By the way, how are Qiaoqiao and the others?

Not daring to wander around anymore, Zhan Xinjia simply found a corner and slumped down to save her energy.

With this much free time, she couldn't help but start worrying about those idiots.

Yan Yuyao and Wangcai should be fine.

Although his two powerful kicks were so strong they felt like they could have kicked their souls out of their bodies, the situation was critical at the time, and if spitting out a few mouthfuls of blood could save his life, it would be a huge win.

They wouldn't be too much for her to kowtow to.

As for Qiaoqiao and Cui Wanzhao, I vaguely remember that when the blizzard came down, it seemed to push them away in time. They certainly weren't unlucky enough to be swept into an avalanche like she was.

And Pei Yi...

Ugh, what bad luck, let's not talk about it.

The dim oil lamp illuminated the black wall, casting a bleak and terrifying light and shadow over the narrow passage. She sat alone in the deep corner, head down and knees tucked in, suddenly overwhelmed by a strong sense of loneliness.

The tunnel was so deep that there wasn't even a sound of wind; it was so quiet that she could clearly hear her own heartbeat and breathing.

The surroundings were deathly silent, as if encased in an overturned porcelain vase, with no air movement whatsoever, isolating everything.

Empty, void, desolate.

It was as if she were the only person left in the whole world.

If we can't get out, we'll really die here all alone...

I smiled bitterly as I read the letter.

Although she usually likes to act like a hero in front of others, she is actually afraid every time this happens.

She was afraid she wouldn't be able to go back and apologize to Master Shen in person, afraid she would never see her brother whom she had finally found, afraid that her parents would have to go through the pain and despair of losing their son again, and afraid that the two siblings from the Yan family would be sad and heartbroken when they heard the news.

Also, she is actually very afraid of dying.

Besides death, she is also afraid of the dark and pain. She has many sources of fear that make her uneasy and many weaknesses. However, she doesn't usually have the opportunity to be delicate, so she is used to pretending to be fearless.

This can be considered a form of self-deception.

In reality, she knew very well that she could neither become a great hero like her father, nor could she ever be as brave and resolute as her brother.

But at least, she shouldn't be considered a coward, right?

At least, she was able to overcome her fear and stand up again and again to protect those she cared about, forging ahead without hesitation.

If Lord Shen were here, he would definitely smile gently, pull her into his arms, pat her head, kiss her cheek, and praise her without reservation.

They said things like, "Our Azhi is really amazing."

Thinking of this, a slight warmth suddenly welled up in her lungs, which had been chilled by the snow, and Zhan Xinjia managed to raise the corners of her lips.

Her head was pressed against the wall, a few strands of hair fell across her forehead, partially obscuring her eyes. Her pale face looked somewhat forlorn in the dim light and shadow. Her eyes were lowered, and she looked weak and haggard.

Startled, Zhan Xinjia pulled out a handkerchief from her sleeve, the scent of which had long since dissipated, and pressed it against her cheek with a sense of dependence.

She lowered her eyes, but her vision gradually blurred, shrouded in a hazy mist.

It's alright, I can speak for myself if Master Shen isn't here.

"Good child, oh dear, our Ah Zhi is such a brave and good child..."

Although her throat, already sore from the ice shards, ached with every word she spoke, she endured the pain and tried her best to soothe her emotions with this childish method.

In the end, her hoarse voice began to choke, and she sobbed.

She buried her face in her handkerchief, her warm tears slowly soaking the fabric. Her head was bowed, and her thin shoulders trembled uncontrollably.

For a moment, only her own faint sobs echoed in the dimly lit mine, then dissipated into silence, returning to calm, leaving only a deeper, more unsettling loneliness.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhan Xinjia wiped his face with his sleeve, leaned against the wall, and limped to his feet again.

Okay, I'll only allow myself to be vulnerable for a little while.

Zhan Xinjia, your life was bought with my brother's money, how can you give it up so easily?

Gathering her courage again, she groped her way along the wall, inching her way outwards step by step.

Her body had reached its limit; everything ached terribly, especially her knees, which hurt so much that she could barely walk. But she didn't stop. Instead, she bit her lip and continued forward with a determined look in her eyes.

After about half an hour, she finally caught a glimpse of a faint light around the corner ahead.

Several tall shadows were cast on the wall by the light, and occasionally a few low curses could be heard.

"Damn it, what bad luck, how could an avalanche happen out of nowhere?"

"That scared the hell out of me! If I hadn't run fast, I would have been buried in the hole."

"Hey, do you guys think there's anyone in that collapsed section of the tunnel?"

"Who cares if there are people around? It's none of our business. As long as we can keep our lives and get our wages, that's all that matters. Alright, I have to go on patrol now. You guys better not finish your drinks, leave me a sip!"

As soon as the sound faded, heavy footsteps approached from around the corner, heading towards the direction where Zhan Xinjia was hiding.

Based on her current physical condition, she rationally considered the situation and decided to temporarily avoid a direct conflict with the people of Nanjun. The most important thing now was to find an exit and reunite with Qiaoqiao and the others.

Moreover, a small team was waiting nearby in the valley to provide backup.

Randomly choosing a direction, Zhan Xinjia slipped inside. Not long after, she encountered another patrol of guards, so she had to turn back and take another route. She stumbled and hid in the mine for most of the day, but she couldn't find the exit and was almost exhausted.

With his back against the wall, Zhan Xinjia, who had just wanted to rest for a while, hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath when the guards holding torches were already approaching, leaving him no way to avoid them.

Her gaze darkened, and just as she was about to make a desperate attempt, a familiar, low voice suddenly came from behind her shoulder.

"Commander Zhan, over here!"

Pei Yi?!

How did he end up here?

Although she had some doubts, Zhan Xinjia couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when she saw someone she could barely recognize.

At least she wasn't alone.

The guards were already close at hand. After a moment's hesitation, she gritted her teeth and ran in the direction of the sound. She chased after that figure for an unknown amount of time and actually managed to shake off the pursuers behind her.

Why is Pei Yi so familiar with the mine shafts...?

Just as they were speculating, the young man in blue who was walking ahead suddenly stopped.

He didn't turn around; instead, he stood with his back to her, eerily silent in the darkness.

From a distance, it looks like a standing corpse.

Zhan Xinjia cautiously slowed her pace, subtly distancing herself from him. Although alarm bells were ringing in her mind, she pretended to be calm and casually chatted with him.

"How are the others? By the way, how did you find your way in?"

Pei Yi didn't reply. He slowly turned around. In this deathly dark mine, there was clearly no light source, yet his eyes glowed with a faint blue light, and his voice sounded unfamiliar.

"The database clearly analyzes that you like people like Shen Suqing, but it's strange, no matter how much I try to be nice to you, your affection for me remains negative..."

Before the bewildered Zhan Xinjia could react, Pei Yi chuckled, a subtle appreciation in his eyes.

His voice seemed to come right next to my ear, damp and cold, like a venomous snake, sending chills down my spine.

But her tone was so gentle and seductive, it was almost tempting.

"Interesting. In the original setting, you, as a villainous female supporting character, are not difficult to win over. You would care about and cherish anyone who is even slightly kind to you... But it seems that you have long since broken free from the control of the original setting."

Is it a bug or something else? ...Anyway, I'm very interested in you. You're definitely better than that indecisive good-for-nothing Mu Yunlan.

So, young people, are you interested in binding yourselves to a system?

Don't rush to refuse.

If you're willing to let me parasitize you, all you need to do is pay a tiny price and help me with some small tasks, and you can easily fulfill all your wishes.

Think about it carefully, do you really want Zhan Yinshu to forever remain that inhuman, ghost-like state?

He smiled in the darkness.