Into The Sea

The sound of rain pattered softly as Lan Wu pushed aside the damp leaves in front of her. As she looked up, she spotted two lifeless bodies lying on the ground not far away.

She paused, looking back at Ji Lingyue, who was walking two steps behind her, a small jellyfish floating over her head, shielding her from the drizzle. Noticing Lan Wu’s gaze, she quickly looked over, “What’s wrong?”

Lan Wu said, “There are people ahead.”

Ji Lingyue paused, instinctively stepping forward, but Lan Wu added, “They’re already dead.”

After a moment of silence, she walked over the muddy ground, stopping beside the two bodies. Perhaps due to the rain, the blood had been washed away from the woman’s face. She looked as if she were asleep. Beside her lay a wounded blue bird, its demon core having been removed, leaving it in its original form.

Ji Lingyue looked at them for a moment, then said softly, “I’ve seen her before.”

Lan Wu silently crouched down, her demonic energy flowing from her palm, digging a hole deep enough in the ground. She layered leaves at the bottom and carefully cleaned the bodies before placing them inside.

Ji Lingyue watched quietly as Lan Wu buried the bodies. When Lan Wu stood up, Ji Lingyue reached out and grabbed the hem of her sleeve. Lan Wu lifted her hand and took Ji Lingyue’s in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

The two left the makeshift grave, their figures gradually disappearing into the dense forest. As night fell, the rain continued to pour, and the forest became shrouded in mist, making the air damp and heavy. Lan Wu carried Ji Lingyue up a thick tree trunk, finding a hidden spot and laying large leaves over their heads to shield them from the rain. She then released small fish to scout, finally relaxing and letting Ji Lingyue rest in her arms.

The only sounds were the gentle patter of rain on the leaves and the distant hooting of owls. Ji Lingyue closed her eyes. After a long moment, she said softly, “Lan Wu.”

Lan Wu hummed, her chin moving against her head. “What is it?”

“Will we be trapped here forever?”

“I don’t know.” Lan Wu sighed, gently stroking her hair. “The one who trapped us here is a demon, so it’s unlikely they meant to keep us here forever. Until we find a way out, we’ll just have to take things one step at a time.”

Ji Lingyue was quiet for a while before squirming restlessly in Lan Wu’s arms. Lan Wu loosened her hold and looked down to see what Ji Lingyue was doing, only to be kissed on the tip of her nose. She blinked, staring at Ji Lingyue. The woman initially met her gaze, but soon a blush rose to her cheeks. Her long lashes fluttered, and she looked away shyly. Lan Wu chuckled, pinching her cheeks. “Why are you suddenly taking advantage of me?”

Ji Lingyue didn’t struggle, her voice muffled. “Do I need a reason to kiss you?”

Lan Wu couldn’t help but smile, cupping her face and gently touching her lips to the other’s. “I guess not.”

Ji Lingyue’s eyes curved into a smile, leaning in for another kiss, but was pressed against Lan Wu’s chest, her head receiving a gentle voice. “Rest for now. Don’t think about unnecessary things.”

Ji Lingyue pouted. “I wasn’t.”

“I didn’t say what you were thinking. What weren’t you thinking about?”

Ji Lingyue paused. “I, I…”

“Shh.”

Lan Wu lifted her slightly and kissed her earlobe. “Sleep. We have a long way to go tomorrow to find a safe place.”

Ji Lingyue fell silent, obediently snuggling into her arms. After a moment, she murmured, “I hope the weather’s better tomorrow.”

Lan Wu hummed in agreement. “I hope so too.”

In the middle of the night, Lan Wu suddenly woke up.

The sound of rain still echoed in her ears, but her heart was pounding rapidly. She instinctively reached for her chest, only to feel a furry head resting there. Startled, Lan Wu looked down and saw Ji Lingyue still curled up, fast asleep. It took her a moment to remember where they were.

The strange palpitations were too strong. Lan Wu sat up slightly and summoned her scout fish back. Soon, the tiny, inconspicuous fish swam back from all directions, floating obediently in front of her.

Lan Wu’s eyes scanned over them, and she couldn’t help but frown.

One was missing.

It was only then that she noticed the faint bird calls had also disappeared. A strong sense of unease washed over her. Lan Wu shook Ji Lingyue gently, covering her mouth when she let out a soft groan. She placed a finger to her lips, and Ji Lingyue, meeting Lan Wu’s tense gaze, quickly woke up and knelt beside her, looking around in confusion.

Lan Wu looked serious, pointing in a direction. Ji Lingyue nodded, quietly getting up, and together they peeked out from behind the tree trunk, looking into the distance.

All they could see was the dense forest under the rain and a patch of darkness that seemed to swallow everything.

Ji Lingyue stared intently, but for a long time, she couldn’t make out anything unusual. Just as she was about to turn back to ask Lan Wu, the shadow suddenly moved. Two furry arms emerged from the darkness, and Ji Lingyue froze, her eyes fixed on the massive creature climbing toward them. Only then did she realize that the darkness she had been staring at was actually the back of a giant black ape.

The ape was enormous, its movements almost silent under the cover of the rain. It grabbed the tree trunk in front of it and slowly stood up, its head eventually reaching the same height as their hiding spot.

They were dozens of feet above the ground.

After sniffing around for a while, the black ape reached out a furry arm, pulling apart the dense leaves in front of it, and thrusting its large head inside.

A moment later, a piercing scream cut through the rain. The sound was so shrill and inhuman that it sent chills down their spines. But just as suddenly as it started, the scream stopped, replaced by the unmistakable sound of chewing. Ji Lingyue’s skin crawled, her body stiffening in fear.

She slowly turned her head, her eyes wide with panic as she looked at Lan Wu. Lan Wu’s face was equally pale. She opened her mouth, mouthing the words: “We need to go.”

They held their breath, preparing to leave before the ape noticed them. But as soon as they took a step, the chewing stopped. The black head turned halfway, its large eyes staring directly at them.

A leg wearing a black boot hung from the ape’s mouth, its furry face smeared with blood. After a moment, it continued chewing, its bloodshot eyes fixed on them.

Lan Wu felt a chill run through her body. Even from this distance, she could sense the overwhelming danger. Without hesitation, she turned and wrapped her arm around Ji Lingyue’s waist, sprinting toward the nearby river.

A deafening roar erupted behind them, the sound so powerful it made Lan Wu’s back ache. She couldn’t see what was happening behind her, but Ji Lingyue could. The black ape was on all fours, chasing them at a terrifying speed. With each leap, it closed the distance between them.

Ji Lingyue, with one arm around Lan Wu, summoned her sword and furiously attacked its limbs. However, the high-grade spiritual sword, imbued with spiritual power, bounced off the black ape’s leg as if it had hit a rock.

Ji Lingyue gasped. “Lan Wu!”

Lan Wu gritted her teeth, her body almost turning into a streak of light as she raced toward the river. The sound of rushing water was close now. She tightened her grip on Ji Lingyue and leaped into the water with all her strength. Just as they hit the surface, a shadowy figure shot past them, snagging the hem of Lan Wu’s robe. Ji Lingyue reacted instantly, slicing through the fabric with her sword, and they plunged into the water together.

Bubbles rose around them as Lan Wu, now with a fish tail, dove deeper, avoiding the massive shadow that followed them. Ji Lingyue’s eyes widened as she realized the shadow was the ape’s tail, thick as a barrel. The ape, still on the shore, thrust its tail into the water again, trying to catch them.

Lan Wu dodged skillfully, swimming downstream without looking back. She finally shook it off. After swimming a long distance, Lan Wu surfaced, gasping for breath. Looking back, the black ape was just a small black dot.

Ji Lingyue, still in shock, clung to her tightly. Lan Wu took a few more breaths, her heart gradually calming down. She trembled as she patted Ji Lingyue’s back, not knowing if she was comforting her or herself. “It’s okay. It can’t catch us now. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid.”