"I don't remember much about myself other than the fact that my name is Xiao Bao." The little kid answered while lowering his gaze at the floor restlessly.
"I opened my eyes one day to see myself floating around here. There's no one to talk to or play with me here so it's very boring." The child fiddled with his fingers with pouty lips.
"At first, I could only walk around this floor but as time passed, the places I could go increased until two months ago…"
Flitting a quick glance at the young woman, the little kid continued to speak.
"Around two months ago, I was floating outside of the construction site counting clouds when an old uncle approached me. It's been a long time since I've talked with anyone so I was very surprised and happy."
"The uncle told me many confusing things, emm…"
Xiao Bao pondered on the conversation they once had with furrowed brows, "something about how he catches ghosts for a living and…"
"He also said that he won't capture me since I didn't do anything wrong…? But more importantly, that uncle promised to help me find my mom if I help him out!!"
Large black pupils shone with an anticipating light as the little boy recalled the promise that so-called uncle made. It could be seen clearly that Xiao Bao only registered those last few sentences said by that mysterious man.
If he wants to meet his mother, then he must help him out.
What a form of obtaining free labor with nothing but a few empty words but I digress.
Scratching his head in embarrassment, the kid pulled out the necklace hung around his neck under the shirt. "The uncle said that he needs to capture other ghosts so he left this for me to hold onto."
"All I need to do is draw any ghosts around the area back to this building and the pendant will do the rest. You were alone in the alleyway so I thought…"
Xiao Bao placed the necklace onto Chu Nuan's outstretched hands with a hesitating quiver of lips.
"... …"
Instead of giving the little ghost any other form of response, Chu Nuan investigated the pendant with a serious gaze.
A small rectangular black piece of jade carved with an image of a red spider lily blooms on the surface with a mesmerizing hue. Lithe fingers turned the jade over to feel around the engraved character for [Chu] on the back.
Moans of captured dead spirits could be heard wailing from within the jade piece as the young woman caressed the warm item with a deep gaze.
"When did the uncle say he will be back?"
Xiao Bao pondered for a few seconds before answering obediently, "he said he'll be back in two months. So, maybe soon?"
Hearing the reply she wanted, Chu Nuan nodded in acknowledgment while placing the pendant over her neck. Releasing the solemn expression of her face in replacement to a more casual demeanor.
She locked sights with the child while cherry lips opened to ask in a light tone, "do you want to leave this place?"
"Ah?" Xiao Bao blankly stared back at the young woman before reacting to her words seconds after. "Really? Can I really leave this place?"
The young lady nodded with a leisurely yawn, "I can open the gates of Hell for you, you don't need to stay here any longer."
Overcome with joy, the little ghost was about to express his thanks when the expression on his face froze in bewilderment. "Be careful!"
Swish!
A flash of silver swiftly darted towards Chu Nuan as it aimed for her neck!
Within the blink of an eye, the young woman evaded with a roll towards the left. The sudden attack was avoided but a small wound was still drawn on the side of her cheek.
A thin streak of red slides down flushed cheeks as it rests near the corner of pinched lips.
Jumping up with a nimble flip along with a quick influx of her arm, the quiet chains came alive as it glowed a deep hue. Rising into the air like a soaring dragon compelled by the motions of Chu Nuan's command.
It spiraled in firm vigor towards the direction of the attacker!
"Clang!"
The chains tightly wrapped around the opponent's sword as both sides started a contest of strength. Neither parties have intentions to lose as each pulled with utmost force in hopes of disarming their opponent.
Chu Nuan: "Who are you?"
???: "Who are you?"
Two voices resounded at the same time as the volume of their words vibrated against the walls, echoing across the building.
Chu Nuan lifted her eyes up to inspect the uninvited guest stationed on the other side of the place.
Murderous intentions disperse akin to the mist of early dawn fractured by the appearance of the sun. Obsidian irises dilate as it collides with the appearance of the stranger on the other end of the chains.
Standing in front is a slender young man of early twenties wearing a pair of black pants coupled in a white hoodie.
Due to the chilliness of night air, a dark blue jacket covers the outline of the man's slim frame.
As if a painting brought to life, the young man before her released an ethereal- like aura as the miniscule amount of moonlight pours from overhead. Sculpting the contours of his cold appearance made even more apparent from his icy aura which seemed to reject others thousand miles away.
It gave people a strange misconception of a visitor spectating everything from afar and at any given moment, would disappear without a trace.
But as abstract as this man might seem to others, for Chu Nuan, the more alive is this man to her the more she sees.
"... …"
The mysterious youth on the opposing side furrowed his sword-like brows from displeasure at the blatant act of observation from the unknown woman.
Pale lips pressed tight together as peach blossom eyes narrow with an icy light in the woman's direction. Releasing a wordless warning as a few strands of loose hair fell to cling upon the embrace of long lashes.
Chu Nuan could sense an equally inspecting and dangerous gaze directed at her,
"Hmm." The young woman smiled mischievously as eyes curved into charming crescents.