Chapter 12: Progressing Smoothly

The withered yellow leaves carpeted the ground, and the chilly light cast down, rendering the quiet woods even more desolate as if nothing else existed. The girl squatted on the ground, staring blankly at the sky for a long time before turning her head to look at her mother.

"Mom, look at me," she pleaded, a bright glimmer flashing across her eyes. However, the middle-aged woman with mental illness sitting behind her just stared blankly ahead, showing no reaction.

"Something has happened, and I don't know what to do," the girl said, lowering her head, but she quickly raised it again to continue looking at her mother, "Can you help me this time, Mom?"

But still, her mother showed no response, and the girl couldn't help but raise her voice slightly: "Mom, look at me!"

This time, the mother finally lowered her head, but those eyes remained utterly vacant.