Karl struggled to contain his fear and worry as he wiped away the tears on his face. Jonas was right; showing weakness now meant choosing death. And this was not just his own death; it meant the death of everyone in the village. The longer he stayed here, the more difficult Jonas’s task would become, and the more danger the villagers would be in.Karl removed his untied shoes and tossed them aside, not caring about any sense of decorum anymore. He knocked on the doors of each house, rapping loudly and shouting if no one answered. People started trickling out, one by one, in response to his efforts. Some believed, while others were skeptical, but standing on the precipice of life and death, they had no choice but to listen.“Really, truly Liliana, isn’t this some kind of joke?” Many people looked at Karl with bewildered expressions. This situation seemed more absurd than fish climbing trees!“She’s no longer the Liliana we knew. She never was!” Karl replied urgently. If he didn’t expla
Jonas’s back was hurting, and he couldn’t stop Liliana. It wasn’t until she had left the cemetery that Jonas regained his composure and chased after her.On the other side, Karl was helping the townspeople evacuate. Each person left their homes and headed toward the hospital.“Hurry, there’s not much time left!” Karl shouted loudly, looking back at the long line of people following him.Inside Karl’s heart, there was a burning urgency. Even though he and everyone else had tried to move as quickly as possible, he knew that the hundred seconds mentioned by Liliana had passed. Liliana had n’t eaten them because Jonas was still holding her back. Karl worried about Jonas on one hand and did his best to help people move on the other. The only thing he could do now was this – if they didn’t move fast enough, they would become Liliana’s fat prey, and all their efforts would be in vain.“Oh Lord, please protect our village and Jonas,” Karl silently prayed while continuing to move forward. In l
Liliana, upon seeing Jonas appear, couldn’t help but sneer. She still didn’t believe he could protect everyone. The conscience he mentioned was, in her opinion, the most useless thing in the world.“Well, well, you’re worried about your own life. You’re so caught up in your thoughts!” Liliana spoke with a hint of disdain, her expression not quite a smile, but more like a strong, challenging someone weaker.Jonas didn’t want to argue with her; he stood in front of Karl and older adults couple, though he couldn’t see, he could feel the closeness of Liliana. She was close enough that he could hear her breathing.“Run, the faster, the better!” Jonas said to Karl from behind. He wasn’t sure how long he could hold Liliana at bay, so he wanted to make the most of the time they had.The overwhelming fear Jonas had felt earlier made Karl unable to move. It wasn’t until Jonas turned back to speak to him he finally snapped to attention. Liliana was terrifying, far more frightening than when they
Liliana’s nails dug deeper into Jonas’s flesh, fresh blood flowing incessantly. On Liliana’s pale hand, more and more of Jonas’s blood stuck to it. The contrast of red blood on a white background, along with her crimson attire, created a horrifying sight.Liliana leaned back, laughing maniacally, her grip growing stronger.“How does it feel to experience the consequences of having those bright eyes, huh?” Liliana mocked. She had tried to persuade Jonas to join her side several times, and he had consistently refused. She even offered her bright eyes for him in exchange, but he didn’t accept. All because of his unwavering sense of morality. It was hardly worth it.Jonas’s face turned red, and his circulation grew increasingly difficult. He struggled to breathe but failed. Liliana was too strong, and her five claw-like nails were embedded too deeply.“What? Uncomfortable now? Can’t breathe, can you? Jonas, I told you if you had those bright eyes, I wouldn’t fight back. But what can you d
Daisy’s cries grew louder day by day, her voice hoarse and choked to where she could hardly speak. Just looking at the unrecognizable figure before her, Daisy was in constant agony. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed, making it seem like she could hardly breathe. Daisy’s eyes were also red from crying, and she kept shaking her head as she looked at Liliana. From childhood to adulthood, she had always been fragile, but she had never felt such pain before. If there were a higher power listening to her, Daisy only wished for Liliana to return to normal, even if it meant giving up her own life. Daisy would accept it.“Sister, please, come back as the Liliana you used to be, please!” Daisy sobbed, her voice gradually becoming hard to hear, drowned out by her choking sobs.Upon hearing this, Liliana burst into laughter. She clutched her stomach and laughed heartily, looking at Daisy with a mocking gaze. Did she want Liliana to go back to being normal? Don’t even dream of it! Daisy di
“That’s not it, not what you think, sis. You’ve misunderstood our parents,” Daisy continuously shook her head, her gaze never leaving Liliana. Bitterness, pain, and desperation were the emotions that dominated Daisy at this moment.“Misunderstood? You say I’ve misunderstood what, exactly? The old burn scar is still there, and there are many needle marks all over my body. Do you want to see them?” Liliana said as she rolled up her sleeves, revealing a large scar on her wrist, surrounded by needle marks.“From childhood till now, I’ve never been sick. Where did all these come from? Isn’t it because of you? Have you ever felt the pain of being sick, or is it just a breeze to you? Daisy, how can you imagine what it’s been like for me over these years? The agony, the constant fear. Do you know why I didn’t want you to cry or be in pain? Because, in such moments, I’m the one who has to bear all the negativity! Do you know how much I’ve suffered in fear?” Liliana spoke, reminiscing her child
Liliana quickly buried her face in the snow. She didn’t want her parents to see her grotesque appearance. Deep down, she was still a deprived child, craving love and affection. She had a heart, and she still wanted to be loved, to receive her parents’ affection. She was afraid that her horrifying appearance would horrify her parents. Since she was adopted, she had always played the role of a perfect, diligent, and kind child in front of her parents. She excelled in her studies, was obedient, diligent, compassionate, and graduated as an outstanding doctor and veterinarian. The façade she had created for her parents was perfect. She didn’t want her parents to see her in a red dress, with pale, white skin like this! She really didn’t want to!So, Liliana completely buried her face in the cold snow, enduring the freezing temperatures. It was worth it, as long as it made the Duke and Duchess Armstrong satisfied.The Duke and Duchess Armstrong hurried over, passing by Liliana as they ran to
The scene horrified everyone present before them. They couldn’t believe their eyes as Liliana was shedding her skin right in front of them. She appeared far more terrifying than their wildest imaginations.“Oh my God, what kind of creature is she?” Etham stared at Liliana in shock. He had gone from one surprise to another today, starting with Liliana’s true identity, the revelation that the Armstrong family had used her as a puppet to endure pain for Daisy, and now witnessing this skin-shedding transformation. If he had been a coward, he might have passed out. The sight was truly horrific.Daisy was equally horrified. She couldn’t believe her sister had transformed into this. Now Daisy finally understood why Liliana had said that there was no turning back. Everything had gone too far, and neither Daisy nor Liliana could return to their previous lives.Jonas stood by, his eyes unseeing, but he could clearly sense what was happening around him. A moment ago, what he had been holding und