Mr. Crow asked quietly, "Are we aborting?"
Lana opened her mouth to answer yes... because logically, that was the safest course of action, but the creaking sound of the mansion door interrupted her. A figure stepped into view.
It was Naina. The sa Naina Lana had just seen through the vision.
Mystic cultivators always received the appearance of the mission issuer beforehand to prevent unnecessary misunderstandings, but the difference between a photograph and reality was striking.
The woman standing before her now was a shadow of her forr self.
The cheerful girl in the mission file had once carried the brightness of soone who dread of helping others.
Now she looked as if she were walking on the thin boundary between life and death.
Her cheeks were hollow. Her collarbones pressed against her skin as though her bones were trying to break free. Her eyes, deep and tired, still held a gentle warmth that felt painfully fragile.
The mont Naina saw Lana, she smiled. It was soft, polite, and heartbreakingly forced.
"Thank you for coming, Miss Lana."
Lana felt sothing inside her chest twist sharply.
’She’s close to the 120th day... It’s already begun. The ghost is almost her now.’
Naina’s hair had thinned, and what made guilt surge under Lana’s skin was... Naina’s hopeful gaze. As if the brilliant stars that form the universe were dancing in her eyes.
Lana clenched her fists and repeated, ’Don’t fall for it, Lana! She is pitiful, but so are you! You can’t!’
Then she made her decision.
"I... can’t take this mission," Lana said quietly.
Naina stopped. For a mont, her eyes widened not in surprise, but in that quiet resignation of soone who had already prepared for this outco. Slowly, a thin, self-mocking smile ford on her lips.
"I understand," Naina said, her voice barely audible. "It is only natural. No one would want to involve themselves in sothing... like this."
Her words were too calm. Almost numb.
Lana hurried to explain, "I can send my friends. They’re stronger than . They can definitely help. They’ll keep you safe..."
But Naina raised her hand, stopping her mid-sentence. She smiled again, but this ti it was gentle... too gentle.
"It’s alright. I can feel that my body is reaching its limit. Even if they ca, maybe... maybe by then it would already be too late."
Lana’s heart tightened.
’I knew this was cowardly. But if I force myself into sothing beyond my capability, I’ll die. And I still have so much left to do. I can’t die here. I can’t.’
She lowered her head. "I... still need my life. I can’t throw it away, trying to do the impossible. I’m sorry."
Naina simply nodded with quiet acceptance. "I understand. I will escort you out. Otherwise, the guards may beco suspicious."
The two walked toward the gate together.
Naina spoke casually along the way, small talk, mundane words, but every syllable was heavy, as though she was trying to savor the feeling of being alive for a little longer.
After a mont, Lana asked softly, "Do you have a dream? Sothing you truly wished to do?"
She didn’t know why she asked. Maybe guilt. Maybe compassion. Maybe the sense that this might be the last conversation Naina would ever have as herself.
Naina’s eyes softened.
"I do. Since childhood, I lived for my parents’ expectations. I never complained, but I always wanted to see the world on my own terms. When I was accepted into the military dical division, I was excited... Even if it would be dangerous, I wanted to travel, to learn, to witness life in all its forms. That was my dream."
Her voice trembled with quiet longing. Her eyes shone with a faint spark...
Lana’s heart skipped a beat, and she tried not to et the bright eyes... because she was reminded of soone... soone whom she ets every day when she looks at the mirror...
Parents’ expectations, her own dreams... and the almost perfect life she had... which was shattered.
’Stop! Stupid Lana! She doesn’t resemble you!’
And that’s when Lana noticed it.
A dark shadow was spreading behind Naina’s ear.
Her breath stopped.
’This isn’t the 100th day... It’s the 119th. That thing has almost fully replaced her.’
Lana’s heart pounded painfully, her heartbeat was spiking, and for the first ti, she started to question her own decision.
To let a life die and live or to fight back and... perish together.
Before, Lana could still ignore Naina... but now... the obvious spreading of the dark patches made her realize... she might not et Naina tomorrow or the day after tomorrow...
As the distance between the mansion and her was widening, Lana’s step slowed down until...
"Naina," she whispered under her breath; her tone was filled with resignation and relief. "Wait."
She turned and ran back outside the gate.
"Mr. Crow... check the ghost’s cultivation."
Mr. Crow didn’t argue. He closed his eyes, extending his powers. Sweat appeared on his forehead.
When he opened his eyes, his voice was strained as if all his energy was sucked out of him: "It has twelve years of cultivation."
Lana felt her lungs freeze. She could only handle nine. With talisman, maybe ten.
Anything beyond that was death.
She stared at Naina, who stood under the warm orange glow of dusk, smiling softly, hopefully. A person who simply wanted to live.
’Damn it... damn my heart. I shouldn’t have asked about her dream...’
Lana exhaled shakily.
"I want to do the mission," she closed her eyes while those words that she might regret tumbled out of her mouth.
Naina froze, her bright black eyes stared at Lana with hope, and a cheerful smile appeared on her face.
She grabbed Lana’s hands and held them tightly, her cold fingers trembling. "Thank you. Thank you... Thank you so much."
Lana forced a stiff smile. "I’ll stay with you. And I’ll bring soone else. Soone stronger. You won’t face this alone."
Naina nodded rapidly, like a starving person receiving food. Her whole body shook as tears slid down her cheeks.
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