The alley was quiet again, but Jeff's chest still felt tight from the close brush with the Patrollers. His eyes shifted toward Yinlin.
"Are you really a Patroller?" Jeff finally asked, suspicion cutting through the silence.
Her gaze flicked to him, then back to Yuanyuan, who sat motionless now, like a doll that had lost its strings. Yinlin tilted her head slightly, the corner of her mouth twitching upward. "Hmm? Do I not look the part?" she asked with feigned innocence.
Jeff's frown deepened. "You didn't even hesitate back there. You showed them an I.D like you've done it hundreds of times before. Do you get stopped by the police or rather the patrollers often?."
"I didn't plan to blow my cover," Yinlin admitted softly, slipping her ID back into her sleeve with a practiced flick. "But that Patroller was sharp. I would've risked them finding out about Yuanyuan otherwise."
Jeff clenched his jaw. "Then why the hell didn't you stop Lirong when you had the chance?"
Her expression changed something harder passing over her face. She stepped forward, her hand glowing faintly as she gestured toward the still girl. "You should see for yourself."
Her voice dropped into a whisper, almost reverent.
"Let your soul rest. Return to your true form, daughter of Lirong—Yuanyuan."
The girl's eyes flickered. Her trembling stilled, and with a soft whir of hidden gears, the truth unraveled. Her skin shimmered, peeling into metallic sheen beneath the disguise. Her small hands froze mid-air, joints stiff with the sound of servos.
Jeff staggered a step back, his pulse leaping. "What the…!? Yuanyuan—she's… an android?" His voice cracked, part awe, part horror. "Oh my god, that's insane."
Inside, though, I already knew. But if she sees through me, I'm screwed. Gotta act surprised.
"Yes," Yinlin said quietly, watching him closely. "A puppet, to be exact. This helpless little girl you see, Lirong's 'beloved daughter,' is nothing but a humanoid machine." Her tone softened, almost pitying. "And the so-called Séance Society… They're the ones behind Jinzhou's recent missing-person cases."
Jeff's throat tightened. He glanced at the metallic outline of the child, her false breathing still mimicking life. "Yuanyuan… is she really dead?"
Yinlin's expression darkened. She folded her arms, weight shifting onto one leg as her eyes locked with his. "Yes. With the puppet, she has been resurrected by her father's longing. To him, she's alive again. To him, she never left."
Jeff swallowed hard, unable to look away from the little machine.
Yinlin continued, her voice steady but low. "The Society offers these puppets to those who have lost someone. They can perfectly replicate the personalities of the deceased. To the grieving, they're indistinguishable from the living."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "But the truth? These puppets are dangerous. The deeper people cling to them, the more likely they are to Overclock. They give up everything—reason, sanity—for a chance to hold their loved ones again."
Jeff let out a slow, bitter laugh. "Didn't know grief could be weaponized like that…" This give me more reason to hate that dude even more fuck the guy who made this doll.
Yinlin's eyes narrowed. "Lirong is their recruiter. You—" she tilted her chin at him, magenta eyes gleaming in the half-light, "—you're the perfect outsider. Traveling alone. Vulnerable. Ripe for the taking."
Jeff barked a short laugh, though his stomach churned. "Guess he picked the worst candidate possible."
Yinlin's smirk returned, though it didn't reach her eyes.
Jeff leaned forward, his tone sharpening. "Then why are you still helping him?"
A shadow crossed her face, her arms tightening across her chest. "Because I need to apprehend the true culprit behind this group."
Jeff's eyes narrowed. That's a fucking lie. You already know who's pulling the strings. Spies… always keeping their cards too close. Pain in the ass to deal with.
"But this isn't your problem," Yinlin said, her voice dismissive now. She turned away, as if the conversation was already over. "I'm on a mission. Leave now. Forget everything that happened here today. You'll live longer that way."
Jeff's lips curled into a humorless smile as he reached into his jacket. He held up a folded slip of paper. "Were you looking for this?"
Her head snapped back toward him, eyes widening just slightly before narrowing. "Lirong's transaction record… Where did you find it?"
Jeff shrugged casually, though his heart pounded. "Call it… a hobby of mine."
Yinlin exhaled sharply, almost like a laugh, rubbing her temple with two fingers. "Sigh… You're such a box of surprises."
Jeff pocketed the note again, staring her down. "You promised to tell me everything."
Her magenta eyes lingered on him for a long beat before she finally spoke. "Sure, why not. I'll give you what you want." She leaned closer, voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper. "But not here. Too many ears and too many prying eyes."
She pressed a small slip of coordinates into his palm. "If you're really that curious… meet me outside the city. I'll be waiting."
———————————
After some time of the meeting
The outskirts of Jinzhou were quieter than Jeff expected. A pale moon hung low, washing the abandoned meeting point in silver light. He adjusted his collar and scanned the area, one hand brushing the hilt of his weapon on instinct.
A shadow slipped out from behind a ruined stone wall. Yinlin. Her crimson hair caught the moonlight, the high ponytail swaying as she moved toward him.
"We meet again," she said softly, her tone smooth, almost teasing. "As I expected." Her magenta eyes lingered on him like she was measuring his worth all over again. "This place seems safe enough…"
Jeff crossed his arms, forcing himself not to fidget under her gaze. "So. Any questions for me?" she prompted, that small smirk curling her lips.
"Yeah," Jeff said after a pause. "Tell me about your mission directives."
She blinked—then laughed. It was a low, amused chuckle, her hand brushing stray strands of hair behind her ear. "Didn't know you cared so much about me. And mission directives? You talk like you're my superior officer."
Jeff stayed silent, his eyes locked on hers.
Yinlin sighed dramatically but leaned against the stone wall, arms folded. "This is supposed to be confidential… but I've been authorized to make my own calls. My orders were clear: infiltrate the Séance Society, gather evidence of their crimes, and find the culprit behind it all."
Jeff studied her face, already knowing who she is receiving your orders from. You've been receiving a different kind of command from someone else, haven't you? Still… you don't strike me as a rotten type. I know your heart is in the right place from my knowledge of the game. I hope that part is still true here.
She broke his train of thought, pushing off the wall. "So far, I've had no luck meeting any of their higher-ups. Just playing assistant for Lirong to gain their trust."
"Tell me about the Séance Society," Jeff pressed.
Her eyes hardened. "They operate under the guise of a non-profit charity. They lure grieving people in with the promise of bringing back loved ones. But it's all a sham—you've seen firsthand what their so-called 'resurrection' really is."
Her hand clenched at her side. "Despite keeping a low profile in the past, they've grown bolder. Using desperate men like Lirong to recruit new victims. And from what I've gathered, they're in cahoots with Fractsidus."
Jeff's jaw tightened. "So Fractsidus has their dirty hands in this too."
"Mm." Yinlin nodded grimly. "And a Fractsidus intervention would've only made things worse."
Jeff hesitated. "Then tell me about Lirong."
The smirk faded. Yinlin's expression softened, her eyes dim with something close to pity. "Lirong was once a Midnight Ranger. Lost his daughter in a tragic accident. He joined the Society just for the chance to see her again. And now he feverishly tries to convince others to do the same. To him, those puppets are living miracles. A godsend… a redemption he couldn't find anywhere else."
Her voice dropped. "He could have been a good father. But obsession… it consumed him."
Jeff went quiet, staring down at his hands. "I can't exactly blame him."
"Hm?"
He shook his head, biting back the roughness in his voice. "To him, his daughter meant the world. And the world was cruel enough to take her away too soon. If you lost someone that important, and then—suddenly—there's a chance to see them again… Who wouldn't take it? Even if it was just a lie."
Yinlin's eyes softened as she watched him, her usual sharpness fading for a moment. She could feel the weight in his words, the quiet anger simmering beneath them.
Jeff's eyes lifted, colder now. "That's why I find this whole thing disgusting. Whoever made those dolls whoever profits from people's grief—they're fucking digusting and despicable. Feeding on the weak and grieving people when they're at their most vulnerable."
Yinlin nodded faintly. "Grief does that to people. But they should never let it consume them."
The wind carried a silence between them before she spoke again. "Aside from recruiting in Jinzhou, Lirong and I were given another task. That transaction record you're holding? It wasn't just for show. Some Fractsidus members ordered a batch of puppets. We're in charge of the deal."
Jeff's brows knit. "They're making puppets for Fractsidus too?"
"Not until recently," Yinlin said flatly. "But now Fractsidus demands prototypes regularly. I plan to investigate these for manufacturing clues… but Lirong's careful. He never lets me near the storage house."
Her eyes flicked toward the horizon, where faint city lights blurred against the dark. "It's almost time for the deal. I need to return Yuanyuan to him before suspicion falls. With Fractsidus in play, things could go south fast."
She turned back to him. "Now you know the details. It's still not too late to call it quits."
Jeff straightened, shaking his head. "No. I want to find out who's making these puppets."
Her brow arched. "Why the interest?"
Jeff's lips pressed thin before he finally admitted, "They might have a way to recover my memories."
Me and Rover… maybe this could answer some of the questions that've haunted us since day one. Ever since I found out I have history in this world I've been dying to know.
Yinlin regarded him silently, her magenta eyes studying the raw edge in his tone. Then she nodded slowly. "You've suffered memory loss… I see. If they can craft such lifelike puppets by drawing from memories, then yes… perhaps they could help you remember, too."
She took a step closer, voice lowering. "But first, we need to find them. You can be my civilian investigator. What do you say?"
Jeff's lips twitched into a smirk. "Why not. What's the plan?"
Her eyes glinted with approval. "Lirong and I are about to meet Fractsidus for the deal. He'll then leave to get the puppets from his storage house. That's your chance to follow him, find the location, and send me the coordinates."
"Will do."
Her smirk returned, playful this time. "And you're in already? Didn't even think twice?"
Jeff shrugged. "Thinking never got me far."
"Oh well," Yinlin chuckled softly. "You seem confident. That's good." She glanced past him, her posture tensing slightly. "They're coming. Hide in the shadows. Watch Lirong closely. I'll bring Yuanyuan to him… hopefully, he won't suspect a thing."
Yinlin crouched beside the silent frame of the puppet, her fingers brushing lightly against the cold switch embedded in its nape. A soft hum cut through the night air as the lifeless body jolted, color rushing back into its eyes. In the span of a breath, the metal shell was gone—what stood before them once again was a trembling little girl.
"Rise and shine, Yuanyuan," Yinlin said, her voice gentle but edged with urgency.
Yuanyuan blinked rapidly, confusion swirling in her glassy eyes. "M-Miss Yinlin? W-where am I...? Where's Daddy?" Her small hands fumbled at the hem of her dress, clutching it tightly.
Yinlin crouched lower, brushing the child's hair back behind her ear. Her smile was tender, but her eyes darted past Yuanyuan toward the dark stretch of road. "Don't worry, Yuanyuan. I'm taking you to Daddy in just a moment. But before we do, promise me you'll be a good girl, okay?"
Yuanyuan sniffled, then nodded eagerly. "Okay! I promise!"
"That's my girl." Yinlin gave her a brief pat on the shoulder before standing, adjusting her gloves. She threw a sidelong glance at Jeff, who lingered nearby, shadowed in the night. "I'll leave the rest to you now, Jeff."
Jeff didn't answer, only nodded, his chest tight as he watched them walk ahead. He peeled off to the side, slipping into the underbrush. His boots pressed silently into the damp earth as he positioned himself at a vantage point overlooking the clearing.
Lirong stood at the meeting place, his frame hunched and restless. The moment Yuanyuan came into view, his face cracked open like glass under pressure.
"Yuanyuan!!" His voice broke, raw with desperation. He stumbled forward, arms wide, tears welling in his reddened eyes. "I was so afraid… I can't bear to lose you again…"
"Please don't cry, Daddy," Yuanyuan said softly, her little hands reaching for his sleeves. "Was I being bad?"
Lirong shook his head frantically, clutching her to his chest as if she might vanish. "No, you're always a good girl… always…" His voice trembled as if he were begging fate itself not to take her away.
The tender reunion was cut short by a harsh scoff.
"Ugh, enough with the make-believe." The chubby Fractsidus member sneered, folding his arms across his barrel chest. His tone was dripping with disdain. "That's a puppet."
Yuanyuan froze, her eyes widening. She tilted her head up toward her father, voice trembling. "Daddy… am I a puppet?"
Lirong's arms tightened protectively around her. "No! You're not! Yuanyuan, I—" His voice cracked under the weight of denial.
"She's ten times more human than you people," Yinlin cut in sharply, her eyes glinting with contempt.
The man barked out a cruel laugh. "You call that thing human? Hah! That's just a robot lab rat."
"You—!" Lirong's face twisted, anger flooding over grief, but his words were drowned out by another voice.
"Enough," the slim Fractsidus member snapped, his tone clipped and cold. His sharp gaze cut to Lirong. "We don't have time for this… Where's our stuff? Bring them out."
Yinlin's voice was calm, commanding. "Lirong, go bring them the prototype puppets."
Lirong's breathing grew ragged, his eyes darting between Yuanyuan and the Fractsidus men. Sweat streaked his temples as he stumbled back a step. "Huff… Huff… I…"
"Hurry up," the slim one barked. "We ain't got all day."
"No!" Lirong shouted, his voice cracking as he shielded Yuanyuan behind him. "I won't let you have them!"
The Fractsidus pair exchanged a dark look.
"We'll make you regret this…" the slim one growled, reaching for his weapon.
"And you're going nowhere either, Missy!" the chubby one snarled at Yinlin.
Yinlin smirked, her hand already brushing the handle of her weapon. "Here we go…" she muttered under her breath. Her gaze flicked sideways, fleeting, toward the treeline. (Lirong's trying to escape with the puppets. Here's hoping Jeff can stop him in time…)
From his hiding spot, Jeff's heart thudded against his ribs. He clenched his jaw, eyes locked on Lirong's retreating silhouette.
Lirong is our only lead… I gotta follow his ass!
Author's Note:
Hello everyone, feel free to leave your collections, powers, reviews, and comments as you see fit. There was a big rally in the country because of rampant government corruption; more than 100,000 people attended – isn't that fucking crazy? You guys should've have seen how it was on the ground. I guess people are now waking up and standing up for what they've been robbed of. I was chosen (or rather, forced) to volunteer and help the Red Cross by manning the welfare desk, water station, and providing care to people suffering from the intense heat.
I got a front-row seat and backstage access to the events though and even got to see some of the most influential politicians, activists, journalists, and actors in our country who want to join the fight against corruption. It was good networking on my part and I got to be a part of my country's history it was fucking glorious. Anyway, that's all; thank you for reading this fanfic, and I hope you have a good day.