In the middle of their conversation, a clanging sound rang out from somewhere in the distance — like a striking bell, or a blacksmith’s hammer, a relentless pounding that went on and on.

Everyone looked toward the source, faces creasing with puzzled frowns.

The sound continued for a long time.

When it finally ceased, the night hours ended at precisely that moment. A resonant toll rang out from the clock tower, and then — daylight broke.

The inspector smiled and said: “The timing is perfect. I hope you are pleased with your game rewards.”

— From a distant intersection, a towering figure came walking slowly forward. It moved like a fully armored heavy knight — every step deliberate and weighty, accompanied by the grinding scrape of metal on metal.

Every eye went wide with shock.

Yan Qingwen couldn’t stop himself from stepping forward two paces. “…Lu Ang?!”

The elation in his heart lasted less than two seconds. When he made out the figure clearly, a vast and crushing weight of loss — and grief — came crashing down on him.

Because it was not Lu Ang. It was an armored warrior whose silhouette and build bore a close resemblance to Lu Ang’s — with iron wire shaped into the likeness of a full beard at the helmet’s face, making it look startlingly similar to the man himself.

This was a steel doll, crafted with Lu Ang as its model.

Yan Qingwen raised his hand and slowly pressed it to the iron puppet’s chest.

Cold. Hard. No warmth, no heartbeat.

At the same moment, item information surfaced in his mind:

**[Mali’s Doll — Yan Qingwen: Equipped with an automatic defense system. Can provide defensive protection within a 6-meter diameter radius centered on the user.**

**Note: This item has been bound to the user.]**

Yan Qingwen couldn’t help but lower his head. His eyes stung at the rims; a wry, bitter smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“May I ask — are you satisfied with your reward?” the rabbit-headed figure inquired politely.

Yan Qingwen raised his head, drew a long breath, and gave the iron puppet’s armor a solid pat. The resonant metallic clang rang out, and he said: “Satisfied. Yes… I’m very satisfied.”

Everyone looked at that towering puppet and thought of Lu Ang’s death, and for a moment, no one could find any words.

The next reward was Shen Fei’s.

Shen Fei received a very small cloth doll.

— Smaller even than Mali herself, no bigger than a palm. Black hair, a white dress, a round little face with eyes embroidered in black thread, a mouth stitched in red, and two rosy pink cheeks.

When Shen Fei saw this reward, a flush crept over him; he was suddenly racked with guilty self-consciousness.

He stole an awkward glance at Shen Mo and Bai Youwei beside him, and only when he saw that their expressions showed nothing out of the ordinary did he let out a small breath of relief.

Even so, the embarrassment lingered, thick and uncomfortable.

“Wh-why is it this kind of item…” Shen Fei asked under his breath, mortified.

The rabbit-headed figure replied: “You dislike it? But all rewards are custom-made — in principle, Mali crafts them to fulfill each person’s heart’s true desire.”

Their heart’s true desire.

It might have been better left unsaid. The moment those words were spoken, Shen Mo and Bai Youwei both furrowed their brows and looked more closely at the doll in his hands.

Shen Fei had nowhere to hide, so he let them look. At least, fortunately, the doll’s design was abstract enough — a round little face, round little eyes — that it wouldn’t lead anyone to think of… to think of Bai Youwei.

Shen Fei’s cheeks burned hot.

He couldn’t work out why Mali would make him a doll like this. Could it be because… because the impression of the water spirit had been burned so deeply into his memory while he was unconscious?

Sensing Shen Mo’s scrutinizing gaze, Shen Fei’s heart hammered in his chest. He forced himself to act as though nothing was wrong, laughing awkwardly: “Ha… haha… I’m a grown man — giving me a doll item, how strange…”

Bai Youwei said: “This doll looks a lot like Mali.”

“Indeed.” The inspector explained gently: “The doll’s appearance is modeled after Mali herself.”

Shen Fei: “…”

—