Chapter 418: A Moment of Transformation
by xennovel“O”
After studying Lu Xin for a moment and confirming he wasn’t joking, Doll silently gaped in surprise.
It was the first time Lu Xin had seen that expression on her face.
At that moment, he sat in the driver’s seat just twenty centimeters away from Doll, feeling an indescribable surge of joy emanate from her—like a little bird discovering flight for the first time or a street child realizing they could finally taste a charred chicken leg once out of reach behind a yellowed glass window.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
Doll’s mixture of disbelief and delight lifted his spirits.
“Swish!”
Confirming in her own way, Doll’s face immediately blossomed with genuine happiness.
Lu Xin observed her, convinced that this smile was truly heartfelt.
It was unlike the smile she had shown when they’d met before.
This time, her joy was mixed with a vibrant, playful energy. While laughing, she pulled down the white European-style neck guard that framed her neck, revealing a slender, graceful line before casually tossing it aside.
Because she insisted on making a scene about leaving the city, the Service Team had wrapped her up tightly despite the urgency.
Adorned in exquisite jewelry, she looked every bit the little princess.
Yet now, that little princess laughed gleefully, blinking energetically as though her contact lenses might burst forth.
Lu Xin noticed her eyes—clear, deep, with striking contrasts of black and white.
Then, with determination, she tugged off the black vest layered over her skirt.
Glancing at the heavy black hem of her skirt, she bowed her head and began peeling away layer after layer of thick lace.
She kicked off her boots and forcefully stretched her long legs.
She discarded her long stockings with a swift kick.
She pulled down the orange wig from her head, revealing long, flowing black hair.
Removing the headpiece jewelry, her hair cascaded down to her waist.
……
Lu Xin gripped the steering wheel intently as he watched the girl beside him grow increasingly slender.
The weeds before the car were being relentlessly ground into the wheels…
In the distance, tents belonging to the Armed Forces were steadily approaching the car, inching closer with every moment.
In that brief stretch of road, Doll seemed to transform completely.
No longer did she appear as a fairytale princess encased in heavy skirts and disguises—always hidden behind contact lenses and an umbrella shielding her face like a cartoon character. Instead, she had truly become a joyful little girl in a light, knee-length black skirt with flowing black hair, her face freely lifted to embrace the sun and gentle breeze.
Lu Xin suddenly eased the car’s speed a bit.
He turned his head and scrutinized Doll from head to toe, his eyes widening in surprise.
He had seen Doll many times before, always admiring her beauty.
But that beauty had always seemed unreal.
Now, with bare legs, unadorned hair, no parasol, and without contact lenses…
…not even shoes.
A sudden thought struck him: this girl was becoming real.
Not just in appearance—she was truly coming to life on this short journey.
……
“What’s going on? Sit still, or I’ll shoot.”
A modified car barreled down the cracked road, rapidly approaching a cluster of tents by the roadside.
Outside the tents, several armed soldiers who had been slouched over instantly sprang to their feet.
They pointed their guns at Lu Xin’s car from a distance, shouting, “No matter where you’re from, get out of our way! Our Boss declared this area ours—no excuses. Anyone coming near will be shot…”
At that moment, Lu Xin kept his gaze fixed on Doll, remaining silent.
Crash!
More people surged out from behind them—armed men and shouters alike.
Some even crouched down quickly, grabbing their guns and aiming at the driver’s seat.
But it seemed as if someone spotted something through the scope, and their eyes instinctively went blank.
……
“Phew…”
Only then did Lu Xin turn his gaze forward.
In less than ten seconds, nearly everyone from within those tents had charged out.
Their faces twisted with ferocity and zeal as they bellowed relentlessly.
It was as if a kind of madness simmered inside them, ready to erupt into a blood-fueled frenzy at any moment.
“These people are truly crazy…”
Lu Xin thought, still silent while his hands fumbled among the buttons on the steering wheel.
He was searching for the sunroof button, suspecting that the Support Team might have removed it during their recent cleanup.
More people poured out from the tents, eventually gathering into dozens.
Countless firearms—and even rocket launchers—were aimed at the modified car, accompanied by shouts like “Get the people in the car out!” “Anyone trying to snatch our treasure will be finished!” and “Three, two, one…”
Fortunately, just then, Lu Xin found the button and gently opened the sunroof.
He exhaled softly and said to Doll in the passenger seat, “Stand up—let the world see your true self.”
……
“Huh?”
Doll began stretching her legs as if a little mermaid had just shed her tail for the first time.
Hearing Lu Xin’s words, she turned to look at him, blinking in puzzled confusion.
Lu Xin smiled at her and pointed toward the open sunroof.
Doll looked up to see the brilliant blue sky through the opening.
Instantly, a wave of nervousness washed over her.
She instinctively glanced back, finding only Lu Xin’s encouraging gaze.
Though she didn’t fully understand his meaning, Doll obeyed.
Perhaps it was because she had long known that appearing before others without protection only invited disaster and panic.
So she had always wrapped herself up tightly, unwilling to wear a mask—a final act of defiance.
But after meeting Lu Xin, even that stubbornness had softened.
Yet now, Lu Xin urged her to stand confidently, as if he didn’t worry about being seen.
Nor did he fear that she might provoke chaos.
His gaze emboldened her, and finally, she timidly pulled her feet together.
She stepped onto the passenger seat, then carefully and slowly extended her little head out the window with both hands clinging to it.
Like a tender lotus bud just beginning to bloom, she peered out from the car’s roof.
She cautiously observed the world.
……
A breeze swept across the wasteland, gently tousling Doll’s hair.
For a moment, everything around them fell silent.
Doll, as timid as a startled kitten, glanced around hesitantly and curiously at the people nearby.
It was the first time she faced the world in her true form, filled with both fear and wonder.
Her legs trembled as one hand reached out in helpless search.
Seeing this, Lu Xin hurriedly grasped her hand.
Bolstered by his support, she slowly straightened and looked at the harsh, unyielding world before her.
Then, with a shy burst of delight, she offered a gentle smile.
……
Crash…
After a few extremely quiet seconds, a sudden clamor erupted.
It was the sound of firearms clattering to the ground.
All the armed soldiers, poised with guns and rocket launchers at the modified car, froze in shock.
Those who had planned to open fire at the slightest misstep now stood dumbfounded.
Their expressions shifted from confusion to astonishment, then softened into looks of wonder and warmth.
It was as if they had woken from a long, bewildering dream.
A striking, powerful force hit their hearts, softening even the hardest beats.
They realized how narrow their previous perceptions of beauty had been.
Doll leaned out from the modified car like the sun emerging over the horizon.
“I…”
At the front of the group, a burly man with a rugged, meat-filled face suddenly knelt down.
His features contorted with anguish, his body trembling as tears streamed down, and he cried out in a broken voice:
“I… was wrong, I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… beautiful little lady…”
“No, you’re a beautiful little girl…”
“I truly messed up…”
“I shouldn’t have aimed my gun at you. Please don’t hold it against me…”
“…”
Exhausting every bit of strength, he managed those words before collapsing to the ground in uncontrollable sobs.
As he cried, he pounded the ground with his fists.
“Boo hoo hoo…”
Like the spark of a fuse, more clamor erupted.
It was as if countless people were crying, trembling, or pounding their chests in disbelief—a chaotic medley of sounds.
No one, upon seeing Doll, displayed that frenzied, possessive hunger; humanity’s first encounter with beauty is often one of shock and passive awe.
In that instant, rather than being captivated solely by her beauty, everyone’s hearts were somehow made pure by her presence.
……
“That’s enough…”
Peering through the windshield, Lu Xin watched the daring men outside—all of them now transformed into shy, excited boys with a mix of odd, tender emotions. With a reflective air, he silently counted the seconds.
When he reached thirty seconds, he took a deep breath and glanced at Doll beside him.
Smiling, he said, “Ready for a spin?”