In a fairly dark room, there was an ancient array similar to the ancient array in the death pit lying on the floor suddenly shining brightly which made the dark room very bright. In the middle of the ancient array that was shining very brightly appeared a young girl wearing a very dirty robe who was closing her eyes because of the very dazzling light.

Shing!

After the ancient array stopped glowing, the young girl in the middle of the array opened her eyes and blinked a few times to regain her vision. After her eyes were no longer dazzled, the young girl or Vheena looked around to figure out where she was.

‘What just happened? What was that light? Looking around, it’s no longer as dark as it was in the death pit—could I have been transported somewhere else? But how could that even happen? ...It’s pointless; I can’t gather any information if this place is so dark. I’d better get out of here first. I don’t want to end up in another dangerous situation.’

She moved slowly, feeling her way around in search of an exit, guessing at the right path and touching the walls to ensure she didn’t reach a dead end. As she continued, Vheena suddenly felt the floor beneath her rising, confirming that it was indeed a staircase leading upward. She immediately started climbing the stairs, keeping one hand on the wall to steady herself.

When she reached the top, Vheena scanned her surroundings in the darkness, ensuring there was no danger. Finding the area silent and empty, she continued to move forward carefully, choosing the path she thought was right.

As Vheena turned her gaze to the right, sensing a dead end ahead, she noticed a faint light shining through a small hole in the wall. She hurriedly ran toward the light, only to see that the path on her left led to a crumbled wall, allowing even more light to pour in. Filled with excitement, Vheena sprinted toward the gap in the wall, eager to see the outside world she had longed for.

“Finally, I made it out! Ugh, I feel like crying. Thank goodness I’m no longer trapped in that silent darkness! Now I can go back home to my students, pet, and maid! I’ll hug them all to fill the loneliness in my heart!”

Overjoyed at seeing the outside world, Vheena shouted everything she’d held in her heart. A few moments later, she regained her senses, feeling a slight panic as she noticed that her surroundings looked completely unfamiliar.

‘I-I hope my shouting didn’t attract any monsters. How foolish of me to yell in an unknown place. But looking around, there are only ancient ruins overgrown with moss and shrubs in this foggy forest. I must have been transported somewhere, right? What should I do? I finally escaped the death pit, but now I’m lost in a place I don’t even recognize. Curse my bad luck! I just want to go home!’

‘Huuuuft... Stay calm. This is just like when I first arrived in this world. I only need to find a village or town and ask where I am. Fortunately, I have my cloak to conceal my identity—huh? My cloak is filthy! What are these blue and green stains? It should be dirt, mud, and swamp water covering me. But why this strange liquid? And the smell! It’s so pungent and foul!’

“Blergh, I feel like throwing up from the stench. I need to find water to wash it off; I can’t go around smelling like this.”

Stealthily navigating the foggy ruins, Vheena eventually found a pond in an open area among the ancient structures. After making sure there were no animals or monsters nearby, she approached the pond and began to wash her cloak.

‘I’m lucky there’s water here, but how does this pond in these ruins stay full? Could it be rainwater? Seeing so many fish in it, should I catch some as emergency rations? But I’m afraid a monster might bite me if I go in. Maybe it’s safer to eat fruits from the forest rather than risk it.’

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‘Seeing that the green and blue stains are gone from my cloak, and the smell has faded, it should be clean enough now. But, thinking back, there isn’t a single tear or hole in this cloak, even after that ridiculous fall—it must be incredibly strong. Could the reason I wasn’t injured from such a height be due to the cloak’s effect? I remember when Xianxiu gave it to me, saying it was a unique treasure. If I survived that fall thanks to this cloak, it must be of a very high grade, right? When I finally get home, I’ll have to thank Xianxiu properly. This cloak really saved my life.’

‘Forget that for now; it’s time to find a village or town where I can ask where I am. I can’t stay here forever—if night falls, I could be in real danger. Who knows, these ruins might even be a monster’s lair.’

As Vheena walked away, she put on her still-damp cloak, feeling uncomfortable with its moisture but enduring it, confident that the cloak would protect her if she encountered any monsters in the forest.

Having ventured far from the ruins, Vheena was unaware that the pool where she had washed her cloak had mysteriously transformed after her departure. The once clear water, teeming with fish, had suddenly become a toxic pool filled with floating fish, clearly long dead.

---

In the dense, fog-covered forest at night, a young girl wearing a black and purple cloak with her face concealed walked with unsteady steps, appearing exhausted. The young girl, Vheena, her face hidden, seemed to be muttering complaints about her fate, yet she pushed herself to keep moving, even as her body occasionally threatened to collapse from fatigue.

“Ugh, I’m so tired. How much longer will I be lost like this? This forest is too dangerous, and the fog never clears, making it hard to navigate. I can’t even sleep peacefully here with the constant growls of wild beasts. Even if they’re far away, I still have to stay alert in case they come my way while I rest. Though there’s plenty of fruit to stave off hunger and thirst, it’s exhausting to stay on guard constantly. Where is the way out? I’ve been wandering for six days. I’m truly worn out.”

Unable to bear her fatigue and drowsiness any longer, Vheena stopped, leaning against a random tree to relieve some of her exhaustion.

‘My body is so tired. I’ll just rest here by this tree; I can’t focus on walking with my eyes this heavy. At least let me close my eyes to ease my weariness. I won’t sleep in such a dangerous place, but at least…’

“…”

*****

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*

“Sister, sister, are you alright?”

“Hmm…”

“Sister, please wake up. This forest is dangerous; you shouldn’t be sleeping here.”

“Hmm… hehehe, Linglu-chan, your chest is pressing against my back…”

“Sister, please wake up!”

A voice pushed and shook Vheena’s shoulders, trying to rouse her. But even with the continued efforts, there was no response from Vheena.

“Sister, please wake up! This forest is dangerous! It’s not safe for you to—”

“…Hah!”

“Eek!”

“…Who are you?”

‘Darn it, I didn’t realize I’d fallen asleep. What time is it now? Seeing the surroundings brightened, is it already morning? And who’s this little girl with a dirty cloak and a bundle of firewood? Is she lost here in the forest like me?’

“M-my name is Gu Dandan. Dandan’s not a bad person. I just wanted to wake you up because it’s dangerous to sleep in the misty forest. I’m sorry for disturbing your rest,” Gu Dandan replied, looking a bit frightened as she stood up, having fallen from Vheena’s sudden start.

“Oh, I see. Thank you, Gu Dandan, for waking me up. If it weren’t for you—erm, I mean, Gu Dandan, are you also lost like I am?”

'Phew, I almost let my guard down and showed my weakness. Since I don’t know where I am and this little girl might have already seen my face, it’s probably better if I pretend to be someone mysterious.'

“Lost? Dandan isn’t lost; we’re at the edge of the misty forest, near the Mist Village.”

“Huh? We’re at the edge of the forest near a village? Little Dandan, could you show me the way to the village?”

“Of course. I was heading home anyway.”

Hearing this, Vheena watched as Gu Dandan knelt down, feeling around for something. Unsure of what she was doing, Vheena realized that the girl was picking up her bundled firewoods and a walking stick she used to help herself move.

‘Wait, is this girl… blind? Watching her wave the stick to feel the ground ahead, it seems so. I remember her eyes were shut while talking to me earlier. Never mind, I’ll help her walk.’

“Gu Dandan, let sister help you walk,” Vheena offered, reaching for her hand.

“No need, Sister. I don’t want to trouble you.”

“It’s alright. Sister can’t let you struggle to walk while Sister can help you. Just lead the way; I’ll hold your hand to make sure you don’t fall.”

“…Alright, Sister.”

With Vheena holding her hand and Gu Dandan guiding the way out, their journey through the misty forest became easier as they set out toward Mist Village together.