11(may have some Problem read carfully - Dungeon Growth Log

“Quick, run!” The person tugging at her shoulder was a young man of eighteen or nineteen, his voice urgent. He wore coarse cloth clothing, and his long hair was tied up high with a blue headband. “It’s a demonic puppet! We can’t defeat it. We need to retreat and wait for reinforcements from the mountain—” Before he could finish, his wrist was suddenly grabbed. The panicked youth froze in place. The lazy-looking boy with a green headband, holding an oiled paper-wrapped sesame cake to his chest with his left hand, had his right hand gripping the youth’s wrist. His gaze was indifferent, but inexplicably chilling. He said, “Hey... kid.” Being called “kid” by a twelve or thirteen-year-old should have been laughable, yet Li Liu inexplicably found himself unable to retort. Xia Ge said, “There’s a child over there. Do you see him?” “Wah—” The demonic puppet, cloaked in black and wearing a fanged mask, stood before the crying child. A black-cloaked puppet raised a sharp black scythe high above the crying child’s head. In the sunset’s glow, the scythe blade flashed blood-red— Xia Ge’s gaze was as sharp as the blade of a knife. For an instant, it pierced Li Liu, rendering him speechless— Was he being questioned? Why wasn’t he saving that child? “I know!” Li Liu snapped out of it, his face flushed, “But—” He didn’t get to finish. The grip on his wrist disappeared, and the boy with the green headband and sesame cake vanished into a blur! “Clang—” The sound of metal striking metal was loud enough to pierce ears! 【Emergency Warning! Outmatched! Host must dodge immediately!!】 【Blue Alert!! Host should act within their ability and not act recklessly—】 Li Liu sharply turned his head. With one step, his pupils constricted to pinholes, “Hey—” That boy... such speed! He stepped on something but couldn’t care to check what. His eyes were fixed on the boy with the green headband, who was now holding the crying child, trying to protect him from the puppet's scythe with his left hand. —Is he trying to throw his life away?! A powerful shock resonated from the palm of his hand. The scythe's blade energy mercilessly grazed the edge of his palm, sending a sharp pain. The child in his arms seemed too scared to make a sound, wide eyes staring at her, having forgotten to cry. Even Li Liu on the side forgot to breathe. Such a sharp scythe, and the boy just... grabbed it with his hand? Of course not. Xia Ge slightly turned her head to look at the puppet behind her. Her black eyes glinted coldly. In her palm, against the scythe's blade, was a jade dragon ornament. The dragon-shaped jade piece was akin to stone but neither gold nor jade, impervious to weaponry and elements. Her only weapon. The air was silent enough to hear a pin drop. A faint scent of blood diffused. 【Host, impulsiveness is dangerous.】 It was the system’s cold, almost indifferent voice in her mind, 【You will pay for your impulsiveness.】 Xia Ge didn’t seem to hear the system’s warning. Her eyes softened, and she cradled the child’s neck with her right hand, speaking casually, “Hey, little girl, let’s make a deal. Close your eyes, and big brother will play a game with you, okay?” The child, a girl of about five or six with twin buns, was nestled in Xia Ge’s arms, her chin resting on Xia Ge’s shoulder. She glanced at the towering demonic puppet behind Xia Ge as if looking at an insurmountable barrier. Her face showed a child’s undue despair born of extreme fear of death. She couldn’t even hear what Xia Ge was saying. Xia Ge remarked, “This child is truly terrified.” System: “You should be considering yourself.” Xia Ge: “Little puppet, you’re smart. You’re absolutely right.” System: “...” The sky was dimming. The demonic puppet, frustrated at not drawing blood with its attack, retracted its scythe and swung it down at Xia Ge again! As fierce as the wind! Xia Ge’s eyes turned cold. Ignoring the slight pain in her hand, she rolled on the ground with the child, the scythe grazing past her ear, slicing off a few strands of hair. Pivoting, she initiated her phantom movements, becoming a blur. The demonic puppet couldn’t keep up and paused its scythe swing. Xia Ge thought she might escape, but with a “thud”— Xia Ge collided head-on with another demonic puppet! The impact of flesh against a metal puppet— Like an egg hitting a stone— This puppet’s speed was even faster than her phantom movements! 【You’re courting death. This is a C-class puppet!】 Xia Ge saw stars, unable to hear the system’s anxious voice. As she was flung away, she instinctively hugged the child tightly— In that split second, Xia Ge looked up and locked eyes with the puppet she had collided with! The green-faced, fanged mask had hollow eyes with ghostly blue flames fluttering within, staring straight at her. In an instant, the black scythe aimed at her was raised high. Xia Ge's pupils dilated slightly. —She could save this child unscathed. At the cost of exposing her identity. —A traitor despised by everyone. —Living in hunger and hiding from capture, wandering the streets. —Homeless and adrift. The scythe, with its deadly wind, was almost upon her! There was no time— Every action has its price. But the word “halfway” does not exist in Xia Ge’s dictionary! If she’s going to do something, she commits fully! “Hey... watch closely, little girl. Big brother will perform a trick for you…” Li Liu, watching from the side, instinctively closed his eyes, his legs trembling, unable to bear watching the impending disaster— Why was cavalry from the sword summit so slow?!! There were shouts from the villagers around— “Help is here—hurry—” “Why is there only one person...” “It’s Lady Chu!” Help? But... it’s too late— Xia Ge’s pure black pupils turned deep purple in an instant! Puppet’s secret technique—【Soul Capturing】 In the green-faced mask’s eyes, the blue soul flames met the deep purple of Xia Ge’s eyes for a split second, and the scythe-wielding hand froze— “Clang—” In that moment, a cloak of blue and white flickered in a stunning arc, blocking the demonic puppet’s vision, tinged with purple flames in its eyes. The light blue headband shimmered in the last rays of the sunset, resembling the color of blood. The girl with black hair and a single-handed sword parried the black scythe, sparks flying! Her sword was like autumn water, her eyes like rippling waves. In front of Xia Ge was only the blue and white uniform and the cloak symbolizing the sword summit’s status. “Hey.” The girl’s voice carried a slight mockery. She glanced sideways at Xia Ge holding the child, her beautiful apricot eyes almost provocatively arched. She slightly twisted her sword— “With such lousy skills... who are you trying to play hero?” “Chi—” As soon as she spoke, the curved scythe in the demonic puppet’s hand, under the girl’s sword, was cut off like soft mud! Half of the scythe flew out, embedding straight into the head of another approaching puppet! What a bunch of riffraff puppets. Every move fluid as water, Chu Yao didn’t even move her gaze. She stared at the dazed Xia Ge, her eyes brimming with sarcasm. However, just as Chu Yao was about to deal with a few more puppets, she found her gaze fixated on the green headband boy’s eyes and couldn’t look away. A momentary daze. ...What beautiful eyes. Purple? Wait a second, wasn’t that the boy from the other night? ...Were his eyes like this then? Xia Ge snapped out of her reverie, suddenly realizing that the heroic sword summit girl was staring at her face without moving. She instinctively touched her face. Hadn’t gotten any sesame on her face from the sesame cake... Without further thought. Xia Ge looked at the hero, “... What are you staring at?” Chu Yao, unable to tear her gaze from those soul-capturing purple eyes, felt reluctant to look away even for a second. At the same time, the system’s sharp warning rang out! 【Orange Alert! Host close your eyes immediately! If the Soul Capturing technique is activated, it will last for a whole day, and anyone who sees the host’s eyes will be unconsciously controlled!】 Xia Ge: “Crap!” The person was too handsome just now, she had completely forgotten she activated the Soul Capturing technique!!!