In a family where discord reigned supreme, a precious girl named Angel came into the world amidst much joy and celebration. From her earliest days, she was a whirlwind of energy, growing rapidly and capturing hearts with her infectious spirit.
Her father adored her, doting on her with affection and calling her his "Little Angel," a name that truly reflected her essence.
As Angel blossomed into a striking young woman, her beauty was undeniable. With captivating eyes, a graceful figure, radiant brown skin, and perfectly styled hair, she turned heads wherever she went.
Yet, just as she was turning into the light of the family, life took a turn for the worse. Following her parents' bitter divorce, Angel found herself living with her father, who soon became entangled in a tumultuous new relationship with an older woman.
This new dynamic brought with it a cruel twist. Angel's stepmother, emblazoned with bitterness and jealousy over her husband's affection for the girl, unleashed a torrent of torment on Angel.
The household became a battlefield, with Angel, once the cherished daughter, now relegated to the role of a burden. Her stepmother's four children only compounded the chaos, and the once-happy girl became the target of scorn.
Left without the love and support she needed, Angel was stripped of her childhood. Her father, Liang, swayed under his new wife's influence and slowly turned against her. Education, once a dream, was replaced with a heavy workload. Each day began with grueling tasks: waking early to prepare her older siblings for school, cleaning the house, and tending to the garden.
As the sun climbed higher, she spent her afternoons chopping grass for the cattle and, by evening, she was left to prepare dinner for the entire household—all while being watched by a father who chose silence over support.
One fateful evening, her stepmother's fury erupted over a minor mishap: a pinch of too much salt in the dinner. With all the pent-up resentment boiling over, Angel faced the full brunt of her stepmother's wrath.
That night, as she lay in bed, tears streaming down her face, a profound sense of hopelessness enveloped her. The world had turned dark; life felt like a heavy burden she could no longer bear.
In the depths of despair, Angel made a heart-wrenching decision to escape the pain.
But before she took that irreversible step, she poured her feelings into a note, a final farewell filled with sorrow and regret. "I'm sorry, Dad," it read, "but this is my only escape. I seek peace in the spirit world. I will miss you, but please forgive me. I can no longer bear this life of suffering and sorrow. Goodbye, Dad."
With those final words, Angel's silent plea for understanding echoed in the void, leaving behind the hope that perhaps, one day, her story would be heard.
As Angel poured out her heart to her Maker, her prayer resonated with deep-seated complaints and unspoken fears. Suddenly, an overwhelming darkness enveloped her, so thick and heavy it felt almost suffocating. Yet, in that vast void, Angel sensed an extraordinary lightness within herself; she was no longer bound by her physical form.
As she floated through this uncharted realm, a thrilling surge of motion coursed through her. It became clear: she had transformed into a spirit, and with this profound change came a mix of exhilaration and anxiety about what lay ahead. The world around her felt both alien and strangely inviting, and she couldn't shake the feeling that everything was about to shift in ways she had never imagined.
In a realm of swirling shadows and whispered mysteries, Angel found herself drawn to a narrow path that twisted through the darkness, a glimmer of light beckoning her from afar. With each step she took, that distant glow grew in intensity, illuminating her surroundings and filling her with a sense of hope.
As she journeyed on, she finally stumbled upon an imposing edifice, a massive ancient building that stood in eerie silence, seemingly forgotten by time. Intrigued yet apprehensive, she approached the grand entrance, where a formidable guard adorned in soldier-like attire loomed like a statue of intimidation.
Angel's heart raced as fear gripped her. The sheer size of the guard was daunting, leaving her momentarily frozen in place. Gathering her courage, she managed to muster a plea: "Hey, please can I have access?"
To her dismay, the guard remained silent, his expression unchanging. It soon dawned on her that they were separated not just by size but by a barrier of language. The air was filled with strange, clicking sounds, punctuated by emphatic stresses—a tongue unfamiliar and foreign to her ears.
In this enigmatic spirit world, words were more than mere sounds; they were a dance of intricately woven clicks and tones, making communication a challenge that Angel knew she must overcome if she was to unlock the mysteries awaiting her within those ancient walls.
As Angel stepped into the ethereal realm, the atmosphere crackled with an otherworldly energy. A sleek, large square machine flickered to life, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to bridge the gap caused by her language barrier. But this wasn't just any ordinary device; it had an uncanny ability to sense thoughts swirling in her mind.
"Hello, world! Welcome to the spirit world!" the machine proclaimed, its voice warm yet unsettling. Suddenly, a bold message blazed across its screen: "You have been automatically placed in rank one; you need to upgrade to survive!"
Survive? The word echoed ominously in Angel's mind, a chilling reminder of the stakes at play.
"Come in and have a seat," another message prompted. Hesitant but curious, she stepped forward and sank into a rickety chair that creaked under her weight. The dim room buzzed with whispers that danced just out of reach, heightening her unease.
Then came a directive on the screen: "Client number eighty-four, please proceed to counter number five."
Confusion gnawed at her as she scanned the room for the elusive counter. With determination, she navigated her way to it, anticipation building in her chest. When she arrived, a large screen greeted her.
"Press one to start, two to decline," it instructed bluntly.
Heart racing, she focused intently on the decision before her and pressed the start button, not knowing what awaited her.
Suddenly, the screen morphed into a new message: "You will be directed to a casino. Spin the wheel! If it lands on red, you'll be upgraded to rank two, gaining extraordinary powers to navigate and survive this spirit world. But beware: if it settles on a curvature, you'll face searing flames that could leave you partially burned."
A chill ran down Angel's spine as terror gripped her heart. She realized that the next steps she took could determine her fate in this unpredictable realm. What would she choose?