Douluo: I have too many clones

Chapter 808 Nanali Bears the Whip to Plead Guilty

"You made the right decision."

Fors looked at Nanali, his tone flat and devoid of much emotion, yet it made the latter's heart tighten.

A cold sweat broke out on Nanali's back, as if she were enveloped by an invisible pressure. She hurriedly clarified, "Lord Fors, please understand that I have always been your man! The Dark Blood Demon's rash attack was entirely his own doing. I was completely unaware of it and was kept in the dark!"

She knew how domineering Fors was; she had been tormented by him countless times in the past. So now, the only way to ensure her safety was to distance herself from the situation.

“I know.” Fors nodded slightly, her gaze calm and unwavering. “Otherwise, do you think you'd still be standing here?”

If Nanali had dared to have any improper thoughts just now, then she would have had no choice but to accept the other party's head and exchange it for merit in the Spirit Pagoda.

As soon as she finished speaking, Fors moved gracefully, her skirt swaying slightly, and slowly walked to the deep crater that had been smashed open.

At the bottom of the pit, the Dark Blood Demon, whose soul power was sealed, had its limbs broken and deformed from Nanali's merciless blows. It lay there like a lump of mud, barely clinging to life.

This was already a result of Nanali showing mercy—she anticipated that Fors might still have a use for him, which was why she didn't kill him directly; otherwise, with the power of that bell-shaped martial spirit, the Dark Blood Demon would have already been turned into mincemeat.

Fors leaned down, looking down at the defeated man at the bottom of the pit. Her red lips parted slightly, her tone casual yet her words clear and distinct:

"You're pretty lucky. I've been in a good mood lately and have no intention of killing anyone. Although with your abilities you're at best a third-rate scoundrel, you could still be a collector's item."

These words sounded strange, yet they sent a chill down the spine of the Dark Blood Demon's remaining consciousness. Before he could comprehend their meaning, Fors had already taken a clean white handkerchief from his robes and gently tossed it into the pit.

The handkerchief appeared small, but it swelled up in the wind the moment it hit the ground, like a white curtain that instantly enveloped the Dark Blood Demon's body.

"woo woo woo woo……"

From beneath the white cloth, a muffled sob suddenly rang out, filled with extreme terror and despair.

The white cloth bulged out in jagged arcs from time to time, sometimes like arms struggling, sometimes like a body arching, clearly the Dark Blood Demon writhing desperately inside, yet unable to break free from the seemingly soft handkerchief.

Although the people around could not see what was happening under the white cloth, just by listening to the chilling wailing and seeing the white cloth constantly rising and falling as if it were about to be torn apart, they could guess what kind of terrifying thing was happening inside.

Nanali instinctively lowered her eyes, not daring to look any longer. The imposing aura she had displayed during the attack had been completely dispelled by the eeriness of the moment.

A moment later, the low whimpering stopped abruptly. The struggle beneath the white sheet gradually subsided, eventually settling completely flat, lying quietly on the ground like an ordinary piece of cloth, without making a sound.

Fors leaped into the pit and gently lifted the white cloth. The cloth lay empty; the Dark Blood Demon's body had vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.

She folded the white cloth back up and put it away calmly, then turned and leaped out of the pit as if she had just accomplished a trivial task.

"Let's go." Fors turned around, a faint smile on her face, and said to everyone, without mentioning the whereabouts of the Dark Blood Demon.

Looking at the devastation left by the fierce battle—shattered rocks, cracked ground, and lingering soul energy fluctuations—Ye Xinglan frowned and asked, "So, are we just going to leave this place alone?"

"It's alright." Fu Xuan shook the soul-guided phone in his hand, the screen still showing traces of communication records. "I have already notified the Central Legion. The losses here will be handled by a specialist tomorrow."

"When did this happen?" Ye Xinglan was stunned; she hadn't noticed at all.

Fu Xuan glanced at her, put his phone away, and said with a matter-of-fact tone, "Of course it started from the beginning. Otherwise, do you think the Mingdu security team would have been completely unresponsive, with no alarms even sounding, given those few bursts of soul power fluctuations just now?"

Even before the Dark Blood Demon secretly followed them, she had already contacted the guard team through soul communication, explaining that there was a special operation taking place there and instructing them not to intervene after detecting soul power fluctuations.

Otherwise, the energy shocks that occurred during the battles between the Dark Blood Demon and Lan Fuzi and Bai Xiuxiu would have been enough to alarm the entire city, and Mingdu's alarm system would probably have been sounding non-stop long ago.

Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly realized what was happening and followed Fors's footsteps, heading away into the distance, leaving behind only the chaotic battlefield waiting to be cleaned up.

……

Throughout the journey, Gu Yuena kept her brows furrowed and her eyes deep, her mind replaying the bizarre methods that Fors had just used.

The seemingly casual manipulation of the puppets could easily subdue a Limit Douluo, and the underlying principle remained a mystery to her.

Even the most bizarre curses require precise mediums and enormous costs to be effective against a powerful being like the Dark Blood Demon. How could Fors cast a curse so easily with just a rag doll and a few words of address?

If it were that simple, the entire continent would probably have already fallen into chaos.

There must be some deep mystery hidden within this, perhaps a law she has never seen before, or a special bloodline talent.
Not only Gu Yuena, but Ye Xinglan, Bai Xiuxiu, and others were also curious about Fors's methods. They glanced at Fors's back from time to time, their eyes flashing with inquiry, but they all tacitly refrained from asking any questions.

Soul Masters' trump cards and secret techniques have always been taboo. To inquire about them rashly would be tantamount to an offense, and they still know this much.

Only Xu Xiaoyan couldn't contain her curiosity. She walked around to Fors' side, looked him up and down for a while, and then asked in a low voice, "Fors, where did that Dark Blood Demon go?"

"Oh? Xiaoyan is very interested in this?" Fors's lips curled up slightly, her smile seemingly imperceptible.

"Mm." Xu Xiaoyan nodded honestly, then added somewhat shyly, "Of course, if this involves your secrets, just pretend I didn't ask."

“It’s alright.” Fors stretched out her finger and gently twirled a strand of hair behind her ear, her tone as casual as if she were talking about an ordinary object. “It’s not a secret. Since you want to know, I’ll tell you.”

Upon hearing this, the previously silent crowd subconsciously slowed their pace and perked up their ears, clearly wanting to hear what was going on.

Fors then took out a miniature doll wearing a dark red cloak from her sleeve. It was about ten centimeters tall and bore a striking resemblance to the Dark Blood Demon. She waved the doll gently in front of Xu Xiaoyan: "Here, this is the Dark Blood Demon."

"Huh?" Xu Xiaoyan stared at the small and exquisite doll, her eyes full of confusion, unable to react for a moment.

Fors lightly tapped the doll's head with her fingertip and laughed, "He's still a Limit Douluo, so he's still worth some money. I'll turn him into this doll as a collectible."

"W-Won't this pose a hidden danger?" Xu Xiaoyan stammered, her voice filled with worry. "What if he suddenly turns back into his old self? That would be terrible."

You can rest assured about that.

Fors withdrew her finger, explaining with an unchanging smile, "Once turned into a doll, without the intervention of special forces, he will never be able to return to his original form. After becoming like this, he can at most retain some consciousness, but he will never be able to mobilize any power—to put it bluntly, he can only look, not move."

She paused, her tone still calm, but her words seemed to drop the temperature around her: "Of course, lifespan will still pass naturally. In about one or two hundred years, I will die in this doll-like body."

"But before that, he might also die prematurely from a mental breakdown because he couldn't bear the eternal loneliness. Who knows?"

Seeing Fors's smiling face and hearing her casually describe such a cruel ending, a chill couldn't help but rise in everyone's hearts.

Turning living people into conscious puppets, confining them to a small space for life, and depriving them of even the power to choose their own death, is an extremely cruel practice.

While the Dark Blood Demon had indeed committed numerous evils and deserved his fate, Fors's ability to speak of these things so calmly still sent a chill down everyone's spine.

The previous cursed dolls were already bizarre, but now they can directly turn living people into dolls. If it weren't for the fact that most of those present had known Fors for a long time and knew her past, they would probably have classified her as a member of the evil spirit master class.

Only two people were exceptions.

Lan Fuzi lowered her eyes slightly, her peripheral vision revealing an undisguised fear as she secretly observed Fors, her fingers gripping her sleeve tightening unconsciously.

The other person is Nanali.

"My God, how can this woman know so many evil tricks!" Nanali's heart sank to the ground, because she suddenly remembered her previous provocative behavior towards Fors.

Who knows if that woman, with her petty nature, will retaliate against her someday!

She wasn't afraid of Fors before because she thought Fors couldn't do anything to her, so she had the confidence to resist. But now, looking at that doll, her heart sank.

Even the Dark Blood Demon of the Limit Douluo level was defeated. If she were to face Fors, the situation probably wouldn't be much better.

On this day, Nanali once again recalled the fear she had felt when she was dominated by Fors.

Thinking back, when Fors was still a Soul Saint, he was able to use strange methods to control her body, strip her of her Martial Soul, and deprive her of her lifespan.

And now?

The bizarre cursed dolls turn people into mindless puppets. Isn't this woman's martial soul related to elemental manipulation? How come her methods are getting more and more sinister!

"Is she really not an evil spirit master? How come her methods are even more evil than mine!" At this moment, Nanali felt what despair was, and at the same time, she made a decision in her heart.

“If Xiaoyan thinks this is too cruel, she can take the doll and burn it.” Fors handed the doll to Xu Xiaoyan, her tone still relaxed. “Once the doll is destroyed, it will die completely.”

"No, no, you should handle it yourself." Xu Xiaoyan looked at the doll handed to her and felt a chill run down her spine. She quickly waved her hand and stepped back, pushing it away.

"Then so be it." Fors pursed her lips, not insisting, and casually put the doll into her storage soul tool. The group continued on their way in silence, and soon returned to the Spirit Transmission Tower in Mingdu.

Standing in front of the tower gate, Lan Fuzi hesitated for a moment, but finally waved to everyone and said, "Now that you've all arrived, I should go back to the hotel. Thank you so much for your hospitality today."

"Take care on your journey." Everyone waved goodbye.

Lan Fuzi thought she had disguised herself perfectly, but she didn't realize that her words and actions would occasionally reveal her girlish demeanor unconsciously.

Although Xu Xiaoyan and the others were all women, they were unable to see through her disguise. However, they guessed her true identity from her subtle body movements and the faint, elegant fragrance on her body. Otherwise, they would not have easily allowed her to travel with them.

After watching Lan Fuzi's figure disappear around the street corner, the group turned and entered the Spirit Pagoda before dispersing.

……

The elevator arrived at the 95th floor, the metal doors slid open slowly, and a group of people stepped out one after another.

"No~"

Fors stretched out her arms in a lazy stretching motion, her body moving gracefully, as if trying to dispel all the tension left from the battle.

She turned to look at Xu Xiaoyan, her tone tinged with weariness: "Xiaoyan, I'm leaving Fusheng in your care tonight. The battle with that Dark Blood Demon earlier took a toll on me, so I need to get a good night's rest and recharge."

"Okay, you can rest assured." Xu Xiaoyan smiled gently, nodded in agreement, and showed no sign of surprise in her eyes.

Listening to their seemingly ordinary yet intimate conversation, among the group, only Zheng Yiran, a naive young woman, blushed slightly and subconsciously lowered her eyes, seemingly uncomfortable with such a direct way of getting along.

The others remained calm and obviously did not find anything amiss.

Gu Yuena did not exit the elevator with the others; her residence was on the 96th floor.

She stood quietly inside the sedan chair, her eyes flickering slightly. Although a fleeting thought crossed her mind of tricking Nan Fusheng upstairs into becoming her "master," she quickly realized that it was ultimately unrealistic.

Rather than staying in the same place and having more thoughts, it's better to avoid seeing it altogether. So I simply pressed the close button and waited for the elevator to go up to the next floor.

"Xinglan, let me show you the room."

"Then I'll trouble you." Ye Xinglan nodded slightly and thanked Xu Xiaoyan politely.

"Don't mention it." Xu Xiaoyan waved her hand with a smile, then turned to the side and gently patted Bai Xiuxiu's shoulder three times with her fingers, while giving her a meaningful look.

After doing all this, she turned around and led Ye Xinglan deeper into the corridor to choose a suitable room for her.

Bai Xiuxiu received the signal, her eyes brightened slightly, and then she returned to her room.

……

As evening fell, the corridor of the Spirit Pagoda was deserted, but the lights on the ceiling remained bright, reflecting the smooth floor like a mirror and casting long shadows.

A slender figure moved stealthily down the corridor, her footsteps so light they were almost inaudible, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility.

She stopped in front of a metal door, hesitated for a moment, and finally reached out and gently pressed the doorbell.

"Who is it? What's the matter in the middle of the night?" The door slid open slowly, and a somewhat lazy voice came out.

Fors, wearing a loose bathrobe and holding a delicate female doll, looked at the figure outside the door with a hint of doubt: "It's Nanali. What do you want so late? Fusheng isn't here tonight. If you want to see him, you'll have to go to Xiaoyan's place."

"me……"

Nanali stood at the door, her cheeks slightly flushed, stammering and unable to utter a complete sentence. The thought of her purpose for coming tonight filled her with an indescribable shame, and her fingers unconsciously twisted her sleeves.

However, when her peripheral vision inadvertently swept over the rag doll in Fors's arms, her pupils suddenly contracted—the three small characters "Nanali" were embroidered on the rag doll's clothes.

That one glance seemed to instantly clear her confused thoughts, and all her hesitation and wishful thinking vanished.

"Ok?"

Fors followed her gaze and looked down, then suddenly realized what she meant. He held up the doll in his arms and explained frankly:

"As you can see, Fusheng isn't here tonight, and I feel a bit uneasy being alone, so I picked up this doll to hug, which helps me fall asleep more easily. Don't overthink it, I didn't mean anything by it."

This was no exaggeration. The reason she was able to so easily subdue the Dark Blood Demon was seemingly due to her own strange methods, but in reality, it was all thanks to Nan Fusheng's secret cooperation.

Whether it was the curse that controlled the other person's body or the magic that turned them into a doll, it was all the result of Nan Fusheng's actions.

Otherwise, with the cultivation level of the Dark Blood Demon Limit Douluo, how could he have been subdued so easily?
"I don't believe you!" Nanali screamed inwardly, but dared not show it on her face.

Good heavens, if she really had no bad intentions, why embroider her name on the doll? This is clearly a blatant attempt to cover something up, a naked warning!

Despite the turmoil churning within her, Nanali managed a forced smile and said respectfully, "Lord Fors is right, and I naturally believe you."

People have to bow their heads under the roof.

She knew very well that if she exposed this secret now, Fors might use some even more bizarre methods to deal with her.

Just then, Nanali glanced at the scene in Fors's room again out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help but gasp.

In the corner of the room stood a huge display shelf, neatly filled with dolls and figurines of all sizes, each only about ten centimeters tall, and remarkably similar in appearance to the doll that the Dark Blood Demon had transformed into.

Wait, they're extremely similar?
Nanali's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the dolls. A rough count revealed hundreds of them, each with a different shape—human and animal—and all were crafted with remarkable realism.

"Could these... all be transformed from living things?" An absurd yet chilling thought surfaced in her mind.

Nanali shook her head vigorously, trying to dispel the terrifying thought: "Fors shouldn't be that crazy, right? No, given her unpredictable and erratic nature, it doesn't seem impossible for her to do something like this..."

It's no wonder Nanali was overthinking things. The scene of the Dark Blood Demon turning into a doll had a huge impact on her, and coupled with her existing fear and prejudice against Fors, she couldn't help but speculate in the most terrifying direction.

Although I didn't see the Dark Blood Demon doll among them, I thought about it again and realized that Fors might have kept it in her collection—after all, she had said before that she would keep it as a collectible.

“Thank goodness I came tonight… otherwise, I might have become one of them without even knowing it one day.” Nanali felt a chill run down her spine and quickly took out a whip wrapped in red silk from behind her, holding it in both hands and handing it to Fors.

"Huh? Why are you giving me this?" Fors raised an eyebrow, looking at the whip in her hand with a puzzled expression, not understanding her intention.

"This wretched woman... is she really going to force me to say it?"

Nanali's eyes reddened slightly as she suppressed the humiliation in her heart and choked out, "I've come to apologize. A few days ago, I was ignorant and allowed someone of Lord Fors's stature to push my back. This was truly overstepping my bounds and is unforgivable."

She took a deep breath and raised the whip even higher: "That's why I brought this whip tonight, and I implore Lord Fors to punish me, so that I may feel at ease."

Fors waved her hand casually, "No need. I was happy to massage your back back then, it's nothing. Don't worry about it, go back and rest."

"Huh?" Nanali was stunned, somewhat bewildered. Did she really not hold her past offense against her?

But when her gaze fell once again on the rag doll in Fors's arms, embroidered with her name, she instantly came to her senses.

Good heavens, if she really doesn't mind, what does this rag doll matter? This despicable woman is clearly trying to toy with her dignity and make a fool of herself!
Nunnally raised her head, looked at Fors, a resolute glint in her eyes, and spoke with unwavering conviction:

"No, I beg Lord Fors to punish me! If you refuse, I fear I will be tormented by my conscience day and night, unable to eat or sleep. Therefore, I implore you to give me a good whipping tonight so that I may atone for my mistakes!"

Seeing Nanali's "sincere admission of wrongdoing" (actually forced into it), Fors couldn't refuse any longer, lest he disappoint her "good intentions".

She turned slightly to the side, gesturing, "Since you insist, then come in. But let me make this clear beforehand: you asked for this yourself, so don't regret it later—I won't go easy on you."

"Yes, yes! I will never regret it!" Nanali nodded hurriedly, a hint of excitement even flashing in her eyes.

In her opinion, Fors's words were nothing more than a scare tactic, mostly intended as a minor punishment to serve as a warning, after which the matter would be completely forgotten. She entered the room with great joy, feeling as if she had been granted a pardon.

"boom--"

The metal door closed slowly with a soft click, and the corridor fell silent once more, as if no one had ever been there.

Just before the door closed completely, a faint, crisp sound of a whip cracking, mixed with suppressed groans, drifted out from the crack in the door, only to be swallowed up by the emptiness of the corridor in an instant.

(End of this chapter)