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Li Min's POV
I swallowed hard, my voice barely steady as I forced myself to speak. "Hello?"
The cavern swallowed the sound, and for a heartbeat, there was nothing but my own rapid breathing. Then, a voice, calm and low, carried from somewhere in the shadows.
"Hello, little visitor."
I froze. My heart pounded against my ribs. I could see the man — the long-haired figure sitting perfectly still — but he did not turn to face me. He spoke lightly, almost teasingly, as if the world, or even I, were nothing more than background scenery.
"Who… who are you?" My voice shook, but I forced it to sound braver than I felt. "What… what are you doing here? In this cave?"
He let out a soft chuckle, a sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Just sitting. Waiting. Time passes differently here, you know?"
I frowned, frustrated. "That… doesn't answer my question. Who are you? Are you some hermit? Or…" I hesitated, glancing around nervously, "or something worse?"
"Worse? Perhaps," he said lightly, voice teasing. "But worse is a matter of perspective, isn't it?"
I blinked. He wasn't answering, and yet every word carried weight. The silence of the cave pressed against me, heavy and strange, but I forced myself to continue.
"Have you… seen anyone pass by here?" I asked cautiously. My throat felt dry.
"I haven't seen anyone for a very long time," he replied, his voice calm, almost teasing.
I frowned, my mind racing. That must mean he's been here alone… alone for years. For who knows how long. My stomach twisted at the thought, but I forced myself to focus.
"I… I see," I said quietly, trying to keep my voice steady. "So… you really haven't seen a single soul?"
His chuckle drifted through the cave, soft and hollow. "Not one," he said. "And yet… here you are."
His chuckle echoed faintly, like the wind. "And you… are here for a reason. You're looking for someone."
"Your brother."
My head snapped up. "What… how do you know?" I stepped back, clutching the pendant at my neck, my heart hammering. "You… you know my brother?"
He didn't move, didn't turn, and yet his smirk was palpable. "Pull that talisman hanging by the entrance. Call me out. I can help you find him."
I froze, staring at the cord dangling near the cave mouth. My fingers itched to reach for it, but something held me back. The talisman was etched with symbols I didn't fully understand. One of them… one was familiar. I had seen it in my brother's books. It represented a seal.
I swallowed, my breath coming unevenly. My hands trembled. "I… I can't," I whispered. "I… I don't understand what it says. What if it's dangerous?"
He laughed softly, almost amused. "Then don't. I don't need your help if you won't pull it. Carry on. It seems you're clever enough to see the truth anyway."
I frowned. Truth? What did he mean? But the warning in his tone, the faint… almost tangible weight of his presence, made my heart tighten. I glanced at the talisman one last time before taking a step back.
He said nothing, only leaned slightly forward, still not turning. And yet I understood. He was trapped. Whatever he was, whatever power he possessed, it was sealed here — and if I touched it, I could intervene. If I didn't… then I would walk away from someone who could be dangerous, or… possibly someone important.
I let out a shaky breath. "I… I can't," I said again, stepping backward toward the cave mouth. The forest outside called to me, its familiar scents, the rustle of leaves. I had no choice but to leave.
I moved quickly, my lantern light swinging in nervous arcs. The forest swallowed me again. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves made me jump. My heart hammered in my chest.
"Who's there?" I called, voice sharper now, trying to sound braver than I felt. "Is someone there?"
No answer. Only the faint rustle of leaves, the distant cry of some nocturnal creature. I quickened my pace, brushing past the roots and tangled branches, trying to remember the path I had taken in.
Then, movement. Quick. Close. Too close.
I froze. My chest tightened. The shadows shifted, and the rustling came again, louder, more deliberate. My mind raced — a bear? A leopard? A wolf? One of the forest beasts that had always haunted the edges of the forbidden woods?
I tried to calm my breathing, tried to slow my pounding heart. "Show yourself!" I shouted, voice cracking. "I… I'm not afraid!"
The underbrush erupted. A dark shape lunged from the shadows. My scream caught in my throat. I stumbled backward, swinging my lantern. Its light fell across the creature for a heartbeat — massive, claws glinting, teeth bared, eyes glowing in the dim moonlight.
I turned to run, adrenaline flooding every muscle, but my mind raced at a hundred miles an hour. I had to survive. I had to find my brother. I couldn't die here. Not now.
Branches tore at my clothes, roots snatched at my feet. My breaths came in ragged gasps. The forest seemed alive, a living maze designed to swallow me whole. And yet… even in the chaos, a single thought cut through:
The man in the cave. He knows something. If I survive this… maybe… maybe he can help me.
I stumbled over a root, falling hard against the damp earth. The beast pounced again, and my world narrowed to the sound of its growls, the scrape of claws, and the taste of fear that burned hotter than fire in my chest.
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