Everyone who sees it gets a share.

The carved manhole cover, the curb with grass growing out, the drainage hole with gushing water, the faded stone brick with a broken corner splashing rainwater when stepped on, the view under the umbrella is narrow and blurry, and behind the water curtain, the legs of pedestrians form a colorful fence.

"Be careful." Zhou Yan pulled Cheng Xiangwu away from a hurried passerby, then looked back worriedly and asked, "Xiao Wu wasn't hit either?"

People under the same umbrella seem to communicate on their own private channels, so loud that even the most intense rain can't drown it out.

"No." Cheng Xiangwu shook her head.

Zhou Yan then smiled, turned around, and continued to lead the way.

The bar wasn't open yet, but the sound of violin music flowed out as soon as Zhou Yan opened the door. The owner put the umbrella in the umbrella stand, patted the soles of his shoes at the entrance, and led Cheng Xiangwu into the dry, slightly cool bar, heading towards the staff lounge.

"Go wash up, and remember to dry your hair," she said, pushing Cheng Xiangwu inside. "I'll bring your clothes over in a bit."

"I..." Cheng Xiangwu was pushed inside, and turned around to say something.

"Xiao Wu, Sister Yanzi isn't going to run away," Zhou Yan said with a smile. "Besides, Sister Yanzi doesn't want to talk to someone who's still dripping wet."

As she spoke, she pushed the person inside with force and then closed the door.

Cheng Xiangwu looked at the closed door, remained silent for a moment, then turned and walked into the room.

The bar should only have one employee, Zhou Yan, but the sofa in the staff lounge could easily accommodate eight people for a party. The television, which took up half a wall, was dark. The glass cabinets filled with various bottles and jars were closed. There were two doors at the far end of the lounge. The glass-carved door clearly led to the bathroom. Cheng Xiangwu looked at the other wooden door and obediently went into the bathroom.

While taking a shower, Cheng Xiangwu checked her wounds. Most of the external wounds had scabbed over and were about to fall off. The internal injuries were not painful. The most serious injury to her body was her teeth. The dentist who treated her yesterday said that she would have to wait at least three months before she could start getting them filled.

Speaking of doctors, she looked at herself in the mirror and inexplicably thought of Lin Che'an again. She was curious about what that person was laughing about before he died, but now, the two of them would never have the chance to ask or answer any questions for each other again.

As Zhou Yan dried her hair and went out, she found herself sitting on the sofa in the lounge. There was a glass of water on the coffee table, and the television was on. On the screen, the host was broadcasting local news from Senhu City. The reporter she was talking to was standing in the heavy rain, his raincoat flapping wildly in the wind.

"Xiao Wu," Zhou Yan turned her head and asked with a frown, "You need to blow-dry your hair, you can't just use a towel to dry it."

“…I blew it a little,” Cheng Xiangwu said softly. Recently, the noise from the hair dryer had been giving her headaches, so wiping with a towel was slower but it was enough to get her dry.

Zhou Yan looked at her, sighed, and patted the sofa next to her. "Come, sit down."

Cheng Xiangwu sat down facing the television. Zhou Yan handed her a strip of painkillers, got up to get a new towel, gathered her hair and covered her shoulders, pressing her scalp repeatedly. Cheng Xiangwu raised her hand to take it, but Zhou Yan slapped her hand away.

The reporter on the screen, battered by wind and rain, seemed to say something, but her voice was intermittent and no one could hear it clearly. On the other hand, the half-body portrait on her left spoke clearly, "It seems that thanks to the hard work of the local public security department staff, shopping malls in the city have now reopened, and street hygiene and safety have been guaranteed."

“There was an accident in this supermarket before,” Zhou Yan said, her voice vibrating through the towel and her hair. “Someone said they saw you, Xiao Wu. Were you there too?”

“…Mmm,” Cheng Xiangwu replied softly.

"...Four people died and many were injured in that accident." Zhou Yan's voice was broken and emotionless. "Besides the three main perpetrators, the other deceased was a cashier in the supermarket. She was injured in the carotid artery and died from excessive blood loss. Her family didn't receive the news until the next day, but due to special circumstances, they were not allowed to visit the body. Xiao Wu, should I be glad that I wasn't the one crying outside the supermarket?"

Feeling her head being pressed down repeatedly, Cheng Xiangwu didn't dare to speak.

On the screen, the scene changed, the reporter in the raincoat disappeared, the host expressed the unheard gratitude of the person, and then a new window appeared, showing police officers visiting residents to solve local safety issues.

“There are many, many people like that,” Zhou Yan said. “Such things have been happening in Senhu City all along, but everyone is powerless to do anything about it because the dangers they face cannot be resisted by conventional means.”

On the screen, police officers are interviewing residents of the Southern Community where a murder had previously occurred. One resident, who had lost his front door key, scratched his head and said he had long forgotten what had happened and believed that the surrounding area was safe.

"But no matter what, there are always people who are hurt, need help, and want to do something."

Police officers knocked on a door, and Xu Chunfen opened it. She seemed to have been crying for too long, and the few days had taken away her life that had lasted for several years. Her eyes were tired and haggard as she looked at the camera.

"What kind of answer do you want to hear?" she asked, her voice hoarse and cold.

"Madam, we are willing to listen to the people's opinions," the interviewer said.

“…Listen, and then what?” Xu Chunfen asked.

“We will organize the information we have collected, and then—” The interviewer paused, and someone seemed to say something off-screen. The interview suddenly stopped, but the screen remained on Xu Chunfen, whose eyes were fixed on everyone off-screen. She did not have a microphone in her hand, but she still spoke.

She said, "I will never forget what happened." Before she finished speaking, the interview footage switched to the perspective of another police officer.

“When there are many such people, they see each other and come together,” Zhou Yan said. “A group of ordinary people getting together and repeatedly saying ‘Don’t forget that person’s death’ is the greatest form of resistance that does not disrupt the balance of life. It is effective because it cannot be seen at all, so it is not erased. It is remembered until it is seen by someone who is willing to do something.”

The person interviewed was Qin Zixi's neighbor. She said that the news of the suspect's arrest relieved her family and made them feel at ease. They also expressed their appreciation for the efficiency of the local police station.

Zhou Yan sighed softly, put down the towel, and took a comb to comb Cheng Xiangwu's hair. As she combed the scalp, she carefully lifted strands of hair and combed the ends out, making sure not to touch the injured skin.

“Xiao Wu.” Her voice was as delicate as a comb. “I once said that Gu Wanqiu was doing strange and dangerous things, but before that, she was also one of us.”

"...Sister Yanzi too?" Cheng Xiangwu asked, placing her hands on her knees without turning around.

“Mm,” Zhou Yan replied.

“…Oh,” Cheng Xiangwu replied.

"Is there anything else you want to say to Sister Yanzi?" Zhou Yan patted her subordinate's head with a comb.

"...Does Xiao Mi know?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.

“Of course I don’t know,” Zhou Yan said, combing her hair again. “I was doing this before she was born, so it has nothing to do with her, and I won’t let it disturb her life.”

She sighed softly again, the air pressure from her lungs rising from her nose, blowing a few strands of hair from the side of Cheng Xiangwu's face. "Originally, you shouldn't have known about this, Xiao Wu. Why did you go to such a dangerous place and do such a dangerous thing?"

Cheng Xiang didn't know which side Zhou Yan was talking about during the May Day holiday, but no matter which side she was talking about, she felt embarrassed and lowered her voice, "I, I actually think it's okay..." She didn't think it was dangerous, at least she didn't feel much of a sense of crisis.

Zhou Yan fell silent, combing her hair back and forth, while Cheng Xiangwu's head drooped lower and lower with each stroke.

“…I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry for making you worry.”

The next moment, instead of a comb, Zhou Yan's fingers landed on her head. She parted her hair into several strands and began to braid it, asking in a low voice, "So, what happens after this? Xiao Wu, after I've finished braiding your hair, will you still go to dangerous places and do dangerous things after you push open that door?"

“…I’m sorry,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

"Why?" Zhou Yan asked. "Have you investigated the matter from thirteen years ago thoroughly?"

“…That’s about it,” Cheng Xiangwu said. “There’s only a little bit left.”

"Which little bit?" Zhou Yan asked.

“I don’t understand why my mother would set that fire thirteen years ago,” Cheng Xiangwu said. “I know what the fire caused, but what was her initial reason for setting it on fire?”

“…Because at that time, the only person who could do that was Sister Song.” Zhou Yan’s voice was tinged with sadness.

"...Is it just because of this?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.

Zhou Yan was silent for a moment, then said, "At that time, Bai Langtao knew that the situation was out of control, but he was unwilling to let go. Xiao Wu, there is nothing that no one in Senhu City can't do, so when she mentioned you, Sister Song had no other choice. Your parents entrusted you to me. If something happens to you, I will have no face to see them, nor will I have any face to see Gu Wanqiu. Do you understand?"

She tied the end of her braid, draped it over Cheng Xiangwu's chest, and gently hugged her, whispering, "You can go wherever you want, do whatever you want, and you can choose whether you want to remember the past or not, but you must live on, Xiao Wu."

This was a weightless embrace that offered only comfort and warmth, requiring no response whatsoever. Zhou Yan rested her forehead against Cheng Xiangwu's shoulder and neck, as if using the skin of her face to confirm the pulsation of her carotid artery.

Cheng Xiangwu was silent for a moment, then raised her hand and hugged him back.

"Xiao Wu, do you hate that person?" Zhou Yan asked.

“…To be honest, I didn’t feel that way,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

"That's even better." Zhou Yan said, patting Cheng Xiangwu's shoulder and letting go of his embrace. She smiled at him and said, "There are no other secrets now, and you won't take any more risks, right?"

Cheng Xiangwu lowered her head, but Zhou Yan forcibly lifted her up again, forcing her to look directly into her eyes and ask, "Come on, answer Sister Yan, Xiao Wu won't go to dangerous places or do dangerous things anymore, right?"

At this moment, she absolutely couldn't answer negatively, but she also couldn't lie. Feeling deeply guilty, Cheng Xiangwu could only reply, "I'm sorry..."

"...Why?" Zhou Yan stared into Cheng Xiangwu's eyes and asked, "Xiao Wu, you've already suffered so many injuries, there's no reason for you to do that again, so why are you still unwilling to let go?"

“...Because my home is here,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

Home is such a vague concept, far beyond what words like an address, a house, or a relationship can convey. Some people instantly understand its meaning just by mentioning it, while others, even after tasting and digesting it, cannot resonate with it in the slightest. It is such an arrogant yet ubiquitous thing, capable of making people kneel, yet also capable of being arbitrarily desecrated.

For Cheng Xiangwu, home once represented the Five Fragrance Pavilion. After it burned down, she was homeless. She shouldn't care about it, just like her disability. She could accept it, and she did accept it.

But unlike her congenital disability, she was born with a home. Long before she was born, someone decided to give her a home, so she was entitled to one. Her home was destroyed by fire, its boundaries burned away, and it was scattered throughout Mori Lake City, many, many of them separated from her by a thin membrane. It was as if she lacked the organ to perceive home; she couldn't understand these places as homes, and could only match them to the definitions she once knew and those she learned later.

So, once she understood hunger, she also understood the feeling of home. She was once willing to walk into the lake to quell her hunger, and now she was willing to risk her life to preserve her home.

“Sister Yanzi.” Cheng Xiangwu held the hands on both sides of her cheeks, looked at Zhou Yan, and said softly, “I also hope that you can live, and I also hope that Xiao Mi, Gu Wanqiu, and everyone else can live.”

She paused, then added, "I also hope that Mori Lake City can be safer."

Don't become the next Senhu.

Zhou Yan remained silent for a long time before letting go of Cheng Xiangwu's hand. Instead, she hugged Cheng Xiangwu's head tightly, as if she wanted to crush the head in her arms. But in the end, she still let go.

"Xiao Wu, will you be going to your birthday party tomorrow?" Zhou Yan asked.

“I will go.” Cheng Xiang nodded.

"..." Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan frowned and looked to the side. She remained silent for a long time before smiling and saying, "Our Mayor Gu is going to do something big tomorrow. She won't tell anyone, but Sister Yan will secretly tell Xiao Wu."

“…Oh, oh,” Cheng Xiangwu responded.

"She wants to formally establish a Victim Protection Association in Moriho City, specifically for the situation in Moriho City, to provide victims and their families with various services such as protection, litigation, and life support," Zhou Yan said, word by word. "And at tomorrow's birthday banquet, she will publicly announce the formal establishment of the association and expose the unusual situation in Moriho City to the public, regardless of the outcome."

"...Does that person know about this?" Cheng Xiangwu asked after a moment of silence.

“Perhaps she doesn’t know, perhaps she doesn’t care, but in any case, she hasn’t responded.” Zhou Yan sighed. “Xiao Wu, as you can see, our Mayor Gu’s health isn’t very good right now. I can find medicine for her, but we all know it’s not the right medicine.”

She took Cheng Xiangwu's hand and said, "Xiao Wu, Sister Yanzi wants you to keep an eye on her. I don't want her to become another friend of mine who dies far from home."

“…I understand.” Cheng Xiangwu nodded solemnly, “I will think of a way.”

How to kill an unidentified flying object and its owner? Only its own kind know the answer.

"Huh?! You want to see Auntie?" Du Liang was startled by the request, then his expression turned worried. "If we go back now, Auntie definitely won't open the door... and it's raining now, the mountain road is impassable."

"Can't we do it like last time?" Cheng Xiangwu made a knocking gesture.

"...Sister, no one can withstand multiple shocks like that in a short period of time." Du Liang looked at Cheng Xiangwu's head with concern and said, "If I'm not mistaken, you were in the hospital yesterday because of that, right?"

“…That’s true.” Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment and felt much better now, then asked, “What would happen if it happened again?”

“Die,” Du Liang said.

She touched Alice with one hand, her tone very calm.

Cheng Xiangwu fell silent.

Du Liang paused, then looked at her and asked, "Sister, what do you want to ask Aunt about?"

"...Do you still remember Sen Sen?" Cheng Xiangwu said. "The murderer in the case related to her is still missing. We went to see her about this last time. The solution she gave might cause a large-scale disaster, so I wanted to ask if there were any other solutions."

"Isn't that a very serious matter!" Du Liang exclaimed in surprise. She stood up, hugged Alice, nodded solemnly, and said, "I'll go ask for you!"

"...Is there something wrong with your head?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.

"No problem!" Du Liang proudly held Alice high, "Because I have Alice!"

The white cat, whose altitude had suddenly increased, raised its neck.

“…Oh.” Cheng Xiangwu looked up. “Cats have this special ability.”

"Hmm?" Du Liang was a little puzzled, but quickly put it out of his mind. "Anyway, I need to prepare. I'll call you later."

After saying that, she turned and ran towards the elevator. Cheng Xiangwu watched her go. Then she tidied up the trash on the table. The two of them were talking in a private meeting room on the first floor of the hotel. Animals other than humans were not allowed to enter the hotel restaurant. Du Liang and Alice could only eat in their own room or outside.

A phone call came in; it was Xie Wuchang.

“Ms. Cheng.” Her voice was muffled by the heavy rain, “You said that Dr. Lin’s death was not caused by the deceased.”

“Hmm.” Cheng Xiangwu sat down again and looked out the window of the conference room. “It’s the local victims’ association.”

There was silence on the other end of the phone, only the heavy rain. It was unclear whether the sound came from the other end of the phone or the other side of the glass, but in any case, it was the same rain.

Cheng Xiangwu asked, "Jiang Ling said you need to give the Municipal Public Security Bureau an explanation. What are you planning to do?"

"...Hmph." Xie Wuyong sneered in a low voice, "Report the embezzlement of public property."

She paused for a moment, then spoke again in her usual polite tone, "In short, I haven't had a chance to thank you for accompanying me today, and I would also like to ask you to convey to Miss Diana my gratitude for her concern, and that we will uphold justice."

"Why don't you go and tell them yourself tomorrow?" Cheng Xiangwu asked. "You'll see each other again tomorrow."

“…At that time, we might not be on the same path anymore,” Xie Wuchang said, her sigh scattering in the rain. “Ms. Cheng, I think that talking really can’t solve all the problems.”

“Now you know,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

“I will never forget it,” Xie Wuchang said. “Ms. Cheng, until we meet again.”

The call ended, but the sound of rain continued.

Previously, Cheng Xiangwu informed Aliyenor of Lin Che'an's death, and the only reply she received was "what a pity," without knowing what she was lamenting. Now, she has sent another message asking her to come over, without saying what she would do there.

Cheng Xiangwu sighed, put away her phone, and stood up.

Like the strange bases in many science fiction novels, Cheng Song's laboratory is located on a floor below the Senhu Grand Hotel that is not marked by the elevator. After entering the elevator lobby, pressing the floor buttons in order will take you there. The elevator door opens, and two different kinds of footprints are imprinted on the wooden floor that has not been stepped on for a long time. Cheng Xiangwu walks out of the elevator lobby and imprints the third kind.

The floorboards creaked, and after passing through an even sturdier door, a cluttered space, no different in size and furnishings from the chemistry classroom at No. 1 High School, came into view. The air was filled with an indescribable odor—not unpleasant, but extremely pungent. The overhead light was off; instead, modern lamps on the tables contrasted sharply with the somewhat dated furnishings around them, and two people in white lab coats stood under the glaring light.

Cheng Xiangwu was stunned by the scene. Now she felt that taking a selfie with her phone would give her the face of a horror movie star.

"You're here." Bai Yunxian walked over wearing a gas mask. She looked Cheng Xiangwu up and down and asked in surprise, "Why did you take a shower?"

"I got caught in the rain, so I'll just take a shower." As she spoke, Cheng Xiangwu, who had just washed up and was about to get covered in the strange smell again, glanced behind her at the table piled with reagent shelves. There, Ariyenor was bending over and dripping something into a glass bottle, her gas mask no more than five centimeters away from her hand.

"...Why did you call me here?" Cheng Xiangwu asked疑惑地, then looked at the person in front of her who was looking at her with a strange expression and said, "Aren't you going to give me a mask?"

Bai Yunxian didn't say anything, but went around behind Cheng Xiangwu and started pushing her deeper into the laboratory where the hygiene conditions were absolutely substandard. Cheng Xiangwu walked with a puzzled look in her eyes, step by step approaching the innermost experimental table. Then, she was pressed down on the shoulders and made to sit down in the chair there. The heavy old wooden chair had no cushions and came with its own side table.

Her gaze suddenly lowered, and she had a bad feeling.

“We’ve made some progress by studying Aunt Cheng’s notes,” Bai Yunxian said, her voice trembling with tension. “Time is of the essence.”

“Five Spices, we’ve prepared something good for you.” Ariyenor turned her head and said, her eyes narrowed and flashing with a suspicious blue light.

“…What good stuff has to be here…” Cheng Xiangwu said, when Bai Yunxian suddenly pulled up the side table of the chair, blocking the way in front of the seat. With a click, the person trapped in the seat felt a chill on their shoulder and immediately decided to leave, “I—”

"Xiangxiang." Bai Yunxian pressed her shoulder, smiled, and leaned down to look at her, saying, "How could we possibly harm you?"

"...What exactly do you want?" Cheng Xiangwu got goosebumps and was instantly stunned. She now really felt that these two were going to harm her. "If you don't tell me, I'm leaving."

"To ensure the experiment meets the standards, I can't tell you right now." Bai Yunxian glanced at her wrist to check the time, then turned back and said, "It's almost time."

"You said you were doing experiments, right?" Cheng Xiangwu questioned, sweating profusely. "Couldn't you have just caught some rats? Why did you have to do human experiments? And you made me do it?"

"I won't let you die here," Arienor said nonchalantly. "Let's get started."

“…At least save my coat,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

As if preparing to tell a ghost story, a machine resembling a candle melting lamp was placed in front of Cheng Xiangwu. On the table was a small cup of solid candle with a wooden stick inserted and a lighter attached. Bai Yunxian shoved a switch into her hand, and then a metal hood resembling a motorcycle helmet was placed over her head. In an instant, all sound, light, and smell disappeared, and the inner padding against her cheeks hurt a little.

"Test," came Ariel's voice from inside the helmet. "Raise your right hand if you can hear me."

Cheng Xiangwu raised his right hand and gave the middle finger, then it was knocked down.

“I didn’t hit him,” Bai Yunxian said, and Ariyenor sneered.

After a while, Bai Yunxian said, "Now, please turn on the switch in your hand."

"This person even said 'please,'" Cheng Xiangwu thought to herself, and pressed the switch as instructed. Nothing happened, or rather, she couldn't know anything. The helmet was completely silent, and she could only feel her own heartbeat.

“Turn off the switch now,” Ariye Nornor said. Cheng Xiangwu did as she was told. After a while, her hood was removed, and her vision was suddenly bright. She squinted reflexively. The air was filled with the smell of extinguished candles, as well as dust and a pungent chemical odor, which was at least three times stronger than when she entered. Even the sounds were harsh, and the occasional faint sound of the electric light was caught by her eardrums.

"Look here." Ariyenor's voice came from at least ten meters away. Cheng Xiangwu looked up and found that she was indeed standing almost by the laboratory door, still wearing that gas mask, but for some reason, she looked a little strange.

"I wasn't affected." Bai Yunxian's voice came from the table not far away. Cheng Xiangwu turned her head and found that her world had become very clear, as if she were wearing glasses. Even the footprints on the ground in the distance were clearly visible. She observed this brand-new world like a baby without thinking, thinking that being the protagonist actually had some advantages.

“Not bad.” Ariel nodded, walking back to the lab bench to jot down notes as she spoke. “Information is not transmitted through ordinary senses, and its influence decreases with distance. However, this is also related to purity. The metal content of these stones is too low. Even with our solution technology, we can only achieve this much.”

She emphasized "our family," and Cheng Xiangwu heard it this time.

“This is the original version of the wax used in the Five Fragrances Restaurant signboard in the notes. It doesn’t contain adipocere or hallucinogens and only uses paraffin,” Bai Yunxian explained. “It’s a test formula, much stronger than the formula for customers. It can only be tested on people whose senses are not very sensitive.”

There's nothing to say about having readily available, suitable experimental subjects.

"Here you go." Bai Yunxian took a lollipop out of her white coat pocket, tore off the wrapper, and handed it to Cheng Xiangwu. "Try it."

Under the watchful eyes of the three people, the cola-flavored lollipop was stuffed into their mouths.

The scent of lemon and sugar filled his nostrils, but his tongue remained unresponsive, like a piece of dead flesh. Cheng Xiangwu took out the lollipops, not knowing what he was expecting.

"...Is it just a matter of purity?" Arienor turned her head back to continue writing and drawing.

“…That shouldn’t be the case.” Bai Yunxian crossed her arms and pondered. “To be honest, I don’t think there’s any technology here that can produce a sample with a higher purity than what you have. If even that’s not possible, then…”

Cheng Song was destined to be unable to develop a medicine that could cure Cheng Xiangwu's disability.

“Then we can only rely on the highest purity of the material.” Ariel looked up, took another candle and placed it on the candle-lighting stand. The hood fell off, and the lollipop in her hand was taken away.

Not long after, the experiment was repeated, and when the hood was removed again, Cheng Xiangwu's world was exactly the same as before.

"Hmm..." Bai Yunxian seemed to be thinking. She took away the candlestick, leaving only the half-melted candle, and handed Cheng Xiangwu a lighter. "You can light it after I leave." After saying that, she turned around and walked away, standing outside the door with Ariyenor.

Now, Cheng Xiangwu was the only one left in this high-definition yet foul-smelling space. She looked at the lighter in her hand, pressed the switch, and clicked. The pain from the flame burning her skin was unusually clear and piercing. She stared at the edge of the flickering candle flame for a moment, then connected it to the charred wood piece. The flame gradually spread over it until the wood piece began to burn on its own, at which point she put down the lighter.

It felt like a birthday celebration, Cheng Xiangwu thought.

The wax near the flame began to melt little by little, and the small oil pit grew larger and larger over time until it became a single surface. Charred wood chips fell into the oil, occasionally making a sound. Cheng Xiangwu propped her head up and watched, feeling bored. She looked at the tightly closed door and blew out the flame in one breath.

As black smoke rose, Cheng Xiangwu suddenly felt the world begin to blur and darken, as if the plane she was on had crashed, or as if she had been forcibly dragged to the surface from the deep sea, forcibly expelled from her original environment. Suddenly, a piercing sound shone very close to her ears, but she couldn't hear anything. Her eyes suddenly felt so hot that her eyeballs wanted to run away from home, while her extremities felt cold instead.

Fortunately, she was still sitting. Cheng Xiangwu barely managed to raise her hand to support her head, but this slight swaying reminded her of something. Her heart began to beat faster, and her breathing became choked and obstructed. She tried to vomit as if she were suffocating.

She couldn't. The vomiting woman made no sound because her lungs were lacking oxygen. She tried to inhale, but all she heard was the sound of her throat tightening. Yet, the person clenching that muscle was herself. Losing control of her body, she bent her legs and tremblingly reached her hand into her throat, nearly biting her fingers off with her own teeth before realizing the pain.

Her arms were grabbed, her jaw was pinched and a towel was stuffed into her neck, and she felt a sharp pain in her shoulders and neck. After a while, Cheng Xiangwu was finally able to catch her breath; she had almost suffocated herself.

“…No, that’s a stress response caused by being deprived of sensory abilities.” Arieno removed the towel from her mouth and said calmly, “I just gave you a muscle relaxant, you’ll be fine in a bit.”

"You've worked hard." Bai Yunxian stuffed a straw connected to a mineral water bottle into Cheng Xiangwu's mouth. "This time, the effect is completely opposite to the original, so the target of the effect is also opposite?"

“In any case, this proves that my previous statement was correct.” Arienor walked to the experimental table and tapped her notebook with her knuckles. “Miss Baiyunxian, you—”

Hearing this, Cheng Xiangwu, who had come to her senses, shook her head, looked at the candle that had been knocked over, and said, "You two, are you betting again?"

The gaze shifted to Bai Yunxian, who looked away, then to Ariyenor, who also refused to meet it. Two people in white coats wearing gas masks stood silently in the laboratory, which had returned to the blurry and suspicious space it once was, and the lead actor's salary had been taken back.

"...And it was me..." Cheng Xiangwu took a deep breath, lifted the table, stood up, and held her face. The effects of the drug made her dizzy, and for a moment she didn't know what she was thinking. She just didn't want to stay here any longer.

I walked past piles of experimental equipment and shelves, went out, put on my coat, pressed the elevator button, and left the laboratory and those two people who treated humans as experimental animals without prior notice.

"This time, this time we were definitely in the wrong." Bai Yunxian quickly caught up, panting as she stood by the elevator. "But it was a last-minute decision. We only just discovered the formula and got results. You know, the situation was urgent, we—"

Cheng Xiangwu turned to look at her, then stopped explaining, still wearing her gas mask.

The elevator doors opened, a person stepped inside, the doors closed automatically, and the elevator began to ascend.

Back in the hotel lobby, Cheng Xiangwu leaned against the wall as she returned to the reception room. Only after settling onto the sofa, accompanied by the sound of rain, did she have time to check her vibrating phone. There were three missed calls, all from Du Liang. She explained that there was no signal underground, which was why her calls went unanswered. A moment later, her phone vibrated again, again from Du Liang.

"Sister!" Du Liang breathed a sigh of relief. "I kept calling and it kept saying 'please call back later,' but it finally connected."

"There was no signal just now," Cheng Xiangwu said. "Is there any news?"

"...Auntie said she wanted to talk to you herself." Du Liang was silent for a moment, then asked worriedly, "Sister, you sound like you're sick."

"...We just encountered Frankenstein's monster, but it's nothing serious." Cheng Xiangwu sighed. "How should I go find her? Should I take a car there now?"

"Ah, no need! You should be able to see Auntie after you fall asleep," Du Liang said.

"That's perfect." Cheng Xiangwu felt she could fall asleep right now.

"...Sister, although Auntie doesn't seem very approachable, I'll teach you." Du Liang cleared his throat and lowered his voice, "If she's unhappy, just do what I do: call her 'Auntie,' and then just watch her without moving, that's all!"

Cheng Xiangwu got goosebumps from the voice on the other end of the phone, and then from the scene she imagined. This method only worked well on young people like Du Liang. When she watched someone stay still, that person would usually find a way to run away soon enough.

“…I understand, thank you.” That was all she said.

After the call ended, she put on her coat, found a spot on the sofa to rest her neck, and then closed her eyes. The darkness didn't last long before she became drowsy.

A fishy smell wafted from the tip of my nose.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in front of the spacious corridor in front of the Du family's main house. The traces of the previous fight were gone, and the floor tiles were so clean they shone. The sunlight outside the corridor was just right, making the area under the corridor bright as well. There were some bamboo poles standing in the square in front of the house, and clothes were swaying in the wind. Some cloths of the same material were also laid out on the floor tiles, with stones pressing down the corners, and several half-fish that had lost their internal organs were drying in the sun.

Looking at the courtyard, which had a very lively atmosphere, Cheng Xiangwu leaned against the door and stared blankly for a moment. When she turned her head, she saw a white-haired child sitting next to her who was not even as tall as her shoulder. The child had loose hair, was dressed in cloth, and had eyebrows and eyes that resembled those of the Du family. At this moment, the child was also turning his head to look over. He was sitting on the floor inside the house and his feet could not reach the ground.

"You're pretty fast." The strange, off-key voice could only belong to Du Qingyu.

"I'm feeling sleepy." Cheng Xiangwu sat up straight, squinted her eyes, and confirmed, "You're Du Qingyu, right?"

"It was me. It was to save materials," Du Qingyu explained casually, looking ahead. "Getting to the point, you guys went underground earlier, and I saw that stupid thing go there too. It was you guys who did it."

“…Yes.” Cheng Xiang nodded five times. “But it ran away.”

“…Hmph.” Du Qingyu snorted coldly.

If she were still in her original half-human, half-skeletal form, coupled with that strange, cold snort, it would certainly be a rather bizarre scene. But now she is a child, and looks quite like Du Liang. The surrounding environment is also quite sunny and bright, so Cheng Xiangwu just felt that this person was simply being defiant.

"Is there any other way?" Cheng Xiangwu asked. "The same goes for the one underground. If we use the original method, that whole mountain will collapse, won't it?"

"You still care about this?" Du Qingyu asked.

“…The people I care about will care,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

Hearing this, Du Qingyu turned her head to look at her, swung her leg and said, "I don't need to teach you the principle of giving up something, do I? A good way to solve two goals at once requires some effort."

What he said made perfect sense, but Cheng Xiangwu felt that this fish was more humane than the previous one, even if it was in a bad way.

"Is there really no other way?" Cheng Xiangwu asked.

“…I share the same origin as that stupid thing, and the method that can kill it can also kill me,” Du Qingyu said. “I don’t trust humans.”

"You are clearly a fairy from the lake?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.

“…The person who calls out this name is not seeking me,” Du Qingyu said. “The more I understand humanity, the clearer I become that I don’t actually need to be born. Lake Immortal is just a name that mountain people call out when they need something to rely on; I don’t need to actually exist.”

As she spoke, she raised her hand and pointed to the sky. Suddenly, a dark shadow, like a dragonfly, leaped over the high wall and roared straight toward the forest lake behind the house. The wind pressure flipped over several fish, turning them over so they could continue drying in the sun.

“The existence of the fairy in the lake has attracted humans, just like that foolish thing,” she said. “The only difference between me and it is that I can make decisions, but if it can also decide where it goes, then we are no different. I have no objection to you dealing with it, but I will not help you.”

"It was able to do that because of someone who had died at its hands. Is that what happened to you too?" Cheng Xiangwu asked.

“…I don’t think so,” Du Qingyu said, frowning.

"Then why do you think you're the same?" Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment and asked Ariyenor, "Because of what you heard before?"

Du Qingyu remained silent.

“I think there’s a big difference between you guys. At least no one would call that thing ‘auntie’,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

"...It's just a form of address." Du Qingyu said, lowering her eyes. "A body without a soul is ultimately incomplete. Even if we are connected by blood, I am not her relative."

“According to you, then I’m not human either,” Cheng Xiangwu said.

“A person is a person; they don’t change species just because they lack a certain sense,” Du Qingyu said.

"So, do you want to be a human being, or do you want to be Du Liang's aunt?" Cheng Xiang asked five times.

Du Qingyu turned her head to look at her. Although her face was expressionless, Cheng Xiangwu could inexplicably sense some emotions in her expression.

“I don’t want to be either,” she said. “My appearance and the name I’m given are all things that humans have arbitrarily imposed on me. I even know myself because of you. I was just a fish, so why should I suffer from a lack of soul?”

"Then why are you still here?" Cheng Xiangwu asked, puzzled.

“…Because,” Du Qingyu said after a long silence, “because one day, Xiao Liang might come back to find me.”

“It was clearly you who kicked her out.” Cheng Xiangwu laughed. “She even cried and came to me crying, which made me the subject of gossip.”

Du Qingyu fell silent.

"How about this?" Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment and said, "Tell me the method, and I'll figure out how to do it myself without letting anyone else know. Once it's done, I'll leave. You know I usually work in another city, so there's no way I could do anything bad to you."

"...You're human too, why should I believe you?" Du Qingyu said, frowning.

Cheng Xiangwu was silent for a moment, then turned around, took Du Qingyu's hand that was supporting her at her side, looked at her steadily, and said, "Because I should also call you aunt."

Looking into Du Qingyu's eyes, Cheng Xiangwu was not optimistic about the success rate of this matter, but in any case, she had to give it a try.

Du Qingyu remained silent. She tried to pull her hand away, but Cheng Xiangwu held on tightly.

"Auntie," Cheng Xiangwu said dryly, "just tell me."

Upon hearing this, Du Qingyu's eyes widened slightly. After being stared at for a long time, she finally looked away and said softly, "...Okay."

“Auntie is the best.” Cheng Xiangwu shook the child’s hand in her hand.

"Let me make this clear first: if anyone finds out, you'll never wake up from this nightmare again." Du Qingyu shoved her hand away and said coldly, "And those foreigners, you'll have to figure out how to deal with them yourself, understand?"

"I understand, Auntie." Chengxiang nodded.

“Once the Immortal of the Lake truly exists, has a physical form, and can be touched and utilized, it’s only a matter of time before it is devoured and dies,” Du Qingyu said. “This is also one of the reasons why I should not have been born.”

As we talked, the scene changed. The long corridor remained the same, but the open square outside the corridor transformed into a lush green lake reflecting the green mountains. Fish and shrimp occasionally splashed on the water, and a damp, fishy smell filled the air. Trees lined the lake, and occasionally small animals would dart out to bask in the sun and drink water. White datura flowers with drooping heads stood by the lake, and the wind carried a strange fragrance.

“This is all me,” Du Qingyu smiled and said. “Who can kill me?”

As she spoke, she turned around, and when she looked back, she was carrying a stone statue that was about the size of her upper body. It was white as if it had been soaked in water, and you could barely make out that it was a whale.

“This is…” Cheng Xiangwu thought for a moment, “something that used to be kept in the Bai family ancestral hall.”

“Yes.” Du Qingyu nodded. “The previous generation of stupid things was attracted to that family’s house and wandered around it. Because people often knelt and shouted, it recognized the statue as itself. So a part of it was really assimilated into it. When the stone sculpture was sent back underground, it went down with it.”

She looked at Cheng Xiangwu and said, "That thing cannot be killed because it has not yet recognized itself. The thing your mother made can reflect its appearance, allowing people to see it and give it a name, so that it can stand on the ground. After that, whether to kill it or worship it is up to humans, but you must remember its original appearance. Only by remembering it can you kill it. Then you return the head of that corpse, and the matter will be resolved."

"...Does anyone else know about this besides you?" Cheng Xiang asked five times, as if she realized what the old man was planning to do.

“Its creator seems to have realized this.” Du Qingyu patted the whale in her hand. “Don’t ask me, she really can’t figure it out, and I can’t understand her either.”

On the distant Senhu Lake, a boat drifted slowly by. There was no ferryman on board, but it came to a steady stop at the end of the connecting corridor.

“Cheng Xiangwu, I won’t blame you for what happened before you were born,” Du Qingyu said, standing up and looking directly at him. “But don’t make me lose faith in my family.”

The sound of rain began, and the lake level gradually rose. Before Cheng Xiangwu could speak, the dream ended.