The Whispering Walls
The city seemed to shift as Lin Yue and Shen Wei moved deeper into Xiangcheng. Narrow alleys twisted like serpents, and the walls themselves seemed to hum with secrets long buried. Every brick, every carved pattern, whispered stories of the families and hunters that had shaped the city for centuries.
"Do you hear that?" Lin Yue whispered, stopping mid-step.
Shen Wei's eyes narrowed. "The city speaks to those who listen," he said. "The walls remember. They know every betrayal, every oath, every hidden pact. Focus. Listen closely."
Lin Yue pressed her hand against the cold stone of a nearby wall. At first, she felt nothing—but then, faint whispers grazed her mind, voices layered with sorrow, anger, and warning. Names, dates, and cryptic messages flowed through her consciousness. She staggered slightly, overwhelmed by the weight of so many secrets.
"You are connected now," Shen Wei said softly, steadying her. "Your bloodline allows you to feel what the city has seen. But do not lose yourself. Separate the voices that matter from those that distract."
Lin Yue nodded, taking a deep breath. She forced herself to focus, allowing only the strongest currents of the whispers to reach her. Slowly, patterns emerged—paths of betrayal, hidden alliances between families, and even hints of hunters lying in wait.
Suddenly, one whisper stood out, urgent and insistent: "The Zhang family will move at the crimson hour. Beware the silver talisman."
Shen Wei stiffened beside her. "Cai Jun," he muttered, his voice grim. "He's making his move tonight. And he knows you've awakened."
Lin Yue's pulse quickened. "What do we do?"
"We prepare," Shen Wei said. "We cannot fight them all at once. But if we anticipate their steps, we can turn their plan against them."
The whispers grew louder, feeding Lin Yue's mind with fragmented visions: a hidden tunnel beneath the city, a secret meeting of rival bloodlines, a trap laid for those marked by the moon. She shivered, both frightened and exhilarated.
"The city is alive," she murmured, awe in her voice. "And it's… guiding me."
Shen Wei nodded. "Yes. But remember—every whisper has a cost. Some truths will hurt. Some knowledge will demand sacrifice. You must be ready for all of it."
Lin Yue pressed her hand to the wall again, feeling the pulse of Xiangcheng beneath her fingers, alive, dark, and watchful. Somewhere in the shadows, the hunters were moving, and the families were plotting—but she was no longer simply a pawn.
She was awake. She was marked. And the city itself was now an ally—and a warning.
The crimson moon loomed overhead, casting the streets in a blood-red light, as Xiangcheng whispered its secrets to the girl who could finally hear them.