Lynne gently set her down. The whistling wind stirred her golden hair and dress, as she, in a daze, clutched her wrists, staring blankly at the street.
Lynne gave her an encouraging look. Instinctively, she took a step forward, her feet trembling slightly on the solid stone pavement.
No backlash... She had left the castle's boundary without suffering the consequences... She had walked out... from the land that bound her in death...
In that instant, she opened her mouth, but no words came out. She turned her head in a daze, looking at the tall youth standing before her, observing his gentle smile. This doctor, who promised to be her brother, to be her family...
For some reason, suddenly, she felt something swirling in her eyes. Yet, she said nothing. She walked over and hugged Lynne's waist, closing her eyes and pressing her cheek against his chest, holding him tightly.
It all went unspoken, a deep yearning for familial love. After all, she was still that little Loli who hadn't grown up, the lonely little girl longing for family and kin.
Maybe she had become a malevolent spirit, but her heart still harbored hope. She was always that kind-hearted little girl. Death had changed much, even once altering her young, kind heart, but finally, as malice and hatred faded, it remained as pure as ever.
[Ding! Alice's trust in you +10]
[Ding! Alice's hatred and resentment -1]
[Ding! You have triggered a long-term mission: Soul Cleansing. Mission description: Under your healing, Alice has greatly improved, but the immense hatred and resentment in her heart remain a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment. To achieve complete healing, more prolonged cleansing is needed.]
[Mission Reward: ???]
Hearing the notification, Lynne paused, then looked down at the little loli clinging to him with her eyes closed, frightened of being hurt.
Lynne's lips curved into a smile, and he closed his eyes, tapping his temples lightly.
Sigh! No choice then!
Since he had already triggered a system mission, he just had to dutifully complete it! Although he had no experience in raising a younger sister, he should be able to take on the role of a brother!
And Disembodied Street wasn't far from Wandering Soul Lane. Coming here often to accompany Alice, helping to cleanse her soul, and staying for a few days should be feasible!
Ah! Really! ╮(╯▽╰)╭！ Such a dilemma!
While Lynne was deep in thought, Alice, who had been embracing him, opened her eyes and lifted her head, her cracked pupils reflecting his face.
"Alice... has something to give... to brother..."
Lynne came back to his senses.
Alice gently stepped back, her eyes closed, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.
"Thank you... Thank you for revealing the truth to Alice... and for agreeing to be Alice's family... But I also know... you cannot stay here forever..."
She raised her head, looking into Lynne's eyes with a clarity that touched the heart.
"I saw a lot in your consciousness... You are not as evil as you seem... You just want to live in this world in your own way... to bring kindness to people..."
Lynne quietly looked into her eyes.
She extended her hand, and a blood-red halo slowly appeared at her fingertips.
"So... please stay with me as much as you can... Alice is very thankful to you... Alice truly hopes... you can become a dependable family member..."
[Ding! You have received a special reward from Alice!]
[Ding! Alice is granting you half the ownership of the Home of Happiness. Upon accepting it, you will have the freedom to enter Home of Happiness, control all paranormal phenomena within the castle, and be able to transport yourself back to Home of Happiness at any time, with a 24-hour cooldown.]
Lynne was deeply shaken. He had indeed thought about what special reward Alice might offer. But he never imagined that Alice would actually grant him authority over the ancient castle! It was like having his name written on the deed as the master of the house!
And more so, she had given him the skill to return to here at any moment. This was truly an invincible life-saving technique!
[Ding! Do you accept this reward?]
Of course, he accepted!
Lynne came back to his senses, looking at Alice as she extended her hand towards him, the hopeful light in her eyes.
Finally, Lynne smiled and took her hand, saying: "Thank you, Alice."
[Ding! You have obtained half the ownership of Home of Happiness, with all its privileges, and the curse is automatically lifted!]
Instantly, behind them, the half-collapsed castle engulfed in flames began to rise with billowing black smoke, the curse being restored as the system automatically lifted it.
The broken bricks moved without wind, and the collapsed walls began to slowly reverse.
Everything was transforming back to how it was before their arrival. Accompanied by the howling wind.
When they opened their eyes again, behind them stood the towering and solemn castle, no longer as gloomy and terrifying as before.
Everything seemed warm and inviting. And on Alice's delicate face, a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared.
Although fleeting, it was filled with happiness. But just then, suddenly, from the street beside them, heavy footsteps echoed.
Thud—Thud—
Like a heartbeat, chilling to the bone.
With a rustle, Alice immediately positioned herself protectively in front of Lynne, as if sensing a great danger. From the cracks covering her body, a dazzling blood-red light emerged.
She tensed up, coldly staring into the darkness as if bracing for battle.
"Don't be alarmed, young lady," a faint voice said. The time has come for me to fulfill our unfinished deal."
From the darkness, the pigfolk butcher, carrying a cleaver, slowly emerged. The huge pig head opened its faint eyes, his gaze falling on Lynne's face.
"Where is my heart?" he asked.
...
In an instant, at a distance from the castle, Bloodsaw's expression drastically changed upon witnessing this scene. As if suddenly realizing something, Bloodsaw instinctively stepped back, his eyes trembling, his lips quivering uncontrollably.
"That... that is..."
He swore he wasn't mistaken, though he had only seen a silhouette. But he could never forget that heart-pounding aura.
Two years ago, yes, just two years ago! When he found Lynne unconscious at the doorstep of his potion shop, that monster... It had appeared in Wandering Soul Lane...
He still remembered that scene vividly. Wandering Soul Lane was shrouded in black mist, and the sky displayed an unprecedented illusion. A blood-red, sinister moon hung in the sky, resembling a giant bloodshot eyeball, scrutinizing the earth.
He heard a knock at the door and found Lynne unconscious. A trail of blood-red footprints stretched from the shop's entrance into the distant mist.
In the mist, he saw a silhouette; its back covered in black mane, carrying a blood-dripping cleaver on its shoulder. When it turned its head, he got a clear view of the monster's profile.
The blood-red moon cast its light down. Like a dark omen. That creature gave him an indescribable sense of dread, not from its strength, but as if it was a suppression emanating from its very essence and soul that affected these dark beings.
It sent chills down one's spine. Like a...
"Devil."
Bloodsaw lifted his head solemnly. Without any hesitation, his gaze darkened, and he instantly moved towards Lynne's direction.
Puppet Mistress, seeing this, hurriedly followed Bloodsaw.
...
In front of the castle, Alice faced the pigfolk butcher with a wariness as if confronting a formidable enemy. Lynne was about to speak when he sensed the presence behind him and saw Bloodsaw and Puppet Mistress rapidly approaching.
"Sir?" Lynne exclaimed in surprise but without feeling unexpected.
From the system prompt he heard from Puppet Mistress earlier, he had suspected that his teacher might be nearby.
"Um!" Bloodsaw nodded, saying little, and stood beside him, squinting at the pigfolk creature. "Lynne, did you offend this... butcher?"
He asked gravely, his muscles taut, his eyes filled with caution.
Lynne responded with a smile, "You worry too much, sir. I merely made a deal with this gentleman."
He raised his head, smiling as he strode forward, patting the vigilant Alice on the shoulder, and facing the pigfolk butcher, he said politely: "First, I want to thank you. Without the heart you gave me, I couldn't have completed Alice's final puzzle. As for the heart of extreme evil you seek..."
Lynne thought for a moment, then slowly placed his hand over his chest. Feeling the strong beating of his heart. He adjusted his monocle with a smile and said, "I indeed don't have it. But you also said my heart could substitute for it, and I can give it to you right now."
At these words, Bloodsaw and Puppet Mistress's expressions changed dramatically.
Alice too turned her head, looking at Lynne in astonishment.
"Lynne, do you realize what you're saying?!" Bloodsaw frowned, grabbing his shoulder and exclaiming: "Do you think a heart is just a part you can swap out at will?!"
Lynne turned to his teacher, blinked, and said, "Isn't it? Didn't you replace mine before? Aren't I still living well?"
Bloodsaw was momentarily speechless, then suddenly grabbed his collar, looking into his eyes, and said deeply: "Because what I gave you wasn't an ordinary heart..."
Lynne was taken aback. But Bloodsaw didn't continue, releasing his collar and turning back to face the pigfolk butcher. His voice grew darker.
"And didn't you hear the implication in his words? He said he wants a heart of extreme evil. That doesn't just refer to the physical organ beating in your chest, but also encompasses your soul."
The surroundings fell into silence.
Bloodsaw's voice became even more somber, "He said your own heart could substitute, but he didn't specify whether it should be a kind heart, a loving heart, an evil heart, or a ruthless heart. If you give it to him rashly, you're essentially making a deal with the devil, and he will have the final interpretation! What you'll lose then, won't just be a piece of flesh that beats."
All these were lessons from experience. Lessons he had learned through hundreds of years of struggles and hardships in this world.
In the Dark World, there exists a race known as "Devils," known for their strict adherence to order yet profound malevolence. They don't attack outright but engage in transactions through contracts, slowly leading their victims into traps they've meticulously set. A single lapse in vigilance could mean irreversible doom.
Lynne calmed himself and then looked towards the pigfolk butcher, his gaze questioning.
The butcher, unfazed, spoke calmly, "Your teacher is correct. The heart I seek includes both the organ and the soul."
He pulled out a pocket watch and glanced at it briefly.
"Thirty seconds for you to decide. If you don't respond by the time the countdown ends, I'll consider it a breach of contract."
Tick—Tick—
The sound of the watch's ticking resonated around them.
Lynne's eyes flickered. From his teacher's expression, he could guess that this pigfolk butcher was extremely powerful. Even the enhanced Alice showed a readiness for a formidable foe, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.
Was he a King? Or an Origin?
No. That seemed unlikely.
Lynne's mind raced, his gaze darting.
Notifying Little's family was now impossible, and finding a heart of extreme evil in less than thirty seconds seemed an insurmountable task.
And in that case...
Lynne lifted his head, his gaze steadying as he stepped forward, reaching towards his chest.
"Alright, then take my..."
But before he could finish, a cold, small hand grabbed his wrist.
Alice, her face full of cracks, looked up at him with deep eyes and gently shook her head.
Then she turned and said: "I have... I'll make the trade... for my brother..."
At her words, Lynne was startled. Before he could respond, Alice opened her mouth wide, and a chilling ghostly aura surged forth.
Under the intense gaze of those around, a pitch-black, pulsating heart slowly emerged from her mouth, hovering in front of the pigfolk butcher.
Cold, eerie, pitch-black.
The heart, crawling with sinister black slime, continued to beat. A shrill, resentful wail seemed to emanate from it.
"That is..."
Before his eyes, the description of the heart surfaced.
[Heart of Malice: A heart formed from Lady Mary's jealousy and hatred.]
Lynne's breath became rapid.
Slowly, Alice, holding the floating heart, looked up and said: "This is the heart of my birth mother... Her venom and hatred... chill me to the bone..."
Lynne fell silent, simply watching Alice's profile, without a word.
Alice stepped forward, looking up, and said: "Brother Lynne got my heart back from you... so this trade... I will complete it."
Lynne gently set her down. The whistling wind stirred her golden hair and dress, as she, in a daze, clutched her wrists, staring blankly at the street.
Lynne gave her an encouraging look. Instinctively, she took a step forward, her feet trembling slightly on the solid stone pavement.
No backlash... She had left the castle's boundary without suffering the consequences... She had walked out... from the land that bound her in death...
In that instant, she opened her mouth, but no words came out. She turned her head in a daze, looking at the tall youth standing before her, observing his gentle smile. This doctor, who promised to be her brother, to be her family...
For some reason, suddenly, she felt something swirling in her eyes. Yet, she said nothing. She walked over and hugged Lynne's waist, closing her eyes and pressing her cheek against his chest, holding him tightly.
It all went unspoken, a deep yearning for familial love. After all, she was still that little Loli who hadn't grown up, the lonely little girl longing for family and kin.
Maybe she had become a malevolent spirit, but her heart still harbored hope. She was always that kind-hearted little girl. Death had changed much, even once altering her young, kind heart, but finally, as malice and hatred faded, it remained as pure as ever.
[Ding! Alice's trust in you +10]
[Ding! Alice's hatred and resentment -1]
[Ding! You have triggered a long-term mission: Soul Cleansing. Mission description: Under your healing, Alice has greatly improved, but the immense hatred and resentment in her heart remain a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment. To achieve complete healing, more prolonged cleansing is needed.]
[Mission Reward: ???]
Hearing the notification, Lynne paused, then looked down at the little loli clinging to him with her eyes closed, frightened of being hurt.
Lynne's lips curved into a smile, and he closed his eyes, tapping his temples lightly.
Sigh! No choice then!
Since he had already triggered a system mission, he just had to dutifully complete it! Although he had no experience in raising a younger sister, he should be able to take on the role of a brother!
And Disembodied Street wasn't far from Wandering Soul Lane. Coming here often to accompany Alice, helping to cleanse her soul, and staying for a few days should be feasible!
Ah! Really! ╮(╯▽╰)╭！ Such a dilemma!
While Lynne was deep in thought, Alice, who had been embracing him, opened her eyes and lifted her head, her cracked pupils reflecting his face.
"Alice... has something to give... to brother..."
Lynne came back to his senses.
Alice gently stepped back, her eyes closed, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.
"Thank you... Thank you for revealing the truth to Alice... and for agreeing to be Alice's family... But I also know... you cannot stay here forever..."
She raised her head, looking into Lynne's eyes with a clarity that touched the heart.
"I saw a lot in your consciousness... You are not as evil as you seem... You just want to live in this world in your own way... to bring kindness to people..."
Lynne quietly looked into her eyes.
She extended her hand, and a blood-red halo slowly appeared at her fingertips.
"So... please stay with me as much as you can... Alice is very thankful to you... Alice truly hopes... you can become a dependable family member..."
[Ding! You have received a special reward from Alice!]
[Ding! Alice is granting you half the ownership of the Home of Happiness. Upon accepting it, you will have the freedom to enter Home of Happiness, control all paranormal phenomena within the castle, and be able to transport yourself back to Home of Happiness at any time, with a 24-hour cooldown.]
Lynne was deeply shaken. He had indeed thought about what special reward Alice might offer. But he never imagined that Alice would actually grant him authority over the ancient castle! It was like having his name written on the deed as the master of the house!
And more so, she had given him the skill to return to here at any moment. This was truly an invincible life-saving technique!
[Ding! Do you accept this reward?]
Of course, he accepted!
Lynne came back to his senses, looking at Alice as she extended her hand towards him, the hopeful light in her eyes.
Finally, Lynne smiled and took her hand, saying: "Thank you, Alice."
[Ding! You have obtained half the ownership of Home of Happiness, with all its privileges, and the curse is automatically lifted!]
Instantly, behind them, the half-collapsed castle engulfed in flames began to rise with billowing black smoke, the curse being restored as the system automatically lifted it.
The broken bricks moved without wind, and the collapsed walls began to slowly reverse.
Everything was transforming back to how it was before their arrival. Accompanied by the howling wind.
When they opened their eyes again, behind them stood the towering and solemn castle, no longer as gloomy and terrifying as before.
Everything seemed warm and inviting. And on Alice's delicate face, a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared.
Although fleeting, it was filled with happiness. But just then, suddenly, from the street beside them, heavy footsteps echoed.
Thud—Thud—
Like a heartbeat, chilling to the bone.
With a rustle, Alice immediately positioned herself protectively in front of Lynne, as if sensing a great danger. From the cracks covering her body, a dazzling blood-red light emerged.
She tensed up, coldly staring into the darkness as if bracing for battle.
"Don't be alarmed, young lady," a faint voice said. The time has come for me to fulfill our unfinished deal."
From the darkness, the pigfolk butcher, carrying a cleaver, slowly emerged. The huge pig head opened its faint eyes, his gaze falling on Lynne's face.
"Where is my heart?" he asked.
...
In an instant, at a distance from the castle, Bloodsaw's expression drastically changed upon witnessing this scene. As if suddenly realizing something, Bloodsaw instinctively stepped back, his eyes trembling, his lips quivering uncontrollably.
"That... that is..."
He swore he wasn't mistaken, though he had only seen a silhouette. But he could never forget that heart-pounding aura.
Two years ago, yes, just two years ago! When he found Lynne unconscious at the doorstep of his potion shop, that monster... It had appeared in Wandering Soul Lane...
He still remembered that scene vividly. Wandering Soul Lane was shrouded in black mist, and the sky displayed an unprecedented illusion. A blood-red, sinister moon hung in the sky, resembling a giant bloodshot eyeball, scrutinizing the earth.
He heard a knock at the door and found Lynne unconscious. A trail of blood-red footprints stretched from the shop's entrance into the distant mist.
In the mist, he saw a silhouette; its back covered in black mane, carrying a blood-dripping cleaver on its shoulder. When it turned its head, he got a clear view of the monster's profile.
The blood-red moon cast its light down. Like a dark omen. That creature gave him an indescribable sense of dread, not from its strength, but as if it was a suppression emanating from its very essence and soul that affected these dark beings.
It sent chills down one's spine. Like a...
"Devil."
Bloodsaw lifted his head solemnly. Without any hesitation, his gaze darkened, and he instantly moved towards Lynne's direction.
Puppet Mistress, seeing this, hurriedly followed Bloodsaw.
...
In front of the castle, Alice faced the pigfolk butcher with a wariness as if confronting a formidable enemy. Lynne was about to speak when he sensed the presence behind him and saw Bloodsaw and Puppet Mistress rapidly approaching.
"Sir?" Lynne exclaimed in surprise but without feeling unexpected.
From the system prompt he heard from Puppet Mistress earlier, he had suspected that his teacher might be nearby.
"Um!" Bloodsaw nodded, saying little, and stood beside him, squinting at the pigfolk creature. "Lynne, did you offend this... butcher?"
He asked gravely, his muscles taut, his eyes filled with caution.
Lynne responded with a smile, "You worry too much, sir. I merely made a deal with this gentleman."
He raised his head, smiling as he strode forward, patting the vigilant Alice on the shoulder, and facing the pigfolk butcher, he said politely: "First, I want to thank you. Without the heart you gave me, I couldn't have completed Alice's final puzzle. As for the heart of extreme evil you seek..."
Lynne thought for a moment, then slowly placed his hand over his chest. Feeling the strong beating of his heart. He adjusted his monocle with a smile and said, "I indeed don't have it. But you also said my heart could substitute for it, and I can give it to you right now."
At these words, Bloodsaw and Puppet Mistress's expressions changed dramatically.
Alice too turned her head, looking at Lynne in astonishment.
"Lynne, do you realize what you're saying?!" Bloodsaw frowned, grabbing his shoulder and exclaiming: "Do you think a heart is just a part you can swap out at will?!"
Lynne turned to his teacher, blinked, and said, "Isn't it? Didn't you replace mine before? Aren't I still living well?"
Bloodsaw was momentarily speechless, then suddenly grabbed his collar, looking into his eyes, and said deeply: "Because what I gave you wasn't an ordinary heart..."
Lynne was taken aback. But Bloodsaw didn't continue, releasing his collar and turning back to face the pigfolk butcher. His voice grew darker.
"And didn't you hear the implication in his words? He said he wants a heart of extreme evil. That doesn't just refer to the physical organ beating in your chest, but also encompasses your soul."
The surroundings fell into silence.
Bloodsaw's voice became even more somber, "He said your own heart could substitute, but he didn't specify whether it should be a kind heart, a loving heart, an evil heart, or a ruthless heart. If you give it to him rashly, you're essentially making a deal with the devil, and he will have the final interpretation! What you'll lose then, won't just be a piece of flesh that beats."
All these were lessons from experience. Lessons he had learned through hundreds of years of struggles and hardships in this world.
In the Dark World, there exists a race known as "Devils," known for their strict adherence to order yet profound malevolence. They don't attack outright but engage in transactions through contracts, slowly leading their victims into traps they've meticulously set. A single lapse in vigilance could mean irreversible doom.
Lynne calmed himself and then looked towards the pigfolk butcher, his gaze questioning.
The butcher, unfazed, spoke calmly, "Your teacher is correct. The heart I seek includes both the organ and the soul."
He pulled out a pocket watch and glanced at it briefly.
"Thirty seconds for you to decide. If you don't respond by the time the countdown ends, I'll consider it a breach of contract."
Tick—Tick—
The sound of the watch's ticking resonated around them.
Lynne's eyes flickered. From his teacher's expression, he could guess that this pigfolk butcher was extremely powerful. Even the enhanced Alice showed a readiness for a formidable foe, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.
Was he a King? Or an Origin?
No. That seemed unlikely.
Lynne's mind raced, his gaze darting.
Notifying Little's family was now impossible, and finding a heart of extreme evil in less than thirty seconds seemed an insurmountable task.
And in that case...
Lynne lifted his head, his gaze steadying as he stepped forward, reaching towards his chest.
"Alright, then take my..."
But before he could finish, a cold, small hand grabbed his wrist.
Alice, her face full of cracks, looked up at him with deep eyes and gently shook her head.
Then she turned and said: "I have... I'll make the trade... for my brother..."
At her words, Lynne was startled. Before he could respond, Alice opened her mouth wide, and a chilling ghostly aura surged forth.
Under the intense gaze of those around, a pitch-black, pulsating heart slowly emerged from her mouth, hovering in front of the pigfolk butcher.
Cold, eerie, pitch-black.
The heart, crawling with sinister black slime, continued to beat. A shrill, resentful wail seemed to emanate from it.
"That is..."
Before his eyes, the description of the heart surfaced.
[Heart of Malice: A heart formed from Lady Mary's jealousy and hatred.]
Lynne's breath became rapid.
Slowly, Alice, holding the floating heart, looked up and said: "This is the heart of my birth mother... Her venom and hatred... chill me to the bone..."
Lynne fell silent, simply watching Alice's profile, without a word.
Alice stepped forward, looking up, and said: "Brother Lynne got my heart back from you... so this trade... I will complete it."
