She stopped overthinking. She no longer asked herself whether she could return to where she had started. She simply put one foot in front of the other and followed Jiu Jia Yi.
But as they pressed on, their surroundings grew stranger. The light was no longer uniform; it wove itself into bands of brilliant color, like ripples of some mysterious energy. The space around them seemed to bend and warp their figures. Yan Zhi's vision suddenly blurred. Her steps faltered, and dizziness swept through her head.
She looked down and found her palms growing hot. Strange ripples spread across her skin, then through her entire body, as though an invisible force were coursing wildly inside her, trying to tear her apart.
"Do... do you feel that?" She looked up at Jiu Jia Yi, tense.
He did not stop walking, but the slight furrow in his brow told Yan Zhi that he was struggling too. "Don't stop. Keep going." There was no hesitation in his voice. "This is its power. It's trying to disrupt us, but we can't let it control us."
Yan Zhi said nothing more. She followed him in silence, though every muscle in her body protested. She knew that if they stopped, they might never find their way out.
She had no idea how long they walked. Time no longer mattered. She felt as though a thick fog were swallowing her consciousness, leaving her unable to truly sense anything around her. The scene before her grew hazier, until even Jiu Jia Yi's silhouette began to twist. She wanted to call out to him, but she had no strength to make a sound. There was only silence and a deepening darkness.
Suddenly, the ground vanished beneath her feet. She lost her balance and pitched forward.
Just as she was about to fall, a strong arm caught her shoulder and pulled her back. She was hauled upright, easing the sickening sensation of falling. A fresh wave of dizziness made her close her eyes.
"Are you all right?" Jiu Jia Yi's voice reached her again, edged with worry.
Yan Zhi shook her head and forced her eyes open. "I'm fine. I just... lost my bearings."
"Keep going." He said nothing more, but his gaze grew sharper. "Whatever happens, remember—we're in this together."
Yan Zhi took a deep breath and tried to steady her racing heart. She gave a small nod, trying to recover the feeling that they could lean on each other.
They set off again. The light around them still seared her eyes, and the pressure in the air grew stronger. Yan Zhi knew more clearly with every step that this journey would be anything but ordinary. What lay ahead was no longer merely an obstacle, but a vast mystery waiting for them to unravel.
And when they unraveled it, they might face a trial more daunting still.
Yan Zhi's heart pounded. Every breath felt heavy and hurried. Her palm was still slick with sweat, making it hard to hold on to Jiu Jia Yi's hand. Its familiar warmth passed from his palm to her skin, carrying a comforting strength that seemed to remind her she was not alone in this empty space.
Yet even with him beside her, the mounting pressure in this mysterious space left her unable to calm down. Her steps grew heavier. The ground beneath her feet seemed to drain her strength, and every step felt as though it came at a terrible cost.
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