The last traces of light faded beyond the horizon, and the night once again swallowed the land.

After five days of battling against the wind and sand, Liyue finally reached the Feng Tribe, the place where she had agreed to meet Alina and Yan Bing before nightfall.

"I wonder if those two are already here."

Liyue adjusted the mask covering her face, then moved silently through the dark toward the tribe, her sharp eyes scanning for signs.

The Feng Tribe was large — no smaller than the Moon Lake Tribe in population.

"There it is… the mark."

Her gaze landed on a small carved symbol near the outer fence — their agreed signal.

If the mark was still here, that meant both of them had made it inside.

Following the sign's direction, she slipped through the shadows and easily found an opening into the inner ring of the tribe.

At last, she wouldn't have to wander around searching like last time with Euphyr. The hidden safehouse should be nearby.

But—

Liyue suddenly stopped. She didn't move closer.

Something felt wrong.

The entrance to the safehouse was a narrow gap between two homes — barely wide enough for one person. Yet as she stood before it, her instincts screamed danger.

Her body tensed. She took two steps back, pulling a long arrow from her cloak and nocking it to the string.

"What's going on…? Did something happen to them?" she muttered softly.

Clap… clap… clap…

A slow applause echoed from within the narrow passage. From the darkness stepped a tall, shadowed figure.

"As expected of the finest archer of recent years," the voice drawled. "To sense something was wrong so quickly — impressive."

"Are you… from that place?"

Liyue's face darkened. She instantly pulled her bowstring back to full draw.

Whoosh!

The arrow whistled through the air, aimed straight for the stranger's throat.

Clang!

The sharp ring of metal. The man had raised his arm — the arrow stuck there, deflected.

"Hmm? That's all the strength you've got?" the figure mocked, plucking the arrow out with a flick.

Liyue narrowed her eyes and activated her Hawkeye talent.

The faint light revealed his face — half of it dry and cracked like old bark, the other half crawling with red, vein-like lines.

"You… you're an Aberrant Ghost! You actually succeeded!"

The creature tilted his head slightly, a cruel smile curling his lips.

"Thanks to your little defection, we had the chance to evolve."

He stepped forward, letting the firelight from a nearby window expose his distorted form.

"You're no longer human," Liyue said through clenched teeth.

Aberrant Ghosts — half human, half Void Ghost — carried both human intellect and ghostly power. They were the result of monstrous experiments.

"Human?" The creature chuckled. "In this age, humans are the weakest species of all."

He raised his bark-like arm, the dry skin twisting grotesquely.

"You could come back with me, you know," he murmured temptingly. "Be redeemed. You wouldn't be swallowed by the void — you could become something greater."

"'Redemption?' You annihilated our tribes and turned us into test subjects for your cursed infection — and you call that redemption!?"

Liyue's eyes burned with fury.

She knew the truth — those "rescued" from ghost infection were nothing but lab rats. The so-called saviors were the ones who destroyed their homes in the first place. It was a cruel, well-rehearsed play — one meant to trick them into obedience.

"Oh? So you've figured it out. No wonder you four ran off."

The Aberrant Ghost's grin widened, his eyes narrowing with killing intent.

"Well, no matter. You've outlived your use anyway."

Swish! Swish!

Two arrows flew like lightning, one aimed for each of his eyes.

"Pointless!" The creature swung up his arm.

Clang! Clang! The arrows bounced harmlessly off his hardened skin.

"A fifth-tier Aberrant…" Liyue muttered, swiftly retreating.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

More arrows filled the air, blocking his advance, but the ghost barreled through, ignoring the projectiles completely.

"You can't run!" he bellowed, his voice scraping like rusted metal.

Liyue darted through the maze of homes, using walls and alleys to break his line of sight.

"Tch. I trained them too well…" the Aberrant Ghost growled.

Though he sounded irritated, his movements only grew faster — and deadlier.

He burst into a nearby patrol.

Slice! Crack! Thud!

In mere seconds, five patrolmen were dead.

"Ahh… don't make me hungry."

He licked the blood off his fingertips. The red lines on his face pulsed and writhed like living worms, and his pupils bled crimson.

The air warped as he lunged forward, crashing through walls like a beast unleashed.

Boom!

He smashed through one house after another, splinters flying everywhere.

"…He really isn't human anymore," Liyue whispered bitterly, feeling the tremors behind her.

If nothing changed, she would die here tonight.

She clenched her teeth. Luciel…

"Don't run away now— you're wasting my time!"

The ghost's shadow loomed up behind her, clawed hand reaching—

BAM!

A small fist struck from the side, slamming straight into the creature's abdomen.

Rumble!!

The monster flew backward, crashing through a wall.

Liyue's eyes widened. "Alina?!"

"Run! That thing's not dead yet!"

The pink-haired girl shot a glance at the collapsing house and bolted toward the darkness.

"Got it!" Liyue followed close behind.

They weaved through the tribe's maze, avoiding patrols, and finally escaped into a cave hidden among the nearby hills.

Both girls exhaled heavily in unison.

"What the hell happened?"

Before even sitting down, Liyue blurted, "Where's Yan Bing? Is she safe?"

"We've been hunted by those freaks for more than ten days now," Alina sighed, glancing warily at the cave's entrance.

"Yan Bing lured away the other three. We probably won't see her for a while."

"Three more?! Four Aberrant Ghosts in total?" Liyue gasped.

"Yeah. A team of four — just like us," Alina said quietly.

"Were they all Tier Five? Isn't that too dangerous for Yan Bing?"

"No, only the one you fought was Tier Five," Alina said, rubbing her wrist.

"Did she say where to meet up later?"

"Sacred Sun City," Alina replied, her voice dropping.

"What?! Why would she go back there?" Liyue's face went pale.

They had barely escaped from that cursed place — why return?

"She said she wants to track the Aberrant Ghost source. If we can't survive like this, maybe…"

Her voice faltered. "…maybe we should try changing too."

"Changing? Into a ghost? Is she insane!?"

"Yan Bing just wants revenge," Alina murmured softly.

"Revenge?!" Liyue's voice trembled. "We all want revenge! Our families were butchered by those people — but what's the point if we die chasing it?"

"Liyue, calm down."

Alina looked up, her eyes dim. "She just went to investigate. She won't really do it…"

"Then why didn't you stop her?"

"I—I tried!" Alina shrank back, her voice small.

Liyue sighed and rubbed her forehead. "So what now?"

"We wait for that airhead Euphyr to show up," Alina said tiredly.

"Hopefully she's clearer this time — and doesn't get herself caught again."

This time, Alina had only managed to save Liyue because the ghost hadn't expected her to follow in secret.

"Don't bother waiting," Liyue said quietly.

"Huh? Why not?"

"She went to Tenth Floor City."

"What? Why there? Did she find something?"

Liyue nodded faintly. "We've located Angel Wings."

"Really? In the Tenth Floor City?!" Alina's pink eyes widened in disbelief.

"Yes."

Liyue's lips curved into a small smile as she thought of Luciel and the others who had already gone there.

"Then let's go too! It's better than hiding here."

Alina jumped up, eager to pack her things.

Liyue bit her lip and said nothing.

She didn't have the heart to tell her friend that 'Angel's Tears' couldn't cure the Void Ghost infection.

Maybe it was better this way — to let her hold onto hope for a little longer.

Just a few more days of peace.

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