Chapter 39: Toy Doll

The welcome ceremony was brief.

After all, the night was still dangerous, and still long.

At Jiang Ruyi’s soft reminder, Deng Yutang set aside his celebratory thoughts, and Lu Ran approached the team leader, Zhang Feng.

“Back already.” Zhang Feng sized up Lu Ran.

From his tattered raincoat, it was clear what brutal battle Lu Ran had endured.

“Brother Zhang.” Lu Ran nodded.

Zhang Feng reached out and placed a hand on Lu Ran’s shoulder: “I didn’t protect you well.”

“It was an accident,” Lu Ran immediately said. “Brother Zhang, no need to blame yourself.”

Since stepping onto this path of believers, danger has always accompanied this body.

Logically, having a River Realm Stage Two Moonwatcher stationed in the team should have been enough to safeguard the group.

After all, many other Moonwatcher teams were stationed nearby.

But no one anticipated that, within an extremely short time, three River Realm demons appeared right in front of Gym Door No. 4.

This probability was extremely abnormal!

Zhang Feng let out a hollow laugh and shook his head: “You’re surprisingly carefree.”

Lu Ran whispered: “I’m faking it.”

Zhang Feng: “.”

Zhang Feng was speechless, while Deng Yutang wore a strange expression.

It felt like he’d seen this scene before?

“Return to formation,” Zhang Feng said softly, gesturing toward Door No. 4.

“Brother Lu,” Deng Yutang slung an arm around Lu Ran’s shoulder and climbed the steps. “Tell us about what just happened?”

Tian Tian closely followed Jiang Ruyi, her big eyes filled with curiosity as she stared at Lu Ran’s back.

“I got snatched by the paper doll, and the Moonwatcher came to rescue me,” Lu Ran turned to Deng Yutang. “By the way, your sister is my savior!”

“Huh?” Deng Yutang was startled. “My sister?”

Lu Ran nodded firmly: “Your sister is terrifying—more terrifying than the paper doll!”

“One slash, and she cut the paper doll clean in half. Total ruthless blossom-crusher.”

Zhang Feng, listening nearby, had a giant question mark appear above his head.

What kind of description is that?

Are you implying you feel sorry for the paper doll?

“Really?” Deng Yutang’s eyes sparkled with pride.

Lu Ran grinned: “Last time I sparred with your sister, she casually summoned a wind blade. Tonight I found out your sister’s weapon is a massive halberd?”

Damn, it’s two and a half meters long!

One swing, and it’d split a horse in two—how could a paper doll possibly withstand it?”

Lu Ran shared all his gratitude and admiration for the Great Nightmare with his teammates.

Then, vividly, he recounted his abduction experience.

When he mentioned the paper doll summoning tiny paper figures, Zhang Feng couldn’t help asking: “Evil Art: Paper Doll?”

“Yes,” Lu Ran confirmed again.

Zhang Feng’s expression turned grave.

This evil art is a technique reserved for the Paper Doll clan at River Realm Stage Three.

Meaning, that unexpectedly appearing Paper Doll was even stronger than Zhang Feng himself!

Power level doesn’t just determine what techniques you can learn.

Each minor stage advancement also boosts a being’s attributes to some degree.

If the Paper Doll had appeared behind Zhang Feng and snatched him instead…

Zhang Feng genuinely doubted whether he could have done better than Lu Ran.

After all, the result was right there:

Lu Ran survived—and returned to his post unharmed!

“After the Paper Doll crushed the believers into meatballs, it smashed through the bone wall,” Lu Ran continued, making the others shudder.

Deng Yutang listened, utterly entranced.

When Lu Ran reached the final scene, Zhang Feng couldn’t help sighing: “This time, you really don’t have to worry about your score.”

Lu Ran immediately said: “Can our team’s score go up too?”

Zhang Feng nodded: “After you left, the team performed excellently. Adjustments in mindset and tactics were all noteworthy.”

As he spoke, Zhang Feng’s expression grew odd as he looked at Lu Ran.

Since Lu Ran had left, the frequency of demon appearances here had returned to normal.

No more River Realm demons had shown up.

This was downright bizarre!

Could it really be connected to this kid?

“Brother Zhang misunderstands,” Lu Ran explained. “I meant, I assisted the Moonwatcher in slaying the Paper Doll.”

Lu Ran spoke with unshakable audacity: “Don’t just give me points—I’m the team’s jungler!

I should be out there solo, boosting the whole team’s score. That’s our team’s tactic!”

Zhang Feng: “.”

This mouth of yours makes me want to be your teammate!

Can you score points just by lying down?

So, getting snatched by the Paper Doll was part of your team’s plan too?

The three teammates stared at Lu Ran as he fought hard for credit, unsure what to say.

You really need to try harder.

Deng Yutang clenched his fists.

He was genuinely happy Lu Ran had performed so well.

At the same time, Deng Yutang realized his own contributions to the team were still far from enough!

He never wanted to be a burden, but after two assessments, a cold truth stood before him:

Jiang Ruyi was the team’s anchor.

Lu Ran, meanwhile, was the team’s explosive ram leg!

He truly needed to try harder—much harder.

“Huuu!!”

Just as Deng Yutang silently spurred himself on, Zhang Feng beside him suddenly tensed and whirled toward the west.

Under surging energy, a demon coalesced into form.

To everyone’s surprise, it was their old foe—the Black Hound.

“Preliminary assessment: Mist Realm Stage Four demon,” Zhang Feng swiftly concluded, barking, “Attack!”

Though he spoke these words, inside he roared: Yes! This is normal!

Mist Realm and Creek Realm demons should be the main force invading Rain Lane City on the fifteenth night.

Not three River Realm demons clustering together, stomping on everyone’s faces in arrogance!

“Woof!”

The pitch-black hound immediately spotted them and opened its massive jaws.

Before Jiang Ruyi, energy surged violently.

Four sharp canine fangs rapidly materialized, as if ready to crush the human girl.

Evil Art: Fanged Maw!

The evil technique they’d never seen in Black Hound Village finally appeared tonight!

“Sister Ruyi!”

Tian Tian stretched out her small hands and raised a petal shield, blocking directly.

Jiang Ruyi remained terrifyingly calm, stepping back half a step as electric sparks flickered at her fingertips, hissing.

Her thin lips parted, directing the one who had finally returned: “Lu Ran.”

“Sssss!”

Without hesitation, Lu Ran dashed out, circling to the side.

In the heavy rain, a faint bleating echoed—like a baby’s cry, chilling to the bone:

“Baa~~~”

“Huh?” The hound snapped its head around, its dog eyes locking onto Lu Ran’s fleeing direction.

The four phantom fangs shattered Tian Tian’s petal shield—but then stopped.

Because the black hound’s attention had been drawn away by a little fat lamb.

At the same moment, Jiang Ruyi hurled a Lightning Shackles Talisman!

A phantom white jade slab materialized midair, carrying writhing lightning snakes, brushing past Deng Yutang as he charged forward, heading straight for the hound.

“Snap!!”

Lightning flashed, current spilling everywhere.

The fog realm, stage-four hound was pinned in place by Jiang Ruyi.

Yu Fu devotees are indeed late-stage contenders, but that doesn’t mean they’re weak in the early stages!

Beings of the same realm—whether human devotees or demonic evils—would never wish to oppose Jiang Ruyi.

Because she can truly control you to death!

This isn’t idle talk; Jiang Meiren’s combat record is clearly documented:

Not long ago, the team had already fought a blood calamity hound of fog realm, stage four.

Under her overwhelming control, that blood calamity hound could only tremble and open its mouth uselessly.

Its limbs couldn’t move at all!

And the hound before them was even worse than the previous blood calamity hound—unable to open or close its mouth at all.

“Wretched beast!” Deng Yu followed closely behind and thrust his spear forward.

Killing such flesh-and-blood demonic creatures is far simpler than killing mist shadows.

The spear tip pierced the dog’s head, but Deng Yu didn’t withdraw—he rapidly stabbed again and again, delivering relentless finishing blows.

Since that person returned, everything has returned to normal.

Though the squad members were of lower realms, they dispatched the fog realm, stage-four hound in a single glance.

Zhang Feng observed this performance and silently added points in his mind.

“Come back.”

Jiang Ruyi suddenly spoke, her gentle voice drifting through the layers of rain.

“Huh?” Deng Yu turned to look.

But Jiang Ruyi wasn’t even looking at Deng Yu.

Awkward silence!

And Lu Ran, standing alone in the rain outside, also felt awkward.

Under the gaze of those beautiful eyes, he lowered his head and walked toward Gate 4.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Meiren’s voice came again: “Use the Immortal Hooves.”

Lu Ran: “.”

Can’t I just walk back?

Do I have to use divine technique to travel?

“Lu Ran?”

“Oh.”

Mist swirled around Lu Ran’s calves, forming a pair of goat legs that shot him straight back to Gate 4.

“Tsk~” Lu Ran teased the girl before him, “Can’t you live a moment without me?”

“Who can’t live without you?”

Jiang Ruyi turned her head aside, her cheeks faintly flushed: “I just told you to be careful—not to get snatched away again.”

Lu Ran: “.”

In your eyes,

am I some kind of toy doll?

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(End of Chapter)