Hey, wait a minute, what are you trying to do?
The wandering child suddenly became a bit panicked.
It was not for any other reason...
Mainly because a bunch of bullet-commenters who had just come over from ’The One’ were using the banner of "let’s read the following script to you" to enlighten the wandering child about the strange relationship between "Elle" and "Amos."
It was the odd relationship between a father and daughter with no blood relation, who were also lovers, and even the sacrificer and the sacrificial object...
I don’t want any of those relationships!
My god, what should I do now...?
Upon hearing this, "Elle" hesitated again.
She stammered, "I still... kind of want to give it a try... I mean, the Silver Baron’s treatment method... seems more reliable, father."
"It’s very quick, and it saves money."
But Amos ignored Elle’s intentions.
Perhaps it was because Elle had been uncooperative earlier; his tone became somewhat more forceful due to anger.
He took three steps in two and rushed over, grabbing "Elle"’s left arm. The lantern sleeve with lace on her forearm was grasped and deformed a little under the strong pulling.
Elle staggered as she was forcefully pulled up.
The dress that only covered to her thighs fluttered up a bit due to the severe pulling, and she hurriedly tugged it down with her other hand.
The force with which he grasped Elle’s arm was tremendous... or perhaps it was because Elle’s body was too frail and unexercised; the wandering child felt as if their arm was clamped by iron tongs.
"...Fuck... it hurts, father..."
"Elle" almost cursed out loud, but she quickly came to her senses, hurriedly lowering her voice, and whimpering in a plaintive whisper.
It seemed that only then did Amos realize he had hurt his daughter in his pulling.
He quickly let go of her, apologizing softly, "Are you okay, Elle? Sorry, I’ve been a bit out of control these past few days..."
His previously irritable and excited mood seemed to suddenly crumble away.
...This guy must be crazy, right?!
The wandering child inwardly retorted.
But on their face, they could only show a frail expression: "No, it’s, it’s okay... So, shall we—"
"—Come with me to the basement."
Amos forcefully interrupted "Elle"’s words.
Then, as if realizing once again how stern his tone was, he quickly softened it, almost humbly saying, "Be good, sweet Elle... You’ll get better soon."
...You’re not seriously about to give me... a shot, are you?
The wandering child was filled with horror.
According to the bullet comments, this girl Elle seemed to later have a child. And both she and the child kicked the bucket in different batches...
This old man must have some mental illness, for sure!
This nightmare is really too frightening!
Although it’s not frightening in the sense it was before...
Come to think of it, shouldn’t I figure out a way to escape? But this broken body is just too weak; how exactly do I escape?
And if I get caught while trying to escape... will he get infuriated...?
He looked down for a moment.
He saw on "Elle"’s left arm—where Amos had grabbed—bruises in deep red and purple still visible, along with the vague throbbing pain that had not yet faded. On skin as white and Cleanse as milk, they stood out starkly.
This thing will probably turn blue soon, won’t it?
Is it that Amos has more strength, or that my body is weak?
Just then, a new mission prompt flashed before the wandering child:
[Complete the Portrait Painting]
[Uncover the Secrets of Amos Morrison]
Among these three missions, the line [Complete the Portrait Painting] was crossed out from left to right, the font turned gray and a (Failed) marker appeared behind it.
At the same time, beneath the task [Uncover the Secrets of Amos Morrison], a new line emerged:
...wait, this is becoming increasingly ominous.
A shiver went through the wandering child’s heart.
But since the mission had already set the terms, he had no choice but to steel himself and leave Elle’s bedroom with Amos.
On the outside, it appeared that Elle hesitated for a moment, but still obediently followed Amos out of her bedroom.
The players therefore didn’t get to see Elle’s diary.
The most curious among them was Annan.
He watched with interest the level he had played through.
Could there be a new solution here?
...no, that’s not right.
All of a sudden, Annan came to a realization.
Based on "Elle’s" character in the diary, it was highly unlikely for her to sit still and maintain a smile for several hours. After all, that was just an excuse Amos used to refuse painting her portrait.
Does that mean, in the actual history that transpired, Elle’s situation and choices were consistent with those of the "wandering child"?
"...So this is the meaning behind the main mission."
He had an inkling of what it might be.
So far, the main missions he received in the nightmare were crucial elements for "breaking history."
Just like he had to stop Tan Juan from drinking the poisoned wine—because in the real history, Tan Juan had drunk the poison.
And the main mission in "The Gallery: Elle Morrison" was to [Complete the Portrait Painting], [Uncover the Secrets of Amos Morrison], [Survive]...
You should know, Elle wasn’t supposed to die here.
This was the time she was supposed to be pregnant.
She was expected to die six months later.
—But she also didn’t complete the portrait painting, nor did she succeed in uncovering the secrets of Amos Morrison.
Does that mean... unlike "John," Elle would only face the possibility of death if she attempted to go against history?
Just as Annan, playing the role of Elle, encountered the murderous portrait in the study.
That brings up the question.
Now, without Amos painting for several hours straight, he won’t feel that Elle has worked hard. Thus, he wouldn’t go out to buy her a cake as a reward... Naturally, he wouldn’t leave the house, and Elle won’t have the chance to sneak into the study to peruse the forbidden books.
That is to say, if the portrait isn’t completed.
The second task was simply impossible to complete through conventional means.
Yet, this task didn’t display "failed." Instead, it rose above "Follow Amos’s words."
Does this mean that Elle, although she didn’t enter the study, is now exploring Amos’s secrets in some other way?
"——I’m starting to get excited."
"——Waking up at four in the morning, I found that the crabapple flowers were still awake. A tree of pear blossoms pressed down on the crabapples..."
"——Shut up in front! You can’t use those two lines together!"
"——Charge, my child-god, charge!"
"——No need to wait for the child-god, you can charge first..."
The wandering child muttered in his heart.
It’s only because the barrage is anonymous, otherwise he would have noted down all these people’s names in a little notebook.
I’m telling you, don’t be so smug!
You’ll have your day too!
He didn’t dare to say it out loud this time. Even speaking softly, it seemed like Amos could hear him.
Because Amos’s hearing... or rather his perceptive abilities, seemed to have surpassed those of an ordinary human being.
After entering the basement, "Elle" suddenly shivered.
It was really too cold here.
It could even be said to be unusually cold.
Amos asked with some concern, then he took off his own upper garments and draped them over Elle.
"It’s my fault, I forgot that you were a bit sick."
"Wait here for a moment," he said with a hint of apology. "I’ll go back and get you some clothes..."
Saying this, he quickly left the basement and closed the door behind him.
After the door was closed, the wandering child felt even colder.
"Can’t you just let me go get my own clothes..."
He cursed under his breath.
But to his surprise, his voice sounded very nice and lacked any forcefulness.
The wandering child clicked his tongue and stopped cursing.
If Amos had dared to let him go up to get his clothes, he definitely would have put on light and comfortable clothes, grabbed a kitchen knife casually, and run straight out of the house.
If there was any chance of slipping away, he wouldn’t be headstrong.
If there was no chance to escape, he would turn around and fight back.
This had always been his pattern of behavior.
Only right now, it was still at the level of "being able to slip away."
The wandering child suddenly noticed something strange.
It looked somewhat like a bed.
But it was very fragile. If someone dared to use it for a normal sleep, it certainly wouldn’t hesitate to collapse.
Because the bed was constructed out of bones.
And it wasn’t assembled using 502 adhesive and instant noodle fillers... it was simply a gathering of bones put together to form roughly the shape of a bed and left at that.
Just one glance at it was unsettlingly creepy.
Right then, Amos came hurrying back into the basement with a quick trot.
In his arms, he carried three pieces of clothing — to be precise, three dresses.
To be even more precise... they were three thick cashmere dresses.
Not just the wandering child was stunned, but the barrage comments also went blank for a moment before "???" started flooding the screen.
——I get it. He’s trying to roast me alive.
The wandering child sighed inwardly.
Among the players watching this scene, only Annan knew why.
Because in Elle’s wardrobe, there were only dresses and underwear — what this implied couldn’t be clearer.
It meant that, at the very least since the arrival of winter, Elle had never stepped out of the house. Or rather, Amos had never let Elle go out on her own.
"Put on the clothes, Elle. Wear a couple more, otherwise it’ll be a bit prickly and hurt," Amos said with a smile, giving Elle’s buttocks a light tap. "Then lie down on that. Quickly... you’re such a blockhead, Elle. It’s not like I haven’t seen it before, there’s nothing to be shy about."
You damn know it pricks and hurts? No, that’s not right, have you actually seen it before? That’s not right either...
The wandering child ranted furiously in his mind.
But when he glanced at the second line of the task list, he could only obediently hum in agreement.
The task comes first, the task comes first.
Anyway, it was not the worst possibility... probably.
At that moment, Amos began to clear some things from the corner of the basement.
As the wandering child turned his head, he vaguely saw...
That seemed to be a pile of bones.
Many, many bones, and some ribs with flesh on them.
This might be the reason why the basement was so cold... because it also had to serve as a refrigeration room?
Suddenly, the wandering child caught sight of something and made a puzzled sound.
On the back of Amos’s spine, where he had removed his coat, there was a dense row of white spines, like that of a scorpion’s.
This made the wandering child pause for a moment, and his actions of changing his clothes suddenly stopped.
Hearing the pause behind him, Amos turned his head back with a puzzled look.
The next moment, the wandering child’s heart nearly stopped beating.
A sudden fear gripped his heart.
For on Amos’s turned face...
There was not a shred of flesh, nor any skin.
The skull’s empty eye sockets stared unfeelingly at his own daughter, scratching his cheekbone.
"What’s the matter, Elle?" his voice echoed eerily, "Why have you stopped?
"What are you... looking at?"