The Enchanted Grove

Pain, pain, so much pain! But she had to keep going! If she could just make it to the forest up ahead, she might be able to hide. Yu Keke clenched her teeth, pushing herself to keep running. Her entire body felt drained, her legs heavy as if filled with lead. She was running on pure willpower, barely holding on. The arrow wound in her chest had left a gaping hole, from which warm blood continued to gush. It felt as if her life itself was leaking away. But she couldn't fall now. No, she absolutely couldn't fall! "Stop!" "Quit running! You can't escape from us!" "Oh, little girl, do you really want to play hide-and-seek with us?" cruel voices taunted from behind, footsteps pounding in relentless pursuit. She couldn’t let them catch her. If she fell into their hands, her life would be over, nothing but darkness and endless suffering. She would rather die than become a toy for those bastards. Panting, Yu Keke ran with every ounce of strength she had left. Blood and sweat mixed together, making her look like a drenched, tattered doll. Closer, closer—the forest was just ahead. If she could hold on a little longer, she could disappear into its depths. The bearded brute chasing her turned to the sickly pale young man running beside him. "Boss, something's not right. Isn't that the Bone Forest up ahead?" Another scarred thug slowed his steps, his eyes widening. "Oh no, it really is the Bone Forest. Is she out of her mind, running in there?" The young man's pallid face grew even darker, his voice dripping with malice as he yelled forward, "Second Miss Yu, there's no need to keep running. That forest is the Bone Forest, the dark domain of the undead. No living thing can enter it and survive. The moment you step inside, you'll be nothing but a pile of bones." Yu Keke, her consciousness fading from blood loss, barely registered the shouts. Her mind had narrowed to one single thought—reach the forest, escape from the evil men behind her. She didn't grasp the meaning of their words, just the sound of their voices. She reached the edge of the forest. The will to survive drove her to muster every last bit of energy, pushing her legs to sprint into the eerie forest’s shadows. "Hey, stop!" The three pursuers halted, watching helplessly as Yu Keke disappeared into the dense forest. They tried to stop her, but it was too late. The young man stood at the forest’s edge, his gaze fixed on the dark, misty expanse. His face twisted in frustration, but he dared not take a single step further. Even just standing at the forest's boundary, a chilling cold seeped into his bones. Looking deeper, the white mist swallowed any sight beyond a few meters. The Bone Forest—a land of death, shrouded in mist—seemed to be a giant, monstrous mouth, silently waiting for any living being foolish enough to step into its jaws. The bearded man and the scarred thug exchanged glances, unsure what to do. Finally, they turned to their leader, asking fearfully, "Boss, what should we do now?" "What should we do?" The young man swung his arm, slapping the bearded thug's head. He cursed, "Three grown men can't even catch a twelve-year-old girl, and she was injured too! You've made me lose face! Aren't you supposed to be part of the infamous Lion-Tiger Bandits?" The bearded thug lowered his head, muttering under his breath, "Boss, you're the leader. Besides, who knew she’d be crazy enough to run into the Bone Forest?" "What did you say? You dare talk back?" The young man glared. "No, no, I wouldn't dare," the bearded thug immediately put on a fawning smile. "Damn it! We let the lamb slip away! This job turned into a total loss!" The young man's eyes were filled with fury. He kept muttering curses, while the other two men stood behind him, not daring to make a sound. "Forget it, let’s go. She’s entered the Bone Forest—there's no way she’ll make it out alive. There’s no need for us to risk our necks for a little girl. Even the strongest warriors on the continent, or the Holy Temple’s Light Mages, wouldn’t dare enter. We should stay far away." The young man finally admitted defeat. Spitting on the ground in frustration, he turned and led his men away. Inside the Bone Forest, Yu Keke kept running, directionless and frantic. The footsteps behind her had long faded, but she still didn’t dare stop. Her strength was waning, her body growing colder, and finally, her legs gave out beneath her. She collapsed to the ground. Lying there, Yu Keke realized she had no energy left. Even the smallest movement was impossible. Her mind grew hazy, so tired, so cold, the pain in her body gradually numbing. All she wanted now was to sleep—but if she fell asleep, would she ever wake up again? It didn’t matter anymore. She would just sleep for a while. Her eyelids grew heavier, and at last, she slipped into darkness. The arrow wound on her chest still bled, the warmth of her life seeping out, attracting the undead nearby. A gray skeleton, its bones creaking, limped toward her. It bent down, ready to drain the last flicker of her life force. Suddenly, a dark wraith appeared, a black mist swirling around it. The wraith lunged at the skeleton, the two undead creatures entangled in a fierce struggle. In the end, the wraith shattered the frail gray skeleton, consuming its soul essence before turning its greedy gaze to the girl lying on the ground. The girl—pale-faced, eyes closed, her delicate dress stained with blood, like a broken doll. Her long black hair spread out around her like a dark halo. The wraith could feel it—her heart was still beating, and her blood was still warm. The wraith, its dark form flickering in delight, moved closer. It had been so long since it had such fresh prey. It rushed toward Yu Keke, eager to feast. Suddenly, a shrill cry pierced the air. The wraith hesitated, and in the next moment, it felt itself being torn apart. Fear flickered in its formless eyes, but there was no time for the fear to last. Within moments, the wraith was gone, forever lost to the darkness.