Chapter 326

"Sigh, you don't want to listen anymore? Fine, then go ahead and do it."

Upon hearing Fu Hua's words, the doll let out a long sigh. Just like when it was a teacher, it would stand on the podium, passionately lecturing, while the students below would whisper among themselves or even play on their phones. No one was willing to listen to it. But now it didn't matter anymore, because "they" had united. Others might not understand, but they did. One day, everyone would know that only they were right.

"Come on, do it! I am but a shell, just like when I was human. My will, my spirit, have long been integrated into my companions, into the Domination Theater. As long as one of me lives, I will not die. Watch, we are everywhere, we are the ideal form of humanity, victory will ultimately belong to us..."

Before the doll could finish its rambling, Theresa couldn't take it anymore. What did it mean that they were the ideal state for humans? It wanted her to become like that too. Theresa refused to accept it. The chain pierced the doll's chest with perfect accuracy. The doll struggled for a moment and then died. Theresa glared angrily at the doll's remains. What a bunch of devils who spread falsehoods.

"This should be the professor's doll. I avoided the core just now. I'll take it back to the doctor... This feels so strange."

Despite having completed the mission, Theresa still felt something was off. The girl rested her chin on her hand and thought seriously, while Shen Gonglin squatted in front of the doll, looking at the thing that had completely turned into an inanimate object. This thing really does look better when it's completely turned into a doll. The way it looked just now was really disgusting. Hearing Theresa's question, Shen Gonglin turned her head curiously.

"What's strange about it?"

"It all feels too smooth, so smooth it's unsettling... They don't care about the sacrifices of their companions and themselves at all, they're like real puppets, it's so strange... Anyway, let's reunite with everyone as soon as possible."

Fu Hua answered Shen Gonglin's question for Theresa. It was indeed true. They wanted to investigate the professor's situation, and then they found the diary and the dolls. It seemed like these things appeared in front of them on purpose. Although they had completed their mission, the feeling of being led by the nose was really uncomfortable. What exactly did these dolls want to do?

"Don't worry, we'll deal with whatever comes our way. With me here, everything will be fine."

Shen Gonglin patted Fu Hua and Theresa on the shoulder reassuringly. The two girls were both amused and annoyed by his comforting words. Fu Hua didn't say anything, but Theresa grabbed Shen Gonglin's ear. How dare this guy say such things?

"You make it sound so nice, saying you'd help us with our mission, but all you did was cause trouble. Couldn't you have been of any use at all?"

The phrase "lazy and gluttonous" perfectly describes Shen Gonglin. Theresa adopted the demeanor of a school principal to lecture him, while Shen Gonglin dodged her hand and ran to Fu Hua's side. He was just there to slack off anyway. What great things can you expect from someone who slacks off? He probably has some serious illness.

"I'm an ace, the kind who only plays in the top-tier matches. You guys can handle these weaklings. An ace can't just take action casually. Theresa, you're perfect for dealing with this kind of thing."

Following Fu Hua's body, Shen Gonglin and Theresa began circling each other. Theresa was even more furious after hearing his words. What did he mean by only playing in the peak matches? Did that mean he was only good at dealing with these lowly nobody? That Shen Gonglin is getting more and more arrogant; if he's not properly taught a lesson, he really won't respect her authority as the headmistress.

The headmaster's authority... has such a thing ever existed?

Even Fu Hua was pondering this matter. Theresa kept mentioning the headmistress's authority, but Fu Hua seemed to have never actually seen such a thing. It felt like the headmistress was just a mascot. She used to say that Theresa was the cutest person in the world, but after Shen Gonglin, she seemed to have stopped saying that. Even her only reason for being was taken away. The headmistress was truly pathetic.

"Shen Gonglin! You said something you shouldn't have. Come here and let me teach you a lesson. I won't hit you too hard!"

Theresa was furious and yelled, "This guy! I missed him when I didn't see him, but after only a few hours of seeing him, Theresa wants to kill him! Come here, I'll just kill you once, just once!"

"Class President, stop her! Stop her!"

Seeing the fierce yet adorable little girl chasing after them headfirst, Shen Gonglin quickly called for help, while Fu Hua could only lift Theresa up with a wry smile. These two must be over sixty years old combined, yet they still act like children who haven't grown up.

Chapter 131 Driving Test Part 2 is quite difficult.

Meanwhile, beside a villa hidden in the woods, a little girl who had once been a refugee in Changkong City was curiously looking at the two people who were very important to her. She felt that something was wrong between the two of them. Had something happened?

"Mei, teacher... did you two have a fight?"

Sora said cautiously, "The teacher and Mei came to see them today, which made Xiao Kong very happy. But there seems to be something wrong between the teacher and Mei. It's not that they're not getting along, but they seem strange to each other. It's like they're afraid to look at each other. What's going on? Did they have a fight?"

"No... Xiao Kong, don't overthink it, nothing happened. I'm sorry it took me so long to come see you."

Mei crouched down and touched Xiao Kong's face. Could she tell Xiao Kong about what she and Raven had experienced before? Such filthy things shouldn't be said to pollute the children's minds. They were already embarrassed during the mission, and now that Xiao Kong had pointed it out... it was even more embarrassing.

"It's alright, Mei, I'm already so happy you came... Teacher, Mei, are you leaving now?"

Knowing that the two of them weren't having any problems, Xiao Kong immediately smiled happily. However, when she learned that the two were about to leave, Xiao Kong couldn't help but show a disappointed look. The place to stay was very big, the food was delicious, and the scenery was beautiful. It would be even better if Mei and the teacher could stay with them.

"Well, teacher has important things to do. Xiao Kong, you have to be good. Teacher will bring you something delicious next time... Don't look so scared. I didn't do it."

Raven also lowered her head to say goodbye to Xiao Kong. Seeing the little girl's hesitant expression, she muttered to herself in annoyance, "I know my cooking skills aren't good, but there's no need to be so afraid."

"Hehe, it's okay even if the teacher made it, I'll encourage everyone to try their best to eat it."

Xiao Kong smiled and comforted the Raven, unaware that these words only made the Dodo bird even more upset. Had it gotten to the point where she needed encouragement to eat? Just how bad was the food she made?

"Thank you so much... Xiao Kong, you should go back now, we really have to go."

Watching Xiao Kong run back to the villa in the woods, the atmosphere between Raven and Mei became a little awkward again. Under the influence of alcohol, the two had fought side by side yesterday, so this awkwardness was... understandable.

"Alright, the kids have seen it, and you can rest assured about yesterday's unexpected incident. The location of the mission has changed; it's quite a distance from here. Let's drive there, and we'll discuss the rest on the way."

Ultimately, it was the mature mercenary older sister Raven who had to speak first. She couldn't let things remain at this stalemate with Mei forever. Besides, this whole thing was her fault. If she hadn't been so foolish as to force Shen Gonglin to drink, this wouldn't have happened. So, she decided to speak first.

"Oh..."

Mei nodded and followed Raven's footsteps. After walking for a short while, the two stopped in front of a sports car. Raven skillfully got into the driver's seat, and Mei, trying to make conversation, started to speak.

"Your car? Do you have a driver's license?"

"... If you have nothing to say, you don't have to speak. Are you kidding me? I'm a mercenary. I'll show you my pilot's license, not just my driver's license."

Raven glanced at Mei speechlessly. She was a super-skilled mercenary, yet Mei was asking her if she had a driver's license. It was obvious that this girl was just making conversation, which was quite rare. Mei had always been quiet and capable since she came to World Serpent, and Raven had basically never seen her like this before. It was obviously because of what happened last night... Raven realized that there were still many things she didn't know.

"Oh... I want to get my driver's license when I'm an adult. I heard that the second part of the test is very difficult, is that true?"

Mei stood there, examining the car in front of her. The car was parked under the shade of a tree. Its slender and refined streamlined body was painted in rock gray paint, and it was obvious that it was expensive. However, Mei didn't care about such things. She was joking. Would the young lady of ME Company not be able to afford a car?

Shen Gonglin clearly can't drive; if she doesn't learn, who will?

"It's not difficult, I only failed twice... So, what do you think of this car?"

She blurted it out without thinking, and then Raven realized she'd been a bit too talkative. It wasn't something to brag about, so why was she acting all proud? To change the subject, Raven patted the steering wheel; she quite liked the car.

"The color is quite understated; I thought you would choose a more eye-catching color."

She gave a fair assessment. Mei doesn't know much about cars. When she was in school, her family always drove her there. Her only impression of cars was that they were bulletproof. As for Raven, Mei felt that she was more suited to brighter colors.

"Actually, I like red, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a model I like. Also, I prefer cars with more seats. This two-row model has too few seats. I'd like to take the kids for a ride sometime in the future... Come on in."

Raven casually commented on her requirements for the car, then nodded at Mei. Mei hesitated for a moment before opening the car door and getting in. She had been waiting for someone to open the car door for her, since that's how it always was before—the maid would open the door for her. Just now, she vaguely remembered things from the past. Raiden Mei, she's not the same young lady she used to be.

"..."

"..."

Neither of them spoke. After Mei got in, Raven hesitated to start the engine. The mercenary stared at Mei through the rearview mirror, while Mei tilted her head, looking puzzled. What was wrong? Was she thinking about how to start the car? Mei had read about this in a book before. Was Raven like that?

"What's wrong?"

"Hey Raiden Mei, are you treating me like your driver? How can I talk to you if you're sitting in the back? Get in the front and sit down."

Raven sighed, "How come I never noticed how clueless this girl was before? She really is a pampered young lady."

"Ah... okay."

Realizing the problem, Mei quickly got out of the car and reopened the passenger door. Sitting in the back seat had become a habit for her, and this didn't seem quite right.

Chapter 132

After a period of conversation, Mei and Raven arrived at today's mission location. The two tacitly avoided delving into what happened last night, but fighting side by side still brought them some inexplicable tacit understanding... even though neither of them really wanted this kind of tacit understanding.

It's really embarrassing to think about it now, but luckily I was drinking at the time, so my memory is very blurry. If I had remembered it clearly, I probably wouldn't have been able to handle it.

"What? Are you still reminiscing about what happened yesterday? Raiden Mei, I already knew you were a pervert, but I didn't expect you to be this perverted. Pervert, hurry up and catch up, it's almost time."

Raven led the way, and the two arrived at a factory. According to various intelligence reports, this was likely the target of the puppet attack today. However, the Red Dragon was clearly not in the zone, so the mercenary could only helplessly mock her. It was obvious that she was thinking about yesterday's events. Could she please stop thinking about it? Once she started thinking about it, she couldn't help but start remembering it herself.

"I'm not a pervert! How can you... how can you be so normal, so indifferent?"

Mei snorted angrily, then hesitated before speaking. Compared to her own awkwardness, Raven seemed much more carefree. Logically, given her relationship with Shen Gonglin, she should be more at ease, but Raven was different. Her relationship with Shen Gonglin wasn't as close as hers, so why was she acting this way?

"Then what should I do? wallow in self-pity and chase after Shen Gonglin to take responsibility? Please, young lady, not everyone is as naive and ignorant as you. I'm a mercenary, I've seen it all. Yesterday was just an accident. It's not good to be thinking about other things while on a mission. Be serious."

Raven casually brushed the matter aside, and her nonchalant attitude eased Mei's mind a little. After all, the remaining memories indicated that she had helped Shen Gonglin, making her an accomplice, and she was at least half responsible. Seeing that Raven didn't intend to hold it against her was obviously for the best. Of course, the other party was a mercenary, and so beautiful at that, maybe... Thinking about it, Mei's face turned red again. In the book she was reading, mercenaries always seemed to inevitably get captured, and their fate was... tsk tsk.

"Boom Boom Dragon, I have a feeling you're thinking something really awful. Let me tell you beforehand, I have no intention of letting you off the hook. The humiliation I suffered yesterday was the first time in my life. Just you wait, I'll get my revenge sooner or later, and you'll experience what I went through last night."

Suddenly remembering something, Raven turned back and seriously threatened Mei, trying to prevent her from getting the wrong idea. What if it got back to Shen Gonglin Jingu? Although she didn't intend to develop the relationship further, Raven didn't want others to have any wild thoughts about her. She had always thought Raiden Mei was a good girl, but after fighting side by side, she realized that this girl was actually cunning. So Raven wasn't joking; she was seriously preparing to get her revenge.

"You, you! How could you do this... I admit I was wrong yesterday, but isn't the culprit Shen Gonglin? If you want revenge, you should take it out on him!"

Raven's blatant threat made Mei very uncomfortable. Of course, she wasn't afraid of Raven in a direct confrontation, but how could one guard against a thief for a thousand days? Raven's current meaning was to openly tell you that it was going to take revenge, but it just wouldn't say when it planned to take revenge. Wouldn't that mean Mei had to be on guard at all times? She had to be vigilant about the water she drank, the food she ate, and even certain incense. Just thinking about it made Mei feel very tired.

Why did he bully an innocent person like me? If he's so capable, why doesn't he bully Shen Gonglin? He's the one who did everything; I'm a victim too.

Yes, this is the victim who, after witnessing everything, laughed heartily and clapped his hands nonstop.

"I already said I wouldn't dare... and I don't want to get revenge on him, I just want to get revenge on you."

Raven smiled gently at Mei, but Mei received the full malice in that smile. Why should she take revenge on Mei? Yesterday's drinking was her own fault. Shen Gonglin had told her in advance that he couldn't drink, so she had a part of herself to blame. And after all... Raven didn't dislike having any intimate relationship with Shen Gonglin. So if she didn't want to take revenge on Shen Gonglin, then she could only take revenge on Mei.

Someone always has to take the blame.

This woman is truly awful.

Mei was too lazy to talk to her anymore. It seemed she had been more careful around Raven lately. As they dived deeper, the two put aside their bickering and focused on the task at hand. According to their investigation, the activities of these dolls were supported by humans, which explained why they appeared in so many unexpected places.

With its relatively small body, it doesn't need to breathe or worry about space to move around. It can be easily moved by simply placing it in a box. With human assistance, it couldn't be simpler.

Having evaded the patrolling mechs in the factory, Mei and Raven gradually approached the central area of the factory. Before long, they saw the man standing suspiciously next to the container. They recognized his face from the photos; there was no mistake, it was him!

"Don't move, stay away from that box!"

Raven immediately stopped the man, who, startled, started yelling at Raven as if he had lost his mind. His bloodshot eyes showed that he was not in a good mental state, and judging from his appearance, he probably wouldn't get anything of value out of him.

"Who?! Who are you?! What do you want to do to my sister?! No, I won't let you hurt my sister—uh, ahhhhhh..."

The man pretended to protect the box, but Mei flicked her finger and sent a purple electric current through him. The current struck the man, causing him to let out a painful howl before collapsing to the ground. Raven picked at his ear and looked at Mei with satisfaction; she had finally quieted down.

"You didn't kill him, did you?"

"He was just stunned by the electric shock. Given his mental state, I don't think we can get any information out of him."

"Yes, well done, I agree."

Raven nodded and pulled out a rope from somewhere. She quickly tied the man up and threw him aside. Mei didn't know if she did it on purpose, but she had a feeling that Mei was tying him up for her to see... Maybe it was just her imagination?

Chapter 133 The New Guest Domination Theater

"Phew, all done. This guy keeps bringing up his sister, what's wrong with him?"

After packing the man up and Raven him aside, Mei gave Mei a meaningful look, as if she were making an example of her. Yesterday, the two of them had tied her up in the same way. The reason she was doing this in front of Mei was to remind her that she hadn't forgotten anything. Raven remembered everything; she was very vengeful.

"Is this the box you mentioned before? Is the doll inside?"

Mei didn't answer Raven's question. She had investigated the man before; he did have a younger sister, but she was already dead. Mei focused her attention on the box in front of her. The doll was transported here in this box, probably to sabotage the factory. Now that they had stopped them, things were going as planned.

"Hmm, the packaging hasn't changed. Let's open it and take a look."

The Raven gestured towards the box, having worked all night for this moment; the real show was about to begin.

"Be careful. According to Shen Gonglin and the information from our previous investigation, when we come into contact with the doll, we might be transported to an alternate dimension called the Domination Theater ... Hmm? What is that?"

Mei stopped Raven's movements and warned her, but Raven took out a small device from her pocket and waved the round device in front of Raven. After all, she was not the Herrscher of Thunder and did not have such convenient abilities Mei, so she could only work on external objects.

"The simple electromagnetic shield, although far less powerful than yours, is still quite effective at blocking energy erosion. Once inside, we may be forced to separate, so be prepared to act alone and try to rendezvous with the enemy. Understand?"

It felt as if Mei had transformed into some kind of power calculation unit. The small device in Raven's hand was designed to deal with this situation. The two women exchanged glances and prepared themselves. Mei placed her hand on the box, took a deep breath, and then a sense of dizziness spread throughout her body.

Looking at the scene before her, so different from before, Mei glanced around. The Gothic architecture was almost complete. Was this the Domination Theater? Raven wasn't with her. Had she been teleported elsewhere, or had she never even entered?

After considering the current situation, Mei decided to take action instead of waiting to be killed. Her action immediately made the theater lively. Watching the dark figures being manipulated by the threads approach, Mei coldly drew her sword. Shen Gonglin had previously said that the dolls seemed to have the power to seize the Herrscher Authority, so it was best not to use the Herrscher's power before the situation was clear. In this situation, Mei could handle it with just her swordsmanship.

Monsters were everywhere, like toys scattered around by a child. Sharp sword light cut down all the toys blocking the way. Mei also saw the doll standing at the top of the stairs. As if sensing Mei's gaze, the doll creaked and turned its head to look at Mei. Its eerie appearance made people feel uncomfortable. Sure enough, there was a doll in the theater.

"Welcome to the Domination Theater... I'm getting a little tired of saying that. Oh dear, I was wondering why my brother hadn't called me out for so long, turns out he'd run into trouble..."

The doll wanted to say something, but Mei had already drawn the sword from her waist. Although this was her first time meeting this "living" doll, all the information she had gathered indicated that these things would not be friendly to them.

"Oh dear, let's talk this out, don't get violent. I'd like to show you around here, beautiful lady, come with me to see all the hard work we've put in."

Seeing Mei, the doll hurriedly waved her hands. These Valkyrie are really something. She didn't mean any harm, so why did they draw their swords as soon as they saw her? It's so boring.

"Think about it, it's not easy for you to come all this way, shouldn't you take a good look before you leave, Raiden Mei?"

The doll called out Mei's name, as if she were also a guest recorded in the invitation. As the organizer, of course, it was only right to remember the main character's name.

"You know my name."

Mei didn't rush to make a move. Just as the doll said, they had finally made it to this Domination Theater, and they couldn't leave without gathering as much information as possible. There was still a lot they didn't know about this place.

"Yes, I recognize you, we all recognize you. You're an important guest. Come on, take a look around. Maybe you'll like it here? We welcome you, and you can become one of us. Are you coming? If not, I'll be going now."

The doll extended an invitation to Mei, then turned and walked into the depths of the theater. Mei hesitated for a moment before following. The doll didn't attack her; was it some kind of trap? Perhaps she should just wait and see.

Following the puppet, Mei suddenly noticed a huge puppet body hanging in the sky above the hall. Compared to the puppet leading the way, it was practically a giant. However, it seemed that it was not yet finished.

"How about it? Isn't it spectacular? It was built by everyone together."

As if showing off to Mei, the doll pointed to the huge, unfinished masterpiece with great pride, but Mei was more concerned about something else. "Who are you talking about, everyone?"

"They are my friends! We are all weak, which is why we must unite and help each other in this theater... Oh dear, there seems to be something here. I don't know who left it here. I'm so sorry, but for the Herrscher of Thunder, this little thing should be easy to deal with."