Chapter 116: Something Has Changed

The inside of the cabin was even smaller and more rudimentary than expected, the light dim, with only a small window letting in a faint glow.

The air was thick with a strange stench, a mixture of mildew, dust, and some unidentifiable odor that made one uneasy.

In the corner of the cabin, a few iron racks were piled up, cluttered with canned food, mineral water, and compressed biscuits, alongside several neatly folded dark green uniforms.

Although the supplies were simple, in this wild and desolate forest, they were rare and precious.

Li Xin walked over to the pile of supplies, picked up a uniform, and with the dagger she always carried, deftly cut it open, skillfully crafting a makeshift backpack.

She packed the canned food, mineral water, and compressed biscuits into the backpack one by one, then folded a few more uniforms and placed them inside.

“These clothes can keep you warm. It gets very cold in the forest at night,” Li Xin said quietly while tidying up, her tone calm and considerate.

Mu Xi stood to the side, watching Li Xin work methodically, feeling a swirl of mixed emotions.

Li Xin’s calm and reliable demeanor sharply contrasted with Mu Xi’s own disheveled and helpless state.

The hope of escaping the Manor seemed to rest entirely on this woman.

Looking at Li Xin’s focused profile, a complex feeling welled up inside Mu Xi.

Li Xin handed the folded dark green uniform to Mu Xi, her voice carrying a subtle hesitation barely noticeable, “Miss Mu Xi, you should change into these uniforms and boots. It will be easier to move around in the forest that way.”

Mu Xi took the uniform, her fingertips brushing over the rough fabric, so different from the soft, silky texture of her usual dresses.

She looked up at Li Xin and caught the flicker of unease in her eyes.

That fleeting unease was like a morning mist, vanishing in an instant but sharply caught by Mu Xi’s keen senses.

Her heart stirred slightly, and the corners of her mouth curved into a barely perceptible smile.

“Change here?” Mu Xi’s voice remained gentle, tinged with a slight question, the tone rising softly like a feather brushing against one’s heart.

Li Xin’s already flushed ears burned hotter, as if licking flames had suddenly touched them.

She hurriedly avoided Mu Xi’s seemingly all-seeing gaze, her speech quickening a bit, “In the room… you change in the room. I-I’ll keep watch outside.”

Without waiting for a response, she turned swiftly and strode toward the inner room, her back slightly stiff.

Mu Xi watched Li Xin’s flustered retreating figure, her smile deepening.

She placed the uniform on the simple wooden bed and began unbuttoning her white dress.

The dress slid off slowly, revealing the girl’s fair, delicate skin, which seemed to emit a faint glow in the dim light.

Mu Xi lowered her eyes to her petite frame, her silver-white hair cascading like a waterfall, covering the beautiful curves of her chest.

Her gaze was calm, without the slightest shyness, as if she were performing the most ordinary of tasks.

After taking off the dress and her small white shoes, Mu Xi picked up the dark green uniform.

The uniform smelled faintly of camphor, the fabric coarse and stiff, completely unlike the soft silk she was used to.

She frowned slightly but put on the uniform efficiently.

The uniform’s style was simple and practical, but on Mu Xi’s small frame, it looked somewhat loose; the originally delicate body wrapped in sharp lines only made her appear more slender.

Mu Xi zipped up the uniform and fastened the belt; the once fragile aura instantly softened, replaced by a hint of resoluteness.

She grabbed the boots next; the rough leather’s smell hit her nose first, carrying a stale mildew scent—not pleasant.

The boot shafts were tall and stiff, the thick material heavy to the touch, sending a cold weight through her hands.

She frowned again, thinking, ‘These look clumsy and uncomfortable to wear.’

Her fingertips touched the inside of the boot shaft, the rough texture triggering her instinctive resistance.

“What a bother,” she muttered softly, her tone carrying a hint of princess-like petulance, but she quickly suppressed it.

This was no longer the Manor, where she could indulge in whimsy.

Running for her life was the priority.

Mu Xi pulled her socks up and slipped into the boots.

The stiff leather felt like a cold shackle, tightly encasing her slender ankles.

Her soles were wrapped in thick soles that instantly felt stuffy, as if all the air had been sealed off—no breathability at all.

She took a few steps, the boots’ heavy weight dragging her gait, slowing her down.

‘These boots… won’t they cause foot odor?’ The thought suddenly popped into her mind, and Mu Xi was momentarily stunned.

She was a man, after all—though this body was a bit delicate now, at heart, she was still a rough man.

How could she suddenly care about such girlish concerns?

“No, this isn’t right…” Mu Xi stopped walking, looking down at the boots on her feet, a strange irritability rising in her chest.

She shook her head, trying to dispel the odd thought, but that lingering trace of femininity clung like a bone-deep parasite, slowly corroding her consciousness.

“Damn it, what exactly did Ye Lan do to me?” Mu Xi gritted her teeth, forcing herself to ignore those affected, pretentious thoughts.

Now was not the time for such distractions; escaping was the only thing that mattered.

Wearing these heavy boots would at least protect her feet from being scratched by the forest’s thorns.

She took a deep breath, trying to adjust to the feeling of restriction on her feet.

Every step felt heavier than usual, each one a reminder that she was no longer the pet who could wear a light dress and dance gracefully in the Manor.

She was Mu Xi, a trapped beast desperate to break free.

This discomfort was nothing.

Escaping was her only goal.

After finishing with the uniform, Mu Xi picked up an apple she had casually left by the bed.

The bright red skin stood out starkly in the dim room, like a candy ball soaked in poison.

She weighed it in her hand; it was heavy.

This item had been given to her by Tuesday in the tunnels.

That scoundrel was definitely suspicious.

A mocking smile tugged at Mu Xi’s lips as her fingers stroked the smooth skin.

Her fingertips felt a sticky residue—something was wrong.

She narrowed her eyes, bringing the apple closer to sniff carefully.

Something was off.

She hadn’t forgotten the cruel calculation lurking in Tuesday’s eyes before his death.

That pervert was determined to drag her down even in death.

Mu Xi carried the apple out of the room.

Li Xin stood rigidly at the doorway like a silent statue.

Seeing her emerge, Li Xin’s sharp gaze flickered and settled on the apple in Mu Xi’s hand.

“Li Xin, take a look at this.” Mu Xi approached and handed the apple over calmly, as if simply asking about the weather.

Li Xin took the apple, lightly rubbing the skin with her fingertips.

After a moment, her brow furrowed slightly; she looked up and said with certainty, “Miss Mu Xi, this apple is tainted. Someone smeared something on it—it’s poisoned.”

‘Poison?’

A cold gleam flashed in Mu Xi’s eyes. Just as she thought.

Tuesday really was shameless—even in death, he wanted to disgust her.

“Can you tell what kind of poison it is?” Mu Xi asked, her tone still calm and unreadable.