Into The Sea

Suddenly, someone nearby shouted, “I don’t agree!”

Lan Wu jumped, glancing quickly at Lan Yuan before turning her head, looking hesitantly at the girl standing before her. “Go with you?”

Ji Lingyue nodded. “Yes, come with me to the north.”

The vampire bit her lip, whispering, “I’ve never been to the north… It’s so far from home.”

“Are you scared?”

Lan Wu hesitated, then nodded meekly. “I never needed to hunt before. Whenever I was hungry, someone would bring me the freshest blood bags. When I was thirsty, I could drink the sweetest spring water. Everyone would try to please me. But after the virus outbreak, I had to rely on myself. Those infected zombies are scary, and the vampire hunters… even though I haven’t done anything wrong, they still chase and attack me. I… I don’t like being out there.”

“So, you don’t want to come with me, right?”

Lan Wu was speechless.

Ji Lingyue sighed, smiling faintly. “See? Even you have your reasons not to follow me. So why should I be expected to follow you?”

“I…” The vampire’s shoulders slumped, dejected. “I’m sorry.”

Lan Yuan, who had been holding it in, snapped. “What are you apologizing for?! You’re a vampire! If you like someone, just take them! Who cares if they agree?”

“You didn’t want me to bring her before,” Lan Wu mumbled.

“I changed my mind!” Lan Yuan said growled. “Since when do vampires grovel to humans like this?!”

She stepped forward, pulling Lan Wu aside and glaring down at Ji Lingyue. “If it weren’t for this damn virus, she wouldn’t have to suffer so much, let alone ended up like this because of you!”

Ji Lingyue retorted without backing down. “So your solution is to keep her sheltered forever, just like a carefree little princess?”

“What’s wrong with that? If we have the means to protect her, why let her suffer at all?!”

Lan Wu cautiously stepped forward. “Okay, you two stop arguing.”

Lan Yuan shoved her back. “Just answer me! Do you want to come with us or not?!”

“Hey, you…” Lan Wu panicked. “What are you doing? I should be the one asking that!”

But in the tense atmosphere, Ji Lingyue just glared back at her, word by word. “No. I. Won’t.”

It was over.

Lan Wu’s mind went blank. “Ah Yue…” she said instinctively.

Ji Lingyue glanced at her, then turned to Ye Qingjun, who was standing nearby. “If I join you, can you stop bothering Lan Wu?”

Ye Qingjun nodded. “As long as she doesn’t do anything excessive, of course.”

“What about my mother?”

“We can take her with us. We’re planning to go north anyway.”

“I heard there are a lot of zombies up there. Is it really safe?”

““There are,” Ye Qingjun admitted. “But once we reach the far north, where it’s extremely cold, there won’t be as many. Besides, you heard the broadcast. The Karen City Polar Research institute is there.”

Ji Lingyue nodded. “Alright. I’ll go with you.”

Lan Wu panicked. “Ah Yue!”

Ji Lingyue bit her lip, then turned and stroked the collar on her neck. “Thank you for everything these past few days. Your sister is right. I shouldn’t have made you suffer along with me.”

“No, I didn’t feel like I was suffering,” Lan Wu stammered. “Well, maybe a little, but… but I didn’t mind.”

“It’s not about that, Lan Wu,” Ji Lingyue said softly. “I know that asking you to come with me is a bit selfish. You used to have a stable life, with everything you wanted. If you come with me, you’ll never get that life back, and you’ll face more unexpected dangers. Even just getting bitten really messed you up…”

Click.

Ji Lingyue removed the collar from Lan Wu’s neck, holding it in her hand. “If you’re scared, just go home.”

“Ah Yue…”

Ji Lingyue hummed in response, lifting her head. “I’m not blaming you. After all, we both made the same choice.”

Lan Wu’s eyelashes fluttered, and she bit her lip sadly.

After saying this, Ji Lingyue looked at her carefully for a while. The vampire also lowered her eyes, her ruby-like eyes staring straight at Ji Lingyue, glistening with tears.

Ji Lingyue chuckled softly, reaching out to touch Lan Wu’s cheek. “Actually, I was wrong about one thing.”

“The real you… is even more likable than the version I saw on TV.”

***

Rain poured down in heavy streaks from the dark clouds above. On the rooftop of a hundred-story building, Lan Yuan stood with an umbrella, her long hair whipping in the cold wind.

Whoosh… whoosh…

Apart from the howling wind, there was no other sound in the city.

She gazed into the distance at the shadows rising and falling in the rain, saying nothing. Beside her, Lan Wu sat quietly on the edge of the rooftop, her booted legs dangling in the air, her black skirt fluttering in the wind.

Her face was also obscured by her swirling hair, so Lan Yuan couldn’t tell what she was feeling.

But Lan Wu’s silence made her uncomfortable. After a moment, Lan Yuan couldn’t help but say, “Well, great. We didn’t keep a single blood slave. Guess we’ll have to find someone else on the way back to feed on.”

As soon as she said it, she realized that this topic wasn’t suitable for lightening the mood. As expected, Lan Wu not only ignored her but also turned her head away.

Lan Yuan laughed, annoyed. “What’s with the attitude? It’s not like I made her leave. Why are you mad at me?”

Lan Wu said dryly, “I’m not mad at you.”

Lan Yuan stared at the back of her head. “Honestly, Ji Lingyue’s only going with them because of her mom. If her mom died, she’d probably come back with us.”

“But her mother isn’t dead.”

“Then kill her, and she’ll be dead.”

Lan Wu was stunned, finally turning to look at her, her face full of shock. “Are you serious?”

Lan Yuan crouched down expressionlessly and pinched Lan Wu’s ear hard. “What’s with that look? You really think I’d stoop that low?”

Lan Wu yelped in pain, covering her ear and tearfully muttering, “But… but your tone was so scary.”

“I had to say something. Otherwise, you’d never talk to me.”

Lan Wu’s eyelashes fluttered, and she glanced at her quickly before turning her gaze away.

“I wasn’t ignoring you, and I’m not mad at you… I…” She opened her mouth, then said, “I’ve just been thinking. Ah Yue said I’m more likable than the version on TV, but… why would she say that?”

Lan Yuan frowned. “Huh?”

Lan Wu said dejectedly, “If I really were brave and perfect like she thought… I wouldn’t have been too scared to go with her.”

Lan Yuan was silent for a moment, then called out seriously, “Lan Wu.”

“Hm?”

“Even though I did say that our family could always take care of you, but I also want to ask you something. Does stepping into an unfamiliar world really scare you that much?”

Lan Wu mumbled, “I don’t know. Does it matter?”

“Of course it matters,” Lan Yuan said. “I don’t want you to suffer, but I want you to have the strength to avoid unnecessary suffering—not because I want you to hide forever like a baby bird, sheltered under our family’s wings because you’re afraid of the outside world.”

She smiled, looking at the face almost identical to her own. “After all, if I end up living longer than you, great. But if I die first… what’ll happen to you?”

Lan Wu quickly spat twice. “Don’t say that! We were born on the same day, so we’ll die the same day too!”

Lan Yuan scoffed. “Let’s not. If you die early, I’m not going down with you.” She shoved the umbrella into her hands and stood. “If you really can’t bear to let her go, then go.”

Lan Wu was stunned, looking up at her. “Aren’t you going to…”

“I already told you I’m going to supervise the vampires in the northern district. It’s also the north, but a different route.” Lan Yuan crossed her arms, mocking her. “You What, you thought I came all this way just to find you?”

Lan Wu: “…Are you serious?”

Her dear sister was so unpredictable that she was completely confused.

“Believe it or not.” Lan Yuan gazed at the edge of the city. “But if you really want to go, remember to come home someday.”

Lan Wu was silent for a moment, gripping the umbrella tightly. “I don’t know…”

She hadn’t fully figured out her own feelings. Was she hesitating because she was afraid of the unknown dangers, or was she resisting the change to her carefree life?

But she was very clear about one thing.

When she was with Ah Yue, even if they stumbled and struggled, she was happy.

She looked down from the rooftop, the street far, far below.

And thought: if falling was the only way to reach the treasure she most desired, then maybe… the wind on the way down wasn’t so bad after all.

***

After leaving Huaguang City and getting onto the highway from an abandoned toll station, Ji Lingyue jumped out of the car and climbed to a high point, looking back at the city standing in the continuous drizzle.

She didn’t know what she was hoping to see. Her new companions were already urging her to leave. She mumbled a reply, but her feet wouldn’t move.

The road they had just walked showed no sign of anyone else.

Meng Changge walked behind her, sighing as she looked at her slender back. “Let’s go. She’s not coming.”

Ji Lingyue bit her lip, gripping the strap of her backpack tightly, and finally turned around slowly. “Yeah.”

She returned to the car listlessly. But suddenly, Meng Changge let out a surprised sound and turned east. Yu Shanye immediately gripped her crossbow. “What’s wrong?”

Meng Changge narrowed her eyes, looking into the distance. “It seems… there’s someone coming.”

Ji Lingyue froze, jumping out of the car and quickly running to the high point she had just been on. Her heart was pounding, and she slowly grinned, unable to help but smile when she saw the blurry figure appearing at the end of the road.

“It’s Lan Wu!”

She turned and jumped down from the high point, running through the light rain toward the figure.

Soon, the slender figure stopped in front of her on a motorcycle. The little vampire put one foot on the ground, took off her helmet, and revealed her familiar face.

She laughed, her voice full of pride.

“I told you I’m a genius. My sister said I couldn’t ride a motorcycle, but what’s so hard about it…”

Before she could finish, Ji Lingyue rushed forward and wrapped her in a tight hug. Surprised, Lan Wu instinctively hugged her back, her damp hair tangling with Ji Lingyue’s.

Although surprised by her enthusiasm, Lan Wu hugged her tightly. “Ah Yue…”

She took a breath, seriously stating her decision: “I’m going to the north with you.”

Ji Lingyue said softly, “Aren’t you scared?”

Lan Wu nodded honestly. “I am. But you’ll protect me.” She quickly added, “Ah, I… I’ll protect you too. We’ll protect each other, so there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Ji Lingyue chuckled, wiping her wet eyes on Lan Wu’s shoulder. “You’re late.”

“I’m sorry,” Lan Wu explained quietly. “I walked most of the way, and I don’t know how to drive. We searched for a long time before finding this motorcycle, and I even crashed… well, almost.”

Ji Lingyue frowned. “You crashed?”

Lan Wu quickly widened her eyes in denial. “I’m not that clumsy!”

Ji Lingyue was skeptical. “What about your sister?”

“She went to supervise the other vampires.”

“Why did she suddenly agree to let you go?”

“Because she said,” Lan Wu hesitated, “she said your last words really impressed her. She was relieved.”

“My last words?” Ji Lingyue recalled as she climbed onto the back of Lan Wu’s motorcycle. “Oh, that? Just said you’re more likable than on TV. That was enough for her?”

Lan Wu handed her the helmet. “So tell me… why do you think I’m more likable than on TV?”

Seeing her fixated on this question, Ji Lingyue couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ll find out someday.”

Lan Wu blinked, confused, and started the bike. A few curious heads peeked out from the car.

Yu Shanye asked curiously, “Hey, are you really coming with us, vampire girl?”

Lan Wu immediately perked up, lifting her chin. “I’m going with Ah Yue, not with you.”

“Same thing!” the girl said cheerfully. “A team of vampires and vampire hunters? Hah, this journey is going to be interesting!”

Into The Sea End.