The moment the door slammed shut behind them, Tianwu felt a chill race down his spine. His instincts screamed at him, urging him to turn and face whatever it was that lurked in the dark corners of this twisted estate. But before he could act, Yuren grabbed his arm, pulling him forward with such force that it left him stumbling for balance."Stay focused," Yuren murmured, his tone low but urgent. "We can't afford to be distracted by shadows, Tianming. Whatever is happening here, we need to stick together."Tianwu nodded, forcing himself to breathe evenly, though the unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach was not so easily dismissed. There was something wrong, something about the way the figure had spoken, the way they had vanished into thin air. And that ominous warning—Beware those who walk beside you, for they may not be who they seem. It echoed in his mind, like a dark lullaby he couldn't shake.Weiyang, ever the pragmatist, walked slightly ahead of them, his sharp eyes scanning every corner of the hallway. He grunted under his breath, clearly uneasy. "This place gives me the creeps. Whoever that person was, they're not part of any plan we can control."Tianwu shot a glance at Yuren, and though he wanted to say something—anything—to shake the growing tension between them, the words died on his lips. The silence that followed felt heavier than before, each footstep echoing unnervingly through the estate. It was as though the walls themselves were listening.Suddenly, there was a noise from behind them—a sharp sound like something scraping against stone. Tianwu froze, his heart pounding in his chest."Yuren, did you—" Tianwu began, but before he could finish, Yuren had already turned, his hand drawing the sword from his waist with a speed that almost made Tianwu jump. Weiyang, too, had his weapon ready, a glint of steel reflecting the dim light."Stay close," Yuren ordered, his voice cold and commanding, but there was a slight edge of concern that made Tianwu's blood run colder. This was no longer just a warning—it was a threat.The sound came again, a scraping, then the unmistakable shuffle of feet. Tianwu's eyes darted around, trying to find the source of the noise, but the hallway was too narrow, too dark. He couldn't even tell where it was coming from."Who's there?" Weiyang called out, his voice harsh, cutting through the silence. "Show yourself!"There was no immediate response. Just the eerie sound of dragging footsteps, getting closer with every passing moment.Yuren's grip on his sword tightened. "Move," he said, urging Tianwu to keep up as they quickened their pace down the corridor.Then—suddenly—there was a loud thud, and a figure stumbled into the light, nearly colliding with them. Tianwu let out a sharp gasp, instinctively stepping back, his heart thudding in his chest.But the figure wasn't what he expected. It wasn't a foe. It was a young man, his face pale, his clothes disheveled as though he had just been dragged through hell itself. His hair hung in tangles around his face, and his eyes were wide, bloodshot, and terrified.Tianwu blinked, still trying to process the unexpected turn of events. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice low but filled with concern.The stranger, still breathing heavily, opened his mouth but no words came out. His hands trembled as he reached toward them, his eyes flicking from Tianwu to Yuren and then back again. His gaze lingered on Tianwu for a fraction of a second longer, before he looked away, unable to meet his eyes.Weiyang took a step forward, his expression hard. "Speak. Why are you here?"The young man looked at them again, finally finding his voice. "The door—it's locked. It's all wrong," he stammered, his words coming out in a rush, as if he had been holding them back for too long. "I... I couldn't get out. They're everywhere. You don't understand! You have to leave! They'll... they'll come for you too."Tianwu felt a knot tighten in his stomach, but he couldn't let fear cloud his judgment. "Who's coming for us?" he asked, keeping his voice steady.The young man flinched, glancing over his shoulder nervously. "I—I can't say. They'll hear me... they'll kill me." His breath hitched in panic.Yuren narrowed his eyes, clearly not trusting the stranger, but something in his desperation made him hesitate. "We're not leaving," he said firmly. "Not until you tell us everything."The young man's eyes darted between them. His hands shook even harder now, and he seemed to shrink under their gaze. "They... they're not human. They were—are—different. I thought I was seeing things at first, but then... they came for me. I heard them whispering. About you. About Tianming."Tianwu froze at the mention of his name. The fear in the stranger's voice was tangible, and the mention of his name sent a jolt of anxiety through him. "What do they want with me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.The young man was trembling so violently now that it seemed his very body might break apart. "I don't know. But they said they would take you. That you weren't supposed to be here, that you weren't supposed to remember."A sudden gust of wind blew through the hallway, and the torches flickered, casting long, menacing shadows across the walls. The tension was unbearable, and Tianwu felt the weight of the stranger's words like a stone on his chest. You weren't supposed to remember.Before he could say anything more, a loud crash sounded from down the hallway. The sound of boots pounding on the floor echoed through the corridor, and the heavy footsteps grew closer with each passing second."They're coming!" the young man screamed, his eyes wide with panic. "You have to hide—now!"Without another word, the stranger bolted down the hallway, disappearing into the shadows."Wait!" Tianwu shouted, but it was too late. The young man was gone.Yuren's eyes were locked on the direction the man had fled, his hand gripping his sword so tightly his knuckles were white. "This isn't good," he muttered. "We need to move, now."They didn't have time to argue. The sound of approaching footsteps was unmistakable now—heavy, deliberate, and growing nearer. Tianwu's heart raced in his chest, and he found himself gripping Yuren's arm as they hastened their steps down the hallway.A corner up ahead, the light from a torch flickered and revealed a group of dark figures standing in the shadows. Their faces were obscured by dark masks, their eyes gleaming like predators closing in on their prey."We meet again, Tianming," one of them said, their voice cold, their tone dripping with malice. "You shouldn't have come here. But now that you have, there's no turning back."Tianwu's breath hitched, but before he could react, a strange sensation washed over him—something that tugged at the core of his being. He felt it in his chest, in his blood. This wasn't just a threat; it was something far deeper, something tied to the very fabric of who he was.As the figures began to close in on him, Tianwu knew one thing for certain: his past, his forgotten memories, were about to crash back into his life with a force he could no longer ignore. And it wasn't just the estate that was hunting him.It was his own destiny.---The figures took a step forward, and Tianwu's heart pounded in his chest. But just as they were about to close in, a blinding light filled the hallway, cutting through the darkness like a sword. The figures paused, their attention drawn to the sudden burst of light.And from within that light, a voice—a familiar voice, one Tianwu had never expected to hear again—rang out."Tianming, don't you dare run."