Bai Xueyin’s heart pounded violently.
The dream still lingered in her mind.
The original Bai Xueyin.
The apology.
The fear in her eyes.
And that name—
Mo Cang.
Just thinking about it made her chest feel strangely heavy.
The cave was silent.
Moonlight spilled through the entrance.
Everyone was asleep.
The cubs curled around her like a protective wall.
Yet one person wasn’t sleeping.
At the entrance stood the silver-eyed figure.
Motionless.
Watching the darkness beyond the cave.
Xueyin slowly sat up.
Trying not to wake the cubs.
The figure immediately noticed.
His head turned slightly.
Silver eyes meeting hers.
Neither spoke.
For a moment—
The scene felt oddly familiar.
As if this had happened many times before.
Then the figure quietly walked outside.
Almost like an invitation.
Xueyin hesitated.
The dream’s warning echoed in her head.
Yet something stronger pushed her forward.
Curiosity.
Carefully slipping out from beneath the sleeping cubs, she followed.
Outside…
The world was covered in silver moonlight.
Snow glittered across the mountains.
Everything looked peaceful.
The mysterious man stood near the cliff.
His back facing her.
For the first time—
She could see him clearly.
Tall.
Broad shoulders.
Long silver hair.
Dark robes.
And around his neck…
A worn fox pendant.
The same pendant from her dream.
Xueyin froze.
The man slowly turned.
His silver eyes softened slightly when he saw her.
“…You should be sleeping.”
His voice was deep.
Calm.
Unexpectedly gentle.
Xueyin immediately frowned.
“Who are you?”
Silence.
The man looked toward the moon.
For a long moment—
He didn’t answer.
Then finally—
“…Someone who failed.”
The answer confused her.
“What does that mean?”
A bitter smile appeared briefly.
“It means everything happening now…”
His gaze lowered.
“…is partly my fault.”
The wind blew between them.
Xueyin suddenly noticed something strange.
The man looked exhausted.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Like someone carrying years of guilt.
Then she remembered the dream.
Her expression became serious.
“Do you know Mo Cang?”
The reaction was immediate.
The man’s entire body stiffened.
The temperature around them dropped.
For the first time—
Real emotion appeared in his eyes.
Shock.
Then fear.
“Where did you hear that name?”
His voice became sharp.
Urgent.
Xueyin’s heart skipped.
Because until now—
Nobody had reacted that strongly to anything.
“It was in my dream.”
The silver-eyed man’s face instantly lost color.
“…No.”
The word escaped before he could stop it.
“No, no, no…”
For the first time since meeting him—
He looked panicked.
As if something terrible had happened.
Then suddenly—
A pulse of energy erupted from deep inside the mountains.
BOOM!
The ground trembled.
Snow fell from nearby trees.
Both of them looked toward the distant horizon.
Far away.
Beyond countless mountains.
A pillar of black light shot into the sky.
The night itself seemed to darken.
The silver-eyed man’s expression became grim.
“…Too late.”
Xueyin’s heart tightened.
“What?”
The man stared at the distant black light.
Then quietly whispered:
“The seal wasn’t only on your memories.”
The wind howled.
And for the first time—
True dread filled his eyes.
“It was also sealing him.”
Far away…
Inside an ancient ruin hidden beneath the earth…
A pair of golden eyes slowly opened.
And a voice filled with madness echoed through the darkness.
[“Xueyin.”]
The sleeping world trembled.
[“I finally found you.”]