Doomsday Wonderland Vol. 10: Lava [Complete]

1130: Entering a New World!

With a soft 'clank,' Bohemia's face contorted in pain and anguish. She turned away, unable to bear watching, as if the shattered deep red ring in Puppeteer's hand had broken her heart. Lin Sanjiu, too, wore a pained expression, her heartache nearly matching Bohemia's.

The [Hand of Containment], an exceptionally rare and precious weapon, now lay in several broken pieces, along with the scattered red powder, slipping from Puppeteer's grasp.

Despite having destroyed Lin Sanjiu's treasured possession, Puppeteer's improved mood was evident, though happiness remained elusive on his cold and gaunt face. "You're fortunate," he said, "I happen to possess a method for destroying Special Items and was willing to assist you."

Lin Sanjiu's heartache seemed indescribable at this point. The more sorrow she displayed, the more delighted Puppeteer appeared. Although she was determined not to give him the satisfaction, waves of pain still washed over her. She asked, "Was there really no other way?" 

Puppeteer clapped his hands, the deep red powder sparkling on his pale palm. He sounded almost cheerful as he replied, "Did you have any other ideas?"

She didn't. 

No matter how much Lin Sanjiu and Bohemia had exerted themselves or how many different methods they had attempted, they couldn't retrieve their abilities trapped within the deep red ring. Nobody knew if the Ant Queen's words were true, but no one dared to recklessly test them. Ultimately, they found themselves with little room for further exploration.

After witnessing their struggles and frustrations for half the night, nearly descending into a quarrel, Puppeteer seemed to have grown tired of the spectacle. He revealed a method that turned their faces pale: destroy the deep red ring, and their abilities would return.

Although Lin Sanjiu had been the one to find the ring, Bohemia acted as if she were the rightful owner. She wore a mournful expression, patted her wrist, and retrieved a piece of outer cloth from her bracelet. However, her demeanor didn't reflect joy as she mumbled, "Ah, I really... I really got it back."

"We went through all that trouble and didn't gain anything," Lin Sanjiu said, sighing. She made a few attempts with [Planar World] and [Tornado Whip], but this minor setback didn't particularly concern her. "Shouldn't we leave now?"

As experienced posthumans, they naturally had another task before crossing the road: they needed to walk along the slope to the side of the deceased posthuman and examine his condition.

If he had died because someone sought revenge, that would be one thing. However, if they could discover a clue about the new doomsday from his body, they would be better prepared.

"This guy certainly knew where to die," Bohemia remarked when she saw the man's body lying on the road.

Lin Sanjiu gave her a sidelong glance.

Of course, Puppeteer refused to stoop down to inspect the body. Lin Sanjiu cautiously stopped by the roadside, used Higher Consciousness to create a hook, and carefully moved the body closer. During the process, she even received a compliment from Magus, "No progress after all this time," indicating that her memory was indeed recovering well. Once the body was at the edge of the slope, they all descended a few steps.

Despite his grim expression, the deceased appeared peaceful in death. It was difficult to determine the posthuman's age; he seemed to be in his thirties, much like an ordinary person. There was not a single wound or damage to his clothes, skin, or limbs. If it weren't for his contorted expression, he could be mistaken for a living person.

Bohemia prodded him with a stick, and the stick returned unscathed.

"Could he have died from poisoning?" she asked in confusion.