novelraw Chapter 198: The Mask Worn Too Long Becomes Your Face
Chapter 198: The Mask Worn Too Long Becomes Your Face
The mask was no longer a mask. It had turned into liquid, constantly twisting as it fused with Lu Ce’s face.
Before Xie Antong and Chiyo Eine, an incredibly bizarre and maddening scene was unfolding—the mask had become his face.
This is the meaning of Overload. A mask worn too long becomes your face.
His facial features were continuously changing, as if being reshaped manually—his cheekbones rose, and his chin gradually sharpened.
His eyes were squinting with a smile, as if the grin had been permanently carved into his face. Nothing could shake the feeling that he was mocking the world.
His nose curled upward, like the joker in a deck of cards, sniffing the scent in the air.
“Hehehe… the air here is great, filled with the smell of unrest…”
“Hahahahaha! What a wonderful place.”
The blue face suppressed a low laugh, the smile widening until his whole body trembled, and finally, he burst into loud laughter.
Like the worst clown in a stage play who laughed at his own joke before amusing the audience—awkwardly, only entertaining himself.But at this moment, his audience didn’t feel awkward.
【: Did he… just snap?】
【: What does this mean? Why did the mask fuse with his face? That’s kind of terrifying.】
【: Why can’t I laugh when I see him laugh? This is just creepy.】
【: Honestly, every time I see things from "Sin's" perspective, I treat him like the final boss. Honestly, he's looking more and more like it.】
Even the viewers—mere spectators—could tell something was seriously off, not to mention the two standing nearby.
Just as Chiyo Eine and Xie Antong were unsure how to react, Lu Ce’s laughter suddenly stopped.
That abrupt end made it feel like the air had been sucked out of the room.
He slowly looked up at Chiyo Eine in front of him.
“Why is it that people with a sense of humor are always so rare in this world?”
“You guys are really no fun. People without a sense of humor—I’d charge them the highest price even if it’s just business.”
“Why aren’t you laughing?”
He said, eyes locked onto Chiyo Eine. Under his gaze, she felt completely unsafe.
“Hehehe… hehehe…”
Once again, “Sin” started laughing. This time, the laughter had a strange rhythm to it.
A bizarre rhythm echoed inside both women’s minds, as if a voice was laughing in their heads.
In that instant, they felt their minds flood with madness, like something was laughing non-stop, making it impossible to think.
Especially Xie Antong—she felt it most intensely.
She touched the corner of her lips and was shocked to find they were turning up into a smile!
“Hehehe… hehehehe…”
Another laugh rang out in the area—Chiyo Eine quickly reached for her face and found that her mouth was open in a laugh!
The scene was utterly bizarre—her upper face full of vigilance, but her mouth involuntarily curved into a grin, letting out laughter.
Chiyo Eine was horrified and instantly burst into a splash of water, reassembling herself on the other side, clutching her mouth.
A pool of Black Water suddenly appeared at Lu Ce’s feet. Countless black arms reached out and clung tightly to his legs, then started tightening.
But “Sin” didn’t react at all. He let them hold him as he turned to look at Xie Antong.
Xie Antong’s brain was still under her control. She hadn’t started laughing, but meeting “Sin’s” gaze gave her the illusion of staring straight at death.
“Sin” raised his hand slowly, lifting the earpiece in it.
A flash of insight hit Xie Antong. She quickly raised her own matching earpiece to show she was an ally.
“Oh?” Greed looked at the earpiece in his hand and placed it against his ear.
“So you’re one of us. I guess I can’t kill you?”
Xie Antong hesitated, then replied after some thought, “He never said he wouldn’t kill me, but he did ask me for that earpiece.”
“Hahahaha!” Greed laughed out loud, pointing at Xie Antong as he said,
“Smart girl. Too bad you're still too serious.”
“But he is him, and I am me. Don’t you think... you should pay me a little something to spare your life?”
Xie Antong elegantly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, her gesture refined, like another personality had taken over. She replied,
“I think I can point you to someone else. They might have more of what you’re looking for—money to spare their lives.”
“Even if you’re not him, since he sent you out, what he said earlier must still matter.”
“Sin” didn’t respond. He simply walked forward, the distance between them slowly closing.
Xie Antong instinctively wanted to step back, but she held her ground. Her feet felt rooted in place.
Her instincts told her that if she took even one step back now, she’d lose the right to stand before this man.
The blue mask—or rather, the face—moved closer. Their faces were nearly touching! “Sin” finally spoke with a grin:
“Hahahaha! Impressive. Just teasing you.”
“I am him, and he is me. We’re one and the same—maybe just a tiny bit different.”
“Of course I know you. Your name is…”
“Oh, guess I’m not supposed to say.”
“No worries. Happy to work with you. Let’s continue later.”
With that, he turned his head to look at Chiyo Eine again.
“So, where’s your payment for your life?”
Chiyo Eine’s eyes almost popped out—her earlier restraints on “Sin” had done nothing at all!
He had just walked forward. With every step, countless black hands on the ground were torn off. Who knew how many he had ripped apart.
Chiyo Eine was drenched in sweat. The binding she cast looked simple, but she had given it her all. And yet, it had no effect.
She didn’t know how to answer “Sin’s” question. She didn’t know how to talk to a lunatic.
To her, the man before her was already insane.
Sweat dripped into her eyes, stinging her corneas. She blinked instinctively.
In that blink—
When she opened her eyes again, she nearly screamed her soul out. A massive blue face was right in front of hers!
“I asked you, where’s your payment for your life?”
This guy could teleport?!
With no time to think, a massive tentacle burst out of the Black Water, slicing through the air toward him!
“Sin” didn’t move at all, letting the monstrous thing lash him. A thunderous boom rang out.
The tentacle exploded into a splash of water, but “Sin’s” body didn’t budge an inch.
“Oh?”
Chiyo Eine was instantly shocked. But then—her wrist ached. She looked down—her wrist was caught in his hand.