Meanwhile, in the outside world.
Under the Blood-Robed Evil Spirit's pale gaze.
[Blood-Robed Evil Spirit SAN -10]
"Warning... warning... all systems failing... body integrity loss 88%..."
"Warning... target beginning to devour core... target beginning to consume..."
"Zzzzt... warn—"
The Blood-Robed Evil Spirit shuddered violently.
That suddenly interrupted warning sound filled her with an immense, uncontrollable dread.
Then she saw the monster's pupils rapidly dim, its massive body collapsing to the side as if all strength had drained away.
It was as if something had completely hollowed it out from inside just moments ago!
Click—
An opening cracked on one side of the body.
A blood-stained hand drooped out from the opening, twitched slightly, then fell completely still.
The Blood-Robed Evil Spirit stood there in a daze.
For a moment, her mind went completely blank, utterly at a loss.
When she finally snapped back to awareness, her breathing became frantic.
"That flesh puppet... is dead?"
...
Meanwhile.
In the Dark World, within an inverted tower rising from the ground.
BOOM—
A massive explosion suddenly erupted from a facility at the tower's base.
The violent energy fluctuations nearly instantly killed all living beings in that area.
"Warning... warning... [Flesh Puppet Type 3] connection lost... target scanning... body damage reached 98%... complete connection failure..."
Piercing alarm sounds continuously blared through the Hanging Tower.
Raging flames spread from the control facilities as pale-faced personnel frantically evacuated through the corridors.
"What happened?!"
From the deepest part of the Hanging Tower, a gloomy, hoarse voice emerged from a massive container bubbling with viscous fluid.
"Master! Our Type 3 flesh puppet sent to hunt Bloodsaw and the others has lost connection! The feedback surge burned out the Type 3 puppet's control base!"
A black-robed figure rushed urgently into the hall through the main entrance.
Around the massive container, dozens of demonkin seated at large tables all showed drastic changes in expression.
"What joke is this?!"
A several-meters-tall demonkin stood up, snarling:
"The Type 3 flesh puppet is our Demonkin Association's most advanced hunter! Aside from root-level beings and monarch-level entities, who in this Dark World could possibly challenge it?!"
All the surrounding demonkin looked equally grim.
Because the destructive power and hunting capabilities displayed by the Type 3 flesh puppet during this period had been witnessed by all.
Within these three days.
Almost all rebellious members of their Demonkin Association who refused to return had been hunted down and eliminated by the Type 3 puppet.
Just five days ago, one of their flesh puppets had even clashed with a monarch-level powerhouse.
Though it couldn't defeat them.
The opponent likewise had no effective means to deal with their puppet.
"Bloodsaw?"
The hoarse voice sounded again from the massive container at the hall's center.
"I know him well. The original generation puppets were developed by him and the other four members of the five-member council. But our current flesh puppets far surpass that era."
"He doesn't have the capability to destroy my perfect creation."
Everyone exchanged glances, their brows tightly furrowed.
"Orders."
The hoarse voice spoke again.
"Locate the coordinates where the Type 3 puppet lost connection. Dispatch Hunter Squad and Type 3 Puppet No. 4 to the target location for emergency investigation. We must obtain the most accurate intelligence!"
"Yes!"
Everyone bowed their heads in acknowledgment.
...
Wandering Souls Alley.
On the black mist-shrouded streets.
The Blood-Robed Evil Spirit rushed to the monster's remains, forcefully tearing open the cracked shell.
When she saw the scene inside, even she couldn't help gasping in shock.
Her face turned pale.
Because the monster's interior appeared almost completely hollowed out, leaving only a thin outer shell. The inner flesh walls were covered with densely packed bite marks.
Clearly.
Some indescribably horrifying mutation had occurred inside this monster not long ago.
And now all the mutated flesh tissues had disappeared, making one suspect that something had eaten everything.
"Lynn, how are you?"
She gritted her teeth, shook her head vigorously to cast aside the fear.
She quickly broke open the hollow shell, grabbed that hand, and forcefully dragged him out from the empty cavity.
Splash—
A flood of foul-smelling blood gushed out.
Lynn's body emerged like a newborn baby, his clothes long gone, yet bizarrely, his body showed no damage whatsoever, not a single part missing.
As if all the horrifying scenes that had just unfolded had nothing to do with him.
The more normal he appeared.
The more it filled her with indescribable weirdness and dread.
"Never mind! Let's get back first!"
The Blood-Robed Evil Spirit quickly slung him over her shoulder, teeth clenched.
Lynn rested against her shoulder, eyes closed, his left arm dangling down, swaying with the motion.
Unnoticed by anyone, a long tongue suddenly extended from his palm, licked the bloodstains on the back of his hand, then swiftly retracted.