beneath the moon

Shen Ying Jie was a quiet and calm person.

She wasn’t the type who liked noisy places or crowded streets. After school, she always went straight home, made herself comfortable, and read novels until midnight. Stories were her escape from reality.

Romance, fantasy, action—she loved all of them.

But her favorite was only one.

A dark fantasy novel about assassins, betrayal, and war.

She had read it so many times that she could almost memorize every chapter.

Tonight was just like any other night.

She lay on her bed, hugging a pillow while reading the last volume of her favorite novel. The soft light of her lamp filled the room. Everything felt peaceful.

Then suddenly—

“Breaking news.”

The television turned on by itself.

Ying Jie frowned and grabbed the remote.

“When did I even turn this on…?”

On the screen, the reporter looked serious.

“Tonight, a rare lunar phenomenon will occur. A Blood Moon will appear at exactly 9:47 PM. Experts say this only happens once in many years—”

“A Blood Moon…” she muttered.

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

She had only seen it in photos before.

Without thinking much, she smiled.

“I should take a picture. That sounds cool.”

She grabbed her phone and her novel, then walked upstairs to the rooftop balcony.

The night air was cold and quiet.

The city lights blinked far away like stars on the ground.

She leaned against the railing and continued reading while waiting.

Time passed slowly.

9:46 PM.

The wind suddenly grew stronger.

Her hair fluttered around her face.

Then—

The sky changed.

The moon rose high above the clouds.

But it wasn’t silver.

It was red.

Deep red.

Like blood.

It painted the entire sky crimson.

“…Wow,” she whispered.

It was beautiful.

And scary at the same time.

Her heart started beating faster for no reason.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Why did it feel like something bad was going to happen?

She shook her head and laughed softly.

“I’m just overthinking.”

She lifted her phone to take a picture.

But at that moment—

CRACK.

The railing under her hand suddenly shook.

“What—?”

Her foot slipped.

Everything happened too fast.

The novel fell from her hands.

Her phone dropped.

Her body lost balance.

For a second, she saw the red moon directly above her.

So big.

So close.

So red.

Then—

She fell.

The cold wind rushed past her ears.

Her mind went blank.

“…Ah.”

So this is how it ends?

She didn’t even finish the novel yet…

Darkness swallowed her whole.

When she opened her eyes again—

It wasn’t her room.

Not the rooftop.

Not the city.

Instead, she saw a wooden ceiling.

The air smelled unfamiliar.

Old.

Cold.

She slowly sat up.

“…Where am I?”

Her voice sounded softer. Lighter.

Not quite like her own.

She looked down at her hands.

Smaller.

Paler.

Thin scars crossed her fingers.

Scars?

Her heart started racing.

She quickly stood up and looked around.

The room was simple and empty.

A sword rested against the wall.

Black clothes.

Boots.

Daggers.

Weapons.

“…Why are there weapons in my room?”

Then memories rushed into her head—

Not hers.

Someone else’s.

Training.

Blood.

Fighting.

Running through dark streets.

Killing.

Surviving.

Pain.

So much pain.

She held her head.

“Ah—!”

It hurt like her brain was breaking apart.

Images flashed one after another.

A name echoed loudly.

Mu Xue Ling.

Mu Xue Ling.

Mu Xue Ling.

Her breathing stopped.

That name…

She knew it.

Very well.

Because—

“…Isn’t this the assassin from the novel?”

The side character.

The silent killer.

The one called—

“The Bloody Assassin…”

The girl who worked in the shadows.

The girl covered in rumors.

The girl who died tragically before the story even reached the middle.

Her favorite character.

And the most dangerous one.

Ying Jie slowly walked toward a small mirror.

She stared at her reflection.

Long dark hair.

Cold red-tinted eyes.

A sharp, emotionless face.

Beautiful.

But terrifying.

Not Shen Ying Jie.

Not her.

“…You’ve got to be kidding me…”

Her voice trembled.

“I died…”

“And now…”

She touched the scar on her cheek.

“…I reincarnated into the novel?”

Outside the window, the moonlight shone faintly.

Still red.

Just like before.

As if it followed her into this world.

At that moment, footsteps echoed outside the door.

Someone knocked.

“Xue Ling. A new mission has arrived.”

Her heart dropped.

Mission.

Assassin.

Killing.

This wasn’t fiction anymore.

This was real.

If she made one mistake—

She would die again.

For real.

Ying Jie clenched her fists.

No.

Mu Xue Ling clenched her fists.

“…If I really reincarnated as the Bloody Assassin…”

Her eyes slowly hardened.

“…then I’ll survive.”

Even if this world is cruel.

Even if fate wants her dead.

This time—

She won’t be a side character.

She’ll control her own story.

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