After finally wedging the broken log back into the coiled thick vine, Sha Yi was utterly exhausted. In that brief moment of respite, a fierce gust of wind swept through, causing the thick vine to swiftly recoil, instantly tightening around her waist and abdomen.
With each twist and turn, she felt her waist constrict, the suffocating sensation returning, followed by sharp, throbbing pain that struck her in an instant.
Originally, she hadn’t planned to let go of the broken log, but the vine was pulling her upward with brute force, its fine, jagged thorns already piercing her skin. If she didn’t release her grip, she’d likely be torn apart. So, wisely, she chose to let go. At worst, she figured her waist would just end up with a few more bloody punctures—better than losing her life.
Yet, the vine’s force was far more violent than before, surpassing even the first encounter. In mere milliseconds, she felt as though her heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys were all crushed together. Struggling to breathe while suspended mid-air left her dizzy, her vision blurring.
In her dazed state, Sha Yi faintly heard Xi Yi’s urgent voice calling her name from below the tree. With great effort, she opened her eyes to see him standing anxiously beneath her, looking up. He seemed confused—why had the vine suddenly retracted? Why was she dangling in the air again?
Sha Yi tried to speak, but no sound came out. Finally, with great difficulty, she weakly pointed toward the broken log wedged at the base of the vine, signaling him to twist it.
Following her gesture, Xi Yi quickly understood. He rushed to the vine’s root where the log was lodged, grabbed both ends, and began twisting with tremendous force. His strength far surpassed hers—the log turned effortlessly, spinning rapidly. Yet, his own wounded arm was still bleeding, and the exertion caused his veins to bulge, worsening the blood flow.
Sha Yi’s heart clenched at the sight, but she could only watch helplessly. She knew that, in Xi Yi’s eyes, her well-being mattered far more than his own. Even if it meant trading his life for hers, he wouldn’t hesitate—not for a second.
Xi Yi worked with his usual efficiency. Within moments, she felt the vine tremble slightly. The countless thorns embedded in her waist retracted one by one. When the second snap of the vine echoed through the air, the suspended vine lost all tension, and she plummeted downward along with it.
Cushioned by the now-limp vine with its retracted thorns, she wasn’t hurt by the fall. But the punctures around her waist ached terribly, and she couldn’t suppress a soft groan.
Xi Yi reacted instantly, sprinting over to pull her from the tangle of vines and carrying her to a softer, better-lit patch of foliage.
Weakly, she rested her head against his shoulder, her gaze falling on the deep, gruesome gash on his arm. Blood streaked down, staining his entire limb crimson, yet he paid it no mind. As he set her down, he cupped her face anxiously, scanning her features with deep concern.
Sha Yi could only shake her head slightly to reassure him. Once she caught her breath, she reached for the fruit knife at his waist with great effort.
She hated to cut into the fur he’d given her, but the situation left no room for hesitation. Reluctantly, she sliced a strip from the hem and carefully bandaged his wound.
Xi Yi, however, seemed to have noticed something else. Calling her name, he kept trying to reach for her. Sha Yi gently pushed his hands away until the bandaging was done. Only then did she notice the alarm in his eyes. Following his gaze, she looked down at herself—and froze.
The pale yellow fur wrapped around her waist was streaked with blood, large patches already dried into dark stains. When she tentatively touched her lower back, her fingers came away wet and crimson.
The sight instantly reminded her of the exploding fruit-like pods on the vine tree. Reflexively, she thought the blood might be from the tree’s foul liquid. But when she sniffed it, there was only the metallic tang of blood—none of the rot.
Could this blood be her own? Seeping from the tiny punctures left by the vine’s thorns?
Sha Yi couldn’t quite believe it. Meanwhile, Xi Yi’s eyes burned with panic. Without warning, he grabbed the fur around her and yanked it open roughly.
The sudden force knocked her off-balance, sending a sharp pang through her waist. She gasped, “Ah!” By the time she steadied herself, she realized her entire midsection was smeared with blood—some dried, some fresh.
The blood was indeed hers.
Wiping away the surface only revealed more welling up from nearly invisible holes. No matter how long she pressed, the bleeding wouldn’t stop. The blood simply refused to clot.
Sha Yi realized then—the vine’s thorns must carry some kind of toxin. To facilitate its bloodsucking, it injected prey with a substance that disrupted coagulation, ensuring a steady, unending flow.
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