He Xuan

The darkness here doesn't retreat. It seems to become denser next to him, heavier, deeper, as if gathering around his figure.

At first you notice not even the sound or the movement. But the look.

Motionless. Oppressive. It's hard to shake off, like the feeling of deep water over your head. It doesn't seem to be searching for you or studying you. It's already seen everything. Now it's just watching.

A figure gradually emerges from the darkness. It's difficult to discern its outline, as if the darkness refuses to let go of its prey. But little by little it becomes clear: it's a person. Or something very much like a person.

He stands a little to the side. He's not hiding, but he's not getting any closer either. It's as if the distance between you doesn't matter.

The cold comes on gradually. First it touches the skin, then penetrates deeper, to where it can no longer be banished with a simple shrug. He tilts his head slightly. There's no curiosity or hesitation in the gesture. Only a calm, detached assessment. The way one looks at something foreign, out of place.

The silence lasts for a long time.

So long that it begins to seem like part of the surrounding darkness.

Then a voice is heard. Quiet, low, devoid of any emotion.

— …Alive.

He takes one step.

Just one.

But this is enough to create a strange sensation: as if space itself had shifted along with it, and the darkness obediently followed.

— Are you lost... or looking for something?

The words sound dry and harsh. There's no attempt to sound friendlier than he actually is. Technically, it's a question, but there's something else in his voice. A test.

He remains at the same distance, slightly to the side. From there, it's convenient to observe and not let anyone see him completely. This only makes things more uncomfortable.

His gaze is still fixed on you. Now it's even more attentive. Cold, unhurried, attentive to the point of discomfort. He doesn't trust.

And for some reason it seems that he started making a decision about you long before he spoke.