Chapter 91: Don't Challenge My Gatling Gun with Your Sewing Machine!
That sharp, raspy voice, like a curse, completely tore apart the false peace.
Sticky spider webs sprouted madly from all directions, instantly engulfing the once cozy living room.
Walls, floor, ceiling—everything disappeared, replaced by a massive cage made of grayish-white spider silk.
On the webs hung countless tattered dolls with button eyes, gently swaying with the tremors of the silk, as if silently recounting their tragic ends.
The Other Mother's deformed, elongated body, like a true spider, nimbly clung to the dome of the web. Her stretched neck could twist at any angle, and her dark button eyes, reflecting malicious light in the cold darkness, were fixed on the three below.
"If you won't be my children, then become part of my collection!"
Before her words even finished, she suddenly opened her mouth, filled with needle-like teeth!
"WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!"
Dozens of cold, glimmering spider silks, like arrows released from a bow, shot toward the three from all directions! These threads were not ordinary; they were incredibly tough, with ends as sharp as spikes, and they sliced through the air with ear-splitting sounds, aimed directly at the trio's hearts and limbs, clearly intending to pin them down.
Coraline let out a short shriek, so frightened she nearly collapsed.
[Alan, protect her!]
Edward's voice rang out calmly in the Mind Link. He showed no panic, didn't even move.
"VWOOM--"
An invisible telekinetic barrier instantly unfolded around the three. The powerful spider silks, the moment they touched the barrier, were like hitting an invisible wall, their tips bending sharply before falling limply.
[Got it!] Alan pulled Coraline behind her, her body already in combat stance.
The Other Mother's attack missed, and a hint of surprise seemed to flash in her button eyes. She hadn't expected this seemingly ordinary man to block her attack so easily.
"Some tricks... but not enough!"
She let out a shriek, her limbs scuttling rapidly across the web, her massive body stirring up gusts of fetid wind within the cage. Her speed was astonishing, leaving only blurred afterimages.
Edward paid no attention to her movement on the web. He reached behind him, and a strangely shaped crossbow materialized in his hand.
The crossbow's body was crafted from unknown black metal, its lines sleek and deadly.
"Alan, this is for you." He handed the crossbow and a small quiver to Alan. "There are ten arrows total, imbued with Holy Light, especially effective against her."
Alan took the crossbow and nocked an arrow. The silver arrowhead glowed faintly in the darkness.
She nodded, without any unnecessary words, her sharp gaze sweeping over the Other Mother, who was moving at high speed on the web above.
Having done this, two pistols appeared out of thin air in Edward's hands.
Ebony and Ivory.
The corners of his mouth curved slightly as he raised his guns, aiming at the rapidly flickering shadow on the web.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"
Deafening gunshots exploded within the enclosed web cage! The privilege of infinite bullets was fully displayed.
Dense muzzle flashes, like two wildly dancing fire dragons, pursued the Other Mother's figure, blasting one burning hole after another in the web.
The Other Mother was caught off guard by this sudden, fierce firepower. She let out an angry shriek, her body twisting and turning on the web, trying to dodge the dense rain of bullets. The bullets struck the web, erupting in tiny sparks, but couldn't completely destroy it; these webs clearly also contained her magic.
[Edward, left! She's trying to come through the mirror!] Alan's voice suddenly rang out in the channel.
Edward heard this and instantly shifted his aim. On one side of the web cage, a broken full-length mirror had been fixed to the web. In the mirror, the Other Mother's distorted face was rapidly approaching, as if about to leap directly out of the mirror world!
However, before Edward could fire, a faintly glowing arrow, with a "WHOOSH," arrived first, coming from behind!
"CLANG!"
The Holy Light arrow accurately struck the center of the mirror! The mirror didn't shatter; instead, it rippled with golden waves like water. The Other Mother in the mirror let out a pained shriek, her figure rapidly retreating and disappearing.
[Nice shot!] Edward praised.
[Her lair has many mirrors like this; they're her shortcuts for moving through space.] Alan explained quickly, while vigilantly observing her surroundings. [I sense... on the other side of the mirror, there are three very weak, very sad souls.]
[Find them, and bring them out.] Edward issued a new command. [Leave this to me.]
[Be careful!]
Alan finished, pushed Coraline to a relatively safe corner, then took a deep breath and reached out, pressing her hand directly onto the mirror shimmering with golden ripples.
Her hand passed through without resistance, and then her entire body merged into the mirror, disappearing.
"AAAH--!"
The Other Mother's furious roar came from all directions. She clearly hadn't expected that her shortcut for a sneak attack would become the opponent's entrance.
"You dare... you dare to break into my storage room!"
The entire web cage began to shake violently. Above the dome, the Other Mother's figure reappeared.
This time, her body was even larger, and eight spider legs, like sharp spears, had grown from her back.
"I'll tear you to pieces!"
She roared, and her eight spider legs, like eight long blades, descended from above, stabbing down at Edward's head!
Edward's face showed no fear. He even holstered his pistols.
Facing an attack capable of piercing steel, he simply slowly raised his left hand, wearing the Oni Gauntlet.
An unparalleled surge of immense power instantly flooded his entire body.
The web beneath his feet suddenly sank, and then he shot up like a rocket, not retreating but advancing, actively meeting the eight descending spider legs!
"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!"
A series of massive metallic crashes erupted!
Edward's left hand, that dark red gauntlet, transformed into the most indestructible shield.
With hair's-breadth precision, he parried and deflected every spider leg that stabbed at him. Each collision erupted in dazzling sparks.
For the first time, an expression of disbelief appeared in the Other Mother's button eyes.
Her strength and speed were completely suppressed by this man!
Now!
The moment he deflected the last spider leg, Edward used the recoil to execute an incredible twist in mid-air.
The Rooster Talisman allowed him to defy gravity, while telekinesis provided precise directional control.
His figure instantly closed in on the Other Mother's massive, hideous head.
The Other Mother was alarmed; she wanted to retreat, but it was too late.
Edward's left hand, wearing the Oni Gauntlet, gripped her face like an iron vise! The deep purple gem on the gauntlet, at this moment, burst forth with unprecedentedly eerie light!
"NO--!"
The Other Mother let out an extremely shrill scream.
A terrifying, irresistible suction force erupted from the Oni Gauntlet.
She felt her essence, her soul, everything she had devoured and accumulated over hundreds of years, being frantically extracted and consumed by that hand!
Her massive body, composed of magic, began to shrivel and dissipate at a visible rate. The grayish-white web cage also began to break apart inch by inch as her power drained away.
Just then, a sparkling snow globe fell from her rapidly dissipating body.
Inside the snow globe, a middle-aged couple stood embraced, their faces filled with confusion and fear.
"Dad! Mom!" Coraline immediately cried out when she saw the snow globe, rushing over and hugging it tightly to her chest.
At the same moment, Alan's figure stepped out of the mirror.
Behind her followed three translucent, trembling child figures.
They were the other victims whose souls had been imprisoned by the Other Mother.
"RUMBLE--"
As the Other Mother's last unwilling shriek was completely swallowed, the entire false world met its end.
The web cage completely disintegrated, turning into dust. The ground beneath their feet, everything around them, rapidly disappeared, transforming into a bottomless, pitch-black void.
The only thing that remained was a small, faintly glowing wooden door in the distance.
The ground had completely vanished!
Coraline and Alan's feet found no purchase, and their bodies involuntarily plummeted downward.
"Don't panic."
Edward's calm voice rang out.
He floated in mid-air, extending his hand, and vast telekinesis instantly activated, like an invisible platform, steadily supporting Alan, Coraline, and the three frightened souls who were falling.
"Hold on, we're going home."
Edward controlled his telekinesis, carrying everyone, and transformed into a streak of light, rushing toward the only exit.
The next second, the three burst out of the small wooden door, tumbling onto the dusty hardwood floor.
"SLAM!"
The wooden door behind them shut automatically.
The bizarre, colorful tunnel inside the door, the nauseating smell of decay, along with that terrifying world, all vanished without a trace.
The living room was still as dim and dilapidated as before.
As if everything they'd just experienced was merely a nightmare.
"Click."
Just then, the sound of a key unlocking came from the front door.
Coraline's parents, carrying grocery bags, walked in, chatting and laughing.
They paused when they saw Edward and the others in the living room.
"Oh? Coraline, are these your friends?" Coraline's mother asked, puzzled, having completely forgotten the life-and-death crisis she'd just experienced.
"You... don't remember?" Coraline hugged the snow globe, asking softly.
"Remember what?" Coraline's father put down the bags, looking at her strangely. "Didn't we just go grocery shopping? What are you thinking about, kiddo?"
Edward glanced at the snow globe in Coraline's hand; the figures of the couple inside had disappeared.
Clearly, with the Beldam's death, the imprisoned souls had returned to their own bodies, only their terrifying memories had been erased.
He walked up to Coraline and held out his hand.
"Alright, kid, commission's complete. Now, it's time to pay up."
Coraline was stunned. She rummaged through her pockets and said awkwardly, "But... I don't have much money..."
Edward smiled, his finger pointing to the empty snow globe Coraline was holding.
"Forget the money. This, consider it your payment."
Coraline looked down at the snow globe. Although she didn't know what it was for, she solemnly handed it to Edward.
"Thank you, Mr. Edward... and Miss Alan." She thanked them sincerely, and then the three souls, finally free, bowed in gratitude to Edward and Alan, their figures gradually becoming transparent and fading away.
Edward pocketed the snow globe and nodded to Alan.
Edward and Alan didn't say goodbye to Coraline's family. They simply walked to the door, opened it, and stepped through.
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