422: Baguio! Wake up!

"Bi Yao! Wake up!"

Su Han shook her vigorously, but Bi Yao remained with her eyes closed, as if trapped in some deep dream.

Just as the skeletons were about to pounce, Bi Yao suddenly opened her eyes.

Her pupils had turned dark red, merging with the markings on her collarbone.

She slowly raised her hand, and a faint, eerie light appeared at her fingertips.

"Back down."

Her voice was no longer the cold, familiar tone Su Han knew, but carried a kind of ancient majesty, as if it came from the abyss.

The skeletons' movements suddenly ceased; the flames in their eyes flickered violently, as if suppressed by something.

Bi Yao flicked her fingers, and the air seemed to tear apart. A dark red barrier appeared out of thin air, blocking all the skeletons outside.

Su Han stared at her in shock, momentarily speechless.

Bi Yao slowly turned her head to look at Su Han, but her gaze was terrifyingly unfamiliar.

"You are not her."

Su Han said in a low voice.

The corners of Bi Yao's mouth curled up slightly, revealing a cold smile.

"Of course I am not."

Her voice sounded like countless people whispering at once, carrying a bone-chilling echo.

Su Han gripped his short blade tightly; the wound on his back burned with unbearable pain, but his mind was exceptionally clear.

"Who are you?"

Bi Yao—or rather, the thing possessing her body—tilted her head slightly, a trace of mockery flashing in her dark red pupils.

"You do not need to know."

She raised her hand, pointing her fingertips at Su Han's chest.

"You only need to die."

She slowly walked toward them.

Su Han dodged to the side abruptly, and a beam of dark red light grazed his shoulder, corroding a deep pit into the stone wall behind him.

He rolled to avoid the second strike, spinning the short blade in his hand, but he knew he was no match for this "thing" before him.

"Bi Yao!"

He gritted his teeth and shouted, "Wake up!"

"She cannot hear you."

The thing chuckled, closing in step by step, "Her consciousness has long since fallen into slumber. Now... this body is mine."

Su Han's breathing was rapid, and sweat trickled down his temples.

He stared fixedly at "Bi Yao's" face, trying to find a trace of familiarity in those strange eyes.

"What exactly do you want?" he asked in a deep voice.

"Bi Yao" stopped, tilting her head to look him over, as if considering whether to answer the question.

"A sacrifice."

She finally said, her voice carrying a twisted pleasure, "Her Soul, her flesh and blood... are all offerings."

Su Han's heart sank to the bottom.

"For what?"

"Bi Yao's" mouth slowly split open, revealing a hair-raising smile.

"To awaken... something more ancient."

She raised her fingertips again, dark red light condensing in her palm.

Su Han knew he probably wouldn't escape this blow.

But just as the light was about to erupt, "Bi Yao's" body suddenly trembled violently.

Her pupils contracted sharply, and the expression on her face twisted for an instant, as if something was struggling within her body.

"No...!"

Her voice suddenly became broken, mixed with Bi Yao's original tone, "Get out...!"

Su Han was stunned for a moment, then realized—Bi Yao's consciousness was still there! She was fighting back!

Without hesitation, he rushed forward, grabbed "Bi Yao's" wrist, and pressed her to the ground with force.

"Bi Yao! Come back!" he roared.

"Bi Yao's" body struggled violently, dark red markings writhing crazily under her skin like countless venomous snakes biting at her flesh.

A painful whimper escaped her throat, and the red light in her eyes flickered on and off.

"Su... Han..."

Her voice was intermittent, as if it were coming from very far away.

"Help... me..."

Su Han pressed down hard on her shoulders, but her struggles grew increasingly violent, her nails scratching several bloody marks onto his arms.

"How do I help?!" he gritted his teeth and asked.

Bi Yao's lips trembled, and she struggled to utter one word.

"Pool... water..."

Su Han looked up abruptly at the beam of light.

The pool water had already been drained, but the skeletons at the bottom of the pool were still writhing, and that figure, identical to Bi Yao, was slowly awakening.