Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 94

 

| PN | Woodworm | 94

The two puppets stood side by side, staring intently at their reflections on the glass cabinet. 

Their eyes didn't blink as they placed their fingers on the glass, seemingly trying to verify if the reflections matched their real appearances.

At first, Qi Chao didn't disturb Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian, simply waiting quietly. However, after about ten minutes, seeing that the two children showed no signs of leaving, Qi Chao's thoughts began to wander.

"Is there something you're not satisfied with?" he couldn't help but ask.

Qi Chao and Qing Yu were different people, and when he made the twin dolls, he followed his own design. 

Although their hair and eye colors were similar, Xuan Jian and Shaung Jian's facial features and accessories were quite different from their previous looks.

The two puppets continued to look at their reflections in silence. Upon hearing Qi Chao's question, their expressions remained faint, but their eyes clearly showed a hint of anxiety and unease, as if they were afraid Qi Chao might misunderstand.

"It looks very nice," Shuang Jian, who resembled snow, immediately spoke up. His white eyelashes fluttered slightly as he turned his gaze to Qi Chao, his tone somewhat cautious. "We really like it."

Xuan Jian remained silent, staring at Qi Chao. After Shuang Jin spoke, Xuan Jian nodded emphatically.

Seeing that the twins were not dissatisfied with their bodies, Qi Chao smiled. “That’s good to hear.”

He paused for a moment before continuing, “Let’s head to the living room. You two have just awakened and need to replenish some energy.”

Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian had no objections and followed Qi Chao slowly. Since they were still adjusting to their new bodies, their movements were slow, and Qi Chao kept an eye on them from the corner of his vision.

When they reached the stairs, Qi Chao extended his hand and said, “It’s great that you can walk so smoothly right after awakening, but climbing stairs might be tiring. Let me help you.”

He was concerned that the twins might rush and accidentally fall while climbing the stairs.

Seeing Qi Chao’s extended hand, Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian paused for a moment. After a few seconds, they took Qi Chao’s hand.

The warmth of a human’s touch was much higher than that of the puppets.

The two puppets watched Qi Chao's figure. After a few seconds, as if in agreement, they turned to look at each other. Without the need for words, a single glance was enough for them to see that their other half was very pleased.

Xuan Jian was the first to withdraw his gaze, tightening his grip on Qi Chao’s hand as he recalled the reflection in the glass. 

They had been staring at the glass not so much to examine their new appearance but to see their now separated and fully independent bodies, which were no different from normal humans. 

Having been in a deformed state since birth, they had learned to endure pain. They didn’t mind being connected to their other half; what they loathed was the meaning of their existence, unable to accept that their purpose was merely to satisfy human curiosity and malice. 

Xuan Jian still remembered the scenes from their previous life, being watched and mocked. 

Humans had treated them like circus animals, making them crawl on the ground and reveling in their awkward and twisted forms.

Now, things were different.

Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian understood that their current father loved them. Their bodies had been painstakingly sculpted by Qi Chao, filled with anticipation rather than cold malice.

As Qi Chao led Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian out of the basement, the puppet's expressions remained calm, as if they were indifferent to the outside world. 

Yet, Qi Chao could see that they were not as composed as they appeared.

He smiled and tried to ease the atmosphere by chatting with the two children, introducing the three other children in the house.

“They all have very gentle personalities and are currently busy reading,” Qi Chao said with pride about his other creations. 

After thinking for a moment, he ruffled the heads of Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian. “I’m sure you will like them.”

Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian nodded, but they felt increasingly nervous inside. Having rarely experienced affection, they were quite sensitive. 

To them, Qi Chao’s liking for them was evident, but they worried that they might not be his favorites.

The two puppets knew that Qi Chao had created many puppets, and that the father figure for all these puppets was Qi Chao. They feared that if they didn’t measure up to his expectations, he might start disliking them.

Shuang Jian's silver eyelashes fluttered slightly, and a sense of inferiority quietly arose. 

Xuan Jian glanced at Shuang Jin, took his hand, and pressed his lips together.

At this moment, Qi Chao was opening the door and didn’t notice the subtle expressions and actions of the two puppets behind him. When he turned around, Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian had already managed to compose themselves.

“They should be in the living room now. After they finish reading, they’ll watch some projections to relax,” Qi Chao said with a smile. Knowing that the two children were actually quite timid, he patted their heads encouragingly. “Don’t be nervous.”

Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian nodded, and the next moment, they saw the three puppets who had appeared at the entrance without their noticing. 

The three puppets, Lan Luo, Li Bai, and Xiang Yue, stood there with unchanged expressions, but their bodies froze slightly, unsure of how to react.

Qi Chao, observing Lan Luo, Li Bai and Xiang Yue, addressed the three children. “This is Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian. You need to look after your younger siblings and get along with them, okay?”

This was something Qi Chao had said when Xiang Yue was first created, so Lan Luo felt little emotion about it, though he maintained a bright expression. 

Li Bai, as usual, was full of energy, waving his hand cheerfully. “Okay, Dad!”

Qi Chao nodded and led the group into the living room. Throughout the journey, Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian stayed closely behind him, avoiding eye contact with the other puppets in the living room.

Only when Li Bai greeted them did Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian awkwardly respond, though their replies were even more minimal than Xiang Yue's. 

Unlike Xiang Yue, who was naturally reserved, these two puppets simply didn’t know what to say.

Before Qi Chao returned, the three puppets had been upstairs reading. Knowing that Qi Chao would awaken Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian today, they had moved to the living room in the late afternoon, opened the projection screen, and waited for Qi Chao to finish.

The projection screen displayed Lan Luo’s favorite animation. Qi Chao glanced at it with a smile. Lan Luo was a very affectionate child who could watch the same animation, which had a total of sixty episodes, over and over again.

“This is Lan Luo’s favorite animation. Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian, if you have time, you can watch it with Lan Luo. You might end up liking it as much as he does,” Qi Chao said.

Lan Luo, upon hearing his name, looked up at Qi Chao. His golden, slightly curly hair fluttered in the air, clearly showing his fondness for the animation. 

After a moment, he turned to Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian and said with a bright smile, “Rainbow Bear is really interesting.”

Lan Luo had always been open about showing his friendliness in front of Qi Chao.

Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian looked at Lan Luo’s smile and remained silent for a moment before nodding in acknowledgment.

Nearby, Li Bai noticed the projection screen and thought for a moment. He grabbed the remote control from the table. 

His eyes, like golden amber behind his mask, lit up with enthusiasm as he said to the two puppets, “There’s another animation that’s really good too. The superhero is super cool.”

The images on the screen continued to flash.

Qi Chao knew that Li Bai also had a favorite animation and agreed that the superhero show was interesting. He smiled, looked up at the projection screen, and happened to catch the latest news broadcast.

[The number of missing persons is steadily increasing. The military has established a special task force to investigate. The Empire urges citizens to remain calm and not to worry excessively.]

Although the Blue Star Empire was generally peaceful, such incidents did occur from time to time. 

Qi Chao glanced at the news briefly, not paying it much mind. After seeing that Li Bai had started his favorite animation, he began enthusiastically describing to Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian how wonderful the animation was. 

He then chuckled lightly, stood up, and headed to the kitchen.

With Li Bai around, Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian would likely relax soon.

Thinking this, Qi Chao's gaze shifted to the light brain. He smiled, reached out to activate it, and dialed a video call to Shen Yuxi.

Since Qi Chao began working on the twin puppets, his time with Shen Yuxi had significantly decreased. After Shen Yuxi left, they could only communicate through video calls.

At first, Qi Chao didn’t mind too much; after all, they could see each other every day. However, over time, he found himself missing Shen Yuxi more.

 Although they could meet in video, it didn’t allow for holding hands or kissing, and the lack of physical contact left Qi Chao feeling that something was missing.

The call was quickly answered, and Shen Yuxi’s upper body was projected in mid-air. He appeared to be wearing thick clothing, with a fluffy collar making his face look smaller, possibly because he was feeling a bit cold.

Qi Chao glanced at the unfamiliar background behind Shen Yuxi and asked, “Are you outside?”

The lighting was dim where Shen Yuxi was. He nodded with a smile in his eyes and said in a gentle voice, "Mm, I just came out to handle some things."

"Is Moss with you?"

Shen Yuxi nodded and turned the light brain towards Moss.

Moss, who was only partially visible, was dressed warmly, with his head wrapped in bandages and a thick hat on top. When he saw Qi Chao, he pressed his lips together slightly and nodded.

Qi Chao smiled at Moss. Although he had wanted to discuss the patterns on the Double Mirror’s face with Shen Yuxi, seeing Shen Yuxi out, he decided not to bring it up. 

Instead, he said, "Brother Shen, travel safely. We’ll talk again when you get home after you finish your tasks."

He paused and then added, "It’s getting late. Brother Shen, you and Moss should head back soon."

"Okay."

Shen Yuxi could tell that Qi Chao had something to say. He softly responded with a "mm," his blue eyes narrowing slightly, and then said, "I’ll head back soon. Don’t worry, I’ll send you a video when I get home."

After ending the video call and watching the projection disappear, Moss, who was nearby, seemed to be contemplating something. His voice was hoarse as he said, "Father, there are quite a few people in the trial field now."

Moss’s feet were stained with dried blood, and his lower body was also smeared with mottled blood. However, his hands, which were holding a doll, were very clean.

Today was the day he and his father were clearing out the "pests" in the trial field. In the trial field where death was not permitted, these "pests" were creatures with their hands covered in the blood of their kind.

Shen Yuxi was completely clean and seemed a bit cold, his ears red from the cold. After ending the call, he put his hands into his pockets and asked in a gentle voice, "How many are left?"

"One left."

Shen Yuxi responded with an "mm," and said, "Let Agu handle it. We should head back first."

Moss nodded. Just as he opened the spatial vortex, he heard his father's gentle voice enter his ear: "That means the time is approaching."

Moss didn’t understand at first, but as he stepped into the time-space vortex, he suddenly realized that his father was answering his previous question.

The trial field had too many "pests" because time was running out.

Thinking about it carefully, those pests who killed their own kind were among the first humans on Blue Star to receive extraordinary abilities. 

Had they already entered a state of madness?

Moss watched his father’s back and thought that since the plan had already begun, his father would likely have little time to contact Qi Chao soon.

Moss actually enjoyed seeing his father interact with Qi Chao. The thought that his father might be away from Qi Chao for a while made him tighten his grip on the doll in his hand. 

He stopped thinking about it and followed closely behind his father.

…

On this winter night, when the cold wind cut to the bone, many people found it hard to sleep. 

Qing Yu, who had just become a Master-level Puppet Master, was visiting the high-security area of the research institute for the first time, accompanied by the president of the association.

Behind Qing Yu was his latest creation, the S-rank female puppet Yao Yi. Unlike the Double Mirror, Yao Yi was a deformed puppet with one missing leg. She staggered along with Qing Yu, her eyes filled with admiration as she looked at her creator.

Qing Yu paid her no mind, eagerly following the president into the secure room. The moment he saw the enormous machine, all his attention was drawn to it. He looked at the bizarre contraption with excitement and asked, "Is this the one?"

"Yes."

The president, now elderly, had to catch his breath between words, but his eyes were still bright. 

He looked at Qing Yu with a smile and said, "Every Puppet Master recognized by the association must come to see it."

Qing Yu stared at the humming machine, his gaze lost. He murmured, "Is this the machine that can make people have extraordinary abilities?"

The president smiled, patting Qing Yu on the shoulder, and said warmly, "Since you've brought an S-rank puppet, would you like to give it a try? Yao Yi’s extraordinary ability is vision optimization. If you don’t want this ability, the military will take the puppet."

Qing Yu understood the president’s intention. Considering the vision optimization ability, he felt a bit disdainful and glanced at the puppet. "Give it to the military then. It’s for the Empire’s benefit."

The president smiled and waved his hand. The next moment, two people who had suddenly appeared grabbed Yao Yi by the shoulders and tossed her into the machine’s opening.

Yao Yi’s expression was blank. Before she could react, she was hit by a wave of intense pain. 

Although puppets don't usually have sensitive pain receptors, at that moment, Yao Yi felt as though she was about to die from the agony. Her arms were forcibly dismantled, her eyes were gouged out, and every inch of her skin was being peeled away.

Yao Yi was in excruciating pain.

"Father, Yao Yi is in so much pain."

Upon hearing the sharp cries coming from the machine, Qing Yu frowned. The president glanced at him and said with a smile, "It’ll be over soon."

As soon as the words were out, the machine expelled a burst of gas, and with a "ding" sound, a dimly glowing red core stone was ejected.

"Have someone from the military come to collect the extraordinary ability," the president instructed a man standing nearby. 

He then turned to Qing Yu with a kind expression and said, "The Empire will reward you. Don’t worry."

The hard-crafted puppet was gone in an instant. Although Qing Yu had initially felt some displeasure, hearing this, his frustration vanished immediately. 

However, he still restrained himself and said with false modesty, "Oh, it’s nothing. We’re all working for the Empire. The reward doesn’t matter."

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