Mu Xi had been holding the milk carton, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the cold paper surface.
The moment she heard the word “medicine,” she suddenly lifted her head, her silver-white hair catching a faint glimmer in the dim carriage.
Her eyes widened instantly, bright and lively, filled with surprise and a hint of disbelief, like stars suddenly shining in the night sky, flickering with a yearning light.
She took the glass bottle, her fingers trembling slightly as she carefully opened the cork and brought it close to her nose.
A faint herbal scent, mixed with a barely noticeable metallic tang, wafted into her nostrils.
“You…” Mu Xi’s voice was hoarse, laced with an uncontrollable excitement.
She raised her head and looked at Li Xin, the emotions in her eyes complex and turbulent, “Where did you get this?” Â
Li Xin stared ahead at the deep Forest, her profile hardened in the dim light, only the depths of her eyes revealing a faint, subtle softness.
She spoke slowly, her tone calm but with a slight rasp, “On the way chasing after you, I ran into a few groups from Lin Jun Squad.”
She paused, as if recalling unpleasant encounters, her voice dropping a few tones, “I forced it out of them. There’s a Patrol Supply Hut in the Forest with medicine stored underground.”
“I smashed one open.”
Li Xin added, her voice so calm it seemed she was recounting something trivial.
But Mu Xi could imagine the ruthless decisiveness and cold methods hidden beneath that calm tone. Â
For her sake, Li Xin risked danger again, possibly clashing head-on with the Nightfall Guards.
An indescribable wave of emotion surged in Mu Xi’s chest—gratitude, touched feelings, and an unspoken fluttering interwoven, warming her heart.
She clutched the glass bottle tightly as if it were a treasure regained, then suddenly leaned forward without warning, reaching out with delicate arms to gently embrace Li Xin.
It was a hug full of gratitude, dependence, and even a trace of attachment—light and soft, yet carrying a power that struck straight to the heart.
Mu Xi’s soft body pressed against Li Xin’s rigid uniform.
Her silver-white hair, carrying a faint creamy fragrance, brushed lightly against Li Xin’s cheek, sending a tingling sensation. Â
Li Xin’s body stiffened slightly.
The calmness in her eyes instantly gave way to a complex emotion, like a dark current suddenly surging beneath a still pool, fierce yet restrained. Â
She reached out, originally intending to push Mu Xi away, but when her hand touched the softness of Mu Xi’s back, she hesitated, freezing mid-air.
In the end, her hand landed gently and cautiously on Mu Xi’s shoulder, as if guarding a fragile treasure.
Mu Xi cradled the small bottle in her hands, her fingertips tracing the cold glass.
She looked at Li Xin, her eyes still shimmering with lingering excitement, like wind rippling over a tranquil lake.
“Take a few?” she asked softly, a barely perceptible tremor in her voice.
“Just one.”
Li Xin’s words had barely left her lips when she poured out a single pill, pinching it between her fingers and bringing it to her lips.
The pill carried an old wooden scent, mixed with a rusty metallic tang—not pleasant.
Mu Xi frowned slightly but quickly swallowed the pill with some water.
The bitter taste spread instantly across her tongue, like spring water infused with coptis, accompanied by an unpleasant astringency that slowly settled deep in her throat.
The strange flavor lingered stubbornly.
The medicine’s effects wouldn’t be immediate, but a faint hope kindled in Mu Xi’s heart—like the first star seen in the night sky.
She turned back to Li Xin, speaking sincerely, “Thank you.”
Her voice was soft but full of genuine gratitude.
Li Xin’s gaze remained fixed on the blurry road ahead.
Her hands gripped the steering wheel as steadily as rock, her tone as calm as ever but with a subtle easing beneath the surface, “This is what I promised you.”
The weight of the promise in her words felt as heavy as stone.
She continued driving the old pickup, the engine’s dull roar echoing through the silent Forest.
Their destination was the nearest Town, where perhaps new hope awaited.
Mu Xi slowly closed her eyes, exhaustion crashing over her like a tidal wave, swallowing her whole.
Her consciousness plummeted into an abyss, darkness instantly engulfing her.
Her heavy eyelids could no longer hold up and shut completely, plunging the world into chaos.
It was not pure void, but a forced memory dragged out by the medicine, turning into an inescapable nightmare that played harshly in her mind.
The dream returned to that night engulfed in flames.
Mu Xi curled up beneath the table in her room, her small body trembling, as if that could shield her from the coming disaster.
The air was thick with the smell of burning; waves of heat struck her face, stinging her eyes.
Suddenly, the door was violently kicked open with a deafening crash, splinters flying everywhere.
Terrified, Mu Xi lifted her head and peeked through the gap under the table.
She saw Ye Lan, like a demon from hell.
She approached against the blaze, her whole body seeming to burn with black flames.
Her usually delicate face was now twisted and ferocious, her eyes cold as ice, utterly devoid of human warmth. Â
Mu Xi’s parents were tightly restrained by the black-clad men Ye Lan had brought, like lambs awaiting slaughter, desperately struggling.
Their hoarse cries were drowned out by the crackling fire, helpless and tragic.
Ye Lan stepped forward, the sharp taps of her high heels echoed like a death countdown.
In her hand, she held a dagger glinting coldly in the firelight, its blade flashing a chilling gleam.
Without hesitation, the dagger plunged down fiercely, blood spurting instantly, staining the floor red and splattering onto Mu Xi’s face—warm, sticky, and reeking of iron.
Her father and mother were mercilessly slaughtered by Ye Lan before her eyes.
The flames spread wildly, devouring everything in the room.
Wooden furniture cracked and popped; the walls blackened from the heat, the air thick and warped with scorching heat. Â
Mu Xi felt as if she were in hell itself—unable to breathe or move, forced to watch this human tragedy unfold before her.
Ye Lan slowly turned her head, her deep eyes fixing on Mu Xi beneath the table like a poisonous snake.
A cruel smile curled at her lips, like a black datura blooming in a pool of blood—seductive and deadly.
She grabbed Mu Xi’s hair and yanked her out from under the table like a rag doll.
Sharp pain shot through Mu Xi’s scalp; she screamed in agony but was mercilessly slapped by Ye Lan.
Her cheek instantly swelled, the fiery pain causing stars to flash before her eyes.
Ye Lan’s force was immense, as if trying to shatter her bones.
What followed was an unrelenting beating.
Fists and slaps rained down on Mu Xi’s fragile body like a storm.
She was like a battered punching bag, mercilessly destroyed by Ye Lan.
Each strike brought piercing pain; each breath felt like it tore through her.
Mu Xi curled into a ball, instinctively protecting her head, but could not stop the torrential assault.
She cried and begged, her voice hoarse and broken, yet unable to move the demon in front of her even a fraction.
Ye Lan’s gaze was cold and indifferent, as if savoring the slow destruction of a delicate work of art, filled with a sick pleasure.
Looking fine dream to me.