Out of the tunnel, Yun Shi surged forward, urgency like fire licking her heels.

Each extra minute felt like an extra shadow at her back, danger thick as fog.

Her quick trick had fooled the Quadra Eye Family for now, but smoke thins fast.

Once they sensed it was the simplest con, the gate would slam shut like iron.

That was why she pressed on, heart drumming like a trapped bird.

“Miss, please slow down!” Mia called, her voice thin as reed in the wind.

“You two, hurry, or the window closes like a shutter,” Yun Shi snapped, eyes bright.

Under moonlight washed like silver, three shadows stayed sharp; beyond the firelight, wreck lay scattered.

In the hall, Shinai of the Quadra Eye Family sat still as stone by a map.

Her calm gaze sharpened with frost, the look of disappointment biting like winter.

Running hard, Yun Shi felt a wrong wind; she braked, panic fluttering like leaves.

Mia and Eil hit her back, a clumsy thud like falling apples.

Poor Mia lost her center and went down, rubbing her aching tailbone like a child.

“Seriously, Miss, what are you doing? That hurt,” she muttered, eyes wet as dew.

Yun Shi raised a finger, hush like a blade; she glided forward through grass curtains.

Sensing the air turn, Mia yanked Eil along, their steps soft as foxes.

She parted the grass like a green veil, found nothing, doubt pricking like nettle.

“Seen enough?” a voice breathed, cold as night water.

Her alarm spiked like lightning; she turned to men with weapons, shadows thick as wolves.

She knew them—Quadra Eye Family enforcers, faces set like iron masks.

“Please come back with us now that you’ve had your fun, Miss,” one said, voice clipped.

This shouldn’t be happening; her plan was clean, seams tight as silk.

Why did they still find her? A leak? No—no fourth person knew.

Did someone read the flaw in her move? Whose eyes cut like knives?

Her mind churned to chaos, thoughts scattering like startled birds.

For a few heartbeats, thinking left her, a tide pulled by the dark moon.

“Miss, please stay calm!” Mia’s voice brushed her ear like warm breath.

Yun Shi snapped awake, soul steadying like a drawn bow.

“You said we’d reach the Outer World, where peace lies still as lake water.

You can’t fall here. Decide, Miss,” Mia pleaded, eyes bright as embers.

Yes. She had to break free of the Clan Head’s grip, a collar like chain.

No resigning at the opening move; victory lives in the counterstrike like hidden spring.

In a flash, Yun Shi moved, hands quick as sparrows.

She pulled a smoke grenade’s ring and rolled it; gray bloom unfurled like a night flower.

“Now—run!” she hissed, voice cutting clean as a blade.

She grabbed Mia and Eil, and they bolted, feet beating like drums.

“Damn, I got careless!” the leader snarled, heel stamping dust like angry thunder.

He gave chase, breath hard as bellows, anger crackling like sparks.

On the run, Yun Shi heard their pursuit swell, a wave pushing the shore.

They had found her; her crafted chaos was ash, the clock grinding like millstone.

It took so much to choose escape from the Clan Head, resolve ironed like steel.

She’d come this far; must she fold now, like a wilted leaf?

Go back for punishment, a tighter leash, and end as a marriage pawn like cargo.

No. She’d tear free, teeth bared like a tiger in a snare.

“Miss, I’ll be the decoy. You two go,” Mia said, voice steady like a lantern.

The words fell like a stone; Yun Shi and Eil flinched, hearts jolting.

“What are you saying, Mia? Do you know what you’re doing?” Yun Shi’s voice trembled.

Use a companion as bait and run? Her heart refused, a gate barred like iron.

“No time. Please, agree,” Mia urged, intent shining like a blade’s edge.

“Mia!” Yun Shi’s cry shook, a string stretched too tight.

“You said the Outer World waits, no strife, peace like soft rain.

So don’t quit here. I’ll back you, always,” Mia said, warmth like sunrise.

“...” Silence held like a held breath, a pause as long as winter.

“I’ll meet you at the back ridge. Trust me,” she promised, smile bright as moonlight.

“But it’s too dangerous,” Yun Shi whispered, worry pooling like dark water.

“It’s the last time, right? Outside, no more nights like this.

For the future, why not risk? And don’t worry—this path is a shortcut.

I’ll get there first,” Mia said, confidence ringing like a bell.

“Mia...” Yun Shi’s voice softened, a petal bruised by rain.

“Don’t worry. I’ll come back,” Mia smiled, her signature light like dawn.

Her intent passed like warmth through winter hands; no regrets, only a future like spring.

“Hey! I’m over here—come catch me!” she shouted, voice a lure like bright thread.

She didn’t wait; she sprinted opposite, loud as birds, drawing the hounds like moths.

“Mi—” Yun Shi reached, the word breaking like a twig.

“Let’s go, Miss. Once Mia decides, she won’t bend. We trust her,” Eil said, steady as rock.

He patted Yun Shi’s shoulder, resolve settled like mountain stone.

Elsewhere, Mia wove through trees, pulling Quadra Eye men like tide to shore.

“Hey, are we sure the Miss is there?” one hissed, eyes narrow as blades.

“Report: Not found. Probably hiding ahead. Night’s too deep to see,” another answered, voice flat.

“Keep pressing. She’s in front,” the leader growled, breath hot as forge.

“Yes!” The reply snapped, crisp as a snapped twig.

Alone, Mia danced with the chase, legs burning like hot coals.

After so much running, strain clawed like briars; stopping would waste the time she bought.

She would clear Miss’s path, whatever the cost, faith fixed like a star.

Suddenly, her foot snagged; she crashed, rolling down like loose stones.

Thud. Pain flared like fire under skin; she scrambled up and veered.

Maybe that tumble knocked her off the line; the wolves behind thinned like smoke.

A window opened; she had to hit the back ridge now, hide like a fox.

Then meet Miss and brother, their reunion a small fire in snow.

“Damn it, where’d she go!” a voice spat, anger buzzing like hornets.

“If not for this night, I’d flay them,” another snarled, hate rough as grit.

Mia’s heart sparked; she ran for the forest mouth, a gap like a pale gate.

No torches burned there, yet moon poured a wick of hope into the dark.

One more step, and she’d step into the world of light like morning.

Beyond the dark, she could finally catch the light like a bird in hand—

Bang!

Her outstretched hand caught no light; her face went blank, the world dimming like dusk.

Pain spoke without words, a knife buried cold.

She hit the ground hard, eyes opening to red pooling like a spilled rose.

She reached, and her palm came up crimson, a garden of blood in the dirt.

She realized—she’d been shot, truth stark as frost.

Mia forced herself upright, swaying like a reed; her back burned like brand.

That was where the bullet bit, a fang in flesh.

“Hey! What are you doing? If your random shots hit the Miss, what then?” someone snapped, fear raw.

“Why fuss over that trash? Dragging her back won’t matter.

We’ll tell Madam we couldn’t find her, say she died on someone else’s turf,” another said, voice oily as smoke.

Consciousness still flickered like a guttering candle; voices leaked in like mist.

Her legs couldn’t move fast; she stepped, step by step, wrestling sleep like a tide.

Bang, bang, bang!

Splurt. Blood bloomed again, a red flower spreading across her clothes.

Rounds swarmed; already weak, Mia took more hits, iron tang filling her mouth like rust.

She coughed a mouthful of red, breath ragged like torn cloth.

She wanted to fall, a tree felled by storm, but the promise held like rope.

Meet at the back ridge—those words steadied her feet like stakes.

Along her footprints, drops fell, red beads like a rosary trailing behind.

“Bastard! Are you insane? If you kill the Miss, ten lives won’t save you!” someone shouted, panic hot.

Voices blurred like rain; her wound went numb, a cold river under skin.

No. She had to reach the back ridge, spine set like iron.

She could not fall; her word was a bridge she’d cross even on bleeding feet.

They promised. No breaking word—what she told Miss and brother, she must fulfill, oath tight as knot.

Mia dragged heavy steps toward that fixed point, eyes dimming like embers.

Step by step, hand clamped over wounds, blood dripping like a slow stream.

She faltered many times, then will hauled her up, a blade lifted again for a vow.

The back ridge arrived; no one yet, emptiness pale as mist.

It was fine; she could wait, patience rooted like an old pine.

Mia leaned against a tree, bark rough like age; her breathing thinned like smoke.

Pain dulled to frost, but blood kept flowing, a dark river that wouldn’t stop.

“Miss, brother, are you not here yet...” her voice fell, soft as falling ash.

She knew she’d bleed out without care, medicine gone like a lost pack.

The kit had been dropped in flight, chance scattered like seeds in wind.

Alone, she could only sit and wait, a lantern guttering in rain.

Her vision blurred; awareness loosened from her body like thread unwinding.

She really wanted to sleep, eyelids heavy as stone.

Is this… death? The word hovered like a distant bell.

She seemed to understand the few truths of her life, calm strange as snow.

Fear didn’t rise; wonder did, like a quiet lake under stars.

Still, she feared one thing—never seeing those faces again, the appointment broken like cracked porcelain.

Without Miss, she’d have died long ago, truth quiet as a whisper.

Yes. Miss was her all, irreplaceable as the only sun.

“I’m sorry, brother. I’ve caused you trouble,” she breathed, regret soft as dusk.

She’d watched Miss too much, and seldom him, guilt like a knot in her chest.

“Mia is a bad person, because… Mia lied,” she said, honesty bare as winter branches.

“I’m sorry,” the words fell, light as snow.

“Miss…” Her breath stretched thin, a silk thread in wind.

“I didn’t make it,” she confessed, the night swallowing sound like deep water.

Moonlight drifted behind clouds, light carried off like a flock.

Under the tree alone, blood spread wider, a red lake licking roots.

Even when she lacked strength to press the wound, it kept flowing, stubborn as fate.

Mia could no longer speak; only a thin thread of awareness held like a spider’s silk.

She opened her eyes, took one last look at this world, a painting fading at the edges.

You know, Miss—Mia’s wish is the Outer World, a horizon like dawn.

No strife, no darkness, no war—peace quiet as snow on bamboo.

You told me that, your words bright as fireflies in summer.

You may have forgotten: as a child in the courtyard, your offhand dreams lit my heart.

The world you spoke felt wondrous, like you’d walked it, even though I never saw you go.

But it doesn’t matter; you gave us siblings a chance, a gate to the Outer World.

It will be just as you described, because I believe you, faith steady as stone.

You saved our lives; without you, there would be no today, no bread, no sun.

Even if I die, it’s fine, as long as…

Miss lives.

Mia believes Miss will find her happiness outside, a smile bright as spring.

No reason needed. Mia simply believes, like a river believes the sea.

Because Mia loves Miss the most. Please, be happy.

"I'm sorry... this time... I'll break our promise, like a meeting blown away by cold wind."

"No matter what, don't forget: the brightest star is me, yearning for light in the sky."

"Mia will always stay by your side, like a shadow at dusk."

"Thank you; I'm glad I met you, Miss, like finding spring water."

...

"Damn it, these pursuers are a swarm of gnats."

"Well, we're here anyway; let's hurry and find Mia, like chasing a lantern through fog."

"Alright, alright—no idea where Mia is, like a needle lost in grass."

After shaking off those pests, Yun Shi Eil combed the back mountain for Mia's trail, like tracking dewprints.

Yun Shi spotted Mia behind a tree, her back resting on the trunk like a tired traveler.

"Seriously, Mia, there you are; we can go now, before daylight thins."

...

"Mia?"

...

No answer; the silence pressed down like winter snow.

Her chest cinched tight like a drawn bow; then Yun Shi sprinted to Mia's side.

Blood splashed across the ground; even the bark was stained dark, and Mia's head was bleeding, crimson threading through her hair.

She couldn't speak now; eyes closed, she lay asleep, quiet as nightfall, with no more sunrises waiting for her.

"Mia!!!"