šššššššš
After hearing Han's truth, Xiao Zhan's heart felt unbearably heavy.
There was a strange coldness in the roomāas if even the air could sense his confusion.
Yibo was outside.
Han was in another room.
And Xiao Zhan was alone, drowning in his thoughts.
He sat down on the sofaā
And in that momentā¦
the lights in the room flickered softly.
Then went out.
š Silence. Complete darkness.
Xiao Zhan held his breath.
Then he heard itā
a gentle, suffocating whisper.
"Zhanā¦"
That voice was unmistakable.
Lian.
The air turned icy.
And within the darkness, a faint white glow began to form.
Slowly, Lian's shadow appeared.
This time, there was no blood in her eyes.
No twisted expression.
She lookedā¦ almost human.
Tired. Broken. Sad.
Xiao Zhan trembled.
Xiao Zhan: "Youā¦ came again?"
Lian stepped closer, but there was no threat in her movements this timeā
only a pain that couldn't be ignored.
Lian (softly):
"What Han told youā¦
was not the whole truth."
Zhan's eyes widened.
Lian lifted her fingers into the airā
and suddenly, a fractured memory unfolded before him.
Han, Yibo, and Lian preparing for the mission.
Fear was visible on Han's faceā
and something else.
Lian:
"Han only saw Yibo's mistakeā¦
not his own."
Confused, Zhan askedā
Xiao Zhan: "Soā¦ Han is guilty too?"
Tears shimmered in Lian's eyes.
Lian:
"Han made a mistake during the ritual.
He forgot the final part of the spell.
That partā¦
the one that could have saved me."
The room filled with an unnatural pulse,
as if even the air was in shock.
ā” "He blames Yiboā¦ because he can't blame himself."
Lian's voice grew heavier.
Lian:
"Han knows that if the truth comes outā¦
Yibo will never forgive him.
And he also knows that youā¦
trust Yibo."
Xiao Zhan's breathing quickened.
Xiao Zhan: "Thenā¦ what do you want from me?"
Lian stepped right in front of him.
For the first time, there was peace in her eyesā
no hatred, no jealousyā¦ only sorrow.
Lian:
"Only thisā¦
that you hear the truth.
The whole truth."
She reached her hand toward Xiao Zhan.
This timeā¦
he felt warmth.
As if her soul was slowly awakening.
Lian:
"If I blamed Yiboā¦
it was only because he was the closest to me.
But Hanā¦
Han is just as responsible."
The room began to trembleā
as if Lian's presence had become too heavy.
As the light slowly returned to the room,
Lian began to step back.
Lian (whispering):
"Zhanā¦ don't trust anyoneā¦
until you see the truth for yourself."
Her words echoed in the air
before dissolving like smoke.
Xiao Zhan stood aloneā
his heart shaking,
his mind filled with questions.
Now he knew two things:
ā¢ Yibo had made a mistake.
ā¢ Han had hidden the truth.
And Lian?
She only wanted peaceā
not revenge, not death.
Justā¦ the truth.
šššššššš