Chapter 145: The Mana Doll

The shirt’s buttons were undone, slid down to her arms but not fully removed, binding both wrists and pulled above her head.

Zhao Yicheng frowned slightly, then tore the shirt off and tossed it aside.

He took the delicate red ribbon that had been tied on top of the cake box earlier and swiftly pulled it over, tying it around Xu Yinsheng’s hands just like wrapping a gift with a bow.

From that moment on, Xu Yinsheng’s hands were completely restrained above her head.

Her entire body was bare, not a scrap of clothing on her, revealing porcelain-like skin.

Xu Yinsheng’s figure was exceptional.

As a depiction from an otherworldly fantasy, whether it was the cute and enticing bloodline loli, the heroic and valiant Valkyrie, or the silver-haired cat-eared girl that sent furry fans into fits of excitement, all were top-tier exemplars in their respective genres.

Zhao Yicheng grinned wildly as he smeared cake onto the girl’s body, his eyes flashing with a strange light.

The girl struggled desperately; the ribbon around her wrists bit painfully into her skin, and a strawberry was stuffed into her mouth, leaving her helpless under his control.

The cream was cold, while her mouth was warm.

Her agile tongue licked the cream, and under the double sensation of ice and fire, Xu Yinsheng let out soft hums of discomfort.

After a rather indescribable “cake-eating” session, Xu Yinsheng was drenched in cream, exuding a sweet milky fragrance.

Zhao Yicheng looked at the mess of the dining table, scooped up the fainted girl in his arms, and headed to the bathroom.

***

Late at night, in the bedroom.

The desk lamp cast a soft glow, illuminating the spacious room.

Zhao Yicheng had changed out of his suit into deep ocean-blue pajamas and sat at the desk in the bedroom.

This year’s birthday gift—whether the fireworks or the drone formation—had been meticulously prepared for a long time.

He had planned to use this opportunity to cheer up Xu Yinsheng, to lift her spirits.

But unexpectedly… Xu Yinsheng had lied to him.

He wasn’t incapable of accepting her lies; after all, he knew what kind of man he was.

Yet Xu Yinsheng had sacrificed her own body, causing him panic, guilt, and… he admitted that he had just lost control, angered and gone mad.

He wanted to control himself, to cure his mental illness, to have a bright future with Xu Yinsheng.

But whenever he thought of her cutting her veins with her own hands, the pale face she showed while leaning against the corner, the pool of glaring blood…

Zhao Yicheng’s heart ached…

It felt like a thousand knives cutting through his heart—pain unbearable!

Why hurt herself?

Why in such a way?

If she was unhappy with life, wouldn’t she come to him?

He loved her so much, pampered her so deeply!

After a long time, Zhao Yicheng shook his head, sighed softly, and scooped a spoonful of cream mixed with his daily medication into his mouth.

The gentle, silky sweetness briefly dulled the bitterness on his tongue and the heaviness in his heart.

Maybe being a pervert isn’t so bad.

Do as he pleases, act recklessly—the line between right and wrong was his to decide.

If he allowed it, Xu Yinsheng could do it.

If he forbade it, Xu Yinsheng couldn’t.

The pills contained a sedative; before long, Zhao Yicheng felt drowsy.

“Meow~”

A faint meow suddenly caught his attention.

He turned his head.

A plump orange cat had jumped onto the desk at some unknown moment, tilting its head to look at him.

“Garfield, want some?”

Zhao Yicheng scooped a spoonful of cake, offering it near the cat’s mouth.

This stray cat was adopted by him a year ago—skin and bones back then, now plump and shiny.

Its bright eyes were so lively that looking at it felt like looking at a person.

“Meow~”

Garfield shook his head disdainfully, then snatched a bunch of keys from the table and swiftly darted toward the living room.

Though seemingly overweight, Garfield’s body was remarkably agile, disappearing at the bedroom door after a few leaps and bounds.

“This little rascal.”

Zhao Yicheng felt a headache coming on.

Those keys belonged to the company’s safe; if Garfield took them away, reissuing duplicates would be a hassle.

He gave chase.

Setting down the cake, still feeling the lingering effects of the medicine making his body sluggish, Zhao Yicheng staggered as he pursued the cat, eventually reaching Xu Yinsheng’s room.

Garfield stopped by the bedside cabinet.

Zhao Yicheng blocked the door, leaving no escape route.

Caught between no retreat and pursuing enemy, it was obvious the cat was cornered.

“Garfield, be good, give me the keys,” Zhao Yicheng squatted at the door, extending his right hand in a conciliatory tone.

Garfield tilted her head and stared at Zhao Yicheng with her obsidian-like eyes for a moment before slowly lowering her head, releasing the keys from her mouth.

With a leap, she jumped out the window and vanished into the darkness outside.

“Same stubbornness as little Yin.”

Zhao Yicheng shook his head, smiled helplessly, and picked up the keys from the floor.

The person on the bed slept soundly, undisturbed by the chase between man and cat.

Soft purring resonated in the air.

Zhao Yicheng was about to cover Xu Yinsheng with a blanket when he noticed the bedding had been changed—no, more precisely, the body inside had changed.

He lifted the blanket slightly and saw a completely naked doll.

The figure was slender and graceful, but its skin shimmered with an odd silver liquid metallic sheen, constantly flowing.

Its joints moved like those of a plastic doll, giving it a somewhat eerie look.

The doll girl curled up, clutching tightly to a metallic plate with high-tech features, as if guarding it with her life.

Another shape-shifting act.

Zhao Yicheng glanced at the clock on the wall; the hour hand had just passed midnight.

He reached out to pull the silver plate from the doll’s arms.

Though the doll looked weak, her grip was firm.

With some effort, Zhao Yicheng finally pulled it free.

The moment the metal plate touched his fingers, a sharp sting surged through his fingertips.

He quickly tossed the plate onto the bedside table.

A drop of blood fell from his finger, landing on the panel, instantly absorbed.

[Beep! User DNA bound. Federal Gemstone 13th generation mana-type • love-interest doll, ID b12p3, basic guide ready to serve!]

A clear female voice rang out, like a spring of pure water.

The silver metallic panel immediately displayed dense, overlapping patterns.

Pale blue light shimmered through the lines, projecting into the air and forming a holographic screen with a three-dimensional image.

At the center of the image was a girl about 1.6 meters tall, her entire body coated in silver liquid metal.

Her face was fully covered, eyes closed, lifeless—like an empty mechanical shell, waiting silently for her master to activate her.

Zhao Yicheng frowned deeply.

He glanced at the sleeping Xu Yinsheng, carefully covered her again, then left the room and returned to the bedroom.

He poured out the now-cold coffee and made himself a fresh, hot cup.

He took out the metal plate again and lightly tapped it with his fingertips.

The holographic 3D model projected once more.

“What are you?”

The girl’s projection, encased in liquid metal, spoke without moving her lips.

Her voice seemed to come from nowhere.

[This product is launched by Kidney Cutter Corp., intended for human males aged 18 and above. According to Federal Gemstone’s Minor Protection Law, elves, dwarves, orcs, and advanced undead races require a minimum age of 50 gemstone years. Operator introduction complete. Please explore functions independently.]

Zhao Yicheng stared at the metal plate, now devoid of any further hints, deep in thought.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck.

He opened his computer, downloaded a forum app, registered an account, and posted a bounty of 300 yuan with the following question:

[In fantasy works, the protagonist finds a doll that seems to be alien technology.

How do you quickly understand the doll’s functions?]

Half an hour later, after reading all the replies, Zhao Yicheng put down his coffee and tapped the metal panel with two fingers.

“Show all functions.”

At once, the panel displayed a holographic projection.

Lines of virtual tags, glowing bright blue and various in kind, streamed rapidly across the display.

[Camouflage Simulation], [Artificial Intelligence], [Submission Mode], [Immersive Tasks]… a long series of data flickered continuously.

Then, all these unknown technological terms froze in midair.

Zhao Yicheng’s eyes scanned the myriad virtual tags and finally rested on one faintly glowing blue entry—[Weaving Dreams].

Xu Yinsheng, still asleep, felt as if she were on a small boat, buffeted by a violent storm from all directions, the boat nearly sinking.

Soon, she fell beneath the waves.

The crushing water made her breath grow harder and harder.

Suddenly, a warm hand grabbed her.

The surroundings shifted with the hand, and the vague, nebulous space faded away, replaced by a solid ground beneath her feet.

Xu Yinsheng slowly opened her eyes to see a sharply defined, handsome face.

“Old Zhao, why are you here?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

The man chuckled lightly.

He wore a black suit that accentuated his tall, slender frame.

A red flower was pinned to his chest.

His neat black hair made him look formal, as if attending a wedding.

He lowered his gaze slightly, eyes resting on the person before him, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

“Xiao Yin, have you forgotten? Today is our wedding day.”

As his words fell, the surrounding blank void blurred and shifted…

Pink roses carpeted the entire hotel lobby, a Milan carpet leading all the way to the staircase.

The corridors were decorated with pink and white adornments, filled with a sweet atmosphere.

In the center, a small golden fountain was draped with ribbons and rose petals.

Guests in elegant attire moved gracefully through the lobby, smiling warmly.

“Wedding?”

The girl’s voice carried a trace of confusion.

“Yes, our wedding.”

Zhao Yicheng clasped the girl’s hands gently, interlocking their fingers.

“You and me—Xu Yinsheng and Zhao Yicheng—a wedding that belongs solely to us.”

The slanting sunlight poured in, elongating their shadows.

From afar, it seemed as if the two were leaning on each other.