Click.
The sound of the small door's handle turning echoed. Someone seemed to be twisting it, attempting to get out.
Li Chengyi held his breath, dashed forward a few steps, and then lunged forward, unhesitatingly slamming his body against the small door.
Bang!
The door that was about to open was forcefully pushed back by his impact, slamming shut once again.
As long as the door stays closed, that thing won't get out!
That was the only thought running through Li Chengyi's mind at the moment.
His body pressed firmly against the door, the cold red maintenance door held tightly in place, not budging an inch.
Thud, thud, thud.
Inside the maintenance room, a heavy object repeatedly collided with the door, creating a muffled sound.
It seemed like something was trying to push the door open.
But with Li Chengyi's crash into it, the door remained shut, and the combined force of the door's lock and his own weight prevented it from opening.
Thud, thud, thud.
The banging continued, growing louder and heavier with each strike.
The intense sound vibrations reverberated in Li Chengyi's eardrums, causing his arms and shoulders, pressed against the cold metal, to start tingling.
He gritted his teeth, leaning his body against the door in a diagonal position, refusing to relax his grip.
But the impacts kept intensifying, the speed with which the force grew was alarming.
I can't keep this up! I have to think of something! If this continues, I'll definitely die!
Previously, the Flower Armor had helped him fend off the dangers, but now that it was shattered, all he had left was the floral language ability, and that wasn't enough to face the giant face directly.
Plus, the first time it had been the face. Who could guarantee that the next creature would be the same?
What if it was some other monstrous entity...?
I cannot let it out!
Li Chengyi pushed even harder against the door, his mind racing with thoughts.
Suddenly, an idea struck him.
Since the floral language ability only works by touch... then...
What if I could use it through the door?
I'm right against the door, and the monster is too, pushing from the other side. Does that count as contact?
The thought formed rapidly in his mind.
I have to try!
Determined, Li Chengyi quickly turned his right hand and slapped it flat against the door.
The cold, hard metal of the door sent a sharp sensation up his palm.
In an instant, his thoughts shifted, and the invisible membrane from the floral language ability spread over his palm.
The membrane spread evenly, quickly sinking into the door, disappearing from sight.
Thud!
At the same time, the heavy thud from behind the door occurred once more.
But this time, the banging stopped almost immediately.
Li Chengyi felt as though an invisible thread connected his hand, the door, and something behind it.
It worked!! Now, I just need to touch again and target the object inside.
The full effect of Entranced Hand had two steps:
Step 1: Designate the target.Step 2: Decide what the target should be entranced by.
As he used it for the first time, Li Chengyi felt as though a thin thread was draining his energy, like running at full speed on a track without stopping. In less than half a minute, his energy would be drained completely.
I need to hurry!
His thoughts raced. His bloodshot eyes scanned his surroundings, and without pausing, he slapped his hand back onto the metal door with renewed force.
The entity outside, if he targeted anything at all, would likely respond, and the door would open.
So, why not use the door itself as the target?
He pressed his palm firmly against the metal door again.
A crisp snap echoed as his hand made contact.
At the same time, a deep silence fell over the door and everything beyond it.
Ssss... Ssss...
Li Chengyi, holding his breath, listened carefully. He waited for the next few moments, feeling the slight sensation in his hand as the floral language power connected.
After about ten or fifteen seconds, there was no further sound from the other side.
Slowly, he eased his body back, letting go of the door.
Did it work?
He wasn't sure, but from the silence, it seemed like it had.
Ssss...
Suddenly, a faint scratching sound came from behind the door.
It sounded as if something was gently running its hand across the surface of the door.
The sound was continuous but subtle.
Li Chengyi tensed up when he first heard it, but then realized the door wasn't being opened. He began to relax.
It seems to have worked... As long as the door stays closed, everything should be fine.
He could feel a slight, fragile connection between the door and the entity inside.
As long as nothing interrupted this connection, the Entranced Hand ability would keep the situation in its current state, at least until the ability faded.
He didn't know how long the effect would last; that was something he'd have to test later.
But for now, at least, he had a way to avoid danger.
After confirming that the situation seemed under control, he took a few steps back and grabbed his bags. He jogged toward the corner.
Even though the situation was temporarily stable, he didn't want to stay near the door.
The proximity to such a dangerous source of threat made his hair stand on end, and his heart raced.
Staying near the danger meant he wouldn't have the opportunity to rest and recover.
As he jogged away from the door, he moved a good distance before stopping behind one of the support pillars.
The pillar gave him some cover, and with his head slightly turned, he could still keep an eye on the maintenance door.
The empty garage, bathed in cold, dim light, stretched out ahead of him.
He felt his strength slowly returning. The pale light cast on his face made him look even more tired.
As he was about to close his eyes to rest for a bit, a sound suddenly caught his attention.
"Is someone there?"
The voice was a young woman's.
The tone was clear and calm, with no sense of panic.
Someone!? Li Chengyi froze for a moment, wondering if he had imagined it, perhaps hearing things.
Being in such a quiet environment for so long could make a person hear phantom noises.
"Is anyone here?" The woman's voice called out again.
This time, it was clearer and closer.
Li Chengyi's eyes widened. He was certain now—this wasn't just his imagination. Someone else, another person, was speaking!
He stood up quickly, ready to respond.
But just as he was about to speak, his voice caught in his throat, as if someone had slammed the brakes on it.
Wait!
This place had already seen strange creatures, including the one that mimicked human voices. It wouldn't be strange if another creature capable of imitating voices showed up.
Hold on, wait...
His expression shifted, and he decided against responding immediately. Instead, he turned his head toward the sound.
The voice had come from the right.
That direction led to another turn up ahead.
Along with the voice, there was a faint sound of footsteps, slowly coming closer.
It seemed like the person was moving toward this floor.
The footsteps were heavy, almost like soft rubber soles rather than the click of boots or hard shoes.
Li Chengyi remained calm, crouching behind the support pillar, positioning himself perfectly to peek around and wait for the person to appear.
The steps grew louder, inching closer.
"Is anyone here?" The woman's voice called again, much clearer than before. Li Chengyi could even hear her slightly labored breathing, as if she, too, was tired.
Li Chengyi carefully peeked out, his eyes scanning the corner, waiting for her to appear.
Five seconds.Ten seconds.Fifteen seconds.
Finally, in the distance, a figure emerged from the corner.
A tall woman with long black hair, holding a brown-and-white checked coat.
She was looking around, calm on the outside, though her quickening pace suggested she wasn't as composed as she appeared.
"Is anyone here?" she called again, walking toward Li Chengyi.
As she got closer, he could see her face more clearly.
She had pale skin, above-average features, with subtle cosmetic surgery marks on her chin and the corners of her eyes. Her features were almost unnaturally perfect.
Her black hair hung loosely to her back, her coat a thin black windbreaker, making it hard to discern her figure.
She wore tight black pants and platform shoes with thick heels, adding several inches to her height.
Li Chengyi noticed she was carrying a large shopping bag, with the logo of a high-end shopping mall, "Kaynmina," printed on the outside, surrounded by a circle of white floral designs.
Kaynmina was a luxury shopping mall in the city center—an expensive place, catering to a wealthier clientele.
She took a few more steps, then stopped, pulling out a black phone with a pink cartoon cat keychain dangling from it.
She looked at the screen, seemingly checking for a signal.
When she saw there was still no signal, her face fell, and she let out a frustrated sigh.
At that moment, Li Chengyi finally relaxed, realizing that she wasn't some strange monster but an actual human.
He sighed in relief and quickly glanced at the maintenance door he had closed earlier. When he confirmed there was no movement, he stepped out slowly.
"Did you get pulled in here too?" he asked in a low voice, his tone firm, his energy returning after his earlier exertion.
He knew that in unfamiliar, dangerous environments, it was crucial not to show weakness.
"!!?" The woman jumped back in shock, taking a step back.
At a distance of about ten meters, she appeared slightly shorter than Li Chengyi, though the platform shoes added some height.
She almost stumbled, but quickly regained her balance, displaying impressive poise. Her face then shifted into an expression of relief as she looked at Li Chengyi.
"Finally! I found someone! Where is this place? Are you a staff member here? Can you help me get out? I can pay you! A thousand bucks—is that enough?"
She spoke in a rush, her earlier composure completely gone.
Li Chengyi scanned her body, noticing a few signs of wear on her black pants and shoes—evidence that she had fallen earlier.
Also, despite the distance, he could smell the strong fragrance of peach-scented perfume, making it clear she had used a lot of it.
"Sorry, I'm not staff here, and I can't help you leave. Don't you already know where this place is?" Li Chengyi replied calmly, his suspicion rising.
After all, she had been through two warning signs. How could she not know about the Dead Corner by now?
Such vivid experiences should have made anyone search for information.
What do you think of the mysterious woman? Is she a potential ally, or could she be hiding something?Share your thoughts below!