Chapter 46: The Door Opened Wide
Irene’s decision to turn and run took Yu Sheng by surprise. Despite her small stature, the little doll’s short legs moved impressively fast—yet unfortunately, she was only 66.6 cm tall.
A doll of just over sixty centimeters, even with her legs moving so rapidly they left afterimages, didn’t get very far. Before she could reach the door, the frame on her back got caught on a chair leg—she had planned to slip underneath the chair but forgot about the frame strapped behind her.
Yu Sheng took a few leisurely steps forward and scooped up the little doll, who was still kicking furiously in mid-air.
“You can’t just hold a grudge like that!” Irene protested, waving her arms and throwing punches at the air. “Besides, I did it to wake you up! Sure, maybe my method was a bit… overly creative, but in the end, you woke up, didn’t you? Hey, let me go…”
“I never said I’d do anything to you,” Yu Sheng interrupted with a smile, setting the little doll back down on the ground. “Just wanted to tell you not to bite so hard next time. Even with my recovery abilities, it took a long time to heal, and it still hurts. Felt a bit like vengeance—though it would be best if you didn’t bite at all.”
Irene blinked, surprised. “Wait, you’re not mad?”
“Of course not. I’m not that unreasonable,” Yu Sheng replied with a dismissive wave, hoisting Irene over his shoulder as he headed out the door. “Get ready. We’re setting off for the Valley.”
Still dazed from his unexpected leniency, Irene stood on the ground, staring in a daze before quickly scurrying to catch up. “Did you remember all the features of that place?”
“Crystal clear.”
…
“I’m starting to think this place is pretty peaceful,” Xu Jiali remarked, sitting by the window while munching on a crispy pancake Li Lin had brought back that morning. His gaze drifted to the street outside, and he sighed contentedly. “This is nice. Much more laid-back than the lawless star zones. No Angel Cultists roaming the streets…”
“Well, compared to the combat intensity when you’re on a mission, this place is definitely calm,” Li Lin replied from beside him, sipping on a hot cup of soy milk. “Just think of it as a half-vacation. Our task is just to keep watch. If anything serious happens, the bureau will send reinforcements.”
“But I noticed ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ has been on edge the whole time,” Xu Jiali pointed out, glancing outside again. “She’s just a kid, wound up tight like a spring. Reminds me of when I just came out of the ‘Platform’—I was the same.”
On the rooftop of a nearby building, a girl in a dark red coat was hiding in the shadows, keenly watching the movements on the street. A ham sausage dangled from her mouth while the ethereal forms of Phantom Wolves flickered in and out of sight around her.
Sensing a gaze on her, Little Red Riding Hood glanced warily toward the window where Li Lin and Xu Jiali were sitting. After confirming nothing was amiss, she gave a quick nod, scanned the street again, and pulled out some notebooks and stationery from her backpack, starting on her homework. The Wolf Pack took over the watch, keeping their spectral eyes on the surroundings.
Li Lin eyed the dark red silhouette on the rooftop and couldn’t help but mutter, “I’ve heard a lot about the Fairy Tale Organization, but she’s the only member I’ve seen in person… She doesn’t even look old enough to be doing such dangerous work.”
“More than half of the Fairy Tale Organization members are about her age and come from the same place,” Xu Jiali sighed. “They’re all unlucky kids.”
Li Lin was visibly taken aback. “All of them? Why—”
“It’s because it’s easier for kids to fall into Fairy Tale, while adult members rarely survive long within the organization,” Xu Jiali waved his hand. “If you’re that curious, go check the archives later. Just don’t ask her about it directly.”
Li Lin sensed a hint of something from his colleague’s attitude, and after a thoughtful ‘oh,’ he turned his attention back to the peaceful, tranquil old streets outside.
“Looks like nothing much will happen today either.” He let out a slight breath and continued sipping his soy milk.
Xu Jiali: “I’m not full yet. Where’s your instant noodles? I’ll grab a pack.”
“Under the bed in the inner room—boil the water yourself, the kettle’s in the kitchen. The water dispenser in the living room doesn’t heat up. Oh, and make a pack for me too.”
…
Yu Sheng eyed Irene suspiciously as she stood by the door. “This is your preparation?”
Irene stood firmly on the shoe bench inside the hallway, trying to puff out her chest to appear more imposing. She clutched a large kitchen knife from the kitchen—the knife was so big that the handle didn’t quite fit the little doll’s hand, so she had to hold it with both hands to keep it steady.
“Better to be prepared than caught off guard. A good weapon makes me feel safer. If it really comes to a fight, just count on my mighty magical powers.” Irene boasted confidently.
Yu Sheng’s face twitched slightly. “You might as well grab a fruit knife. It’d be easier for you to handle.”
“Fruit knives lack presence.”
“With your height, even if you had a dragon-slaying saber, it wouldn’t look intimidating!” Yu Sheng sighed. “Just don’t damage that knife—it’s my favorite for cutting meat.”
“Alright, alright. Why worry so much?” Irene grumbled, glaring at him. “Just hurry up and open the Door. We should at least check the situation on the other side.”
Seeing her determination, Yu Sheng said no more. He turned and grasped the large Door handle, double-checking the pile of supplies at his feet—food meant for Foxy.
Last time when entering the Otherworld, everything he carried, including the trash bag in his hand, crossed the large Door with him. But this time, he intended to bring much more—not only the pile of food but also Irene. Whether this increased “load” would work, he wasn’t sure.
He had tested it before, but only with short-distance openings at home. Traveling to the Otherworld was a whole different matter.
He wore an exceptionally oversized jacket, its inner and outer pockets stuffed with compressed biscuits, bread, and a few cans of eight-treasure porridge. When he opened the Door later, he planned to keep it open as wide as possible, first sending the supplies through, then passing with Irene.
For that, he needed to open the Door as wide and stable as he could.
He still didn’t fully understand the principle behind the process, so he had to rely on instinct.
Yu Sheng narrowed his eyes, recalling the characteristics of the Valley from Foxy’s perception—the cold night wind, the stench, and the bone-gnawing Hunger that filled the entire Otherworld. Most crucially, he focused on the “aura” needed for spiritual guidance.
All these sensations transformed into the “frequency” of opening the Door, shaping the envisioned scenery beyond.
He concentrated entirely on opening a massive, stable Door—one large enough to take Irene and all the supplies, landing directly by Foxy’s side…
The Door handle turned slowly, and a cold aura seeped through the gradually opening gap, permeating the hallway…
A passageway, far more extensive than any previous attempt, took shape.
How large was this passage exactly? Large enough that Special Affairs Bureau Director Bai Li Qing and every captain in the headquarters erupted with piercing alarms.
Bzzz—
A strange, low humming sound resonated throughout the Wutong Road neighborhood. The pitch far exceeded the range of ordinary human hearing, only perceptible to those trained to sense the supernatural forces of the Otherworld. The resonance trembled deep within their spiritual awareness.
Just as Xu Jiali walked out of the kitchen with two bowls of instant noodles, he sensed something amiss and looked out the window in confusion. The daylight outside was rapidly dimming as if a heavy curtain was draping over the entire Boundary City. Under the shroud, buildings seemed to turn transparent and fade, replaced by a hazy, Valley-like, surreal landscape.
Little Red Riding Hood, who had been hurriedly finishing homework on a rooftop, abruptly looked up, while the pack of Wolves hidden in the shadows let out uneasy growls. A chill wind swept through, ruffling her math papers.
A moment ago, Li Lin had been admiring the peaceful streets when he suddenly leaped to his feet, cursing in perfect clarity: “Damn it! Something’s going on outside!”
Xu Jiali rushed over, carrying the instant noodles, and instantly realized: “No, it’s not the outside—it’s us! We’re observing the change! We’re falling into the Otherworld!”
As an experienced Deep Diver, Xu Jiali quickly grasped the situation. He shoved the noodles into Li Lin’s hands and dashed to his equipment box, pulling out a beam dagger and protective gear. “Quick, contact the Bureau while the signal’s still…”
But the descent into the Otherworld happened faster than he anticipated. A force far exceeding his experience pulled both him and Li Lin’s perception through the boundary of reality and reason. Before he could even grab his gear properly, a hollow wind howled past them.
Their surroundings transformed—the rental house vanished like an illusion, replaced by the dark, night-shrouded Valley.
Li Lin barely caught a glimpse of his phone screen lighting up with the Director’s number before the scene dissolved into pitch-black stone and shadowy trees.
The two Special Affairs Bureau Operatives looked at each other in bewilderment before a low growl caught their attention.
Turning, they saw Little Red Riding Hood standing solemnly nearby, dressed in her dark red coat.
Xu Jiali broke the silence with a grim voice: “We’ve fallen into the Otherworld.”
Little Red Riding Hood nodded slightly. “Judging by the scale and characteristics, it’s likely a Wilderness Type.”
Li Lin glanced between Xu Jiali and the red-cloaked girl, feeling like he should say something.
He looked down at the bowl of noodles in his hands, raised it slightly, and asked, “Want some instant noodles?”