Chapter 181: Fifth Life - Stay with Me IV

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How long has it been since I've dreamt of him?

Another week has gone.

I haven't been able to meet Yang Zi Huo in the dream realm again. Maybe he hasn't been sleeping and that worries me. Soon, I will leave Demon City when Zi Xue finally receives a pass, but I'm afraid I won't have the courage to leave Yang Zi Huo.

How long will we be separated until I can see him once more?

"Jiejie, am I peeling the potato right?" The little girl looks up at me and smiles. I take a look at the pale vegetable in her hand. Blotches of brown skin is still visible on the surface.

Actually, what I should be worried about is right here in front of me. The human child I decided to hide from the evils of Wicked Mist. It's concerning that they traffic humans, although I should have known it's not something above what their kind will do. I just don't know the intentions behind doing so. Is it so that they can torture mortals for entertainment? Eat their hearts? Suck out their essence? Just how many more humans are being held prisoners within demon city?

I tell her, "Um, you're doing great..."

Her grin grows even wider. By now, she's been cleaned up. Dressed in plain, beige robes, she told me it's the best clothes she's ever worn. Her name is San Qi. Kidnapped by Wicked Mist on her way to gather wood in the forest near her village, who would have thought that she would disappear from her normal life by doing a chore for her family to make dinner, and stay warm for the night?

Zi Xue shakes her head as she enters the kitchen. Fortunately, we haven't run into any problems because Zi Xue used her demon energy to block the human smell from San Qi. We've worked to keep her out of sight from regular patrons. Zi Xue is one of the kindest demons I've been acquainted with whether the reason for that is that she's acting under Yang Zi Huo's orders or if that's just how she is.

"Zi Xue," I whisper. "What's the progress on the pass to leave demon city?"

"Soon we'll have it. However, with another baggage for us to hide... I hope we will successfully get past the gates."

I stretch my mouth thin out of guilt. I'm aware that I've caused trouble for her when she only had the capacity to keep me safe. "We'll get pass. I'll make sure."

"Right." She doesn't think much of my words as she believes she is the only one who has the burden of keeping two people safe from Wicked Mist. Besides it is likely that if we are found, Withering Snow Inn will be investigated, and that can ruin Bleak Night's efforts of a safe haven for their spies.

No matter, I intend to help in whatever ways I can. Main objectives are to return San Qi safely to her family and keep Withering Snow Inn intact.

Somehow our nightly schedule consists of San Qi sleeping on the bed in my room. Her skittish behavior in reaction to residing in demon city has me sleeping on the floor in case something happens.

"Yong He Jiejie?" She calls for me. About to fall asleep, I hear her voice faintly.

"What is it?"

"Will you save the others?"

"The others?"

She shuffles around on the bed, moving the blanket to comfortably lie on her side while staring down at me. "I was taken and... put with the other humans kidnapped from outside demon city. There was a boy around my age. He was really quiet. When they brought us to the entrance of the underground prison, I escaped because he distracted the demon guards. I hope he is safe... and still alive."

Sighing, I feel my heart anchoring down. "Zi Xue and I will get you out of here first, okay? I will do my best to save them, but now is not a good time. We have to be careful."

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