wjnovel Chapter 715 Giving the Head a Body
Chapter 715 Giving the Head a Body
Chapter 715 Giving the Head a Body (4000 words)
The head remained in the dark alley for a whole day until night fell again, when it silently crawled out.
This is a city resembling a European city from the 18th or 19th century, where the hustle and bustle of steam engines coexist with human intervention.
Gears bite into the church walls, pipes climb all over the bell tower, and at noon, steam and bells explode at the same time.
The blue flames on the alchemy tower in the east of the city never died out, and the airship streaked past, leaving a trail of cold light.
The carriage wheels from the west of the city rolled over the magic circle silently. The noble lady blocked the way with her fan, and runes flowed across its surface.
The bread from the bakery smelled of sulfur, and the exhaust fumes from the talisman-making shop next door were also present.
"Wow, there's even magic and alchemy."
This is not in line with the style of the underworld.
Lin Xiaohe extended her consciousness and scanned the surrounding environment within a three-kilometer radius, with herself as the center.
She needs a body to match the head, preferably a female body.
Because it's hard to imagine how conspicuous such a delicate head would be on a 1.8-meter-tall, muscular man.
The night wind blew into the hollows of my eyes, making a faint whistling sound.
Lin Xiaohe peered into the shadows of the clock tower's exterior wall, observing the street.
The kerosene lamp cast a hazy glow in the fog, and the iron wheels of the carriage rolled over the stone road, splashing black water stains.
Several crusaders in leather coats marched past in formation, their thermal compasses drawing dark red trails in the mist.
Tsk tsk, looks pretty good, at least C-level. It's a pity there are no women in the team.
Lin Xiaohe contracted the newly formed granulation tissue in her neck, causing her entire skull to collapse inward by one-third of its volume, resembling a faded balloon stuck between bricks.
This is really troublesome.
For three days, she had seen executioners as strong as iron towers, whose coordination was only at the C level, and she had also seen alchemists with slender figures, whose spinal reflex arcs were modified by demonic transformation, with a rejection rate as high as 73%.
None of them caught my eye.
Just then, a figure emerged from the alleyway.
She was bent over, dragging the body of a city hall guard with her left hand, while her right hand was pulling a silver scalpel out of its eye socket.
The hem of his white lab coat was stained with black slime, and he wore a bronze badge on his chest indicating he was a Level 3 Researcher at the library.
The edges of the badge were covered with fine rust lines, as if it had been contaminated by something.
Lin Xiaohe gasped.
Good heavens, is this what a mutant is?!
Bright red muscle bundles bulged out from her collar like a tuft of torn organ strings, with half a broken trachea hanging from the top.
Lin Xiaohe released the fleshy buds clinging to the brick wall and silently fell toward the headless body.
Just as they were about to be matched, Lin Xiaohe heard a weak voice: "Director Lin?"
The head changed direction at an extreme moment in mid-air, almost falling to the ground.
Lin Xiaohe: "Who are you?"
The half-broken trachea on the collar was bulging and throbbing, a scene that was somewhat eerie and disturbing.
"Director Lin, Lin Xiaohe is Chen Ying from the Anning County Township Secretariat! You may not know Lin Xiaohe, but you are her idol. Lin Xiaohe applied to go to Anning County because of you!"
Lin Xiaohe: "You didn't upgrade?"
“I was promoted… but the memories of Anning County in the Eastern Kingdom are too strong, so…”
Lin Xiaohe: "That's not important. Tell me about your situation."
Chen Ying: "After Lin Xiaohe followed the army into the City of No Return, she lost consciousness. When Lin Xiaohe woke up again, she had become like this. This body was originally the librarian on duty in the third reading room of the library."
Lin Xiaohe's eyes lit up: "And then? What's going on with this world?"
Chen Ying scratched her head. Well, she didn't have a head, so she could only scratch the fleshy buds: "Uh... Lin Xiaohe's body doesn't have a head, so she can't remember many things."
Lin Xiaohe understood: "So, when you said you had a deep memory of Anning County, it was probably because that's all you could remember."
"Hehe... You found out! As expected of Director Lin!" Chen Ying almost burst into tears.
I've embarrassed myself in front of my idol.
But there's no way around it; a body without a head might only have a slightly higher IQ than a paramecium.
She didn't want to do it either!
Chen Ying suddenly remembered something, pulled a thin notebook out of her clothes, and presented it to her head like a treasure: "Director Lin, look!"
[Library Work Log]
[Number: RG-07/A]
Subject: A Brief Overview of the Current State of the World (Public)
Archiver: Third Reading Room - Duty Librarian
New researchers, as usual, must first read this guide upon arrival. Below is the basic information that Lin Xiaohe and her colleagues refer to as "reality."
Yo!
Lin Xiaohe became serious.
Part 1: About "The Outside World"
Lin Xiaohe and the others called it "outside the city." In fact, there was no essential difference between inside and outside the city. The only difference was that inside the city, the steam engine was still barely running and the temperature for bread fermentation was maintained, while outside the city, only the breathing of the alien demons could be heard.
The ancients have awakened; this is a fact that has already occurred.
After the collapse of truth, the laws of physics become as fragile as old pages, ready to be torn apart at any moment by some indescribable gaze.
The territory of human civilization is now divided by city walls and marked by the red line of a thermal compass as a warning zone; everything outside of this zone is designated as a "contaminated area."
If you hear a bell while on duty, it's the rallying cry for the Crusaders to march out of the city and wipe out the otherworldly demons. If you hear an alarm, don't ask questions; put your books in a fireproof and moisture-proof cabinet, lock it, and then pray.
Lin Xiaohe: "It seems that human civilization is at a disadvantage."
Chen Ying exclaimed indignantly, "Damn those alien demons!"
Although her body is that of a mutant, her heart will always be that of a human!
Lin Xiaohe continued reading.
II. On "Fate Space"
This is the most frequently asked question by all newcomers.
Yes, that space really exists.
Of course, Lin Xiaohe and her friends did not know its origin.
Note: The restricted area on the third basement floor of the library contains seventeen hypotheses about its nature, eight of which have caused permanent mental pollution in former researchers and are therefore not open to primary access.
Based on the practical experience of our predecessors, one after another, some conclusions have been drawn.
The Fate Space is a parallel "copy world" to reality. Humans enter it through specific rituals (usually in a state of sleep or near death) and are transported into horror stories, paranormal events, or dreams of ancient gods.
Those who survived were called "heroes" by Lin Xiaohe and her friends.
Whether Lin Xiaohe and his group can continue to provide heating in the city, whether they can open up new water purification points outside the city, and whether they can create silver bullets to restrain the alien demons all depend on the "contaminant essence" and "alienation map" produced in the Destiny Space.
In other words, every kerosene lamp in this library burns with the blood of heroes.
Mortality rate? The last statistic was 67%. If you wish to withdraw, the application form is in the metal cabinet at the end of the east corridor on the second floor.
Lin Xiaohe and Chen Ying exchanged a glance. Why did "Destiny Space" sound so much like running a dungeon in "The City of the Dead"?
Are these two related?
Lin Xiaohe remembered this question and continued reading.
III. Five Paths for Humanity
Lin Xiaohe and her ilk are not going to surrender easily.
Through generations of trial and error, humanity has discovered five paths to enhancement amidst pollution: Crusade (combat-oriented), Library (Lin Xiaohe and others, researching knowledge and mysticism), Control (control-type ability users), Mechanics (steam technology and alchemy), and Mysticism (directly dealing with pollution, the most dangerous path).
Your library card is your identification within the library system. Each level you advance unlocks more stacks and volumes. Don't try to skip levels; books at level three and above will "read" you.
Lin Xiaohe's eyes flickered slightly. It seemed that if she wanted to obtain more information, she could try to get a library card and sneak into the library.
Chen Ying turned the notebook to the last page.
IV. On "the true situation of Lin Xiaohe and others"
Finally, as a piece of advice for working together—
Don't believe those printed materials that proclaim "humanity will ultimately triumph." Those are for the common people. The people in the library, like Lin Xiaohe, know that the Otherworldly Demons are not beasts, but echoes of the Old Gods.
The city walls cannot stop them, and the space of fate is only a reprieve.
The reason Lin Xiaohe and her colleagues are still here organizing cards, repairing book spines, and recording data is not because of optimism, but because they want to at least write the truth down before it completely collapses. Even if in the end only the alien demons read these papers.
Duty librarian's signature: (unrecognizable ink stain)
If you hear footsteps in the hallway but don't see anyone, please remain quiet and continue your work.
Lin Xiaohe: "Put it away."
"Oh, okay. Director Lin, what should Lin Xiaohe and the others do next?"
Lin Xiaohe: "Find a body for Lin Xiaohe's head, and a head for your body."
Double the tasks, that's awesome!
Lin Xiaohe wanted to sneak into the library, so she led Chen Ying to wander around the area.
Unfortunately, they searched for a long time but couldn't find it.
Lin Xiaohe: "This can't go on any longer."
Just as Lin Xiaohe decided to use the dead city hall to guard her body, a girl wearing a puffy long dress and with freckles on her face rushed into the alley in a panic.
The three looked at each other in bewilderment.
"what!!!"
The beautiful girl let out a scream, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed to the ground.
Chen Ying...
What a tragedy! Luckily, this girl isn't from the East.
"Director Lin, she was terrified."
Lin Xiaohe...
"Alright, let's just consider Lin Xiaohe and the others as a gift from fate."
Lin Xiaohe regained her body, and Chen Ying regained her head.
Everyone has a bright future.
Lin Xiaohe examined the body and felt a slight vibration from the wristwatch on her wrist; the sophisticated wind-up timer displayed a number.
[Countdown: 10 minutes.]
What is that?
Chen Ying, having inherited the girl's memories, changed drastically: "Director Lin, this is the Destiny Space Summoning Device! Lin Xiaohe and the others must reach the mission hall before the time is up. Follow Lin Xiaohe!"
The elaborate skirt really slows down running speed.
Lin Xiaohe simply took off her petticoat and slip and ran away.
At the last second, the two arrived at the mission hall in time.
The mission hall resembled an Orthodox church on the outside, but inside was a flat, open space crowded with people who looked terrified.
Before Lin Xiaohe could ask any questions, her entire consciousness was drawn into another space.
After a brief period of unconsciousness, Lin Xiaohe quickly regained consciousness.
Interestingly, Chen Ying, who wasn't wearing a watch, was also sucked into the Fate Space.
Perhaps, because her head belongs to that girl.
Chen Ying woke up a little later: "Director Lin, where are Lin Xiaohe and the others?"
Lin Xiaohe: "Destiny Space, Bathroom."
The steam room was filled with the smell of rust mixed with formaldehyde.
Lin Xiaohe and Chen Ying lay side by side on two cast iron bath beds, their wrists secured with brass buckles.
wrong!
Lin Xiaohe sensed that something was trying to connect them.
That's a higher-dimensional power, definitely beyond the fourth dimension!
"Director Lin, what's your heart rate?" Chen Ying's voice came from the mist, carrying a deliberately suppressed calm.
"93."
Very stable values.
Lin Xiaohe stared at the mold spots on the ceiling. "What about you?"
"123."
Wow, I'm really nervous.
The iron bed began to vibrate, and the mold spots on the ceiling rapidly spread, connected, and formed a geometric shape that Lin Xiaohe had never seen before.
More accurately, it's text.
"Ah, my eyes!" Chen Ying cried out in pain.
After only a short time recognizing the words, her retina began to peel off.
The screen suddenly shattered.
Lin Xiaohe felt her body being dismantled, flattened, and slid out through a narrow gap.
In the darkness, a cold, boneless hand pressed against the back of Lin Xiaohe's head.
It examined Lin Xiaohe's head as if it were checking "luggage," turning it over and turning over the contents little by little, followed by the internal organs, with a focus on the heart and stomach.
In that instant, Lin Xiaohe forcibly contracted all her consciousness, pretending to be a cell without feelings or consciousness.
The process of examining the palms took a while. After checking everyone, they checked Lin Xiaohe's head again.
He might be a little confused as to why his body and head don't match.
In any case, after finding nothing unusual, the hand disappeared.
Then, Lin Xiaohe smelled a strong stench of blood.
Fresh, warm blood from the slaughterhouse.
When Lin Xiaohe opened her eyes, she found herself standing in a muddy alleyway, with Victorian-style row houses on both sides, all of which had their windows boarded up.
There was no moon or stars overhead, only a huge, slowly rotating black disc.
Chen Ying was five steps away, kneeling on the ground, dry heaving.
At the end of the alley, a little girl in a lace dress was drawing something on the wall with chalk, her back to Lin Xiaohe and the others.
Lin Xiaohe adjusted her vision and saw clearly.
She is painting a door.
This door has no handle and can never be opened.
The end of the chalk was connected to her own severed finger.
A strange, cold notification sound appeared in their minds.
[The theme of the copy has been confirmed: "Hunger House".]
Core rule: All doors and windows must be open at midnight every day. Locking doors is prohibited.
Violators will be deleted from the system.
Chen Ying stopped gagging.
She looked at Lin Xiaohe, her lips moved, but no sound came out.
Ugh, this damn, awful sense of déjà vu!
Lin Xiaohe raised an eyebrow: "What are you trying to say?"
Chen Ying asked somewhat embarrassedly, "Regarding the dungeon, did No Return City copy Dead City, or Dead City copy No Return City?"
Lin Xiaohe: "It's hard to say. Judging from the timeline, the City of No Return appeared before the City of the Dead, but dungeons have appeared in countless literary works and even in games. Is it possible that they copied us?"
Chen Ying gave an awkward laugh: "Then what do we do?"
The dungeon in the City of the Dead left her with deep psychological trauma. If it weren't for Director Lin, Blue Star would have been finished!
(End of this chapter)