Multiple Personalities

Shen Jingqi, Li Baiyu, and Renault stood on the spot, their eyes flickering with a mix of surprise and vigilance.

This sudden shift indicated they had finally touched upon a crucial link in their fight against the mysterious adversary.

"Have we... have we really found a way?" Li Baiyu's voice trembled, carrying both the joy of relief and fear of an unknown future. His eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, attempting to capture traces left by the mysterious figure in every inch of space, but everything seemed to have returned to a calm that sent chills down the spine.

Renault clenched his fists, his knuckles whitened from the force, and said in a low voice, "Don't get too happy just yet, this guy is very cunning, it's impossible he would give up so easily." His gaze was sharp, like a leopard searching for prey in the grass, not missing any subtle movement.

Shen Jingqi took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Although there were waves in his heart, his face remained steady. He slowly surveyed his surroundings, every inch of land, every leaf, seemingly hiding unspeakable secrets.

"He's gone, but he must have left something behind, or planned the next step." Shen Jingqi also said in a deep voice.

Li Baiyu and Renault were equally uneasy.

At this moment, Shen Jingqi suddenly noticed something unusual on the lake's surface. He took a closer look and immediately felt a surge of joy.

He discovered that a path had appeared on the lake leading to the shore.

"Look! There!" Shen Jingqi pointed to the lake, unable to hide the excitement in his voice. Upon hearing this, Li Baiyu and Renault immediately looked over, a glimmer of hope flashing in their eyes.

"Let's go! Let's get out of here!" Shen Jingqi shouted, and then pulled Li Baiyu and Renault towards that path.

However, when they actually set foot on the path, they found that things were far from being simple as they appeared.

The air was filled with a suffocating and dangerous aura.

Shen Jingqi walked at the front, his eyes extremely keen, silently chanting, "Be careful, be even more careful." He was also secretly observing the surroundings, trying to determine the patterns of these traps.

Li Baiyu followed closely behind, holding a short sword tightly in his hand, the tip slightly trembling, a sign of his nervousness and vigilance. His heart was filled with unease, but even more with trust in Shen Jingqi. He believed that as long as he followed him, they would definitely escape this land of death.

Renault was guarding the rear, his gaze as sharp as a hawk, constantly alert to potential attacks from behind. His muscles were tense, ready to confront any sudden crisis. He had only one thought in his mind: "Protect them to the end."

"These traps seem to have a pattern." Li Baiyu suddenly spoke, her voice was light but exceptionally firm. She pointed to a seemingly ordinary patch of grass ahead and said, "Look, the arrangement of the grass leaves there is different from the other places, possibly a trigger point for the traps."

Hearing this, Shen Jingqi immediately stopped in his tracks and began to observe carefully. Indeed, just as Li Baiyu said, that patch of grass was arranged with unusual neatness, contrasting sharply with the surrounding disorder. He silently praised Li Baiyu's attention to detail and became even more vigilant.

They moved forward carefully with each step, fearing they might activate some unknown trap. However, amidst this caution, Shen Jingqi suddenly felt an unusual tranquility. This tranquility was not from the outside, but from within. It was as if he heard a voice calling from the depths of his soul, guiding him forward.

Right then, Shen Jingqi suddenly realized he could no longer hear the sounds of the outside world.

Everything around him, the whisper of the wind, the rustling of the leaves, the breathing of his companions, seemed to have been gently erased by an invisible hand, disappearing without a trace.

Time seemed to freeze, and the world pressed the mute button by his ears.

It was a kind of silence that was indescribable, not the peaceful silence of the deep night, nor the solitude of loneliness, but a sudden, unsettling blankness.

In his world, only the beating of his heart and the soft whispers of his breath remained. The heartbeat, like a war drum resounding in his chest, each thump striving to announce his existence. His breath, the gentle and regular in-and-out, became the loudest sound in his ears, like the loneliest toll of a bell in the night, echoing in endless silence.

He froze, his eyes wide open with astonishment and puzzlement. What was happening? He instinctively touched his ears, fingertips brushing that warm skin, trying to find the source of the sudden silence. However, all he felt was his own ear, familiar and soft contours, but no longer accompanied by the familiar sounds of the past.

He froze, a nameless anxiety surging in his heart. Could it be that he had suddenly gone deaf for no reason? He couldn't believe this was true, instinctively shaking his head, as if trying to shake the sudden silence out of his mind. He shook his head hard several times, his hair wildly fluttering in the wind, but the silence seemed rooted deep within him, impossible to dispel.

Then, he reached out his hand, gently touching his ear with his fingertips. The sensation remained warm and soft, but no longer accompanied by the familiar sounds in response. He closed his eyes, trying to listen with his heart, to feel the sounds of the world that once belonged to him. However, all he heard was his heartbeat and breath, that lonely and monotonous rhythm making him feel unprecedented despair.

Panic surged like a tide in his heart. Shen Jingqi felt his heartbeat quicken, as if it would burst out of his chest. He opened his mouth, trying to shout, to make a sound to break this suffocating silence. However, he found he couldn't even hear his own voice. His throat seemed blocked by something, unable to emit a single sound. This helplessness and fear made him feel an unprecedented sense of isolation and despair.

He looked around, trying to find some indication of sound. His companions were not far away, their lips moving, seemingly saying something, but he couldn't hear a thing. He saw their expressions change from confusion to worry, then to urgency, but he couldn't communicate with them, couldn't tell them he couldn't hear anything.

Shen Jingqi felt an inexpressible anxiety rising in his heart. They were in the midst of a crucial adventure, every step filled with the unknown and danger. Yet he had lost one of the most important senses — hearing. This made him feel like an abandoned soldier, unable to contribute to the team.

At such a critical moment, how could he not hear anything?