“All changed…” Qingsheng Tangxue stepped from the corner, cheeks flushed like peach blossom after dawn.

“Then let’s keep moving. How many forks have we hit now?” The tunnel branched like bare roots under winter soil.

Snow Orchid thought for a moment. “Five. We went left-right-left-right. Let’s take the middle this time.” Her voice drifted like a coin flipping in a quiet room.

“I’m fine with anything.” My calm sat like a still pond under ice.

“…Same.” The agreement fell light, like a leaf touching stone.

“Then go.” This time, Snow Orchid led, a reed cutting the current of shadowed air.

On the way we ran into more Goblins, but none burst from the earth like before. The last one was a mutant; I froze it stiff like a winter statue.

No idea if it could talk. For points, we took every Goblin alive. Qianya handled it, and her mind magic settled over them like snow smothering coals.

I don’t want to kill Goblins if I can help it. I hate them, sure, but blood on a small body splashes like crude paint, and my gut turns.

“Uh… I think we’re lost.” After the nth fork, the truth rolled in like fog filling a gorge.

“It’s been a while. The Academy’s others are probably dropping into the ravine now.” Qianya’s voice was calm, like a lantern in mist.

“We haven’t seen anyone besides us. This cave’s bigger than we thought.” Her golden gaze glided over a mouth of black stone.

“Where do we go next? If we don’t get out, we’re done for…” Snow Orchid’s worry tapped like cold rain on tin.

“That’s fine. Xuewei—Teacher said if time’s up and we’re not back, she’ll come find us. She won’t interfere during the exam.” Time sifted like sand through a narrow glass.

“Stay on the middle path. I smell blood.” Qianya looked that way, golden eyes steady on a beast’s maw of rock, iron-tang riding the air like rusty rain.

Damp, dark, orderly—this tunnel feels carved, not born. The entrance yawns huge, and the air flows clean like a long lung.

Did Goblins do this? How many would it take to gnaw this stone like ants eating fruit?

I shook my head. This place is more than Goblins. But Xuewei said it’s only Goblins. Fine—adapt like water around rock.

If it goes bad, I’ll flood the whole cave, a tide curtain dragging night down.

“Shh. Ahead—voices.” The sound fluttered like a torn leaf in wind.

“What’s wrong? Something ahead?” I whispered, my words misting like breath on glass.

“Listen close… A woman calling for help…” The cry stretched thin like thread pulled across nails.

We crept forward. A woman was ringed by Goblins, mid—BEEP—assault, a stage dressed in rot like bad theater.

“Someone local they grabbed?” Qingsheng Tangxue’s face went cold, frost sliding over iron.

“Tangxue, easy. Now’s not the time to rush.” Qianya’s tone was a steady stone in a fast stream.

“I’m calm. I just… want to vent.” Heat snapped under my ribs like sparks on snow.

“Vent later. Why would they do that with intruders nearby?” The bait lay obvious, meat on a hook in muddy water. “Tangxue.”

“I know… it’s an illusion, right? I felt it. I’m still mad. I want to smash these bastards.” My anger drummed like fists on a drumskin.

“It is an illusion. But are you even listening, Tangxue?” Her words tapped like a stick against a hollow log.

“Qianya says they’re baiting us in, silly Tangxue!” Snow Orchid’s whisper bubbled like a spring under stone.

“I’m not dumb!” I bristled like a cat with its tail up.

“Go in. We’ll play along. It’ll flush the Goblins hiding in the dark.” The plan slid sleek as a fish in black water.

“Huh? Then why’d you stop me, Qianya…” My question fell like rain on armor.

“Focus. Guard Snow Orchid. I’ll take the front line. Tangxue—handle the ambushers, okay?” Her command drew tight like a bowstring.

“Got it.” My answer clicked like ice on steel.

“What about me, what about me~” Snow Orchid’s plea fluttered like a moth around a flame.

“Snow Orchid… stay behind me.” Shelter wrapped her like pine shade at noon.

“Oh…” She lowered her head, a petal drooping after rain.

“Ready. We’re going.” Breath pulled taut, an arrow set to fly.

Qianya burst forward, her mind magic rolling out like a stormfront. The Goblins humped air, then their eyes went white and they crumpled like cut reeds.

The illusion-caster in back slipped, its shadow snagging like a thread. Qianya didn’t hesitate.

Boom— The explosive bolt slammed it into the wall, dust blooming like gray flowers. The illusion popped like a bubble; the BEEP—ed woman vanished.

Just then, a giant Goblin appeared behind Qingsheng Tangxue, a cliff shadow rising where there’d been none.

“You really… don’t value your life, huh.” She turned, voice without heat, eyes like winter glass fixed on the brute as if it were already a corpse.

The Goblin was swaggering; one look at Tangxue’s face and it went limp like wet clay. Its club clattered down like a bone on stone.

“Tangxue… what’s with you? Waaah, this Goblin’s huge!” Snow Orchid bolted, tugging my sleeve like a panicked bird, but I didn’t move.

“Icicle Spike.” I raised my other hand, ice gathering like a bright thorn. A mid-sized cone shot for the Goblin, a winter spear in a narrow hall.

Because of the height difference, it skewered the giant’s groin, a bad angle finding soft earth instead of bark.

Brutal… The pain rang like a crushed bell in a cold temple.