Vol.1 Chapter 4: Who Says Puppets Lack a Heart

**Chapter 4: Who Says Puppets Lack a Heart**

Lu Li abruptly raised his head, eyes wide open. Malice surged around him. The dilapidated temple had vanished, leaving only the campfire. The old man still slept on his small wooden box, but now he seemed more like an illusion, not quite alive.

"Is this red snow?" With the temple gone, snowflakes drifted down. Lu Li caught one, realizing it was blood-red. As these crimson flakes fell into the fire, they sizzled, dimming the flames.

Lu Li's visibility was now limited to the fire's immediate vicinity. Beyond that was darkness, where something seemed to slither and shift. He could feel malevolent eyes watching him from the shadows.

"Where's the marionette?" Lu Li scanned his surroundings, noticing the old man's cherished marionette was missing. He recalled it winking at him before he lost consciousness.

"Ahhh!" A scream of agony echoed. Lu Li turned to see a fight in the darkness. One figure, the ghoul, was being forced back toward the fire.

A massive rock flew from the darkness, striking the ghoul and knocking it to the ground, its chest caving in. A wound like that would kill a human, but the ghoul's chest quickly reformed, blood seeping back into place. Within seconds, it was whole again.

As the ghoul roared and prepared to attack, another rock smashed its head. Before the ghoul could regenerate, a shadowy figure rushed in, kicking the ghoul's chest and forcing it back toward the fire.

Exposed to the flames, the ghoul's skin began to melt. Its strength waned significantly. The figure bound the ghoul and dragged it to the fire. The ghoul's agonized screams filled the air until it melted into a pool of liquid, leaving only a tattered burlap robe and a foul stench.

The figure revealed itself—it was the marionette. Her joints were barely visible, her face expressive and lifelike. She retracted her strings and gracefully approached Lu Li, bowing slightly as she spoke, "This servant greets you, young master. I hope you are well!"

As the marionette appeared, a prompt flashed in Lu Li's vision:

**[Monster Detected, Updating Data...]**

**[String Puppet]**

**[Physical Assessment: 2.17; Life Energy Derivation: 0.0 (Crafted from precious wood, infused with the creator's dedication, making her body exceptionally strong)]**

**[Soul Assessment: 2.37; Spiritual Energy Derivation: 1.38 (No one knows why she developed a soul, perhaps a miracle?)]**

**[Category: Spiritual Parasite]**

**[Origin: A spirit emerged from within the puppet, perhaps born from the creator's heartfelt dedication.]**

**[Special Abilities: (1) String Control: The strings that once controlled her are now under her command!

(2) Tear of Strings: Her tear, beautiful and enchanting, can consume spiritual energy to charm others!]**

**[Weakness: Despite being a puppet, she cannot stray far from her master!]**

**[Monster Evaluation: Having her is a stroke of lifetime fortune!]**

"Um, can you explain what's happening here? Where are we?" Lu Li glanced at the still-sleeping old man. Normally, the fight between the puppet and the ghoul would have woken him, but he remained asleep—something wasn't right.

"Please, young master, allow me to explain," the marionette's voice was melodious and clear. She gazed worriedly at the old man, still asleep. "This place is a dreamscape, a limbo between reality and illusion. Many demons and ghosts covet the lives of the living. Once someone falls asleep, their shadow appears here. However, they remain unaware, trapped in slumber. The fire is our only defense."

"I can only enter here through my connection with my master," the marionette continued, catching a red snowflake. She knelt before Lu Li, her expression sorrowful. "You have the ability to remain conscious here. I beg you to save my master. I have no way to repay you now, but in the next life, I will serve you faithfully, even as a beast of burden."

"No need for such formalities. The old man has been kind to me. I won't abandon him," Lu Li reassured her, helping the marionette to her feet. He sighed, "But my abilities are limited. I'm not as powerful as you."

"Besides, you know the old man's situation better than I do," Lu Li added, shaking his head. "He's lost the will to live. Even if we save him now, we can't protect him forever."

Lu Li had noticed the old man's death wish. The growing ash pile near the fire indicated he'd been in the temple for a while but hadn't gathered any wood from outside, despite knowing the supply was low. The old man's words and actions hinted at his desire to end his life.

Perhaps the old man had planned to eat his last meal, then sleep by the fire until it burned out, freezing to death in his sleep. Lu Li's arrival had disrupted this plan.

"Yes… my master has long been ready to die. I've burdened him for a lifetime. He wasted his best years on me," the marionette gently smoothed the old man's gray hair, her voice filled with guilt and sorrow.

She remembered decades ago when the old man, then in his thirties, spent all his savings to create her, despite his family's objections. She recalled his joy as he watched her, the care he took painting her final details. Perhaps it was then that she gained a true heart, a real soul…

End of the chapter.