Ning Xin didn’t want to be caught off guard like before when facing danger, so she made some preparations before setting off.
Firstly, she spent several days diligently practicing with the crossbow Nie Ran had given her.
With plenty of materials, Nie Ran also made a bunch of bolts and guided her by the side.
By the end of the practice, Ning Xin could shoot at least four out of ten arrows accurately, which was a forty percent success rate for her, which was quite good.
Then, she installed alarm systems on various doors and windows. When something entered at night, it would sound the alarm immediately.
They also bought surveillance cameras, but unfortunately, without internet access, they couldn’t monitor in real-time.
After doing all this, Ning Xin closed her eyes and chose the next world.
In the instant they arrived, even before opening her eyes, she felt a sudden and intense chill enveloping her entire body, as if she had suddenly transitioned from spring to winter.
The three of them slowly opened their eyes, still standing in the asylum’s living room, but the scenery outside the window had changed.
What used to be lush trees were still trees, but now their branches were laden with snow. The forest seemed sparse, and they could even see distant greyish mountains.
Ning Xin waited by the window for a moment, seeing nothing but trees and snow and no signs of danger. She turned back to Nie Ran, cautiously opened the door, and stepped outside.
Her vision became broader, and she could see more clearly.
The location of the asylum seemed to be in a pine forest, with only a few scattered trees.
The forest was surrounded on three sides by vast fields covered in thick snow, with mountains visible in the distance.
Only in the direction directly ahead of the asylum, a faint silhouette of urban buildings could be seen.
The weather was extremely cold. They had come from a sunny season, wearing only light clothes. Soon, they were shivering from the cold wind, lips turning purple.
Ning Xin hurried back to her room, pulled out the last pieces of clothing, and wrapped herself up before venturing out.
Nie Ran also put on a thick coat, but Lang Xiao, still wearing just a thin T-shirt, sat on the couch playing with his phone.
Ning Xin nudged him with her toe. “Stop playing and go change your clothes. Be careful not to catch a cold.”
Despite the low temperature, she had to turn on the heater and switch off the refrigerator.
Lang Xiao seemed unaffected, saying, “Cold? Not at all.”
Remembering his experience of living in the deep mountains with a wolf pack, Ning Xin knew he probably had thick skin. Still, the visual effect was too startling, so she forcibly gave him a down jacket to put on.
It was still early, and they knew nothing about this new world. They should explore.
Ning Xin packed some essentials into a backpack and wore it on her back.
Nie Ran brought some food and water, while Lang Xiao kept his phone close to him as always. The three of them walked outside.
The mountains seemed too far away. It was likely, just like the first world, that no matter how far they ran, they wouldn’t reach the end.
Therefore, they chose the town.
There were no main roads, only winding and narrow dirt paths.
The mud was frozen stiff by the low temperature, and their shoes made squeaking noises as they stepped on it.
Ning Xin wore a pair of snow boots, but she still felt the cold invading her toes.
She glanced at the two beside her, briskly walking in their shoes, and couldn’t help but question life.
Why was the difference between people so vast?
“I can’t go on, I need to rest…”
After running for twenty minutes non-stop, Ning Xin’s legs felt too heavy to lift, and she stopped panting heavily.
**Nomad: A car would have come in handy right about now**
Suddenly, Lang Xiao exclaimed, “Look!”
The two looked up and saw not only the town in their sight but also faint figures of several people.
According to the principle of perspective, these people should be less than half a mile away from them.
Ning Xin immediately felt energized. “Let’s go, hurry and catch up to them.”
Perhaps they were the people trapped in this world.
Nie Ran suddenly circled around in front of her and bent down.
Ning Xin puzzled, “What are you doing?”
“Waiting for you to walk at this speed, they would have entered the town long ago.”
So he wanted to carry her?
That would be so embarrassing, she wasn’t crippled.
Ning Xin firmly refused, insisting on walking on her own.
Nie Ran sighed and took her backpack, slinging it over his left shoulder, and held her hand with his right.
He wasn’t wearing gloves, but Ning Xin was.
The familiar warmth came through the thin layer of sheep shearing, causing Ning Xin’s cheeks to flush slightly, but she didn’t refuse.
Walking forward while Nie Ran held her hand indeed made it much easier.
Lang Xiao tilted his head and reached out, wanting to hold Ning Xin’s other hand.
Nie Ran said softly, “If the wires break, only I can fix them.”
“Who says? I can learn too…”
“How many characters do you know now?”
Lang Xiao couldn’t answer, so he turned his head in frustration, stuffed his hands into his pockets, and gave up.
After walking for another ten minutes, the town became clearer, and they got closer to the people, only about ten meters away.
There weren’t many people, only four or five scattered individuals, seeming like travellers.
They were all dressed in dusty cotton clothes, with cloth wrapped around their heads. Some carried cloth bags, while others pushed wheelbarrows. They didn’t look like they were from the modern world.
Thinking of the terrifying undead they encountered before, Ning Xin became alert but couldn’t help but quicken her pace to get closer.
They finally caught up with the last person, and upon seeing their face, they realized it was an old woman with wrinkles all over her face.
The woman also noticed them, glanced back at them, looking a bit puzzled by their attire, but didn’t say anything and continued walking.
Ning Xin looked back and saw more people behind them, dressed similarly to those they had seen before, all seemingly heading towards the town.
The city gate was now close at hand, its walls a dark grey after years of wind and rain, with moss growing at the base.
There was no inspection when they entered, and the noise from inside was lively, indicating a bustling atmosphere.
“Should we go in?” Ning Xin asked quietly.
Nie Ran nodded, while Lang Xiao remained silent, quietly moving closer to her side.
She knew what he was thinking, so she suggested, “Or maybe you can wait for us outside?”
Lang Xiao shook his head, “Where you are, I am.”
“Alright, in case anything happens later, don’t get agitated. No matter what, we’re here, and no one will harm you.”
He murmured in agreement, but Ning Xin still felt uneasy, so she took the initiative to hold his hand.
The three of them walked side by side through the massive city gate, instantly transitioning from the icy wilderness to a new world.
On both sides were streets lined with various shops.
Pedestrians hurried by, occasionally passing by a few vintage Ford cars.
Ning Xin couldn’t shake the feeling of familiarity with the scene, especially the architectural style, everyone’s attire, and the antique cars that usually only stopped at museums. Everything seemed so familiar.
Finally, she slapped her forehead abruptly.
Isn’t this the style of Republican-era TV dramas?
Could it be that the person detained in this purgatory is living in the Republican era?
However, the streets are full of people, so which one is he?
As soon as the three entered the street, they were pushed along by the crowd.
Ahead, there was a baozi (steamed bun) shop, and the owner was lifting the cover of the steamer, with steaming white smoke and an enticing aroma wafting out, causing all three of them to salivate simultaneously.
As the director, Ning Xin had to lead by example.
“Hold on, let’s go home and cook ourselves.”
These people didn’t know where they came from or if they were ordinary people, so their food couldn’t be eaten casually.
The three continued to walk forward, passing by many restaurants, fabric stores, and foreign goods shops… Even though their legs were tired, they still hadn’t finished exploring the town.
It seems that this place is quite large, judging from its size, the population is at least over a hundred thousand.
Moreover, everything they saw and heard along the way was no different from normal life, as if a group of living people really lived here.
Why would there be such a place in purgatory?
Ning Xin was pondering this, when suddenly she heard a sharp yelling, accompanied by crying.
The three turned their heads to see at the entrance of a restaurant, a robust woman was grabbing a young girl by her hair, dragging her from inside the restaurant to the doorway, and forcefully throwing her onto the ground, kicking her twice.
“You lazy girl! I asked you to mop the floor, but you secretly went to sleep. You eat and drink all day without doing any work. Get out of here!”
The young girl was crying bitterly. Upon hearing the last sentence, she hugged the woman’s legs, begging desperately.
“I’ll mop the floor right now. I was just too tired earlier. I’ll do it now…”
The woman kicked her chest again, causing the frail girl to collapse to the ground, looking extremely miserable.
The surrounding shopkeepers and customers didn’t seem to mind and didn’t intervene. Some even laughed and pointed, as if it was entertainment.
The woman spat on her face and walked back into the restaurant.
The young girl struggled to get up, clutching her chest, coughing a few times. She glanced at them, said nothing, and slowly moved back inside.
Ning Xin couldn’t help but frown, suddenly feeling the person beside her trembling violently. She quickly asked, “Are you okay?”
Lang Xiao’s face was pale, lips bitten without a word, probably recalling unpleasant memories.
If they stayed any longer, who knew if there would be an accident.
Ning Xin whispered, “Let’s go back first.”
After the trip into the city, they returned empty-handed but with a head full of questions.
Back at the asylum, Ning Xin quickly closed the doors and windows and turned on the air conditioning.
The warm air enveloped her body, and she brewed another pot of hot tea, taking a few sips from the cup, finally feeling revived.
Nie Ran glanced at the electricity meter and reminded, “The sunlight here is too weak to provide energy for the generator. We need to use it sparingly.”
Upon hearing this, Ning Xin quickly unplugged all the electrical appliances in the house, leaving only the heater in the living room still running.
The three of them nestled on the sofa, feeling so comfortable that they didn’t want to move.
Returning to the familiar environment, Lang Xiao quickly calmed down.
Recalling their observations in the city, Ning Xin asked, “Did you guys find anything?”
Both shook their heads simultaneously.
She sighed, “This is difficult. There are people everywhere. How will we find the one we’re looking for?”
Those who were imprisoned were all notorious criminals. The first two times were fortunate encounters with Lang Xiao and Nie Ran. Who knows what kind of person they would encounter this time.
After the room warmed up, Ning Xin immediately turned off the heater and put on thicker clothes.
With the situation in the new world unclear, everyone’s mood was a bit heavy.
After having a light dinner, they went back to their respective rooms.
Lang Xiao no longer needed supervision and would watch TV on his own every night. However, tonight, Ning Xin couldn’t sleep and decided to go downstairs to check on him.
Passing by the corridor window, she subconsciously glanced outside.
The sky was adorned with a round full moon, and the snow-covered ground reflected the moonlight, making it appear exceptionally bright.
At night, there was nobody rushing on the road, and the surroundings were silent and quiet.
Ning Xin withdrew her gaze and was about to continue on her way. After taking two steps, she suddenly stepped back, staring intently in one direction.
On the white snowy ground, there was a black shadow wriggling!
She remembered the night when she was attacked by passive plants and took a sharp breath.
Nie Ran’s door opened with a swish, and he asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Do you see that? Is there something over there?” Ning Xin pointed.
Nie Ran walked to her side and looked closely.
Ning Xin leaned against his tall and sturdy body, feeling much more relieved instantly.
“It’s a living thing.”
A few seconds later, he gave his answer.
“What should we do about it? Should we go out and take a look?” Ning Xin asked.
Whatever danger there might be, it was better to discover it early and be prepared.
Nie Ran skilfully took out the emergency light and grabbed Dawnbreaker.
“You stay at home, I’ll go.”
“Are you going alone?” Ning Xin asked anxiously.
Nie Ran tilted his head, and she remembered how she used to be the one who always lagged behind. Her face flushed, she awkwardly reminded him, “Then you be safe and come back as soon as possible.”
“Okay.”
Nie Ran opened the door and disappeared into the cold night wind.
Ning Xin couldn’t sleep at all now. She sat on the sofa in the living room, looking at the fluffy Lang Xiao in the plastic box beside her.
“He’ll be fine, right?”
The good times had just begun; he couldn’t just leave like this.
Lang Xiao couldn’t speak in his current form, nor could he go out. Through the thin plastic, he rubbed against her hand.
Ning Xin sat for a while, feeling very uneasy. She specially ran back upstairs and looked out from the window.
But the moon had been covered by dark clouds at some point, and the whole world became blurry and gloomy, nothing was clear.
She glanced at the clock on the wall. It had been half an hour since Nie Ran left; he should have reached that place by now.
He had his phone now, should she call him?
But what if there was danger nearby, and the ringing disturbed him?
Ning Xin held her phone, feeling torn between calling and not calling.
Suddenly, footsteps came from outside the building.
She hurried downstairs and saw Nie Ran pushing the door open.
It was too cold outside; even though he had only been out for a short while, frost had formed on his eyelashes and hair tips, making his whole face look even colder.
Ning Xin took a quick glance at him. Seeing no injuries on him, she asked, “Did you find it? What was it?”
“No.”
“No?”
“Yeah.”
She was about to ask more questions when he suddenly said, “Do you not trust me?”
Ning Xin was immediately speechless. After a moment, she said, “Maybe it was just an animal.”
“It’s okay now, go back to your room and sleep.”
She shook her head and sat back on the sofa.
“You go to sleep; I still can’t sleep.”
“Is that so?”
Nie Ran grabbed her wrist and led her to the second-floor corridor.
“Then you can tell me the answer now.”
Ning Xin knew what he was referring to and remembered her promise to tell him in the next world.
But could they really be together?
She craved the sense of security he provided but was afraid to take this crucial step.
Ning Xin’s breath quickened, and she didn’t know how she managed to blurt out, “I’m tired.”
Nie Ran raised an eyebrow, and she slipped out from under his arm, fleeing in confusion.
The little incident in the middle of the night made Ning Xin cautious even after waking up in the morning, fearing Nie Ran might corner her again and force her to reveal the answer.
Luckily, he seemed to still be asleep. After she finished washing up, she went to the kitchen to make breakfast. Passing by the sofa, she snatched Lang Xiao’s phone.
“Go to sleep.”
Watching TV at night and still watching TV during the day, it seemed he didn’t want his eyes anymore.
Lang Xiao had returned to his human form and pleaded from the sofa.
Ning Xin remained stern, “I’ll count to three. Otherwise, forget about the phone. One… Two…”
With a whoosh, Lang Xiao leaped upstairs.
She placed the phone on the coffee table and went to wash rice to cook porridge. Suddenly, she heard someone knocking on the door.
That was strange. All three of them were home, so who could be knocking?
Ning Xin glanced at the stairs, grabbed her crossbow, loaded with arrows hidden behind her, held her breath, and walked towards the front door.
The door was made of alloy, very sturdy, with no gaps at all.
But now it became a problem because she couldn’t even peek through the gap.
Tap tap tap—
The person knocked a few more times, the sound very light, as if the person didn’t have much strength, but it could also be a disguise.
Ning Xin took a deep breath, opened the door a crack, and unexpectedly saw a familiar face.
Large eyes, pointed chin, pale skin, cheeks marked with red handprints.
Hair dishevelled like a bird’s nest, wearing tattered clothes in the heavy snow.
Dirty, skinny, pitiful, it was the little girl who had been beaten and scolded yesterday.
Ning Xin was about to ask her what was wrong when the girl burst into tears, kneeling outside the door and saying, “Sister, please save me! I don’t want to die!”
Her crying brought Nie Ran and Lang Xiao downstairs, frowning as they looked at her.
Seeing everyone there, Ning Xin’s pounding heart finally calmed down and she asked, “What are you saying?”
“They want to kill me, saying I stole things from the shop. I ran here all morning, and I can’t run anymore. Sister, please save me, let me hide inside. They’re right behind me, I don’t want to fall into their hands.”
“They?” Was it the woman from yesterday?
But this wasn’t the real world, and they might not even be real people; they could just be illusions. Could what they said be true?
Or perhaps, this little girl was the person she was looking for?
Ning Xin looked at Nie Ran, who nodded almost imperceptibly.
Trouble had come knocking at the door, and there was no avoiding it. It was better to clarify things.
She opened the door and said to the girl, “It’s cold outside, come in and talk.”
Gratefully, the girl walked in, looking indeed very tired, her legs trembling.
Ning Xin let her sit on the sofa, gave her a blanket, and poured her a cup of hot water.
Nie Ran stood by, arms crossed, expressionless, his thoughts unclear.
Lang Xiao disliked strangers, so he stayed far away after getting his phone.
Ning Xin had no choice but to sit in front of the girl alone.
The girl looked around and muttered, “Your house is so strange…”
“Haha, we like to collect all sorts of odds and ends. Haven’t seen anything like it, have you?”
She chuckled and changed the subject.
“Why are people chasing you? What’s your relationship with them?”
The girl held the cup of water and spoke slowly. When she reached the sad parts, tears dripped down her cheeks.
“I used to live in the village. My mother got sick and died, and my father was so poor he couldn’t afford to eat. He sold me to a family in the city to be a foster daughter. But in less than half a year, the son of that family also died. They beat and scolded me all day, accusing me of eating too much. They sold me to another family as a maid, but that family also had troubles, and they sold me several times until I ended up in a tavern as a servant…”
Nie Ran sneered, “Looks like you’re a jinx.”
The girl froze, her tear-filled eyes wide with fear.
Ning Xin gave Nie Ran a glare and asked softly, “And then?”
“The tavern landlady was especially cruel. She cursed at the servants as if they were her own, and beating was a common occurrence. I had to wake up before dawn every day to sweep and mop the floor, wash dishes and vegetables. I couldn’t rest the whole day. I ate leftovers and slept in a shack. Look at my hands and feet…”
She extended her fingers, and Ning Xin couldn’t help but feel her scalp tingle.
Her limbs were as thin as sticks, all skin and bones, but her hands and feet were swollen like buns, bulging high.
Even more terrifying, her skin was severely ulcerated, with yellowish fluid oozing out everywhere.
There were many undamaged translucent blisters, spreading all the way up her arms.
Although Ning Xin grew up in an orphanage, she had actually never experienced much hardship, benefiting from the modern society and the welfare provided by the state. Their living conditions were not as good as those of ordinary people, but they were still relatively comfortable.
When it got cold, the director would buy charcoal to keep them warm.
If they didn’t have clothes to wear, kind-hearted people would donate coats and pants to them.
The orphanage always kept frostbite medicine for children with chilblains.
Seeing the girl’s hands and feet ulcerated like this was a sight Ning Xin had never seen before.
The girl was crying so hard she could barely catch her breath.
“This morning, I was cleaning the room for the landlady, and she lost a ring. She accused me of taking it, but I really didn’t. She had someone beat me, and halfway through, I managed to escape. What should I do? I don’t want to die, I really don’t want to die…”
As if on cue, there was a loud knocking on the door, and a rough voice outside shouted, “People inside, come out, we have something to ask you!”
Ning Xin and Nie Ran quickly exchanged glances.
“You go open the door and deal with them; I’ll take her upstairs to hide,” Ning Xin said.
Nie Ran glanced at the girl. “Are you sure you want to help her?”
Ning Xin was also conflicted, but when she looked at the girl’s hands, she immediately made up her mind.
“Let’s deal with those people first.”
She led the girl to the bedroom upstairs, listening carefully to the movements downstairs while glancing under the bed, considering that if they were found, they could hide there.
Things went smoother than she had imagined. Nie Ran managed to get rid of those people in a few minutes and came outside the door.
“Come out, it’s all clear now,” Nie Ran said.
Ning Xin felt a slight relief and was about to step out when the girl suddenly said, “Sister, you’re a really good person.”
Ning Xin chuckled, “Just doing what I can.”
“The man outside, is he your husband?” the girl asked.
Her cheeks flushed, and she subconsciously replied, “Just a friend.”
The girl seemed to ponder for a moment before following her outside.
As they passed by Nie Ran, he whispered, “A friend?”
Ning Xin pretended not to hear and walked away quickly.
With the pursuers gone, the question of what to do with the girl remained.
Ning Xin was willing to lend a helping hand, but only to a certain extent.
“Where are you planning to go now that you’ve escaped?” she asked.
The girl shook her head blankly. “I don’t know. I have nowhere to go. Sister, do you need any help with chores? I can do anything and won’t eat much.”
Ning Xin chuckled nervously, “Um… we don’t run a shop here, so we don’t need any help. I’ll give you something to eat, and you should hit the road now.”
She wiped her tears pitifully. “But I don’t know where to go. Sister, please don’t abandon me. Can I stay with you?”
“You’re so hardworking, you can make a living anywhere. Here, take these.”
Ning Xin handed her a plastic bag containing bread, biscuits, bottled water, and more. Seeing how thinly dressed she was, Ning Xin also gave her one of her own down jackets.
No matter what, the girl refused to leave, clinging to Ning Xin’s waist and begging desperately.
Nie Ran suggested, “It’s dangerous on the road. I’ll escort her for a bit.”
Ning Xin nodded quickly, reminding him anxiously, “Don’t be too harsh.”
“I know,” he replied.
Nie Ran picked up the bag, slung it over his shoulder, and effortlessly lifted the girl with his other hand, carrying her out like a little chick.
Ning Xin stood by the window for a while, watching the girl follow Nie Ran unsteadily. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief and sit down on the sofa.
“Truly pitiful.”
Luckily, she was born in the 21st century. If it were a few decades earlier, the girl could have been her true reflection.
Nie Ran walked for two or three miles until he couldn’t see the asylum anymore.
The girl blinked innocently, her face devoid of understanding.
“Are you going back?” she asked.
“Didn’t I tell you last night to go as far away as possible and not to disturb our lives?” Nie Ran retorted.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying,” she replied.
He didn’t bother wasting words with her, taking out his dagger.
The palm-sized knife spun a few times in his hand, now taller than the girl’s head.
With a diagonal swipe, her head fell to the ground.
Fresh blood stained the white snow, but minutes later, the body disappeared before his eyes, leaving no trace, not even a single hair.
Just like last night.
Nie Ran didn’t panic. Instead, he acted as if he were on a leisurely outing, finishing the bread and biscuits and burying the remaining trash in the snow.
He prepared to go back, his gaze falling on the down jacket. He picked it up, dusted it off, and held it close.
The jacket looked good on Ning Xin, with her rosy lips and white teeth. He couldn’t bear to throw it away.
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