<h4>Chapter 285 Melting metal! Women''s eyes are really scary!</h4>


    *Bam!*


    Song Shoushan''s eyes narrowed in disbelief as she witnessed another woman being flung about beside her.


    Xie Meirong swiftly sealed the neer''s mouth with duct tape and expertly bound her hands and legs.


    "Fortunately, I have enough of the liquid for both of them," Xie Meirong muttered, casting a sinister nce at the unconscious Leng Yan and the wide-eyed Song Shoushan.


    The water in the rectangr basin wasn''t ordinary; it was a specialized chemical capable of transforming living bodies into a stic-like state, a substance that could be molded ording to her desires.


    The entire process was deeply unsettling, which exined why Phantom chose to keep his distance during these procedure.


    Xie Meirong''s cold, calcting gaze flickered briefly at Leng Yan before she moved to her easel, cing a fresh nk sheet of paper. With her kit in hand, she set out to craft a hauntingly beautiful piece of art that would incorporate Leng Yan''s transformed form.


    The site was littered with numerous simr eerie easels, each showcasing unsettling works of art on in sheets of paper, one of them belonging to Song Shoushan.


    Leng Yan''s consciousness slowly began to return. She thought, ''Where... am I?'' Her voice was barely audible due to restraints.


    As Leng Yan watched Xie Meirong paint, she realized, ''That''s... me?'' Her face contorted with shock and shame, and her gaze swept across the other paintings, each depicting individuals who had met a grim fate.


    An overwhelming anger welled up inside her, and she couldn''t help but think, ''This is madness.'' She strained against her restraints, but the ropes held her firmly.


    She knew that even if she managed to break free, defeating Xie Meirong alone was an impossible task.


    Her eyes then turned to an empty route, her mind racing as she began to n her escape.


    In a brief moment, her eyes met Song Shoushan''s, a silent exchange of reassurance passing between them, ''We have to get out of here. But we need a n.''


    [Host, what''s the n?]


    ''n?'' Just as Zhang Wei contemted their next move, he felt a surge of dark energy, and a fleeting shadow darted past him on the left.


    ''Is that him again?'' Zhang Wei''s brow furrowed as he recognized the familiar aura he had encountered while exploring Xie Meirong''s eerie abode.


    With Xie Meirong right in front of him, the question lingered: Who was this mysterious intruder?


    [Are you not going to chase it, host?]


    ''If I chase him,'' Zhang Wei mused with a wry smile, ''who will keep an eye on this woman?'' He realized that being in thepany of three women was far more preferable to chasing after a figure in the shadows.


    As the phantom made his escape beyond the perimeter, he deftly pulled out his phone and, with a calm and calcted demeanor, dialed a number.


    He quickly discarded his mask, revealing his shoulder length long, flowing white hair, which cascaded down.


    His voice wasposed but urgent as he spoke, "The Artist has failed the mission." In a dramatic flourish, the phone was consumed by dark mes, and with that, he vanished, seamlessly blending into the epassing shadows.


    _____


    Xie Meirong''s hands moved with grace, meticulously crafting her artwork with swift strokes.


    She nced at her creation, an unsettling look of satisfaction in her eyes. She muttered to herself, "Perfection."


    Leng Yan''s eyes remained fixed on the painting, her difort deepening with every passing moment, ''This is a nightmare!''


    Xie Meirong, satisfied with her artwork, took a step back and observed her creation with a wide smile. "Beautiful, isn''t it?" she mused aloud, her voice dripping with fascination.


    She turned her attention to Leng Yan and Song Shoushan, noticing the exchanged nces between them.


    "You two seem to be plotting something," Xie Meirong said, a dangerous edge in her tone. "But I wouldn''t rmend trying to escape or resist. You''re in my world now."


    "So, are you two satisfied with it, or do you want me to paint another?" Xie Meirong asked, her smile chilling as she examined the two women, eager to hear their opinions.


    Song Shoushan and Leng Yan''s faces darkened in response, but they remained silent.


    Xie Meirong suddenly had a realization and pped her hands, "Oops, I forgot you two can''t speak. Sorry for the oversight." Her tone carried a hint of mockery as she moved closer, swiftly peeling the duct tape from their mouths.


    Leng Yan took a intitiave to speak, heaving a tired breath filled with exhaustion, as her eyes nced at Xie Meirong and then at the paintings behind her "All... Of those paintings behind you... Aren''t they the one found killed and then disyed in the open city?"


    Xie Meirong nodded, "You are right."


    !!


    Leng Yan fell speechless, "You killed all of them!?"


    Song Shoushan eyes opened wide in fear, "W-Why are you doing this Xie''er?" Her eyes now filled with resignation.


    Xie Meirong regarded them both with a twisted smile, seemingly entertained by their pleas. "You two are quite funny, I''ll give you that," she mused. "But my art has a purpose, a meaning. You''ll understand soon enough."


    "As for why I am doing this, you can give the credit to thedy here," Xie Meirong said, slowly raising her finger and pointing directly at Leng Yan.


    Leng Yan, her voice trembling with astonishment, "Me!? H-How am I responsible for your madness! Don''t try to escape your crimes!"


    Xie Meirong gave a small, enigmatic smile. "I would tell you, but not right now..."


    Leng Yan couldn''t hide her curiosity. "Then when? When will you exin?"


    Xie Meirong turned back to her artwork, her tone cryptic. "Once you look like that," she said, pointing at the nightmarish vision she had created of Leng Yan


    Xie Meirong took a few steps closer to Song Shoushan, crouching down between the two captive women.


    Her gloved finger delicately lifted beneath Song Shoushan''s chin, guiding her to raise her head and meet her gaze. "You look sad," Xie Meirong observed with sweetness, "are you dissatisfied with your art? Shall I change it?"


    "...", Song Shoushan stared at her with vacant eyes, remaining silent and unresponsive.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Wei''s curiosity got the better of him. ''How is Leng Yan connected to all of this?'' he pondered, his brows furrowing. Seizing the opportunity, he shifted from Leng Yan''s shadow to Xie Meirong.


    Whoosh!


    He proceeded to shadow walk, moving discreetly through the shadows until he reached the series of paintings kept in the background. There, he closely inspected each one.


    In the news, most of the images had been censored, but now, up close, Zhang Wei could see the horrifying detail and artistry in every piece.


    The gravity of the situation became all too real as he realized the depth of Xie Meirong''s twisted obsession with her "art."


    It was just... Good!


    Too perfect!


    Zhang Wei couldn''t help but marvel at the beauty of Xie Meirong''s work. Every smallest detail had been captured with precision, and despite the nightmarish contortions and limb maniptions, the end result was somehow disturbingly aesthetic.


    "Maybe... that''s why she calls it art?" he muttered to himself, his voice breaking the silence and stirring the three captive women.


    "Who is it now?" Xie Meirong''s face initially registered confusion, but it quickly transformed into a mix of surprise and excitement. "It''s you!" she eximed, her mood shifting rapidly as she recognized Zhang Wei.


    Leng Yan''s eyes narrowed as she couldn''t help but wonder, ''Where was he until now?'' Yet, she wisely kept her thoughts to herself.


    With Xie Meirong''s attention now fixed on Zhang Wei, she seized the opportunity to methodically free herself from her restraints. Then, with utmost care, she began working to release Song Shoushan.


    "Go and run!" Leng Yan hissed urgently to Song Shoushan. Song Shoushan cast a worried nce at Zhang Wei, who was now confronting Xie Meirong.


    She hesitated for a moment, torn between escaping and ensuring the safety of herpanions. "What about you two?" she whispered back, her gaze filled with concern, her mind racing as she faced this impossible choice.


    Leng Yan urgently insisted, "We''ll be there in a minute, run already!"


    "Hm...?"


    Startled by their cries, Xie Meirong spun around, her intense gaze locking onto Song Shoushan.


    Under that piercing stare, Song Shoushan shivered, as if Xie Meirong''s will alone could cause her body to burst like a balloon.


    "M-Mm," she stammered in fear, nodding vigorously before dashing towards the exit.


    Xie Meirong briefly nced at Song Shoushan''s escape, her interest waning. "Umm... She escaped," she muttered dismissively before turning back to Zhang Wei. "Now, you must rece her," she announced, her focus shifting.


    Leng Yan took a deep breath, regaining herposure as she stood up and confronted Xie Meirong. "Xie Meirong, surrender already. You can''t win against both of us!"


    "Surrender?" Xie Meirong''s eyes glittered with interest. "I''m afraid it''s not happening today," she responded with a chilling finality. Her gaze shifted toward the exit Song Shoushan had used.


    *Creak...*


    *Crack...*


    "What!? H-how?" Leng Yan''s astonishment grew as the pathway formed by metal walls started to turn red and boil.


    Within seconds, the only visible exit point was sealed away, leaving them trapped.


    Leng Yan and Zhang Wei exchanged rmed nces, realizing they were now confined in this ce, and the only way outside was to battle!