Not Again!

Ren Haoyu lay on the floor of the boat, his body contorted in pain. Blood from his nose pooled beneath him, staining the wooden planks. His ears rang with a high-pitched whine, and he could barely hear the soft lapping of the water against the boat's hull. Every breath was a struggle, every movement an agony.

He tried to lift his head, to look around and assess the damage, but a sharp stab of pain shot through his skull, and he had to clench his teeth to keep from crying out. He lay there for what felt like hours, though it was likely only minutes, as the world slowly came back into focus.

The sky overhead was a deep shade of midnight blue, with a scattering of stars shining like diamonds. The moon hung low on the horizon, casting an eerie glow on the still water around the boat. It was a peaceful and tranquil night, but the recent chaos that had unfolded had left Ren Haoyu feeling uneasy. Ren Haoyu couldn't help but wonder how he always ended up with this type of mess.

Yesterday, he had faced a horde of shadowy figures that nearly tore him apart, and now he found himself on the brink of death once again, all because of a deafening shriek.

What's with his luck these two days?

It couldn't be that his fate line had turned all black, right? Or does he simply possess a protagonist' constitution, just like Azalea said, the one who attracts troubles or disaster everwhere he goes?

As he lay there, battered and broken, he heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

Then, he saw Azalea's face enlarged within his vision.

"Still alive?" Azalea's voice cut through the fog in Ren Haoyu's mind.

"B-barely," he replied, his words slurring together.

"You're tougher than I thought." Azalea's lips curved into a slight smile as she rummaged through her bag. After a moment, she produced a small container filled with a dark liquid. "Open your mouth," she ordered.

Ren Haoyu complied. He trusted Azalea, though, or at least trusted her not to kill him outright. It wasn't the first time she had saved his life, after all. Despite his trust, he couldn't help but feel a slight nervousness as he waited for the liquid to enter his mouth.

The liquid trickled down his throat. It was bitter, with a lingering sweetness that clung to the back of his tongue. He felt it glide into his stomach, and then, a warmth spread through his body.

At first, it was as if a thick fog had been lifted from his mind. He could suddenly think clearly again, and his senses sharpened. He could hear the sound of the water lapping against the side of the boat, the rustling of leaves in the trees on the shore. He could smell the damp earth and the sweet scent of flowers in the night air.

As the warmth spread, he felt a surge of energy course through his body, and he pushed himself upright. He looked at Azalea in amazement, realizing that the liquid she had given him had somehow healed his injuries and revitalized him.

"How did you do that?" he asked in wonder.

Azalea shrugged. "That's a secret."

Ren Haoyu felt grateful, but then his expression changed to one of shock when Azalea said, "No need to thank me, that'll be 1000 yuan."

Ren Haoyu's jaw dropped in amazement. "1000 yuan?" are you f*cking kidding me? I'd rather let myself be bedridden for weeks, then!

As Ren Haoyu's expression shifted from grateful to troubled, Azalea couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "Relax, I'm just messing with you."

"Ah?" Ren Haoyu was bewildered. Which one is it, then?

However, Azalea didn't continue the conversation and quickly made her way to the side of the boat which was close enough for Han Peipei's floating body to be in view.

Ren Haoyu followed behind, frozen with terror at the sight of Han Peipei's motionless body floating on the surface of the water. Her eyes were wide open, yet empty, like those of a lifeless doll. She appeared to be a living corpse, devoid of all warmth and emotion, as if her body had been abandoned by her soul.

"Is she...dead?" Ren Haoyu's voice was barely a whisper, barely able to form words. He had never before witnessed something so macabre and unsettling.

"It shouldn't be," Azalea replied, her voice low and ominous. "It's just her soul has suffered severe damage." She shook her head slowly, as if lost in thought. "If it were any ordinary person, their soul would likely have perished under my demon's projection attack. But Han Peipei, being an Aether, a banshee at that, she'll likely fully recover in just a couple of days."

"Wait, a banshee? Like a mythical being from European folklore that's said to wail and bring death? They really exist, and Han Peipei is one of them?" Ren Haoyu was shocked at the revelation.

"Yes, they do exist. By the way, I did explain a bit that Aether could execute various supernatural abilities, depending on which vocation they take, right?" Azalea began. "Well, banshee is actually one of the vocations. To put it simply, each vocation represents a specific skill set, much like different classes in video games. And banshee is one such vocation that specializes in abilities like curses, invisibility, and the infamous banshee shriek, which can cause great harm to anyone who hears it."

"Ah..." Ren Haoyu nodded his head understandingly. He had suspected that vocation might be similar to classes or jobs in video games. It was surprising to hear confirmation from Azalea herself.

"Anyway, go row the boat closer to her. I want to retrieve her body and bring it back to the boat."

"Would it be fine?" Ren Haoyu hesitated as he stared at Han Peipei's motionless body floating in the lake. He couldn't shake off the memory of her blood-curdling shriek that still echoed in his ears. But as he gazed at her peaceful expression and remembered how she had helped him earlier, he realized he couldn't leave her to float there indefinitely.

Despite the horror he had experienced, he felt a sense of compassion for Han Peipei. She had shown him kindness and had shared her passion for plants with him. He couldn't just abandon her body in the lake, even if he was still fearful of her abilities.

It would be inhumane if they were to leave her body like this. Furthermore, as Azalea had given the order, Ren Haoyu felt compelled to follow through, despite his reluctance. After all, she was his boss, and he knew he had to obey her commands.

"It's fine, she's in pretty bad shape right now that she couldn't afford to move. But, she could sense and hear the thing happening around her. Her condition is similar to those who were in a comatose state."

Ren Haoyu nodded and began rowing the boat closer to Han Peipei. The water rippled softly under the oars. The atmosphere was so calm and tranquil that Ren Haoyu began to feel a bit lost and unsettled. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

It was as if he had jinxed himself, and God heard his thought.

Bang!

Just as they were almost within reach of Han Peipei's body, dark tentacles suddenly sprouted from the depths of the lake, thrashing wildly and threatening to drag Han Peipei's body beneath the surface.

Oh no!

Not again!!