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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter Six
Zhang Xiaomei's wooden body lay stiffly in my arms, her eternally frozen face still bearing a faint smile. My fingers gently brushed against her cheek, the touch cold and rough, like caressing a meticulously carved piece of art. But I knew that beneath this puppet's shell once beat a brave heart. She sacrificed herself for me; I could not let her death be in vain. I had to uncover the hidden hand behind this tragedy and seek justice for her and all the victims.
"Captain Li... what should we do?" Xiao Zhang's voice broke the silence as he crouched beside Old Carpenter's corpse, examining something. His voice trembled, clearly shaken by the scene before him.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down; this was not the time to panic. "First, contact the bureau and have the forensic and technical teams come over. Every piece of evidence here is crucial; we must handle it carefully and not destroy any clues." I tried to keep my voice steady, providing Xiao Zhang with some reassurance.
Just then, Xiao Zhang suddenly exclaimed, "Captain Li, you need to see this!" His voice was filled with terror and disbelief.
I hurried over and noticed a small patch of skin peeking out from under Old Carpenter's collar. It was not the normal flesh color but exhibited a strange wooden texture, identical to the material he used for his puppets. A chill ran down my spine as an ominous premonition surged within me. I reached out and tore open his shirt, gasping at the sight before me—Old Carpenter's entire torso was constructed from finely crafted wood, with intricate mechanisms at the joints allowing it to move like a normal person.
"This is impossible..." I murmured to myself. "He was a puppet too?" Was he also being controlled by that hidden hand? But why would he create puppets and commit murder? A flurry of questions swirled in my mind, yet no answers emerged.
Suddenly, a faint mechanical whirring sound came from a corner of the studio, as if some mechanism had been triggered. Xiao Zhang and I turned alertly to see a wall slowly moving aside, revealing a hidden room. In the center of the room stood an old phonograph, automatically playing a recording. The voice echoed eerily in the empty space.
"If you are hearing this recording, it means my 'Puppet Project' has failed." A stranger's voice emanated from the phonograph. "But that does not matter, as the data from the first phase of experiments has been collected. Thank you for your cooperation, dear officers."
My heart lurched. This voice... was not Old Carpenter's. So who was the true mastermind? Why did he refer to this plan as the "Puppet Project"? Were Old Carpenter and these puppets merely pawns in his game?
The recording continued: "You must be curious why I conducted these cruel experiments. It’s simple—I am searching for the possibility of immortality. Gradually replacing human bodies with precise mechanical structures is surely the best way to transcend death? Old Carpenter was one of my most successful creations; unfortunately, he became too obsessed with his artistic pursuits and forgot our true goal."
Immortality? A wave of dread washed over me; this mastermind was utterly insane, willing to transform living beings into puppets in pursuit of eternal life.
I carefully examined the hidden room and found the walls covered with Human Anatomy Diagrams and Mechanical Design Diagrams, along with notes filled with dense writing. One of the blueprints depicted a massive device that resembled some sort of machine for altering human bodies. This must be the tool the mastermind uses for his transformations.
"The experiment of the Second Stage is about to begin," the voice on the recording said with a hint of madness. "And you will become the perfect specimens. Goodbye, officers. I hope that when we meet again, you have evolved into a higher form of life."
The Second Stage experiment? Is he planning to continue killing and creating puppets? A surge of anger coursed through me; this madman must be stopped!
The recording abruptly cut off, and suddenly, the lights in the studio went out, replaced by a piercing alarm. I heard mechanisms activating from all directions, and a pungent gas filled the air. This is a trap!
"Xiao Zhang, hold your breath! Run!" I shouted, grabbing Xiao Zhang and rushing toward the exit. But it was too late; the gas was rapidly numbing our nerves. My vision began to blur, my legs felt heavy, and my consciousness started to fade. This gas is toxic and acts quickly; we had no time to escape.
Just before plunging into darkness, I seemed to see several figures in protective suits entering the studio. Were they sent by the mastermind? What were they going to do to us?
The leader removed his mask, revealing a chilling face—half mechanical, half flesh, with eyes gleaming with an eerie light and a strange smile curling at his lips. Was this a human or a monster?
"Welcome to the Evolution Laboratory," he said, his voice matching that of the recording. "Let us begin the transformation."
I wanted to struggle, but my body was completely unresponsive. No, I can't be captured like this; I still have a mission to complete, and I need to uncover the truth! I fought desperately to stay awake, but my eyelids grew heavier until I finally succumbed to an endless darkness.
Before my consciousness faded completely, I saw Zhang Xiaomei's puppet body twitch suddenly; her eyes moved strangely as if observing everything...
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