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墨書 Inktalez
I gripped the railing of Long Bridge with both hands, the wind howling as it swept up from the depths of the cliff, sending sharp chills through me. I steadied my mind, trying to keep my body stable. My fear of heights prevented me from looking down at the abyss below.
At that moment, I felt like a leaf floating on a turbulent river, swaying in all directions. My heels stumbled several times, and the wooden planks beneath me creaked ominously with each step. I worried that if this continued, the boards might give way under my weight, and if I fell, it would surely be disastrous.
Another strange gust of wind blew past, lifting my heart along with it. When it finally settled, I took a deep breath of the cool air, feeling the sweat soaking my back. I wiped my forehead and found it damp as well. Cautiously, I clung to the railing.
Suddenly, the wind ceased altogether, an eerie stillness enveloping me.
I slowly lifted my head to gaze at the bright light across from Long Bridge. It shone like the most brilliant fireworks in the night sky, bright as stars, remaining fixed in place. I stared at it, feeling as though that light was a guiding beacon calling me closer.
Its glow was soft yet radiant, giving me an unusual sense of warmth and familiarity. At that moment, I seemed to forget everything around me; all that existed was that Flame. Step by step, I moved toward the other side of Long Bridge. It felt as if everything had quieted down—Long Bridge itself, the wind, even my heartbeat had steadied.
My gaze was locked on that Flame; I had completely forgotten that I was walking above a sheer cliff.
A profound tranquility welled up within me.
As I drew nearer to the Flame, it began to unfold like a lotus flower, layer by layer peeling away like silk threads. It felt as if something was about to reveal itself before my eyes. Unable to contain my excitement, I quickened my pace; it seemed I was on the verge of parting the clouds to see daylight.
Long Bridge was long; I had only just crossed halfway.
Suddenly, that gust of wind returned.
This time, however, Long Bridge did not sway; instead, it was the Flame that flickered back and forth. Gradually, the Flame became thinner, allowing me to see more clearly inside—it appeared there was someone hidden within it.
Yet it remained unclear.
The obscurity only fueled my curiosity further; driven by an intense desire to see more clearly, my steps quickened. Then disaster struck—one of my feet broke through a wooden plank. The board splintered beneath me, and my foot became wedged in the gap. In that instant, my heart sank.
The wind rushed up through the opening below; its intensity was overwhelming. Every pore in my body opened wide to feel this fear.
I tried to pull my foot free, but just then, misfortune struck; I accidentally cut my foot on a wooden plank, and blood began to flow. The pain quickly surged through me, and I opened my mouth to shout in agony.
The splinter had embedded itself into my flesh, causing an unbearable sting. I moved my lips, desperately trying to free my foot. After a struggle, I finally managed to pull it out. I let out a sigh of relief and crawled onto the intact wooden planks. Looking ahead, the flame had grown increasingly faint, as if it could extinguish at any moment, and the figure within the flame was also becoming clearer.
Suddenly, the flame flickered and began to dissipate. My pupils widened in anticipation, hoping to witness everything in one clean sweep.
However, when the flame vanished, darkness enveloped me instead. The figure that had been within the flame appeared just as the darkness replaced it, completely vanishing as well. I too fell into the abyss of darkness. Damn, what terrible luck, I cursed inwardly.
I lay on the Long Bridge, afraid to move, so I decided to rest.
Wait! I thought I heard someone stepping on the wooden planks. I pressed my ear against the wood and listened intently; the footsteps were very light. The Long Bridge swayed slightly with each step. After a few seconds of listening, my alertness heightened as I focused my gaze ahead.
The person was getting closer.
Suddenly, a thought struck me: whether they were human or ghost remained unclear. This idea made me even more anxious. Instinctively, I reached for the dagger tucked at my waist; it would be crucial in a critical moment!
Wait! Where were the Mud Man and Fat Ma?
I scanned around for them but found no sign of either. Resigning myself to the situation at hand, I steeled myself for whatever might come next.
If fate was cruel and I ended up dying here by accident, so be it; countless thoughts surged through my mind.
At that moment, the footsteps grew nearer.
Suddenly, the flame ignited once more, revealing a graceful figure about ten meters away. My gaze traveled from head to toe: starting with a pair of embroidered cloth shoes, then smooth and flawless ankles leading up to a white skirt. Higher still was a neck adorned with a pale white flower resting just below her collarbone.
Her black hair cascaded down her shoulders.
“Are you okay?” The sudden voice froze me in place; my mind went blank in an instant.
I felt somewhat dazed as my focus dulled. Raising my head to look up, a clean and beautiful face came into view. She wore a gentle smile and stood before me with calm dignity.
I found myself sprawled awkwardly on the ground.
Hills approached, crouching down and extending her hand. "Come on, I'll help you up!"
After a moment of hesitation, I reached out my hand.
"Comrade Sun, long time no see!"
This familiar yet strange phrase stirred a whirlwind of emotions within me. All my feelings surged to the surface, and though I had a thousand words to say, I couldn't find any to express them. In that moment of uncertainty, I instinctively nodded.
"It seems like..." Those words slipped from Hills' lips. Suddenly, Long Bridge lost its stability and began to sway violently. I raised my hand, but it fell heavily back down, the wooden planks of Long Bridge creaking and splintering beneath me.
The railing too began to break free like a kite with a severed string, tumbling down into the abyss below.
Hills struggled to maintain her footing as well. "Get down!" I shouted.
Upon hearing my words, Hills slowly crouched down, stabilizing herself somewhat. The Flame that accompanied her began to dim gradually. Suddenly, Hills' eyes sparkled brightly, like the most radiant star in the night sky. But then her gaze turned red, and blood droplets began to fall. All of this happened in an instant amidst the thunder and lightning.
As soon as I processed what was happening, I immediately asked with concern, "Hills, what's wrong?"
No sooner had I spoken than an even more shocking scene unfolded before me...
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