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墨書 Inktalez
The two claws were so powerful and enormous. They were clamped around my neck, making it impossible for me to breathe. I felt as if my carotid arteries were being squeezed, and my brain immediately began to suffer from oxygen deprivation. For the first time, my mind was clouded.
Before me should have been complete darkness, yet flickering lights appeared in my vision—hallucinations caused by extreme hypoxia. I sensed that I couldn't hold on much longer; I would soon lose consciousness or die from lack of oxygen to my brain.
I discarded the flashlight and began to flail my arms, striking out wildly while searching for a weapon. At that moment, my hand brushed against something hard at my waist—not an intentional movement, but purely instinctive. As soon as my fingers touched the hard object, my muddled brain registered it: a dagger.
Perhaps it was the will to survive, or perhaps I simply could not tolerate such a death. I drew the dagger and thrust it toward my assailant.
I could make contact and hit him, but my punches felt weak—like mere tickles. Furthermore, this creature had thick fur and a hard, cold body; even when I wasn't injured, it would be difficult to harm him with just my fists.
From the moment I grasped the dagger, clarity began to return to my mind—perhaps bolstered by the presence of a weapon. The dagger moved slowly but steadily; I aimed to strike at a vital point based on memory and instinct. I felt certain he wouldn’t give me a second chance.
However, as soon as the dagger met resistance—a sensation akin to piercing leather—I estimated that this blow could seriously wound him. Yet just then, my hand holding the dagger froze. A strange feeling washed over me.
In the next instant, a green light suddenly appeared before me. Within that green glow, a face painted with a grotesque green hue emerged.
It was Jack's face.
My emotions surged with excitement and complexity. Jack's furry hands were gripping my throat tightly.
His expression was a mix of rage and exhilaration; his eyes glowed with an eerie green light—perhaps reflecting the surrounding glow. But I believed it was due to his excitement. Jack seemed ecstatic and deranged, as if he held a deep-seated grudge against me and reveled in his attempt to strangle me.
But I knew that couldn't be the whole story. Jack's expression was like that of a different person—he had gone mad.
Perhaps even more insane was I; my dagger had already pierced beneath his ribcage. Fortunately, it hadn't gone deep—the location targeted was near the liver. If it had gone in another two inches, those glowing green eyes would have closed forever.
I struggled to twist my neck, letting out a series of coughs from my throat. But Jack paid no attention; his expression grew even more excited and frenzied.
I knew that if this continued, I would soon suffocate. I had to make him loosen his grip first. I adjusted the dagger, holding it backward, and plunged it fiercely into Jack's hand that was clamped around my neck.
This was undoubtedly the most effective and quickest way to make Jack release his grip. No matter what state he was in, a stab to his hand would surely make him let go. Moreover, I felt the blade go deep; it seemed like I had pierced through one of his hands.
However, the two hands still gripping my neck showed no sign of loosening. I began to doubt whether I had actually stabbed myself instead. My sensory nerves seemed to be malfunctioning; even if the dagger had pierced my own flesh, I wouldn't feel it.
I didn't stab again. I suspected that Jack's sensory nerves were also impaired; no matter how many times I stabbed him, he wouldn't let go unless I severed his hand. His mental state appeared even worse—his actions seemed completely out of control.
I could reach his face, and since shouting at him didn’t work, I hoped that slapping him might wake him up. I bit down on the dagger and used both hands to slap his face repeatedly. Jack's head swung wildly from side to side under my strikes, but his expression and the grip on my neck remained unchanged.
But I was already on the verge of collapse; I felt my eyes starting to roll back, and my chest felt like it was about to explode. The lack of oxygen made my lungs feel as if they were tearing apart, but it wasn't painful. Time was running out; I had to resolve this trouble immediately. Even if it meant using more force, I couldn't let this madman choke me to death.
I reversed the dagger in my grip and struck Jack's head hard with the hilt. I saw his head jerk back slightly before snapping forward again, nearly at a ninety-degree angle against his chest. At the same time, his hands finally loosened their grip around my neck.
Air rushed into my lungs like a floodgate opening, and I greedily inhaled the cold air. I didn't know how long he had been choking me, but I realized that I truly couldn't hold on any longer. The air passing through my throat brought pain with it. I thought it was lucky that he hadn't snapped my neck; this injury was almost negligible.
I could feel pain now. As the ache in my throat sharpened, my consciousness gradually cleared. I recognized that what had just happened wasn't real. My sensory nerves weren't malfunctioning; similarly, Jack's inability to feel pain wasn't due to a problem with his sensory nerves either. I immediately began to assess my surroundings.
We were still beneath the green light barrier. No, we should be above it.
As I moved my limbs, I discovered that neither Jack nor I were on the ground but rather suspended about a meter high. It felt as though we were both stuck against the light barrier, hanging in mid-air.
I strained against my position and realized that I seemed to be glued to the green light wall; my hands and feet could move but only slightly—especially my feet, which could barely push against anything at all. My body was completely immobilized, simply leaning against the vibrant green wall.
The beam of light remained bright; from this height, I could see further around me. First, I confirmed that there were no greater dangers nearby. Then, I organized my thoughts.
There are actually a few key issues at play. First, what I just saw was an illusion. Second, my sensory nerves are fine, so the lack of pain I experienced earlier was due to consuming those green glowing substances, and Jack is in the same boat. One more thing: I finally understand why no other species comes here to feed; the cost of eating this stuff is too high.
Having sorted through my thoughts, the conclusion is clear: I need to get out of here quickly. I’d rather starve than resort to self-destruction.
I strained to turn my body to see what was holding us down, only to realize that this movement was quite difficult. It felt as if I was not only stuck but also immobilized.
"Damn it," I cursed under my breath. My dagger is sharp, and I'm not worried about being left hanging here to dry; worst case, I could slice off a layer of that green glowing substance. I refuse to believe I can't free myself.
What truly worries me is Jack. He was knocked unconscious by the hilt of my dagger and can’t save himself; I need to get him down first.
I turned to look at Jack.
In the next moment, I froze. Jack was gone.
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