Thud thud—thud thud—
Inside a farmhouse hideout on the outskirts of Di Wu City.
A mother and daughter huddled inside a wardrobe, clinging to each other in sheer terror.
Their heartbeats, both of hers and her daughter's, pounded like drums in this cramped, quiet, enclosed space.
The mother feared her daughter might scream out of fright, so she tore off a piece of clothing from the closet for her daughter to bite down on.
Zzzzz—
At the peak of their tension, a grating noise came from outside the wardrobe.
It sounded like nails dragging across a chalkboard, causing an unbearable irritation.
"Mom... Mom... don't be afraid... Nannan will... protect you..."
These words of comfort echoed inside the room.
However, the voice wasn't the naive, childish tone of a little girl; it was hoarse and eerie, like rusty iron rods grinding against each other.
The mother, trembling, couldn't help but look down at her daughter in her arms.
