"No! Don't!"
Dai Mubai shot upright in bed, drenched in cold sweat.
He gasped for air, his heart pounding like a drum.
He looked around. He was in his bedchamber, surrounded by gilded splendor and bright candlelight.
"Ha... ha... it was just a dream..."
He had barely breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a chill on the back of his neck.
He reached up and touched an icy hand.
It was resting on his shoulder.
Dai Mubai froze. Every hair on his body stood on end.
Slowly, ever so slowly, he turned his head. Dai Weisi's deathly pale face was pressed against his ear, empty eye sockets staring straight at him.
"Little brother, I've come to take you with me."
"Ah!"
Dai Mubai's eyes flew open. He was lying in bed again.
He looked around. It was the same bedchamber, and the candles still burned just as brightly.
He gasped for air, his heart nearly leaping out of his throat.
"Ha... ha... a dream... it was a dream..."
He looked around cautiously. Only after confirming that the pale face was gone did he relax.
He threw back the covers, ready to get out of bed and drink some water to calm his nerves.
But the moment his foot touched the floor, he stepped on something sticky.
He looked down. The floor was covered in blood.
Bright red blood was slowly seeping out from beneath the bed.
He yanked up the bed skirt. Underneath, Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun lay side by side. Both pale faces turned toward him at once, wearing eerie smiles.
"Little brother, we meet again."
"Ah!"
Dai Mubai shot upright and found himself back in bed.
He looked around. It was the same bedchamber, and the candles still burned just as brightly.
This time, he