Second Lead Syndrome (188 - 294 ) | ✓

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Author's Note: A long chapter ahead, 4080 words! Please set aside time and energy to digest this chapter, thank you ^_^. 

Yes, 4080 words. Please, please take note. 

I couldn't make it any shorter, or it would disrupt the pace, sadly. 

Introducing one of my favourite OST from a game called Rakuen (a bittersweet story-telling game), it helped me write certain scenes in this chapter C:

Happy Chinese New Year's Eve, and have a great reunion dinner to my fellow Chinese people! Yes, my extremely late update was due to a busy reunion dinner. Whoops! Time to wear my new clothes that I bought for the first time in two years, heh. 

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A pair of limpid, onyx eyes flew open. The owner of those eyes, which was a raven-haired woman, proceeded to let out a gasp. She saw her body hovering in the air as she was covered in a plain, white dress.

"Ah--"

The force making her float seemingly lost its strength, making her collapse onto the ground as her hair cascaded around her body. Her hand was on her forehead as she frowned deeply, lifting her head up and scanning her surroundings.

She found herself in an empty white space.

It was an environment she was familiar with.

She first appeared here when she was dragged into another world, and also, when she was unconscious after the system inside her informed her that her soul had been damaged.

No, it wasn't just a system in her head now.

She was sure it was an actual living being with an enigmatic history.

"AI500."

"..."

There was no response.

How did she end up here once again? She couldn't quite recall the memories that led her to this place, as if something had wiped out that memory. The moment she exerted more effort to recall those memories, a jolt of pain in her head made her wince.

"...?"

Footsteps.

She could hear them.

Footsteps approaching her, tentative.

Opening her eyes, she observed the person approaching her in the white space.

"...!"

To her surprise, the person bore an exact resemblance to her appearance. The only difference was her dress, which was completely black.

Moreover, her crystal clear eyes were full of hostility.

Something that she could never show.

"You thief."

She slowly stood up with wide eyes, her doppelganger charging towards her. In an instant, a pair of ivory hands were wrapped around her neck.

"You aren't Cecil Lan! Everything you have now, everything you are now, it's all supposed to be mine!"

Cecil choked, gripping onto the hands around her neck.

"You...you are the real--"

The grip around her neck tightened, cutting off her words.

"You aren't Cecil Lan in the first place! There was only one of me, and that's only me!" she hissed, her gorgeous onyx eyes filled with malicious intent. "Give me back all of it! You don't deserve any of it."