Qi Jianyi slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze swept over her surroundings—bright, white, and eerily empty. A strange calm lingered in the air, but it wasn't unfamiliar.
Her brows furrowed. She knew this place. This was the same blank space she had once found herself in, seven years ago.
Realization dawned on her, and she instinctively turned around—searching, hoping to see someone. Someone she had come here for.
But there was no one. Just her, alone.
Unwilling to give up, Qi Jianyi stepped forward, walking once more into the unknown. Driven by belief—no, by longing—she moved without hesitation, trusting she would eventually find the one she sought.
She walked. Minutes? Hours? Days? Time lost all meaning in this void. All she knew was that she had wandered far, so very far, from where she first awakened.
Yet still, no sign of her.
"Where are you?" she whispered, her voice tinged with confusion and yearning. And then—
