60: Faceless Paper Man

At dusk, the residents of Xilin Town gradually finished their day's work.

The streets became increasingly crowded, and the air was filled with the scent of freshly baked bread.

From a nearby tavern, laughter and curses occasionally drifted out.

Inside an inconspicuous wealthy merchant's mansion, the lights were warm.

In the kitchen, a young man wearing a white chef's hat was humming an off-key tune, skillfully preparing the ingredients in his hands.

In the living room outside the kitchen, faint sounds of relaxed conversation could be heard.

"Billy, is it ready yet? I'm starving!" a voice called from the living room.

"Have some patience, will you? Delicious food is for those who wait," Billy replied without turning his head, a smile playing on his lips.

"Oh, by the way, can you grab the light cream from outside for me? Thanks."

Billy lowered his head again, focusing on the counter.

On the counter, there was a young female body with snow-white skin and graceful curves.

The chef's knife in Billy's hand gleamed coldly, moving lightly and precisely over the body.

Tenderloins, ribs, spinal bones...

Pieces of fresh, red meat were systematically cut off and neatly arranged on a white porcelain plate nearby.

In a large pot, half as tall as a person, milky-white broth was bubbling, emitting an indescribably rich and unique aroma.

A woman's head slowly floated up from the soup, flesh stripped away, its empty eye sockets staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Billy, do you want to try this?"

"The snacks Klee brought, we're almost done with them!" another call came from the living room.

Billy's face showed a slightly helpless expression, and he stopped his work.

"Coming, coming! What kind of snacks?"

"Dried baby fingers? Or dried brains?"

He wiped his greasy hands on his apron, then walked towards the living room.

"Leave a piece for me!"

Billy walked into the living room with light steps.

The spacious living room was luxuriously decorated, and the fire in the fireplace crackled, emitting a warm glow.

On the large dining table, many strangely shaped jerky snacks were scattered, and a sweet, cloying smell permeated the air...

Everything was as Billy remembered.

Except, it was empty.

Billy's smile froze slightly as he looked around the empty living room.

"Moy? Klee?"

No one responded.

The living room fell into an eerie silence, with only the occasional faint crackle from the fireplace.

Billy sighed softly, a hint of helplessness in his tone.

"Rahil, are you messing around with them too?"

"Honestly, always playing these childish tricks."

Just then, the door of a bedroom on the side of the living room seemed to move slightly, emitting a very faint "creak."

A smile immediately appeared on Billy's lips.

He first deliberately raised his voice and called out, "Oh, where are you all? I can't find you!"

"If you don't come out now, I don't have time to play with you; the pot is still on the fire!"

Then, he tiptoed, stealthily approaching the bedroom.

Soon, he arrived at the bedroom door.

Below the crack of the bedroom door, a familiar shoetip was faintly visible.

Those were Rahil's favorite shoes.

Billy's smile grew wider, carrying a hint of triumph at having successfully played a trick.

"Bang!"

Billy suddenly pushed open the door, simultaneously shouting, "Rahil! Got you!"

However, Rahil's expected panicked expression did not appear.

The bedroom was dimly lit, with only a small oil lamp emitting a faint glow.

Behind the door, it wasn't Rahil standing there.

Instead, it was a tall, slender, entirely pale, strange paper figure.

Every part of this paper figure's body was meticulously crafted, lifelike and vivid, but its face was completely blank, without any facial features.

Billy's smile instantly froze.

"Billy, is it ready yet? I'm starving!" The familiar voice abruptly came from inside the paper figure.

Billy's pupils suddenly constricted, and a chill shot from his feet to the top of his head.

He didn't even have time to react and retreat.

The tall Faceless Paper Figure suddenly lunged forward, moving incredibly fast.

Its seemingly fragile paper body fluttered and danced as if alive, making a "rustling" sound, instantly completely enveloping Billy.

"Creak..."

The paper figure's body emitted a teeth-grinding, twisting sound.

Crimson blood seeped from the crevices, then was quickly absorbed by the paper.

A moment later, the paper figure's body slowly loosened, Li Ke a blooming flower, spitting out a bloody, indistinct body.

All of Billy's skin had been completely peeled off, his raw flesh exposed to the air, and the muscle fibers were still twitching slightly.

Meanwhile, the paper figure transformed.

Fine skin textures appeared on its surface, and its facial features quickly took shape, completely becoming Billy's previous appearance, even the triumphant smile at the corner of its mouth was perfectly mimicked.

It shook its head slightly, and a slightly smiling voice emerged:

"Have some patience, will you? Delicious food is for those who wait."

A large hand covered with fine silver scales silently extended from the Shadow Realm beneath Billy.

It grabbed Billy, who was still slightly wriggling on the ground, and dragged him into the Shadow Realm, disappearing instantly.

......

Within the ghostly Shadow Realm, Li Ke showed a satisfied smile.

After obtaining the vampire count's fangs from the Mist, he immediately put them to use.

According to the records of Golden Gate Paper Piercing, combined with several other Yin Materials, he successfully ground out a special ink for Paper Binding.

Not only did he enhance the strength of the Spirit boy and girl, making their paper bodies more resilient and their movements swifter and more mysterious, but he also successfully created the next stage of paper figures recorded in Golden Gate Paper Piercing: the Faceless Paper Figure.

The functionality of this paper figure far surpassed that of ordinary paper figures.

It could simulate and replicate the appearance and voice of its target by peeling their skin.

Moreover, with each skin it peeled, its strength would increase, and its imitation of the target would become more accurate.

As it grew, it could even mimic others' abilities, and some of their habits and memories.

In the Late Stage, it could also achieve the effect of substituting for injuries or even death by consuming stored human skins.

Therefore, once a Faceless Paper Figure matured, it would be extremely difficult to kill.

This was a very sinister form of Paper Binding; not only were its abilities ever-changing, but it also possessed a certain degree of growth potential.

Li Ke had expended considerable effort to create it.

Now, upon testing it, the effect was indeed good.

Li Ke also summoned the Faceless Paper Figure into the Shadow Realm.

Then, from his sleeve, he took out a very fresh-looking parchment scroll, as if it had just been peeled.

On the parchment, the general layout of Xilin Town and its surroundings was drawn.

In several places, conspicuous red dots were additionally marked with crimson ink.

This was a map of the Holy Meal Society strongholds around Xilin Town that he had purchased from the Mist.

Li Ke extended a finger and gently wiped away one of the red dots.

"Let's go, next one."

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