They surged toward her, one after another, their warped faces filled with greedy, sinister smiles.
"Come on, we've been waiting for you for so long."
"Don't you want me? Why did you run?"
"Come on, come on, join us!!!"
She could no longer tell which monster was her brother and which was Gu Mingshi.
All she could do was struggle desperately and run.
As she fled, she watched her tender, pale skin gradually disappear, reverting to its true appearance.
"Plop!"
She fell into Xiao Xi and saw her own reflection on the surface—a withered, emaciated face like that of a starving ghost.
"Ahhhhhhhh!!!"
"No, that's not right. It shouldn't be like this! This is my hallucination. Everything should obey me!!"
"No, it shouldn't be like this. It shouldn't be like this!!!"
She frantically tore at her hair. The force ripped open her scalp in places, and blood began to seep out.
Yet she remained completely unaware.
Suddenly, she fell silent and pricked up her ears to listen.
"Crack... crack..."
"...Crack..."
A faint sound came from the distance. Gradually, it grew clearer and clearer.
Nervously, she followed the sound with her eyes. From behind a huge tree covered in moss, an iron frog leaped out of the thick, rotting soil and hopped past her.
With a splash, it jumped into the water.
Ripples spread across the surface, lightly brushing against Jiu Yue's ankles.
In an instant, the world spun. The stream, rotting soil, fallen leaves, and branches slowly floated upward, while the night sky and enormous moon were trampled beneath her feet.
Heaven and earth, up and down—all seemed to reverse in an instant.
Jiu Yue lowered her head and looked beneath her feet.
The sky, stars, and full moon had all become reflections in the water.
Just as she was