Chapter 325

Theresa's eyes were brimming with tears. As the headmistress, she should be the one taking care of everyone, but no matter where she went, she was always treated like a little sister who needed to be taken care of. Theresa pitifully tried to seek comfort from Shen Gonglin, who was patting her head with a smile. Even with her size, there must be someone who likes her, right?

"... Your question is a bit difficult for me. As everyone knows, I have absolutely no interest in lolis."

Shen Gonglin scratched his cheek in embarrassment. Although he wanted to comfort the headmistress, he couldn't go against his own choice. Everyone knew that Shen Gonglin liked the kind of older sister who was tolerant, or at the very least, a girl like Mei Kiana. Someone like Theresa... he couldn't go against his conscience no matter what.

"But you clearly took Rosaliya's first kiss, and Bronya's too..."

Theresa muttered under her breath, "Shen Gonglin is just talking nonsense. She says she's indifferent to lolis? How does that explain the other girls... Wait, that's not the question I wanted to ask."

"Nonsense! Rosaliya clearly took mine... Pah! That was just an accident. Bronya looks much older than you. Admit it, you're the weakest one!"

Comforting people is definitely not Shen Gonglin's forte. Sure enough, he started to hurt Theresa's feelings instead of offering comfort. The headmaster gritted her teeth. This guy is definitely no good. She shouldn't have given him the money to open the xiaolongbao shop. She should have made him stay there to work and pay off his debt!

"Yes, that's right! Mr. Security Guard..."

If they don't do something, those two idiots over there are going to start fighting. Fu Hua quickly took Theresa and Shen Gonglin's hands. Mature? These two are anything but mature. Shen Gonglin is one thing, since he's always been so willful, but why is the headmistress messing around with him this time? It's really worrying.

"This is my younger sister. Her dream is to get into this university, so my boyfriend and I brought her here today to visit. May we go in?"

For some reason, she came up with this excuse. It was quite an achievement for Fu Hua, who wasn't good at lying, to come up with such a reason. However, it was enough to fool the security guard. After all, this university wasn't the kind of place where outsiders weren't allowed to enter and visit. The reason he stopped them earlier was just because he was afraid they would go to the wrong place. But boyfriend... this girl is really something.

The security guard glanced at Shen Gonglin, shook his head, and decided not to say anything more. He turned around, bent down, and looked at Theresa, his eyes suddenly filled with tenderness.

"Oh my, my friend's daughter is about the same age as this child, and she also wants to apply here. Little sister, what do you want to study in the future? Do you want to major in the same field as your sister?"

People can't help but be careful around cute things, and a cute girl like Theresa really captured the heart of the security guard. He even spoke much softer, as if afraid of scaring her.

"Yes... yes~ I've always heard my sister say that the school is so beautiful. Uncle, can we go in and have a look?"

Looking at the security guard's kind and friendly smile, Theresa could only grit her teeth and say something that fit her "image." Oh no, she was mentally broken... Why was Shen Gonglin's identity her boyfriend, while her identity was just her sister?!

Chapter 127 Too Much Torture

The security guard was even more impressed by the girl's polite words; she was such a lovely and well-mannered young lady.

"Of course you can! You must study hard and strive to realize your dreams! What a lovely little sister. Enjoy your visit!"

Nodding to Fu Hua, the security guard smiled and returned to his post. Under his gaze, Shen Gonglin and the other two entered the school. As soon as they turned the corner, Theresa's expression instantly turned bitter and resentful. The girl bit her lip, giving the impression that she might cry at any moment.

"Damn it! Why is my body age stuck at such a young age? It's so inconvenient... And Fu Hua, why did you use such a lame excuse?"

Theresa stomped her foot in exasperation, an action that only amplified her girlishness. The fifty-something-year-old loli, mistaken for an elementary school student, pouted. Fu Hua's excuse had bothered her; why would she say that Shen Gonglin was her boyfriend when they didn't seem like it at all?

From a certain perspective, a fixed physical age is a good thing, right? At least Fu Hua feels pretty good about it now... Of course, it should be fixed at her current age. Like Theresa, she's ultimately a bit too young. Looking at Theresa sulking, Fu Hua secretly gave her a mental thumbs up. As for her problem...

"The situation was urgent, so I just said that... There was no other reason."

Fu Hua pushed up her red-rimmed glasses. The light reflected from the lenses made it difficult for Theresa to see Fu Hua's eyes clearly. Was the situation urgent? Even so, given Fu Hua's personality, she wouldn't lie.

"Then why not say he's my boyfriend? I feel like it would sound more like me saying he's my boyfriend."

Theresa muttered to herself, and she genuinely felt that way. Shen Gonglin's physical age was around sixteen, and he was only slightly taller than her. No matter how you looked at it, she seemed to be a better match for him.

"... If that's the case, then Shen Gonglin might go to jail. Headmaster, please take a good look at yourself. After all, you really look like an elementary school student. If Shen Gonglin is your boyfriend, that would be too much."

Fu Hua hesitated for a moment before giving this reason. As for the real reason, those who know, know. She's not Kiana; she doesn't have the habit of picking up hats for herself. Even if it's a made-up excuse, she doesn't want to upset herself.

"... Actually, I think it's a bit strange for you to say he's your boyfriend. Didn't you notice the security guard's look just now? I think if it weren't for the fact that you, Fu Hua, don't look like a bad person, he might have called the police."

Theresa glanced at Shen Gonglin was lost in thought, and grumbled, "What kind of reason is Fu Hua giving? It doesn't make any sense at all. Anyway, it's going to break the law. Speaking of which, who does Shen Gonglin seem to be more compatible with... Bronya?"

Damn it, didn't he say he was indifferent to lolis? What's with Bronya then?

"It's alright, I'm already prepared for this, so let them punish me."

To everyone's surprise, Fu Hua gave this answer: Anyway, this is something she has to do. Her and Shen Gonglin's physical ages are fixed and won't change unless something unexpected happens. So, it's better to accept this sooner rather than later. The sooner you accept it, the sooner you'll get used to it.

"...I'm so angry! I won't dress like this next time. Anyway, let's start the investigation with that professor's office. We'll sneak in. Shen Gonglin, stick close to me... This school looks a bit like St. Freya."

Not knowing how to continue the conversation with Fu Hua, Theresa decided to focus on the mission first. Somewhat annoyed, she turned and walked towards the school. Shen Gonglin and Fu Hua quickly followed. Theresa's temper flared up quickly but subsided just as fast. She calmed down soon after walking away and couldn't help but sigh as she looked around at her surroundings.

Seeing the scene in this school, I couldn't help but think of everything in St. Freya. It all felt like it happened just yesterday. However, compared to St. Freya, there were so few students here. It wasn't nearly as lively as St. Freya.

"It's summer vacation now, everyone's probably already gone home."

The surrounding scenery evoked a sense of nostalgia for Fu Hua. Holding Shen Gonglin's hand, she slowly strolled through the campus. In this tranquility, Fu Hua felt her heart calm down. If so many things hadn't happened, she and Shen Gonglin would probably be walking like this in St. Freya... But then again, if so many things hadn't happened, she and Shen Gonglin wouldn't have ended up in this kind of relationship.

"Oh, I see... I forgot, this is another school. Back in St. Freya, even during summer vacation, everyone still lived at the school..."

Looking at the school in front of her, Theresa's mind was filled with images of St. Freya. She wondered when she would be able to return to St. Freya, and what had become of the other students. She, the headmistress, had led the Far East Branch in a direct rebellion, and they... wait, why were these two holding hands?

Glancing back, Theresa saw Fu Hua and Shen Gonglin holding hands. She secretly puffed out her cheeks. She wasn't thinking about anything else; she just felt excluded. This wouldn't do. She couldn't exclude herself... Besides, she had to help Kiana keep an eye on Shen Gonglin. Yes, that's it!

Having convinced herself with this reason, Theresa grabbed Shen Gonglin's other hand and, meeting their surprised gazes, acted with Theresa -righteousness.

"This school is so big, and everyone knows that Shen Gonglin has no sense of direction. What if he gets lost? I'm sure you think so too, Fu Hua. So let's go together and head to that professor's office first. Let's go."

Why can Fu Hua hold my hand but I can't? That's not fair. I'm really angry today, so I'll be a little willful. Theresa held Shen Gonglin's hand tightly. He's holding hands with Fu Hua, so we can't be biased.

It is precisely because of this mindset that Theresa is always considered to be a child, but to be fair, she is indeed quite cute.

Fu Hua's eyes were unreadable, while Shen Gonglin seemed completely unconcerned. Holding hands was fine, but what did she mean by dissing herself for being directionally challenged?

Who says I have no sense of direction? I'm super smart, okay?

Chapter 128 Diary

This is the professor's office. It looks quite messy. I wonder if there's anything noteworthy about it.

Because it was summer vacation, there were very few people in the university, which made it easier for Shen Gonglin and her companion to sneak in. It took the three of them very little effort to infiltrate the office of the person who was suspected to be the first host of the Herrscher of Domination doll. The two of them had mentioned before that the person seemed to be a professor.

"Let's look around for any clues that might catch our attention... What's this? A class schedule? This teacher has a lot of classes, much more than the teachers at St. Freya."

Theresa instructed Shen Gonglin and Fu Hua to begin the search, while she noticed the course schedule posted on the wall. The sheer number of courses made Theresa dizzy just looking at them. Even a school like St. Freya, which requires Honkai warfare and academic courses, wouldn't have a teacher assigned such courses. And this professor... just looking at all these courses made her feel exhausted.

"Headmaster, I found some things too: a loan overdue collection letter... an electricity bill payment notice... It seems he's facing some financial difficulties... Hmm? Shen Gonglin, what did you find?"

Putting the collection notices together, Fu Hua suddenly noticed that Shen Gonglin was looking at something he didn't recognize. He looked like an old man looking at his phone on the subway, his cute little face all scrunched up. What was this thing that had Shen Gonglin so upset?

"It looks like that professor's diary... The handwriting looks so messy, it's giving me a headache. You two come and take a look."

Shen Gonglin glanced at the name on the cover of the diary, ruling out the possibility of it being the Death Note. The one with his name on it must belong to that professor. However, the handwriting was really ugly. Although Shen Gonglin didn't usually pay attention to his studies, he had the nature of a genius and had excellent handwriting. So seeing this messy and sloppy handwriting was really a bit uncomfortable. He decided to leave it to the two of them to decipher.

"Let's take a look... It's definitely a diary entry. The earlier entries all seem normal, but starting from this page, things seem a bit strange."

The diary is a very important clue; it might contain the things they need to know. Fu Hua and Theresa quickly came over. The diary was quite thick. The first half was written in neat handwriting, detailing the professor's daily life, including lighthearted moments, pleasant ones, and some minor troubles. However, from the halfway point onward, it seemed to change its tone.

Theresa cleared her throat and read aloud what was written in the diary, letting Shen Gonglin know that he had no interest in reading anymore. The girl held the diary like a primary school student giving a serious speech on stage. This thing might just be the purpose of their trip.

May 15th, sunny... Half the month has already passed, but there's still no response...

May 15th... Sigh, the article was rejected again. Damn it, how can they not understand the importance of this research...?

[... It's already been rejected by the seventh medical journal... Well, it seems this is the end of it. Nobody understands this groundbreaking topic...]

They picked out a few passages to read. Shen Gonglin probably didn't understand anything yet, but Fu Hua and Theresa noticed something. This professor seemed to have accumulated a lot of negative emotions, which was similar to the hosts who were parasitized by the dolls. Those people were unhappy in their lives, and then the dolls seized the opportunity to amplify their negative emotions. Let's keep reading, there should be something more worth paying attention to.

"... It's hopeless. There's been no progress this month, and all the money has been used to pay off loans... Last night, I dreamt of a theater..."

Finally, they saw what they wanted to see. Fu Hua and Theresa focused intently and finally gathered information about the theater. If nothing unexpected happened, this theater should be the one that Domination Theater. For the two of them who hadn't been taken to the theater, this was a good opportunity to learn about it.

The theater was enormous, a Gothic-style building that reminded me of the Victorian era in movies, but it was completely empty, as if it had been built just for me...

But I vaguely heard a voice saying that I belong here, everyone belongs here. Everyone... Yes, yes, one person's voice is small, one person's voice is weak, we need more companions, more voices...

[...Wait, what am I even writing...? Maybe I've been under too much pressure lately?]

[... I dreamt of that theater again. A pair of hands pushed me onto the center of the stage. I sang and danced there, and people were clapping for me. The sound was like two pieces of wood clashing together. I think I should make an appointment with a therapist... It's strange, I'm actually looking forward to dreaming about that theater...]

Theresa read the diary more and more slowly, because from this point on, the diary stopped recording dates, and the content gradually became incoherent, more like a jumble of notes than a diary, becoming increasingly messy.

[I think I slept all day yesterday, I have no memory of it, but when I woke up, there was a wooden replica of myself sitting in front of me... Wait, this is a doll! It's the same height as me, sits like me, even looks like me... Oh, I see, that theater is my home, it's waiting for me to go there, this is its gift to me, my substitute in reality... Welcome to the Domination Theater, someone said to me in my dream, no, wait, that sounds like my own voice, am I talking to myself?]

By piecing together the contents of several pages, Theresa gradually pieced together the specific events that had occurred. Theresa's cute little face now resembled Shen Gonglin's before. What on earth was this nonsense? It was clear that the professor's thinking at this point was no longer that of a normal person.

[... singing, dissection, surgery, dissection... domination... hmm? Domination, dissection... no, I can't read any further.]

Theresa gave up and closed the diary. Reading this was just too sanity-draining. The handwriting at the end was so messy that it was hard to read. However, these clues had already made them realize that this was the work of the Herrscher of Domination. The voice in the dream, the Domination Theater, and the mysterious doll. Each victim had a similar experience. From the contents of this diary, Fu Hua and Theresa found many commonalities among the victims.

Chapter 129 Stop Right There

Shen Gonglin was distracted, while Theresa and Fu Hua were summarizing their deductions. Fu Hua rested her chin on her hand and summarized everything she had learned.

"After the dolls are born in reality, the host will become mentally unstable, fall into a coma, or even disappear... while the dolls will start to impersonate them and commit crimes. The Domination Theater should be their headquarters. According to the information provided by Shen Gonglin and Bronya, that theater seems to be an alternate dimension."

Recently, almost everything related to the Herrscher of Domination has been like this: disrupting social order and affecting interpersonal relationships. The source of it all is that strange Domination Theater.

"Yes, it is indeed another dimension, but the spatial coordinates seem to be constantly changing. The spatial coordinates I left in the Domination Theater are gone, so it's no longer possible to teleport in at will... Or is it because those little things are preventing me from going in? They seem to dislike me quite a bit."

Shen Gonglin raised her hand and interjected, saying that these dolls used to seem to be targeting her, but after realizing they couldn't take away her Herrscher Authority, they turned their attention to others. They were typical bullies who preyed on the weak. And every time she appeared in front of the dolls, she could break their defenses. It was really interesting.

"I see... The puppets can freely enter and exit the theater, and may even refuse entry to others. They're practically like ticket collectors. It's a pity there aren't any more clues in the diary, just some known information. Come to think of it, if it weren't for that, it wouldn't have stayed here."

Fu Hua and Theresa shook their heads. They seemed to have gained a lot, but upon closer inspection, they realized that these things were already known to them. The fact that these things were left here was as if they were deliberately placed here waiting for them to discover them, almost like a challenge from a puppet.

"Okay, let's go check the dorm. Also, I'd like to ask the security guard about the details of the day the professor went missing. That's the only thing we can do now."

Fu Hua sighed. Although most of it might be useless, she couldn't do nothing. After handing over the tasks, Fu Hua decided to go to the security guards alone. After all, if Shen Gonglin and Theresa went over, they might be treated like children. Of the three, she looked the most mature.

Of course, that's actually the case.

The security room should be in that direction, let's hurry over there now... Wait, this is... a doll!

After leaving the office, Fu Hua went to investigate the situation alone. However, before she could even get there, a strangely shaped Fu Hua came into her view. Just as Fu Hua was about to rush over, the doll saw her and walked straight over to her, as if it had been waiting for her.

"Hey classmate, is there something you need?... Hey classmate, I think there's something foreign inside you."

The puppet, controlled by the threads, walked over with stiff steps. However, the puppet's tone was slightly different from the obsessive and crazy one that Shen Gonglin and the others had described. It sounded calmer and more intellectual. However, Fu Hua was not at all at ease, because she also felt the endless malice emanating from the puppet.

"Student, you have a foreign object inside your body. How about I help you... Hmm? Student, what's going on? I clearly sensed the aura of Herrscher Core, which is why I came to make this special visit, but this... it looks like a blood clot, but no, a nodule? No... You can't use your own power? Are you a fake Herrscher?"

Approaching Fu Hua, the idol seemed to have discovered a problem with Fu Hua. This wouldn't do. It appeared specifically to seize the power of the Herrscher, but in Fu Hua's current state, she couldn't even use the Herrscher's power. How could they seize it? This patient's condition was very strange.

"You don't need to know."

Fu Hua replied calmly, while the girl assumed the starting stance of the Cun Xin Fist. Now that they had discovered the puppet, there was no way they could let it go. The puppet's tone of voice was like that of a doctor or professor, and it should correspond to the missing professor they had just investigated.

"Sigh, they're all like this, hiding their discomfort. How can they get better if they don't? Relax, cooperate with me, and I'll cure you... Sigh, young people these days are getting more and more disobedient. You still have to follow the doctor's orders, classmate."

Before the puppet could finish speaking, it noticed that Fu Hua was already prepared for battle. The puppet shook its head helplessly and summoned the mecha and Honkai Beast controlled by the threads. Why can't they just listen to me? They need help with their problems.

"You should worry about yourself first."

Fu Hua took a light breath, and the girl instantly put herself into battle mode. It was true that she had told Theresa that her body had not fully recovered, but dealing with such a small thing was no problem for Fu Hua, even with only one hand and low health. The Herrscher of Domination has extremely weak individual combat ability, which was determined based on intelligence calculations, so this small thing could not pose a threat.

As Fu Hua predicted, almost instantly, the mechs and Honkai Beast were annihilated by Fu Hua. Upon seeing this scene, the puppets decided to retreat immediately. These girls, who are clearly ill, not only refuse to let themselves be treated, but also resist doctors so much. They probably have something wrong with their heads.

"Oh dear, oh dear, the scholar can't beat the soldier, so he's leaving."

Seeing that things were not going well, the puppet tried to retreat. Fu Hua took a step forward, ready to give chase, but a golden chain flew towards the puppet from behind her at high speed, accompanied by a girl's delicate shout.

"Stop right there!"

Theresa used Judah's chains to firmly bind the doll that was about to leave. She and Shen Gonglin were about to go to the dormitory to investigate the situation, but before they even got there, Shen Gonglin said that he sensed the doll's presence. So the two of them rushed over without stopping. When they saw the doll trying to escape, Theresa acted decisively. She had finally caught this fish, so how could she let it go?

The golden chains held the doll firmly in place, preventing it from leaving and restricting its movement. Theresa grabbed one end of the chain and rushed out, the little nun beaming with pride.

Stop right there!

Chapter 130 Only Playing Peak Matches

"Hiss... The Divine Key? Interesting. But compared to the core of a dead body, the living is always better. After all, dissecting corpses is what forensic doctors do."

Despite being bound, the puppet showed no concern. It looked down with interest at the chains binding it, the golden chains shimmering with mysterious runes. The familiar feeling made this Herrscher know that this weapon was made from Herrscher Core. Interesting, but not particularly significant.

"What exactly is your purpose?!"

Theresa shouted at the doll, the girl standing with her hands on her hips, looking fierce. However, her short stature and childlike face made it difficult for her to project an aura of authority. It was clear that Theresa was trying her best to project an air of authority, but she just couldn't.

At least Shen Gonglin wanted to laugh, but she couldn't. If she laughed now, Theresa would definitely be furious. So she decided to hold back.

"Purpose? Young student, what is the ultimate purpose of medicine? Of course, it's the evolution of humanity! Don't you understand? Honkai isn't a disease, but an antibody, a cure for the human race!"

The puppet now looks like a professor giving a public lecture and answering students' questions. It seems to enjoy this feeling, this feeling of being the only one who is sober in a world of drunks. It's so great. Why can't they understand the truth?

"Principal, asking it is probably useless."

Ignoring the doll's ramblings, Fu Hua said, "There might be some truth to what it says, but this kind of evolution doesn't meet everyone's expectations. Flowers blooming on ruins need to be watered with countless drops of blood. They can't accept this idea." She continued, "Don't try to make this being understand with words, just as it can't understand their hopes, they can't understand it either."