The Dancer stumbled back a few steps, and a composite voice, neither male nor female, neither old nor young, echoed:
"The Domain has been unbound... It seems she finally learned and chose self-destruction. That's fine; we've already acquired enough knowledge. Aberrant individuals need not be preserved; a cluster is always more stable."
"Crack—"
A crack appeared in the dome, and moonlight poured down through it, like the opening lights of a dance performance.
The Dancer stepped forward, her left foot taking the delicate steps of a nun, while her right foot dragged like a prisoner's shackle, mechanical and eerie.
Its shadowy outline constantly collapsed and expanded under the moonlight, as if countless souls were vying for projection rights within its skin.
Everything around them became agitated with its dance steps.
Li Andy felt his collar tighten, as if trying to choke him; Sophia's skirt hem fluttered without wind; Youxi's cuffs were tearing themselves apart.
Emi, being the closest, was most deeply affected; her blessed gauntlets had become animated, biting her arms!
Emi frowned, clashing her fists together to shake off the abnormality.
Her arms, after the gauntlets fell off, were bloody.
"Bang bang bang!"
Aya kept firing, her aim a bit off, and when the bullets reached a certain range, they suddenly became soft and flew uncontrollably towards the Dancer's head, like mosquitoes circling a corpse.
Sister Anna murmured a eulogy, making the gigantic Faceless Nun swing her cross, smashing it towards the Dancer.
"Clang—!"
After the cross collided with an invisible barrier, it actually shrieked:
"Ahhh! Blasphemy! Blasphemy! Blasphemer, release your filthy hands!"
The next second, black smoke rose from the Faceless Nun's hand, and it began to melt.
The cross lost its grip, crashing to the ground, pointing inversely at everyone.
Anna frowned deeply, her eyes under the veil glowing white:
"You three, get far away from here!"
Li Andy dared not delay, tugged at his collar, and ran out the door with the girls.
But the Dancer seemed to have no intention of letting them go, dancing faster and faster.
The entire building began to animate, and the main door slammed shut.
Immediately after, the entire ground began to rise, and those standing on it seemed to be standing on a rising giant.
"Rumble—"
The dome completely shattered, the giant moon hung high, and the academy buildings below looked like tiny models. Looking up into the distance, they could even see the lights of Central City.
"We've risen into the sky?!"
Aya's expression was grim.
"Come, come, become one with us."
The Dancer twirled and raised her hand, inviting everyone,
"The ultimate destination of humanity is also a unified cluster."
"We have no conflicts, we are always harmonious, we are always one!"
Instantly, dark clouds obscured the bright moon, and shadows swallowed everyone.
The world fell silent.
A few seconds later, the Dancer suddenly moved her neck, looking at the blindfolded nun in the center of the area:
"Oh, why are you still here?"
Anna showed a gentle smile, her veil blown away by the wind:
"Thank you for moving them away; this way, my sins won't harm them."
As she spoke, the lantern in her hand suddenly shattered, and the restraints on her body disintegrated, and several Faceless Nuns, the same height as the Dancer, suddenly appeared.
But unlike before, what these nuns held in their hands was no longer the cross symbolizing holiness, but giant scythes representing death.
The ability to animate seemed to fail in the face of death.
"..."
The Dancer pondered for a few seconds, then said:
"Those people didn't tell me that Nine District would have someone of your level."
Anna slowly moved forward:
"Then can you tell me who placed you here?"
The Dancer fell silent again, then said:
"I will assimilate your companions before you."
Sister Anna frowned, and the Faceless Nuns raised their scythes, surging towards the Dancer with a roar.
The Dancer lightly raised her arm, and the broken walls behind her shattered; rebar and concrete were adhered by strange flesh and blood, transforming into monsters that surged towards the Nuns.
...
...
Darkness, suffocation.
No, it wasn't darkness or suffocation.
Li Andy forcefully tore open his collar, and his shirt actually let out a tragic scream.
He reached for the lantern at his waist, but it lit up on its own, emitting an unsettling red light, as if glaring at someone.
The red light illuminated his face and collarbone, and also illuminated his two younger sisters struggling with their clothes not far away.
Sophia was entangled by her skirt hem around her thighs and couldn't get up; with light and vision, she rolled over, angrily drew her sword, cut off the skirt hem, and then blasted that piece of fabric with a shot.
Youxi's hands were bound by her cuffs, as if handcuffed; she struggled for a moment, her small face slightly angry, and she opened her small mouth to bite her sleeves. After a few bites, the cuffs, slightly wet with saliva, actually became obedient.
"..."
Li Andy couldn't help but click his tongue at the fierce side of the two girls.
The influence of the animated creation on them seemed to be minimal.
Perhaps Anna and the others bore most of it.
Sophia got up, her long legs fully exposed without cover, she helped Youxi up and asked:
"Where is this again? And where are Aya and the others?"
The surroundings were very dim, seemingly without end, and above, hung puppets dressed in school uniforms, like a flock of sleeping bats.
At this moment, the pocket where Zorro was in Li Andy's clothes moved, and a somewhat off-key voice sounded:
"Oh, Officer, I seem to be alive again. But I'm so sleepy..."
Li Andy pulled out the revolver; its appearance hadn't changed, it had no arms or legs, still in the shape of a gun. After mumbling a few words in its sleep, it fell silent.
Li Andy put the gun away and joined his sisters who were walking towards him:
"We should still be within the academy grounds."
"What do we do next?" Youxi asked uneasily, looking at the puppets above.
"Let's wait here. Trust Anna."
Li Andy sat down on the spot, seemingly not worried at all.
Actually, he knew where this was.
He had seen this core space when he fought the Middle Eastern boss.
However, there were not so few puppets there, and it didn't look so cramped; it was more like a divine sanctuary.
The two girls frowned slightly, not entirely agreeing with his suggestion, but out of trust, they sat down with him.
The three didn't wait long before the puppet swarm above them jingled like wind chimes, and the space began to tremble, as if it was about to shatter.
"Is Anna coming to save us?"
Sophia looked up happily, but saw the puppets converge into a hateful, broken human face:
"Give me back the 'Heart'!"
The next second, it opened its huge mouth and bit towards the three of them.
Sophia's pupils contracted sharply, and she instinctively pushed the other two away, while she herself was completely swallowed by the human face.
Li Andy frowned and got up, the lantern fell to the side, flickering on and off.
"The 'Heart' isn't here!"
"Where is it?!"
This time, the human face fixed its gaze on Youxi.
"Brother, help..."
In a flash, Youxi disappeared before his eyes.
"It's not here either!"
The human face lifted, becoming even more ferocious, staring at Li Andy:
"Is it with you?!"
"Quick, give it to me, that damned witch is coming!"
Li Andy calmly patted his pant leg, bent down, and picked up the lantern:
"If you want it, why didn't you eat me first?"
"And now, why are you wasting words instead of just eating me directly?"
The human face showed vigilance, and as Li Andy approached, it actually retreated a few meters in fear.
"Are you full?"
Li Andy smiled, slowly moved the lantern behind him, letting his shadow enlarge infinitely, completely enveloping the human face.
"Then... it's my turn to eat you."