ILLUSIONS

They chose the middle path where the mist seemed thinnest, hoping for clearer progress. But after only a few steps, the stone walls began to shimmer. At first, it looked like moisture catching nonexistent light—then the surface became mirror-smooth, reflecting versions of themselves that moved independently of reality.

The reflections started simple: Li Wei seeing himself from different angles, Li Hao catching glimpses of his own profile, Li Hua watching her mirror-self turn to look back at her. But with each step, the images grew more elaborate, more insidious.