Doomsday Wonderland Vol. 10: Lava [Complete]

1156: Con Artist-to-be

After realizing what had happened, Lin Sanjiu stood in place for a while, staring at the wall in a daze. It was only when Mrs. Manas softly reminded her, "Hide, don't just stand there," that she snapped back to her senses and quickly stepped into a nearby alley.

This alley was lined with arched and carved iron gates, and she couldn't tell if it was the same path she had walked before. The hospital's lower levels were a maze of countless similar alleys, and once you went further in, it became difficult to recognize the direction you came from. The sound of rustling fabric seemed to be getting closer, so she took a few steps back, then leaped into the air, pushing off the wall with her foot and pulling herself up with her right hand on the iron gate frame.

Balancing on the narrow, arched iron gate, she crouched like an owl, overlooking the area below, holding her breath and waiting for the approaching person.

Ahead was a T-junction, with both sides unilluminated by the wall lamps, creating a dim and quiet atmosphere. Lin Sanjiu stared at the junction without blinking, and she saw a shadow slowly emerge from the right side of the corridor. It stretched longer and longer on the ground until the person's head came into view. The shoulder-length hair fell down, gently swaying in the light and shadow.

"Hmm?" Ya Jiang looked left and right, seeing no one on the path. He looked cautious and puzzled, hesitating to step outside. "I'm sure there was someone here just now."

Seeing a familiar face in this eerie place, Lin Sanjiu's heart warmed, and she felt like a child who couldn't wait to confide in a friend. She quickly made a soft "psst" sound to get his attention and called out in a hushed voice, "Over here!"

Ya Jiang looked up and was startled when he saw Lin Sanjiu.

"What are you doing up there?" he asked as he emerged from behind the corner, placing one hand on the wall and wiping his forehead with the other. "I never expected that after going through so much, I'd end up in the hospital."

Lin Sanjiu couldn't help but be taken aback.

Why did Ya Jiang still have both arms? Didn't he need to reach out to grab something to be swallowed by lava? She had just been fooled so badly that she was now a bit scared. The thought that someone else might be pretending to be Ya Jiang to deceive her made her break out in a cold sweat. Just at that moment, Ya Jiang suddenly turned his head and lowered his hands.

Lin Sanjiu followed his movement with her gaze.

At this moment, only Ya Jiang's upper body protruded from behind the wall. She couldn't tell exactly what he had been doing with the rustling sounds. However, as he stepped out completely from behind the wall, she finally understood.

"Where... where is your waist and abdomen?" she asked in a low voice.

Ya Jiang had all four limbs intact and was dressed neatly, so it was hard to tell that anything was wrong if his waist and abdomen were hidden. However, from below the sternum and above the pelvis, there was nothing but emptiness. The cut was as smooth and flat as Lin Sanjiu's severed arm, presenting a flesh-pink surface. The two parts of his body were separated, and even the connecting spine was missing. At first glance, he looked like a Lego figurine, except for the missing middle part, leaving his upper body floating in the air.

"What about your arm? Didn't you lose it too?" Ya Jiang said irritably. "Do you really need to ask me?"

As he spoke, he lowered his upper body, clasped his left leg with both hands, and took a step forward. Then he did the same with his right leg, dragging it up as well. It was a struggle, but he managed to move forward along the alley.

Lin Sanjiu opened her mouth, but it took her a while to find the right words, saying, "Your... your third Special Item is in..."

"It's wrapped around my waist," he replied with an expression of 'this is how it is, what are you going to do about it?' "When I was swallowed by lava, Bonnie Bunny couldn't stop laughing at me."