The Silent Earth
Dragons, elves, and humans.
Three exceptional martial forces from the Mortal World, led by their respective clans' unparalleled experts, formed a triangular formation, their fighting spirit soaring, their united will forming a shield, as they surrounded Phaethon.
This is the most powerful net, strong enough to trap even a mad god burning with life.
The process of the God of the Star Palace burning himself became even more intense, to the point that his expression was distorted with pain, and his eyes radiated fierce light, burning with ferocious rage.
Phaethon looked down on the numerous ants around him with an arrogant and unrestrained demeanor.
"Pathetic Netherworld creatures!"
He pounded his chest, venting the immense pain of his dying body and burning will through roars. The God of the Star Palace let out a threatening howl. "Do you feel my power?"
"You are all the most powerful warriors in the Mortal World, so ask yourselves: when my people descend upon the Mortal World like stars, when our holy servants stand guard beside us in battle formation, what will be your fate? What will become of your people, your families, and your loved ones!"
The most powerful warriors in the Mortal World had unwavering, piercing gazes.
Even though he was already filled with shock, fear, and unease, having survived on the battlefield until now, he wouldn't dwell on such unnecessary thoughts when facing such a formidable enemy, the likes of which he had never encountered before!
Dairila stepped forward, her phoenix wings unfurling, flames swirling around her, dispelling the overwhelming aura of the raging flames.
The Empress's clear, phoenix-like voice rang out sharply. "Are all your people as brave as you?"
"Absolutely not." Dong Tianming slammed his spiked club on the ground. "Within a year, several of your kin have perished in the Mortal World. One of them fell into my hands, and I personally dealt with him for three days, peeling off a piece of his skin... because I wanted to see if you were as fearless and invincible as the legends say."
His mocking and contemptuous tone already indicated that he had gotten the answer he wanted.
On the other side, the Dragon Break Squad maintained a ferocious expression, their furious looks revealing a killing intent etched into their dragon blood.
They didn't care about the invincibility of the Star Palace or the crisis of extinction.
They only care about one thing.
As the most skilled, powerful, loyal, and elite combat team on Dragon Island, they actually managed to have His Majesty the Dragon Emperor wounded and bleed in front of them!
--My performance bonus and subsidies for this year are all gone! I fucking piss you!
The Dragon Emperor bared his teeth and said, "Blood, secret techniques, body tissues, eyes, teeth, bones, energy conversion system... you're all I need for my medical expenses!"
Phaethon ignored this contempt and hostility; no one cared about the pheromones emitted by the ants.
His thoughts lingered on Dairila's initial question.
Are all your people as brave as you?
His soul and life burned like a star, and the memories of the past served as nourishment for his strength. As time passed, he recalled the past, those faces, those memories.
Years ago.
Today and today.
Then he shouted.
"No--"
Phaethon rose into the air, revealing a furious and ferocious expression.
"They are not brave!" cried the God of the Star Palace. "I am brave! I am the bravest! Only I am brave!"
He looked up at the sky and shouted sharply, "Look at me—"
Then, with a flash, he sped off towards Kang De's location, riding the rolling waves!
Dairila flapped her phoenix wings and leaped into the air to intercept. Dong Tianming instinctively wanted to give chase, but he immediately suppressed this instinctive thought and shouted, "Sun Imperial Guard, launch a combined attack!"
A chaotic and fierce battle has begun again.
Kang De watched the battlefield unfold, his eyes flashing. Time accelerated, allowing him to consider the situation and devise countermeasures using the faster flow of time. Horus reported that the controlled Council forces were launching more intense suicide attacks, but he paid no attention and left all the troops to Iron Son to deploy and counter them.
At this point, the likes of Griffin, and even the tens of thousands of Council troops still surviving on this battlefield, are no longer important. The most important and only prey is this God of the Star Palace.
His gaze swept over the other powerful figures waiting in the room.
From the warriors of the Battle God City to the assassins of the Brotherhood, from Frost and Snow Winter Court and Highland Moonwell to the court knights of the Eastern Duchy... none of them could do it.
They may be incredibly powerful, but they lack the might of dragons, the ever-evolving secret techniques and unbroken war traditions of the Sun Imperial Guard, and the unwavering dedication of the Elven Sword Saints to their martial arts for centuries... They are none of them.
On ordinary battlefields, they may be unstoppable, but when faced with the God of the Star Palace who burns his life and sacrifices his soul, they will be defeated one by one and blown to pieces.
It is extremely difficult to achieve the same level of success as this three-nation team, where each member is a key figure, and their teamwork, courage, tacit understanding, and strength are used to restrain the God of the Star Palace while maintaining a zero casualty rate in a thrilling and remarkable manner.
It would be a waste, and a great pity, if they died here.
The Fire Thief squinted, gazing at the battlefield billowing with smoke and dust.
Today's battle solidified his belief in something.
Mortal World beings and ordinary warriors need the armor of iron and fire.
Those who, through rigorous training and unwavering practice, ultimately attain extraordinary power... also need it.
Amidst the billowing dust, Phaethon sped forward like a bullet, knocking the dragon marshal to the ground with a single punch. The dragon's body crashed into the ground, causing the earth beneath it to rumble and tremble. The shockwaves traveled deep into the soil, reaching hundreds of meters underground. Soil from the ceiling continued to fall as Arcane hunters leaped down through the holes drilled by the scorching beams of light, wielding short, wheel-bladed staffs and warily surveying their surroundings.
The interim Grand Speaker Kaliusi, landed in the center of them.
Target located!
They immediately spotted the massive psychic apparatus gleaming with green light, for a long trail of blood led there. They also saw the most important target of this battle: the traitorous former Grand Speaker Griffin Williams, his hair disheveled, his robes tattered, leaning against the psychic apparatus.
The Arcane hunters immediately checked their surroundings, scanning the environment to see if any enemies were hiding or if any Arcane traps were engraved, while Kaliusi's face showed hatred, and his staff flashed with bolts of lightning.
"Griffin Williams!"
The interim Grand Speaker rose into the air and floated towards Griffin, with streaks of lightning flashing and shimmering around him.
"The Mortal World scorns your soul, have you heard the roar of the goddess of vengeance?!"
He glared at his former colleague, who had been a father, friend, and mentor to him. "Your day of judgment has come!"
"... etc!"
Griffin, leaning against the mental mechanism, was already seriously injured. He was one of the strongest in the Mortal World, and even when facing Phaethon, who was burning with life, he would not be defeated in one move.
However, the powerful energy that the God of the Star Palace gained through the sacrifice of countless years could forcefully repel all elemental attacks. Before making a move, he used words to make the former Grand Speaker, who was in a state of agitation, reveal a huge flaw. Then, he used pure physical attacks to bombard the caster at close range. Even someone as strong as Griffin was caught off guard and was seriously injured by a punch. The reason he is not dead now is because Phaethon showed mercy.
Griffin had no time to ponder why the God of the Star Palace had shown mercy.
He only felt his life force slipping away, and even disregarding his severe injuries, Kang De and the enraged Kaliusi would not let him go... but he no longer cared.
On the last day of his life, he wanted to accomplish one thing.
He cried out with difficulty, "Don't kill me... not now! The soldiers outside who are still under mind control haven't been freed from the psychological interference. This process must be stopped and they must be brought back to normal!"
Kaliusi was taken aback at first, then five lightning orbs were poised to strike. "Don't try to bewitch me with words!"
Griffin coughed up a mouthful of blood mixed with some kind of black substance, his face contorted in pain and his body tense.
But he understood Kaliusi just as Kaliusi understood him.
The former Grand Chancellor dispelled Kaliusi's firm murderous intent with just one sentence.
"The situation is hopeless, I'm severely wounded, and there's nowhere to escape. The best thing I should do is commit suicide immediately to avoid being humiliated by you and Kang De —but I'm still clinging to life for this very reason!"
Kaliusi was suddenly taken aback.
Seizing this opportunity, Griffin quickly said, "Destroying this mechanism will only kill those who are controlled, so we must deactivate it first... I've tried, but Phaethon has the highest priority; he must be killed first before I can deactivate it. I know the details of this thing, I know how to deactivate them... Kaliusi, don't kill me, or it will be too late!"
In a flash, many thoughts raced through Kaliusi's mind. He sneered, "You've committed such a heinous crime, and now you want to live on the brink of death? You want to exchange the lives of these soldiers for your own survival?"
"Now that things have come to this, what way is there for me in the Mortal World? Phaethon has left irreversible wounds on me; even if I survive, I will be severely weakened and powerless. I was once the leader of the greatest kingdom in the Mortal World, but now I have lost my reputation, my status, and my power, and I cannot even retain my strength— Kaliusi, do you think I, having lost all of these, would still grovel before Kang De and beg for a way to live?"
Griffin roared, his teeth stained with black, foul blood, like a mad beast.
He wouldn't have explained these things to Kaliusi, let alone in front of some Arcane hunters... but he had already abandoned his own honor and was no longer qualified to claim any so-called dignity or pride.
Almost pleadingly, Griffin cried out, "Kaliusi! Trust me one last time!"
His body curled up in pain, and he sobbed, "I must do this—I don't want my resistance and final awakening to have been meaningless!"
Kaliusi still refused to believe it. Who would believe someone who had betrayed their country? The bloodshed at the Tower of All-Seeing was still fresh in his mind. The hypocrite of that time was now this pathetic dog.
But he stopped his impending attack, waved his hand, and Telekinesis to pull Griffin away from the telepathic mechanism. Five lightning orbs formed an electric lock, and the cage was complete.
"If you try anything funny, I'll burn you to a crisp."
After he finished speaking, he took out the communicator he had received from Horus.
Radio waves pierced through the thick layers of soil to reach the ground and spread through the air. Invisible ripples swept across the sky and passed through the figures engaged in fierce battle. Dong Tianming and the Dragon Emperor joined forces to press Phaethon down to the earth. Dairila bent over and stepped forward, holding her greatsword upside down, stepping out of the Phoenix Flame Seal with each step, heading towards the body of the God of the Star Palace.
Kang De pressed the earpiece and listened to Kaliusi's report.
He pondered for a moment and replied, "Spare his life for now, but keep a close eye on him."
Kaliusi said coldly, "You think he's trustworthy?"
"How can you believe what those traitors say? It's just an insurance policy."
"So what are you going to do?"
Kang De stared at the God of the Star Palace and replied calmly, "The curse placed by the Star Palace should naturally be lifted by the Star Palace."
What if he doesn't want to?
"Then I'll dig out his brain."
Just then, Phaethon, who was engaged in battle, slightly turned his head and looked at the ground to his right rear.
Or perhaps they're looking at something underground.
Immediately, his body trembled slightly, he closed his eyes, and then quickly opened them again.
Intense light shone and rose, and faintly, it seemed as if a teardrop was carried away by the light.
Then he looked at Kang De, clenched his teeth, and his still-beating heart pounded violently.
Even the blood that was not yet fully photochemical was boiling and circulating.
The spirits were letting out fierce roars.
An unprecedented fear surfaced in my mind.
In that instant, all changes, all spiritual awareness, all perception told him...
--The time has come!
Finally, everything culminated in a roaring cry, "Fire Thief— "
A massive amount of blood gushed out, turning into pure fuel and burning out terrifying, unstoppable energy. Phaethon, surrounded by blazing flames, abandoned Dairila, the Dragon Emperor, and Dong Tianming, burning more years and souls at an even faster speed, rushing towards Kang De like a meteor!
"He's going to fight with his life on the line!"
The powerful figures besieging Phaethon all paled. Dairila and Dong Tianming used secret techniques to relentlessly pursue him, with the Dragon Emperor close behind, shouting, "Kang De, run!"
In that instant, the legion guarding Kang De did not hesitate to meet the destructive meteor head-on.
Guns, rockets, magic, arrows, beams of light—all the attacks were unleashed simultaneously!
Facing this Mortal World wrath, Phaethon swept through the land with unstoppable force!
PRISM unfold, sacred pillars project!
The soldiers, mortals facing the extinction gods, were teleported away through the opened spatial gate. Only the powerful figures flanking the attack continued their fierce offensive. Phaethon's charge was halted for a moment, and Dairila and Dong Tianming arrived. However, the God of the Star Palace ignored this desperate interception, letting the barrage shake his back. In his eyes, there was only Kang De, only Kang De!
It was as if it had transformed into a rushing stream of light, heading towards the sole goal he had set upon his birth.
Everything around him seemed to slow down. He launched an attack on the high and mighty guardian who bore the weight of Mortal World Civilization. He had already seen Kang De's face, looking at it carefully and intently, even though he was already very familiar with it.
The Fire Thief, Kang De.
I've heard every single one of your stories.
I have read every speech and every article of yours.
I will compare you with the Fire Thief of previous ages, and from your achievements and actions I will ascertain your character and judge what kind of person you are.
This ultimately ensures today... ensuring today is as we wished!
I will accomplish an unprecedented feat, upholding my beliefs and loyalty.
I know my fate.
And I...
--And I never expected to be able to kill you.
You know nothing. Griffin is like that, and so are those ants. You always like to apply your own ideas to other living beings. How can you imagine the glory and sacrifice of the gods?
As he moved forward, Phaethon blinked, his eyes seeming to glisten, but it was merely an illusion created by the interplay of light and shadow. He thought of the story he had told Griffin, about how the God of the Star Palace of the past, when faced with the final charge of the Fire Thief in dire straits, would often bravely meet them head-on, regardless of life or death.
They felt that perishing alongside a dying star was better than enduring millions of years of monotonous existence.
On this charge, he seemed to see the figures of those Fire Thief earlier; it was the scenery he had been watching, those backs, those wills, those sacrifices.
These kinsmen, these gods, these victims...
All of them are...
All of them are...
--idiot!
--idiot!
--Rubbish!
--Neuropathy!
--A pathetic, sentimental fool!
--A pathetic waste of life!
--A rotten rock that's not even as good as mud!
You...
--Not even worth a single cell of mine!
Phaethon let out a wild laugh, his ferocity reaching the heavens, and smashed through the snipers who tried to intercept him, crashing heavily into Kang De on the Astolfo!
"The Fire Thief-- "
Kang De's eyes were cold and sharp, his figure as imposing as a mountain, facing the oncoming, dazzling meteor head-on. The force of Phaethon's charge was astonishing; the billowing wind pressure even shattered the vessel carrying the spatial beacon. The Phase Gate couldn't possibly deploy in his path, but—
Above the sky, the Phase Gate opened horizontally.
A colossal hand, carrying rolling thunder, descended from the sky!
A spellcaster from the Council exclaimed in shock, "Star-Bearing Titan!"
It was like a merciless iron palm striking a flying giant cockroach; the scene was evil, tragic, and terrifying.
The left arm of the Star-Bearing Titan was suddenly thrown up, but from another spatial portal, the right arm fell down like a thunderbolt. A hurricane blew and explosions rang out. In an instant, the two Titan hands swung continuously, bombarding Phaethon's star-like figure. But in the midst of the clash of their palms, the last sliver of opportunity was seized by the God of the Star Palace. He accelerated again, almost rushing to Kang De's side!
The two locked eyes.
A cold glint flashed behind Kang De!
Six fiery wings unfurled brilliantly, and the Phoenix Halberd shook out star-like afterimages, transforming into a single line. The powerful attack, gathered from the White Mist World, rang out and instantly pierced the exhausted Phaethon.
The former Phoenix King stood in front of Kang De, holding a halberd in one hand, his phoenix wings outstretched, slinging the God of the Star Palace had gone from extreme motion to extreme stillness, seemingly having exhausted his remaining strength, his phantom figure as beautiful as a painting.
Then she flicked her arm, throwing Phaethon into the air, its fiery wings flapping as it followed.
"Prepare to die..."
" --Cloud!"
With a thrust of his halberd, Dong Tianming rose from the ground below, his great club sweeping across, striking Phaethon squarely in the waist and sending him flying backward. A dragon roar echoed in the sky as the Dragon Emperor unleashed a powerful punch, striking the God of the Star Palace in the head and slamming him to the ground. Meanwhile, Dairila was already waiting with her blade drawn!
Phaethon crashed to the ground and was pierced by the Yangyan Sword. The blade pierced through his right chest and into his left leg. The Dragon Emperor and Dong Tianming landed on either side, clamping down on the Fiend's arms. Malegith landed in front of him, her halberd tip pointing straight at his heart.
She sneered, "Does Star Palace really have the heart to throw such a spirited person down to their death?"
Kang De landed slowly and walked in from behind.
The Parrot gave way. "It's time to eat. Let those who haven't seen it before see the world."
Phaethon was pinned to the spot, his body suddenly trembling.
The time has come.
The time has come.
He watched Kang De's approaching figure, his body trembling, his lips quivering, his whole being shaking. He knew his time had come, the final step, the very last step.
At this moment... at this moment.
There was no audience, no record, no one knew, no one understood.
He was alone in the Mortal World.
Those fools who perished with the Fire Thief will be remembered, but who will remember me?
Yes, it will.
One day... one day!
But... I'm still uneasy.
There was no one to confide in. Even after she had shaken off her previous frustrations as the victor in front of Griffin, she could only scratch the surface and dared not elaborate.
He finally couldn't hold back any longer, and suddenly looked up at the sky, letting out a roar.
Apophis--
The dying roar of the God of the Star Palace surged towards the distant starry sky; it was a final call and reminder.
Then he roared wildly, his entire body transforming into a blazing inferno, truly like a second star igniting on the earth, unimaginable energy accumulating, twisting, suppressing, and... waiting to explode!
Dairila struggled to maneuver the blade, and Dong Tianming hurriedly released Phaethon to push Kang De. The Dragon Emperor shouted a warning, but only Malegith pierced the God of the Star Palace with her halberd, without turning her head. "Kang De!"
A dazzling portal of light opened in an instant, swallowing up boundless light and heat, before vanishing in a flash.
The God of the Star Palace, Malegith, who was about to self-destruct, and Kang De both disappeared on the battlefield.
In the White Mist World, on the Lake Huron, the Star-Bearing Titan cast an absolute restraint, suppressing Apophis's self-destruction for a moment. This was enough for Kang De. Absolute spatial power pressed in, firmly imprisoning the God of the Star Palace. Kang De held down Phaethon, his right hand condensing a blade of light, and suddenly stabbed down.
Phaethon was indifferent to everything; almost instinctively, he looked at this new world and murmured, "Here... here..."
No, something's not right, something's not right...
Malegith said decisively, "Get rid of him quickly!"
Look me in the eyes!
A dazzling light shot from Kang De's eyes, piercing the eyes of the God of the Star Palace, but after a moment, the light faded. Kang De tilted his head and exclaimed, "Why can't I absorb it!"
Phaethon snapped out of his subconscious confusion, composed himself, and then burst into laughter. "This generation of Fire Thief can't even use the most primal power?!"
Horus's voice rang in his ears. "Father, you must return quickly. The soldiers are very uneasy. You must appear before them as fast as you can."
"Okay, coming right away."
Kang De swung his fist, a punch imbued with the spacetime rules of the White Mist World, as if the entire world was pressing down, causing even space itself to tremble and shake.
The Fire Thief's eyes flashed with intense light once more, stirring the mind of the God of the Star Palace.
But it still couldn't Extraction!
As the light faded, though facing imminent death and enduring the dual agony of burning everything and having his soul torn apart, Phaethon simply stared into Kang De's eyes without a trace of hatred.
Instead, there was a strange pity.
Perhaps the God of the Star Palace gaze upon the radiant shadow of each Fire Thief in the same way.
What glorious and radiant souls they were, yet they waged a war destined to fail.
A tremendous irony.
He said slowly, "Fire Thief, you will regret your actions today. When the world burns, your cries will echo throughout the universe."
"Yeah."
Kang De was completely unconcerned, as if the Star Palace would not destroy the Mortal World unless he killed the God of the Star Palace.
With just a few punches, the White Mist Space rumbled and trembled, the River of Origin flowed from the void, overflowing Phaethon's body. The Fire Thief's voice was deep. "--Let me hear yours first."
Phaethon could no longer utter anything; he could only let out a terrible howl, his body struggling violently. Then, his body began to burn, but the scorching and terrifying energy was suppressed, with only harmless light escaping. He cried and laughed, shouting, muttering to himself, lamenting, and laughing.
In the end, he vanished into nothingness, leaving no trace.
He died there.
The light stopped, Kang De looked puzzled, his brow furrowing.
Malegith had been standing by, asked, "What's wrong?"
"There's nothing there," the Fire Thief said. "How come we didn't Extraction anything?"
The Parrot asked in bewilderment, "Is this some new secret technique? I've never heard of it before, but..."
Just then, Horus urged again, "Father, not only are the soldiers filled with worry, Kaliusi said that things have changed on Griffin's side as well. You must come and deal with it as soon as possible—by the way, is there any way to resolve the problem of the Council soldiers being mind-controlled?"
"No, I couldn't Extraction his soul. I got nothing," Kang De said coldly. "Back now, immediately— Malegith, do you have any ideas? About that mind control problem."
"You've already asked, we've never seen anything like this before... We'll need to see it in person to know for sure, I'll go with you."
"Good."
Kang De looked at the area where Phaethon had died, his doubts still unresolved. He pointed back, and time here synchronized with Earth, erasing all traces of Phaethon left behind.
Only then did he open the door with the Parrot and leave, returning to the Mortal World.
Phaethon's mournful cry before his self-destruction had already shaken the atmosphere, burst out of the outer layers, and echoed among the stars.
The entire Star Palace was shaken.
"Phaethon, the Shadow of Pallas, the Near-God, the Star Heralding the Dawn... has he fallen too?"
Amidst the clamor, at the ruins of the Starry Firmament Bridge, Apophis, the Star of Divine Destruction, silently gazed upon the Mortal World; only he understood Phaethon's lament.
He bowed his head and knelt before this planet of mud and water.
I swear to you, my brother.
When your master returns, the first thing he will hear is your glorious contribution and sacrifice.
He raised his head, his eyes cold and piercing as he gazed upon the Mortal World.
Collaboration with Griffin.
He will send over the Star Palace's techniques, secrets, and Mortal World secrets.
I was used like a fool.
The great war that raged in the Mortal World has culminated in a resounding victory for the Fire Thief.
Everything, everything, is for one purpose.
In a war that is so plausible and would never arouse the suspicion of the Fire Thief, a scenario is created to distract this generation of Fire Thief are compassionate and merciful and trying to integrate the Mortal World, so that Phaethon dies at the hands of the Fire Thief without being Extraction and stripped of any soul fragments.
-- Died in his world.
If Phaethon's mission fails this time, he will not hesitate to send the next God of the Star Palace to complete this supreme sacrifice, glory, and achievement.
This matter is more important than destroying the Mortal World.
After all, the Fire Thief is a rebellious spirit born alongside the gods.
In this Mortal World era, there is no possibility of a new Fire Thief being born.
This fact is an ironclad law of the universe.
All the God of the Star Palace know why.
On Earth, on the Lake Huron, vigilant soldiers gaze at the Titan Giant within the Bruce Nuclear Power Plant.
"Hey, don't you guys think this thing is a bit...?"
Suddenly, they heard a strange noise and turned around in unison. Then, the Amerikkka in the camp jumped up, throwing away his cigarette. "Fuck, there's something over there!"
If one were to look down upon the earth like a god, one could see a bright light shining from a corner of the Lake Huron, not far from the nuclear power plant, as if a force in the void were using the earth as paper to draw intricate patterns.
It should have been a huge circular symbol, but perhaps due to insufficient paint, the brilliance lasted only a few seconds and disappeared completely after just a few strokes.
The extraordinary individuals, drawn by the unusual energy fluctuations, found only a stone engraved with an inexplicable aura. Their intuition told them that this object was extraordinary.
The news was immediately relayed to the Five-Headed Building and the White House.
Soon, a helicopter landed nearby, and the colonel, accompanied by several men in black suits wearing sunglasses, jumped out and took the stone from the superhuman, carefully placing it into a lead-sealed box.
"All witnesses, those who saw it, and those who came into contact with it, evacuate by helicopter." The colonel repeated, "The President's top order... Don't let China boy know about this!"
This code name was personally given to Kang De by A Chuan.
Without a doubt, in the President's eyes, Kang De was just a "little boy" from China.
This time, even the superhumans of the Amerikkka failed to notice that, even though the stone was sealed in a lead box, it still silently emitted a strong, invisible wave that swept across the entire planet at an extremely fast speed.
To deal with unknown and mysterious forces using existing scientific knowledge is perhaps humanity's greatest arrogance.
The Parrot and Kang De were in the Mortal World at this time. Given the stage of development of the mysterious power of Earth, no living being could perceive this unusual event except for the target that this fluctuation wanted to call upon.
That's how it was originally.
But when the ripples crossed the Pacific Ocean and swept into China territory, which is separated from the Amerikkka by the sea, Wang Xiaoman, who was immersed in a familiar dream in H City, suddenly woke up and let out a scream.
She rolled to the ground, scrambling and crawling, looking out the window towards the east. She didn't know why she was doing this, nor what she was looking at. She only felt a chill run through her body, as if something terrifying was happening, but she was completely bewildered and knew nothing.
Large tears rolled down her cheeks. Xiaoman trembled as she took out her phone, opened WeChat, and tapped the chat that was always pinned to the top. The last time they had communicated was three days ago. She sent the message with trembling hands.
Of course.
No reply.