Chapter 9: The Cry of the Paper Doll

Jiang Hao stared at the paper doll and muttered, "This thing crying is damn creepy." He picked up his water cup and took a sip, setting it down gently, the bottom of the cup tapping the table with a crisp sound.Lin Yao stood by the window, holding an ancient book, leaning against the window frame as she flipped through the pages. Her gaze fell on the paper doll, and she murmured, "A customer lost their voice... This is no simple matter." She turned a page, her tone calm, "A theater troupe's item?" She glanced at Old Zhong, her eyes filled with curiosity.Old Zhong stood by the counter, his hand trembling slightly as he wiped down a porcelain item. He murmured, "It was delivered this morning. The customer said they heard crying last night, and when they woke up, they couldn't speak. They just threw it down and ran." He paused, the water cup in his hand swaying slightly, and added, "This thing... it's a problem."Jiang Hao furrowed his brow, about to speak, when the wooden door suddenly rattled. Black mist poured out from the cracks, and a deep, sorrowful echo filled the room, like a sigh. The voice of the God whispered, "Archivists, enter the library." The tone was still gentle, yet commanding. Jiang Hao set the cup down and muttered, "Here we go again."

The black mist wrapped around them, pulling them in. The sound of rushing wind filled their ears, and time and space twisted. Images shattered like broken mirrors, then reassembled.In the next moment, they found themselves standing backstage in a theater. The dimly lit wooden room was filled with costumes and props, the air thick with the smell of mildew and faint traces of rouge. The paper doll hovered in the center, tears falling from its eyes, letting out a low, mournful cry. Shadows on the ground writhed like living creatures. Time warped, with the costumes flickering between new and old, and the ceiling creaked as if invisible hands were tearing and restoring it repeatedly. Jiang Hao's ears rang, the Soul-View triggered, and whispers reached him clearly—an angry woman's voice mixed with curses: "Betray me, and die!" He frowned and murmured, "Theater troupe's vendetta."Lin Yao squinted her eyes and activated her Vengeance Vision. Scenes flashed before her eyes—on the stage, a woman was pushed off, her throat was strangled, and the paper doll was splattered with blood, the resentment condensing around it. She whispered, "She was murdered, and the paper doll carries her grudge." She looked at Jiang Hao, "What do you hear?"Jiang Hao clenched his fists, a slight headache starting to form. He muttered, "She's cursing, talking about betrayal." He tried to use his new ability, focusing his energy, and shouted, "Stop!" The crying of the paper doll paused, as if a pause button had been pressed, but the tears continued to fall.Lin Yao furrowed her brow and whispered, "It's not fully stopped. We need to find the source." She walked toward the corner of the backstage. Her Vengeance Vision showed her a new scene—the man using a rope to strangle the woman, blood splattering onto the paper doll, then hiding the rope beneath a costume. She pulled out a worn-out costume and found a bloodstained rope inside, murmuring, "This is it." The shadows began to writhe faster, lunging toward her, and time warped, with the rope shifting between near and far.Jiang Hao's headache intensified, but his Soul-View caught the movement of the shadows. He grabbed a wooden rod from the ground and struck the shadows fiercely, whispering, "Don't move!" The rod pierced through, and the shadows scattered. He took the chance to rush to Lin Yao's side, growling, "Burn it!"Lin Yao took a lighter from her bag and lit the rope. Flames shot up, and the paper doll let out a shrill scream. The tears evaporated, and the resentment turned into black mist, dispersing into the air.The backstage trembled, time becoming even more chaotic. The costumes flickered between burning and extinguishing, the wooden house half-collapsing and then restoring itself. Jiang Hao panted and muttered, "Did it work?"Lin Yao picked up the burnt paper doll and whispered, "The grudge is gone. Let's confirm." She knocked on the paper doll, and the whimpering had stopped.Jiang Hao tried using his ability again, but his ears were empty. He muttered, "No sound anymore."A radio crackled, and Old Zhong's voice came through, muffled by static. "The paper doll's fixed. Throw it to you guys." The wooden door rattled again, and the repaired paper doll flew out, landing at Jiang Hao's feet. The paper surface was still clean, but no longer crying, it sat quietly like an ornament.The voice of the God echoed, and the two factions spoke in alternating tones. The Archival Faction's voice was cold, "Archiving complete, order is restored." The Destruction Faction's voice was deep, "Useless ones may be destroyed. Traces serve no purpose." The Destruction Faction's tone grew harsher, with a snort, "Archiving is weak. Destruction is the way forward." The archives shook, the stone slabs cracked, and time and space grew even more chaotic.Old Zhong walked in from the front of the shop, holding a cup of water with a shaky hand. He whispered, "Not bad, huh? Reminds me of my younger days."Jiang Hao rubbed his temples, murmuring, "My head is killing me."Lin Yao rubbed her eyes and whispered, "Seeing too clearly isn't any better."Old Zhong's gaze darkened, and he murmured, "I told you before, powers are cages."Lin Yao looked at him and whispered, "I know it's a trade."Old Zhong fell silent for a moment, then spoke quietly, "Thirty years ago, I took this cage too." He paused, his voice barely audible. "The Destruction Faction destroyed a city. My partner... is gone, not even a soul left. That day, the bells rang all night. Blood flowed like rivers."The water in his cup trembled slightly, spilling a few drops onto the floor.Jiang Hao furrowed his brow and murmured, "Bells? Like iron bells?"Old Zhong's eyes flickered, and he whispered, "Don't ask. Even if you do, it won't help." He turned and walked back to the counter, his back hunched as if he had collapsed under the weight of something.Lin Yao whispered, "His story isn't simple."Jiang Hao tapped the table, his voice low, "We'll dig it up sooner or later."The two exchanged a look.