Chapter 680: People Like Themselves Have Dirty Hearts

"Run fast. If the Desire Mother Tree invades this illusion before we escape, it’s going to be a huge problem!"

Without a moment of hesitation, Lynn executed a perfect backflip, landing precisely on the street outside. He adjusted his Monocle, narrowed his eyes, and immediately began sprinting away from the direction of that projection.

And this was exactly what he feared most.

Although he had tricked the Desire Mother Tree into being drawn into the projection, she had devoured a fragment of the Colossus’s Heart, so she would not be completely influenced or interfered with by the projection.

During this time, if she was truly determined, she had probably already started searching for him within this illusion.

He could only hope it wouldn’t be that fast!

But just as he finished thinking, he suddenly heard, from the dark end of the street in the distance, a faint sound of something breaking through the ground and wriggling out.

Lynn’s heart jolted. He immediately dove into a nearby alley.

Damn!

Had she already caught up?

He popped out his eyeball and peered through a crack in the wall.

Whoosh—

In the thick black fog, he saw crimson vines twisting like massive tentacles, writhing up from the underground, warping and piercing through surrounding houses and walls as they spread across the entire block.

He quickly retracted his eyeball, pressing his back against the wall and holding his breath.

At that moment, he really wanted to raise his left hand and give himself a solid slap across the left cheek.

What you fear most always comes knocking, huh?

Lynn forcefully suppressed his twitching eye, focused, and rapidly regained his composure.

Now that the Desire Mother Tree had begun her invasion of this projection, the time he had left was running short. However, her perception was suppressed by the projection, so finding him easily wouldn’t be that simple.

And for now, as long as he could avoid her search and leave this place as soon as possible, there was still a chance to turn things around!

Without hesitation, Lynn rushed into the alley, relying on his knowledge of Wandering Souls Alley to dart through the streets and alleys, quickly making his way toward the border of this projection.

But soon, a doubt crept into Lynn’s mind.

Or rather, he had grown a bit more cautious.

Because according to the timeline, he had been inside this projection for at least half an hour.

And the area affected by this space overlapped significantly with the Desire Mother Tree’s projection. Could it really be that the Desire Mother Tree had taken over half an hour to discover this projection enveloping her from the grove?

Lynn’s heart stirred.

Based on his recent interactions with the Desire Mother Tree, she was very much like him—also a scheming bastard who loved playing dirty tricks. Her heart was just as filthy, clearly not a tree of good nature.

And when it came to tricks, they were usually the kind that caught you off guard. One moment of carelessness and you’d fall right into her trap.

"If that’s the case, wouldn’t such a blatant invasion be asking for trouble? Doesn’t she fear beating the grass to startle the snake?"

Lynn pondered, eyes narrowed, still not slowing his escape from the projection.

His mind raced.

If he were in the Desire Mother Tree’s shoes, what would he do?

He certainly wouldn’t mindlessly send his vines in like that, which would essentially be telling him: "I’m coming for you, so lie down nice and flat." No loli worth her salt would submit obediently.

He would take this time to spread his influence around the entire projection’s perimeter, putting the whole area under his control.

Then he would invade from within.

And if that were the case, once the snake was startled, Lynn would inevitably try to flee the area, and the moment he stepped out of the projection, it would be the perfect time for a fatal blow!

Vroom—

Lynn immediately stopped in his tracks.

"Could it really be like that?"

Lynn adjusted his Monocle and narrowed his eyes.

He never hesitated to assume the worst about others, especially in this Dark World. Enemies were always more vicious and cunning than you could imagine.

"Damn it, I need to be cautious!"

With a calm expression, Lynn quickly sat cross-legged on the ground, furrowed his brow, tilted his neck, and immediately activated his Flesh Calamity.

Whoosh—

As his flesh writhed, a large cyst soon formed on his neck. The cyst quickly struggled into the shape of limbs, developing facial features until, through his flesh and blood, Lynn created a duplicate shell that looked just like him.

He quickly covered the shell with clothes using his flesh and blood, then furrowed his brows in deep thought. He carved a Puppet Mark onto its chest with his own blood.

Crack, crack, crack—

As the Puppet Mark lit up, the shell that looked exactly like him stood up mechanically, moving stiffly like a marionette.

"Mission accomplished."

Although his puppet art was still at the absolute beginner stage, over this period, with the aid of his simple Puppet Mark and the influence of Miss Puppet, a master of puppetry, he had somehow managed to glean a little of the essence of puppet-making.

It had no combat ability, but at least it looked the part.

"Go! Scout ahead for your daddy! If you make it out alive, you’ll be daddy’s biggest hero!"

Lynn’s eyes gleamed.

He controlled the puppet, striding down the street toward the darkness at the end of Wandering Souls Alley.

To ensure it walked steadily and quickly enough, Lynn had specially added two extra legs—one in front and one in the back. That way, no matter which way it tipped, it could brace itself and not faceplant. Under the robe, of course, no one would notice.

Slap, slap, slap—

On the street, Lynn’s puppet moved forward with a comical gait, quickly rushing toward the border.

Soon, it stepped onto the edge of the map.

Through Lynn’s vision, he could faintly see the surging red blood mist up ahead, signaling that the border was just ahead.

"Could it really be that I’m overthinking this?"

Lynn hesitated.

He continued controlling the puppet forward.

But just as the puppet’s foot touched the boundary between Wandering Souls Alley and the outer blood mist, as if triggering a trap—

Whoosh—

Dense vines instantly burst from the ground, so fast that the eye could barely track them. In an instant, they snatched Lynn’s puppet into the air, coiling and twisting it, wrapping it tightly in bloody branches.

Lynn’s heart jolted.

Then he cursed loudly.

"Just as I suspected! That bitch of a tree!"