MTLNOVEL CHAPTER 241
Chapter 241: The Red Umbrella's Terror
"Look at me. Am I beautiful?"
The woman's sudden appearance and enigmatic question left Heluo and Ivy bewildered. However, as she slowly lifted her umbrella, revealing her true face, their expressions froze, their hearts gripped by a chilling dread.
The woman's face was nothing but a grotesque, gaping maw, filled with rows of densely packed, razor-sharp teeth that twisted into a horrifying vortex.
The voice emanated from within that abyss.
"Look at me. Am I beautiful?"
The woman in red advanced towards them, each step a silent threat.
"Madam Red," Heluo spoke, her voice trembling slightly as she recognized the monstrous figure.
Ivy's brows furrowed in confusion. "What's Madam Red?"
"It's the name of this monster," Heluo explained, her voice strained. "It's from a popular horror legend."
"According to the legend, Madam Red wears red clothing and carries a red umbrella. When she encounters someone, she asks this question."
Heluo's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "But there's no right answer. Whether the person answers 'beautiful' or 'not beautiful,' Madam Red devours them."
A shiver ran down her spine as she recounted the tale.
The legend of Madam Red was a childhood nightmare, a cautionary tale used to frighten children in the Black Mist Zone. Heluo's parents had often invoked the story to keep her in line.
"Hey, hey," Ivy stammered, her voice shaking. "The issue isn't about the answer... The issue is..."
She pointed at the approaching Madam Red, her voice rising in panic. "How could such a thing exist?!"
Heluo opened her mouth, ready to admit her ignorance, but her words caught in her throat. Ivy's comment had triggered a faint recollection, a disturbing thought struggling to surface.
Before she could grasp the elusive memory, Madam Red was upon them, her grotesque form looming just ten meters away.
For the third time, the chilling question echoed in the air, "Look at me. Am I beautiful?"
Heluo and Ivy stood frozen, paralyzed by fear.
Any answer would be wrong.
After a heart-wrenching moment of silence, Ivy stepped forward, shielding Heluo with her body. She faced Madam Red, her voice trembling slightly.
"You're very beautiful," she said, her words a forced lie.
Madam Red's laughter was a chilling cacophony. "You're lying!"
"How could I not know my own reflection?!"
Ivy was speechless.
"Wait, wait, wait," she stammered, desperation edging into her voice. "I was wrong. You're very ugly. Very ugly!"
Madam Red's fury was instantaneous. "Calling a lady ugly is disrespectful! I'll teach you some manners!"
Ivy fought back a curse, taking a deep breath to steady herself. The radiance of her Origin Power Armor enveloped her body, and she glared at Madam Red.
"Perfect," she spat out, her voice cold. "I think I also need to teach you never to ask questions without correct answers, you monster!"
The Spiritual Pressure of a Level Three Spirit Realm expert washed over Madam Red.
But the creature seemed unaffected, as if the pressure was nothing more than a gentle breeze.
Its neck elongated unnaturally, bringing its horrifying, vortex-shaped head closer to Ivy. In a blink, it was upon her.
Countless fangs snapped open, revealing the abyssal maw that was Madam Red's face. It bloomed like a grotesque, carnivorous flower, ready to devour its prey.
Ivy dodged to the side, her hand slashing at Madam Red's elongated neck.
But the impact, or rather the lack thereof, made her blood run cold.
Her knife-hand passed through Madam Red's neck as if it were a phantom, a holographic projection.
The missed attack left Ivy momentarily vulnerable. Before she could recover, Madam Red's monstrous mouth lunged from another direction.
This time, there was no escape.
Crack.
Ivy's Body Protection Technique shattered like glass, and the gaping maw clamped down on her shoulder. The sheer force of the bite, combined with a sickening twisting motion, ripped Ivy's left arm clean off.
Blood splattered as Ivy was flung through the air, landing heavily beside Heluo.
She clutched her wound, her face pale, and stared in horror at Madam Red, who was now greedily gnawing on her severed arm.
"What is this thing?" she gasped, her voice filled with disbelief.
Spiritual Pressure was useless against it.
It emitted no Spiritual Pressure of its own.
Its body seemed intangible, and it used no discernible Origin Power skills.
Madam Red's combat style was bizarre, primal. It fought like a wild beast, relying solely on its unnatural physical attributes.
"I don't know what it is," Heluo said, her voice surprisingly calm amidst the chaos. "But I know its weakness."
Ivy listened intently, a flicker of hope in her eyes. But Heluo's next words dashed it.
"It's her teeth. Or rather, her entire face," Heluo explained. "That's the only part of Madam Red that has substance. It's likely where her vital points are located."
Ivy's heart sank.
This meant she had no way to fight back.
From their brief encounter, Ivy had confirmed Madam Red's physical characteristics and attack pattern - a brutal, instinctive assault relying on ripping and tearing.
The countless sharp teeth lining her face were formidable weapons.
Now, with Heluo revealing that Madam Red's weakness was her face, Ivy felt a wave of despair wash over her.
Using her own body to attack such a weapon was akin to smashing an egg against a rock.
Just as Ivy's frown deepened, Madam Red suddenly turned her head.
She raised her umbrella once more, concealing her grotesque face, and her entire demeanor shifted, becoming that of a gentle woman caught in the rain.
"Look at me," she cooed. "Am I beautiful?"
A calm voice responded from nearby.
"I didn't see clearly. Could you let me have another look at your face?"
Footsteps echoed through the air, light yet purposeful.
A figure emerged from the shadows, approaching Madam Red.
He was tall and muscular, his presence radiating an aura of quiet strength.
Madam Red turned to face the newcomer.
The two stood facing each other, a silent tension hanging in the air.
"Mr. Lu Ming?" Heluo's voice wavered, a mix of surprise and hope in her tone.
Lately, she had heard much about Lu Ming from Quan Chao and Huo Sheng. She knew he was powerful, rumored to be the strongest in Archean City, but she had never witnessed his abilities firsthand.
Now, as he faced the enigmatic and unpredictable Madam Red, a wave of anxiety washed over her.
Lu Ming turned his gaze towards Heluo and Ivy, his brow furrowing at the sight of Ivy's severed arm. He looked back at Madam Red, his voice cold.
"Did you do this?"
"Look at me. Am I beautiful?" Madam Red repeated, her voice a chilling echo. She slowly raised her umbrella, revealing the grotesque, gaping maw beneath.
Lu Ming stared at the monstrous face for a long moment, then shook his head.
"You're hideous."
A sharp buzz filled the air.
Madam Red tossed her umbrella aside, her neck snapping back with unnatural speed, propelling her head towards Lu Ming like a macabre projectile.
"Mr. Lu, be careful!" Ivy and Heluo cried out in unison.
"Her teeth are incredibly sharp! Don't let her bite you!"
But their warnings came too late.
Lu Ming's hands shot out, clamping onto Madam Red's gaping jaws, his grip like iron. He held her head at arm's length, preventing her from closing her mouth.
A faint red light shimmered around his hands, clashing with Madam Red's teeth and sending sparks flying. But the light held firm, unyielding.
Lu Ming, still holding Madam Red's head captive, turned to look at Heluo and Ivy.
"What were you two saying just now?" he asked, his voice calm despite the bizarre situation.
End of Chapter 241