Identity Exposed (Part 1)

“Xianjie, what’s this?”

You Xi looked puzzled as she took the gift box from Chen Xi.

It was about the size of a basketball, wrapped in colorful foil with a bright ribbon tied around it.

“A gift for you,” Chen Xi said with a mischievous grin.

It was afternoon. The two were enjoying tea at a drink shop in Sunlight Shopping Plaza.

Just over an hour ago, You Xi had received a call from Chen Xi, inviting her to meet up. Something “important,” she’d said.

You Xi had been gloomy for days after what happened with Bai Mian. She welcomed the chance to get out, clear her head—so she agreed.

But the “important thing” turned out to be this box.

What was inside? Why was Xianjie giving her a gift out of nowhere? As she pondered, You Xi began unwrapping it.

The foil came off, revealing a top-tier over-ear headphone from a well-known brand.

“Xianjie, I—I can’t accept this.”

You Xi’s eyes widened. She tried to hand it back. She remembered—this model cost over 2,000 yuan. In her mind, that was way beyond “gift” territory.

“Come on, just take it. Consider it my apology,” Chen Xi insisted, gently pushing it back.

“If you don’t, I’ll feel guilty for ages.”

“Guilt?” You Xi asked, confused.

“Yeah.” Chen Xi nodded. “After that day shopping with you two, I thought about it. I realized I was kind of low—using your secret against you, dragging Miss Tidal into it… I’ve reflected.”

With that, Chen Xi lowered her head, lips pursed, looking genuinely remorseful.

“Xianjie, I wasn’t mad at you,” You Xi said, blinking in confusion.

“Really?”

Chen Xi’s head snapped up, eyes sparkling.

“Actually, I had fun that afternoon,” You Xi added.

“Right?!”

At that, Chen Xi lit up like a firecracker.

She pulled out her phone, scrolling through the photos she’d taken of Tidal that day, excitedly reliving the moments with You Xi.

“…About that apology,” Chen Xi suddenly shifted gears, putting on a serious face.

“You need to help me set up a meeting with Miss Tidal. I think I should apologize to her in person.”

“…Are you really reflecting?”

Watching her switch from fake guilt to obvious ulterior motive, You Xi couldn’t help but mentally roll her eyes.

The conversation continued—then suddenly, both girls felt a tremor underfoot. The liquid in their cups rippled.

Earthquake!?

They stared at each other, fear flashing across their faces.

“Something’s wrong—there’s an aberration!”

Someone shouted. Instantly, the drink shop erupted into chaos. Customers, staff—everyone dropped what they were doing and stampeded toward the exit.

When they stepped outside, the plaza’s first-floor hall was in pandemonium.

Shouts, screams, children crying—amid the noise, thousands of people surged toward the exits, nearly bursting the several-meter-wide doors.

You Xi turned toward the source of the disturbance. From the ground, thick green tendrils—about a meter wide, like monstrous roots—burst upward, thrashing wildly in the air.

That area had been a car display stand, but now, several vehicles were overturned. Where the tendrils struck, human structures crumbled like paper. The entire zone was reduced to rubble.

Suddenly, a middle-aged man entered You Xi’s sight. Panicked, he tried to dash through the tendrils’ reach—a death-defying gamble.

“Watch out!”

You Xi cried out—but it was too late. The sweeping tendril struck him.

In an instant, he was flung through the air, then slammed to the ground with a dull thud.

Before he could even scream, he died—pitiful, insignificant.

Seeing someone die before her eyes shattered something inside You Xi.

“Xianjie, run!”

“Wait—wait, Xiao Xi!”

Before Chen Xi could finish, You Xi wrenched her hand free and sprinted toward the chaos.

If she hesitated, tragedies like that would keep happening… She couldn’t ignore that.

Turning away from the crowd, You Xi pressed her soul gem to her chest.

Light gathered. The red flame deep within flickered, then began to burn.

In that instant, Bai Mian’s face flashed in her mind.

The pale, terrified face from when her sword nearly struck;

The hollow, empty expression when she confessed;

And—back in high school, their first real conversation—Bai Mian’s blushing, nervous face.

“…Will you raise your sword against me again, Xiao Xi?”

You Xi saw Bai Mian in the writhing tendrils—fused with the monster, gazing down at her with cold, accusing eyes.

“No… it’s not like that…”

You Xi’s resolve shattered.

The light around her faded. The flame in her soul gem dimmed and died.

The transformation failed.

You Xi stood frozen, staring at her lifeless soul gem.

“Xiao Xi!”

Chen Xi rushed to her.

From her view, You Xi wasn’t transforming or fleeing—just standing there, motionless. It was suicide.

“Run!”

Chen Xi grabbed You Xi’s arm, trying to drag her out of the attack zone.

At that moment, the green tendril—like it had eyes—swept toward them without mercy.

—!

Too late.

Without thinking, Chen Xi shoved You Xi to the ground.

Then, she watched, helpless, as the tendril closed in—closer, closer…

—I’m going to die.

The thought rose—then a blue light flashed.

The tendril was split cleanly in two.

The two stumps, oozing foul-smelling fluid, barely missed Chen Xi. Green slime splattered on her.

—Aaahhh!

The warmth made Chen Xi scream in terror, curling into a ball.

—Xianjie! Are you okay?!

…That voice?

Chen Xi forced her eyes open. Tidal’s worried, frantic face filled her vision.

—!

Before she could speak, Tidal grabbed her under the arms, lifting her—and You Xi—into the air.

She set them safely outside the tendrils’ range, then turned and rushed back into battle without a word.

Chen Xi stared at her retreating back, stunned beyond words.

…Xianjie?

In her memory, only a few people called her that.

Her parents. A few elderly relatives, living or passed.

And one other person—someone who used to call her that.

…You Dong.