Lanchi Was a Little Nervous at First

Yan Zhi's gaze followed Jiu Jia Yi as he stopped, but she saw nothing that could explain what had happened. The space around them was still empty. The ship's vibrations seemed to have ceased, and a strange hush filled the air, as though time itself had stopped.

"We're very close," Jiu Jia Yi said suddenly, his voice low and firm, as if he were speaking to himself as much as to Yan Zhi. "Whatever's ahead, we have to find out."

Yan Zhi did not answer. She took a deep breath and looked up at the mass of light. This time, fear did not seize her. An unfamiliar courage urged her on. Perhaps he was right. Whatever awaited them, they would only learn the truth by going all the way.

"Aren't you afraid?" Yan Zhi finally asked, her voice tinged with complicated emotion. She did not know why the question had slipped out. Perhaps it was because she still could not understand how Jiu Jia Yi remained so calm, how he could show such resolve in a place steeped in fear.

"I am," Jiu Jia Yi replied without trying to hide it. His voice was still steady, though it held a trace of resignation. "But running away won't change anything. It won't give us answers. It'll only leave us in the dark, never knowing."

Yan Zhi's heart trembled. He was afraid too; he had simply chosen to face it. She had tried to run before, only to find that it made the fear harder to bear. She lowered her head slightly and pressed her lips together, silently reminding herself to stay calm.

"All right." She took a deep breath. "Let's go."

They continued forward. Their steps were heavy, but neither stopped. As they drew closer, the light grew more dazzling, and an oppressive feeling spread through the air. It was as though the light was not merely illuminating the path ahead but gradually swallowing everything around them. Yan Zhi's unease intensified, yet she forced herself not to look back or question it. She just kept walking.

Suddenly, a low hum came from within the light, like some enormous machine at work. It rose and fell, seeming to answer their approach. The sound was threatening yet held no hostility, as though it knew they were coming—and knew they could not turn back.

"That sound... what is it doing?" Yan Zhi asked quietly, confusion and unease in her eyes.

Jiu Jia Yi remained composed. He frowned slightly, his gaze sharpening. "It's... guiding us. Whether we want it to or not, it's controlling everything we do." He paused, then continued. "Have you noticed? We can't stop. We can't turn back. There's something in that light ahead that we can't resist."

Yan Zhi's heart lurched. She had not realized it before, but now that she thought about it, she truly could not stop walking. With every step, she felt an invisible force pushing her onward, as though this path had been set long ago and she and Jiu Jia Yi were being driven toward an inevitable end.