The group immediately searched for him.Xu Yang turned sharply and scanned the path behind them,his eyes moving over the trees and uneven ground."Chen Yu!"He called again,but there was no answer.Qing Li stepped off the road and looked down the slope,carefully pushing aside the branches with one hand."He couldn't have gone far."Yan Luo crouched near the edge of the path and examined the ground,but there were no fresh footprints leading away from it."There's nothing here."
Hei Long looked around,the humor gone from his face."He was walking right behind us."Su Yuan looked toward the trees."Then where did he go?"Nobody answered,but a faint sound suddenly came from somewhere beyond the slope.Xu Yang's head turned toward it."Wait."Everyone stopped moving.A moment later,Chen Yu's voice came through the trees."I'm here!"Qing Li immediately started toward the sound."Chen Yu!"
Xu Yang caught his arm before he could take another step."Wait."Qing Li looked back at him,confusion and worry crossing his face."That's his voice.""I heard it."Xu Yang didn't release his arm."Then why aren't we going?""Because I can't tell where it came from."He looked toward the slope,the trees seeming almost identical in every direction.Qing Li slowly turned back toward the forest."Chen Yu,where are you?"
For several seconds,there was nothing. Then the voice came again."I'm here!"This time,it sounded farther away.Qing Li's expression tightened."That came from deeper inside."Hei Long took a slow breath and looked at Xu Yang."Something's wrong."Xu Yang nodded once."Stay together."They took a few cautious steps forward,but the forest remained unnaturally still.A leaf fell from a branch and landed softly on the road.
Qing Li flinched at the tiny sound before forcing himself to continue.The voice suddenly came again."I'm here!"Everyone stopped.The sound now seemed to come from their left.Su Yuan turned his head sharply."It moved."Yan Luo looked at him. "The voice?"Su Yuan nodded."It was ahead of us."They remained still,trying to listen,but the forest gave them nothing.Then Chen Yu's voice came again."I'm here!"This time,it sounded directly behind them.
Qing Li slowly turned,but there was only the empty road."Chen Yu?"Xu Yang's hand closed around Qing Li's shoulder,stopping him from stepping backward."Don't."Qing Li looked at him."What if he's hurt?""Then we'll find him."Xu Yang kept his eyes on the trees."But we won't walk into something we don't understand."The voice came again. "I'm here!"The words sounded weaker now, almost breathless.Qing Li's face tightened. "Chen Yu,keep talking.Tell us where you are."There was a pause,then the answer came quietly."Don't come looking for me."
The group fell completely silent.Xu Yang slowly turned toward Yan Luo,and Yan Luo gave the smallest shake of his head.Su Yuan's fingers tightened around his sleeve. "That's not right."Hei Long looked toward him."What isn't?""The way he said it."Su Yuan listened carefully,the color slowly draining from his face."It doesn't sound like he's asking us to help him."Xu Yang's eyes narrowed."Then what does it sound like?"Su Yuan didn't answer.
Then a faint rustle moved through the trees, and everyone instinctively looked toward it.The branches swayed once,then became still again.Qing Li took a cautious step backward."Where is he?"No one answered. Then Chen Yu's voice came from somewhere in the darkness,so quiet that they almost missed it."It's already wearing my face."Everyone froze.
Qing Li looked from one person to another. "What..."His voice died before he could finish.Xu Yang slowly turned his head, checking the group one person at a time. "Everyone here?"Yan Luo counted silently before answering,"Yes."Hei Long looked toward Su Yuan."You?"Su Yuan nodded."I'm here."Xu Yang's eyes moved back toward the road.Then someone spoke behind them. "Chen Yu?"Everyone turned.Chen Yu was standing there.He was breathing heavily.
Yan Luo immediately raised his sword and stepped between Chen Yu and the others. "Where did you come from?"Chen Yu stopped when he saw the blade,his eyes dropping to it before slowly lifting toward Yan Luo."I...don't know."Yan Luo's grip tightened."You don't know?"Chen Yu swallowed and looked over his shoulder as though expecting to see someone standing behind him."I was with you."His voice was unsteady."I remember walking into the forest.Then I heard someone calling me."
Qing Li frowned."Calling you?"Chen Yu nodded."It sounded like one of you."Xu Yang took a step closer,but kept his distance. "Whose voice?"Chen Yu hesitated."I couldn't tell at first."He rubbed his palm against his sleeve,trying to steady himself."It kept coming from ahead,so I followed it."Hei Long's expression hardened."And then?" "Nothing."Chen Yu looked toward the trees. "Every time I reached the place where I heard it,it was somewhere else."
Yan Luo watched him carefully."So how did you get back here?"Chen Yu's eyes flickered."I don't remember."Qing Li exchanged an uneasy glance with Xu Yang. "You don't remember leaving?"Chen Yu shook his head."I remember turning around. "He took a shaky breath."After that,I was here."Yan Luo didn't lower his sword. "You expect us to believe that?"Chen Yu looked at him for a moment,then he laughed."I wouldn't believe me either."
Xu Yang stepped closer and studied Chen Yu's face."Look at me."Chen Yu met his eyes.Xu Yang held his gaze for a moment before asking quietly,"How did we first meet?" "I found you injured in the village," Chen Yu answered."You could barely stand, so I brought you back to my home."Xu Yang's shoulders finally eased then he pulled Chen Yu into a brief,firm embrace.
Chen Yu froze in surprise before his hands slowly came up,gripping the back of Xu Yang's clothes as though only now allowing himself to believe that he was back with them."You're really here."Xu Yang murmured."Yeah."Chen Yu breathed."I'm here."Qing Li stepped forward and wrapped an arm around both of them,his voice low with restrained relief."Don't make us go through that again."Chen Yu gave a weak laugh."I wasn't trying to."Qing Li released him,but stayed close,one hand briefly gripping Chen Yu's shoulder before letting go."Good."
Yan Luo glanced from Chen Yu to the silent forest,then back again."What actually happened?"Chen Yu's smile disappeared. He turned toward the forest."I don't know." He took a shaky breath,his fingers tightening around the strap of his pack until his knuckles whitened."But something followed me out."Xu Yang immediately turned toward the trees.Nothing moved.
The road stretched through the forest,and the mist hanging between the distant trunks remained completely still.Hei Long slowly turned in a full circle,his eyes searching the trees."What followed you?"Chen Yu didn't answer.His attention remained fixed on the road.Qing Li stepped closer to him."Chen Yu?"Chen Yu's lips parted,but no words came out.His breathing grew quieter as he stared ahead,his entire body gradually becoming rigid.
Then distant figure appeared. It was Standing motionless at the far end of the road.It was almost completely swallowed by the mist,its body little more than a dark, human-shaped silhouette against the forest. Hei Long slowly straightened.His eyes narrowed as he tried to make out its face but he couldn't see figure's face.The figure stood with its arms hanging loosely at its sides, its head slightly lowered, as though it were staring at the ground.Wei Han immediately stepped forward. "Stay behind me."Everyone stopped.
Then the figure slowly lifted its head.Not quickly.Its face remained hidden beneath the veil of mist.Another figure appeared beside it then another.They cami from the mist one by one,silently taking their places along the road.Some stood perfectly upright, their arms hanging stiffly at their sides.Some were hunched forward, their backs curved as though their bodies had forgotten how to stand properly. One had its head tilted sharply to the side, the angle so unnatural that it looked as though its neck had been broken.
Another stood with one arm hanging much lower than the other, its long fingers almost brushing the ground. None of them moved. One after another.Then far more than anyone could count.The mist seemed to be filled with them.Dark figures stood between the trees, along the road, and deeper within the forest, appearing from places where there had been nothing moments before. Their clothes were torn and filthy, hanging loosely from unnaturally thin bodies.Patches of pale skin showed through the ripped fabric.Their faces were almost colorless whenever the mist briefly revealed them, their expressions completely empty.
Some had long, tangled hair hanging over their faces, with only small portions of pale skin visible beneath it.Others had their faces fully exposed, staring forward with wide, unblinking eyes that seemed far too dark against their pale skin.One figure stood with its mouth slightly open, its lips cracked and colorless, yet no breath escaped despite the freezing air. Another slowly turned its head toward the group without moving the rest of its body.Then another figure followed.Then another. Soon, dozens of heads were facing toward them.The figures simply stood there in the mist, their faces and unnatural bodies barely visible between the trees, watching without blinking.
Hei Long's grip tightened around his sword. Yan Luo's face became serious as he watched the growing group in the mist."They aren't travelers." The nearest figure suddenly moved and it didn't walk.It ran toward them at a frightening speed,its body jerking strangely with every step. Its long hair covered most of its face, but two pale eyes could be seen through it. Another figure started running. Then another. Within seconds, all of them were running toward the group.
Some ran with their heads hanging low, some moved their shoulders in strange ways.Others ran without bending their knees,almost as if they were sliding across the ground.Their faces appeared and disappeared through the mist. Then one of them spoke. "Wait…" The voice was weak and cold. Another voice followed. "Don't run…" Then another. "Come back…" Wei Han turned sharply."Everyone...run."
The group raced down the mountain road. Qing Li ran beside Chen Yu, his breathing becoming faster.Hei Long pushed past a low branch and heard it crack behind him.He glanced back.The figures were getting closer and their footsteps echoed through the forest,growing louder with every second. One suddenly appeared between the trees only a few steps behind them.
Hei Long swung his sword instinctively. The figure stopped for a fraction of a second, its face staring at him through its tangled hair. Then its mouth opened wider than it should have. "Why are you running?" Hei Long's face went pale, and he turned away, sprinting after the others. "Don't listen to them." Yan Luo said.More voices came from behind them. "Turn back…" "You cannot escape…" "Come here…"
The voices sounded as if they were coming from everywhere.Some were far away.Some sounded almost right beside them.Chen Yu suddenly stumbled when one voice called his name."Chen Yu…" He turned his head. A pale hand reached out from the mist behind a tree, fingers stretching toward him. Qing Li grabbed his sleeve and pulled him forward. "Don't stop!" Chen Yu regained his balance and ran. The hand disappeared back into the mist and branches hit their faces and clothes.Their footsteps slipped against the wet stones, and once Qing Li nearly fell over the edge of the road before Wei Han caught his arm and pulled him back. "Watch your step." They kept running.
Behind them, the figures kept coming.Their footsteps became louder anycoser. Then low, broken laugh suddenly echoed through the trees. Hei Long looked back again. One figure was running directly toward him, its feet barely touching the ground. "Faster!" he shouted. Then the road began to curve. Wei Han saw the bend ahead and pushed the others forward. "Keep moving!" They rushed around the curve.
Hei Long looked back,he saw figures were still there.Some had almost reached the bend.Others stood farther back in the mist. Then,without warning, they stopped. Every single one of them stopped.Hei Long slowed down in shock.His chest rose and fell heavily as he stared at them. "Wei Han…" Wei Han turned around. The entire group stopped.
Behind them, every figure stood motionless on the road.Not one crossed the bend and no one came closer.They simply stood there and their faces remained turned toward the group. Some had their heads tilted strangely. Some stared with wide, empty eyes.Others had their faces hidden beneath long, tangled hair. The mist moved around their bodies, but they did not move with it.They did not breathe. They did not speak. They did not even blink.
Qing Li looked at them and sweat ran down his cheek.Chen Yu stared at the figures, his breathing slowly becoming quieter.Then a faint voice came from the mist. "You have gone far enough." Another voice whispered, "Do not come back." A third voice followed. "We will wait." The voices disappeared as quickly as they had come. The road between them felt impossibly long. Qing Li stared at the nearest figure, his face drained of color.
The figure slowly lowered its chin, its eyes still fixed on them. Another figure did the same then another.Soon,every figure was standing with its head slightly lowered, silently watching from the mist. Yan Luo's expression remained dark. No one moved. The figures had stopped and they didn't follow.They simply stood there and watched them.
Hei Long slowly lowered his weapon, but his eyes remained on the mist. "They could have reached us." Yan Luo glanced toward him. "Yet they didn't." Wei Han looked back at the silent figures. "Whatever stopped them, we shouldn't test it." Chen Yu said nothing. His face was still pale, and his breathing had not fully settled. Yan Luo noticed but did not question him. "We leave now. The town is not far." They continued down the mountain road without another word.
They entered the town and stopped near an empty wooden house beside the road.The town was quiet, with old wooden houses standing close together along the road. Red lanterns hung under the roofs, and a few oil lamps still burned outside the small shops. A wooden sign creaked in the wind, and somewhere nearby, a temple bell rang softly. A few villagers stood outside their homes, watching the strangers as they passed.
Qing Li took out the water flask again and passed it around.Everyone drank a little, slowly this time. Xu Yang took several mouthfuls before wiping his lips with the back of his hand. Lin Chen drank next and handed the flask to Wei Han.Wei Han took it and drank quietly.When he finished, only a little water remained.He paused,then poured it over his hands, washing away the dirt and sweat from the road. He lifted the flask again and let the remaining water run over his face. Droplets slipped from his jaw and fell onto the front of his clothes. He raised one hand and brushed his damp hair away from his forehead.
Xu Yang glanced at him and quietly stopped drinking. Lin Chen noticed as well.For a moment, neither of them said anything. Wei Han lowered his hand and looked at them. "What is it?" Xu Yang quickly looked away. "Nothing." Lin Chen gave a small cough and turned his attention toward the road.Wei Han studied them for a second, then simply shook his head and set the flask beside him.
Hei Long rubbed his face and looked at the road they had come from. "I still don't understand why they stopped." Wei Han glanced at him. "Neither do I." Hei Long looked down at his weapon. "They were close enough to catch us." "I know." Yan Luo's voice was quiet. "That's the part we shouldn't ignore."
Lin Chen rested his elbows on his knees, his gaze fixed on the dark road. "Whatever they were, they weren't acting on instinct." Hei Long frowned. "You think someone was controlling them?" "I'm saying we don't know enough to make that conclusion." Yan Luo paused. "But we shouldn't dismiss it either."Wei Han looked toward the mountain.
"They stopped when we reached the bend." Lin Chen looked at him. "Why would they..."
Before he could finished sudden noise rose from farther down the street.It was faint at first,followed by several voices speaking over one another. Xu Yang lifted his head. "What is that?" He turned toward the sound and saw movement gathering near the center of the town. "Why is there a crowd?" Wei Han stood at once and looked at Su Yuan for seconds.Lin Chen stood and say,"Let's find out." Su Yuan kept looking at Wei Han.
They moved toward the noise, keeping together as they passed through the narrow street.More townspeople were gathering ahead, some whispering while others stood around a large wooden notice board.A few men stepped aside as the group approached.Qing Li slowed when he saw the paper posted at the top. His eyes moved to the symbol stamped above the writing, and his expression changed. "This is a royal notice." Chen Yu looked at him. "What are they searching for?" Qing Li stepped closer and began reading. His eyes moved slowly across the lines, and the more he read, the more serious his face became. "They've been searching the surrounding villages since last night."
Su Yuan, who had been standing slightly behind the others, became completely still. Xu Yang noticed immediately. He turned toward him. "What is it?" Su Yuan's eyes remained on the notice. "Nothing." Yan Luo looked at him without saying a word.He had noticed the change as well.Qing Li continued reading, but then his eyes stopped at the lower part of the notice.There was a portrait beneath the written description.He stared at it for several seconds.His gaze slowly moved from the paper to Su Yuan, then back to the portrait. His expression changed completely.
Xu Yang followed his gaze. "What?" Qing Li did not answer at once. He slowly raised his hand and pointed toward the portrait."Look." Xu Yang stepped closer. His eyes fell on the face drawn on the notice, and his expression tightened. It was unmistakably Su Yuan. Nobody spoke.The noise of the crowd seemed to fade around them.Yan Luo looked from the portrait to Su Yuan, and the suspicion he had carried since their journey finally settled into certainty. "You." Su Yuan remained silent.
Xu Yang turned toward him. "They're looking for you?" Su Yuan's jaw tightened, but he did not answer. Yan Luo stepped forward, his eyes never leaving him. "I knew you were hiding something." Su Yuan finally looked at him. "I was..." He stopped, his voice low. Xu Yang frowned. "You were what?" Hei Long looked at him seriously. "Just say it." Su Yuan lowered his eyes for a moment. "I didn't want to hide it from you." Xu Yang's expression hardened. "Then why didn't you tell us?" Su Yuan looked back at them. "Because I knew things would change once you knew who I was." Chen Yu stayed quiet, watching him carefully. "And now?" Su Yuan glanced at the royal notice. "Now it doesn't matter anymore."
Yan Luo's voice remained calm, but there was a clear warning in his eyes. "Whatever you're hiding, Su Yuan, it's no longer yours alone. If they're searching for you, then we're already involved." Su Yuan said nothing. Xu Yang stared at him, confusion slowly giving way to distrust. "Who are you? Why are they looking for you?" Su Yuan's eyes moved to Wei Han, then back to Xu Yang, but he still remained silent.Xu Yang took a step closer. "We've trusted you this whole time. Don't make us regret it." Su Yuan's expression tightened. "I never meant to put you in danger."
Hei Long looked toward the soldiers gathering in the distance. "Whether you meant to or not, we're standing in it now." Su Yuan lowered his eyes. "I know." Chen Yu stepped closer to him, his voice softer than the others. "You can tell us. Whatever it is, just tell us who you really are."For several seconds,Su Yuan remained silent. The crowd around them had begun to notice the tension, but he seemed unaware of it. He looked once at the royal notice, then lowered his eyes. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet. "I'm the Demon Prince."
Qing Li's eyes widened, and he stared at Su Yuan in disbelief. Chen Yu looked from Su Yuan to the royal notice, then back at him. "The Demon Prince?!" His voice rose before he could stop himself. Hei Long's face changed completely. "Wait... you're saying you're the Demon Prince?" Su Yuan gave a small nod. "Yes." Xu Yang stepped back, staring at him. "Are you serious? How can that be possible?!" Hei Long looked at the portrait again, his expression turning tense. "Then all this time..." He stopped, unable to finish the thought. Chen Yu shook his head. "You were hiding this from us?" Su Yuan's eyes lowered. "I didn't want you to know." Yan Luo's eyes narrowed as several earlier details suddenly made sense. "Your strength, the way those people reacted to you..." He looked at the royal notice. "It all makes sense now." Xu Yang's voice became sharper. "Then why are the royal soldiers hunting you? What happened?"
Before anyone could speak further, a strange sound came from above the town. Several black-feathered messenger birds suddenly rose into the sky, their wings cutting sharply through the night air. The crowd looked upward. One of the birds carried a small royal seal around its leg. Chen Yu noticed it first. "They're signaling someone." Wei Han immediately turned toward the town entrance.He heard it before the others did. Qing Li looked at Su Yuan and noticed how suddenly still he had become. "Su Yuan, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." Su Yuan didn't answer.
Chen Yu walked closer to his and put his hand on his shoulder. "Su Yuan?" Su Yuan didn't answer.His eyes remained fixed on the dark sky where the messenger birds had disappeared.His breathing became faster. His fingers trembled as he clenched them into fists, but he couldn't stop the shaking. And thin layer of sweat appeared along his forehead,and he swallowed hard as his eyes kept darting toward the town entrance. "They found me." he whispered.
Xu Yang stared at him. "What?" Su Yuan took a step back without realizing it. His face had gone pale,and his lips were slightly parted as he struggled to steady his breathing. "They found me." His voice cracked slightly. "I don't want to go back."
Chen Yu stepped closer. "Back where?" Su Yuan shook his head quickly. His breathing grew heavier, and one hand pressed against his chest as though trying to slow his racing heartbeat. "I can't go back there." His shoulders were tense, and his whole body seemed ready to run. He glanced down the street again, then took another unsteady step backward. "Please..."He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to regain control, but when the distant sound of armor reached them, his eyes opened sharply. Fear filled them. "I don't want them to take me."
Then Heavy footsteps echoed through the street, and the crowd began moving aside as a group of royal soldiers entered the town in formation. Their armor caught the lantern light as they advanced, their eyes moving across the gathered villagers. The soldiers were searching every face.Wei Han quietly shifted closer to the others while Yan Luo glanced toward the narrow streets around them, already judging their possible routes out.
Then one of the soldiers stopped. His eyes landed on Su Yuan. For a brief moment, he simply stared, and recognition flashed across his face. He immediately raised his hand. "There!" Everyone turned as the soldier pointed directly toward Su Yuan. "The Prince is there!" The crowd erupted into movement, and Su Yuan's face went pale.