Light in the Darkness Chapter Twenty-Eight Exchange

It was entirely possible that he didn’t even realize when he’d stepped into such a bizarre place.

This place was far from Song Zhi and the others, yet they could see him. He, however, could not see them. So, where exactly was he? A place where they could see him, but he could not see them.

Jiang Li turned the question over and over in his mind—did such a place truly exist in this world?

“No, that can’t be right. Ghosts really do exist, after all. If even ghosts are real, why couldn’t a place like this exist?”

“Some people can see it, others can’t. It’s just like a one-way mirror…”

“Ah, I understand now. It’s a mirror. I must have entered the world inside a mirror, which is why they can see me.”

“And the me inside the mirror can’t see them; only the world outside the mirror is real.”

“The reason I can’t see them from inside is because the world within the mirror is nothing but an imitation—a false reflection of the real world.”

Then, that hanged ghost with the white eyes I saw, it must have disguised itself as Fei Ling and lured me into this mirror world. That’s why the billboard on the teaching building appeared reversed to me.

A mirror is the opposite of reality. But now that I know I’m inside a mirror, how do I get out?

What’s more, Jiang Li currently had no way out; not only was he unable to find an exit, but that hanged spirit was still here too.

It could appear at any moment. He had to ensure his own safety and find a way out. For now, Jiang Li had no absolute confidence.

Creak—

A sound of shattering echoed through the air, as if the very space was collapsing.

The entire world began to quake violently, the lights flickering in and out in a relentless staccato, as though the end of the world had arrived.

Darkness was soon infiltrated by seeping, crimson blood.

The world was now a tumult of black and red, the sound of shattering glass, a howling wind, and heartrending screams all mingling together.

Creak—

The crisp sound of glass breaking continued to spread. The space around Jiang Li splintered as if slashed by a blade, fracturing into countless shards.

The world became a field of glass fragments, with only Jiang Li remaining whole.

Black and red, two opposing forces, battled for dominion.

Black had once had the upper hand, but the blood-red, as if fueled by some unknown frenzy, rapidly expanded.

It grew so much that it seemed poised to encircle the black entirely—and the instigator of this upheaval was Fei Ling.

Outside, Fei Ling and her companions called out for Jiang Li, but their efforts were in vain.

There must be a way to bring Jiang Li out, the three of them reasoned, but no solution came to mind. In the process, Fei Ling accidentally cut her hand.

The flash of pain jolted her to her senses. She noticed her fresh blood did not fall to the floor, but instead touched the mirror on the wall.

The blood pooled, defying gravity, and clung to the glass for over thirty seconds before being slowly absorbed by the mirror.

Fei Ling stared in a daze, and Song Zhi and Song Yu also noticed her actions, witnessing the scene unfold. Fei Ling then bit her finger, enduring the pain to widen the wound.

Blood streamed down, but before it could reach the floor, the mirror absorbed it completely.

Fei Ling understood—this was the key to rescuing Jiang Li from the mirror. She ignored her pain, enlarging the wound to let more blood flow.

As the blood was drawn into the mirror world, the space where Jiang Li resided shattered, each fragment forming part of a vast, mirrored realm.

Fei Ling only knew that blood could save Jiang Li from the mirror but was unaware that to rescue someone from the mirror world, two conditions had to be met.

First, the blood must be absorbed by the mirror. The mirror could not withstand substances from the real world—objects and people could exist in the mirror world, but blood and water could not.

Second, after the blood was absorbed, the owner of the blood and the person inside had to exchange places to ensure the imprisoned could escape.

The mirror on the wall, whether from a loose nail or something else, suddenly crashed to the floor, shattering into countless jagged pieces.

On Jiang Li’s side, two Fei Lings appeared again, but this time, both urged Jiang Li not to leave.

“Don’t go… it will…”

Before they could finish, both transformed into terrifying ghosts.

“Don’t… go…”

Their thunderous roars nearly pierced Jiang Li’s eardrums. He had no time for anything else—he could only run.

But the space was completely fractured; only darkness and blood-red remained, with no path forward, just endless blackness beneath his feet.

Jiang Li fled desperately, the two ghosts in relentless pursuit.

The air rang with their cries of “Don’t… go…”

Jiang Li paid no heed, running at full speed.

He didn’t know how long he ran before exhaustion overtook him.

The spirits vanished, and before him stood a woman, her back to Jiang Li.

She turned suddenly. Her features were delicate, her white dress intimidating Jiang Li into keeping his distance.

“Don’t go… you’ll die…”

Her lips never moved, yet the words echoed in Jiang Li’s ears.

“Don’t go… you’ll die…”

Her eyes, vacant, fixed on Jiang Li, repeating this heavy warning.

Red soon triumphed over black, and Jiang Li’s figure grew faint.

In the final moment, Jiang Li saw the vacant-eyed woman reveal her true face.

She shouted, “Don’t you remember me? You’ll die!”

The horrific soundwave left Jiang Li dizzy and disoriented. Crimson light swallowed the world—everything returned to normal, and Jiang Li was restored to reality.

But Fei Ling had entered the mirror world. Jiang Li recalled the woman’s last words.

He didn’t remember her? And all the spirits inside had told him he would die—what could that mean?

The woman’s earlier appearance was cute and innocent, but Jiang Li had no memory of ever meeting her. In the end, she became a terrifying ghost, still warning him of death.

Jiang Li was truly at a loss. He had never heard Mo Han mention that a spirit could speak to him so calmly, without any intent to harm.

As Jiang Li pondered his strange ordeal, he glanced absentmindedly at Song Zhi and Song Yu beside him.

“Where’s Fei Ling?”

Not seeing her, he asked.

Song Zhi and Song Yu didn’t know how to respond. They hadn’t realized that to save someone from the mirror, someone outside would have to sacrifice themselves.

Before they could reply, Jiang Li found his answer.

The mirror behind him lay shattered on the ground, and in each fragment, Fei Ling’s reflection appeared.

“Fei Ling… went inside?”

Jiang Li’s voice was thick with disbelief as he stared at the mirror.

“How did this happen? How did I get out?”

“Red… it was blood!”

“Does someone have to switch places with me for me to leave?”

Though it was posed as a question, Jiang Li spoke with certainty.

Song Zhi and Song Yu watched Jiang Li’s agitation, searching for words of comfort, but none came.

From the start, this had been an accident. But when Fei Ling willingly opened her wound, they understood her feelings for Jiang Li.

A girl willing to risk her life for a man’s safety—

If that isn’t love, then who could still believe in love?

The moment Jiang Li returned, he immediately asked after Fei Ling. Song Zhi and Song Yu, in that instant, couldn’t help but envy them both. In a world where survival was uncertain, they could still witness such pure affection.

One was willing to trade her safety for his; the other, though silent, was always concerned for her well-being.

Truth be told, Jiang Li, who had never experienced matters of the heart, had always held Fei Ling in his thoughts. But in such a dire situation, did he even have the right to speak of love?

Jiang Li had always kept his affection for Fei Ling buried deep, never revealing it outwardly. Even when he sensed Mo Han’s feelings for Fei Ling, he only admired Mo Han’s strength of character.

Though Jiang Li never showed it, he did feel a twinge of sadness.

Fei Ling was the girl he had known the longest since childhood.

As a boy, Jiang Li was quiet and withdrawn, with few friends.

After joining the army, he was always surrounded by comrades—brotherhood forged in life and death.

He had never encountered romance, nor had any girl ever spoken to him.

In other aspects, Jiang Li excelled, but in matters of the heart, he was as inexperienced as an infant in a strange new world—confused and helpless.

No matter how accomplished he was elsewhere, it couldn’t change this essential fact. After all, Jiang Li was just a twenty-four-year-old young man, absolutely loyal to his country, but still yearning for the beauty of love.

There are some things we simply can’t control. We can stop ourselves from buying useless things, or stick to a diet or exercise plan, but who can control a restless heart?

Seeing the person you like brings inexplicable joy.

It’s as if the whole world is illuminated, your heartbeat quickens, your pupils dilate, and sometimes a faint smile appears without you realizing.

Apart from his feelings for one person, Jiang Li could control everything else.

But faced with Fei Ling’s unconscious smile, her widened eyes—who could possibly keep perfect control?

——

From now on, most plots will be in the first half; the latter half will be filled as the scene requires.

There should be an update every two days or so. I’ll post a completion notice, which won’t be deleted—it’s not a regular chapter, so it shouldn’t disrupt the reading experience and can confirm when all has been supplemented.