Monster Paradise

What Lin Huang was looking at was not a building, but rows and rows of buildings. It looked like it used to be a city. However, it seemed to have gone through a catastrophe. The buildings had collapsed, and even the houses were destroyed. There seemed to be no activity anymore.

”Bloody, go take a look.” Lin Huang stood where he was, not wanting to get closer to the city at the moment.

Bloody released its Leech Pods which then floated in the underground city sky. Soon, it came back with results.

”This should be an empty city. There’re no signs of human or monsters.”

Lin Huang was not surprised. After all, this ruins had existed for many years. Judging from the damage, there should not be anyone living there anymore.

”There’s a tower-like building in the middle of the city that seems perfectly fine. If there’s really any treasure here, it’s most probably in the tower,” Bloody added.

Lin Huang nodded as he noticed the red arrow from the Treasure Card which appeared once they got to the underground city. It pointed at the center of the city. He then flew up and headed towards the direction that the arrow was pointing at. As he flew up in the sky, he observed the buildings in the city. From the colony of buildings, this city should have been a busy one. Although it could not compare to most of the A-grade footholds, it was similar to most B-grade footholds albeit much smaller. However, he could tell that this unknown civilization was developed for a city that had been founded before the new epoch.

As Lin Huang passed through a toy store, he saw movement from a doll that was placed in the broken window. He stopped immediately and floated mid-air, observing the toy store from far away.

”Did you see that?” He asked Bloody.

”Yes, I did. The doll moved.” Bloody noded.

”You saw that too. I thought it was an illusion.” Lin Huang changed his direction and teleported outside the toy store.

”Don’t go in yet, let me take a look first,” Bloody said.

Bloody then released a couple of Leech Pods that flew into the toy store through the broken window.

”There’s nothing in there.” Bloody was puzzled.

”Let me go in and take a look.” Lin Huang summoned a couple of flying daggers that surrounded him as he crawled in through the broken window.

The toy store was small at only 60 square meters and consisted of only one floor. Lin Huang stood by the window and could see everything that was in the store. The only place that was covered was the cashier. He walked carefully and looked behind the cashier, but there was nothing there. Lin Huang frowned as he turned around and observed again. Besides all sorts of dolls, there was nothing else in the store, and there was nowhere to hide. If it were not for him and Bloody who noticed that the doll had moved, he would have thought he had seen an illusion. Since the both of them saw it, Lin Huang did not think so.

He walked back to the window and picked up the doll that he had seen moving earlier. The doll was just a cartoon puppet with a big head and googly eyes. It was only 30 centimeters tall with a pink dress and dark red hair with a yellow flower clip in it. Lin Huang took a good look at the doll, but there was nothing wrong with it. Recalling that the doll had moved its head, he attempted to touch the doll’s head to see if it could be moved or not.

Just when his left hand was reaching for the doll’s head, a female voice was heard.

”What are you trying to do?”

Lin Huang looked around immediately as the flying daggers surrounded him, ready to attack. However, there was nothing around.

”The voice seems to have come from the doll,” Bloody said.

Lin Huang then looked at the doll in doubt. ”Were you the one speaking just now?”

”It wasn’t me!” The doll insisted, but noticing that she had revealed herself again, she struggled her way out of Lin Huang’s hand.

”It’s alive?” Lin Huang thought it was unbelievable as he had never seen such a monster in the monster encyclopedia.

The doll then hid behind a bunch of fluffy dolls as it revealed half of her face, looking at Lin Huang in fear. Lin Huang then squatted down without going closer to her.

”Little fella, are you a local here?” Lin Huang asked.

”Don’t call me little fella. My name’s Duo Er,” the doll corrected him.

”Duo Er, what a nice name!” Lin Huang smiled. ”My name’s Lin Xie. Nice meeting you.”

”Lin Xie… You must be a human from the outside world then?” Duo Er asked.

”That’s right.” Lin Huang nodded. ”You’ve seen humans from the outside world before?”

”I’ve seen them from far away, but it’s my first time looking at one up-close.” Duo Er was curious about Lin Huang.

”My father doesn’t let me get close to humans from the outside world. He told me that they’re bad people.”

”I’m not a bad person.” Lin Huang was surprised because what Duo Er said proved that she was not the only one in the city, so he attempted to get her to talk more.

”Duo Er, you must be an aboriginal here.”

”Of course.” Duo Er was proud of herself.

”Besides you, there must be many of your tribe in this city?” Lin Huang glanced at the other dolls that were in the store.

”Of course.”

Duo Er noticed that Lin Huang was looking at the other dolls, so she laughed while covering her mouth.

”That’s so funny! You thought all of us look like dolls?”

”Is that not how it is?” Lin Huang was puzzled.

”Only a few of us including myself are dolls while the rest are in different forms. After all, dolls aren’t a great fit in battles. Our father and the rest chose their bodies to be fit for battles.” Duo Er seemed to have her guard down as they chatted, then she walked out from behind the dolls.

”They get to choose their body?” Lin Huang was puzzled.

”I don’t know how to explain to you. Follow me if you’d like to know. I’ll bring you to where our tribe is. The tribe leader and my father will explain to you.” Duo Er thought about it and decided to bring Lin Huang to see her tribe.

”Does your tribe welcome outsiders like me?” Lin Huang raised his eyebrow.

”Usually, they don’t as most of the humans who came were bad people. But I can explain to the tribe leader that you’re not bad,” Duo Was said in all seriousness.

”Will your tribe leader listen to you?” Lin Huang was skeptical.

”Of course, the tribe leader loves me.” Duo Er was sure.

”Loving you and trusting me are two different things…” Lin Huang thought to himself, but he decided to go with Duo Er as he wanted to know more about the ruins.

”Alright, follow me!”