Chapter 2 : Second Dream

Yi Shin woke up the next morning, without recollection of what she had just dreamt. We'll it's not necessarily forgotten, it just didn't sink much into her.

Sci-fi, pre-historic, magical fantasies? She had plenty of other dreams where she was constantly being chased so what's the difference from this one? Who never had wild, adventurous dream anyway? And aren't dreams symbolic of what you feared or wanted to achieve?

After bathing and dolling herself up, she called her grandfather and cousin separately to report her schedule for the day.

Just like any normal teen, she is drawn to the world online but she's not in it for the oppas she could never meet. She's in it for her passion.

Yup, Han Yi Shin is a vlogger. She uploads her original songs and covers however she always wore a half, white fox mask in all of her videos. Only showing the lower part of her face.

Why? Because she wanted to be recognized by her voice.

Of course she is not ugly, she is actually a little bit on the androgenous type of beauty with foxy eyes and a slender body with an ample amount of curve. Her complexion is dewy with just the right amount of a healthy tan. With her kind of minimalistic and city chic fashion, just looking at her leaning on the park railings could give you an aloof, strong and independent feel. Give her the right dress and she'd give off an heiress vibe with that resting bitch face.

She'd be an absolute eye candy — as long as she's not around her cousin whom she loves to annoy so much.

There was also another reason why she's hiding herself away. And that's her celebrity cousin from the mother side, Dao Xiao You. She doesn't want instant recognition. She wants to work hard for it.

So today, she started venturing the parks to inspire herself. Yi Shin wanted to craft another masterpiece. And if lucky, she might sing it for the first time during Jian-Gege's wedding reception.

Strangely though, instead of finding some inspiration, she found herself spacing out at the streets of Behai Park. There was an inexplicable pang in her chest. At one point, when she was at the bridge to admire the lotus by the river somehow made her feel dizzy.

"It might be jet-lag." It sounded more like her convincing herself that it was nothing rather than an explanation to the elder woman who came to her aid when she was about to lose her gait.

Little did she know that she will be looking at this verdant scenery in a different light later on...

As the sun sets to conclude her second day in this 'bewitching' city, Yi Shin went back to her cozy hotel room, tired, yet with a sense of contentment lining her lips.

She might be living alone for now but her upbringing made her stick to her usual schedule back at home. If she dared to stay outside any longer than 7 pm, her phone will be ringing eternally until she picks it up and gets a row of her mom's sentiments.

Sure enough, Yi Shin received a call from her mom while she was at the tub, soothing her body ache with a warm salted bath.

However, she did not expect that she'd fall asleep in that position, almost immediately as they said their goodbyes and after placing her phone on the side table.

...And then that peculiar dream followed...

Yi Shin found herself, once again, clad in that familiar black robe and black mask. In front of her was an opened drawer presenting a palm-sized rectangular jade chest. Its cover was embellished with gold ornate edgings on all four sides.

"What's this?" she muttered, blinking her eyes in disbelief.

Before she could even outline her surroundings, her hands impetuously grabbed the treasure and stuffed it inside her robe, over her rapidly beating heart. 

Pushing back the drawer in its pristine state, she turned around and scanned the dark-lit room, only to land her sight on the bed where three indecent figures of two young ladies, snuggled in the arms of an old man while sleeping.

Yi Shin automatically covered her eyes but her physical body did not respond which led her to recall the previous dream she had! 

Eyes widened and mouth agape at the realization, her face turned cold and stiff. How is it possible? Wha— 

Yi Shin's attention unsolicitedly dropped to the body of the left girl who squirmed in her place. Half asleep, the girl's limb rose over the old man to reach across the body of the girl on the right, pushing the sleeping girl off the bed with her foot. 

"Owf!" the righty girl grunted after a thud.

In a split second, the startled Yi Shin watched the girl pull herself up and also stiffened upon seeing a dark, petite figure standing by the ebony cabinet, staring back at her.

A very high-pitched scream pierced awake through the ears of those who've heard, the courtyard shook in terror under the starry, moonless sky.

Yi Shin, who seemed to be possessed "yet again" by another spirit, could only close her eyes in horror as her body subconsciously threw itself off the window.

Almost immediately after the windows burst, the wooden door of the room also blasted open. Several servants rushed in, followed by loud voices of men as they cried for guards to come and chase the thief, pointing to the open window she had just escaped from.

Pity for her, Yi Shin gained control over her body at such a crucial time!

She was speeding through the courtyards when two guards caught up with her. Seeing no other way but to climb the wall out, one of them caught her on one foot and hurled her back to the ground!

Of course she didn't obtain her jiujitsu brown belt for decoration. Yi Shin prompty countered the man's grab by letting herself sway with his hurling force. As the bulky man spun to bash her on the wall, she pulled her body mid-air, hooking her free leg at the man's neck. Now, it could be seen that she was riding on his shoulders, only, her eyes had a glint of atrocity!

Then, with a wood-like, open palm, she chopped it onto his neck and corner jaw in one swift and sturdy force, impaling the man as he sluggishly dropped himself to the ground in folds.

She wasn't that heartless though... the man just fainted and will be up later. Enough time for her to be completely out of this household.

"What did you do to him?!" The remaining guard shouted in horror. The move he saw was too fast that in two blinks, his brother in arms had already perished.

Meanwhile, Yi Shin sat on the man's body undisturbed. She opened and closed her aching palm. She really did it! She's now in control!

Feeling like she was freed from the invincible bond, her heart pumped vigorously in the excitement that her eyes were ablaze when she turned her head to that skinny guard.

With a sinister smirk, she balled her fists and stood up. This action made the remaining guard fall to his butt, desperately scooting to the hedge trembling in fear.

"Seriously, I haven't done anything to you yet." She mocked.

"Y-Y-You—" the guard stuttered and pointed a shaking finger at her. "Help! Help! She's here!"

Her devilish grin reached her eyes. This menacing expression sent shiver to the guards spine that he scotted even more to the green hedge as if it could cover him to invisibility. Yi Shin scoffed and started advancing when she caught ears of several heavy footsteps coming their way.

"Ah! This sissy..." she grimaced scornfully at the man who let out a not-so-boyish scream when she lifted her hand to bluff a strike.

"Thief!"

"Catch that thief!"

Ugh! What's with her and these dreams about being chased? As the voices and steps were growing louder, Yi Shin unwillingly snubbed the weakling to continue her belated escape.

Hurriedly, she kicked on a post to give herself a boost up the wall. She's becoming a natural, she thought. Of course! Lucid dreaming has become her specialty over the years. 

As the only granddaughter of the Han Clan, known to be a long line of generals and soldiers, these dreams only reflected her inner adventurous self. This piled-up feeling of wanting to be free if not for the responsibilities and guilt that kept her grounded like a bird with broken wings. That must be it!

Or so she thought.

Yi Shin, after finally reuniting with her trusty horse at the woods, both braved into the dark of night — merrily singing while eating a hard bun.

How ironic that she's now eating inside her dream, remembering that she had planned to skip dinner and soak at the tub instead.

Leaning over to give half a chunk to her trusty horse, she suddenly thought of something. "Horse, why are you so skinny?" 

"Where was the dagger we've stolen last time? Did we lost it?" she continued. "You know... we could be a millionaire if we sold that in the future — I mean, in real life." 

The horse neighed in response as if it was talking to her.

"Ha! How hungry am I that I'm suddenly talking to animals? And to think that I'm starting to believe you're actually answering back. Pfft! What am I, some disney princess?" She laughed. Nah, being hungry does make a person loosen their screws.

In the next hours, their incessant sprinting to an unknown direction continued as a clear and sweet female voice serenaded the starry skies.

Yi Shin loved singing but she could only pursue it as a hobby. Her parents already had plans for her future and that should be either be commerce or medicine related.

Quiet a stereotype, huh!

A chilly wind blew against them and Yi Shin shivered. Is it dawn now? She wondered, grabbing the tattered bag on the horse's side and grunted when she found only a waterskin container in it.

"Ugh! Why don't we have any thick clothes to wear?" Wait, when is she gonna wake up? Her breath hitched. "Don't tell me I'd spend the rest of the night just dreaming about riding this horse?!"

The wind blew again, this time, her nose twinged and throat clenched like she's about to catch a cold. She needed something to keep her warm. Quickly grabbing the water container and opening its lid, she tried smelling its content first... Nothing... Just plain water.

Bending her head up for a drink, she was dumbstruck as water splashed to her face more than the supposed volume a waterskin should contain.

She woke up, coughing profusely and gasping for air as her bath water obstructed her windpipe, realizing that she had fallen into the now cold water of her bathtub — almost drowning herself asleep!