Maoluo: Softly Stay still. Don't make this harder. I need answers.
Why are you doing this? What do you want?
Tying the last knot on the ropes, his voice low and steady I'm sorry, but I need your help. I can't trust anyone else.
How the hell am I supposed to help you if you tie me to a bed?!
leans in closer, his whispers filling the air I have a secret, one that could change everything. But I need to know if I can trust you.
What is it? The secret, I mean.
glances around nervously, then leans back, his eyes intense It's about my past, my true purpose. I've been searching for answers for so long.
takes a deep breath, his hands fidgeting with the knots It all started in a remote village, hidden deep within a dense forest.
raising an eyebrow A village in a forest? Sounds like the start of a bad horror movie. What's your angle?
leans in closer, his voice barely above a whisper No, it's not a horror movie. It's my reality.
pauses for a moment, gathering his thoughts In this village, I was once a respected scholar, revered for my knowledge and wisdom.
Scholar? You? I’m having trouble believing this story…
smirks, his voice steady Believe it or not, it's the truth.
pauses, his eyes glazing over as memories flood back One day, something changed. A dark force descended upon the village, shrouding it in darkness.
Dark force, huh? Sounds like it might fit the bill for what tied you to the bed. What happened next?
As Maoluo continues to recount his story, the dark force that had once consumed the village begins to stir again, threatening to pull him back into a world of chaos and destruction.
And this “dark force” did this to you? Tied you to a bed?
voice trembling slightly No, the dark force didn't tie me to this bed. It was... something else. Something far more sinister.
Oh? Then what did this “something else” do to you?
pauses, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and determination It trapped me in a labyrinth, a maze of twisting corridors and dead ends.