Chapter 103: The Growth of Pinocchio

The puppet P looked bewildered, his gaze shifting back and forth between a man and a woman.

“But why do I have no memory of you at all...?”

As he spoke, he noticed his metallic left arm, his expression freezing in disbelief and terror. “I’m not human—I’m a puppet?”

Li Nanke crouched down and removed his black rabbit mask, meeting puppet P’s eyes with a look both sorrowful and tender.

He reached out to stroke puppet P’s head, but midway his hand halted, and he sighed, “Look closely at me again and think hard—can you remember anything?”

Puppet P stared intently, clutching his head as he pondered for a long time before finally shaking his head.

At that moment, Jiao Tu had regained her composure, realizing Li Nanke was trying to coax the puppet into accepting him as its master.

But puppet P was the target of their commission; if Li Nanke became its master, how could he explain this to the client? How could he exchange it for the universal remedy needed to cure his younger brother, the “Strange Rabbit”?

She opened her mouth to say something but was silenced by the warning look Li Nanke gave her.

Li Nanke sighed deeply, “It seems you’ve forgotten everything.”

“That’s right. You are a puppet, but not just a puppet—you are the child your mother and I created.”

“You were struck by a severe illness. Your mother and I searched every doctor but found no cure. We could only watch helplessly as your body withered like a flower deprived of nourishment.”

“Your mother wept day and night. I couldn’t bear to see the sickness devour your young life. Even now, recalling those painful days, your pale, youthful face remains vivid in my memory.”

Puppet P watched the man’s sorrowful expression, feeling a pang of heartache. He could sense Li Nanke’s pain and the heavy, mountain-like weight of his paternal love.

Yet, he truly could not remember anything.

“In the end, I made an unimaginably difficult decision. Using all our savings, we found the best alchemist to create a puppet body identical to yours, hoping to replace your frail human form.”

“This kind of transformation surgery was unprecedented, with an extremely slim chance of success, but your mother and I had no choice but to grasp at this final hope... You are our child—what parent would watch their child die without fighting?”

Listening to the story, puppet P was overwhelmed by the man’s grief, his expression uncertain.

He dared not meet Li Nanke’s gaze—the intense emotions felt both strange and yet stirred a desire to comfort him.

“Perhaps our sincere hopes moved fate, for the surgery miraculously succeeded. Your mother and I rejoiced—we could finally be a family again, no longer fearing death would separate us.”

But the happiness was short-lived. Because of the unprecedented success, you became extraordinarily valuable, coveted by many factions.

Those villains took advantage of your mother and me being distracted and forcibly abducted you... Now that we’ve finally found you, I don’t know what cruel experiments they subjected you to that made you forget everything.”

“My child, you’ve suffered so much...”

The man embraced him tightly, his broad chest warm, and his large hand gently stroked his head.

For the first time, puppet P’s cold metallic body felt warmth.

“Um... what’s my name?”

“Your code as a puppet is P.” Li Nanke recalled the attribute description that had surfaced earlier and, with a flash of insight, continued, “But your true name is Pinocchio.”

“Pinocchio, Pinocchio...” Puppet P quietly repeated the name, a strange familiarity stirring within.

Yes, this is my name! Pinocchio thought to himself, his doubtful gaze toward Li Nanke gradually firming.

Faced with Li Nanke’s hopeful eyes, he trembled slightly but could not bear to disappoint him, softly whispering, “Father.”

The man smiled from his heart, pulling him even closer.

Pinocchio turned to Jiao Tu hesitantly, “Mo-mother.”

Jiao Tu: ???

She could only play along, putting on the touching scene of a mother and child reunited.

Li Nanke did not know what conditions governed Pinocchio’s acceptance of a master.

Simply fabricating a “father-son” relationship without any synchronization prompt wouldn’t be enough to make the puppet accept him.

But having Pinocchio subjectively aligned with him would make it much harder for other pursuers to snatch the target away.

Li Nanke instructed Jiao Tu to continue tailing stealthily as he led Pinocchio out of the carriage.

“Father, won’t mother come with us?”

“There are still villains coveting you. Even though I rescued you now, they won’t give up easily. Your mother needs to stay alert and protect us from further attacks.”

“You must remember to follow me closely to avoid danger.”

Pinocchio, newly awakened, was weak in combat—he could handle ordinary people but was vulnerable against other puppets or trackers.

As they spoke, the two had already returned to the platform.

Pinocchio looked at the scattered puppet remains on the ground, then his gaze shifted to the fallen giant puppet.

As he approached, tiny azure lights flickered across the giant puppet’s body, and the essence of self began to drift like swirling wind, flowing into his small, slender frame like swallows returning home.

Li Nanke’s pupils constricted sharply.

Pinocchio opened his eyes and clenched his small fists, “Father, I feel my body filled with strength, and it seems I’ve gained an extra ability.”

As he spoke, the gears on his metallic left arm clicked and whirred; the entire arm began to melt and reshape.

Before long, the metallic arm had transformed into a hook attached to a long iron chain.

He swung his arm, sending the hook flying far out to snag a puppet remnant. The chain clinked as it reeled the puppet piece swiftly toward him.

Li Nanke was amazed, clearly sensing that Pinocchio was much stronger than before absorbing the self essence.

Absorbing the self essence from other puppets not only enhanced Pinocchio’s functions but also granted unique abilities; this demonstrated the excellent potential for summoned entities to grow.

He quietly patted Pinocchio’s head and praised him with satisfaction:

“Well done, boy. You’ve grown. No longer just a child hiding behind my back, now you can stand on your own.”

Pinocchio smiled shyly, lifting his chin slightly, pleased by his father’s praise.

“Can you still absorb the self essence of other puppets? There are many remnants here—don’t waste them.”

Pinocchio closed his eyes, sensing carefully, then shook his head, “Sorry, Father. The other puppets have been dead too long; their self essence has mostly dissipated.”

Li Nanke chuckled, “It’s alright. Come on, I’ll help you level up.”

(The End of this Chapter)