Reborn as an AI: Helping My Past Self Become a Writer

Branches lashed at their faces as Shen Yuchen and Su Wanning sprinted through the forest, their breath coming in ragged gasps. The mechanical footsteps behind them were unyielding, precise, and disturbingly close.

"Faster!" Shen Yuchen urged, tightening his grip on Su Wanning's arm to steady her. Her injuries were slowing her down, but she clenched her teeth, refusing to let the pain stop her.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them sloped downward into a narrow ravine. Shen Yuchen barely managed to catch Su Wanning before she lost her footing. They stumbled into a hollow beneath a cluster of twisted roots, shrouded by thick moss and fallen leaves.

"Stay quiet," he whispered, pulling her close as they pressed into the shadows.

The rhythmic footsteps grew louder, then abruptly stopped—just a few meters away. The stillness that followed was more terrifying than the chase itself. Shen Yuchen strained his ears, his heartbeat thunderous.

Through the narrow gaps in the roots, he caught a glimpse of a dark, armored figure standing perfectly still, scanning the area with inhuman precision. Its helmet emitted a faint red glow, pulsing methodically like a living sensor.

Not human. He was certain now.

The figure raised its arm, releasing a drone that hovered silently above the forest floor, emitting faint clicks as it scanned the surroundings. Su Wanning's breathing hitched, but Shen Yuchen squeezed her hand, silently willing her to stay calm.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed again, the vibration barely audible but enough to make his stomach drop. He fumbled to silence it, but not before the drone's scanner turned sharply in their direction.

"You're closer to the truth than you think. Trust no one."

His blood ran cold. The message felt like both a warning and a cruel taunt.

Without warning, the drone emitted a shrill alarm. The armored figure's head snapped toward their hiding spot.

"Run!" Shen Yuchen shouted, grabbing Su Wanning as they burst from the underbrush.

Blinding beams of light pierced through the trees, and the sound of weapons powering up echoed menacingly through the forest.

"Who are they?!" Shen Yuchen demanded breathlessly as they zigzagged through the trees, barely avoiding the deadly energy blasts scorching the ground behind them.

Su Wanning's face twisted with something between guilt and desperation. "They're after… what I stole."

"What did you steal?"

"Not what." Her voice trembled.

"Who."

Before Shen Yuchen could process her words, an explosion erupted behind them, sending them sprawling onto the forest floor. His head spun, and as darkness crept into his vision, he thought he heard Su Wanning whisper:

"They were never after me… they were always after you."