Chapter 9: Crisis Blocking the Way.

Gray ‘snowflakes’ continuously fell from the sky, landing on the girl’s exposed skin. Moments later, they shattered and scattered completely.

They resembled the ashes left behind after paper had burned to completion.

Walking along the road toward the target location—Undead Street No. 17, the Goat Tavern—White Sugar raised a hand to press down on the straw hat on her head. Her scattered hair gently curled up in the oncoming breeze.

Some ash had also stuck to her shoes and socks.

This was White Sugar’s first time leaving the safe range of the grocery store since crossing into this world. Her first time directly facing the dangers from the outside.

She lifted her head. On both sides of the road, countless malicious gazes continuously swept toward her.

Humans were rare delicacies on Undead Street.

【Warning!!!】
【Current danger level 1000%. Immediate evacuation recommended! Immediate evacuation recommended!】

The girl’s right eye, the Eye of Breaking Delusion, frantically issued warnings.

Weird information panels kept popping up in her vision: Drowned Ghost, Infant Ghost, Flesh Glutton, Cursed Undead…

Every single gaze without exception fell on the human girl who had suddenly appeared in the middle of the street. They watched her covetously, their numbers impossible to estimate!

But the situation was unexpected. No one chose to make a move.

All of them shared the same thought in their minds: anyone capable of establishing themselves on Undead Street and walking past them so brazenly could not be an easy target.

As she walked past the crowd of anomalies, even though her heart was panicking to death, White Sugar’s expression remained unchanged on the surface.

She stayed expressionless, as if she did not care about everything she was seeing.

White Sugar knew clearly that she was still powerless, without any means to protect herself.

The only thing she could do was try her best to remain calm.

If she showed even the slightest trace of fear, the anomalies who were still wary of her would excitedly swarm over like a tide and tear her into pieces.

Yet even with their wariness, there were still those who would test her.

Suddenly, at that moment, a figure appeared on the road ahead of her, with its back facing her. It wore a blood-red lolita dress, had black twin-tails, and was holding a brown teddy bear missing one button eye.

Judging from its height and build, it was roughly equivalent to a kindergarten child on Earth.

【Name: Emily】
【Race: Blood Doll】
【Level: Malevolent Ghost Level】
【Faction: Chaotic Evil】
【Introduction: The naughtiest child on Undead Street. Simple-minded, loves candy, dolls, and playing games. Occasionally blocks the middle of the road to invite passersby to play. If you are unfortunately chosen, please do not refuse. That will anger her.】

“Hehe~ Hehe~”

A silver-bell-like pleasant laugh rang beside her ear. White Sugar stopped in her tracks, her expression sinking abruptly.

She had been targeted.

Roughly fifty meters away from the Blood Doll ahead, White Sugar could vaguely see the Blood Doll covering her eyes with her hands. Her back swayed slightly as she counted down.

“3, 2, 1, Wooden Man!”

The countdown ended. The Blood Doll’s head instantly twisted 180 degrees. Her gaze locked tightly onto White Sugar, her cracked mouth stretching all the way to her ears.

“Hehe~”

Only after confirming that White Sugar had frozen in place did she turn her head back with a hint of regret and start a new countdown.

“3, 2, 1…”

【‘Blood Doll’ has issued you a task, inviting you to participate in the game ‘1, 2, 3, Wooden Man!’】
【Task Completion Reward: Experience +100, Ghost Coins ×50, Blood Doll’s Favorability.】

Wasn’t this completely denying her any chance to refuse?

This was a bit too unreasonable!

Quickly recalling the game rules in her mind, White Sugar seized the moment while the Blood Doll’s head was turned and took three big strides forward.

“Wooden Man!”

The Blood Doll turned her head, looking expectantly at White Sugar behind her.

Unfortunately, White Sugar had already steadied her footing. The only thing still moving was her pink hair swaying in the breeze.

Clearly, this did not count as movement under the game rules.

Failing to catch White Sugar, the Blood Doll turned back and counted down again.

“3, 2, 1… Wooden Man!”

White Sugar seized the opportunity once more and advanced several meters.

After several rounds, the distance between them rapidly shortened until only the final five meters remained.

Her stamina was depleting rapidly. At the same time, she noticed that as the number of empty turns increased, the Blood Doll’s countdown speed was getting faster and faster.

It had now shortened to only a one-second window.

“Hehe! Big Sister is so amazing~”

Catching her empty again, this time the Blood Doll did not immediately turn back to count. She stared straight at White Sugar, who was only five meters away, and said:

“Big Sister is the human who plays games the best that Emily has ever seen! The guys I met before were all too stupid and got caught by Emily very quickly.”

“Does Big Sister know where the guys who lose the game go?” The Blood Doll grinned, her small pale hand rubbing her belly as her pointed tongue licked her lips in amusement. “They were all eaten by Emily~”

Was this a threat?

White Sugar thought inwardly. She was probably trying to apply mental pressure, hoping to make her collapse and run away at the end.

The more critical the moment, the less she could move even a little.

White Sugar’s expression remained unchanged. She didn’t even blink at the Blood Doll’s intimidation.

Failing to find an opening for so long, the Blood Doll awkwardly turned her head and started counting again.

“Big Sister, I’m going to count now~”

“3, 2…”

White Sugar seized the final chance and stepped forward, trying to close the last distance. The moment her foot landed—

‘Hehe~’

At that moment, a sudden change occurred.

The countdown had not finished yet. Right as her foot touched the ground, a burst of giggling suddenly rang out.

The one-eyed teddy bear that had been held in the Blood Doll’s arms came to life. It jumped onto the Blood Doll’s shoulder, opened its bloody maw, and pounced toward White Sugar’s face while she was still unsteady.

White Sugar’s pupils contracted instinctively.

‘Bang—!’

“Hehe, Big Sister, you lo…”

The excited turn caused the words that were about to leave her mouth to get stuck in her throat. The excited smile on the Blood Doll’s face froze completely.

The imagined scene of the human being pounced on and knocked down by her doll bear did not happen. The teddy bear pouncing toward White Sugar was caught mid-air by the girl’s hand, its throat firmly locked in her grip.

The force was so great that the remaining button eye was squeezed out of its socket, dangling from its face by the last thin thread.

“Urgh…! Urgh… Wah…!”

The teddy bear struggled desperately. Its cotton hands clawed at White Sugar’s hand. Its roars came out intermittently as it looked on the verge of suffocating.

“Give my friend back to me right now!!!”

The Blood Doll’s originally fair cheeks cracked inch by inch, revealing a horrifying, burn-like appearance underneath. Her face twisted ferociously.

White Sugar still did not move.

Since the game had not ended yet, the Blood Doll, as a participant, should have to follow the rules. There was a high chance she could not attack her directly.

Sure enough, seeing that White Sugar had no intention of letting go, the Blood Doll panicked.

“I’m sorry, Big Sister! Emily will turn around right now. Please let Emily’s friend go, okay!”

White Sugar’s outstretched hand was only the final twenty centimeters away from the Blood Doll’s shoulder. As long as the other party turned around once more, she would win.

Not hearing a response, the Blood Doll could only take it as White Sugar agreeing and turned her head.

“3, 2, 1, Woo—den—Man…”

Unlike before, this time the Blood Doll counted much more slowly. A full five seconds passed after one countdown, and her voice even carried a crying tone.

When she turned back again, White Sugar had already placed the teddy bear back onto the Blood Doll’s shoulder.

With a smile on her face, she extended her hand. A pink candy rested quietly in her palm.

“Want some candy? Next time when you play games, if you don’t pick on Big Sister’s kin, I’ll give it to you.”