended on the strength of the host, and the time required for full assimilation was proportional to that strength.

Yi Bai wasn't concerned with the third stage of parasitism, though. In the horror world, strength was everything. Parasitized targets were usually easily detected by stronger players, so creating large numbers of scarecrow puppets in a short amount of time was impractical.

Moreover, Yi Bai wasn't planning to follow the violent path of fighting and killing. He was more interested in mastering the social aspects of the horror game, forging connections, and making friends rather than hunting down ghosts. He knew that the more friends he made, the more options he'd have at his disposal in the game.

But if he could use this power in the mortal realm...

Just the thought of it made Yi Bai's heart race. The Parasitic Puppet, if unleashed in the human world, would be a terrifying weapon. Most humans could never reach the level of a Red-Clothed Ghost on their own. It took extreme luck or extraordinary circumstances for someone to attain such power, and even then, very few ever did.

In this way, a parasitic puppet could go unnoticed in the human world. Yi Bai could easily control and manipulate others, turning them into his puppets without anyone realizing. Imagine the horror if the people closest to you—family, friends, or lovers—were quietly controlled, their insides replaced with yellowed straw, their will lost to him.

Of course, there was a limitation. The parasitized puppets didn't retain the memories or emotions of their former selves. They were only capable of following Yi Bai's commands. If enough time passed, those close to the puppets would likely start to notice something was wrong.

Still, compared to the immense power and utility the parasitic puppet offered, these drawbacks seemed negligible.

After bidding a reluctant farewell to Director Quirls, the room grew quiet.

Yi Bai casually tucked the parasitic puppet into his "belt." A necklace so bizarre in shape would attract attention, and Yi Bai didn't want to risk unnecessary trouble. If anyone saw it, they'd immediately know it was something extraordinary, and that was the last thing he wanted.

His earlier excitement faded, and his gaze shifted back to Lina. Her flawless face carried a natural, captivating smile, though Yi Bai couldn't help but notice the subtle hint of sorrow in her eyes—along with something else?

"Lina."

"Yi Bai."

The two seemed to share an unspoken understanding as they both spoke at the same time. The air between them thickened, and though Lina had the natural ability to cool the room, it suddenly felt warmer.

"You go first."

"No, you go ahead."

Yi Bai smiled awkwardly. Lina's pale face flushed with a hint of color as they both paused. After a moment, Yi Bai, looking at Lina—whose friendship had reached a level that felt inseparable—made a decision: Today, I will change classes.

Yi Bai wasn't someone who hesitated. With Lina's loyalty and trust, what was there to fear?

In the mortal world, how many women could be as devoted as she was? She trusted him wholeheartedly, protected him without question, and was determined to sacrifice to ensure his safety. And not just any woman—a rich woman who was completely devoted, offering him a sense of security.

Who could resist such temptation?

Forget about societal norms! Today was the day Yi Bai would take the leap.

With a firm resolve, Yi Bai approached the door of the consultation room and locked it with a decisive click. He turned back, and with a sharp motion, drew the curtains, cutting off the view of the crows perched on the withered trees outside.

The VIP consultation room was large, and there was even a special resting corner prepared just for Yi Bai. Perhaps the "scheming director" had done this on purpose.

The air felt charged. Lina, who usually exuded coldness, now appeared somewhat nervous, her face flushed in a way Yi Bai had never seen before.

Yi Bai moved closer, his pace slow and deliberate. Lina, though a Red-Clothed Ghost, was slowly being pushed back into a corner, retreating with nowhere to go.

In this moment, Yi Bai couldn't help but feel immense gratitude for the changes brought by his transformation into a vampire. The benefits were endless...

The night in the horror world was dark and foreboding, the stars flickering like twisted faces in the sky, while the moon was hidden behind thick clouds.

This was a night without sleep. Time passed, quietly and relentlessly.

Yi Bai had been fortunate in his first venture into the horror game—surviving the game that only twelve players entered, with Yi Bai being the sole survivor. The horror world was cruel, and fairness was irrelevant. Some people were born lucky, while others struggled their entire lives, only to succumb to death...

As they parted, Yi Bai couldn't help but feel a twinge of reluctance. After a quick farewell, he reminded her, "Stay safe. The horror world is far more dangerous than the mortal world. Don't get involved in things you shouldn't!"

"I will, don't worry. I'll listen to you," Lina said, her heart swelling with sweetness from Yi Bai's care.

Yi Bai nodded, gently brushing her forehead with a light kiss, then stood up and began to disappear, his body fading away.

As Yi Bai left the horror world, Lina stood silently, her expression softening for a moment before hardening into the cold, fearsome look of the blood-soaked nurse.

But no one knew that, deep inside this terrifying Red-Clothed Ghost, lived the heart of a human...

Or more accurately, a vampire now—and one who had taken an unexpected step forward.