Demon or Protector

11. problem

Yibo sat there, the quiet of the forest house pressing down on him, heavy and suffocating. The longer he sat still, the more the sadness gnawed at him, threatening to swallow him whole. It was like a weight in his chest, growing heavier with every passing second. He tried distracting himself, thinking of home, his parents, anything to push the sadness away—but it wasn’t working.

He stood up, pacing around the room, feeling restless, trapped. He couldn’t stand it anymore. I’ve got to get out of here, he thought. The walls of the house seemed to close in on him, making it harder to breathe.

His eyes flicked to the door, the urge to leave growing stronger by the second. The forest outside was calling to him, offering an escape from the sadness that clung to him like a shadow. "I just need some air. I need to feel free again, just for a little while."

Yibo took a step toward the door, his hand reaching out, fingers trembling slightly. But then Wei Ying’s words echoed in his mind, the memory of that intense gaze, the firm tone: “Stay here. Don’t go anywhere.”

Yibo froze, biting his lip. Wei Ying had been serious when he gave that order—protective, even. But then again, "master had already transferred his demonic energy to him, right? I’m not just some vulnerable human anymore. No one can sense me now," Yibo thought, trying to convince himself. He felt that power coursing through him, like a shield that wrapped around his very being. "I’ll be fine. What’s the harm in stepping out for a bit?"

He took another step, the temptation tugging at him. The sadness inside him flared again, almost pushing him toward the door. He wanted to feel the wind, to breathe in the wild air, to shake off this suffocating loneliness." I can handle it, he thought. It’s not like master will even know I left."

But still… something in the pit of his stomach twisted with doubt. What if something happens? Wei Ying had warned him for a reason, but the sadness clouded Yibo’s judgment. Right now, he didn’t care about the consequences. He just wanted to feel something other than this crushing loneliness.

His hand rested on the door handle, heart pounding in his chest. I need this, he told himself. "I’ll be quick. No one will know."

With one final breath, Yibo turned the handle, stepping into the unknown.

Yibo stepped out into the forest, and the second his feet touched the ground, he felt something shift inside him. This place… it wasn’t like anything he had ever seen in the human world. The air was different—crisper, almost alive—and as he looked around, his breath caught in his throat.

It was stunning. More beautiful than anything he had ever laid eyes on. The trees stood tall, their leaves shimmering in shades of green and gold, almost as if they were glowing with life. Light filtered through the canopy, casting soft rays that danced across the ground like tiny beams of magic. Every step Yibo took felt like he was walking in a dream, each sound amplified—the soft rustle of leaves, the gentle breeze that caressed his skin.

"How is this real?" Yibo thought, completely in awe. He’d seen forests before—back in the human world—but nothing like this. The colors were richer, the smells more intoxicating. The forest seemed to pulse with life, every leaf, every flower whispering secrets he couldn’t quite understand. It wasn’t just beautiful—it was alive.

There was something calming about it too, a deep, healing energy that wrapped around him, soothing the sadness that had been weighing him down. The tension in his chest eased, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he felt… at peace. It was like the forest was speaking to him, telling him that everything would be alright.

Yibo closed his eyes, breathing in deeply, letting the scent of wildflowers and earth fill his senses. It was as if the forest was cradling him in its arms, washing away his worries, his loneliness, healing him from the inside out.