"Long ago, this place was not yet a wasteland. The young here were often lured by the distant songs of whales, chasing after fleeting dreams. Under the echoes of promises and naivety, they threw themselves into the Bishui River, letting the turbulent currents carry them toward Yunlai Sea. Only there would the rushing rivers merge with countless waves, erasing all memories of mountains, forests, and villages... And the dreams they pursued became the song of sea monsters, passed down through generations."
Zhongli set down his tea slowly, gazing into the distance as if hearing an ancient ballad, his expression darkening further.
A thick fog began to rise, the cold air carrying a quiet breath. Aether suddenly felt a sense of foreboding and stood up, only to see a pair of crimson eyes staring at them.
"Monsters are coming. Be careful, Aether."
...
Hu Tao gritted her teeth, her expression uncharacteristically fierce for her age. With another sweep of her polearm, she struck down the monster.
"This should be the last one."
Panting heavily, she pulled out the white stone from her pocket, then seemed to remember something. Leaning on her polearm, she trudged deeper into the darkness.
Until the scenery before her changed—her vision filled entirely with white. At the far end of this space stood a door.
Countless spirits wandered here. Some could pass straight through the door, while others could not.
Hu Tao stared blankly at it all, then looked up as if seeing something. Her breath hitched, and her body trembled uncontrollably.
"This... this can't be..."
She dragged herself forward, her face a whirlwind of emotions. All the spirits paused, turning to watch the living intruder, their gazes fixed on Hu Tao in an eerie manner.
A pitch-black door stood in the middle of the pure white space. It had two indentations—one empty. Comparing it to the stone in her hand, Hu Tao realized it fit perfectly.
She slowly raised her hand, about to place the stone into the indentation, when slender fingers nearly touched the door—only for a hand to seize her wrist.
"How did you enter this realm of life and death...?"
Hu Tao was shocked. Rover's expression was grave, his instincts screaming that this door must not be opened.
"Director Hu, do you realize what you're doing?"
Rover gripped her wrist tightly, his gaze sharp.
Even Abby emerged, positioning himself between Hu Tao and the door.
"I know the spirits beyond this door have long been at peace... I've always known. But... but I..."
Hu Tao's words were incoherent, her eyes red. She clenched her fists, crumpling the hem of her clothes, before finally releasing them.
"Let's go..."
...
A bright moon hung quietly in the black night sky.
Pale moonlight spilled over the plum blossom tree in the courtyard. As the shadow of a polearm swept through, the branches swayed in the wind, scattering petals.
A few blossoms drifted through the air, only to be disrupted by a sudden gust. The sound of a young girl's relentless spear strikes filled the air before she finally paused, wiping the sweat from her brow with her sleeve.
"Director Hu, your heart is unsettled."
Zhongli blew on his tea but did not drink, his eyes fixed on Hu Tao, thoughts unreadable.
Only when the clang of the polearm hitting the ground echoed did he snap out of his reverie—the tea in his hands had gone completely cold.
Hu Tao sat on a small stool in the courtyard, removing her plum blossom hairpin. Her chestnut hair, now freed, cascaded loosely around her.
"Consultant Zhongli, can you comb my hair like you used to?"
Zhongli stood, retrieving a comb from a drawer—one that bore the marks of time.
Hu Tao pressed her lips together, then suddenly smiled.
"When Grandpa was still here, I remember how flustered he was the first time he combed my hair."
The usually mischievous Hu Tao sat quietly on the stool, her eyes now as calm as still water.
Plum blossoms drifted down one by one. She reached out, catching a single petal.
"Why do you think Grandpa loved plum blossoms so much?"
Zhongli's hands stilled briefly before he answered.
"Master Hu wished for you to be like the plum blossom—noble and resilient. And the five petals symbolize the five blessings: good fortune, longevity, prosperity, happiness, and peace."
Hu Tao hummed in acknowledgment, then tilted her head up to the starry sky. Unnoticed by her, her vision blurred once more.
"Back then, I always thought the funeral rites of Wangsheng Parlor were such a hassle."
She clenched the plum blossom in her hand tightly. Zhongli chuckled softly.
"Indeed. I recall how, as a child, you would always doze off during lessons, your head bobbing like bait on a fishing line. Yet Master Hu doted on you—never once raising the disciplinary ruler."
Hu Tao suddenly burst into laughter. Once Zhongli finished, she leaned against him and closed her eyes.
"Tell me a story. Like when I was little—when the moon was full, Grandpa would bring out a stool, and we'd sit in the courtyard while he told me fun stories."
As she spoke, a gentle breeze brushed past, as if her smiling grandfather were fanning her with his hand.
In this moment, Hu Tao was at peace.
Only when the girl had fully succumbed to sleep did Zhongli carry her to her room. He glanced at the coffin placed inside before tucking her into bed.
Sleep in a bed this time. The coffin is too cold at night.
His footsteps were steady, utterly silent. Looking down, he saw the once-fiery glow of her Vision had dimmed completely. He sighed once more.
Stepping outside, Zhongli gazed at the full moon but said nothing. Then, returning to the table, he downed the now-cold tea in one go. The dryness in his throat eased, but he knew deep down...
His erosion had worsened.