Chapter 44 - Role Playing the Dark Horse Character

Chapter 44: Become Stronger In the nutrient tank, You You could hear Tang's voice. He opened his mouth, though he made no sound, his lip movements were unmistakable. "Is Mo Mo alright?" The black-haired girl carefully observed the boy’s face inside the nutrient tank but didn’t answer his question. She spoke on her own accord, "Actually, I’ve always found it strange. Every time I’ve seen you all together, Mo Mo and that 'You You,' it’s always 'You You' who does the talking, and Mo Mo seems to support 'You You' without question. Even though Mo Mo had her eyes closed, making it impossible to see the surroundings, she could 'see' the white doves in the square whenever 'You You' was around." You You couldn't understand what she was talking about, and Tang wasn’t speaking for him to hear, either. After she finished speaking, Tang looked towards a shadow behind the nutrient tank. Within the shadows of the tank, a thin and small figure blended in. "Now can you tell me why you deceived us?" Tang’s emerald eyes were serious and sincere, "Mo Mo." The shadows trembled slightly. Then the shadow expanded, and the gray-haired girl supported herself on the ground, clutching the nutrient tank, slowly standing up. Her eyes were closed, and as she turned to face Tang, there was a pleading expression on her face. "I’m sorry, Tang, I’m sorry," she said, her voice trembling, "I didn’t mean to deceive you all, I was just really scared of being alone. I just wanted You You to stay with me." "Your ability is ‘Puppet,’ the ‘You You’ that was with us all those days was your ability," Tang said. The long, straight-haired girl’s eyes were pure, her emerald pupils looked cleanly at the gray-haired girl who had deceived her. Tang disliked deceit, but she had already learned what it meant to be helpless. Lies aren’t simply black and white, and many things in this world aren’t always about right or wrong. Now, Tang only cared whether the emotions Mo Mo experienced with them were genuine. "Yes," Mo Mo admitted, she caressed her eyelids, as if caressing the eyeballs beneath, "Le Shan gave me You You’s eyes. My ability can create a fake You You with these eyes. But the ‘Puppet’ is a tool, it doesn’t have an independent consciousness nor can it use Eye Techniques, so I claimed its ability was ‘Enhancement’." Her mimic-type ability, ‘Puppet,’ allowed her to control creatures and use living limbs to spawn another person. This person was controlled by Mo Mo; his senses were Mo Mo’s, what he said was what Mo Mo wanted him to say, what he saw was what Mo Mo saw. Those were Mo Mo’s eyes. "I didn’t want to deceive you," she continued, tears forming at the corners of her tightly shut eyes. "I didn’t mean for any of you to get hurt. I thought when you came, he would too. He’s strong. He could save You You!" "You weren’t truly seeking our help," Tang took a step back. All she heard was Mo Mo’s exploitation, and she thought little of it for Yi Ming. About that person, she had no idea there was anyone else behind her and Yi Ming. If someone could help them, they wouldn’t have been so helpless. You You in the nutrient tank mouthed a silent 'sorry,' and Mo Mo, standing next to it, noticed Tang’s reluctance. She stepped forward, trying to explain her actions, but ultimately only said, "I don’t have much time left." Then, at that moment. "He’s right, she doesn’t have much time left." A man’s voice suddenly cut into their conversation, and Mo Mo shivered all over as she heard it. Tang looked over warily, "Uncle Le...?" Behind them stood a blond-haired, blue-eyed researcher in a white coat, leaning against the nutrient tank, smiling at them. When the researcher looked up, there seemed to be a brief flash of crimson in the depths of his emerald irises. ... The ability Illusory Reality activated, a phantom appeared there, while Li Li got distracted. She tore her gaze away from the materials in her hand, looking idly through the glass. After a continuous onslaught of battles, Yi Ming finally showed signs of fatigue against the C-rank ability users. His breaths were heavy, and the sweat from his brown hair clung to his forehead and cheeks. Those azure eyes were veiled with a misty haze. Finally, under the intense pressure of the C-rank opponent’s ability, Yi Ming supported himself with his hands on the ground, forced to his knees on the metallic floor. And as the C-rank ability user increased the pressure again, his elbow audibly dislocated with a sharp sound, causing him to collapse entirely onto the floor. Sweat dripped from his chin, trickling down onto the surface. He had defeated D-rank blue-robed opponents, but he was too exhausted now. Facing an enemy a rank higher, he couldn’t hold out. He’s reached his limit, Li Li thought, raising her hand and letting the documents fall to the floor. Simultaneously, the blue-robed opponent within received a signal and obediently retreated. The scattered documents fluttered in the air, landing in a meticulously arranged order by Li Li, with the top sheet showing the research plan for Mo Mo and the solutions she had just sketched with her pen. This was meant for the manga, not for Yi Ming to see. Besides, Yi Ming couldn’t see it. She stood up, walked to the glass, and spoke coldly, "Is this all you’ve got?" Yi Ming on the other side of the glass seemed eager to answer her, but as he opened his mouth, nothing came out from his throat. Li Li noticed his fingertips trembling, the tremor extending through his arm muscles and calves. He was spent. Is this how it ends? Li Li pondered. It wouldn’t be unreasonable, after all, Yi Ming had persisted for a long time, it’s just that his ability hadn’t made any progress yet. But then she considered, this was a perfect opportunity. In shonen mangas, the protagonist often makes a comeback when down to barebones. Yi Ming hadn’t yet reached that breaking point. This opportunity wouldn’t come again, especially if what An Heyu said was true, that Noble Qu Clan would come to Four-Way City. Everything would become even more chaotic then. The people Yue Qing found would certainly be high-ranking, and even with An Heyu’s help, facing at least two high-ranking individuals, she might not have time to look after Yi Ming. Therefore, Yi Ming had to reach the middle rank before then, to protect himself. The thinking process passed quickly, in reality, merely a second ticked by. Li Li looked down at Yi Ming sprawled on the ground, appearing somewhat dazed with unfocused eyes. "Is it because there’s no adequate prey..." she murmured. Then, she leisurely stroked the white gloves on her hands, almost as if playing with her fingers, her tone indifferent, "Let me tell you something 'interesting.'" She elongated her words, pausing after each one, making sure Yi Ming could understand what she was saying. "Abilities are rooted in human bodies and souls. Le Shan transfers abilities seamlessly to another person by transplanting limbs, almost as if ripping half a soul and cramming it into someone else, tricking the ability into thinking it's their master. But in such a case, those who lose half their soul don’t live long." Behind the glass, the blond-haired, blue-eyed researcher idly toyed with his fingers, his speech slow yet instilling a baseless dread. "And the one crammed with a soul not belonging to them won’t live long either," she said, "Only when the ability’s original owner dies and one soul dissipates, can they live a few more years." Beneath those gold-rimmed glasses, the corners of her mouth curled slightly, yet there was no mirth in her expression. Instead, it was like ice, abhorrently cold. "Guess, which one of them will die first?" Yi Ming’s fingers spasmed violently, his eyes clearing from the haze. Li Li continued speaking, "But too bad, if you stop here, the ones who could have helped them will die eventually. It doesn’t matter who goes first." "Weaklings can’t do anything but seek others' help; they can send out distress calls but won’t find salvation," Li Li’s emerald gaze dipped in a flash of red, as if looking at her fingertips, or perhaps seeing into an unknown past, "Weakness is original sin." Her tone remained light. "But since you’re quite interesting, I’ll give you a chance," she continued, her gaze shifting from her fingers to the glass, where Yi Ming was trembling as he propped himself up with wrathful eyes glaring at her. "Either stop now, or move forward, make the world’s rules bow to you. And I will save them too." She raised her tone, a slight smile tugging at her mouth, "Tell me your choice, low-rank." Yi Ming’s response was a roar, bursting from his throat, "Bastard!" Instantly, his arms steeled again, veins bulging on his quivering arms, and gritting his teeth, he stood up with a shout! His foot struck the mechanical floor, and as the sole touched the metal surface, a resonant metallic hum echoed. The ground began to quake, a rumble erupted, and within the box, the blue-robed individuals stumbled towards the corners in the midst of the tremor. The area of effect expanded, vibrations intensifying, as dust and debris began to rain down upon the floor. Until half of the underground 'Cube' became fully engulfed by the Metallic Heart! The low-rank ability stepped onto the ladder of mid-rank! Rising air currents whipped through the room with a piercing wind amidst the booming sounds, and the brown-haired boy who caused it all opened his eyes wide, the veins in his eyes spreading towards his pupils. He raised his hand, and in the next instant, leapt into the air, his tightly clenched iron fist brought a keen wind as it smashed hard against the glass panel! "Crack!" White fractures spread, growing larger with the boy’s roar, yet behind those cracks, the blonde-haired researcher with green eyes maintained his smile, unflinching. Through the webbed white obstruction, amidst the cracking sound of shattering glass, they locked eyes through the pane. Finally, The glass shattered completely. The flying shards of transparent glass, tiny crystalline surfaces, each seemed to reflect something. The researcher with golden hair and green eyes calmly adjusted his gold-framed glasses, while a scalpel suddenly appeared in his other hand. Its tip traced a few arcs in the air before pausing at his slender fingertips. The metallic fist, accompanied by sharp air currents, caused the edges of her white lab coat to flutter, while the scalpel’s tip met the clenched fist. "Ding!" Point met face, as force collided with force sending ripples through the air. "Ah, I don’t like using this," Li Li suddenly remarked. The scalpel vanished abruptly, and her smile broadened. The hand that had adjusted her glasses swung upward, striking Yi Ming squarely in the abdomen! The brown-haired boy was flung backward, yet he adjusted in midair, planting both feet against the metallic ceiling. One hand braced against the ceiling, his eyes remained locked on Li Li, who was leisurely smoothing out the creases in her gloves. "Ahhhhhh," he shouted, using all his strength, as metal spread across nearly his entire body. He shot forward like a cannonball, aiming at the one he despised. He hates me, Li Li thought. The next second, her eyes glimmered, her smile remained unchanged. She raised a hand, her wrist flicked an arc in the air, and she snapped her fingers. But that's exactly what I want—to make him hate me! The ‘Cube’ became shrouded in illusion, and without high-rank interference, she fully replicated Le Shan’s ability! Metallic walls rose again, the ‘Cube’ began to rotate. With a tremendous roar, Yi Ming broke through the wall only to find, behind it, a menacing array of coldly gleaming spikes. And the blonde-haired, blue-eyed figure had vanished. This was the first trial Le Shan gave to Hei Ge back then; now, Li Li gifted it to Yi Ming. "Become stronger." Beyond a wall, she gazed in Yi Ming’s direction, whispering softly, "Little Corgi."