Chapter 61
Failing the dungeon and becoming a sentient doll, or being betrayed by your own doll mid-dungeon and becoming a lifeless one – which was more terrifying?
The players couldn’t decide. They clutched their dolls, no longer as carefree and trusting as before.
Those who knew their dolls were potentially dangerous, despite their fear, continued to work and dress up their dolls, hoping to clear the dungeon during the exhibition.
Xing Nuo, having missed the commotion, retreated into Wen Xingxue’s pocket, curled up comfortably, and fell asleep.
Wen Xingxue continued to wander around the town. Whenever he saw a cute outfit or hat, he would poke the little clown doll in his pocket.
Xing Nuo would peek out, his face sleepy, yawning repeatedly, and, looking at the clothes and hats they already had, wave his little round hands.
“Zaizai no like.”
Wen Xingxue poked the sleepy-looking doll’s face, put the clothes back, and asked casually:
“Are you sleeping a bit too much lately?”
At first, the clown doll only slept at night. Now, just a few days later, he was dozing off even during the day.
Xing Nuo, his little hand supporting his head, sleepily nodded.
“Maybe.”
But Xing Nuo always liked sleeping. He didn’t think it was a big deal.
Wen Xingxue didn’t pursue the topic. He looked up at the red ribbons and knitted flowers decorating the streets in preparation for the competition and murmured:
“The competition is about to begin.”
Xing Nuo also looked up at the colorful decorations and nodded.
The annual Toy Doll Exhibition was almost here.
To prevent any mishaps during the competition, the town was on high alert, its security so tight that not even a mosquito could get in.
The humans, seen as a threat by the toys, were constantly monitored by brown bear guards patrolling around their houses.
The players, trapped between a rock and a hard place, spent the last two days lying low.
Finally, the day of the Toy Doll Exhibition arrived.
The first rays of dawn woke the tense and heavily guarded town.
The toy residents, knowing it was a special day, put on cheerful smiles, even towards the humans they usually despised.
The fluffy dolls, of all shapes and sizes, carrying baskets, chatted and laughed as they made their way to the competition venue.
The exhibition was held in the town’s largest square.
The diligent white geese had already set up the outdoor stage, flapping their wings.
The large central platform was divided into dozens of smaller platforms for the dolls to be displayed.
Players could place their carefully dressed dolls on the platforms to attract the attention of the other toys and win their favor.
If the toys liked a doll, they would place a small knitted flower in its arms.
The more flowers a doll received, the higher its ranking.
Most of the town’s residents had participated in this competition before. Only the newcomers were truly excited, eager to showcase their cuteness.
The players quickly counted. There were over fifty dolls participating!
Winning wouldn’t be easy.
Fortunately, they had spent the past few days gathering information about the toys’ preferences, and they had dressed their dolls accordingly, aiming for maximum cuteness.
Confident, they began setting up their display platforms.
The square was already bustling with activity.
A giant teddy bear, its massive body blocking the narrow path, was being repeatedly kicked in the behind by a small, chubby duck doll carrying a basket.
“Can you move out of the way?! You know you’re fat! You shouldn’t be blocking the path!”
The teddy bear, unfazed, just chuckled and continued waddling forward with the other toys.
Almost all the town’s residents had come to watch the exhibition.
Xing Nuo, carrying a pile of clothes, was busy decorating his small platform, arranging the accessories.
He instinctively raised his hand to wipe his forehead, then realized, as a doll, he didn’t sweat.
He stood on tiptoe, nervously glancing at the cute dolls on either side, and sighed, wringing his little hands.
“What to do? No toys coming…”
He paced anxiously on the platform.
Wen Xingxue leaned against the platform, munching on his dry bread, looking up at the clear blue sky.
“It’s okay,” he reassured Xing Nuo, finishing his bread in one bite.
Xing Nuo, his face in his hands, sighed, not comforted at all.
Even his usual optimism couldn’t dispel his dejection.
“If only…if only Big Brother…didn’t choose me…as your doll…”
Then he might have had a chance to win the other toys’ favor.
The toys in Toy Town had good taste and wouldn’t even glance at ugly dolls.
Only cute and pretty dolls caught their attention.
Wen Xingxue, hearing this, pinched the clown doll’s face, making it even uglier.
“Other people’s opinions don’t matter.”
He released the doll’s face and placed the sunflower bow tie around his neck.
“There’s more than one kind of beauty in this world, Little Clown Doll. You’re good too.”
Appearance wasn’t the only reason for someone to like you.
He then held up his trash and said:
“I’m going to find a trash can.”
Xing Nuo nodded, watching as Wen Xingxue disappeared into the crowd.
Can’t just sit here and do nothing, Xing Nuo thought, clenching his little fists.
He peeked out from behind a decorative flowerpot, observing how the popular dolls were decorated.
One platform was decorated like a flower garden, a romantic and cute display.
A fluffy white kitten doll, as soft as a cloud, its voice sweet and gentle, sat in the center.
Many dolls came over, touched the kitten’s soft fur, praised it sincerely, and placed knitted flowers in its arms.
A kitten’s cuteness was universally acknowledged.
Xing Nuo knew he could never be that popular unless he changed species.
He moved to another spot, hiding behind a small potted plant, and observed another doll.
This one was a chubby pony, its body painted in a gradient of pink and blue, eye-catching and attractive.
Xing Nuo felt even more dejected. He touched his sunflower outfit and sighed heavily.
He yawned, trying to stay awake, and rummaged through his basket for more accessories.
He looked up and saw an unfamiliar penguin waddling towards him. Without a word, it tossed a knitted flower into his arms and turned to leave.
Xing Nuo, hugging the flower, was stunned for a moment, then gasped, almost jumping up and down with joy.
“Thank you!”
He bowed, his heart filled with happiness, clutching the flower.
He looked at it, touched it, the stitched smile on his ugly face stretching wider.
Wen Xingxue, having returned at some point, looked at the flower in Xing Nuo’s arms and asked:
“What’s that?”
Xing Nuo held up the flower, practically shoving it in Wen Xingxue’s face.
“Little flower!”
His button eyes sparkled like a starry sky.
Wen Xingxue chuckled, poking the corner of the clown doll’s mouth.
“Looks like someone likes you after all.”
Xing Nuo nodded vigorously, beaming, and carefully placed the single flower he had received in the center of his basket.
Wen Xingxue watched him fussing over his display, his smile widening, his eyes softening in the sunlight.
The competition was drawing to a close.
The fiery sunset painted the sky in vibrant colors, like a beautiful painting.
A duck doll stood on the main platform, its loud, quacking voice announcing the end of the competition.
The players, having survived the day, their scores decent, wiped their sweat and sighed in relief.
The duck doll announced the players’ rankings, then turned, its eyes glinting sinisterly as it looked at the darkening sky, and said:
“Wen Xingxue, you bribed the toys! And you’re ranked last! It seems you don’t understand our Toy Town at all!”
The other players, having spent almost all their points, looked at Wen Xingxue, trying to suppress their smiles.
As expected, this kind of exhibition wasn’t suitable for the top-ranked player.
But before they could relax, the duck doll turned to them, its smile sinister.
“The other humans seem to understand our town quite well. Why don’t you stay here and become one of us?”
