Humans constantly do foolish things.
But… that doesn't include intentionally seeking out ghosts.
If Lilith's actions were known to the others in the fog gathering, they would undoubtedly think she was insane.
Those in the fog gathering knew that ghosts came in two types: those retaining some awareness, emotions, or desire for revenge.
These spirits didn't necessarily target those in the fog gathering, but… their motives weren't always consistent; they might kill humans on impulse. Like accidentally stepping on an ant; it wasn't targeted, but it was terrifying and completely unbearable to the human.
The other type had lost all consciousness, consumed by endless resentment and malice.
These spirits lacked any weaknesses, had no inhibitions, and were devoid of any remaining emotion. Their sole purpose was to annihilate everyone involved in this terrifying game.
Therefore, humans never intentionally contacted ghosts, regardless of their type; it was akin to placing one's head on a chopping block.
Of course, Lilith didn't know about the two types of ghosts in the fog gathering.
But she had her own judgment: the ghost under the bed wouldn't harm her.
After all, it had been sleeping under her bed for a considerable time without incident.
Lilith didn't believe she possessed any charm to dissuade the ghost from attacking; if it had wanted to, Lilith would be long dead.
What truly confirmed her suspicions was the riddle.
"Sleep with the sticker on your back. Wake from the dream, lose your soul."
The first half clearly referred to the ghost.
According to Harrison and the others, riddles could contain deceptions and traps, but based on the outcome, this riddle was a hint.
After all, Lilith had awakened in this room, and the ghost was under her bed.
If it had truly been malevolent, the fog gathering wouldn't have placed Lilith next to it; that would have meant the game was over for Lilith from the start.
Lilith looked into its eyes.
No… perhaps it was… she.
Soulless eyes stared blankly, radiating a suffocating malice. A strong stench of decay filled Lilith's nostrils. Her face was too pale, her hair too dishevelled.
She smirked, a grotesque grin, as if preparing to eat.
Long, dark hair had silently entwined around Lilith's ankle; a strange, dangerous aura filled the small room.
Lilith wasn't panicked.
In fact, she had anticipated the worst outcome; however, she believed the ghost was unlikely to kill her.
Lilith's decision to approach her was also related to her personality. She was a highly decisive person; once a plan was set, she would proceed step-by-step, unwavering, just as she always had been.
The ghost's wide-open mouth revealed sharp teeth and foul saliva, but Lilith remained calm, repeating, "I have a question. Are you… the landlady?"
The ghost's movements visibly paused; the saliva dripping from its mouth stopped.
Its sharp teeth and saliva hung suspended; its eyes remained fierce and terrifying.
But… a hint of bewilderment appeared.
Lilith was confident; she understood various emotions, even though she herself experienced them faintly.
Observation, analysis, and targeted strategies were the keys to her successful discharge from the hospital.
The long, dark hair retreated, and the pale face receded into the shadows under the bed, disappearing completely.
The ghost hadn't spoken a single word.
In fact, Lilith doubted these spirits could speak.
"Harrison," for example, had spoken, but it was only a clumsy imitation; could the real "him" speak?
Nevertheless, even without words, Lilith had obtained the information she sought. The next step was verification.
Lilith stood up, glancing at her ankle, now bruised and blackened.
It seemed she couldn't be so reckless in future interactions.
Closing her door, she headed towards her destination, taking advantage of… the daylight.
...
"Miss Zhang?"
Harrison called softly to the seemingly dazed woman.
A strong man, Phineas, stood beside him.
If Lilith were here, she would recognize Miss Zhang as the waitress who had spoken to her and Seraphina earlier.
Harrison's voice roused her; her eyes brightened as if she had suddenly come to her senses. She looked around, seeing that she was alone. She grabbed Harrison's hand. "You're finally here! I'll tell you everything!"
"What? Miss Zhang?" Harrison was taken aback. He glanced at Phineas, then back at Miss Zhang. "What do you want to tell us?"
"Don't pretend! I called your newspaper. I told them not to reveal their identities as reporters. Don't worry; this is my break room. No one will come," Miss Zhang's expression was strange; she seemed pleased, her eyes widening as she watched Harrison and Phineas.
"Ah… ah, ah!" Although unsure of Miss Zhang's arrangement with the newspaper, seeing that she seemed ready to reveal something, Harrison decisively chose to pretend to be a reporter.
Phineas also realized Miss Zhang seemed to have misunderstood something.
However… she didn’t seem particularly well-liked. Her break room was in the most secluded part of the staff area, next to the restroom, resulting in a peculiar, faint odor constantly lingering in the space.
Following Miss Zhang’s overly enthusiastic lead, they sat on her bed and accepted a cup of strangely smelling liquid.
Harrison and Phineas exchanged glances, both expressing confusion.
This liquid was…
"Drink! Aren't you thirsty?" Miss Zhang tilted her head strangely, noticing their hesitation. Seeing their continued indecision, she seemed to grow impatient.
She directly lifted the thermos and gulped down the contents.
Harrison and Phineas watched her swallow; their stomachs churned, and a strong urge to vomit rose within them.
What was wrong with this Miss Zhang?
The liquid in her thermos wasn't water; it was a mixture of various impurities and… blood!
Besides nausea, a surge of intense fear washed over Harrison!
This woman was strange; was she a ghost?
Should he flee now?
Or was he overreacting? Was Miss Zhang simply suffering from mental health issues, as the waitress had suggested?
No… things were probably worse than he thought. Phineas remained motionless; he must have noticed something!
Harrison felt slightly reassured.
After all, Phineas was a veteran of multiple fog-gathering tasks; his sense of danger was highly acute.
Wait?
Harrison glanced at Phineas, momentarily startled by what he saw. Phineas was still beside him, but… why was he standing on tiptoe?
Come to think of it… they had agreed to split up, yet Phineas had still come to him.
The more Harrison thought about it, the stranger it became.
He suddenly realized he couldn't remember when Phineas had appeared beside him…
At that moment, Harrison shivered…
No… Phineas had split off from him…
He had said he was going to the newspaper office…
Phineas wasn't even in the motel!
So… who was this "person"?
Harrison thought, glancing at Phineas.
A chill shot up his spine, goosebumps erupting across his arms.
He instinctively shifted back until he leaned against the door.
Suddenly!
Phineas, still on tiptoe and otherwise motionless, twisted his head unnaturally, staring at Harrison.
"Well?"
A ghost!
"Phineas" was a real ghost!
Harrison's mind went blank; he flung open the door and fled, as if for his life.
But a voice, like a maggot gnawing at his bones, echoed behind him.
"Well?"
...
The top floor of the As You Wish Motel.
Seraphina stood by the window, observing the surroundings, occasionally glancing at Jiang as she searched through the documents in the office.
Many people had a misconception about Jiang.
She wasn't male; despite her androgynous appearance and clear tenor voice, she was a woman.
They had been in the office for almost an hour but hadn't found anything valuable.
"It seems Mr. Magnus Crowe wasn't very happy with his family…"
Jiang tossed some documents onto the desk, unceremoniously settling into Magnus Crowe's chair.
This office was apparently the personal office of Magnus Crowe, the motel owner.
Of course, the office had been locked when they arrived, but that lock was no match for either Seraphina or Jiang.
"Did you find anything?"
Seraphina's communication style, if more conciliatory and less prickly, would have made her far more popular.
Jiang didn't look at her, swaying slightly in the chair, unlike a typical girl. "Didn't you notice that Mr. Crowe's office lacks any photographs?"
"Photographs?"
Seraphina was confused. Photographs of what?
"Oh, I forgot you're just a low-level office worker in reality. Based on my observations, regardless of their profession, most people keep photos of their children or wives on their desks—whether genuine affection or a pretense. It's almost a rule. Even in a parallel timeline, I think the probability of displaying family photos is higher."
Seraphina considered this; it seemed Jiang was right.
So… what had happened to Mr. Crowe's family?
"Look at this."
Jiang casually tossed a thin sheet of paper.
Seraphina quickly caught it; it was covered in dense writing.
This was… a letter?
No… it was a love letter!
"A love letter from Zhang Wen to Magnus Crowe? Who's Zhang Wen? Isn't his wife Lillian Pearl?"
Seraphina asked unconsciously.
"I don't know. Aren't we meeting everyone at the lobby at 11 AM? Let's ask them then," Jiang didn't seem concerned, or perhaps she had more pressing concerns.
Divorce.
Could this be a murder stemming from a divorce? The victim being Magnus Crowe's wife, Lillian Pearl?
So… was Lillian Pearl the ghost?
To find the ghost's weakness, it was crucial to understand who she was in life, what happened to her…
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
The cause of death, the murder weapon, and… her greatest fear in life.
These three pieces of information were key to ending this deadly game.
"Let's go. I don't like staying in one place for too long."
Although Jiang didn't act like a typical girl, she possessed a woman's intuition.
She sensed the surrounding air growing colder.
Seraphina noticed the same thing. They exchanged glances, not bothering to tidy the ransacked office; they even deliberately knocked over two chairs before closing the door and quickly leaving.
...
"Excuse me, do you know who this is?"
Tall, with a warm smile, deep eyes, and a mysterious aura, Lilith presented a sketch, eliciting no refusal from the young waitress.
She was skilled at acting; although her heart held no amusement, her smile was radiant.
The sketch was drawn by Lilith herself; it wasn't difficult; Industry City Psychiatric Hospital didn't prohibit artistic activities.
"Oh, that's the boss's sister-in-law!"
"Sister-in-law?"
"Yes! She was here a few days ago. Her name… Ravenna, I think?" The waitress frowned, trying to recall. "Yes! Ravenna!"
Lilith was startled, thoughtfully asking, "Do you know why she came here?"
"Yes, we all do," the waitress said sweetly. "She and the boss's brother were on their honeymoon. They stayed here for a few days and left."
They hadn't left… she was… permanently here.
"Thank you."
Lilith nodded, expressing her gratitude.
"You're… welcome," the waitress whispered, barely audible.
She didn't notice Lilith's quickening pace as she disappeared down the hallway.
Lilith was in a hurry; although the waitress recognized the person in the sketch, she didn't know how Lilith had obtained the image.
The woman in the sketch was the face of the ghost under the bed, drawn from memory by Lilith!
According to the waitress, she wasn't Magnus Crowe's missing wife, Lillian Pearl, but his sister-in-law, Ravenna!
So… where was Magnus Crowe's missing wife?
And where was Ravenna's husband, Magnus Crowe's brother?
...
The Fog Gathering.
The gray fog in the sky still held two slender, crimson moons, like a pair of… bloodshot eyes.
The thirty unlucky souls trapped in the curse remained, silently waiting, occasionally glancing at the names that seemed about to drip blood.
This wasn't due to strong bonds among them; everyone tacitly chose to maintain emotional distance. After all, if death was inevitable, grieving for a stranger was preferable to grieving for a loved one.
But the real reason everyone waited was that once the living had gone forward, they couldn't leave the fog gathering.
Even stranger was the time here, which flowed at a vastly different rate from the outside world.
Even after months without food, water, or rest in the fog gathering, no one felt hungry, thirsty, or tired.
Because in reality, only a few moments had passed for each of them.
Damian often wondered if he could even be considered alive under these circumstances.
However, before he could ponder further, a commotion and cries erupted in the fog gathering.
Damian frowned, unconsciously looking at Liam.
Liam's expression was grave as he stared at the blood-red names in the sky.
Damian followed his gaze, startled by a profound surge of fear.
"How… how is this possible? What happened?"
Damian's murmur betrayed his terror and disbelief.
Not only he, but everyone present was plunged into extreme terror and shock.
In the first group, Wei Tu, the designated Cursed One, had lost six names instantly!
Wei Tu, Qin Si Xiao, Yuan Peng Fei, Jin Wen, Lü Shang, and… the newcomer, Samuel Ford—their names had dissipated into the gray fog, merging with the mysterious void.
This meant the entire first group was annihilated!
"Damn it, how is this possible?"
"Does anyone remember the riddle for the first group?"
Voices echoed through the fog gathering.
"I remember. The riddle was… 'Hide in the mountain, retrieve the coffin from the water.'"
"Hide in the mountain, retrieve the coffin from the water…" Damian repeated the riddle. How could this be…? What kind of place was this? Did it mean Wei Tu and the others had to retrieve a coffin from the water?
"Liam, does this mean…" Someone looked at Liam, fear evident in their trembling voice.
Everyone's eyes turned to him. Liam looked at the six completely vanished names; six people… were dead and would never return.
Meeting everyone's gaze, Liam confirmed with a nod. "Yes. The 'Hide in the mountain, retrieve the coffin from the water' scenario will become everyone's task in six months."
Glancing at the horrified faces, Liam silently withheld the next part: If everyone was still alive in six months…
Following Liam's confirmation, the fog gathering returned to silence.
Only ragged breathing, soft sobs, and powerless shouts occasionally broke the silence.
Damian felt a tightening in his chest.
He hadn't been in the fog gathering long, but he'd never experienced this. In fact, only Liam seemed to have firsthand knowledge of such events.
Others had only heard rumors.
Legend had it that if a group was completely annihilated during a fog gathering, that scenario would become everyone's cursed task six months later.
Because of the previous annihilation, no one had survived to the end of the time limit, nor had anyone discovered the spirit's weakness before the deadline.
Therefore, next time, it would become an insurmountable spirit.
There would be no effective way to counter it.
The only possible recourse was the information contained within the riddle…
"Hide in the mountain, retrieve the coffin from the water…"
What on earth did this mean…?
...
The fog gathering, and those trapped in the past, were naturally unaware of what was happening in the present.
In reality, almost everyone was consumed by panic and fear.
But not Lilith; although she was curious to experience extreme fear.
Walking down the hallway, around a corner, and about to enter the lobby, Lilith bumped into a pale face.
Fortunately, it was her; if it had been someone else, they likely would have screamed in terror.
"Lilith?"
Harrison exclaimed in surprise, then seemed to remember something and tried to grab Lilith's wrist.
"Come with me quickly!"
"What?" Lilith's eyes narrowed; she deftly evaded Harrison's grasp, creating distance, and asked suspiciously.
Hearing Lilith's question, Harrison's face became even paler; his hair was completely soaked with sweat, beading on his forehead, no longer neat and tidy.
"Ghosts! That waitress is a ghost! Zhang Wen! And another man—I don't know who he is. There are two ghosts! There are two ghosts in this As You Wish Motel!"
Harrison was visibly shaken.
This time, Lilith didn't evade his grasp; she let him lead her towards the lobby.
She looked up at the time.
10:55 AM.
Their meeting was scheduled for 11:00 AM; how many would make it?
Lilith and Harrison sat on the sofa, silently waiting for the other three.
In reality, only Lilith was calm.
Harrison was restless, glancing around and occasionally eyeing Lilith warily.
Lilith silently observed him, wondering what he had experienced. In just a few hours, the bright young office worker was now haggard and seemed to have aged considerably.
At that moment, two people emerged from the elevator.
Seraphina and Jiang stepped out one after the other, their eyes meeting Lilith and Harrison's.
They were curious about Harrison's appearance, guessing he'd witnessed something terrifying.
"What did you find?"
Jiang sat cross-legged on the sofa without removing her shoes.
Although she was questioning them, her gaze was fixed on Lilith.
Lilith remained unfazed, seemingly unperturbed by her interest.
"We found something. We'll discuss it once Mr. Feng arrives,"
As Lilith finished, Phineas's voice came from the doorway.
"Young people these days are so punctual."
The four turned to look at Phineas.
Harrison's gaze was particularly strange; he stared intently at Phineas, his face a mixture of ferocity and fear.
As Phineas took a step towards them, he suddenly flinched, his eyes widening in terror.
He pointed to the top of the stairs leading to the lobby. "Why… is there another Jiang there?"
Phineas's words initially startled everyone, followed by a profound chill. They immediately stood up, moving away from Jiang on the sofa.
Jiang's face was grim; she didn't explain but followed everyone's gaze towards the top of the stairs.
The motel had six floors; besides the two elevators, there was a staircase connecting all floors, serving as an emergency escape route.
At the top of the stairs, an exact duplicate of Jiang stood there!
She stared at the group, her gaze flickering between the two Jiangs. Then, without a word, she turned and disappeared into the staircase.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. She'd run; it seemed "she" was a fake.
"That 'Jiang' was a ghost disguised as a person?" Seraphina felt a profound chill. Two identical people appearing before them was unnerving.
"Yes."
Two voices answered; one was Harrison's, the other Lilith's.
Harrison was surprised to hear Lilith speak.
"You know this ghost's abilities?"
Phineas stared at the top of the stairs as he approached.
Harrison nodded, glancing at Phineas.
"Believe it or not, until ten minutes ago, I was being chased by 'you'," Harrison said, looking at Phineas.
"Me?"
Phineas looked confused; he was sitting on the sofa, unsure why everyone was staring at him.
Seeing everyone's attention, Harrison took a deep breath and recounted his experience.
"So, you mean you were unknowingly approached by a ghost disguised as 'you' and then led to a break room belonging to a waitress named Zhang Wen?"
Phineas's expression was grave; his body tensed.
Harrison nodded vigorously.
Then, he looked at Lilith.
"Ms. Hollow, you also seem to know about this ghost's ability to disguise itself?"
Harrison's question drew everyone's attention to Lilith.
Although Lilith had remained outwardly calm, this very calmness was increasingly attracting attention.
It was simply because… she was too calm.
She seemed to accept the existence of ghosts in this world as a matter of fact, casually entering the fog gathering and even undertaking the cursed tasks!
Lilith hadn't displayed fear, complaints, anger, or frustration. If they hadn't known she was a newcomer, they might have assumed she was a native of this past world.
This Lilith… was rather strange…
This was the general impression the four had of Lilith.
Lilith, however, remained composed, glancing at them before saying seriously, "Actually, before I woke up, I'd already encountered this type of ghost—the disguising ones."
"What?!"
"You saw it? Before you woke up? What happened?!"
Everyone was taken aback by Lilith's sudden revelation.
It wasn't just that; the key was Lilith's unnervingly calm demeanor; she didn't seem to grasp how terrifying this was!
"Yes. When I woke up, Mr. Harrison knocked on my door. I looked through the peephole; he looked exactly like him."
"You didn't open the door?" Seraphina, her brow furrowed and hands clasped tightly, stared intently at Lilith.
Lilith shook her head, explaining her reasoning.
"I judged that the 'Mr. Harrison' wasn't actually him because I couldn't find a reason for Mr. Harrison to act like that. So, I didn't open the door."
Lilith's casual tone sent chills down everyone's spines.
They couldn't imagine what would have happened if she had opened the door, nor could they imagine if they would have done the same…
A wave of goosebumps erupted after this realization.
Because upon reflection, they realized they would have likely opened the door for "Harrison"…
Their gazes towards Lilith shifted.
This newcomer was not only not a hindrance but also… exceptionally clear-headed, with sharp analytical skills and a unique perspective…
"I didn't realize I'd been disguised as well. But that's good; at least we know this ghost's abilities," Harrison said, a hint of relief in his pale face.
Lilith looked at them questioningly.
Her undisguised confusion immediately attracted attention. Seraphina explained, "The ghosts in time-limited tasks possess only one type of supernatural ability: teleportation, anti-gravity, immense strength, metamorphosis, dream intrusion, and, in this case, shapeshifting. Once it displays shapeshifting, it won't possess other abilities. That's the rule; the fog gathering's rule."
Lilith nodded; she had suspected as much, considering it had taken the ghost approximately a minute to travel from the fourth floor to the first.
"But… was Zhang Wen a ghost?" Harrison asked.
Silence descended, broken only by Phineas abruptly raising his laptop.
"She probably wasn't a ghost."
"I remember you said you were going to the Sentinel Daily News. Did you find anything?" Harrison sat up straight.
The Sentinel Daily News was the newspaper they'd seen during breakfast; Sentinel was a small city in the current time.
Time was used as a marker because the real world also had an Sentinel , and… an As You Wish Motel.
Phineas, hearing the question, didn't hesitate; he opened his laptop.
"Yes, I did. Actually, it was Zhang Wen who released the information about Magnus Crowe's missing wife, Lillian Pearl, through the newspaper."
"So it was her…" Harrison wasn't surprised; this ruled out Zhang Wen being a ghost.
Because ghosts wouldn't do something like that; their methods were far more direct.
"But why would she release that information?" Harrison asked.
"Ah… to create pressure. She's the boss's mistress," Seraphina revealed information unknown to the others.
Seeing everyone looking at her, Seraphina appeared uncomfortable but continued, "Earlier, Jiang and I searched Magnus Crowe's office and found a love letter from Zhang Wen to him in his drawer."
Everyone realized something, but Lilith frowned.
Things were becoming increasingly complex.
Lilith was withholding information, such as… the name of the ghost under her bed, Ravenna!
She was Magnus Crowe's sister-in-law, so… where was Magnus Crowe's brother?
What was the gender of this shapeshifting ghost? And its true identity?
Furthermore, according to Harrison, Zhang Wen's actions were erratic and seemingly insane, but… Lilith suspected she was consciously cooperating with the ghost…
Why?
There were too many unanswered questions, but thankfully, they still had time.
Lilith clearly remembered the seven-day time limit for the task.
Even if they couldn't solve all the mysteries, as long as they survived, they would return safely to the fog gathering.
"We've definitely missed some key information. After lunch, let's split up again while it's still daylight," Harrison said wearily, rubbing his nose.
"Wait, I haven't said everything yet," Phineas said, looking at his laptop.
"According to the Sentinel City Daily News, Zhang Wen requested another news item to be published tomorrow. I managed to get it early."
Phineas didn't explain how he obtained the information; he simply looked at his laptop and said, "Ravenna."
He looked at the four of them and closed the laptop. "The newspaper said Zhang Wen requested this news item about a woman named Ravenna to be published tomorrow. She's also missing."
"Ravenna? Who is she?"
Seraphina's confusion was evident.
As were the others.
Lilith pondered for a moment and decided not to hide the information.
Raising her hand, she said, "I know her."
"You?"
Everyone looked at her.
Lilith nodded, confirming. "I know Ravenna. She's Magnus Crowe's sister-in-law. She came to Sentinel City with her new husband for their honeymoon a few days ago, then… died."
"Dead?!"
Harrison's eyes widened; his hoarse voice expressed his shock.
"How do you know she's dead? Did you see her die…" Seraphina started, then noticed Lilith looking at her.
"Remember the ghost you saw?"
Lilith's tone was calm, but Seraphina felt an uncomfortable pressure. She nodded involuntarily.
"What ghost?" The other three were confused by their exchange; it seemed there was another ghost in the motel.
"Ravenna. She was under my bed."
Lilith dropped another bombshell, leaving everyone stunned and breathless.
"You… what did you say?!"
Lilith ignored the question. "I wanted to examine her features more closely. I remembered her face and sketched it. Then, I asked around the motel; the waitress told me her name was Ravenna, Magnus Crowe's sister-in-law."
"Wait! You mean… there's a ghost under your bed?!" Phineas, a strong man, stammered, feeling a chill down his spine.
"Yes, Ms. Graves also saw her," Lilith confirmed, looking at Seraphina.
Seraphina, however, was staring at her, her face filled with disbelief and fear.
"You… you went back to look for her? Just to see her face?" Seraphina couldn't comprehend seeking out a ghost under her bed. Was she insane?
Lilith nodded calmly, then shifted her gaze to Jiang and the others. "That's not important. What matters is her identity. She's Ravenna, but… she's dead, now a ghost under my bed. So… what was Zhang Wen's motive for posting the missing person notice? What was her relationship with Ravenna? And… what role did Zhang Wen play in these two missing person cases—or rather, the related murder and missing person cases?"
Lilith's logical analysis didn't lessen the others' increasingly strange gazes.
Lost in thought, Lilith didn't notice; even if she had, she probably wouldn't have cared.
"Alright, let's continue splitting up. Meet here at 6 PM. Have a quick lunch; time is of the essence," Phineas said, unconsciously glancing at Lilith. Seeing her lack of objection, he inexplicably sighed in relief and continued, "Magnus Crowe hasn't appeared. According to the waitress, it's Sunday, and he only comes to work tomorrow. He must be hiding a lot of secrets."
Everyone nodded, finally recovering from the unsettling feeling Lilith had evoked.
As everyone began to disperse, Lilith called out to Seraphina.
"Ms. Graves, wait a moment!"
Seraphina turned, surprised, as did Jiang, who was about to leave with her.
"If possible, could you work with me this afternoon? I'm a newcomer; I'm not entirely clear on things, and I don't want to accidentally trigger any taboos…" Lilith seemed slightly embarrassed, avoiding their gaze.
Seraphina was inwardly speechless.
You're afraid of triggering taboos? You dared to examine a ghost closely; now you're afraid?
But Lilith's reasoning was sound.
Although Seraphina was disliked for her unpleasant personality, she wasn't inherently unkind. Therefore, hearing Lilith's excuse, she found herself in an awkward predicament.
Jiang was a woman; so was she. They worked well together.
Should she abandon Jiang and go with Lilith? Seraphina hesitated.
Despite her beauty, she wasn't popular; this was the first time she'd experienced such attention.
"Miss Jiang, is that alright?"
While Seraphina hesitated, Lilith turned to Jiang, a move Seraphina hadn't anticipated.
Jiang, too, was surprised.
Without a word, the androgynous woman turned and left, her back seemingly stiff with displeasure…
Lilith watched Jiang walk away before smiling at Seraphina. "Ms. Graves, shall we go?"
Seraphina wasn't stupid; she finally understood Lilith's intentions.
She nodded, feeling a strange mixture of curiosity and apprehension, about to ask a question when Lilith spoke.
"Ms. Graves, you and Miss Jiang always acted together, didn't you? You never separated?"
Seraphina was startled. Thinking back, she realized… they had indeed always been together.
Seeing her expression, Lilith smiled. "Actually, when I first saw Miss Jiang, I mistook her for a man. But this time, she seems more like a tomboy."
Seraphina's expression changed; sweat beaded on her forehead. She stopped and looked at Lilith. "I remember! When we were in the elevator on the top floor, she went to the restroom and returned quickly."