The old vendor nodded, hands still working as he flipped a tofu puff. "Started around the Weeping Moon," he said in a hushed voice. "Folks living near the border of Shulin fell ill. At first it was just coughing, so they stayed home to rest."
His spatula scraped against the pan. Sssszzzzzzhh! The tofu puffed hissed like it was gossiping too.
"But then…" The vendor leaned forward slightly, eyes darting left and right like he didn't want anyone else to hear. "It got worse. People started coughing up blood. Their skin turned pale. Some didn't wake up the next morning."
Suddenly, the tofu didn't smell so good anymore.
Shen Zhenyu's brow furrowed. "Are there many?"
"I don't know the numbers," the vendor whispered. "But I heard it spread fast. And too many died from the same sickness. That's why everyone's locking their doors."
Linyue's calm expression didn't change, but her eyes sharpened.
Shen Zhenyu folded his arms. "So it's not just a few cases."
"No," the old vendor replied, handing over the bag of tofu. "They're saying it's like some kind of plague."
Song Meiyu took the paper bag of tofu and whispered, "Is this... what that urgent was about?"
He Yuying, who had just taken a bite, paused mid-chew. "Should I not be eating this right now?"
Linyue didn't even blink. "You can eat first. Then we'll know the answer."
He Yuying looked down at the golden tofu puff in his hand and squinted. "It's fried in oil. Nothing evil survives boiling oil."
Linyue ignored him completely and went back to focus. "Spread fast… was it contagious?"
Shen Zhenyu shook his head. "We don't know yet."
Linyue's eyes moved to Song Meiyu. "Sister Meiyu, based on the symptoms, do you have any idea what kind of disease it could be?"
Song Meiyu furrowed her brow, thinking hard as she hugged the bag of tofu close to her chest. "Coughing blood and then dying?" she repeated. "There are many illnesses that start with coughing. Some are mild, some are deadly. Some are contagious, some aren't. I'd have to see the patients myself to know for sure. Or at least hear more about their condition."
The four of them fell into a quiet, thoughtful silence.
Then Linyue's calm voice cut through the stillness. "It started during Weeping Moon… when soldiers were off fighting demons and people stayed locked inside." Her eyes narrowed. "Suspicious."
Shen Zhenyu nodded slowly, his expression serious. "Indeed."
He Yuying, still holding his half-eaten tofu puff, looked between them and asked. "So, do I finish this or should I burn it as an offering?"
Song Meiyu sighed and waved her hand. "Finish it. I'm not letting that crispy corner go to waste, even if the world's ending."
He Yuying gave Song Meiyu a betrayed look, then glanced back at his tofu puff. "If I start coughing blood, I'm haunting all of you."
"Make sure to start with Sister Meiyu," Linyue whispered with a sly smile.
Shen Zhenyu nodded in agreement, looking serious but trying not to laugh.
Song Meiyu let out a long sigh, her shoulders drooping. "Why does trouble always find us? Can't we just have one peaceful food adventure without someone coughing blood?"
He Yuying raised a tofu puff like a toast. "One day," he said. "But clearly not today."
Linyue turned to Shen Zhenyu. "What should we do now?"
Before Shen Zhenyu could answer, Song Meiyu spoke softly. "Master always told us... never abandon people in need." Then she added in a mutter, "Except the bad ones. They can fend for themselves."
He Yuying nodded while chewing. "Especially the ones who don't return your bowl after borrowing it. Those are the real demons."
Linyue and Shen Zhenyu exchanged a look—one of those quiet glances that meant well, here we go again.
Shen Zhenyu finally gave a small, resigned nod. "If we can help, then of course we should."
Linyue's eyes swept over the empty street. The wind carried faint whispers of trouble. "Where do we start?"
He Yuying licked his fingers clean and looked around. "Preferably not with garlic dumpling noodles this time."
Song Meiyu pointed at him. "That was a heartfelt attempt! It just happened to be lethal."
Linyue let out a soft sigh. "Then let's try not to repeat that heartfelt attempt."
And just like that, the four cultivators found themselves standing at the edge of yet another mystery. So much for a quiet day off.
Song Meiyu rubbed her chin, eyes squinting like she was about to suggest something utterly ridiculous. "Should we just ask the Demon King for information?"
Shen Zhenyu frowned and glanced at Linyue. "No. He must be busy." His voice was calm but firm, leaving no room for debate.
Song Meiyu pouted, then sighed. "That's true..."
He Yuying sniffed his sleeve and made a face. "We've already survived the garlic dumpling noodles. The soup spilled on my sleeves. It still smells like garlic. Maybe the scent will ward off the disease."
Song Meiyu shot him a hard glare.
"What?" He Yuying held up his hands innocently. "It's not a bad idea. Garlic scares vampires."
"This isn't a vampire plague! And vampires only exist in storybooks!" she snapped back.
He Yuying shrugged. "Still. Better safe than sorry."
Linyue stood quietly between them and took a small step away from He Yuying, just in case the garlic aura was strong enough to be considered a weapon.
Shen Zhenyu pinched the bridge of his nose and muttered into his sleeve, "I'm already feeling dizzy."
Song Meiyu put a hand to her heart and declared, "If Master Yin Xue were here, she would definitely know what to do."
He Yuying nodded. "And you're Master Yin Xue's direct disciple."
"I know!" Song Meiyu wailed, hugging her bag of tofu tighter. "But I've never been in this situation before. I mean… alone."
Shen Zhenyu looked at her, his face softening. "You're not alone," he said quietly.
Linyue gave a small nod. "Sister Meiyu is just a little confused after being poisoned by her own masterpiece."
Song Meiyu gasped. She turned to Linyue with a look of pure betrayal, lips trembling, eyes glistening like she was about to burst into tears. "It's not poisonous!" she cried weakly. Then in a much smaller voice, she added, "But… it's true. I'm not alone."
Her mood flipped faster than a coin. With a sudden burst of energy, she threw her arms wide and grinned so bright. "I still have the three of you!"
He Yuying muttered, "Why am I being involved in this?"
Linyue patted his shoulder gently. Her face didn't change at all as she said, "Because you survived the garlic apocalypse. You're obviously chosen."
He Yuying closed his eyes and sighed deeply.
"Back to the question," Linyue said calmly, crossing her arms as her eyes swept over the eerily quiet street. "Where do we start?"
Shen Zhenyu thought for a moment, then said, "We can rent horses and go slowly toward the border. We observe, ask questions along the way. If things seem serious or dangerous, we head back to the palace and wait for news before deciding anything."
The other three nodded in unison. It was a solid plan, one that involved action but also the possibility of retreat, which everyone liked very much. So the four brave cultivators set out. They rented two slightly grumpy horses and began their "noble march" toward the border.