Chapter 21: The Puppet Theater and a Fiery Interruption

Flight has been humanity’s dream since ancient times.

Yet, the first gentlemen and ladies to board an airplane weren’t particularly thrilled; instead, they succumbed to motion sickness, vomiting profusely and collectively indulging in the ‘joy’ of nausea.

Such was the unavoidable reality, for early aircraft were notoriously turbulent.

Now, Lu Chen, currently experiencing a flight without a seat, found himself in complete agreement.

Lily of the Valley had bound his waist with an ungentle knot of vines, simultaneously whisking him through the clouds at an even less gentle, breakneck pace.

Clutching the cake bag meant for Xia Shi tightly, Lu Chen struggled to pry open his eyes against the fierce wind.

Suppressing a rising wave of nausea, he bellowed at the girl flying at full tilt:

“Kidnapping! Ambush! Coercion! Sending fake messages from my phone! And you even ruined my cake!

Remarkable, Miss Lily of the Valley! I now understand why your mission efficiency is so high. You certainly have a way about you!”

With every word he uttered, the howling cold wind rushed into his mouth, disorienting Lu Chen completely.

However, his tolerance for anyone other than Xia Shi was virtually nonexistent; whenever treated with such high-handedness, he would inevitably push back forcefully, determined to uphold his dignity.

Lily of the Valley lowered her cold, emerald gaze, frowning as she retorted:

“Say what you will, you frail, ordinary human. If you can’t endure this speed, do you require me to carry you?”

“Absolutely not! Put me down on the ground at once, or I shall formally prosecute you for multiple violations, not to mention the sexual harassment you just committed!”

“…You are surprisingly vexing, aren’t you? Be quiet and hold your tongue; we’re almost there.”

The girl clicked her tongue, tightened her grip on the vines, and abruptly accelerated, carving a vibrant green arc through the sky.

She flew on, Lu Chen’s persistent chatter still ringing in her ears, soaring over block after block of houses, then out of the city and into the suburbs, where she finally decelerated and gently descended onto an empty patch of ground.

The moment the girl’s feet touched the earth, the vines binding Lu Chen simultaneously loosened their hold.

He stumbled a few steps, swaying like a drunkard, before regaining his balance and hastily opening the bag to check on the cake, only to find a caramel-colored blob of paste.

‘I’ll just buy another one on the way back,’ he mused. ‘Fortunately, I won’t be seeing Xia Shi for a while.’

With a helpless sigh, he tidied the bag as best he could, then, raising his guard, he turned to Lily of the Valley, who stood nearby, bracing himself for whatever bizarre behavior this eccentric might exhibit next.

The girl lightly tapped her earring; her ceremonial attire shimmered, transforming back into her everyday clothes.

The emerald hue in her eyes gracefully receded, and her shoulder-length hair reverted to its original black.

“Just follow me obediently. Don’t run off and make me waste time chasing you; let’s not squander our mutual time.”

As Lily of the Valley spoke, she turned and walked, without a backward glance, onto a cobblestone path.

Lu Chen lifted his gaze, following the path into the distance.

Beneath the brilliant blue sky, an amusement park stood at the end of the pebbled path.

This park had clearly been abandoned for many years; resilient, verdant vines and vibrant, multicolored flowers now completely covered its attractions—the Ferris wheel, roller coaster, haunted house, and more—effectively transforming it into a sprawling garden.

Lu Chen surveyed this long-dead yet vibrantly alive garden, then stepped forward, following Lily of the Valley.

“This is your so-called ‘courtyard’? Why have you brought me here?”

“Some time ago, I captured a怪人 from the ‘Envy’ faction alive and imprisoned it here.”

“So you also have a penchant for privately detaining怪人, do you? Why?”

“That is none of your concern. However, once you see it, you will change your mind and willingly assist me in verifying Fireworks’ identity.”

The girl sidestepped Lu Chen’s question, walking directly towards a small hut within the amusement park.

Lu Chen, too lazy to press further, followed her.

The two of them traversed the narrow path and arrived before the hut.

It was a squat, circular building, painted like a gingerbread house from a fairy tale, yet its exterior paint had long since peeled and flaked, making it resemble a peculiar, oversized mushroom.

A curved wooden sign hung on the hut’s door, upon which the eight artistic characters for “Fairy Tale Home Puppet Theater” were carved.

Lily of the Valley knocked on the door, announcing loudly:

“Old Nie, it’s me. I’ve brought a guest to see the怪人.”

A limping shuffle of footsteps echoed from within the hut.

The wooden door creaked open to reveal a middle-aged man, his face—no, his entire body—covered in burn scars.

His scar-riddled face, stretched taut over his skull like dehydrated leather, evoked in Lu Chen both a pang of pity and a wave of unease.

He glanced between Lily of the Valley and Lu Chen, his scars bunching together as he offered a smile.

“Welcome, please come in. That bastard still hasn’t uttered a single word today; it’s truly sickening.”

“You’ve worked hard. Might I trouble you to step out for a moment? I need to speak with this guest privately.”

“Understood.”

With that, the middle-aged man shambled crookedly out of the wooden door.

As Lu Chen stepped into the dusty, mold-scented puppet theater, his gaze fell upon the stage at the hut’s center.

The stage itself was overgrown with magic-absorbing vines, and an old spotlight hung suspended from the ceiling.

Beneath the dim, yellowed light, a dilapidated puppet sat center stage.

It remained silent, its entire body tightly bound by vines, yet its glass eyes continued to dart about, scrutinizing its surroundings.

Undoubtedly, this was the怪人 Lily of the Valley had spoken of.

Lily of the Valley ascended the stage and approached the puppet.

She lifted the puppet’s head, turning it towards Lu Chen, and addressed the young man:

“Look at it. What do you think it resembles?”

“…Just a broken puppet?”

“Is that so? And now?”

Lily of the Valley nodded, her eyes narrowing as a flash of emerald magic flickered in her pupils.

Immediately, several of the vines binding the puppet loosened their grip.

****

Then, beneath Lu Chen’s watchful gaze, the puppet’s wooden exterior twisted and shifted in color, its dilapidated, withered body gaining the luster of skin.

Within seconds, it had completely transformed into a boy of about seven or eight years old, with lively, dark eyes and clad in children’s clothing.

Lu Chen meticulously observed every movement of this living being, unable to find even the slightest detail distinguishing it from a real person.

As if realizing it was bound, the “boy” cried out:

“Who—who are you people! Let me go! Daddy… Daddy… save me!”

The boy’s cries were shrill and laced with terror, sending a prickle of unease down Lu Chen’s scalp, causing him to involuntarily clench his fists.

Lily of the Valley ignored its wails, addressing the young man:

“Old Nie—the uncle who just opened the door for us—was once a sorcerer of the Candlestick Council, and he also had a son.

One day, this puppet, under the instruction of ‘Envy,’ murdered his son, then assumed the victim’s appearance, casually infiltrating his family… just as it is now.

As a sorcerer deeply versed in magic and a father who profoundly loved his child, Old Nie quickly noticed the changes in his son, realizing something was amiss.

What do you think he did then?”

Lu Chen recalled that face covered in burn scars, his heartbeat suddenly quickening.

“…Contact other sorcerers, or seek help from a magical girl?”

Lily of the Valley shook her head.

“He did nothing. He ignored all anomalies, pretended nothing had happened, and continued living his ordinary life.

The puppet soon gathered enough information from Old Nie and decided to leave his home.

On the night it left, perhaps wishing to erase its tracks, or perhaps simply wanting to, it set fire to the curtains in the house.

And then, Old Nie became as he is now.”

Having recounted the uncle’s story in a calm tone, Lily of the Valley loosened a few more vines and instructed the puppet:

“Transform into the person I showed you yesterday. Otherwise, I will kill you.”

The “boy” stared blankly at Lily of the Valley for a moment, before its face, form, and clothing began to distort and change once more.

This time, when the transformation ceased, the figure of Xia Shi appeared on the stage.

“Xia Shi” gazed distantly at Lu Chen, her eyes moist and filled with apprehension.

“Lu Chen, save me, take me away. Please.”

Lu Chen stared at the impostor, rendered speechless for a moment.

Lily of the Valley observed the silent young man, then spoke:

“You might find my methods overly brutal, but this is a case of choosing the lesser of two evils.

Are you confident you can discern the genuine from the fake? Do you intend to continue deceiving yourself? Do you wish to be burned by flames until your face is disfigured and you are crippled for life?

If not, then do as I say.”

Lu Chen stepped onto the stage, joining Lily of the Valley.

He looked down at the puppet and said:

“When anxious, Xia Shi occasionally gnaws on her index finger; her nails are not as perfectly rounded and lustrous as yours.

Xia Shi’s hair is generally smooth, but there’s always a small strand that stubbornly sticks up, unlike your perfectly flat hair. She often complains to me about this.

Xia Shi finds the small birthmark on her collarbone ugly and embarrassing, so she would never wear clothes that expose her collarbone like this.”

Lu Chen rattled off several inconsistencies, leaving Lily of the Valley momentarily stunned and speechless.

The young man looked at the girl and said:

“Miss Lily of the Valley, my eyesight isn’t exceptional, but I primarily only look at Xia Shi, so I can still distinguish these differences.

If the怪人’s transformations are only to this extent, I can absolutely discern the genuine from the fake.”

Lily of the Valley furrowed her brow.

“…It seems this怪人 is too unskilled to serve as a reference. Haven’t you also noticed? The person by your side now, claiming to be Xia Shi, has many questionable aspects—”

Lu Chen interrupted her.

“Yes, I admit I had my suspicions, and I have no intention of deceiving myself. However, I will confirm the truth in a way that won’t harm Xia Shi, and I don’t require your crude and barbaric assistance.”

Lily of the Valley gazed at Lu Chen, her eyes growing colder.

“Tsk, how arrogant. Such naive and hesitant thinking will only lead to your demise.”

Lu Chen sighed, offering a helpless smile.

“If that truly happens, then it’s not so bad. Whether the real Xia Shi is by my side or in another world, I will be reunited with her.”

Lily of the Valley stared blankly at the young man, a flicker of anger passing through her eyes.

“Incomprehensible. I understand; I will no longer ask for your help.”

“Thank you for your understanding. In that case, I’ll head back—”

The clang of metal sliding against metal as the girl drew the long blade from her back cut Lu Chen off mid-sentence.

“However, I cannot allow you to return and warn Xia Shi.

I won’t harm you, but in return, please wait here quietly in this courtyard until—”

Mid-sentence, a flickering spark drifted past Lily of the Valley’s eyes.

Immediately after, a roaring inferno, blazing fiercely, tore through the ceiling and plummeted like a meteor onto the stage, landing between Lily of the Valley and Lu Chen.

A tidal wave of flames surged forward, prompting Lily of the Valley to quickly raise her sword to block.

As she hastily retreated, a voice emerged from within the flames.

“Miss Lily of the Valley, I’m giving you five seconds.”

Fireworks stepped out of the blaze in a few strides.

She carefully guided the flames away from Lu Chen, then walked directly up to Lily of the Valley, effortlessly melting the blade in her hand into molten iron, her crimson pupils burning with fury.

“Unless you want to end up like this sword, explain your actions immediately.”