Silver moonlight spilled across the ground, and crickets could be heard chirping everywhere along the secluded paths.
The fragrance of night filled the air, weaving a soft net that shrouded every sight within it.
Everything the eyes touched was covered by that soft net. Be it grass or trees, nothing stood out as clearly as it did in daylight. Everything bore blurred, dreamlike colors; every detail was hidden, every secret guarded, creating an illusionlike feeling.
Shumu Huali hugged her schoolbag as she walked through the narrow alley, feeling a little anxious.
She had stayed at her club too late today and was only leaving at this hour. Her mother would definitely scold her when she got home. But there was nothing she could do. The club president had demanded that everyone attend, so she could not exactly refuse on her own.
Walking down the relatively secluded path, Shumu Huali had not thought much of it. She was already used to it. Her family was not well-off; her father had died early, leaving her mother to support them alone.
She remembered living somewhere in Minato when she was little. After her father was gone, her mother could not hold on by herself... so they moved to the Settlement District.
The cost of living here was far lower than elsewhere. Though public safety was relatively poor as well, she had been lucky enough not to encounter any trouble so far.
She did occasionally see gang members collecting protection money from shopkeepers.
But for some reason, tonight's atmosphere felt especially strange. Even she, who normally paid it no mind, felt a little scared.
Wanting to get home as soon as possible, Shumu Huali lowered her head and looked at the magazine in her hands, calming down a little. Her eyes held a trace