Doomsday Wonderland

Chapter 1129: Gong Daoyi in the Picture

The sudden scream from the distance startled both Lin Sanjiu and Bohemia, nearly causing them to collide with the hot water-filled metal pot. They instantly braced themselves for a confrontation, waiting for whatever had felled the posthuman to reveal itself. However, as moments passed in silence, the night resumed its tranquility, with the cicadas' chorus fading, and the moonlight continuing its undisturbed dance on the dark road.

The only sound that pierced the calm was a faint thud when the posthuman's body hit the ground, accompanied by a barely audible splattering, as if blood had trickled onto the road, so faint that it might have been a mirage.

Afterward, there was no more sound from the posthuman.

"What happened to that person?" Bohemia asked, her curiosity mingled with suspicion.

Her gaze shifted to Puppeteer, but she quickly averted it. The only person who could silently kill the posthuman from a distance was Puppeteer. However, he had no apparent motive, and the deceased didn't rise as a puppet.

Puppeteer appeared entirely unconcerned about why the posthuman suddenly died. He focused his gaze on the metal pot with a slight frown, questioning Magus in his mind, "Could it be that that which goes from big to small pertains to a dynamic process rather than an object?"

Both Lin Sanjiu and Bohemia fell into silence, though they couldn't hear Magus's response.

After a while, Puppeteer nodded ever so slightly. The other two exchanged a perplexed glance. Magus's ability was undeniably exceptional, allowing her to capture the dynamic process of someone running and turn it into an ingredient for her soup. However, if all she required was a dynamic process, then Puppeteer wasn't the one who had killed the posthuman.

Puppeteer had no interest in how the person had died. For him, nothing in the world was more crucial at that moment than the pot before him. He raised his chin slightly and said to Lin Sanjiu, "Now, it's your turn."

Sitting in the hot water for a while wasn't a big deal. However, with one person sitting in the pot and two standing outside, the atmosphere felt a bit awkward, as if a piece of pork had suddenly gained consciousness and they were now staring at each other. Lin Sanjiu, with muddy residue from her boots and pant legs mixing into the water, gazed at Puppeteer and asked, "Is this enough?"

Puppeteer, eyes closed, offered no response but motioned toward Bohemia with his hand.

"She requires a conduit for her abilities, but my mental stability isn't sufficient," he stated calmly, his tone casual. However, his words sent a chill down Bohemia's spine, causing her face to pale. "You'll help out."

"I see," Mrs. Manas said unexpectedly in Lin Sanjiu's mind. "No wonder he lacks Higher Consciousness. Just as you can't find a consciousness in a madman, if his mental world is constantly teetering on the edge of collapse, of course it won't develop Higher Consciousness."

Lin Sanjiu pursed her lips, keeping any trace of surprise off her face.

Bohemia lowered her head, closed her eyes, and Higher Consciousness encircled her body in spirals. She stood still for a moment, then suddenly took a few steps forward, reaching into the hot water pot. As the pork was cooking in the pot, Lin Sanjiu quickly moved aside, watching as Bohemia retrieved a damp roll of paper from the pot's depths.

Clearly, they hadn't placed the roll of paper there themselves, leaving only one possibility. "Did Magus succeed?" Lin Sanjiu quickly asked, sticking her head out. "Is this what she... concocted?"

"Unfold it!" Puppeteer commanded.

Bohemia wiped her hand, unfurled the rolled paper, and revealed a blank sheet devoid of any writing. It had been retrieved from the water-filled pot, with its edges soaked and dark water stains tracing intricate patterns along the paper's surface, reminiscent of meandering earthworms, gradually converging and intermingling to form two words: "Gong Daoyi."

This is a new version of New Beginning I will do a crossover with Harry Potter like the previous one but make a few changes I hope you like it like my other books I don...

In the moonlight, multiple pairs of eyes fixated on this solitary name. The night remained hushed, punctuated only by sporadic gusts of wind and intermittent water droplets, creating an eerie sense of tangibility for the scroll of paper, affirming that it was not a mere dream.

As the name surfaced and dissolved, an image gradually took shape on the paper. In the daylight scene, it navigated through a bustling crowd, weaving between various heads, steadily closing in on a man wearing a black hat. Just as he lifted his hand to remove the hat, unveiling neatly combed black hair, the image froze in that instant.

It was Gong Daoyi—there was no mistaking it. From the crowd in the background, it could be inferred that he was in the Twelve Worlds Centrum, but it was difficult to determine his exact location.

Gong Daoyi turned his head, a subtle smile appearing on his beautiful and androgynous profile. He seemed to converse with someone beside him, but regrettably, the paper couldn't convey sound, and from that angle, lip-reading remained an impossibility.

Lin Sanjiu dared not glance at Puppeteer's expression during this moment. 𝒻𝓇𝘦𝘦𝘸𝘦𝒷𝓃𝑜𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Under their collective scrutiny, the figure of Gong Daoyi on the paper seemed to suddenly sense something. His countenance shifted, and he promptly turned around, surveying his surroundings within the image. When he stopped, his gaze happened to meet the trio outside the picture.

"Why... why is he looking at us?" Bohemia said, her complexion paling. "Could it be just a coincidence?"

As if in response to her query, Gong Daoyi turned his head pensively, revealing a faint smile. He reached into his pocket, retrieved an item to examine, and then pivoted back, gesturing to the people around him to continue walking until he vanished from the crowd in the image.

Lin Sanjiu stared vacantly at the paper for a while, unable to utter a word.

"What's going on?" Bohemia, seeing the paper reverting to blankness, slapped it as if it were an old television set on the verge of retirement. "Will he come to this world from this?"

No one had an answer—until several minutes later, when the paper turned completely blank again, Puppeteer finally spoke hoarsely.

"He detected it?" Each word he uttered seemed graver than the last. Clearly, his question wasn't directed at Lin Sanjiu or Bohemia. After a moment of silence, he emitted a low, cold chuckle. "That would be for the best."

"What did Magus say?" Lin Sanjiu asked after some hesitation, not anticipating a response.

Puppeteer paused, then after a moment of consideration, surprised her by answering. "She said that although he noticed our gaze, he might not associate it with the subsequent temptation."

"Temptation?"

"Through this piece of paper," Puppeteer said, lightly flicking the rolled paper with his fingertip, "the gaze directed at him will transform into a connection. According to Magus, this connection resembles a slowly retracting rope, subtly luring him to come to me. Since you both witnessed the image, there's a possibility he could be lured to your side as well. Therefore, until he materializes, it's best if neither of you goes anywhere."

Bohemia emitted a sound akin to a stifled belch, as if her airway was obstructed.

In other words, they would have to wait for some time before Gong Daoyi arrived in this world. Fortunately, this world harbored more than one doomsday. Even if the Great Deluge disrupted the rules of transportation, they possessed a means to stay here as long as necessary.

Lin Sanjiu released a quiet sigh of relief. The later Gong Daoyi arrived, the better. Perhaps, before his arrival, she could formulate a plan—she had a vague sense that she needed to save Puppeteer from his own hands.

And... the scene from earlier replayed in her mind once more. She shook her head, halting herself from delving further into those thoughts. Even if her suspicion held true, her only recourse was to wait in silence alongside Puppeteer for Gong Daoyi's arrival.

"What are you dawdling for?" Bohemia nudged her. "Are you emotionally attached to this pot?"

It was then that Lin Sanjiu remembered she was still immersed in the pot. She swiftly clambered out, her combat pants now drenched and clinging heavily to her form, dripping water continuously.

"Before we set off, we need to figure out how to release the effects of our abilities from this ring. Not to mention, my spare clothes are still inside my ability." She tapped the red bracelet on her wrist and asked Bohemia, "Any ideas?"

"Hold on a moment," Bohemia said, tilting her head back. "Set off? Where are we going? Can't we stay put here?"

"Dr. Hu is still in the doomsday world on the other side of the road!"

In Dr. Hu's absence, the efficacy of his power had notably diminished. Bohemia remained unswayed and retorted, "Dr. Hu might be perfectly fine on his own. Whoever you partner with seems to have a streak of bad luck. In my opinion, we should just sit tight here. He might find his way back within a couple of days."

Lin Sanjiu turned to Puppeteer. "Can't you contact him?"

"No."

"But you turned a part of him into a puppet—"

"He's been released."

"Why?" she asked, her eyes widening in astonishment.

"I felt like it."

"What about the two puppets—"

"Dead." Puppeteer flicked his eyelids from the shadows. "Can't reach them anymore."

"The other side of the road must be dangerous!" Bohemia drew a deep breath. "Even the puppets of such a master's control fell into jeopardy."

Puppeteer calmly accepted this veiled flattery without changing his expression. Nevertheless, his subsequent words made Bohemia's mouth droop. "We'll rest here tonight. If the cat hasn't returned by tomorrow night, we'll cross the road."

Lin Sanjiu couldn't even dream that he said it out of concern for her. She glanced at the area below Puppeteer's leather jacket, realizing that he had sustained severe injuries and required more time for a full recovery. He likely still needed a doctor's presence.

"That works out. I can also study these two fine rings," she said as she settled into a cross-legged position. The damp trousers felt icy and cool against her skin, but she paid it little mind.

For at that moment, Mrs. Manas whispered in her mind, "The person who was with Gong Daoyi was Marcie, right?"contemporary romance