I hurried back out. He looked slightly surprised to see me.

“Where’d you go? You vanished just now—we thought you were dead.”

I scratched my head.

“Thanks to your *kind* words… I’m perfectly fine.”

Second Brother staggered over and pulled me into a hug, not minding the sour, metallic stench of blood on me. I didn’t resist.

He plopped down right there, struggling to pull a water flask from his bag.

I sat beside him too. We weren’t close, but meeting another living soul felt safer than standing alone.

“Thirsty?”

He offered the flask.

I silently shook my head.

Second Brother took a long gulp and let out a troubled sigh.

“Things got messy after you disappeared.”

He glanced up at me, eyes faintly red-rimmed.

“What happened?” I frowned.

His expression turned grave. “We were frantic, but whatever chased us wouldn’t let up. We couldn’t stop.”

He drank again—like chugging straight from a bottle of baijiu.

“No one expected it… Your mom suddenly pulled a pistol. Shot Wei Qiuying in the leg.”

He rubbed his hair, pained.

My mind reeled.

“I thought it was a misfire. Then she aimed at *me*. Lucky a fork appeared—I ducked into the dark. Otherwise, I’d be bleeding.”

“She took the other path without looking back… and shot Wu Datong on her way out.”

“Just like that, we scattered.”

He ran a hand over the wall carving, squinting at me.

“To escape the monster, I hid deep in a chamber. That monster… you didn’t run into it, right?”

His face tightened at the memory.

I wanted to say I’d seen it devour Wu Datong whole—but seeing his hollow eyes, I swallowed the words.

“Inside… it looked like a ruined stable. Human bones, old. Stone disc fragments too.”

“I’ve raided tombs before. This place? No tomb features. Beyond my knowledge.”

He kept glancing warily at the two dark tunnel mouths.

I listened, thinking.

“This place… feels like where *something* once lived.”

He murmured it softly.

I recalled the murals I’d passed—casual scenes of daily life. My eyes widened. I agreed.

He gestured to his arm. Reluctantly, I pulled out bandages and fumbled near the wound.

“Ran into your mom again. She shot my arm on sight—damn it. But I subdued her.”

He pointed behind him. I looked. Only then did I spot her: tightly bound, lying motionless below the steps.

My calm shattered. I shot up.

Second Brother grabbed my arm.

“Wait! That woman might *not* be your mom!”

“Think—doesn’t her behavior feel… off?”

I froze. Glanced at her. At him.

His words hit hard. If I compared them… it was like two completely different people.

Before, I’d blamed hidden reasons.

I’d never considered…

[*What if she isn’t my mom at all?*]

A chill crept up my spine. My voice trembled.

“Y-you mean… she’s fake?”

He rubbed his arm, smiling oddly.

“Not defective. Just an imposter.”

“Niece, listen. Countless people want your dad gone. Any could wear a familiar face.”

His smile vanished. Tone turned gentle.

“You’re new to this. It’s okay to feel lost.”

“I…”

I frowned, emotions tangled. Words stuck. *Where’s my real mom?* I bit my lip, forcing calm.

Wait—this man was a stranger. Why trust him?

Silence settled.

He patted the carving beside him.

“The Dragon Tamer Clan was vast. Someone found this underwater cavern… met the monster inside.”

“They worshipped it. Offered cattle and sheep as sacrifices.”

He pushed himself up, tracing the murals.

“War came. Invaders overwhelmed them. So they summoned the monster to fight.”

Following his gaze, I saw it—a full carving of the red-eyed beast.

A creature unknown to me. Coiled like a dragon, with horns, claws, fangs… oddly stout.

“I don’t know what it is,” he said. “See? It devoured invaders… but crushed Dragon Tamer Clan members too.”

The carving was vivid: half an invader dangling from its jaws, two clan-robed figures clutched in its claws.

“Doesn’t take orders, huh?”

Second Brother leaned against the stone, grinning faintly as he wiped his nose.