Redemption

One

The night was an endless silence.

A shimmering, phosphorescent thread was drawn out, stuck to another, then darted toward the next. Before long, a large web was woven by the tiny spider before her, tucked in a corner of the cave. You had to look closely to spot it.

She blinked. It seemed she could move her eyes now. She had no idea how long she'd been staring at the pitch-black cave wall ahead; the monotony was starting to grate. Glad for something else to look at, she shifted her gaze to the side.

It was still a cave wall, just without the weaving spider. Yet, in her peripheral vision, she caught flickering shadows. The rustle of wind brushed past her ears as it swept into the cave, tickling slightly. A strand of hair drifted before her nose, lightly brushing against it.

"Ah-choo!" The itch was too much; she couldn't help but sneeze. At that moment, her body's functions seemed to return—she could move.

She turned her stiff neck from side to side, but the sight behind her scared her so much she collapsed to the ground.

Those flickering shadows were corpses hanging in the cave. Like gutted pigs left to air-dry, their bodies were split open and strung up with vines. Perhaps all the blood had drained, so they weren't too badly decomposed.

Her sense of smell gradually returning, Bai Yingge sniffed, and a foul stench immediately invaded her nostrils.

"Ugh!" Unable to bear it, Bai Yingge immediately bent over and vomited. By the time she gradually adapted, she had almost emptied her stomach of bile.

"Where is this?" Bai Yingge muttered, beginning to explore the cave. The swaying corpses around her forced her to close her eyes and feel her way along the stone wall, slowly moving toward the cave entrance.

But before she could make it out, a pain shot through her neck, and she lost consciousness again. When she woke next, she was still lying in a cave, but unlike the last one, this was clean and bright. No terrifying corpses were inside.

There was a table, a bed, even curtains hanging. Bai Yingge wondered if someone was playing a prank on her. Ignoring the pain, she slowly sat up and turned to look at the bed opposite her. A girl lay there. Nervously, Bai Yingge held her breath and leaned in for a closer look.

The girl seemed unconscious. Bai Yingge scanned the area. Although the cave interior was neatly kept, the howling wind from outside made her shiver uncontrollably.

Forgetting her fear, Bai Yingge thought that at the very least, she needed to figure out what was going on. Steeling herself, she closed her eyes, walked resolutely to the bedside, and pulled the curtain aside to look.

"Liu Ying!"

She covered her mouth, her eyes wide with terror, and pointed a trembling finger at her. "You, you, you're not—!"

Startled awake, Liu Ying struggled to sit up, looked at Bai Yingge, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Xiao... Bai Yingge," she wailed, crying her heart out as if she had suffered a tremendous injustice. Bai Yingge gradually calmed down, but seeing Liu Ying cry so sadly left her unsure how to comfort her.

She could only pull Liu Ying into her arms and gently pat her back. Only when Liu Ying's sobs began to subside did Bai Yingge softly ask, "Feeling better?"

Her emotions somewhat stabilized, Liu Ying looked up at Bai Yingge, confusion in her eyes. "Bai Yingge, how did you...?"

Bai Yingge shook her head helplessly and spread her hands. "I don't know either. I blacked out in the hospital, and when I woke up, I was here. By the way, what is this place? The first spot I woke up in was full of corpses. It scared me half to death."

Liu Ying wiped her tears, stood up with Bai Yingge's help, and pulled her toward the cave entrance. The biting cold wind made them shiver. Under the faint moonlight, Bai Yingge could just make out the scene outside the cave: a relatively open clearing surrounded by a ring of dark, dense forest.

Yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that it looked familiar, as if she'd seen it somewhere before.

"What? Liu Ying, where are we going?"

Liu Ying glanced around, then looked up at the sky and sighed heavily. "Dawn will come soon. They can only appear after sunset tomorrow. We have to use this time to run. If we get caught... we might really die."

"Who? Who wants to kill us!" Bai Yingge asked, terrified, grabbing Liu Ying's arm tightly.

Liu Ying had to stop and explain. "Bai Yingge, calm down and listen. Right now... we're inside the comic 'Blood Oriole'."

"???" Bai Yingge stared at Liu Ying in shock, then reached out to feel her forehead, checking for a fever.

"You... you're not joking, are you?"

"No." Liu Ying stamped her foot in frustration. "Nightingale... it was Nightingale who brought us here."

Bai Yingge's mouth hung open, unable to process this for a long moment. Stunned, she let Liu Ying pull her away from the cave. As they fled, it finally clicked why the scenery felt so familiar: the cave, the grassland, the flower patches, the bamboo grove... wasn't this exactly the setting of 'Blood Oriole'?

II

Dappled shadows from the trees swayed in the wind. A red sun hung in the gloomy sky, its rays beating down with scorching heat.

It must be the height of summer, the hottest part of July. The two wandered through the woods, seemingly losing all sense of direction.

"Liu Ying, I think we're lost."

Liu Ying followed Bai Yingge's gaze forward, but there was nothing but trees as far as she could see. They looked at each other in blank dismay, a sense of despair rising in their hearts.

"Let's just rest here for a bit."

Xiaoping slumped down under a big tree, wringing her hands. Qingqing watched her pace, at a loss for how to comfort her.

"Are we... even still alive?"

Qingqing had asked herself the same question when she first arrived. But now, just surviving in this world was hard enough. After a long hesitation, she still tried to reassure Xiaoping.

"I think... there's always a way out." Her words offered little comfort. Xiaoping could see it clearly: Qingqing's eyes were brimming with fear. They looked around again; beyond the trees, there was nothing but more trees.

The moment they sat down, the forest was swallowed by an oppressive silence, making even their own breaths sound thunderously loud. Terrifying images flashed through Xiaoping's mind, her fear mounting until she couldn't bear it any longer. She grabbed Qingqing and yanked her to her feet.

"Forget it. Even if we have to walk until we drop, we're getting out of here today."

With that, she picked a direction and charged ahead recklessly. This time, they didn't run, just walked and walked without stopping. They walked until their feet ached and their legs trembled, until their throats were parched and their eyes stung from the strain.

They lost all track of time. The two dazed girls stopped, dozed off on their feet, and when they opened their eyes again, the scenery seemed to have shifted. Besides the trees, there were now wildflowers and weeds dotting the landscape.

"This place... I feel like I've seen it somewhere." The further Qingqing walked, the more familiar it felt. She furrowed her brow, muttering under her breath.

Xiaoping rolled her eyes with a cold snort. "No kidding. Didn't you draw all this yourself?" The moment the words left her mouth, Xiaoping jolted, struck by a sudden thought. She slapped her thigh and grabbed Qingqing, who was walking ahead.

"Holy shit! You're the lead artist, aren't you? Were these backgrounds stock images or hand-drawn? If you drew them, you must have used your own ideas, right?"

Qingqing pulled her sleeve free from Xiaoping's grip and yawned, exhausted. "Stop overthinking it. My thoughts can't change the scenery. But you just gave me an idea. I hand-drew all the illustrations in the comic, so maybe the map follows the layout in my head. Wait, let me think for a sec."

Hearing this, Xiaoping fell silent and stopped bothering her. Leaning on each other, the two began scouting the area around the flowers and weeds, searching for anything else that stood out.

Suddenly, Qingqing stopped in front of a patch of lush grass, a strange glint flashing in her eyes.

"What is it?" Xiaoping asked, her voice tense.

Qingqing nodded with a smile. "I just remembered a weird filler scene. It wasn't important to the main plot, just introduced a new location. To save time, I reused some old background art I'd already drawn. My brain automatically placed that spot near the female lead's cave, but tucked away and hard to find."

"Really?" Xiaoping was thrilled. "Let's go check it out right now! Maybe we'll find something useful."

Without another word, Xiaoping grabbed Qingqing's hand, and they took off running. They soon reached the cave Qingqing had mentioned. Peering inside, they saw only pitch-black darkness, which was pretty unnerving. They hesitated, watching and waiting, but no sound came from within. Finally, mustering their courage, they stepped inside together.

The cave was darker than they'd imagined. Upon entering, they couldn't see a thing. The ground beneath their feet felt soft, yet unlike grass. It was as if something had been laid down, but Qingqing couldn't recall drawing anything like it. They felt their way along the wall. Suddenly, a light appeared ahead. Squinting as their eyes adjusted, they realized the interior was furnished like a room—simple, yet surprisingly cozy.

"Hey, this layout... it really does look familiar," Xiaoping admitted, studying the room's arrangement just as Qingqing had said.

Qingqing let out a long sigh. "Yeah, you've seen it before. This is the cave where Su Jue and Bai Yingge took shelter from the rain. I originally meant for it to be their home."

Xiaoping nodded, realization dawning. "Right, I remember now. You'd already finished the art, but the client insisted on changing it."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Qingqing fumed, her anger bubbling up again. "And don't get me started on them making me change the female lead's face! They insisted the original was ugly. It pissed me off so much! Argh... holy shit..."

She was venting furiously about past grievances when she suddenly glanced toward the bed in the room and saw a figure lying there. She yelped and jumped back. Startled by her cry, Xiaoping clutched her chest and stumbled back several steps before grabbing Qingqing's clothes and peeking over her shoulder. "Who—who is it?"

Gulping nervously, Qingqing stood on her tiptoes to get a better look. The woman on the bed wore tattered, grayish-white clothing. Lying on her side, her face wasn't visible, but her overall appearance was eerily similar to Bai Yingge's destitute look from the comic.

Qingqing's heart sank. She mouthed the words silently, forming a guess. "Could that be Bai Yingge?"

Xiaoping's pupils trembled in disbelief. Holding hands, they were about to tearfully creep back toward the cave entrance when a sudden sound came from the bed.

The person seemed to be waking up.

Three

It was indeed Bai Yingge. Now that they understood the situation, Qingqing and Xiaoping sat calmly with the Bai Yingge from the comic.

How did this happen? Qingqing mulled over the reason while Xiaoping offered her own guess.

This Bai Yingge before them was different—not just in clothing, but in face as well. The Bai Yingge from the current storyline had a sharp, "vixen-like" face with a red mark between her brows. The original Bai Yingge's face was softer and rounder, with no red mark, exactly like the girl before them. And she was mute.

"I have two theories."

Qingqing looked at the frightened, confused Bai Yingge, then nodded. "Go on. Let's hear the first one."

Xiaoping clutched the teacup Bai Yingge had given her, clearly nervous. "First, the client planted a seed when they demanded the face change. So, way back when Bai Yingge saved that nightingale, she'd already been replaced. That would explain why Su Jue later became her puppet for doing bad things—he was bewitched."

After hearing this, Qingqing pursed her lips and scoffed. "First, I don't think the client is clever enough to plant such a deep seed. But the idea of Bai Yingge being replaced? That's possible."

As they spoke, both women glanced at the girl beside them. She seemed to understand and nodded vigorously.

"Well, that seems certain. My other theory is more fantastical. What if the face change caused a logic bug in the plot, and this comic world automatically repaired the storyline? It just popped out a fake Bai Yingge."

Qingqing rolled her eyes. "I think us being here at all is fantastical enough."

"True that!" Xiaoping smiled helplessly.

They both looked back at the girl beside them. A character who'd walked right out of a comic, she was stunningly beautiful even in clothes stitched from rags.

Her features were small and delicate. Though her face was shaped like a melon seed, it still held a soft, youthful plumpness. Her fair, smooth skin was strikingly lovely even in the dim light.

Qingqing gazed at the face she herself had created, marveling once more at its perfection.

Rubbing her stomach, Xiaoping looked around. Not only was the place cozy, but it was well-stocked with food. Wait—Bai Yingge was mute now. If the Nightingale evil god had truly replaced her, why treat her so well?

"By the way, who hid you here?"

Bai Yingge looked at Xiaoping, her lashes fluttering slightly. After a moment's hesitation, she dipped her finger in tea and wrote the character "Su" on the table.

"Su Jue?" Qingqing and Xiaoping shot up in surprise. If Bai Yingge knew Su Jue, they should have met at the Liu residence. Could it be the Nightingale hadn't replaced her the first time? Unfortunately, Bai Yingge was mute, and neither understood sign language, so they couldn't deduce what had happened in this part of the story.

For now, though, this suggested Su Jue might not be completely bewitched. If so, their chances of fighting back had just increased significantly.

Qingqing and Xiaoping led the real Bai Yingge out of the woods again. This time, with a guide, they finally escaped that eerily creepy place.

When they reached the town, it was daytime, but the streets were sparse. Even though the scene had shifted from comic to reality, their project had hired professionals for the 3D modeling. It had always looked quite realistic, so the place still felt familiar.

They had deliberately disguised themselves and covered their faces, so no one should recognize them.

Slipping quietly into an alley, they soon arrived at the Liu residence. The courtyard was now completely deserted, nothing but a desolate scene. The three of them stood in the dilapidated yard, dressed in tattered clothes, looking like beggars searching for a place to crash.

"What are we doing here?" Xiaoping, slow on the uptake, finally thought to ask why they had come. Qingqing also shook her head, then looked at Bai Yingge and asked tentatively, "Is Su Jue meeting us here?"

Bai Yingge's bright, beautiful eyes glistened as she looked at them and nodded gently.

"Oh." Hearing this, the two of them could only find a clean spot to sit and wait for Su Jue to arrive.

Su Jue soon appeared in the courtyard. Dressed in a plain white robe, he walked slowly from the small bridge opposite. The hem of his garment was stained with traces of ink, his steps steady, his demeanor dignified—the very picture of a refined gentleman.

Qingqing looked at the perfect figure she had painted, yet felt a tremor of fear. After all, it was he who had forced her to drink human blood just days before.

"S-Su Jue?" Qingqing stammered out his name. Su Jue gave her a slight nod.

"Hello." Su Jue smiled warmly, his gaze toward her seemingly affectionate. Qingqing blushed under his stare. Although Xiaoping usually marveled at Su Jue's beauty, he was, after all, just a character on paper, so she felt no genuine emotion.

"Could you please explain the current situation?" Xiaoping glanced at the flustered Qingqing and took it upon herself to press for answers.

Su Jue took Bai Yingge's hand, drawing her into his embrace before speaking slowly. "This matter must be traced back to when Yingge saved that nightingale."

Listening to Su Jue's account, they learned that ever since Bai Yingge saved that nightingale, she had unwittingly begun to have her body taken over by it.

At first, Bai Yingge would occasionally come back to her senses. It was during this time that she met Su Jue, and they grew close. Eventually, they both realized something was wrong and tried to drive the nightingale away. Little did they know the creature possessed immense magical power. Both were bewitched by it and lost their minds.

However, its power seemed to have a time limit. One day, Bai Yingge broke free mid-process, fell from a cliff, and vanished. Su Jue had hoped this would stop the nightingale from harming others, but he never imagined its power had grown to the point where it could assume a human form, no longer needing Bai Yingge's body at all.

Later, Su Jue accidentally discovered the injured Bai Yingge, rescued her, and hid her near the nightingale's lair, tending to her constantly. Meanwhile, he stayed close to the false Bai Yingge, investigating ways to deal with her.

Now, he had indeed found a method to deal with the nightingale, though it was somewhat dangerous.

"Dangerous or not is another matter. First, tell us what the method is." Impatient by nature, Xiaoping urged him to reveal the plan.

Su Jue sighed softly. "It's actually quite simple. We just need to wait until the nightingale is sound asleep, then gouge out its eyes, slit its throat, and drain all its blood. Once the blood is gone, it will lose all its power."

"That method is way too gruesome." Qingqing's face scrunched up in distaste; she clearly had no desire to try such a thing.

"It's not just gruesome. If it discovers us, we'll likely all die."

At the mention of death, Xiaoping and Qingqing exchanged a look. Both had already died once; thinking about it now, they weren't really afraid anymore. But carrying this out? The method was excessively cruel. Their main worry was whether they had the courage for it.

Four.

Whether they could do it was one thing; whether they had to face it was another. So, even though Xiaoping and Qingqing were terrified out of their minds, they still gritted their teeth and followed Su Jue to the cave where the false Bai Yingge resided.

It was a familiar scene—the very place where Qingqing had endured torment not long ago. She recalled the disgusting medicinal concoctions she'd been forced to drink and almost gagged.

The sky was faintly bright, and sunlight streamed into the cave. They noticed that, compared to before, the inner walls were now stained with much more blood.

The four of them stepped inside with extreme caution, afraid of making the slightest sound, even breathing more lightly than usual.

Su Jue, holding a dagger, led the way. The further in they went, the darker it became. They inched forward, feeling their way, until they reached the room where Qingqing had previously been imprisoned.

The Nightingale was not here, which was within their expectations. What was unexpected, however, was that a person lay on the previously empty bed.

It was Liu Ying, who had died long ago.

Qingqing was instantly terrified, every hair on her body standing on end as she stiffened in fright.

Xiaoping felt a chill from the hand beside her. She reached over and touched Qingqing, finding her body stiff as a board.

"What's wrong? Do you know this person?"

"L-Liu Ying." Qingqing trembled as she spoke the name, her eyes fixing on Su Jue, seeking the truth.

"Don't worry, she's still alive."

Su Jue walked over and lifted a corner of the blanket. Sure enough, Liu Ying's chest was still rising and falling.

Xiaoping looked around worriedly. "If we talk so loudly, won't that... thing find us?"

Su Jue smiled faintly. "During the day, it can only remain sealed upon the statue in the shrine within this cave."

"So that's how it is." Xiaoping nodded in realization, though she couldn't recall any shrine from the comic.

"It couldn't be!" Qingqing exclaimed in surprise, covering her mouth, clearly remembering something.

"Qingqing, did you remember something again?"

"When I was doing the background setting, I was in such a hurry I used a background image from the comic 'Demonic Deity' for the distant view of this cave. Do you think there could be a connection?"

"Th-this is... a crossover?"

Xiaoping was clearly dumbfounded by this plot twist, left speechless for a long moment.

Su Jue and Bai Yingge couldn't understand their conversation. After settling Liu Ying, they led the two deeper into the inner part of the cave.

In the gloom, Su Jue took out a bamboo tube from his robe, gave it a sharp blow, and it ignited. It lit the candles on either side, allowing them to see clearly. The cave floor inside sloped downward. At the deepest point stood an altar table, laden with assorted fruits, incense, and candles, though it was unclear if they were still fresh.

"I'm a bit hungry." Xiaoping looked at the food on the table, her stomach suddenly rumbling. Qingqing swallowed hard and nodded in agreement. "Me too."

"Those fruits are all poisoned. It's a pity it still wasn't enough to kill it."

Hearing Su Jue's cold words, Xiaoping gave a thumbs-up in admiration. "You sure are ruthless."

"Enough idle talk. Let's get to work." Su Jue stepped forward, pointing at a dusty red wooden box on the altar, seemingly untouched for a long time.

Qingqing opened the box. Inside lay a dagger engraved with patterns. It really was a crossover! This dagger was the weapon of Si Yao, the male lead from the comic 'Demonic Deity'. Why was it here? Sadly, she had no time to think, for the moment the box opened, the slumbering Nightingale suddenly opened its eyes, glaring viciously at their group.

"Hurry!" This sudden turn of events caught them off guard. Su Jue pushed them urgently. Qingqing and the others had no time to think; they could only follow Su Jue's lead, grab the dagger, and stab straight for the Nightingale's chest.

The Nightingale let out piercing shrieks and thrashed violently, its wings flapping wildly. A colorless wave of agony pierced into everyone's minds all at once.

Xiaoping clutched her head, screaming in pain. Qingqing, still gripping the dagger, was faring slightly better but was still in so much pain her features were contorted, and she was soon covered in sweat.

The agony nearly made her lose her grip. Xiaoping, enduring the pain, got up and leaned over Qingqing's back. Using all their strength, the two pressed down on the dagger for dear life.

The situation was even grimmer for Bai Yingge and Su Jue behind them. As drawn characters, they were more deeply affected by the Nightingale's cries. Clinging to each other, blood began to trickle from their mouths, noses, eyes, and ears.

"Why isn't it dead yet?! It's been so long!" Seeing Su Jue and the others in mortal danger, Xiaoping shouted in desperation. The Nightingale, pinned beneath the dagger, struggled even more violently. The black blood flowing from it hissed like quenching hot steel, searing their hands wherever it touched.

Sweating profusely, Qingqing gripped the dagger with both hands, squeezing tighter and tighter.

Su Jue also seemed not to have anticipated this. With a panicked expression, he held Bai Yingge tightly in his arms and gave a desolate smile. Bright red blood stained his pale face, creating a strange, fragile beauty.

Suddenly, a beam of white light shone upon the four of them. The flustered Xiaoping turned her head and caught a glimpse—Su Jue and Bai Yingge, framed against the filthy, pitch-black cave, looked breathtakingly beautiful.

"What is that!" She snapped back to reality and noticed a vortex had suddenly appeared diagonally behind the two. The white light was emanating from it, and floating right in the center of the vortex was an object.

Following her voice, Qingqing looked back. Being nearsighted, she squinted for a moment before vaguely making it out—it looked like a pen.

They both froze for a second, but Xiaoping was the first to react, shouting a reminder: "Qingqing, that's your paintbrush!"

They finally understood. Qingqing was the creator of this world. With the brush, she could decide who lived and who died. Letting go of the dagger, she grasped Xiaoping's hand and entrusted her: "Hold on."

She quickly pulled away. Xiaoping immediately grabbed the dagger tightly in her place, even though it was burning hot as a branding iron. Sensing the danger, the Nightingale's eyes shifted from gray to red. Its long, sharp beak no longer just issued terrifying cries; it was also stealthily lengthening, its neck twisting as it continuously pecked at Xiaoping.

The cave suddenly trembled, sending gray stones raining down from the ceiling. Stumbling and swaying, half-crawling and half-running, Qingqing made her way to the vortex. With a leap, she finally grasped the black paintbrush.

The tremors grew more violent. Larger rocks flew and crashed down from all directions. Trapped in place, Su Jue and Bai Yingge were bleeding from every pore.

Struggling against the Nightingale, Xiaoping fought to keep her head away from it, but her hand was nearly being pecked through.

Looking back and witnessing the tragic scene, Qingqing's eyes turned bloodshot. She waved the paintbrush in her hand rapidly.

"Nightingale, die!" After writing the final exclamation mark, Qingqing quickly filled in a dialogue box beside the caption. The moment the translucent white box covered the words, the plot took effect.

The Nightingale lifted its head toward the sky. An utterly terrifying wail was heard, then the cry gradually softened, becoming more melodious. Finally, the Nightingale's head drooped weakly. It was all over.

End

Everything returned to normal. After bidding farewell to Bai Yingge and Su Jue, Xiaoping and Qingqing went back to the cave where they had fought the Nightingale.

"Qingqing, I have a question."

"Hmm, what is it?" Qingqing found a relatively clean piece of cloth in the cave and wiped the blood from her hands.

Xiaoping carefully surveyed the cave before continuing their conversation. "Isn't *Blood Oriole* supposed to be a horror story?"

"You think that by killing the Nightingale, we changed the entire tone of the story?"

Xiaoping scratched her head in confusion. "I can't quite put my finger on it, but something just feels off."

Qingqing understood what she meant and nodded. "I can only say, maybe it's because most of the people in the city are already dead. And actually, the comic had already ended from the moment Liu Ying died."

"But!" Xiaoping thought of Liu Ying, who had been taken out by Su Jue. "Isn't she still alive?"

"She's already dead in the comic, and she lost her memory. She'll probably take on a new identity later. Alright, let's not dwell on it. Let's see what's inside this vortex."

Qingqing laughed, changing the subject. The two turned their attention back to the white vortex before them, the paintbrush left forgotten in Qingqing's embrace.

Seeing Qingqing still hesitating and pacing, the impatient Xiaoping simply stuck her head right into the vortex. Qingqing was startled by her action and waited nervously nearby.

After a good while, Xiaoping pulled her body back out, her face a picture of speechlessness.

"What's wrong?"

Xiaoping tilted her head with a bitter smile, weakly pointing at the vortex. "Choose. Two paths. One's a shonen manga, the other's a shojo manga."

Hearing those two terms, Qingqing immediately frowned. "Don't tell me they're ones I've drawn before!"

"Heh, not only did you draw them, they're from our company."

"Ah~ No way!"

Xiaoping grabbed Qingqing and charged forward with her eyes closed.

"Stop struggling. We have to pick one either way."

"Heavens, can't I just go into some master's magnum opus?"

"What can we do? It's your fault for not drawing something better."

"Ugh, wasn't every one of my works something you forced me to draw? Damn it, why is it lagging? Pull me!"

"Alright, alright, yes. I was just trying to make a living too! It's not our fault our company can only afford these second or third-rate garbage contracts!"

...

End!