李珍珠捂着SearchParams.Set her head, trying to remember what she'd done before dying. Wait, no, dying was probably the least of her problems right now. If she had to guess, she was in some kind of coffin. The air was thick with decay and something else... like damp earth and old ropes. She smelled absolutely terrible.

She tugged at the rough cloth wrapping her body. It was stiff, like she was buried in it. Good grief, she was dead? No, wait—she had to be dreaming. Yeah, that had to be it. She pinched her leg. Ouch. Real sharp pain. So, not a dream.

"Help!" she yelled, though only a muffled squeak came out. The world was silent except for the buzzing of insects somewhere outside.

After what felt like an eternity, the lid of the coffin creaked open. Sunlight streamed in, blinding her. She squinted, rubbing her eyes. Above her, a face loomed—dark, stern, with an expression that could curdle milk.

"Keep still, woman," a deep voice growled. "You're not dead yet."