Si Chu, his consciousness muddled, found himself in a pitch-dark, cramped space. There was no light to be seen around, nor any living creature in sight. He wandered in the darkness for a long time, thoroughly exhausted, and suddenly felt a chill. He sat down in a corner, his small body curled up, trying to draw in a bit of warmth.
Suddenly, whispers came from all directions, like many people speaking at once, originating from far away, their voices unmistakably malicious.
Si Chu couldn't make out what they were saying, but inside he felt an instinctive repulsion. He covered his ears trying to block out the noisy voices, but they seemed to have a will of their own and suddenly grew louder, as if they were right beside him. At the same time, Si Chu discerned the content of their discussion.
It was a series of words he had heard countless times before.
"That child is a jinx!"
