The sky was darkening, and the city lights were starting to twinkle. This was Shanghai of China in the Asia Continent.
Khloe Wang stood at the door of Mason Gu's house, the letter she had prepared for so long still clutched in her hand. It was a letter of her love confession to her crush, him.
But today she had just wanted to tell him she was leaving and leave the letter somewhere in his house where he wouldn't see it until after she had left.
But the door was ajar, and the laughter coming from inside made her footsteps falter on the way.
It was Mason's voice, low and gentle.
And a familiar, piercingly sweet voice—her sister, Leah's.
She shouldn't be listening, but the laughter, the ragged breathing, was like a sharp needle, piercing her heart one stitch at a time. 'Were they f**king?'
She gently pushed the door open.
On the couch, Leah was leaning into Mason's chest, laughing and saying, "When you teach me this move, can you please not get so close? It makes my heart skip a lot of beats."
Mason Gu was whispering to her softly, his hands still wrapped around her.
Khloe's breath caught.
The envelope crumpled in her hand, making a faint crunch sound.
One second, two seconds.
She didn't make a scene, didn't cry. She just turned around, as if drained of all her strength. Not like she was getting betrayed by her boyfriend with her sister, no. She and Mason were barely even friends!
The door closed softly, and the wind rushed in.
Under the streetlights, a group of students in the same school uniform as her were huddled together, chatting.
"Did you hear? It was Asia's turn to produce and envoy and sister Khloe Wang was chosen. She's going to the Eighth Continent."
"Is that true? Wait, the Eighth Continent?!!"
"Isn't that place just a legend?"
"Who knows? Anyway, no one's ever come back. My dad said Dylan of the Lu family went there to seek greener pastures and never came back, and it's been 24 years gone already."
"True! Also, the girl from Africa that went there as an envoy four years ago didn't make it back and her family has never heard from her after she left. It's almost certain death to go there."
"I heard Khloe Wang was chosen as a sacrifice to their king in particular. Funny how that king is called The Beast King. Of all things."
Khloe's footsteps faltered slightly, but she didn't turn around.
In the distance, a black car slid to a stop in front of her.
The driver, Mr. Long, got out and opened the door for her. "Miss Khloe, please get in."
She nodded and silently stepped into the car.
When they got home, it was already late. But the house was lit.
"Why didn't you wait for me at the school gate?" her father stood in the living room, his brow furrowed. "Uncle Long was looking all over for you for almost an hour."
"I wanted to walk," Khloe said calmly, her tone flat and unreadable.
Her mother came out of the kitchen with a bowl of soup, her voice gentle. "Don't argue with your father. Eat something, you have to leave tomorrow."
"I know," she said blandly, her eyes fixed on the shiny silver spoon on the dinner table. The light reflected off it, cold as a mirror.
She didn't say anything more, just went to her room to pack.
That night, she didn't sleep either.
The next morning, the wind at the port was biting and cold.
Her mother didn't accompany them, staying behind to take care of Leah. So, the father-daughter duo boarded the massive ship bound for the Eighth Continent.
On the deck, the sound of waves crashing against the metal walls echoed like a distant heartbeat.
In the cabin, the golden light illuminated a table full of exquisite dishes.
Khloe sat in her chair, looking at the sumptuous feast, but her stomach churned with nausea.
"Eat something," her father urged her. "They prepared this especially for you. It's an honor."
It would have been better if he didn't even talk to her because all those thoughts bottled in was threatening to spill out any minute longer.
"Honor?" Khloe looked up at her father, a smile on her lips, but it was devoid of warmth. "It feels like food being fed to the altar before sacrifice."
"Khloe!" Her father slammed his hand on the table, his face darkening.
"Do you know what you're saying? This is an order! You're the chosen one. The mightiest of all kings in the Eighth Continent wants you, and it's not something I can decide to refuse!"
"So you're sending me away?" Khloe's voice was soft, but it was piercingly clear. "Like sending a gift? In exchange for the peace of the other 7 Continents?"
Her father's breathing was labored, his fingers trembling. "You don't understand! If we don't send an envoy, they'll send their troops! The entire world will be destroyed! You're not just making a sacrifice or receiving honor, you are saving us all—Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, Australia and even the ices of Antarctica!"
She paused, her gaze flickering.
In that moment, she saw the fear and desperation in her father's eyes. For the first time she saw her dad scared, all in his eyes.
The air was tense.
The ship swayed gently, and the soup in the bowls sloshed back and forth.
After a long moment, she sighed and finally lowered her head.
It was better for one to die than a billion people to take the fall. Besides, what was the need staying when all her friends, in a week after the announcement of her being the chosen bride, distanced themselves from her and she was the talk of the whole Asia. No, the whole world.
"Fine," she said, poking at the meat on her plate with her fork, her tone flat. "I'll eat. Is that enough? Now stop talking and spitting all over the food of the Queen. Ahem, the King's bride, right?"
Her father was taken aback, then let out a long breath. "Yes."
She didn't say anything else, just mechanically putting food into her mouth.
The taste was cloyingly sweet and bitter.
The broadcast in the cabin suddenly came on: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at the Eighth Continent. Please prepare for disembarkation."
Her father looked up at the window, and in the distance, a vast expanse of ice slowly emerged.
Beneath the thick layer of ice, faint lights flickered.
Khloe stood up and walked to the window.
The wind rushed in through the crack, bringing with it a biting chill.
"Dad," she said softly, "remember to take your medicine on time. And... tell Mom not to spoil Leah too much. Oh, and don't forget, they promised to make you the ambassador of the Seven Continents Alliance. This is the price I've paid."
Her father was taken aback for a moment, then smiled wryly. "That's my daughter."
Just as he finished speaking, the ship lurched violently, as if it had hit something. An iceberg?
The alarm blared to life, and the sound of panicked footsteps and shouting came from the deck.
Khloe grabbed the window frame, her eyes wide with shock as she looked outside.
The thick layer of ice was cracking open, and a faint blue light was slowly emerging from beneath.
The light was like the eyes of some beast creature.
"Is that... supposed to be in…. the Eighth Continent?"
Before she could react, a powerful suction suddenly swept in, and her body was lifted off the ground, weightless and tumbling.
Her father's shout still echoed in her ears. "Khloe!!"
She had just enough time to see the blue light getting closer and closer, until the entire world was consumed by it.