Chapter 221 ·Resolved

“Buzz—”

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍world lost its color.

Lilia ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍gasped for breath.

That ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍nauseating stench at the tip of her nose returned.

Lilia ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍didn’t bother wiping the cold sweat off her forehead and quickly scanned her surroundings.

Less ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍than five meters in front of her, Dora maintained that extremely arrogant charging posture, her entire body suspended mid-air.

That idiot had her mouth wide open—one could even see the droplet of saliva deep in her throat that she hadn’t had time to swallow, frozen right at the tip of her tongue.

Further back, Bulara was holding up her bone scythe, staring intently at the wall on the left.

Xiao Hong shrank at Bulara’s feet, a snot bubble hanging from her nose, frozen in a terrified expression as if she wanted to scream but couldn’t.

Everyone was here.

No one was missing.

Lilia felt her heart finally drop back into her stomach—but in the next moment, it shot straight up into her throat again.

Because in the upper-right corner of her vision, that virtual countdown—visible only to her—was jumping wildly.

【58…57…】

Only sixty seconds.

No, to be precise, there were now less than fifty-eight seconds left.

If she couldn’t find that bastard causing trouble within this minute, then once time resumed, she’d still have to continue questioning her life in that looping nightmare.

“Where is it?”

Lilia ignored her teammates behind her and sprinted forward.

Since Dora had disappeared while charging forward, the source had to be ahead.

Faster! Even faster!

Ahead was darkness.

What should have been a corridor stretching endlessly into the distance now suddenly had a corner appearing thirty meters ahead.

That illusion earlier had hidden this turn.

Lilia came to a sudden stop, the soles of her shoes scraping silently against the slick stone tiles as she used the momentum to swing herself into the corner.

The scene that entered her eyes nearly made her lose grip on the knife in her hand.

There were no ferocious monsters with ghastly faces.

No blood-soaked altar.

This place looked… like a children’s room?

The originally damp and dark cave had been forcibly carved out here into a space of dozens of square meters.

The ground was covered with what looked like an expensive deep-sea beast hide carpet, and the walls were filled with bone decorations.

At the very center of the room sat a coral chair that looked extremely uncomfortable.

Beside the chair was a half-human-height black box.

The box itself wasn’t anything special. The wood was somewhat rotten, covered in barnacles and seaweed—but the mere fact that it was placed here made it the greatest abnormality.

This was the “keeper’s” lair?

Lilia glanced around cautiously.

No one.

No ghosts either.

The entire space was empty, with only that box standing quietly there, emitting an indescribable eerie aura.

There wasn’t much time left.

Gritting her teeth, Lilia dashed to the box in a few steps.

There were no flashy magical traps, nor any sudden jump-scare.

The box didn’t even have a lock—the lid was slightly ajar, leaving a narrow gap.

Lilia used the tip of her knife to pry it open.

“…”

After seeing what was inside, Lilia felt her scalp go numb, a chill rushing up her spine straight to the top of her head.

There were three dolls.

More precisely, three unfinished cloth dolls.

The one on top had a crude tail, and two crooked horns stitched onto its head. Although the craftsmanship was extremely poor—almost abstract—that silly aura was unmistakable to Lilia even if it turned to ashes.

This was Dora.

Beside it was Xiao Hong.

And the one pressed at the very bottom…

Silver hair made from some unknown thread was glued onto it, and it wore a tattered black-and-white dress.

That was herself.

All three dolls had no facial features.

Where eyes and noses should have been was completely blank.

And beside the “Lilia” doll’s hand lay a bone needle already threaded with black string.

That needle was hovering right at the doll’s face—just a tiny bit away from piercing down.

Lilia understood instantly.

That white space was the world inside this box.

That overwhelming drowsiness, that temptation to lie down—those were signs of being turned into a doll.

Once she truly fell asleep in there, the needle in reality would fall.

Stitch the eyes. Stitch the mouth.

And then, they would completely become collectibles inside this box—playthings of that so-called “keeper.”

Lilia didn’t hesitate any longer.

She reached out and grabbed the three dolls inside the box.

“Hand them over!”

With a sudden burst of strength, Lilia yanked the three half-finished dolls out.

That still wasn’t enough.

To prevent this broken box from having any kind of automatic recovery or regeneration function, Lilia directly stuffed the three dolls into her system backpack.

Then—

“Bang!”

She kicked the lid over, then slammed the black box filled with deathly aura shut with her backhand.

At the moment the lid closed, Lilia felt the viscous air around her suddenly loosen.

Time Stop was lifted.

The gray-white filter vanished instantly.

The colors of the world, along with the noisy sounds, flooded back all at once.

“Boom!”

A loud explosion echoed from afar—that was the sound of Dora crushing stone tiles earlier, only now finally transmitted through the air.

“Get out here and face your death!”

Dora’s powerful roar echoed through the corridor, shaking dust loose from the stalactites above.

And Xiao Hong’s tearful scream rang out: “Ahhh! A ghost!!”

They were back.

Everything had returned to normal.

Replacing it was the slightly cramped treasury room in front of Lilia.

“Quiet down!”

The three in the corridor… no, two monsters and one doll, instantly fell silent.

Dora’s massive dragon head suddenly turned, her dark golden vertical pupils locking onto Lilia’s direction.

“Lilia?”

Dora sniffed, scratching the horn on her head in confusion.

“When did you run in there? And… what’s that smell? Why does it feel like… something I really hate?”

The smell Dora disliked was naturally that box containing the dolls.

Even with the lid closed, that moldy stench of curses and darkness still lingered faintly.

“Just now, while you were all spacing out.”

Lilia shrugged and pointed at the box by her feet.

“We almost collectively moved into this model room.”

Bulara scanned the box once.

“Recommendation: destroy immediately.”

“Hey, don’t.”

Lilia stopped Bulara.

“Wouldn’t it be a waste to destroy it?”

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