Chapter 2578: Joining Forces to Deceive

This is because, as special individuals cultivated from fragments of the Hidden God Lord, their power increases at an extremely rapid rate, and some even experience accelerated mental growth, making it difficult for the experimental site to monitor each one individually.

Moreover, the current research focus of the Spirit Essence Palace is still on the rapid growth phase of the demon puppets, namely the first four months. The Divine Descent Project is too important, so the Heavenly Palace demands that the puppet masters concentrate their limited energy on this crucial stage of research.

Those like A Lian who can survive beyond six months are all special cases personally approved by Duan He Yun, due to their significant research value, and although Xiao Ping has some reservations about Duan He Yun's decision to extend her lifespan, she still voices them.

Other puppet masters also gathered around the sand table, watching it, and at this point they pointed to the light representing A Lian and said:

"She has stopped. This position is already not far from Bai Song City."

There are human settlements nearby, but A Lian has no interest in them at all, even detouring around them, which contrasts with her previous behavior of hiding in a farmstead for three days.

This shows that over the past few months, A Lian's will and behavior have undergone tremendous changes.

Now she is wandering outside Bai Song City, clearly intending to enter the city.

Duan He Yun nodded. Through A Lian's eye mites, he can in real time capture what she sees, so he is not worried.

"Only leave No. 317 and No. 361 to continue observation; recall all the others. Commander Zhao, you bring ten people and follow me."

Then he recalled that Hu Xin had some tricks for currying favor with A Lian, so he turned and pointed at He Lingchuan: "Hu Xin, you come too."

"Yes."

……

Now A Lian is standing on a small hill in the northern suburbs of Bai Song City, watching the festivities, because fireworks are being set off inside the city.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh—five shots in a row rose into the sky, and colorful sparks illuminated the city's sky, leaving A Lian dazed.

The outside world is indeed wonderful; I really want to enter the city and take a look!

At this moment, an ox-cart came driving along the official road, carrying two figures, one large and one small.

Seeing A Lian standing by the roadside, a childish voice came from the cart: "Who are you? Why are you standing on the main road?"

This is also a girl, appearing to be around the same age as A Lian, with skin leaning toward a wheat tone, both cheeks bearing a healthy flush, unlike A Lian's year-round snow-white complexion from never seeing the sun.

She looked curiously at A Lian, missing a front tooth, so her speech had a slight air leak.

A Lian countered: "Where are you going?"

"To the city!" The little girl pointed toward Bai Song City: "My father is a fireworks maker; tonight he will set off fireworks by the Strike-Iron River. Our family's fireworks are the best in the entire Dragon-Carrying City, and they will surely be the most beautiful in Bai Song City tonight!"

"What are fireworks?"

The little girl exclaimed in surprise: "You actually don't know what fireworks are?"

Just then, a firework bloomed on the city wall, shaped like a red lotus. The little girl pointed at it and said: "This is it—this exploding into the sky is fireworks! Fireworks are fireworks! Tonight is the Spring Yuan Blessing Festival; the city will parade and set off fireworks. You don't know how beautiful it is when the fireworks reflect on the water!"

Then she reached back into the cart and picked up a mask, holding it in front of her face: "You can also wear masks to play."

This mask is a big-faced doll with a grinning expression.

The driver is a thin man in his thirties, also sizing up A Lian up and down, somewhat surprised: "Little one, it's not safe on the dark road—where are your parents?"

"In……" A Lian's eyes darted, "in the city."

"Where exactly in the city do you live?" the man said, "We can give you a ride on our way."

A Lian just shook her head.

It's not strange for such a small child to be unable to state her home location clearly.

She's just a bit slow.

"Then I'll take you to the city office," the man sighed, "otherwise you'll soon be snatched away. In this city, children are rare treasures."

"Okay!"

A Lian made up her mind—she wanted to enter the city.

The little girl moved to the side, making space, and at the same time said with a smile: "Do you want to try setting off fireworks? It's so fun!"

A Lian's eyes immediately lit up: "I want to!"

The little girl then said to her father: "Father, let's save the most beautiful big dragon firework for her to set off, okay?"

"Fine, we'll set it off on the Strike-Iron River."

The little girl made an exaggerated gesture: "Our family's fireworks are far, far more beautiful than those in the sky!"

However, A Lian had not yet climbed onto the ox-cart when someone behind called out to her.

The little girl saw that A Lian's face immediately sank.

Then Duan He Yun came rushing over with about ten people from behind the forest:

"How did you come to this place? Didn't I tell you not to wander around?"

A Lian pouted: "I want to enter the city!"

The man looked at her, then at Duan He Yun: "Is this your child?"

"Yes."

"As long as you haven't gotten lost, that's good." The man drove the ox-cart and was about to start: "Then let's go into the city."

With a "whoosh," A Lian jumped onto the ox-cart, startling both the large and small figures. The little girl exclaimed in surprise:

"How did you get up there?"

Duan He Yun frowned: "A Lian, get down! You can't be impolite."

"I want to enter the city!" A Lian puffed up her cheeks, glaring at him fiercely: "I want to see the fireworks, I want to parade the streets! You promised to take me in to play!"

She is essentially a Divine Descent vessel; once she gets angry, heaven knows what might happen.

Before Duan He Yun could respond, "Hu Xin" spoke first:

"Master Duan promised to take you out, and he has already done so. If you want to enter the city, you first need to say 'I agree,' and Master Duan will surely keep his promise and take you in to play."

Upon hearing this, A Lian immediately closed her mouth, somewhat unwillingly.

This Hu Xin is really sharp. Duan He Yun glanced at Hu Xin and said to her: "If you don't agree, then get down—don't delay others from entering the city; soon the city wall will no longer be able to set off fireworks."

Again, several fireworks shot into the sky, radiant and colorful. The wind blew in gusts, carrying the city's sounds of joy and laughter into everyone's ears.

They were already not far from the city gate; from the low hill, one could see a glimpse of the bustling scene inside the gate.

Just that shadow, it hooked A Lian's heart and mind into turmoil.

She wavered again: "I said I agree, then you'll take me into the city?"

Duan He Yun pressed one hand behind his back, silently pulling out that spirit contract: "Right. You recite that sentence once."

Actually, Xiao Ping's words weren't wrong; even if he loved this child, he couldn't let her lose control. A few months ago, A Lian could kill dozens bare-handed; now her strength is even greater, and as a demon puppet master, Duan He Yun's first concern must be safety.

The safety of the experiment, his own safety.

Exploiting A Lian's playful nature, this is the most likely chance to get her to agree willingly.

A Lian took a deep breath and shouted loudly: "I agree to become the vessel of the Heavenly God of Helu!"

As soon as the words fell, the spirit contract signed her name on its own, then turned into several streams of light that plunged into her seven orifices!