As soon as they entered the dense forest, before they had gone very far, Xu Yin appeared without a sound.
Chen Ge hadn't called his name, yet he had appeared on his own. That meant he'd sensed something dangerous—something capable of killing Chen Ge before Xu Yin could show himself.
There was nothing unusual around them, but the Red-Clothed all acted strangely, as if danger were lurking right beside them.
The wind stirred the leaves, and rainwater slid along their veins. Chen Ge walked through the dense forest for a long time, until he even lost track of time.
The farther they went into the woods, the colder it grew, and the world around them gradually fell silent.
Xu Yin walked ahead. His bright red blood mingled with the rain as he pushed aside the dead branches, revealing a rugged path.
Withered flowers grew on either side of the path. At its end, a small gray cottage was just barely visible.
"When I was little, I came in here with a Ragdoll I'd made myself. You didn't kill me; you only badly injured the doll. I've always been a fair person, so I won't kill you today either. I'll beat you half to death, then put you in the Comic Album and take you away."
On that rainy night, the Red-Clothed followed Chen Ge as they pressed forward in silence.
"It seems this place isn't something just anyone can find. If Xu Yin hadn't shown me the way, I probably wouldn't have gotten in so easily."
As they drew near the cottage, the blurry images in Chen Ge's memory matched the reality before him. Things he had almost forgotten resurfaced, clearer than ever before.
"Stay alert."
He had nearly been killed here, so Chen Ge was extremely cautious. He felt