Chapter 56: Dolls? Dolls!

Having lived a second life, Lin Yu felt that there should be nothing left that could surprise him.

But looking at the building in front of him… no, the complex, it was clearly a resort. And from the looks of it, it was already open for business.

Then he looked back at the fortress behind him, which was reinforced like an iron bucket. Did these two even share the same art style?

Who would build a resort next to a military fortress? Would people actually come? Would anyone even dare to come?

As they say, you live and learn; if you live long enough, you’ll encounter anything.

“Sister, what is this?”

“A resort.”

Seeing her younger brother’s reaction, Lin Mowei felt quite satisfied.

She had said she would broaden his horizons; if he didn’t react at all, wouldn’t it make her look incompetent as an older sister?

“No, I mean…”

“I know,” Lin Mowei said, patting her brother’s head and naturally pulling him inside.

On the way, Lin Yu listened to his sister’s explanation of why there was a resort here.

High-intensity combat and constantly strained nerves could easily cause mental stress. If that stress wasn’t properly released, it could lead to mental breakdowns at best, or insanity and irreversible actions at worst.

When this fortress was being built, there were already some simple entertainment facilities nearby.

A few years ago, when this place was designated as the location for the first battle of the counter-offensive, a call for bids was also issued to enterprises within Hive City Number Three.

Of course, it wasn’t just for the warriors of Ring Star Town.

After reclaiming this place, the resort could serve as a tourist destination, opening the gates of the Hive City so that ordinary people could visit.

It would also let them see if the world outside was truly as beautiful as they imagined. After all, the “cage theory” still persisted, even if people were too afraid to voice it openly.

But at the time, no one dared to bid because it was a gamble.

Win, and you would make a fortune; lose, and you would lose everything.

300 years of cowering inside had eroded many things, especially for those profit-driven merchants.

At that time, however, one enterprise accepted the project without hesitation and made no demands.

“That’s quite bold. Who is that person?” Lin Yu asked.

Lin Mowei shrugged. “I’m not sure. The owner is quite mysterious. All I know is that the public-facing president is just a manager.”

“Oh.” Lin Yu nodded, then studied the resort’s surroundings.

The luxury inside formed a sharp contrast with the desolation outside.

Level lawns, meticulously trimmed greenery, and winding stone paths led to several nearby low-rise buildings with elegant exteriors. The surface of an artificial lake shimmered with ripples, and the faint sound of flowing water reached his ears.

Everything felt intentional, possessing a leisure and tranquility that was utterly at odds with that iron-blooded fortress.

He didn’t see any staff members, but that made sense. This was the front line; anyone capable of working as staff here would likely be inside the fortress.

It seemed it wasn’t break time yet; the only two guests in the entire resort were the two of them.

As they walked, he suddenly spotted an object that looked familiar and walked toward it.

“What’s wrong, Xiao Yu?” Lin Mowei followed behind him.

He stopped in front of a lounge chair, squinting at a teddy bear doll sitting on it. The doll wore a suit and a bowtie, sitting upright on the chair like a real guest.

“Sister, what is this again…”

Lin Mowei glanced at the doll and said casually, “This? This seems to be the owner’s hobby. They’re everywhere in the resort. Oh, by the way, if you want to sit here, you just need to…”

As she spoke, she reached out and tugged at the doll’s bowtie. The doll turned its head and emitted a lifeless electronic voice.

“Hello. Would you like to sit here? I will leave immediately.”

With that, the teddy bear actually stood up, jumped off the chair, and waddled away until it disappeared around a corner.

“Hiss… an electronic bear. Isn’t that creepy?” Lin Yu raised an eyebrow, his expression complex.

Lin Mowei sat down on the chair the bear had vacated and pulled Lin Yu down beside her.

“It’s fine. You get used to it. Besides, there isn’t much life here right now, so some of these little guys are quite interesting.”

Lin Yu stroked his chin. On one hand, he felt the situation was creepy, but on the other… he felt it was familiar.

‘This style of doing things, a love for dolls…’

‘No way…’

‘What are the odds? I knew she was rich, but I didn’t think she was this rich.’

His lips quirked. He instinctively looked around, a hint of fear in his eyes.

“What’s wrong, Xiao Yu? What are you looking for?” Lin Mowei frowned slightly, not understanding why her brother had suddenly become so worried.

*Cough cough.* Lin Yu cleared his throat to steady himself. “It’s nothing. So, this place is entirely run by AI?”

“Yeah. No one would come to such a dangerous place to work, right?”

“Mm, that makes sense.”

After resting for a bit, Lin Mowei pulled Lin Yu up.

“Let’s go, Xiao Yu. Let’s go get a room.”

“… Sister, isn’t that way of saying it a bit…?”

“Haha~” Lin Mowei chuckled and poked his cheek. “What are you thinking, Xiao Yu? Doesn’t ‘getting a room’ mean the same thing? Or perhaps… are you thinking about something naughty?”

*Cough cough… cough…* Lin Yu nearly choked on his spit. He seriously suspected his sister was teasing him, but he had no proof!

Naturally, there was no one at the front desk. They were greeted by a humanoid mannequin. It wore a maid outfit, but there were no features on its face; instead, there was a smooth, oval mirror.

A clear female voice rang out upon their arrival. “Welcome to the resort. How may I help you two?”

With the lesson from last time in mind, Lin Yu was just about to ask for two rooms when Lin Mowei beat him to it.

“Two rooms, next to each other.”

“Certainly. I will process that for you now.”

Hearing this, Lin Yu felt a bit puzzled. ‘Was there… really only one room left last time?’

Lin Mowei glanced at him, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.

After what happened last time, she had reflected deeply. The final conclusion she reached was that it was still too early. Her brother was clearly unable to remove her from his “older sister” filter, so some things could not be rushed.

Her brother might eventually accept it, but she didn’t want him to feel even a shred of grievance. Thus, she had to take it slow, wearing him down like water on stone.

While forced fruit might quench one’s thirst, it wouldn’t taste as sweet as it should. She had plenty of patience and methods. As long as her brother was by her side, she didn’t believe she could mess things up with such a massive advantage like rebirth.

‘The advantage is mine!’

They did not choose a detached bungalow but instead went to a building that resembled a hotel.

The rooms were on the third floor. The hallways were filled with automated robots, some humanoid and some not. Without exception, however, there was a doll every few steps — bears, ponies, gorillas, and the like.

After thinking of that person, as he walked past those dolls, he felt as if these lifeless objects were staring at him — staring intently.

Just like that woman once had.

Back then, he would lament that one wrong step could lead to eternal regret. Who would have thought that a quiet, refined girl would have such strange hobbies and such… dangerous ideas?

More than once, she had whispered into Lin Yu’s ear, “Yu, it would be so nice if you turned into a doll. Then you could stay by my side forever, and I could watch over you… eternally…”