Chapter 761: Chapter 761: Layla Xalvadora
From the moment they accidentally stepped into this so-called underground casino’s hideout, Scarlett Jennings was certain that the person was deliberately hidden there.
After all, there were watchmen freely guarding the place, and an average person wouldn’t stumble in by mistake.
This was indeed an excellent place to hide someone.
However, if Layla Xalvadora had her features taken by the Face Changing Technique, based on Azura Loomis’s experience at the time, she would need to rely on nutritional injections every day to maintain her body’s various functions.
And in the initial stages, to ensure the stability of the soul’s form after the change, the person who had their face changed had to remain alive, so Scarlett Jennings speculated that there should be members of the Black Mist Organization among them.
Rather than searching one by one, it would be better to make him reveal himself.
Meanwhile, it would also recharge the system a bit.
So it wouldn’t keep complaining about being used and then abandoned...
After dragging the person out, finding others became obviously much smoother.
Very soon, Scarlett Jennings and her team found a concealed entrance to a basement following the direction pointed out by the person.
The system had just absorbed the energy of the Black Mist, feeling terrifyingly strong now, it rushed down to the basement as soon as the door opened, leading the way.
[Little ones, follow me.]
Scarlett Jennings: ...
Fortunately, Samuel Chalmers and Gregory Xander couldn’t hear the turtle’s voice.
She pretended like she hadn’t heard anything.
She dragged the little minion from the Black Mist Organization to the front.
Since it was a hideout, who knew if the Black Mist Organization had set up some kind of array traps inside, it was naturally better to let the scout lead the way.
To their surprise, the process of finding Layla Xalvadora was quite smooth. Almost as soon as they entered the basement, they saw the girl lying on a huge Yellow Banner on an old bed frame.
The girl lay there quietly, without facial features, it was hard to tell whether she was awake or asleep, but even if she were awake, she would probably neither see nor hear anything.
As Scarlett Jennings and her team approached, they saw the black runes painted on the Yellow Banner under her, presumably used to confine and sustain her life’s array.
It was not the first time Scarlett Jennings had seen someone whose features were taken by the Face Changing Technique, so she managed to stay calm.
However, Gregory Xander couldn’t help but curse angrily, "These people deserve to die!"
After saying that, he turned around and kicked the little minion hard in the leg.
The minion, who was originally just a low-level existence within the organization, was no different from a regular person after the Black Mist was extracted, and was instinctively yelping from Gregory Xander’s kick.
But even with such a commotion, the girl on the bed remained unaware, still lying there motionless.
"Let’s take her back first."
Scarlett Jennings said as she moved forward, studied the black runes carefully to make sure there weren’t any special traces of an Evil Technique, then quickly pulled out a blank Yellow Talisman and drew three Evil Breaking Talismans beside it in one breath.
She chanted a mantra and recited quickly,
"Heavenly Dao is clear, earthly Dao is peaceful, human Dao is tranquil, the trinity in one, universe unified, I command with Imperial Decree, break!"
With the final word of the decree, three Talismans flew swiftly to positions above the girl’s head, body, and feet, landing steadily.
In an instant, the Talismans ignited into black smoke.
As the three Talismans turned to ashes, the black runes on the Yellow Banner under the girl also dissolved as if met with water, and simultaneously, the vibrant yellow banner instantly lost its luster.
Yet, the person lying there remained motionless, so Scarlett Jennings and Gregory Xander decided to take her away from the place first.
Gregory Xander picked her up horizontally, and as they left the basement, they heard the distant sound of police sirens, followed by the commotion of a large wave of police bursting in to make arrests.
Scarlett Jennings planned to get her into the car first, but as they walked halfway, the night breeze blew unexpectedly, and the girl in Gregory Xander’s arms suddenly trembled, seemingly waking up.
Layla Xalvadora woke up.
Although she still couldn’t see or hear, she felt herself being carried, and filled with panic, fiercely struggled.
Gregory Xander was caught off guard, nearly dropping her, and had to hold her tighter,
"Layla! Don’t move, we’re here to save you!"
He instinctively shouted, but Layla couldn’t hear a thing, her empty features showing a terrified expression.
Seeing this, Scarlett Jennings quickly applied a Clear Heart Talisman to her.
Layla’s struggles finally weakened, but it did nothing to ease the hopeless terror in her heart.
Gregory Xander reluctantly put her down first.
Regaining her freedom, Layla dared not crawl around, but curled up on the ground in a defensive posture.
Seeing this, the group felt pity, but the minion’s tone was cold,
"She’s just a blind and deaf person now. You might take her away, but she might not even want to."
Nobody paid him any attention, and Gregory Xander silently turned around and beat him up, finally using a Tao Silence on him.
Scarlett Jennings tentatively tried to reach for Layla’s hand, but as soon as she touched it, Layla quickly withdrew.
Seeing her high level of guardedness, Scarlett Jennings was planning to have her sleep first and work things out at the hospital slowly.
Just then, Kingston Jennings walked over unexpectedly.
Seeing Layla on the ground, his pupils trembled slightly but he soon calmed down, glanced around, then suddenly grabbed the curious system turtle floating nearby with one hand, and without a word, placed it into the girl’s palm.
System: ???
Layla, with an unexpected object in her hand, instinctively tried to throw it away, but the next moment, she seemed to notice something unusual.
Her fingers gently brushed over the turtle one point at a time.
Since becoming a turtle, the system had never been subjected to such an affront, and couldn’t help but wail,
[Damn humans! Who permitted you to touch me like this?! Scarlett Jennings! Are you going to do something?!]
It cried, while curling up in the black mist as it tried to escape the girl’s hand.
But just as it was about to act, Scarlett Jennings said,
"Don’t move for now."
System: ...
Layla’s fingers happened to touch the turtle’s head, causing it to reflexively withdraw.
Despite this, feeling the presence of a living creature in her hand slightly calmed Layla’s panicked and hopeless heart.
She finally realized the goodwill being extended by the one who gave her the turtle.
At this time, Kingston Jennings typed to explain,
[Given her current state, she’ll be more averse to human contact, so let’s use the turtle to transition.]
After all, Kingston Jennings, having lived twenty years effectively as a "mute," understood better than others how to communicate in such circumstances.
Seeing Layla somewhat relax due to the turtle in her hands, Kingston Jennings approached, touched the turtle first.
Layla felt the turtle being touched, knowing this was a signal of communication from the other party, she lowered her head, hesitated for a while, but eventually extended her hand.
Seeing this, Kingston Jennings opened up her palm, then slowly wrote in it, stroke by stroke.
Layla carefully took in the contents of her palm, and upon understanding, her entire body slumped slightly to the ground.
Were it not for her lack of eyes, she might have burst into tears by now.
Kingston Jennings wrote in her palm —
[The spirit lady sent us to save you.]