夜 cloak over the city like a shroud, the moonlight barely piercing the dense darkness. I, bound with my arms to a lifeless body, dragged it behind me, exhaustion sapping the strength from my limbs. The weight of the burden felt heavier by the second.

Estella Man妮, a willowy woman, had donned the garb of a sprightly man, her stride long and bold, as if she were born to run. I, on the other hand, was lagging behind, my breath coming in gasps, my legs aching with each step.

We had abandoned our car miles ago, choosing to flee on foot to avoid drawing any undue attention. The river's secrets were too dangerous to trust in an unpredictable world, where even the mere proximity to its waters could mean death.

As I continued to push on, the truth of my weakened state became alarmingly apparent. My once robust physique, marked by pure yang energy, now felt as if it was collapsing under its own weight. Estella, with her unnatural strength, led the way, her voice echoing with a gruff demand that belied her feminine form.

"Come on, you big oaf! Pick up the pace!" she shouted, her breath as ragged as mine.

I could only let out a frustrated sigh and struggle to keep up, my eyes rolling in exasperation behind the blindfold over my eyes.

---

The security line was strung across the riverbank, red and blue lights swirling like stars above us. Policemen guarded the perimeter, their expressions tense.

One officer, a man named Gu Yong, was speaking to his team as we approached. "Gu Team, what's happening inside..."

A sudden voice cut through the air, a feminine wail that shattered the silence. A deep, masculine tone responded immediately. "Hurry up, woman! We're almost there!"

Two figures sprinted towards us, their breaths as uneven as ours. The officers shouted at them, "Who are you? This is an investigation! Move aside!"

Gu Yong's eyes widened as he saw Estella, pale and panting heavily, and myself, equally exhausted and out of breath. "Get out of here!"

Before he could finish, the team leader signaled for them to enter. I stepped into the barrier, my voice trembling. "Gu Brother~ I've been missing you!"

Gu Yong furrowed his brow in confusion. I leaned against him, my breaths still ragged. "I found a way to help the monk in the river!"

Gu Yong's expression hardened, his face flush with embarrassment. His team watched with awkward smiles, stalling laughter as they tried to maintain professionalism.

"Calm down, man, you should talk straight, not touch people like that..."

"I'm just touching you, big guy! What's wrong with a bit of physical contact?" I persisted, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. My voice, uncontrolled by my will, was now that of a woman's.

Laughter erupted behind me, echoing through the night. Gu Yong's face turned a deep shade of red, hisses of disapproval escaping his lips.

"He's coming, Gu Team! Watch over her, and I'll take care of the rest," I said, turning to the river. The change in my body, the feminine intuition, was disconcerting. It felt as if I was no longer myself, yet I couldn't shake the feeling of female identity.

---

At the river's edge, the water was eerily still, save for the occasional ripple. The absence of Ouyang Qiqi was unsettling; could she have met with an untimely demise at the hands of the monstrous river spirit?

I shouted into the void, "Ouyang Qiqi! Where are you? Are you alright? You're not dead, are you?"

My喊聲回在空曠的湖面上，得不到任何回應。 frustration began to well up within me.

Just as I was about to wade into the water, a cold voice echoed behind me. "You're rather repulsive."

I turned, my heart pounding, and there stood Ouyang Qiqi, his face obscured by a black baseball cap, his streamlined black attire marred by numerous slashes. Blood oozed down his arms, pooling on the ground as he swayed and nearly collapsed.

I braced him, steadying his shoulders. "You're hurt so badly—"

"Please, don't..." His voice was weak, laced with pain.

"Shall I give you mouth-to-mouth?" I joked, prepared to kneel over him.

Ouyang Qiqi's hand shot out, pinching my chin to prevent my advances. "No need!"

I looked up, seeing his lips pale and nearly touching his chin. "With such serious injuries..."

"River, did you handle that thing?" he asked, referring to the river spirit.

"I've taken care of the bigger one, but there are still a few smaller ones hiding now, hard to spot. The 749 force will send someone to take care of it. How about you? Did you control the host?"

I pounded his chest, leaving a mark. "You should have told me about the host! I wasted so much time searching for it."

Ouyang Qiqi's forehead creased. "They did try to harm you?"

"Harm me? No, I did it to myself," I admitted, releasing the tension in my arm. "I dislodged the control from the woman's hair, so she can't control the hair in the water anymore."

Ouyang Qiqi's eyes widened. "Hair... Ancestor's Technique!"

"What's that?" I asked, puzzled.

"It's simple. The thing in the water follows the host, but they are yin and yang. The host is one side, but there must be a yin soul nearby with the same affinity. If we can find and slay that soul, the Ancestor's Technique is broken!" he explained, his voice laced with pain.

Yin soul? Is there more to this? The river spirit, the little water sprites, the yin soul... There must be a ghost in this matter.

Suddenly, the river boiled with lifeless energy, as if something was stirring beneath the surface. "Splash... splash... splash!"

On the opposite bank, three figures emerged, their movements jerky, and then a decrepit figure stood there, his figure tall and imposing. He let out a狂笑, his voice echoing through the night. "哈哈哈哈——You must all die! You all must perish!!! Those who harmed my daughter!"