The oppressive force that had nearly crushed Yuān Míng vanished the instant the door sealed shut behind him, leaving a sudden, unnatural silence. For a brief moment, his body remained still, operating purely on instinct as it adjusted to the absence of the pressure that had defined his recent survival. Each breath felt lighter, almost foreign, as if his lungs had forgotten how to function without resistance.
Then, his survival instinct reasserted itself, and he began running forward without hesitation. His initial steps were unsteady, uneven from exhaustion and injury, but he propelled himself forward regardless. Escaping the chamber had not guaranteed safety; it had merely shifted the danger into a new, unknown space.
Behind him, the air distorted sharply. The boundary he had crossed began to ripple again, as though something on the other side was forcing its way through with violent resistance. Unlike Yuān Míng's passage, which had felt instantaneous, this intrusion was unstable and forceful, distorting space itself before finally giving way.
A pale figure emerged from the distortion. However, its arrival was far from graceful. It stumbled out immediately, its form flickering violently as though its existence could not fully stabilize in this environment. Thin fractures of pale light ran across its body, and its outline shifted irregularly, like a reflection struggling to remain intact on broken water. Despite this instability, it forced itself upright and began running without delay, quickly closing the distance to Yuān Míng.
For a short distance, neither spoke. Only their footsteps and ragged breathing filled the space between them. Eventually, Yuān Míng broke the silence, his voice strained but controlled.
YUĀN MÍNG: "How did you escape them?"
The pale figure did not answer immediately, as if the question required careful consideration. When it finally spoke, its tone was lower than before, lacking its earlier calm certainty.
PALE FIGURE: "I had to use one of my treasures."
Yuān Míng's eyes narrowed slightly as he processed the response. A treasure capable of forcing an escape from that entity was no ordinary item, nor was it easily replaced. The implication was clear without further explanation: whatever had been chasing them was far beyond anything either of them should have been able to resist.
They continued forward in silence. The terrain ahead was broken and uneven, shaped by jagged stone formations and fractured ground that seemed to have been torn apart and carelessly reassembled. Sparse, dark vegetation clung to the surface in unnatural clusters, as if nature itself struggled to exist in this environment.
After some time, the landscape shifted abruptly. A forest appeared ahead of them without warning or gradual transition. It simply existed, as though it had been placed there rather than grown naturally. The trees were tall and thin, their bark darkened almost to black. Their branches twisted upward in irregular patterns, resembling skeletal limbs reaching toward the sky. Between them, a faint crimson light pulsed rhythmically, like something alive buried deep within the forest was still breathing.
Yuān Míng slowed instinctively. Even without understanding the specific danger, his body reacted to the abnormal atmosphere. The pale figure also slowed, its attention fixed on the forest ahead. For the first time since their escape, its expression—or at least the subtle shift in its presence—showed hesitation. Then it spoke, more firmly than before.
PALE FIGURE: "We cannot enter that place. It is far more dangerous than what we just escaped."
Yuān Míng frowned slightly and glanced between the forest and the pale figure.
YUĀN MÍNG: "More dangerous than the thing that was trying to kill us moments ago?"
The pale figure responded without hesitation.
PALE FIGURE: "Yes."
The certainty in that answer left no room for doubt. Yuān Míng exhaled slowly and adjusted his direction, intending to avoid the forest entirely. However, before he could take more than a few steps, his body suddenly betrayed him. A violent surge rose from within his chest without warning. His breathing stopped for a fraction of a second before he coughed sharply, and blood spilled from his mouth, staining the ground beneath him. His vision blurred immediately as the stability he had been holding together collapsed.
YUĀN MÍNG: "...Not now..."
His voice was weak, strained, barely audible even to himself. Inside him, the abyss did not respond properly. Instead of stabilizing or supporting him, it collapsed inward, retreating too quickly as though withdrawing from damaged pathways. What remained was emptiness and instability that his body could not compensate for. His legs weakened, and despite his attempt to continue moving, his control over his body broke completely. He collapsed. The world around him faded into darkness.
The darkness was not empty or peaceful. Instead, it felt dense and expansive, as though he were suspended within something vast and unmeasurable. There was no sense of body, only awareness drifting without direction. Then a voice cut through it. It was loud, clear, and commanding, carrying a force that pierced through the darkness effortlessly.
MYSTERIOUS VOICE: "Wake up, boy!"
The command was not gentle or suggestive. It carried absolute authority. Yuān Míng's awareness snapped back instantly. His eyes opened as air rushed into his lungs, and his body forced itself upright in a sudden, uncontrolled motion. The sensation was violent, as though something had pulled him back from the edge of complete unconsciousness. The world returned fully. The forest surrounded him once again. The pale figure stood nearby. Yuān Míng inhaled sharply, trying to stabilize his breathing.
The pale figure looked at him and spoke immediately.
PALE FIGURE: "It is too late."
Yuān Míng followed its gaze. They were already inside the forest. The environment had changed completely. The air felt heavier, carrying a metallic undertone that lingered with each breath. Between the trees, the crimson glow pulsed softly, casting shifting shadows that moved even when nothing else did. Yuān Míng steadied himself and asked in a low voice.
YUĀN MÍNG: "We entered without realizing it?"
PALE FIGURE: "You collapsed. We crossed the boundary during your fall."
Yuān Míng clenched his jaw but said nothing further. There was no benefit in regret now. They moved forward cautiously, each step deliberate rather than rushed. As they progressed deeper, the forest became increasingly unnatural. The silence grew heavier, and even the faint wind seemed absent. Eventually, they noticed markings carved into the trees. Yuān Míng approached one and examined it closely. The carving was rough but intentional. "Go back. And never look back." He turned his head slightly and noticed another carving nearby. "Run. Run. Run." Further ahead, additional warnings appeared, each more urgent and fragmented than the last. The repetition suggested panic rather than instruction. The pale figure's presence grew more alert.
PALE FIGURE: "Stay alert. Something is watching this place."
Yuān Míng nodded slightly but did not respond verbally. The forest suddenly fell even quieter. Then, without warning, movement erupted from the side. A creature lunged out with explosive speed. Yuān Míng turned too slowly to fully evade it. The impact struck him directly, sending him crashing backward into the ground with heavy force. The creature resembled a deer, but its body was unnatural. Multiple eyes covered its form, each moving independently, while its horns were long, jagged, and faintly glowing red. The pale figure reacted immediately, stepping aside and avoiding the initial charge. Yuān Míng forced air back into his lungs, pushing himself upright despite the pain.
YUĀN MÍNG: "I am not finished yet."
His voice was steadier now, controlled rather than reactive. Inside him, the abyss flickered briefly before stabilizing into a more controlled state. He raised his hand and formed a small distortion of abyssal energy, not overwhelming but focused. The creature charged again. Yuān Míng did not retreat. Instead, he stepped forward and struck. The impact landed cleanly, releasing a burst of controlled abyssal energy that forced the creature back. However, it did not fall. It did not die. Instead, its body began to change. Its muscles expanded, its frame grew larger, and the eyes across its body widened and multiplied their focus, locking onto Yuān Míng with increased intensity. Its presence became heavier and more oppressive. Yuān Míng exhaled slowly and observed it carefully.
YUĀN MÍNG: "It is evolving from the damage."
The pale figure stepped beside him, still unstable but functional.
PALE FIGURE: "It adapts to whatever threatens it."
Yuān Míng tightened his stance.
YUĀN MÍNG: "Then we end it faster next time."
The creature lowered itself again, preparing another charge as the forest around them seemed to fall into complete silence. And this time, Yuān Míng prepared himself with full awareness of what he was facing.