Doomsday Wonderland Vol. 12: New Game Launch [Complete]

1447: Escaping Through the Octopus's Mouth

Lin Sanjiu instinctively pulled her hand back in surprise, but her wrist was firmly held. As she tried to free herself, her fingertips caught on the edge of the trash can. After several unsuccessful attempts, she was covered in sweat. Desperation filled her voice as she called into the can, "Who's t-there?"

Her trembling voice drew the attention of the chatting humanoid Special Items.

"Who's on the other side?" she said. "Let go!"

Lin Sanjiu wasn't sure if her voice could reach whoever or whatever was holding her. The force gripping her hand was unyielding, as if it was rooted in place. It seemed intent on trapping her right hand inside the trash can forever.

The thought horrified her, causing goosebumps to rise on her skin. She shook her arm vigorously, but the silver trash can clung to her wrist, flashing with silver light. Whatever had her in its grip, its hand was like an unhealed sore attached to her wrist. No matter how she struggled, she couldn't free herself.

Just then, the Life Coach hurried over and asked, "What's happening?"

Lin Sanjiu shouted, "Didn't you say you can destroy your collected Special Items? I'm hiring you to use this trash can. Destroy it!"

The Life Coach examined it and shook his head. "A spatial item, right? Your hand is already on the other side. If I destroy it now, you might lose your hand."

Lin Sanjiu gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath, drenched in sweat. Her fingers couldn't even curl into her wrist, so even if she used [A Twinkle in the Sky], it wouldn't help—

Wait, what if it were a card?

She had converted most of her items back into cards, so perhaps there was something she could use to push the hand down. Lin Sanjiu quickly scanned through her card inventory, swiftly finding a small palm-sized dagger. The card then materialized in her hand.

All she needed to do was grab the handle and thrust the blade toward her wrist—

Before she could finish her thought, an intense pain, like an electric drill burrowing into her brain, darkened her vision. When she opened her eyes and regained her senses, she found herself on the ground, unsure when she had fallen. Cold sweat covered her body.

She felt her right hand, trapped in another space, trembling violently. Desperately, she fumbled as she attempted to rotate the dagger's card in her palm.

The center of the card now had a gaping hole.

And the hand gripping her tightly showed no signs of letting go.

"What's happening?" she asked, hoping someone would give her an answer. "My cards—"

"Get rid of it, quickly!" Mrs. Manas exclaimed. "No, it won't work!"

Lin Sanjiu quickly let go of the card. "What's going on?"

Then, she understood. She felt a long, worm-like thing crawl into her card inventory.

No wonder the card had a hole. That thing was trying to get in.

Having one hand trapped in a different space and feeling an invisible object crawl into her mind was equally panic-inducing for Lin Sanjiu. She had never imagined that something foreign could enter her card inventory, which wasn't supposed to accommodate living creatures.

As soon as she had this thought, the worm-like thing suddenly retracted, swiftly withdrawing from her card inventory.

"Why did it suddenly leave?" she muttered, her heart racing.