*Bam!*
Song Shoushan's eyes narrowed in disbelief as she witnessed another woman being flung about beside her.
Xie irong swiftly sealed the newcor's mouth with duct tape and expertly bound her hands and legs.
"Fortunately, I have enough of the liquid for both of them," Xie irong muttered, casting a sinister glance at the unconscious Leng Yan and the wide-eyed Song Shoushan.
The water in the rectangular basin wasn't ordinary; it was a specialized chemical capable of transforming living bodies into a plastic-like state, a substance that could be molded according to her desires.
The entire process was deeply unsettling, which explained why Phantom chose to keep his distance during these procedure.
Xie irong's cold, calculating gaze flickered briefly at Leng Yan before she moved to her easel, placing a fresh blank sheet of paper. With her kit in hand, she set out to craft a hauntingly beautiful piece of art that would incorporate Leng Yan's transford form.
The site was littered with nurous similar eerie easels, each showcasing unsettling works of art on plain sheets of paper, one of them belonging to Song Shoushan.
Leng Yan's consciousness slowly began to return. She thought, 'Where... am I?' Her voice was barely audible due to restraints.
As Leng Yan watched Xie irong paint, she realized, 'That's... ?' Her face contorted with shock and sha, and her gaze swept across the other paintings, each depicting individuals who had t a grim fate.
An overwhelming anger welled up inside her, and she couldn't help but think, 'This is madness.' She strained against her restraints, but the ropes held her firmly.
She knew that even if she managed to break free, defeating Xie irong alone was an impossible task.
Her eyes then turned to an empty route, her mind racing as she began to plan her escape.
In a brief mont, her eyes t Song Shoushan's, a silent exchange of reassurance passing between them, 'We have to get out of here. But we need a plan.'
[Host, what's the plan?]
'Plan?' Just as Zhang Wei contemplated their next move, he felt a surge of dark energy, and a fleeting shadow darted past him on the left.
'Is that him again?' Zhang Wei's brow furrowed as he recognized the familiar aura he had encountered while exploring Xie irong's eerie abode.
With Xie irong right in front of him, the question lingered: Who was this mysterious intruder?
[Are you not going to chase it, host?]
'If I chase him,' Zhang Wei mused with a wry smile, 'who will keep an eye on this woman?' He realized that being in the company of three won was far more preferable to chasing after a figure in the shadows.
As the phantom made his escape beyond the periter, he deftly pulled out his phone and, with a calm and calculated deanor, dialed a number.
He quickly discarded his mask, revealing his shoulder length long, flowing white hair, which cascaded down.
His voice was composed but urgent as he spoke, "The Artist has failed the mission." In a dramatic flourish, the phone was consud by dark flas, and with that, he vanished, seamlessly blending into the encompassing shadows.
_____
Xie irong's hands moved with grace, ticulously crafting her artwork with swift strokes.
She glanced at her creation, an unsettling look of satisfaction in her eyes. She muttered to herself, "Perfection."
Leng Yan's eyes remained fixed on the painting, her discomfort deepening with every passing mont, 'This is a nightmare!'
Xie irong, satisfied with her artwork, took a step back and observed her creation with a wide smile. "Beautiful, isn't it?" she mused aloud, her voice dripping with fascination.
She turned her attention to Leng Yan and Song Shoushan, noticing the exchanged glances between them.
"You two seem to be plotting sothing," Xie irong said, a dangerous edge in her tone. "But I wouldn't recomnd trying to escape or resist. You're in my world now."
"So, are you two satisfied with it, or do you want to paint another?" Xie irong asked, her smile chilling as she examined the two won, eager to hear their opinions.
Song Shoushan and Leng Yan's faces darkened in response, but they remained silent.
Xie irong suddenly had a realization and clapped her hands, "Oops, I forgot you two can't speak. Sorry for the oversight." Her tone carried a hint of mockery as she moved closer, swiftly peeling the duct tape from their mouths.
Leng Yan took a intitiave to speak, heaving a tired breath filled with exhaustion, as her eyes glanced at Xie irong and then at the paintings behind her "All... Of those paintings behind you... Aren't they the one found killed and then displayed in the open city?"
Xie irong nodded, "You are right."
!!
Leng Yan fell speechless, "You killed all of them!?"
Song Shoushan eyes opened wide in fear, "W-Why are you doing this Xie'er?" Her eyes now filled with resignation.
Xie irong regarded them both with a twisted smile, seemingly entertained by their pleas. "You two are quite funny, I'll give you that," she mused. "But my art has a purpose, a aning. You'll understand soon enough."
"As for why I am doing this, you can give the credit to the lady here," Xie irong said, slowly raising her finger and pointing directly at Leng Yan.
Leng Yan, her voice trembling with astonishnt, "!? H-How am I responsible for your madness! Don't try to escape your cris!"
Xie irong gave a small, enigmatic smile. "I would tell you, but not right now..."
Leng Yan couldn't hide her curiosity. "Then when? When will you explain?"
Xie irong turned back to her artwork, her tone cryptic. "Once you look like that," she said, pointing at the nightmarish vision she had created of Leng Yan
Xie irong took a few steps closer to Song Shoushan, crouching down between the two captive won.
Her gloved finger delicately lifted beneath Song Shoushan's chin, guiding her to raise her head and et her gaze. "You look sad," Xie irong observed with sweetness, "are you dissatisfied with your art? Shall I change it?"
"...", Song Shoushan stared at her with vacant eyes, remaining silent and unresponsive.
anwhile, Zhang Wei's curiosity got the better of him. 'How is Leng Yan connected to all of this?' he pondered, his brows furrowing. Seizing the opportunity, he shifted from Leng Yan's shadow to Xie irong.
Whoosh!
He proceeded to shadow walk, moving discreetly through the shadows until he reached the series of paintings kept in the background. There, he closely inspected each one.
In the news, most of the images had been censored, but now, up close, Zhang Wei could see the horrifying detail and artistry in every piece.
The gravity of the situation beca all too real as he realized the depth of Xie irong's twisted obsession with her "art."
It was just... Good!
Too perfect!
Zhang Wei couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of Xie irong's work. Every smallest detail had been captured with precision, and despite the nightmarish contortions and limb manipulations, the end result was sohow disturbingly aesthetic.
"Maybe... that's why she calls it art?" he muttered to himself, his voice breaking the silence and stirring the three captive won.
"Who is it now?" Xie irong's face initially registered confusion, but it quickly transford into a mix of surprise and excitent. "It's you!" she exclaid, her mood shifting rapidly as she recognized Zhang Wei.
Leng Yan's eyes narrowed as she couldn't help but wonder, 'Where was he until now?' Yet, she wisely kept her thoughts to herself.
With Xie irong's attention now fixed on Zhang Wei, she seized the opportunity to thodically free herself from her restraints. Then, with utmost care, she began working to release Song Shoushan.
"Go and run!" Leng Yan hissed urgently to Song Shoushan. Song Shoushan cast a worried glance at Zhang Wei, who was now confronting Xie irong.
She hesitated for a mont, torn between escaping and ensuring the safety of her companions. "What about you two?" she whispered back, her gaze filled with concern, her mind racing as she faced this impossible choice.
Leng Yan urgently insisted, "We'll be there in a minute, run already!"
"Hm...?"
Startled by their cries, Xie irong spun around, her intense gaze locking onto Song Shoushan.
Under that piercing stare, Song Shoushan shivered, as if Xie irong's will alone could cause her body to burst like a balloon.
"M-Mm," she stamred in fear, nodding vigorously before dashing towards the exit.
Xie irong briefly glanced at Song Shoushan's escape, her interest waning. "Umm... She escaped," she muttered dismissively before turning back to Zhang Wei. "Now, you must replace her," she announced, her focus shifting.
Leng Yan took a deep breath, regaining her composure as she stood up and confronted Xie irong. "Xie irong, surrender already. You can't win against both of us!"
"Surrender?" Xie irong's eyes glittered with interest. "I'm afraid it's not happening today," she responded with a chilling finality. Her gaze shifted toward the exit Song Shoushan had used.
*Creak...*
*Crack...*
"What!? H-how?" Leng Yan's astonishnt grew as the pathway ford by tal walls started to turn red and boil.
Within seconds, the only visible exit point was sealed away, leaving them trapped.
Leng Yan and Zhang Wei exchanged alard glances, realizing they were now confined in this place, and the only way outside was to battle!
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