The Encounter in Sun City Mountain
Wen Shia ventured deeper into the dense forest, his senses were alert. He wasn't expecting to find someone, yet, as he pushed through the thick undergrowth, a figure appeared before him—Doming.
Wen Shia called out, his voice was a mix of relief and suspicion. "Doming! What are you doing here in such a remote forest? I haven't seen you for so many days. And now, here you are. Are you alright? You've been hiding something, haven't you? And you didn't tell us you're from the demon tribe."
Doming's expression darkened for a moment, but he quickly composed himself. "Wen Shia," he began, his tone defensive, "it was an emergency. I had no choice but to act the way I did. If I hadn't infiltrated Zo Huang's forces, he would have attacked and destroyed everything. I joined him to stop him from causing greater harm. I had to pretend to attack to gain his trust. My only intention was to protect the heavens, not to betray anyone."
Wen Shia narrowed his eyes, unsure if he could believe Doming's explanation. "It's hard to trust your words, Doming. But maybe I'm overthinking things." He sighed, letting his guard down slightly. "Right now, we have a bigger problem. Xiang has disappeared. I think she's somewhere in this forest."
Doming's eyes flickered with something unspoken as he replied, "I came from the other side of the forest, Wen Shia. Xiang isn't there. If she were, I would have seen her. I would've saved her."
Though uncertain, Wen Shia nodded. "Alright. Let's search the other side together."
For hours, they scoured the forest, calling out Xiang's name, but there was no trace of her. Eventually, their search led them to a nearby village.
"We need to make a drawing of Xiang and ask the villagers if they've seen her," Wen Shia suggested.
Doming raised an eyebrow. "Your drawing skills are terrible. Let me do it."
Reluctantly, Wen Shia agreed, describing Xiang in detail as Doming sketched. "Her eyes are large and beautiful, her nose is perfectly straight, and her smile… it's so radiant it feels like it could bring happiness to the entire world." His voice softened as he spoke, his admiration for Xiang evident.
When the sketch was complete, it captured her beauty almost perfectly. The two showed the drawing to the villagers, but no one recognized her. Days passed in fruitless searching, and despair began to creep in.
One evening, a man approached Wen Shia. "The God of Heaven is summoning you. It's been a long time since you've visited. He wishes to speak with you urgently."
Wen Shia bid farewell to Doming and left for the heavens. Upon his arrival, the God of Heaven greeted him with a concerned look. "Wen Shia, have you found Xiang?"
Wen Shia lowered his head. "No, I searched everywhere, but there's no sign of her. I fear someone has captured her, or worse."
The God of Heaven sighed deeply. "There is a place on Earth called Sun City Mountain. It's known to be a stronghold of demonic powers. Recently, many people have disappeared from there. I suspect something sinister is happening. You must investigate."
Wen Shia nodded solemnly. "I will find out what's going on—and I'll find Xiang."
With renewed determination, he descended to Sun City Mountain. As he arrived, he saw a group of people harassing an innocent man. Stepping closer, he spotted a striking figure among them—a woman dressed in elegant black, wielding a thin iron stick with alarming precision. She moved with grace and power, striking fear into those around her.
Wen Shia stepped forward to confront her, but as the woman turned to face him, he froze. His heart skipped a beat.
It was her.
"Xiang?" he whispered in disbelief, his voice barely audible.
The woman tilted her head, a cold smirk playing on her lips. "Who's Xiang?" she asked, her tone sharp and unfamiliar.
Wen Shia's breath hitched. "It's you. What's happened to you? Why are you here, dressed like this, hurting people?"
Her laughter rang out, cold and mocking. "You're mistaken. I don't know who you're talking about."
Wen Shia's mind raced as he stared into her eyes. The warmth, the innocence he knew—they were gone. Replaced by something dark and unrecognizable.
What had happened to Xiang.