With a muffled thud, Justin Huang locked both hands around the walking corpse, his whole body slammed into the bars of the cage. The metal groaned as it caved inward, but Justin Huang held it down with all his strength.
"Ethan, you go check it out first. If it doesn't work, we can fall back. This thing is dangerous—I'm no match for it."
I rushed toward the dead end, a shrill, piercing scream splitting the air.
"Ethan, watch out!" Justin Huang roared. I quickly leapt aside as a stitched-together hand lunged for me. I ducked, the hand swept past my head, and I rolled forward—suddenly, the dead end vanished.
It was like a flower in water—appearing and vanishing. The patient's room emerged. I stared in astonishment.
"Qingyuan, you go. Find a way to get your powerful friends here and save me."
I looked over. Jun Huang was pinned down but still clung tightly to the walking corpse, his feet locked around the bars of the cell.
I hesitated. The hand reaching for me wasn't long enough to grab me, and if I took one step, I could get out.
"Ethan, if you come in and find me dead, please help me find that girl. Her name is Mandy Lou. Tell her for me: I, Justin Huang, have found someone else, so I can't keep my promise."
"We're getting out together. You should tell her yourself. Isn't it an important promise? How can you let someone else deliver the message? I'm coming to help you."
I shouted and rushed forward, gripping the bone knife in my hand. As the attacking hand swept past, I dodged and crashed into the arm, pinning it against the iron bars. I raised the bone knife and hacked down hard, chopping off a section of the hand.
Then, clenching my fist and holding the bone knife, I charged forward. Jun Huang stared at me in a daze.
"It's been twenty years. Maybe she still hasn't married. Don't give up—she might still be waiting for you. Didn't she say she'd wait her whole life? Justin Huang, are you even a man?"
Suddenly, Jun Huang's expression changed. I heard his bones creak all over his body.
With a scream, Jun Huang shouted and shoved the corpse pressing down on him, flinging it to the left. With a crack, after throwing the corpse, I saw Jun Huang's left hand was completely severed.
I rushed over. A head flew off the corpse, aiming to attack Jun Huang. I swung the bone knife, stabbing it into the head, then kicked it away and supported Jun Huang's body.
"Hurry up! There's hope if we get out. Go!"
The two of us dashed out of the ghost domain and into the patient's room. Instantly, Jun Huang shouted with excitement.
"We're out! We really made it out! We're out, Ethan!"
"Move!" I had just spoken when, with a sudden bang, the door burst open. It was Dr. Victor Stone, glaring at us viciously.
"Well, Justin Huang, I never expected after twenty years you'd make it out. Not bad. At first, I thought you were worthless, but it turns out you're quality. Impressive—you made it through. From here on, just do as I say and you'll enjoy wealth and glory."
"You..." I glared at Dr. Victor Stone.
"Bullshit! You lied to me all these years, and now my promise has expired!" Justin Huang had just finished speaking when I saw Dr. Victor Stone's legs bulge with muscle. Suddenly, he leapt forward and punched Justin Huang hard in the stomach.
With a heavy thud, Justin Huang was sent flying backward. I turned my head sharply and saw him thrown back into the ghost domain. Behind him, the walking corpse rose again.
"Look at you now—how could you face anyone outside? You're not even human anymore..."
Dr. Victor Stone laughed loudly as he spoke.
In that instant, I swung my fist at his face. With a loud bang, my punch dented Dr. Victor Stone's fat cheek, but he stood motionless, unfazed.
"Ethan Zhang, you're next. Don't rush." Suddenly, a blast of wind swept past me—I dodged, but my ribs still got grazed. Dr. Victor Stone was treacherous; I avoided the blow, but crashed into the wall, pain burning through my ribs.
"Don't move, Ethan Zhang. Your ribs—must've broken several. This time, I didn't hold back."
Sure enough, as Dr. Victor Stone spoke, a fiery pain began to spread through my ribs.
"Justin Huang, I'm telling you—do as I say and you won't suffer. If you want to see that woman so badly, I'll send someone to bring her here for you. After all these years, you're my forty-eighth finished product. I don't want you dying so easily in the ghost domain."
Justin Huang laughed, lying in the water as the giant walking corpse rushed over.
"I agree—save me first."
Justin Huang agreed. Suddenly, I stared wide-eyed at him, anger surging inside me.
Dr. Victor Stone walked over, reached into the ghost domain, and lifted Justin Huang out with one hand.
I glared at Justin Huang, who smiled slightly. Suddenly, he threw his arms around Dr. Victor Stone with desperate force.
"Ethan Zhang, run!"
"What are you doing? Trying to get yourself killed?"
With one hand and his broken, twisted arm, Justin Huang clamped down on Dr. Victor Stone. Instantly, Dr. Victor Stone's body began to swell.
I forced myself upright, struggling to stand.