When Hua Jing opened her eyes, she was swallowed by darkness so complete that for a moment she wondered if she had gone blind.
The air around her was heavy and damp, carrying the thick, murky scent of wet soil and decaying leaves.
Her head throbbed dully, and before she could fully gather her thoughts, she realized that something rough was pressed tightly over her eyes.
A blindfold.
Her hands were bound behind her back, wrists already sore from friction, and before she could test the restraints, a strong hand gripped her upper arm and jerked her forward without warning.
She stumbled, her shoes sinking slightly into soft ground.
With each step she heard faint splashing beneath her feet, as though the earth had recently absorbed rain. Water dripped intermittently from above, tapping against leaves and occasionally brushing her shoulders.
