Silver moonlight spilled across the ground, and crickets could be heard chirping everywhere along the secluded path.
The scent of night permeated the air, weaving a soft net that enveloped every sight within it.
Everything her eyes touched was covered by that soft net. Even the grass and trees were no longer as distinct as they were in daylight. They all carried hazy, illusory colors, each concealing its finer details and guarding its secrets, creating a dreamlike feeling.
Shumu Huali walked through a narrow alley with her schoolbag in her arms, feeling a little anxious.
She had stayed at the club too late today. Leaving at this hour, her mother would definitely scold her when she got home. But she had no choice. The club president had required everyone to attend, and she could not be the only one to refuse.
Walking down the relatively secluded path, Shumu Huali did not think much of it. She had long grown accustomed to it. Her family was not well-off; her father had died early, leaving only her mother to support them.
She remembered that when she was little, they had lived somewhere in Minato. After her father was gone, her mother could not manage alone... so they had moved to the foothold district.
The cost of living here was far lower than elsewhere. The public security was relatively poor as well, but she had been lucky so far and had not encountered any trouble.
Though she would occasionally see gang members collecting protection money from merchants.
But as she looked around, she did not know why tonight's atmosphere felt especially strange. Even she, who normally paid it no mind, felt a little scared.
Wanting only to get home as quickly as possible, Shumu Huali lowered her head to look at the magazine