After Finding a Dungeon Boss at the Dollhouse [Infinite]

The day the S-rank instance [Puppeteer] invaded reality, all of Pingning City became a living hell.

As Xue Ying lay in a pool of blood, she saw a pale young man in the distance. He had a beautiful, delicate face, but his temperament was gloomy and evil, like hell itself.

Later, she became the only survivor of that disaster. In her midnight dreams, the young man's gaze always coiled around her like a snake, choking the breath from her.

Ten years later, Xue Ying accepted a commission to enter the A-rank instance [Dollhouse] and search for a missing girl.

After completing the mission, Xue Ying tried several times to contact the client but got no response. With no other choice, she took the girl in and named her Xing Yao.

Having grown up in an abnormal environment, Xing Yao was ignorant of the ways of the world, with an unusual cruelty beneath her innocence.

Yet whenever Xue Ying met those eyes, pure as a starry sky, the fear in her heart would strangely fade.

The girl's unreserved dependence gradually helped Xue Ying emerge from the shadow of the past.

Sometimes, Xing Yao's overwhelming curiosity also caused her trouble. For instance, she found the lewd comics Xue Ying had treasured for years and pointed at the pixelated figures, asking curiously, "A Ying, what are they doing?"

Embarrassed, Xue Ying brushed her off, saying it was a way for close friends to deepen their friendship.

The girl tilted her head and imitated what she had seen in the comic, slipping her hand into Xue Ying's collar. "Can we do this too?"

Xue Ying coldly slapped her hand away. "No. We're adoptive family."

Xue Ying accidentally learned that the original target of her mission had died in the instance long ago. Then the one at home...

As usual, Xing Yao waited along the route home. A headless monster walked toward the girl.

Xue Ying was about to step in when an explosion of blood mist stained the dim yellow lights red. The innocent face before her held an inhuman coldness.

As if sensing her gaze, the girl turned around. Her beautiful face overlapped with that of the cruel young man from years ago. Xue Ying fled in panic.

She had planned to keep lying low, but tragically, the instance mutated, and she was left gravely wounded on the ground, utterly despairing.

The monster was about to casually finish off the expendable nobody when familiar red threads severed its head.

The young man smiled and reached out. With an irresistible grip, he seized her ankle and dragged her into a hidden lair.

"What a bother. A Ying found out!"

"How about I turn you into a doll? Then you won't run away!"

Xue Ying clung to him in terror and apologized. Xing Yao expressionlessly took out the comic and opened it to the page that made her blush, her heart race, and her blood run cold.

Then he slowly bit her ear and asked expectantly, "So, are we close friends now?"

2025/09/01

P.S. Both are each other's first, one-on-one romance, happy ending.

Theme: Don't be fooled by appearances; see through to the truth.