Headless Little Doll

A frightened mouse scurried into the corner. Outside the stained-glass window, the sunlight was blinding. Withered vines snaked in from outside, spreading across the floor like grotesque scars.

A boy in a black suit sat on the ground, a gaping wound on his neck spewing blood.

His eyes were already losing focus, but he still forced them open, looking pleadingly at Han Su standing before him.

Han Su was the same age, also only ten years old, but his face held a maturity and determination unlike others. This was likely why all the kidnapped children were willing to trust him and follow him on their daring escape.

The surroundings were deathly quiet. Beside them, a slightly taller girl with a ponytail, wearing a birthday crown and a little dress, and behind them, Skinny Monkey, Tuxedo, and Bowl Cut, dared not make a sound. The little boy's state had terrified them, their eyes welling up with tears.

Behind them, as if being spied upon, came gazes from the row upon row of exquisite dolls in the glass cabinet. They acted as if nothing was wrong, staying obediently inside.

Han Su looked at the boy who was barely clinging to life, slowly crouched down, took his hand, pried open his fingers, and took the weapon he was still clutching tightly.

It was a piece of steel shard, wrapped in cloth strips, its tip sharpened, incredibly sharp.

Seeing the boy's sudden look of despair, Han Su calmly told him, "You can't get out. This thing is useless to you. Consider it a loan to me!"

"But you did very well this time, I'll remember it!"

"..."

If not for this boy, they probably would have been caught by that swift half-body monster woman on the third floor?

It was a pity he wouldn't survive. Anything else said now would be a waste of time.

Standing up, without time to wait for the boy on the ground to close his eyes, Han Su turned to the others and said, "Let's do as we planned. He's dead, but the rest of us still need to think about escaping!"

"Start the fire first."

"..."

Beside him, the doll wearing the birthday crown nodded obediently. Even with tears still on her face, she took a small, foldable toy from her dress's exquisite little pocket. When unfolded, it revealed a tiny magnifying glass.

She aimed it at the sunlight outside the window, then focused a bright spot onto her most cherished card, which she carried with her.

The card had the words "Mom and Dad love you."

On the card, the bright spot turned into a black dot, and the black dot began to emit smoke. A faint flame started to appear.

Han Su stared intently until the flame appeared, then suddenly looked at the ponytail girl beside him and said, "Secure the glass cabinet, don't let them out."

"Them?"

The ponytail girl immediately looked back at the glass window. She only saw a row of worn-out, strangely shaped toy dolls with their eyes fixed open.

But she didn't ask further and immediately stepped forward, grabbing the two handles of the glass cabinet.

Only then, seeing the flame take hold, did Han Su carefully and nervously take it from the doll and, without hesitation, touch it to the thick purple curtain.

He had done this many times before; his movements were practiced and fluid.

The flames immediately ignited the curtain, burning like a greedy snake slithering through the room, quickly filling it with thick smoke.

The puppets inside the cabinet, as if being roasted by the intense heat, their realistic materials and little dresses began to char and twist.

The smiling faces also became distorted and strange in the heat-warped air. Suddenly, malicious curses rang out from the display case. The puppet dolls stopped pretending and struggled inside the cabinet.

Plastic arms, joint by joint, slammed hard against the glass window.

The ponytail girl's face turned pale with fear. She instinctively wanted to run, but thinking of the others, she summoned her courage and firmly grasped the glass window. Tuxedo and Bowl Cut beside her also reacted, stepping forward to brace the constantly trembling glass cabinet.

But the screams of the puppets seemed to have alerted something. In the corridor outside, heavy panting sounds began.

"Hoo... hoo..."

Accompanied by the sound of the floor being compressed, it was as if some colossal creature was slowly, inch by inch, moving towards the room they were in.

Inside the room, everyone's legs were trembling with fear, and they were at a loss.

But at this moment, Han Su shouted, "Watch the glass cabinet. When I get the key, we run. We can definitely escape!"

"..."

"..."

Those who had managed to escape with him were all carefully chosen. Though small, they were also panicking, but they endured it, closing their eyes and desperately blocking the glass window behind them.

The puppets in the glass cabinet suffered more from the fire burning down from above, hammering desperately. Some glass shattered, and plastic arms reached out, scratching several bloody marks on the ponytail girl's arm.

The ponytail girl's eyes welled up with tears from the pain, but she held on tightly.

But the puppets' screams, the spreading flames, and the pervasive black smoke made their hearts tremble. Their hearts felt as if they were being squeezed by cold, large hands, their small faces unnaturally pale.

They could only look to Han Su, their only pillar of strength, only to see him now by the door, crouching with his hand over his mouth and nose.

Silently counting, he ignored the chaos in the room.

Heavy footsteps already echoed in the corridor outside, the floor creaking under the strain.

A strong, putrid smell wafted into Han Su's nostrils. He gripped the sharp steel shard, his eyes narrowing like an adult's.

The footsteps stopped at the door. The red-painted wooden door was slowly pushed open, and a monstrous, pale creature squeezed in. It was incredibly large, almost filling their entire field of vision.

From its silhouette, it appeared to be a man. He was at least two meters tall, with swollen legs.

His face was not visible from behind, but his exposed neck and skin were.

They were a deathly pale white, swollen unnaturally like a body that had been submerged in water for over ten days. His black trench coat and coarse cloth work pants were torn to shreds, and only at the waist was a brass-colored antique key attached.

Han Su suppressed the discomfort he felt every time he saw the monster, staring intently at the tear in the trench coat on its back.

It wasn't time yet.

He had to wait for it to walk a few more steps forward, closer to the closet.

"Hoo hoo..."

The white-skinned monster's eyesight wasn't good. It was only after entering the room several meters that it clearly saw the flames spreading inside. It immediately became anxious, lifted its heavy legs forcefully, and lumbered into the burning room.

Amidst the rolling smoke, it didn't even clearly see the children trembling before the glass cabinets.

Even the puppet dolls inside the glass cabinets suddenly quieted down when the monster appeared, shrinking back into the cabinets and letting the flames rage.

As if this monster was more terrifying than the fire.

But at this very moment, Han Su rushed out, gripping the steel shard.

Not yet ten years old, he used his feet to push off the wall, his small body like a leopard cub, launching himself towards the bloated monster.

Every step was calculated, including timing, posture, and landing.

He gripped the steel shard tightly in both hands and plunged it fiercely into the man's back, into the eye-shaped tear in the trench coat.

This corresponded to the location of its heart.

"Pfft!"

The steel shard accurately pierced the monster's back. However, the shard was too short, and his strength wasn't enough, only penetrating six or seven centimeters.

The pale monster cried out in pain and violently threw its head back. Its body was as bloated as a giant elephant, and its strength was as immense. Han Su, who was clinging to its back, was immediately flung away.

His back slammed against the closet, and every bone in his body felt like it would crack. But he endured it, not uttering a sound. His body suddenly slid downwards, and he sat on the ground.

The next moment, the monster's body slammed hard against the closet.

And this impact drove the steel shard, which was protruding from its back, even deeper into its body.

By sliding his body down beforehand, Han Su avoided being crushed between himself and the closet. Instead, he seized the opportunity, grabbed the brass key tied to the white-skinned monster's waist, then ducked under the monster's legs and rushed towards the room's exit.

At the same time, he shouted, "Run!"

Inside the room, all the children jolted and scrambled to their feet, following him like a group of panicked little mice.

But the one with the ponytail was too close to the glass cabinet. As she tried to run, a plastic hand suddenly reached out from the cabinet, grabbed her ponytail, and yanked her head back.

Behind her, a pile of puppet dolls, no longer obstructed, crawled out of the glass cabinets and, in an instant, submerged her.

Her terrified scream echoed in the flames, but no one dared to look back, only striving to reach the door outside.

Yet, no one expected that the monster, which had been stabbed in the heart and whose movements were already somewhat sluggish, would suddenly get up again. It furiously waved its two fat, bloated arms, flailing wildly to the side.

Bowl Cut and Tuxedo, who were rushing past it, were caught and flung aside.

Bowl Cut's head hit a cabinet, and his neck instantly twisted unnaturally, losing its elasticity like a rubber band, his head bobbing like a rattle.

Tuxedo was held by its fingers, which dug into its flesh, crushing its bones. It spat out blood mixed with fragments from its mouth.

In contrast, Doll and Skinny Monkey, who were slower than the two, ran past the monster and rushed towards the door.

They were eager to catch up to Han Su. The monster behind them was so terrifying, and Han Su, running ahead, also frightened them. They feared being left behind, abandoned beside the raging monster.

But Han Su, who was closest to the door and about to rush out, suddenly remembered something and shouted loudly:

"Stop, stop."

He shouted with all his might, but Skinny Monkey couldn't control himself and rushed towards the door.

At that moment, a heavy gust of wind hit them, and a dusty piano flew over their heads, smashing squarely next to the door.

Along with it was Skinny Monkey, who had just reached the door. This clever child, having been a step too fast, was crushed into a bloody pulp.

Han Su's heart contracted violently, but he gritted his teeth and suddenly jumped up, leaping onto the piano by the door. He then turned back, grabbed Doll, who had just arrived, by the arm, and pulled her over the piano with him, rushing into the dark corridor outside.

"The door, the door should appear..."

Clutching the key tightly in his hand, he silently recited, then looked up.

A bizarre scene unfolded. At the end of the dark corridor ahead, things suddenly became distorted, as if something was squeezing its way in. After a blur of vision, a door marked "EXIT" appeared before them.

The style and design of this door were vastly different from the ancient castle, as if two disparate things had been forced together at that moment.

Han Su's heart leaped with joy. Dragging Doll with one hand and tightly gripping the brass key snatched from the monster with the other, he rushed towards the iron door.

Behind him, the monster stumbled to the doorway but was blocked by the piano it had knocked over earlier.

Its heavy body couldn't jump over the piano, so it could only roar in anger, tearing the piano blocking its path to shreds.

Meanwhile, Han Su, almost dragging the young Doll, rushed towards the iron door. Her fair knees were scraped raw, bleeding.

But she remained silent, understanding that this was an escape for their lives.

The brass key in his hand, pulled from the monster, was chillingly cold, covered in some strange slime. This slime seemed to have a mind of its own, and when Han Su wasn't paying attention, it suddenly became slippery and slipped out of his hand.

With a ding, the key fell to the ground.

Han Su hadn't experienced this before and broke out in a cold sweat. As he bent down to pick it up, the monster had already charged into the corridor.

"Brother!"

A crisp cry suddenly rang out. The doll Han Su was dragging saw the key slip. She reacted quickly, snatching up the fallen key and eagerly handing it to Han Su.

At this moment, a happy smile was even on her face, as if she finally felt she was no longer a burden.

She had helped.

"I..."

Han Su grabbed the key, not even bothering to turn his head. Relying on the familiar feel, he inserted the key into the lock behind his back.

At this moment, he felt a surge of intense gratitude towards the doll, who was the youngest, but obedient, smart, and always able to help at crucial moments.

But it was also at this moment that the doll's delicate little face suddenly exploded before his eyes.

The fawning smile still lingered in Han Su's vision, but her head had already split open.

Han Su's face was splattered with blood. His gaze pierced through the crimson and saw the monster by the door. It had just burst out of the room, but its massive body could no longer catch up, so it began to melt.

Flesh and blood poured like water, flooding the corridor and rapidly approaching. Within it, one could even see its melting face, its arms, and its flesh.

It was an arm from the slime that swung over, shattering the doll's head. Its sharp claws even grazed past Han Su's right eye, leaving behind a cold trace.

His eye didn't hurt, but it felt as if air had leaked out. Within two seconds, sticky liquid flowed all over his face.

But Han Su was already too weak to care. He just stared with his uninjured eye, looking at the little girl who was still holding his hand.

Behind him, the iron door had been opened, and a blinding light shone in from outside.

In the corridor, the surging monster flesh and blood crashed against him like a tide. Han Su slowly released the little girl's palm, letting her small body fall, and at the same time, he took a step back.

His feet left the ground, falling freely.

Before him, on the other side of the door, flesh and blood churned in a frenzy. Above his head, a blinding white sunlight.

"Hoo..."

Han Su suddenly woke up, panting heavily.

He straightened up and found himself in a university classroom, his arms sore and numb from resting his head on them, his sleeves stained with sweat.

A classmate next to him turned around with a smile and said, "Not bad, Han Su. You actually dare to sleep in Professor Shi's class? What, have you finally realized and decided to fall into depravity with us rich folks?"

"..."

Han Su took a good while to regain his senses, realizing he had escaped.

This time, he had escaped alone again.

He glanced at the electronic watch on his wrist. The time matched: 4:52 PM. Time was still moving forward, as if nothing had happened.

He sat there motionlessly, processing the emotional shock and new memory fragments for a while before slowly turning to his friend Xu Ji: "Lend me a mirror."

Xu Ji's face immediately changed. "Don't talk nonsense. I don't wear makeup, how could I have a mirror?"

As he spoke, he glanced around and pulled a mirror out of his small bag, handing it over. He lowered his voice, "It's my girlfriend's, she left it with me."

Han Su opened the mirror and saw his current nineteen-year-old face.

Delicate and pale, it could have been called handsome, but a jagged scar stretched from his right eye to his hairline, making him look somewhat terrifying.

Not only the scar, but even his right eye had a faint grayish-white hue, carrying an ugly and ferocious meaning, much like his own defeated state.

"What, complaining about this scar again?"

Seeing Han Su examining the scar, Xu Ji chuckled, "You've earned quite a bit from your part-time job. Why don't you get scar removal surgery!"

"If it's not enough, I'll lend you the money."

Han Su didn't respond. He just stared blankly at his reflection in the mirror, thinking to himself: Maybe if my hand hadn't slipped that time, maybe we would have escaped together?

"Han Su, someone's looking for you."

Just as he was packing up and preparing to leave, he heard a familiar classmate call out from outside.

Han Su turned his head and saw a man and a woman standing outside the lecture hall.

The man was wearing a suit, and the woman was in a white dress with a string of round, delicate pearls around her neck. The driver stood behind them, carrying a bag.

They looked like people of status, and their family background should have been good, but their faces were shrouded in a somber weariness that only years of immersion in grief could accumulate.

"Holy crap, they're here again?"

Before Han Su could say anything, Xu Ji beside him changed color. "It's been almost ten years..."

"Xiao Han, Xiao Han, you're here..."

But before Xu Ji could finish complaining, the couple had already spotted Han Su and hurried over.

The woman's face held a sorrowful yet fawning expression as she pleaded, "Please, please, don't find us annoying..."

"Have you, have you remembered anything recently?"

"We really mean no harm, and we don't intend to disturb you, really. We just want to find out Manman's whereabouts, even, even if it's just her remains..."

"..."

The surrounding classmates instinctively moved away.

Everyone knew that their university classmate Han Su had been kidnapped as a child.

Dozens of other children were kidnapped at the same time. The incident caused a huge stir, and officers from all over the city were dispatched.

Unfortunately, in the end, only Han Su returned alive.

He told the police that he had been trapped in a dilapidated castle. The other kidnapped children were also there. There were monsters in the building that had eaten the other children.

Upon hearing his words, the Public Security Bureau treated it as a major threat. They dispatched special forces and a large number of police officers to search, but they found no such castle, nor could they see any monsters.

At the time, everyone just assumed Han Su was traumatized and talking nonsense.

But that was the reality. All the children disappeared after that. No one ever saw them again, nor were any other clues found.

Many years have passed, and many parents have actually given up hope, quietly processing their grief. However, some people still frequently come to find Han Su, hoping he can recall some useful clues, even if all they find are the remains of their children.

This couple was among them.

Han Su understood. After all, just a few minutes ago, he had tried to help their daughter escape.

She was indeed very cute.

It was just that her head had been accidentally lost.