The boat drifted gently along the narrow river, winding its way through a dense forest.

  Yan Hua couldn't shake the questions in her mind. First, she wanted to figure out where this river was in retion to the inn. In her memory, there was no such body of water nearby. She distinctly remembered descending from a third-floor room directly into a secret passage. That passage led to this mysterious river with no clear destination.

  The river's water was far from clear. Occasionally, a few small fish swam aimlessly, and broken strands of water pnts floated zily on the surface. Everything was eerily quiet, as if nothing could happen—or perhaps something monumental was about to. Yan Hua couldn't shake the uneasy feeling growing in her heart.

  "Where are we now?" Wu Mi asked casually, though deep down he knew he wouldn′t get an answer.

  "Sister! Sister!"

  Yan Hua froze, and Wu Mi was equally stunned. In the dead of night, someone was calling out "sister" from the pitch-bck forest—what was going on?

  "Gu Feng, who's calling?" Yan Hua guessed that Gu Feng must know the reason.

  Gu Feng responded with an enigmatic smile, remaining silent as he continued using the pole to steer the boat.

  "Sister, I'm here," a melodious voice answered, even more pleasant in the stillness of the night. The two voices of the girls echoed through the darkness, harmonious and captivating.

  Lanterns suddenly lit up, their red glow bzing in the night, revealing two sweet-faced sisters. They looked to be around ten and seven or eight years old, respectively. The girls held hands as they ran through the forest, sometimes whispering secrets, sometimes bursting into ughter, and other times singing loudly. Their joy and innocence made them seem like the embodiment of carefree happiness, leaving others watching in silent envy.

  "Sister, I will always be your best little sister, and you will always be my best big sister!" The younger sister said, leaning her head on the older sister's shoulder, pyfully shouting in affection.

  "Yes, we will always be together, never separated. I will never let anyone hurt you," the older sister replied, holding her sister close. The love, the care, the natural tenderness in her words—there was no feeling that could surpass it.

  "Hmph, all fake and insincere!" Yan Hua sneered coldly, squeezing out the words between her teeth, her tone cking any real emotion.

  "They really do look like a lovely pair of sisters," Wu Mi commented, offering his praise.

  Yan Hua shot him a fierce look, and Wu Mi quickly fell silent.

  Gu Feng kept his eyes on Yan Hua and Wu Mi, never once looking away from their faces.

  The nterns suddenly went out, and the sisters vanished as if they had never been there. The forest returned to its quiet stillness, and the boat continued to move forward.

  Yan Hua remained seated at the bow of the boat, her gaze fixed on the surface of the water, as if nothing had just happened.

  Wu Mi stood at the stern, still watching the small grove where the sisters had appeared.

  Gu Feng pushed the boat pole with force, steadying the boat.

  The wind began to pick up, ruffling the water and swaying the boat gently.

  "Why is the boat moving so slowly?"

  Yan Hua nearly fell off the bow. She quickly sat down in a panic, her eyes wide with fear as she looked at the man who had suddenly emerged from the cabin.

  Wu Mi rushed to the bow, his mouth agape as he stared at the man.

  None of them had expected anyone to be inside the cabin, let alone for this man to appear out of nowhere.

  The man was rge and broad, wearing rough, open-chested clothes, with a wide belt around his waist. He gripped a rge, gleaming knife tightly in his left hand. His face was puffy and rough, with the flesh of his cheeks protruding, his eyes fshing with a fierce and menacing gre, giving him an intimidating, threatening presence.

  "Y-You... who are you?" Yan Hua stammered, her voice trembling in fear.

  Wu Mi cautiously maneuvered around the man, slowly crouching down beside Yan Hua, trembling as he leaned in closer.

  "Why is this boat moving so slowly?" The man repeated, his tone unchanged, as if he hadn't even noticed Yan Hua and Wu Mi's presence.

  "Boss, the boat is already moving as fast as it can," Gu Feng responded calmly, his face showing no emotion.

  "I'm going to lose it! When will we get there?" The man, referred to as the "boss," shouted angrily at the night sky, waving the rge knife in his hand. His movements caused the boat to rock violently from side to side.

  Yan Hua clutched the hem of Wu Mi's clothes tightly, feeling a surge of fear. She was scared not only for her safety but also terrified of being thrown overboard by the violent swaying of the boat.

  "Sister, I'm here! Can you see me? Haha!" The younger sister's voice, as sweet as a warbler, echoed through the forest.

  "Sister, don't run off! Be careful, you might get lost," the older sister replied, her tone filled with concern and care for her younger sibling.

  "Haha, two little girls, today I've caught you! Haha!" The "boss" suddenly shouted with wild joy, turning his attention to the forest.

  The younger sister clearly panicked. She let out a frightened scream and quickly backed away, her eyes wide with fear as she looked at the "boss" on the boat.

  "Move the boat over!" The "boss" commanded, his voice sharp and demanding.

  "Yes!" Gu Feng obediently nodded and forcefully pushed the boat toward the riverbank.

  Yan Hua and Wu Mi watched nervously as the "boss" stepped off the boat and approached the younger sister. Neither of them knew what would happen next.

  "Little sister," the "boss" suddenly softened his tone, bending down to look at the sweet, innocent girl in front of him.

  The younger sister, frightened, took a few steps back.

  "Little sister, don't be afraid. Uncle will take you to eat some delicious food, okay?" The "boss" clearly lied through his teeth.

  The younger sister shook her head, tears slowly streaming down her face.

  "Little sister, don't be scared. Uncle isn't a bad person. I'll take you to a nice pce, a pce with lots of delicious food, and many beautiful new clothes. You'll love it," the "boss" continued weaving his lies, his voice filled with false reassurance.

  The younger sister's eyes suddenly lit up. She had already started to believe the "boss" and was beginning to succumb to the temptation of his lies.

  "I have so many fun things at my pce, things you'll never finish pying with in your whole life," the "boss" continued, his deception becoming more effective as the younger sister took a step forward.

  "Come on, I'll take you there," the "boss" said, extending his hand, waiting for her response.

  The younger sister looked back, searching for her older sister. But when she couldn't find her, she turned back around and smiled as she reached out her hand. The "boss" grinned in satisfaction, lifting her up and happily carrying her onto the boat, taking her into the cabin.

  The boat continued its journey forward.

  Yan Hua and Wu Mi were both stunned, completely confused by what had just happened. They couldn't make sense of it. Gu Feng, on the other hand, seemed completely unaffected, continuing to push the boat with the pole as if nothing had occurred. But for Yan Hua and Wu Mi, they couldn't just ignore it. Almost simultaneously, they rushed into the cabin.

  Inside, the cabin was completely empty.