“After I realized you weren’t at school, I rushed straight to Lucky Clover Internet Cafe… but still couldn’t find you.”

“Where else would an internet-addicted schoolgirl skip class to go, if not online?”

Mom recounted her reasoning, and guilt tightened my chest. At that time, I was probably… on a date with a rotting corpse in Wanxiang Residential Complex…

“I just had this feeling something had happened to you.”

“The backpack I bought you had a tracking chip I installed earlier. I could check your location via my phone—just in case.”

“But a few days ago, I was attacked. My phone got destroyed then.”

Just listening gave me a headache. Mom’s search had been so rocky. Still, I knew the root of it all was my skipping class…

So I kept my head down the whole time.

“With no leads, I had to borrow another phone to log into the tracker app. It required a paid subscription—the whole process took forever…”

Mom continued…

“Wait,” I looked up, confused. “If you could borrow a phone… why not just call me?”

“I never memorized your number.”

Mom stated it matter-of-factly.

I was speechless. Just nodded silently.

Fine…

“Later, I finally pinpointed your location—right at Lucky Clover. So I rushed back.”

“But at the cafe, I only found your backpack. You’d left without even logging off.”

“I asked the manager. He said he saw you hurry into a taxi with a woman in a business suit.”

“Clutching that last glimmer of hope, I raced home. I thought it might be the only place you’d go…”

“And sure enough—you were there! Guess those safety incense sticks I burned back home weren’t for nothing!”

Mom smiled.

“??”

“So I’m only alive now thanks to luck?”

A chill ran down my spine.

“Not *all* luck. But luck played at least half the role.”

Mom turned and zipped the tent shut.

“You Weis have tough lives—that’s what your dad always said. We rise early tomorrow. Rest now. We’ll talk the rest later.”

She clicked off the tent light.

Darkness swallowed everything.

“Wait—how’s Lizi Sa? Can I go see her?” I asked hurriedly into the dark.

“She’s stable. No life-threatening injuries.”

Mom’s voice was already muffled, half-murmured from her sleeping spot.

“Then… is this place safe? Could someone attack us again tonight?”

“No. Don’t worry.”

Dismissive.

“And you said *you* were attacked too—what happened?” I asked gently.

“Tomorrow. Tomorrow…”

Her voice faded, heavy with exhaustion.

No choice. I curled into a ball in the corner, wrapped in Mom’s mink coat, eyes closed.

Grave robbers. Secrets. Pursuit. Fate. Misfortune…

The words looped in my head.

This felt utterly absurd. Yesterday I was just an ordinary, innocent schoolgirl. How did I suddenly become a grave robber’s daughter?

Maybe it’s all a dream…

I was tired. Maybe I’d wake up in my own bed, in my pajamas, alarm clock blaring mercilessly—like none of this ever happened.

Otherwise…

This is just too…

weird…

…

The cold morning breeze made me shiver. I instinctively pulled the coat tighter, blinked my blurry eyes open, and turned toward the tent flap.

Uncle squatted outside, squinting at me with a grin.

Damn it.

I gritted my teeth and rubbed my eyes. So this damn reality wasn’t a dream.

“Rise and shine! Time to move out!”

Uncle spoke—first time I’d heard his voice. Rough. Gravelly.

Still drowsy, I crawled out. Endless winter grassland stretched around us, dull and quiet. Gazing at the vastness, I felt a flicker of clarity.

Mom leaned against a black Land Rover, studying a large map. She wore an army-green overcoat—she’d given me her mink coat.

“Mom!” I waved and jogged over.

She smiled warmly and pointed behind her. “Go pee over there. No one’ll see you.”

“Uh… okay.”

Afterward, I found Uncle and asked for hot water to wash up.

He pulled out a big thermos, poured water with a grin. “Drop the ‘Uncle.’ Feels stiff. Call me Second Brother—I’ll feel younger.”

I rubbed my hands, splashed water on my face, wiped droplets with my sleeve, smoothed my bangs, and nodded politely.

“Okay, Uncle.”

Mom said Lizi Sa was hospitalized, condition improving. Her family was notified. We covered her broken phone, medical bills, emotional distress compensation, and counseling fees.

I trusted Mom. No objections.

Still… parting like this left me uneasy. I owed her a face-to-face thank you and apology. Would I ever get the chance?

Anyone who’d selflessly take an arrow for me was good in my book. I’d misjudged her completely. Lizi Sa truly was an excellent psychological counselor.

The team packed fast—tent, gear, all loaded. Endless grassland surrounded us; direction unknown.

Mom and I rode in the lead black Land Rover. Four identical vehicles followed. Imposing. I’d never seen such a convoy.

Only Second Brother, Mom, and I were inside. The black sedan from last night was gone.

I stared at the bleak, monotonous landscape, then at Mom’s worried face beside me.

My heart felt impossibly heavy.