### Chapter 3: The Mystery Unveiled (13) (Fourth Update)
==============================
Aside from the faint lights shimmering within the mansion, a boundless sea of darkness surrounded them.
The stars above peeked through the gloom, casting massive shadows down onto the ground.
The male character, clinging tightly to the little fox, huddled against the wall. A plethora of sinister black shadows loomed around them, and he couldn’t muster the courage to take even one minuscule step.
Though his mind was a chaotic whirlwind of confusion, with clashing thoughts and old memories battling in his head, he felt one thing crystal clear: the power roaring within those shadows was far beyond anything he could handle—not to mention the little fox that had forgotten everything and was clinging to him like a lifeline.
“Hey, how did you end up in such a terrifying place? Maybe we should call it a day; honestly, I’m not that anxious,” the fox said, her voice quaking.
“… Maybe we won’t get a chance to go back,” the male replied hoarsely, watching as the towering shadows drew nearer.
With her head buried in his chest, the little fox let out a shrill scream.
He forced a wry smile and looked down. Even though he still didn’t quite grasp who he really was, it seemed pointless to ponder such matters anymore.
But the next moment left him wide-eyed, looking thoroughly befuddled.
Upon hearing the little fox’s piercing scream, the massive shadows scattered like frightened rabbits, disappearing in an instant, leaving nothing but emptiness—and with it, all sense of threat evaporated.
Both the male and the little fox were struck dumb by the scene.
Although they had no idea why this happened, it was clear they seemed to scare the shadows away with her scream—and these apparitions had no intention of getting revenge on the little fox.
A wave of relief washed over the male character as he quickly dragged the little fox along a relatively flat path, hastily fleeing the mansion.
Every time a shadow inched closer, a single shout from the little fox sent them scattering again; it was a foolproof method.
Thus, his racing heart finally began to calm down.
After wandering the better part of the night, the little fox had dozed off, now draped limply across his back.
He was tired too, but with no shelter in sight, he worried that if they both fell asleep, those shadows would swoop in and snatch them while they were vulnerable.
So, while carrying the feather-light little fox, he fought to keep his eyes open. If the drowsiness became unbearable, he resorted to pinching his thigh.
In a grueling battle against fatigue, he finally glimpsed the first light of dawn peeking over the horizon.
“I can’t take it anymore; I really want to sleep…”
He shook the little fox awake. “Red Lips, it’s your turn now.”
Half-asleep, she leapt off his back, rubbed her eyes, and looked around. “Where are we?”
No one responded, for in the blink of an eye, the male had collapsed into a thick patch of grass, snoring away, his furry tail comfortably resting on his belly.
This sight elicited a twinge of affection from the little fox.
For a moment, she forgot all about why they had left the mansion in the first place, propping her head on her right hand and snuggling against the big tail, wanting to linger a little longer.
Just then, a cluster of tiny heads peeked out from the nearby bushes, curiously surveying the pair.
The little fox didn’t notice them until they scampered over to the male and flopped down beside him, mimicking his pose, which startled him awake.
“Hey! What are you doing?”
“Hee hee hee…”
The little critters didn’t scat like before; instead, they seemed quite friendly.
Though they couldn’t talk, the little fox could sense their genuine delight from their faces.
Seeing their harmless demeanor, she shushed them, hoping to keep the noise down so they wouldn’t wake the snoozing male.
But lo and behold, these little creatures started to imitate a new trick with their fingers and were having the time of their lives.
As the noise escalated, the little fox was left with no option. Hands on her hips, she donned a fierce expression. “Scram! Move it, all of you!”
Under her command, the little animals scurried away, but moments later, their heads popped up again from the nearby bushes. Though they didn’t approach, they still continued their newfound “shushing” antics.
Before long, the entire woodland seemed to have picked up this delightful trick, resulting in a cacophony of “shhh” sounds echoing everywhere. It looked like peace and quiet wouldn’t return anytime soon.
The little fox lay back, hands behind her head, utterly speechless.
The warm sunlight filtering through the delicate tree leaves felt like the gentle caress of a lover’s fingers on her face. For just a brief moment, amid this dreamy atmosphere, she succumbed to the urge and slowly shut her eyes.
When she awoke, her head was rhythmically bobbing along with the big tail’s steps.
“Where are we going?”
“Looking for Little Three.”
“Oh.”
The little fox had no further questions. She was enjoying the swaying sensation of lying on his broad back.
As for Little Three? For some reason, she found her interest in that character named “Luo Ying” dwindling.
Meanwhile, the distant sunset kissed the treetops, the fiery glow threatening to ignite the vast expanse beneath.
“Grrr…”
The little fox’s stomach growled.
“Hungry, huh?” Big Tail set her down. “I’ll go find something to eat.”
The little fox gasped in surprise. “Aren’t we going back to the mansion for a meal?”
“No way! We haven’t found that relationship-ruining Little Three yet. Going back now would just be a colossal waste of time!” He sounded absolutely resolute.
“Alright, fine…”
In truth, the little fox wanted to say that she wasn’t that hung up on Little Three anymore; she just wanted a good meal.
But thinking back to how she was the one who had suggested looking for Little Three in the first place, she felt too embarrassed to say anything.
After a lot of effort, the charred mushrooms he pulled together were nothing compared to the mansion’s gourmet meals.
The little fox took a bite and promptly spat it out. “Ugh! I’m so hungry. I want to go back!”
He sighed. “Let’s hold out for one more night. If we don’t have any results by tomorrow…”
Neither of them could stomach his charred concoction. The two starving souls merely sipped some water before trudging on under the dimming light of the sunset.
They hadn’t forgotten about the giant shadows that appeared at night, of course.
To ensure their safety, the male character, just like the previous night, carried the little fox on his back, the latter ready to scream at any moment to scare away the powerful shadows lurking around them.
Luckily, they were better prepared this time.
The shadows hovering around them resembled a dense flock of birds, continuously pouring in.
Yet, without exception, every time the little fox let out her piercing screech, they were halted in their tracks.
It wasn’t until dawn broke that the shadows finally vanished again.
The night’s torment had left them utterly drained. They collapsed on the grass, too worn out to take another step.
But just then, the male suddenly noticed that his big tail had shortened a bit.
……
P.S. Fourth update—please vote! Happy May Day!
