Xianan closed her eyes again, exhaustion overtaking her.
After an unknown amount of time, the outside grew quiet. Xianan cautiously peeked out. No movement.
"Xianan! Come out!" Jin called.
Xianan climbed out.
All around them, black liquid pooled across the ground.
"The iron-skinned creatures… they all turned into this," Jin said.
Uncle Wei and Han walked over as well.
"Don't touch it," Han warned. "We don't know if it's toxic."
Xianan looked at Han, her emotions complicated.
When Uncle Wei had been in danger, Han hadn't come out.
But…
They had survived together. Relied on each other.
Fear could break anyone. And now, only the four of them remained. If they wanted to leave this place alive, they had to stand together.
"How long has it been?" Xianan asked.
Han replied, "You and Jin have been here almost three days. Uncle Wei and I arrived earlier, so we should be able to leave soon."
Three days.
Only three days—and yet it felt like an eternity.
Xianan looked around the dungeon.
In the time that remained…
What else would appear? What else would happen?
Xianan stood there in silence, staring at the ground littered with bones, corpses, and pools of black liquid.
For a moment, she felt almost numb.
In the past, under her father's protection, she had never experienced anything like this. And yet now… she felt like someone who had survived countless battles.
But why? Why would the Golden guards send these creatures into the dungeon? What did they gain from their deaths?
Another three hours passed. Hunger gnawed at everyone, their spirits gradually sinking.
Han tilted her head, counting on her fingers.
"Almost… almost. We'll be out soon."
"Really…?" Jin Zhou muttered weakly, his face filthy, his body drained of strength. Even his voice trembled.
Suddenly—
The distant wall began to rise. The eerie music echoed once again.
Xianan's eyes snapped open, locking onto the slowly lifting wall.
A cart rolled in.
No matter what, the tightness in their chests eased slightly.
This time, however, the cart seemed almost alive, slowly rolling toward them—straight toward Xianan and the others.
She glanced at it.
Just as before, it was piled high with food. A wave of aroma drifted through the air.
Jin Zhou suddenly snapped. "If we can't eat it, why bring it in at all?!"
The more he spoke, the angrier he became—until he kicked the cart over.
"Brother…" Xianan called weakly.
Then—
Something moved beneath the cart.
A small yellow kitten crawled out.
It was no bigger than an adult's palm, with a round head, wide eyes, and a plump little body.
It looked up at Jin, its eyes soft and watery. The anger in his chest faded almost instantly.
"That's a Cloud Cat," Han said.
Xianan had heard of them from her father—rare creatures with soft, cloud-like fur and a faint sandalwood scent. Stroking them was said to calm the mind. They were often taken as pets by the wealthy in the Wood Realm and the Golden Academy.
She had only seen one or two before.
Even now, she couldn't deny—it was adorable.
And yet…
Something felt wrong.
Unlike the Wood Hounds or the wasps, it carried no visible weapon. It looked harmless—almost too harmless.
"It's so cute," Han said, a rare smile appearing on her dry lips.
"Could it have wandered onto the cart by accident?" Jin Zhou asked.
Uncle Wei frowned as he looked at the Cloud Cat.
"This thing came from the cart," he said quietly. "We don't know what it is. It's safer to kill it now."
Han was startled."Kill it? It's just a cat…"
Jin Zhou hesitated."It doesn't look dangerous."
Xianan remained silent for a moment, watching the Cloud Cat.
It lay there quietly, its round eyes soft and harmless.
She shook her head."…Let's not. If it's not a threat, there's no reason to kill it."
Uncle Wei looked at them, his brows still furrowed.
For a while, nothing happened.
The Cloud Cat lay quietly, allowing Han to reach out and stroke its fur.
"That's strange…" Han murmured softly. "I felt so restless before, but now… I feel calmer."
"My father said their fur can soothe the mind," Xianan replied.
Jin stepped closer and reached out as well.
The moment his fingers touched the fur, his shoulders loosened. The tightness in his chest eased.
Even Uncle Wei stood nearby, though still wary.
"We should be careful," he said. "It came from that cart."
But no one really listened.
After days of fear and tension, even a moment of peace felt irresistible.
Han gently lifted the Cloud Cat into her arms.
Then—
The cat let out a sharp cry.
Xianan's heart tightened.
Something's wrong.
"Han—put it down!" she called.
Too late. The Cloud Cat's paw snapped upward. Its claws shot out from its soft pads—long, cold, gleaming.
Metal. As long as a finger.
"Careful!" Uncle Wei shouted.
He lunged forward, grabbing the cat and throwing it aside.
"Are you alright?" everyone asked.
"I'm fine… but…" Han hesitated.
Her gaze shifted.
Uncle Wei's hand.
Two deep cuts, blood already seeping out.
"Uncle Wei… does it hurt?" Xianan asked.
"It's nothing," Uncle Wei said, forcing a small smile. "Just a scratch. Don't make a fuss."
Han spat bitterly,
"The cat looks harmless… but it's just another trap."
The Cloud Cat lay to the side again, quiet, almost obedient, as if nothing had happened.
Xianan stared at it.
Wood Hounds. Wasps. Now this.
Creatures that should have lived freely—turned into tools meant to kill. A dull ache spread in her chest.
"Ah—!"
Uncle Wei suddenly cried out. His body convulsed violently. Just like the iron-skinned creatures before.
"The claws were poisoned!" Xianan's voice trembled.
"Uncle Wei… what do we do?" Jin's eyes filled with tears. "Is he going to turn into one of them?"
"We need to get the blood out!" Han said quickly, guilt flooding her voice. "He got hurt saving me!"
Jin Zhou held him steady.
Xianan lowered her head and pressed her lips to the wound, drawing out as much tainted blood as she could, spitting it aside.
They watched him, tense, silent.
Xianan prayed desperately—
We're almost out… please hold on.
But—
It was no use.
For a moment, Uncle Wei seemed to recognize them.
His lips moved slightly—
But no sound came out.
His skin darkened. Then the metal began to spread.
From his feet… up his body… toward his chest.
Tears burst from Xianan's eyes.
They were so close to leaving—
and yet—
"Move aside." Han stepped forward, gripping a wasp stinger tightly.
"You're going to kill him?!" Jin Zhou shouted, his voice shaking.
"He's turning!" Han yelled. "If we don't stop him now, he might kill us!"
Xianan's hand tightened around the stinger at her waist.
The metal spread higher—
to his chest—
to his throat—
This is Uncle Wei…
She saw his warm smile in her mind.
She couldn't.
She couldn't do it.
Han didn't hesitate. She stepped forward and drove the stinger into his eye. Then his throat…
Uncle Wei let out a final cry.
He staggered, fell, and went still.
Moments later, his body dissolved into black liquid.
Han collapsed to her knees. Her body trembled, as if all strength had left her. Sweat and tears streamed down, dripping into the dark liquid on the ground.
"You… you killed him!" Jin Zhou rushed forward, grabbing her collar.
Xianan stepped in, pulling him back.
"Jin…" Her voice was low. "She was right."
The wall opened once more.
This time—
The Golden guards.
One of them looked at Han. "Time's up. Come with us."
Han followed them.
After a few steps, she turned back.
"You must get out safely," she said. "We'll meet again."
There was no joy in her expression, only worry.
Xianan and Jin Zhou watched her leave.
Safely…
Could they really leave safely?
They looked at the black liquid on the ground.
At what remained of Uncle Wei.
The air felt suffocating.
Xianan had expected more horrors, but in the hours that followed, nothing happened.
On the fourth day, the guards came for Jin Zhou.
Xianan let out a quiet breath of relief.
"Go," she said. "Take the money. Buy the ginseng. Save Grandpa Feng."
"I'm not leaving," Jin said immediately. "I won't leave you here alone."
"There's no time. It's already been four days. We don't know if he can hold on any longer. Go. I'll be fine."
"Xianan… come with me. This place isn't meant for people. Who are you even asking them to catch? That Kou couple? We can deal with them later. Just come with me."
"The Kou couple is under the village head's protection. We're just ordinary villagers—we have no way to touch them." Her voice steadied. "I have to use this chance. I have to get rid of them… and avenge Grandpa Feng."
Jin Zhou saw the determination in her eyes.
At last, he turned.
Step by step.
Looking back again and again.
Tears falling.
The dungeon fell silent.
Only Xianan remained.
She hugged her knees tightly, staring at the wall ahead—
waiting.