He "awoke." His eyes were wide open as he stared ahead without a focal point, drenched in sweat and gasping for air. His right hand still rested on the dark stele, which remained unscathed; despite all his might, not even a single crack appeared on it.
Yet, the stele had returned to its solid dark color, standing silently as if nothing had happened, just as when he first laid his hand on it.
His heart felt hollow, as if something had been scooped out.
His chest felt like an alley with a biting wind sweeping through it; he couldn't describe the feeling, but it was far from pleasant.
He turned his head dumbly, gazing at Lin Suqing with a lost expression. Before he could catch his breath, he asked with bewilderment, "Did I just..."
He started to speak but suddenly didn't know where to begin. He couldn't articulate what had just happened, only realizing that he wanted to cry even more.
