Chapter 18: Shadow Puppet Show

Boom—boom—boom… Under the arena, the thudding drumbeats echo, heralding the arrival of an extraordinary moment.

In front of TeMiqi, crimson light gradually gathers, forming a vortex gate swirling with strange power,

It resembles a mysterious passage to another realm, exuding an unsettling aura.

Clang—clang… Within the vortex, the sound of metal striking never ceases,

Each vibration tears the surrounding air, as if a great force is shattering solid objects.

Following that comes an unbearable stench, suddenly filling the entire arena,

The audience either frowns or covers their noses, collectively resisting the offensive odor.

Under the tense gazes of the crowd, the crimson vortex gate slowly opens, like an abyss of hell.

Finally, a figure steps forward,

His attire is rather odd—dressed in a crisp suit, a slender build, and an exquisite tie,

His gestures exude an illogical elegance,

Were it not seen with one's own eyes, people might mistake him for a genteel gentleman.

However, the fellow's head is a bizarre mouse head,

Two blood‑red eyes contrast sharply with the pure white fur,

Around the mouth, it is already stained with vivid red blood,

Blood droplets slide down the soft hair, pat‑pat patting the floor, leaving strings of bloodstains.

"What did it just devour?"

The audience widened their eyes, yet dared not probe the horror within.

The terrifying Terror Mouse clutches a sharp stone axe, its blade smeared with specks of blood,

The congealed blood crust is astonishingly thick!

The axe edge curls from cutting hard material, showing how fierce the battles have been!

Bloodstains, stone axe… all these clues involuntarily lead the audience to a dreadful truth.

"Squeak—squeak—squeak—squeak…" The terrifying Terror Mouse cannot speak, only emitting sharp squeaks to convey emotion.

Yet, the greed and cruelty in its eyes declare its intent toward Zhang Cheng!

TeMiqi sneers at Zhang Cheng, contemptuously saying:

"My Terror Mouse has never appeared on the Divine Ghost Killing Arena, and you, are fortunate to be its first opponent; I hope you won't disappoint me too much!"

Zhang Cheng ignores him, slowly raising his hand, and a wooden stick materializes in his hand,

Zhang Cheng hurls the stick into the air!

Shadow Puppet Show… appear!

Wooo—! The sky seems shrouded by black clouds, and the atmosphere instantly turns gloomy and heavy.

Countless fine threads descend from the heavens, as if sentient, winding around the stick, interlacing layer upon layer, securing it firmly.

At the arena's center, golden light suddenly bursts, stinging the eyes.

Following that comes a series of mechanical sounds of puppets twisting,

The audience instantly focuses, eager to witness the terrifying entity called "Puppet Show" and its wondrous powers!

In the dimness, cold wind blows, and cries of ghosts and wolves rise and fall.

Unnoticed, a massive stage quietly rises on the arena, standing three meters tall,

Its backdrop is made of bright red silk, gently swaying in the wind, appearing both festive and eerie.

Zhang Cheng stands at the core of the stage, with Nine Puppets dressed in theatrical costumes hanging before him,

Their heads down and feet up, strings pull their stiff limbs toward the heavens.

Those puppets' cheeks are coated with heavy rouge, their eyes hollow and sinister,

Their mouths eternally trace a bizarre smile…

These Nine Puppets wear a variety of theatrical outfits—some lavish and intricate, others simple and elegant, minimalist, solemn…

Their bodies are assembled from blocks of wood, and when they move they emit a crack‑crack sound, like sharp teeth gnawing bone.

As the puppets appear one by one, the audience involuntarily feels a chill shooting up their spines!

"These puppets wear theatrical costumes, yet their expressions are grotesque; they seem to be smiling?"

"Look closely at their eye sockets, that red liquid—they're shedding tears! Tears of blood!"

"Why do these puppets feel like bound living people?"

"Could it be that beneath these puppets' skins lie living souls?"

"No, that's wrong; they're not living people, but monsters—terrifying monsters!"

The audience, terrified, feel a chill surge from their feet to the top of their heads.

Even the Terror Mouse, wielding Forest Power, now shows a solemn expression.

This so‑called Shadow Puppet Show emits an eerie aura that induces extreme fear.

It is a powerful force that strikes directly at the soul!

Clack—clack…

At this moment, at the center of the Nine Puppets, a puppet clad in a general's battle robe begins to sway violently.

Its eyelids open and close, its head bobbing slightly.

Suddenly, it spins rapidly, no longer hanging upside down, turning its back to the crowd, revealing an unsettling smile.

"Heh—heh—heh, next, the Shadow Puppet Show we will present to everyone is…"

Its body remains motionless, only its head turning slowly,

Its hollow eyes meet the audience, flashing a chilling glare that pierces the heart.

Slaughter!

Click-click!

At the general puppet's command, the remaining eight puppets twisted their necks, emitting a bone‑cracking sound.

Their eyes were dull, they locked onto the Terror Mouse, and from their throats came a creepy hehehe laugh.

Slaughter, slaughter, slaughter……

They repeated the same phrase.

Red light burst from the eyes of the nine puppets, and like ghosts they lunged at the Terror Mouse,

Some wielded swords, some held spears, some drew bows to the full—various attacks converged into a surging red light.

"Squeak!" the Terror Mouse snorted coldly, spat at the ground, then brandished its stone axe.

With a whoosh, the axe sliced the air, kicking up a gale; wherever it passed, the air churned and gravel scattered.

Facing the red light emitted by the puppets, their collision in mid‑air produced a heart‑pounding explosion.

The explosion's energy wave made the spectators' faces change dramatically; if not for the security personnel intervening promptly,

this blow would likely have cost hundreds of lives.

Even so, several spectators with weaker constitutions vomited blood on the spot.

On the arena, the puppets' red light pierced the wind‑wave, its force undiminished, and stabbed straight into the Terror Mouse's abdomen.

Scorching blood spurted out, forming a shocking blood column in the air.

Just this one blow weakened the Terror Mouse's breath, its vitality gradually dissipating.

From start to now, it's been only a minute.

At this rate, just one more strike would easily finish off the Terror Mouse!

"Seize the moment, do not let down your guard."

Zhang Cheng gave a decisive order; the puppets responded to the summons and moved again,

From their feet to their heads, they gathered an unrivaled terrifying power.

They quickly gathered, surrounding the Terror Mouse from all sides without any blind spot,

wielding various weapons, they launched a frenzied assault.

The Terror Mouse is now at the end of its rope!

However, at this critical moment of life and death,

the Terror Mouse suddenly slammed its stone axe toward the ground,

the tremendous force cracked the floor into countless fissures, as if the stone axe contained inconceivable power,

which surged madly into the earth.

Pfft‑pfft……

The floor burst apart, black roots shot out of the ground and spread rapidly,

and in everyone's astonished sight turned into a towering giant tree that pierced the clouds.

The originally spacious arena instantly turned into a dark, secluded forest!

Even the stage of the Shadow Puppet Show was pierced by this giant tree, reduced to a heap of torn cloth and broken planks!

"Heh, did you really think my Terror Mouse would lose so easily?" TeMiqi curled the corner of his mouth in a playful smile.

Only saw the Terror Mouse, surrounded by the nine puppets, suddenly raise its head,

its stone axe whirling like a tornado, rings of air waves spreading rapidly around it,

forcing the nine puppets back step by step……