Chapter 61
Which was more terrifying? Failing the instance and becoming a sentient doll, or being betrayed mid-instance by your own doll and becoming a lifeless one?
The players couldn’t decide. They clutched their dolls, no longer as carefree and trusting as before.
The players who knew about the dolls’ potential treachery, despite their fear, continued working, dressing up their dolls, hoping to clear the instance during the exhibition.
Xing Nuo, having not joined the commotion next door, retreated into the pocket, yawned, and curled up comfortably, falling asleep.
Wen Xingxue continued wandering around the town. Occasionally, seeing 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 in abundance, wave his small, round hand dismissively.
“Zaizai…no like…”
Wen Xingxue poked the sleepy-looking doll’s face, put the clothes back, and asked casually:
“You’ve been…sleeping a lot…lately…?”
At first, the little clown doll only slept at night. Now, in just a few days, he was starting to doze off even during the day.
Xing Nuo, his hand supporting his head, sleepily nodded, not realizing anything was amiss.
“Seems like…yes…”
But he always liked sleeping; he didn’t think it was a problem.
Wen Xingxue didn’t pursue the topic. He looked up at the red streamers and knitted flowers decorating the streets in preparation for the competition and murmured:
“The competition…is starting…”
Xing Nuo also looked up at the colorful decorations and nodded in agreement.
The town’s annual Toy Doll Exhibition was about to begin.
To ensure everything went smoothly, security was tightened, the town practically on lockdown, not even a mosquito could get in.
As for the humans, thorns in the sides of the toy residents, brown bear guards were stationed around their houses.
The players, trapped between a rock and a hard place, spent the last two days cautiously avoiding trouble.
Finally, the day of the exhibition arrived.
The first rays of dawn woke the tense and heavily guarded town.
The toy residents, putting aside their usual grumpiness, plastered smiles on their faces.
Even the humans, usually met with disdain, were greeted with forced pleasantries.
Fluffy toy dolls of all shapes and sizes, carrying baskets, chattered excitedly 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 busily.
The large central platform was divided into dozens of smaller ones, each a stage for the dolls.
Players could place their carefully dressed dolls on the platforms to attract the attention of the other toys and win their favor.
If the other toys liked your doll, they would place a small knitted flower in its arms.
The more flowers a doll received, the higher its ranking.
Most of the toys in Toy Town had participated in this competition before. Only the newcomers were truly enthusiastic, eager to showcase their cuteness.
The players quickly counted; there were over fifty dolls participating!
It seemed winning a high rank and clearing the instance wouldn’t be easy.
Fortunately, after days of gathering information, they had learned quite a bit about the toys’ preferences and had dressed their dolls accordingly, aiming for maximum cuteness and appeal.
Confident in their preparations, they began setting up their display platforms.
The square was already bustling with activity, the atmosphere lively and chaotic.
A giant teddy bear, its large body blocking the narrow path, was repeatedly kicked in the rear by a small, chubby yellow duck.
“Can you move out of the way?! You know you’re fat, why are you squeezing through here?!”
The teddy bear, unfazed by the insults, just chuckled, rubbing its fluffy head, and continued shuffling forward with the other toys.
Almost all the toys in town had come to watch the exhibition.
Xing Nuo, carrying a pile of clothes, busily arranged them on his small platform, carefully placing the accessories and decorations.
He instinctively reached up to wipe the sweat from his forehead, then realized his cloth face was dry and lowered his hand.
He stood on tiptoe, glanced nervously at the cute little dolls on either side of him, and sighed, wringing his small, round hands.
“What to do…? No toys…coming…”
He anxiously paced back and forth on the platform, his little hands behind his back.
Wen Xingxue leaned against the platform, munching on his dry bread roll, and looked up at the clear blue sky.
“Don’t worry.”
He finished the bread in one bite.
Xing Nuo, cupping his cheeks in his hands, sighed, not reassured at all.
Despite his usual optimism, he couldn’t help but feel dejected.
“If only…Big Brother…didn’t choose…Zaizai…as doll…”
Then he might have had a chance of winning the other toys’ favor.
The toys in Toy Town had discerning tastes; they wouldn’t even glance at an ugly doll.
Only cute and fluffy dolls could attract their attention.
Wen Xingxue, hearing this, pinched the little clown doll’s face, squeezing it into a comical shape.
“Other people’s opinions…don’t matter.”
He released the little doll’s wrinkled face and placed the sunflower bow tie around his neck.
“There’s not…just one…standard of beauty…Little clown doll, you’re…fine…”
Appearance wasn’t the only reason for liking someone.
He held up a crumpled piece of wrapping paper.
“I’m going to…find a trash can…”
Xing Nuo nodded, watching as Wen Xingxue disappeared into the crowd.
Unable to just sit and wait, Xing Nuo clenched his small fists.
He peeked out from behind a decorative flowerpot, observing how the popular dolls were decorated.
One display was arranged like a flower garden, a romantic and charming setup that accentuated the doll’s cuteness.
The fluffy white kitten doll, as soft and white as a cloud, its voice sweet and gentle, attracted many admirers.
The other toys came over, touched its soft fur, praised it sincerely, and placed knitted flowers in its arms.
A kitten’s cuteness was universally acknowledged, regardless of species.
Xing Nuo knew he couldn’t possibly 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 little pony, its body painted in a gradient of pink and blue, incredibly eye-catching.
Xing Nuo felt even more dejected. He touched his little sunflower outfit and sighed heavily.
Yawning, fighting back his sleepiness, he rummaged through his basket, looking for more accessories.
He looked up and saw an unfamiliar penguin waddling towards him. Without a word, it tossed a knitted flower into Xing Nuo’s arms and turned to leave.
Xing Nuo, clutching the flower, stunned for a moment, then let out a happy squeal, almost jumping with joy.
“Thank you!”
He bowed, his button eyes shining, holding the little flower tightly.
He looked at it, touched it, the stitched smile on his clown face stretching even wider.
Wen Xingxue, having returned unnoticed, looked at the little flower in Xing Nuo’s arms and asked deliberately:
“What’s that?”
Xing Nuo held up the flower, practically shoving it in Wen Xingxue’s face.
“Little flower!”
His little button eyes sparkled like the starry sky.
Wen Xingxue chuckled, poking the corner of the little clown doll’s mouth.
“So…some toys…do like you…”
Xing Nuo nodded vigorously, beaming, and carefully placed the single flower he had received in the center of his basket.
Wen Xingxue watched his busy movements, the little one bustling around his small platform, a smile playing on his lips, his eyes softening slightly in the sunlight.
The exhibition was gradually coming to an end.
The fiery red sunset painted the sky in vibrant hues, like a beautiful painting.
A toy duck stood on the main platform, its loud, quacking voice announcing the end of the competition.
The players, having survived the day with relatively good results, wiped their sweat and breathed a sigh of relief.
The toy duck announced the rankings, then turned its gaze, cold and menacing, towards the darkening sky, and said:
“Wen Xingxue, you bribed the toys! And you’re in last place! It seems you don’t understand our Toy Town at all!”
The other players, having spent almost all their points, exchanged glances, trying to suppress their smiles.
As expected, this type of exhibition wasn’t suitable for the top-ranked player.
But before they could relax, the toy duck turned to them, a sinister smile on its face.
“The other humans seem to understand our town quite well. Why don’t you stay here and become one of us?”
