Her footsteps echoed in the streets of the city, Chan Lee darting left and right through the crowds. Pushing back against men and women, young and old alike. It hadn't taken her too long to leave the university's gates and into the People's Districts, though her heart beat rapidly in her chest. 

Instead of long and peaceful walks to the station—she was running, running as fast as her legs could carry her.

Until her energy wore out.

The elders were right, the young generations like her were too easily winded now. She held her knees, slouching and heavily breathing. Taking in air into her lungs, catching her breath.

Beads of sweat rolled down the sides of her face and also formed her back's shirt into a drenched pool. She wiped the sweat off her brows, pulling herself up.

Nobody was there.

The street was completely empty, only the neon lights of signs and street lamps flickered around her. But everything else was devoid of life and deserted. It was as if somebody had snuffed out the life everywhere.

"W-wha?"

This wasn't possible, her gaze darted left and right—not a single person around. This wasn't right. Where was everybody? Had there been some kind of emergency evacuation?

Thud.

Thud.

The sound of footsteps behind her—no, it weren't footsteps, Chan Lee swerved around.

Hop.

It was hopping.

Hop. Hopping.

It would have been a foolish sight if it were not for the grotesque creatures moving towards her. Drabbed in ancient garments and adorned with rimmed hats, the creatures couldn't hide the rotting flesh underneath, the putrid smell that clung with it.

Hop.

Their arms were outstretched towards her, a mad cackle in the air.

No.

No.

Her legs already moved instinctively away from the creatures—anything to put a distance between them. Fighting the trembling in her body.

Chan Lee ran.

Their laughter resounded through the night.

Predators chasing after prey.

She turned right to meet more of them. The path left held more of them hopping maniacally through buildings towards her. A shadow leapt past her head and she forced herself to swerve into another direction. They were toying with her—and she could do nothing else but play along.

'Miss Human'

Was he the one behind this? Could someone like them truly send monsters—her feet staggered over something. Her ankle throbbed painfully. A crack in the cement? She stumbled in the front of a building. The creatures hissed and backed her into the walls. They stood a few feet away from her but not stepping any closer, growling at one another.

What were they waiting for?

A coldness washed over her, gluing her gaze over them. Was this the kind of life that Han Jing wanted? Is this what she got for meddling with someone like Xue?

One of them seemed to have taken the initiative to move closer. It lunged towards her.

A looming shadow overtaking her.

And it was cut down in an instant.

"I made it on time." The man's shoulders visibly relaxed. Their gaze sweeping over to her. "I hope you didn't mind me following you?"

Words stayed stuck in her throat.

Zhao laughed shakily, "My bad—I'll take care of this for a moment." He turned away from her, shifting his posture. A blade glinted in front of him that captured her attention. A crescent moon soon descended into its enemies.

His movements were quick and fluid as he spun from one creature to the next. They leapt towards him, hats flying off as their wails echoed in her ears but he cut them down.

Their teeths dripped dark liquid rotten as they pounced on him. But all it took was a slash that disintegrated the creatures surrounding him. The crescendo sweeping up as he moved towards the enraged remnants.

A figure darted past him towards her, claws outstretched to ensnare her—only to be jostled out by a vibrant crackle of red energy.

It burned away, its ashes disappearing in the wind.

She stared at it shell shocked, her fingers nervously clasped her pendant. The stone sent tiny volts of sparks into her fingers as she winced in pain.

When she opened her eyes, the veil was back in its place. Everything was as it was supposed to be—several people pushed against her and the young man in front of her. The noise of the city echoing against her ears, she was never more relieved to hear the hustle and bustle of people around her. The wails and horrendous sights retreating from her mind...

As if a dream that simply passed over.

A nightmare that finally ended.

"Hey, Lee! Fancy seeing you there!" Zhao waved over at her, a lack of any weapons quite apparent. "Isn't it a bit too late to be roaming at night?" He asked with a pleasant smile.

She wanted to smack his face.

How could he act like everything was fine! As if everything—nothing happened. She stared quietly at him. This wasn't some hallucination of hers. Her heart still beat rapidly.

But he didn't look willing to say anything with that plastered smile on his face.

If that was the case, then so be it!

She tried to move away, but her steps faltered. Zhao was quick to help her up, grabbing her arms tightly for a moment. "Did you trip or something?" He raised a brow. "Probably from our morning run eh?"

"Don't treat me like I'm stupid. I know what I saw." She grumbled underneath her breath.

"What?" He was still playing dumb. "It does look like you've seen a ghost…or it's probably from seeing my face? I know I'm not that good looking as your seatmate or your friends. Apologies that you had to stick with this face."

He was saying nonsense, rubbish. Anything to take her mind off from what she wanted to say, it felt like pulling a needle from the haystack.

"You bought me a bag of peaches at the market." She recalled out of the blue.

A nagging feeling at his statement.

"I did buy you a bag as compensation for scaring you. Do you want some fruits again? Are you hungry?" He asked with a childish grin. "If you want, I know this really good place—"

"You look like you've seen a ghost?" She stared at his face. 

"Huh? It's an expression?" He raised a brow. "But I haven't really seen any ghosts at all."

She shook her head. "Those were your words when we saw each other at the market last Saturday. It had seemed like a trifle and playful greeting...but you knew, didn't you?"

"Knew what?" His forehead creased together.

"That something occurred since Friday night, it explains your change of attitude—you knew." She stared at him. "And that's why you've been incessantly kind to me and even gave me this pendant!"

"Did it ever pass through your mind that maybe I...maybe I like you? That I'm interested in you so that's why I'm being nice now?" He tilted his head at her, leaning closer. "Have you not considered that at all?" 

She blinked at him but shook her head. "Nope."

"Unbelievable!" He laughed as his shoulders shook for a moment. "You've always been so strange…" Zhao let out a soft sigh, his hold on her loosening slightly. "You even ran away last Friday when I was planning to invite you to hang out with my friends and I. Perhaps you and Ning Bi would have gotten along."

That felt like a huge no.

But regardless of his blabbering, she gazed at him. "You know that you don't have to keep hiding anything anymore...could you try being a little more honest with me? I think I have the right to know what happened."

He stayed silent for a moment, perhaps to gauge the situation. Weighing the pros and cons, like she did. Finally he let out a sigh and eyed her. "If you can be a bit honest yourself, Miss Chan Lee? Maybe I'll be more...honest as you said." 

"That sounds like a deal?" She grinned at him.

He frowned slightly and ruffled her hair. "Now you look happy. Why don't I get you home first? I'd like to talk with this...cousin of yours."

"Cousin?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "Your so called cousin who looks nothing like you?"

"Oh, right, Xue." She chewed on her lip, the earlier feelings resurfacing as she recalled the creatures—monsters. "T-they had sensed it didn't they? Like you? Xue's..."

"Hmm?" He studied her face for a moment, a bitter smile forming on his lips. "I could have done better you know? I was careless… I'm the one to blame not your friend."

"B-but you really didn't have to do anything." Even now, he could have left her without much of a word. He didn't have to save her.

A chuckle escaped his lips, "And what would have that made me?" 

"A person who knew how to use their head?"

"Wrong! I would have been a bad friend." He grinned and knelt down in front of her. "Now hop on my back, Lee."

"W-what?"

"You sprained your ankle right? I'll give you a piggyback ride."