The stormy skies had finally cleared, but now a different kind of cloud—one of doubt—settled over the red-haired maiden's heart as she stood with both arms outstretched, a gun in each hand.
"Halt! Don't move a muscle!" Chixia commanded, her weapons trained on both Rover and Kyorin, her eyes darting between them, sharp with suspicion.
Rover looked past the barrel pointed at her and toward Kyorin, who had his back turned, then spoke to Chixia. "Shouldn't we see if he's alright?"
Chixia wavered, her gaze locked on Kyorin. He wasn't moving, aside from the faint tremble that indicated he was still alive. But given the dreadful state of his left foot and right arm, whether he was truly okay was another question entirely.
Baizhi approached him cautiously, her hands slowly reaching out—yet just as they were about to touch, a series of beep-beep-beep echoed, halting her movement.
Chixia simply glanced down at the Terminal secured around her lower back, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "The signal is back," she murmured with a hint of relief.
But that wasn't all. The circular blue light at the base of the Terminal shifted to gold, and a shared system alert appeared, pulsing with urgency: Citywide Broadcast from Jinzhou's City Hall.
"This is..." Yangyang began, her voice edged with surprise as her Terminal flickered to life. "A holographic broadcast for all of Jinzhou, sent from City Hall."
A beam of light projected from her Terminal, gradually forming the elegant image of a young girl. She stood poised, her white hair arranged in a graceful loop, its strands glinting like threads of moonlight.
Clad in silk robes adorned with intricate designs of a majestic Loong, she exuded quiet authority. The flowing fabric melded seamlessly into ceremonial armor that accentuated her slender form.
Despite her youthful appearance, her voice carried a serious weight as she spoke: "My fellow soldiers and citizens, I must apologize for any disruption this message may bring."
"I am Jinhsi, Magistrate of Jinzhou." Her brief introduction bore the full authority of her role. "While the Moon-Chasing Festival is a time of joy, we remain affected by the continuing threat of TD outbreaks in our city."
"Jinzhou has always welcomed travelers from across the world during this festive time." Her words stirred the legacy of the city's warm hospitality.
"With that said," Jinhsi's expression grew more resolute, her eyes shining with determination. "I have a favor to ask."
She continued with earnest clarity. "Among our guests, there is one whose presence holds great importance—to me, to the City of Jinzhou, and to all of Huanglong. Citizens, if the moment comes, I ask that you lend your aid to this honored guest."
The hologram faded, its glow dissipating into the air. Silence followed, pierced only by the quiet hum of the Terminal.
Yangyang, Chixia, and Baizhi looked at one another, the weight of the Magistrate's words hanging heavy in the air between them.
Chixia's brows drew together, her voice low and uncertain. "Why do I have this feeling...?"
Baizhi gave a subtle, knowing nod. "The person our Magistrate mentioned…"
Yangyang turned toward Rover and Kyorin, her tone gentle yet confident. "…is one of you two."
Rover, clearly uncomfortable with the spotlight being cast on either of them, responded, "It's still too early to say."
Yangyang smiled knowingly. "Now you're starting to sound a bit like Baizhi, Rover."
Baizhi gave her a brief glance before shifting her gaze to Kyorin. A quiet fear stirred within her as she looked at the injured young man's back.
Though he appeared formidable, something about him felt fragile—like a sandcastle on the verge of collapse from the slightest touch.
"Besides," Rover continued from afar, "there's a chance it's neither of us, right Kyorin?"
She turned to him, her gaze quietly pleading, searching his face with the hope and urgency of someone who needed his voice—his reassurance.
But all that met her was silence—and the faint, trembling rise and fall of Kyorin's back.
For an instance, her heart dropped, a cold, tight knot forming in her gut—something was terribly wrong.
"Yeah, what do you think?" Chixia asked, strolling over and laying a hand on his shoulder. "What do you—"
Splutter
Blood burst from all seven of Kyorin's orifices, as if it were surging straight from his veins. — "Cough!" — A harsh, wrenching cough escaped him before his body collapsed to the ground.
"KYORIN!!!" Rover's panicked cry rang out, raw and stricken.
***
"!!?"
His eyes snapped open, only to be met with complete darkness. An endless void—though perhaps, it could simply be the sky.
He arched his back to sit upright, confirming his suspicion. Above him stretched the night sky, and all around, he was surrounded by lifeless stalks—withered remnants of flowers.
But of what?
The answer revealed itself in a bloom of crimson. Kyorin recognized it instantly—the same lotus he had seen before descending the cliff earlier.
"Yiliang," he murmured—the name of the lotus known for its thousand petals. He looked around again. The decomposing stems scattered across the ground were all remnants of lotuses.
Gazing at them, a question stirred in him. "What could have happened here?" His eyes returned to the single crimson lotus. "Is this the only one left?"
But a more pressing thought followed. "Wait, where am I? Am I dead?"
The question barely formed before the answer unfolded before him—light began to gather, a swelling cluster of whiteness enveloping him as the realm around him began to dissolve.
His body was beginning to stir awake.
***
Blink.
Then another.
After which, pain followed as Kyorin winced and hissed, "Keh!"
"You're awake." Rover's voice rang with relief and joy.
As Kyorin's vision steadily stabilized from a mosaic of blurs and scattered colors, a wave of confusion rose within him.
A disorienting sense of diminished scale washed over him. 'I don't recall being this short! Wait—'
'Did I... got amputated?' he wondered anxiously.
His blurry eyes wandered about, looking around for answers, but he was momentarily distracted as a pleasant scent tickled his nose. 'What is this nice smell?'
And then his vision cleared, his eyes widening at the revelation—he was being carried on Rover's back.
His voiced out his evident confusion. "What is going on here?!"
"Geez," Rover winced at the sudden outburst, flinching slightly as she muttered, "Can you not scream into my ears?"
Kyorin had a dozen questions forming on his tongue, ready to demand answers—but just as he opened his mouth, a sharp pang twisted through his stomach.
A low growl escaped from within as hunger surged, coupled with a deep, sickly exhaustion that weighed down every limb.
"H-Hungry," he managed to whisper, his voice barely holding together as his head, resting against Rover's shoulder, tilted downward… and then he froze.
Beneath him, a pair of soft swells moved in gentle rhythm aligned with Rover's breaths and strides—their subtle shifts hypnotic in their motion.
His gaze snapped away, face flushing with heat. That was definitely a part of her he wasn't supposed to look at.
Hesitantly, he glanced toward Rover. She had seen everything, heard everything—and the look she gave him was equal parts judgment and quiet scorn. With a faint scowl, she leaned in and whispered, her voice soft and cutting, "Pervert."
Blue stress lines might as well have drawn themselves across Kyorin's forehead. He didn't even have the strength to defend himself, let alone argue against the damning misunderstanding.
'I better find a way to make it up to her and clear this misunderstanding — maybe a gift.' he thought with resignation. It seemed like the safest course of action.
"Look!" Chixia's voice suddenly rang out. "Jinzhou is just ahead!" she exclaimed, her tone alive with excitement as Rover and the others neared the city gates.
Their footsteps fell softly along the weathered path, each step bringing them closer. But then, drifting down from above, a single crimson petal spiraled through the air, landing gently at Rover's feet.
At first glance, it seemed unremarkable—light, delicate, harmless. Yet beneath its graceful descent, something stirred.
A subtle pulse—a vibration faint enough to escape most—reverberated through the ground, brushing against Rover's sharpened instincts.
Kyorin, despite his fatigue, sensed her sudden tension. He noticed her eyes flick over her shoulder, scanning the quiet, empty road behind them.
He wanted to look, too—but his stiff neck wouldn't allow it. Instead, he murmured faintly, "Sorry for the burden."
Rover glanced at him. Kyorin's face was drawn in a quiet sulk, eyes clouded in reflection.
"Rover?" Yangyang's voice pulled them back, soft and curious.
Rover turned to her and gave a slight shake of her head, brushing off her momentary hesitation. Then, together, they crossed the threshold and stepped into Jinzhou.
Not far behind them, hidden among the dense green folds of the trees, a figure watched with silent amusement. A soft, breathless giggle slipped from her lips.
"There you are…"
"My dearest…"
"Seed of Fate."
Yet a sudden shift came over the woman's voice—a low snarl breaking through her earlier amusement.
"Oh, how lucky for a worm to cling to the most delicate of fruit."
Kyorin suddenly felt a chill crawl down his spine. 'Is it winter right now... or am I being haunted?' he wondered uneasily.
Once they entered the city, he was taken straight to the soldiers' emergency infirmary near the outer wall, while the rest of the group split off on their respective tasks.
Baizhi had to report the situation to the Academy, while Rover went with Chixia to handle paperwork—paperwork Kyorin himself would also need to complete once he recovered.
Yangyang, meanwhile, had gone to request an appointment for Rover at City Hall. She also mentioned that Kyorin would need to appear there as well, in case Rover didn't turn out to be the special guest.
He had no idea what that even meant—he hadn't heard, nor knew about any of the earlier holographic message—but strangely, his heart hoped Rover wouldn't be this special guest.
'She might be put in a difficult spot,' he thought, concern creeping in. He still didn't know exactly who—or what—Rover really was.
Yet, despite the questions swirling in his mind, something in him felt at peace, so long as she remained just... her—even amid the near-constant shuffle of Tacetite boots and patrols slipping in through the open archway.
Aside from that, he took in the sight of his battered, bandaged body—it was a miracle he hadn't lost either his arm or leg.
With proper support and careful repositioning, the injuries had been stabilized, allowing him some hope of full recovery.
'I want to grow stronger' Kyorin thought, a quiet yet resolute yearning taking root within him.
Tilting his head slightly toward the window, he gazed out at the sky from his bed, eyes distant with thought. 'I hope she's doing alright.'
Maybe it was empathy—for someone who, like him, was lost in the haze of amnesia. Whatever it was, Kyorin found himself silently praying for Rover's safety.
"Phew." Heaving a sigh of relief and surrender, Kyorin let himself drift into sleep as his eyelids grew heavy.
***
"Whew." A low whistle slipped from Chixia's lips as they stepped into the grand hall. The air was thick with murmurs, dozens of people gathered before the grand structure—City Hall.
"First time I've ever seen such a crowd here," she said, her voice tinged with surprise and exasperation.
Yangyang's eyes swept across the assembly, her brows knitting slightly. "Same here. I've never seen so many non-staff civilians inside City Hall before."
Rover's gaze was calm but sharp, scanning the faces, the restless shifting of those waiting. "Are they all here for an audience with the Magistrate?" she asked.
"Most of them, yes," Yangyang replied, lowering her voice as if wary of listening ears. "But from what I've heard, all were turned away."
"Turned away by who?" Rover asked, curiosity flickering in her halo-adorned eyes.
"It's said..." Yangyang hesitated for a moment, "... that a single glance from the Magistrate's bodyguard—Lady Sanhua—was enough to make them turn back."
Chixia added jokingly, "What kind of description is that? Sounds like they ran into some snake-haired demoness who turned them to stone."
Just then, a light, almost cheerful voice chimed in from the side. "I was fortunate enough to be personally rejected by Lady Sanhua," a woman said, wearing a grin that made it hard to tell if she was boasting or complaining.
Rover said nothing. Her senses, always quietly attuned to the undercurrents around her, caught something faint—an unease beneath the crowd's murmurs. She spoke almost to herself. "Perhaps the Magistrate isn't present at all."
"There's a chance," Yangyang agreed, then glanced at her, sensing something behind Rover's calm tone. "Have you thought of something, Rover?"
Rover lowered her voice to a murmur. "I find it curious that the Magistrate insists on meeting certain guests personally."
"You mean...?" Yangyang asked, trying to read between her words.
"Nothing in particular," Rover replied, dismissing it with a faint wave of her hand.
Yangyang offered a small, helpless smile. "I can never seem to keep up with your thoughts. Still, I don't see the harm in meeting her."
"Same here," Chixia added. "The Magistrate's still our best lead—for now. Whatever she has in mind for you, it's better than standing around waiting."
Rover stayed silent, uncertainty flickering beneath her composed exterior. Though much of her memory was lost, her instincts remained sharp. Sadly, instinct alone was no substitute for knowledge.
"What do you think, Rover?" Yangyang asked quietly. "Are you in a hurry to recover your memories?"
"Most certainly," Rover answered after a pause. "It's an inconvenience, but not unbearable. Besides..." She allowed herself a thin smile. "What truly matters is how I'll live moving forward—and the memories I create for myself."
"In that case," Yangyang said gently, "let's start by meeting the Magistrate. She may hold the answers you're searching for."
With that, they approached the large, ornate doors leading deeper into the City Hall.
Before they crossed the threshold, Yangyang and Chixia came to a halt. Yangyang gave her an apologetic look. "We're not allowed to accompany you any further. Chixia and I will be waiting right outside."
Rover nodded at them, before stepping inside.
To be continued...