The sea of the undead still shimmered under the moonlight, a moon the color of blood, just like the daytime sky, carrying an inherent killing aura. That aura fell upon the lake's surface, casting a crimson and black glow, then onto the shore, accentuating an eerie quality, and finally settled upon the figure of the woman, making her resemble Sadako from The Ring. Sadako sat with her back to me, her left hand gathering her long, flowing hair, while her right held a comb, slowly working through her locks from top to bottom, showing no sign of being disturbed by my presence.

I stood about twenty or thirty meters away, using a small tree to conceal myself. My heart thumped like a caged rabbit, churning with unease, as I hesitated whether to approach directly to fetch water or wait for her to leave.

Go, or stay? Go, or stay? I must have stood behind that small tree for half an hour, and the woman showed no inclination to move or depart. Thus, the two little men inside my mind began to fight, caught in the agonizing choice between saving a life and preserving my own. If I went and she turned out to be human, fine. But what if she was a ghost or some undead spirit? Wouldn't I just be delivering myself up as a midnight snack? If I didn't go, Xiaoshu was already burning unconscious when I left. Delaying until dawn, waiting for her fever to leave her senseless, leaving her like an idiot—what would be the point of this midnight expedition to the sea of the undead then?

Thinking this, I suddenly saw the woman shift slightly on the stone, turning to face the direction where I was hiding. She brought one hand up to guard her long hair and used the other to beckon me forward.

Blast it! I thought, realizing this woman was probably no ordinary person. I had hidden myself silently behind the tree, making not a single sound, yet she sensed my presence even with her back turned. Had the light from my torch betrayed me? Or perhaps the owl that just flew overhead exposed my secrets? I frantically tried to guess where the mistake lay.

The woman then raised her hand, lifted a waterskin resting beside the stone, and shook it toward me, as if she knew my purpose and had been waiting there for me all along.

Full of suspicion, seeing she was unarmed and didn't seem the sort to violently attack someone, I took a deep breath and bravely walked forward.

The torch still blazed fiercely, adding a spark of brilliance to the otherwise dim night sky. I approached the woman, bent down to take the waterskin she offered, and caught a glimpse of her delicate face in the torchlight.

It was her? A shock jolted through me. This woman was wearing a light-colored dress, her long hair smoothly tucked behind her ears, and her large eyes blinked, glistening and vibrant. She offered me a slight smile, a bloom of beauty that was utterly refreshing. It was the same woman Xiaoshu and I had seen on the cliff edge. No, more accurately, it was the woman who was Xiaoshu's first love, missing for many years.

"You..." I started, intending to ask why she was here, but then reconsidered. Although I had seen her phantom before, she knew nothing about me, and such a forward greeting might embarrass her. So, I changed my words: "Hello! I am here at the sea of the undead to fetch water to save a friend."

The woman held a finger to her lips, silently signaling me to leave quickly with the waterskin. Unsure of the water's origin or if it could truly save Xiaoshu from her crisis, I stuck the torch into the ground, turned away from the woman, and filled my own container from the sea of the undead. I returned with both skins and went to thank her.

Yet, taking only a minute to draw water, when I turned back, the fair lady was gone. She had been sitting quietly on the stone just moments before, but now she had vanished into thin air, leaving behind not even the faintest sound of footsteps.