The morning sun casted a gentle amber glow over Jinzhou as Rover and Kyorin navigated the vibrant evening streets.
A crisp breeze danced through the alleys, intermingling with the rich aroma of the day's first batch of baked buns.
Distant chimes echoed as street vendors set up their stalls and restaurants opened their shutters—though it was just barely seven, the city was already stirring to life.
Panhua's Restaurant waited quietly on the rooftop, its open-air layout inviting the morning breeze as paper lanterns swayed gently.
Warmth greeted Rover and Kyorin as they walked up to the rooftop, the bird's faint flapping marking their arrival.
There, Chixia and Yangyang sat at a table on the corner, chatting softly. Their faces brightened with smiles when they saw them.
"Morning, Rover! Kyorin!" Chixia called, waving him over.
"Good morning," Rover replied, sliding into the seat across from them.
"Yeah, good morning," Kyorin gave a small nod, settling on the empty chair besides her.
After exchanging pleasantries and brief updates about the day ahead, Chixia called toward the counter. "Mrs. Panhua, good morning! Four bowls of extra spicy noodles, please!"
From behind the counter, Mrs. Panhua's warm voice answered, full of familiarity, "Coming right up!"
The comforting clatter of plates and the fragrant scent of simmering broth soon filled the open air as they settled in, anticipation for a hearty breakfast ahead.
"So, did you two rest well?" Yangyang asked, to which Rover replied, "Yes," while Kyorin simply nodded.
Despite his response, only Kyorin knew the truth of his night...
The previous evening had been bitterly cold, his body curled up and shivering.
His pillow was completely soaked with tears, not from pain or grief, but from empathetic tears shed for those who had come before.
Kyorin had witnessed entire lives of failed ascendants—each one a regret. Fear of spiritual contagion once consumed him, a burden from a lineage of fractured souls.
But as fear faded, he began to observe them—their techniques, their helplessness, their regrets. Reluctantly, he saw himself in them.
And beyond that, they reminded him of Rover—someone Kyorin found himself growing increasingly concerned about.
Kyorin glanced at Rover—her eyes were bright, laughing with mirth at Chixia's joke, as if the pain he feared never touched her. And simply watching that, his chest stirred, a subtle warmth unfurling within him.
Now, sitting beside her, he couldn't help but muse to himself, 'Perhaps... I was ignorant of how much pain a regretful past can bring.'
While his own past was devoid of regret, the struggles of those who had fallen filled his heart with an empathetic ache.
'Could this be it? The reason of concern?' He wondered if that was the reason his concern deepened.
He parted his lips to speak, but instead reached for his tea, trying to maintain his composure. Rover's hand brushed lightly against his sleeve, sending shivers.
That simple touch, had stirred such bliss within him that he silently began to shape a wish: "May Rover forever bask in the gentle warmth of the sun trailing her journey—and let me embrace the chill of night in her stead."
After that silent incantation, it felt as though all meaning dissolved into her, but once again, doubt crept in: "Who am I?" and "What right do I have to feel this way?"
Exactly what does he possess that would make her choose his feelings over all else?
'The questions are redundant,' Kyorin thought as he settled down his cup, briefly glancing at her before shifting his eyes elsewhere.
He knew the answer well. 'I am in no position to demand anything from anyone, but…' True to his pure and honest nature, he concluded, '…I am in the position to offer what I can.'
Yet, even if everything was as clear as daylight, he ultimately chose to leave these thoughts, emotions, and feelings behind the fog of amnesia.
Moments later, a worker appeared, carefully balancing four bowl on a huge tray.
"Here's your food," the worker said with a smile.
The group began eating, and after finishing breakfast, Kyorin remarked, "The noodles were good."
"Told you so," Chixia said with a proud grin. "Nothing beats a bowl of spicy noodles in the morning!" She then turned to Rover and asked, "What do you think, Rover?"
Beads of sweat dotted her forehead. "A little too spicy for my taste," Rover remarked, as Kyorin slid a glass of water toward her. "Thanks," she said, accepting it gratefully.
"I figured," Chixia said, shifting her gaze toward the stairs with a soft sigh. "Looks like Baizhi's locked herself in the lab again—hasn't come out since yesterday."
"Bet we won't see her until she's finished her research." She crossed her arms and gave a casual shrug, but then a glint of mischief lit her eyes as she looked at Rover.
Rover felt a slight tension in her skin as Chixia's expression turned playful. "Hold on. Since you're the subject of her research, we could use you to lure her out."
"We could tie you up at the Academy's entrance…" she continued, her voice full of wild ideas as she proposed a reckless stunt. "Just a few tugs on the rope, and I guarantee every researcher would come rushing—Baizhi leading the charge."
"Hook, line, and sinker! It could work," she added, eyes sparkling like she might actually go through with it.
"Sounds dangerous," Kyorin said flatly, and Rover quickly agreed, "Let's not do that."
"No fun," Chixia pouted, then asked, "By the way, now that we've figured out the sugar pearl and the sundial, all that's left is that weird leaf and the plain old mangosteen, right?"
"It only took one trip to the Academy to solve half our problems," she added, sounding pleased with the results. "Either Rover's a genius, or Madam Magistrate meant for this to be easy from the start."
Kyorin frowned at the thought. Even though he didn't know the Magistrate personally, he doubted she would've assigned this task unless it served some purpose of her own. Rover shared that same sentiment, quietly holding it in the back of her mind.
Yangyang turned to Rover. "What's our next plan of action, Rover?"
Rover took a moment to think, first bringing up the mangosteen. Chixia suggested they start by checking the local market, while Yangyang noted they were imported by boat—leading them to consider investigating the harbor.
But their attention soon shifted to the mysterious leaf, which Baizhi had linked to Tacet Discords. Yangyang came to the conclusion that they'd have to leave the city to pursue that lead.
In the middle of the discussion, Kyorin raised a hand and said, "Wasn't the meeting set for two days from now? And doesn't it seem odd that mangosteens will be transported during wartime?"
"Are you implying there's more going on than we realize?" Chixia asked. Kyorin wasn't sure whether to laugh or not—wasn't it obvious?
Instead, he turned the question around, repeating what Rover had asked him the day before. "What would you two do if you were in Rover's shoes?"
Chixia scratched her head. "I'd try my best, but I'd probably give up halfway," she admitted, eyes shut in a strained expression.
She knew she wasn't the clever type and would likely back off rather than waste time on something that felt too far out of reach.
Yangyang, on the other hand, approached the question more tactically. She said she'd probably take a similar path to Rover's, though she doubted she'd be as efficient in getting results.
After hearing both of their answers, Kyorin chimed in, "Personally, I'd also have given up like Chixia—but for slightly different reasons."
"Oh? What is it?" Chixia asked, her curiosity piqued.
Kyorin gave a cautious look. "First off, my answer might come off as rude—maybe even a little slanderous."
He offered the warning before continuing, "I believe the Magistrate has a personal interest in Rover. I assume we're all on the same page about that?" He glanced around, and everyone nodded in agreement.
"Then, at first glance, these tasks might seem like a test, especially with that convenient three-day deadline." His tone shifted, growing more serious and cold. "But isn't it odd that there were clear instructions for Rover to go outside the city?"
"Sure, it might be about exploration or something akin like that…" Kyorin trailed off, unconvinced. "But that feels a bit too convenient—too cliché."
"Rover," he said, turning toward her. "Do you think the Madam Magistrate is a mastermind?"
"She must be," Rover affirmed without hesitation.
"Then this feels like a setup—" Kyorin's voice grew steadier, more grounded, as if he were settling into a conclusion he had been circling around. "It feels like something deliberately crafted to lead to specific encounters."
"Encounters?" Yangyang echoed, puzzled.
"Yeah," Kyorin nodded. "Didn't you and Rover meet several experts while trying to solve those puzzles?"
"That…" Yangyang paused, then slowly nodded. "That's true."
"So," she asked, looking at him intently, "are you suggesting the Magistrate wants Rover to meet certain people?"
"Not just certain people," Kyorin corrected her gently. "I believe she wants Rover to witness the situation in Jinzhou firsthand."
"She wants her help," he added, clearly convinced. The others, found the idea surprisingly plausible.
"The difficult part, however," Kyorin continued with a frustrated sigh, "is that I can't ignore the possibility that the Magistrate knows something about Rover's past."
"Why do you say that?" Chixia asked.
"Well, if everything I've said holds true," Kyorin replied, "then she must have a reason to trust Rover enough to ask for her help in the first place."
"Moreover," he added, turning his gaze to Rover, "she also seems to have some connection to the Sentinel—which makes it even harder to overlook the links between them."
"Other than that," Kyorin started, seeming ready to say more but then hesitated, 'It would be rude to be more slanderous.' He believed, 'So—'
He twisted his tongue, opting to question the decision of opening the gates. "The gates being open to visitors… it feels risky, even if it's for the Moon Chasing Festival."
The three girls lifted their heads slightly, a flicker of realization glinting in their eyes, until Chixia broke the silence and asked, "Can you be clear? I think I got it."
"I'm just saying—it's dangerous," Kyorin replied. "While Jinzhou is dealing with the threat of the Tacet Discords," he continued plainly, "there may be other dangers lurking that need to be cleaned up."
"And," Rover began, looking at him, "you think this is the kind of help the Magistrate wants from me?"
"It's just a hypothesis," Kyorin replied, though it sounded quite plausible.
"Then tell me, what would you do if you were in my shoes?" Rover asked, repeating the question from yesterday. This time, however, Kyorin wasn't ready to give a direct answer.
'I don't want to influence her judgment,' he inwardly resolved.
"An invitation has already been extended, and you've read what it says," he replied simply, then added, "How am I supposed to respond for you? Our answers could be completely different."
"I guess that's true," Rover agreed. Everything was out in the open now, and the time had come to respond. She needed to act—and that was something only she could do for herself.
"Madam Magistrate even gave me the Access Pass," Rover said, holding up her Terminal.
Thud—Yangyang's hand slammed on the table as her eyes widened in realization. "Kyorin…" she said, turning to him, "I think your hypothesis is mostly correct."
Kyorin looked mildly surprised, though the expression faded quickly as Yangyang continued, "There usually aren't any checkpoints within the city besides the one at City Hall."
"A pass like that isn't necessary unless someone's planning to leave Jinzhou's borders," she added, recalling the significance of it.
"Now why didn't I think of that?" Chixia muttered. As a patroller, she should have remembered, but maybe she'd been too caught up in things lately. "Gotta hand it to you, Kyorin—you've still got the brains, even if you lack the brawn."
"And nice catch, Yangyang," Chixia added with a proud smile, nodding at them both.
Yangyang returned the smile, while Kyorin visibly twitched, uncertain if that was a compliment or a jab. Then again, it was probably just Chixia being Chixia.
"So it's decided," Rover said. "We'll head out."
"Haaah…" Chixia sighed.
"Something wrong?" Rover asked, noticing her expression.
"It's a no-go for me if you're leaving the city. My shift's coming up," Chixia said as she stood, clearly a bit disappointed. "You two—watch Rover's back, and shoot me a message if anything comes up, alright, Yangyang?"
"I…" Kyorin raised his hand. "I need to deliver something to the Terminal Distribution Center."
"I can take care of that for you," Chixia offered. Kyorin pulled a black slip from his robe and handed it over. "Then make sure they get this."
"What is it?" Chixia asked, taking the slip in hand. At first, it felt like any ordinary black card—until she noticed the label. "WAIT?! THE GHOST HOUNDS?!"
She practically screamed, eyes wide. "W-What kind of affiliation do you have with them?"
"I'm a member," Kyorin replied calmly.
"Since when?!" Chixia practically shrieked at the revelation, clearly caught off guard. Yangyang looked just as surprised, while Rover turned to her and asked, "Who are they?"
"Yesterday," Kyorin answered, directing the response to Chixia, then briefly explained how he ended up joining them.
At the same time, Yangyang offered a short introduction for Rover's sake, explaining that the Ghost Hounds were a multinational mercenary group originating from the New Federation.
"This is insane," Chixia muttered, pressing a hand to her forehead as the weight of it all began to sink in.
"Alright," Chixia said with a sigh. "Didn't know you were a big shot too," she added, and Kyorin couldn't quite tell if she was joking or actually being serious.
With that, the three parted ways with Chixia as she headed off to the Terminal Distribution Center—her first stop to officially register Kyorin as a member of the Ghost Hounds. Meanwhile, the remaining trio continued on their way.
On the way, Rover leaned in and whispered to Kyorin, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"What?" Kyorin responded.
"That you'd joined a group like that," she said, her voice somewhere between displeased and concern.
Kyorin replied simply, "I needed money, and they were pleased with my work, so they offered me a position."
Though that was the explanation he gave, Rover already knew the truth. He had taken the job for the money—the same money he had used to buy them food just yesterday.
"I'll repay this someday," Rover said, her voice steady with quiet resolve.
"Alright," Kyorin replied.
The trio soon made their way toward the city gates, passing by the ominous Midnight Ranger camp, where the haunting wails of unlucky cadets echoed through the air.
"Defense at the gate's been tightened," Yangyang observed, a hint of concern creeping into her voice. "It wasn't like this when we came back…"
As they approached the gates, they noticed a minor commotion between the guards and a young woman who wore a troubled expression, insisting on meeting someone.
Her long black hair, streaked with white, was braided into twin tails, with a single tuft at the top of her head standing up like a defiant plume. Teal eyes with deep blue pupils swept across the camp—calm, focused, and alert.
She wore a black dress patterned in a Yin-Yang motif—a fusion between a qipao and hanfu—cut to reveal a glowing Tacet Mark etched into her left clavicle.
Wind-like streaks of yellow and teal shimmered through the fabric of her outfit, mirrored by mismatched green and black boots and matching earrings. She looked like the embodiment of a breeze—unusual, yet effortlessly fitting.
During the ongoing back-and-forth, Rover stepped forward and said, "We also wish to head out."
"Tsk, another one," the shifting soldier muttered with a sigh. "It's a dangerous road ahead if you're planning to reach the frontlines, and you don't even have an Access Pass…"
Without a word, Rover handed over her Terminal. The soldier's eyes widened as he read the display, quickly stifling his reaction with a cough. "…Ahem. Your Access Pass has been verified."
A few murmurs stirred among the nearby guards. From their ranks, a soldier stepped forward and asked, "Just you three?"
Rover briefly glanced at the woman in Yin and Yang before saying, "The monk over there is coming with us."
"Thank you for your help!" The monk's face lit up as she gave a respectful salute. "I really appreciate it!"
Kyorin blinked, slightly puzzled. "Shouldn't we ask the guards first?" he said, turning to the woman.
"You're right, good call, fellow Daoist," she responded with a polite nod.
"D-Daoist?" Kyorin repeated, raising an eyebrow. "No, miss—I'm not a practitioner of that path."
"But your robes suggest otherwise," she said, pointing to his attire.
"Trust me, I'm not," Kyorin replied, then turned to the guards. "Will it be alright if we bring her along?"
"Well, it says your friend here has the highest level of access," the soldier replied, before breaking into a grin. "So there are no procedural issues."
"Honestly, she could lead an entire troop out of the city with that Access Pass and no one would question it…" whispered another guard, as murmurs drifted among them in hushed tones.
With that, the four passed through the gates, stepping beyond the borders of Jinzhou.
"Oh, let me introduce myself," the woman said as she offered a Daoist salute, clasping her hands together. "Greetings. I'm Jianxin—a wandering monk."
"I really appreciate your help back there," Jianxin said with a warm smile before explaining why she wanted to leave the city. She told them she was searching for someone—Zhiyuan, a relative of a veteran.
"So, you're looking for the relative of a veteran, and you believe he's in the Midnight Rangers' camp in Desorock Highland?" Yangyang asked for confirmation.
Jianxin nodded. "Exactly."
"Miss Jianxin," Rover stepped forward, "do you know anything about mangosteen?"
"Mangosteen?" Jianxin repeated, thinking for a moment. Rover then showed her one, and Jianxin began examining it closely, listing her observations in detail.
Listening to her rattle off observations on the spot, Rover couldn't help but think, 'Perhaps she may not be the encounter after all.'
At last, Kyorin asked, "Where are you from?"
"I grew up in my sect on a mountain," Jianxin replied, beginning to recount her childhood. "I spent most of my time training with my masters."
Her expression brightened with childlike joy as she explained, before continuing, "One day, they told me that training in seclusion wasn't enough."
"I had to engage with the world to truly grow." Jianxin looked at her open palm, then slowly curled it into a fist. "So I set out on a self-cultivating journey. I've been to many cities and learned a great deal, but there's still so much more to discover."
"What about you?" Jianxin asked Kyorin with genuine curiosity. "How is your journey, Daoist?"
"Lady, I'll say it again—I'm no Daoist," Kyorin replied flatly. "I'm a mercenary."
"Hmm, but your eyes and the way you carry yourself say otherwise," she noted, tilting her head slightly.
"What do you mean?" Kyorin asked, brows furrowing.
"Your posture—it has the stillness of a moonlit pond," Jianxin pointed out. "Most people don't carry themselves like that unless they're true masters."
"Or they might simply be novices," Kyorin declared. "For those lacking ones, assuming this stance is but natural."
"Your words resonate with the wisdom of one who treads the path," Jianxin responded with a tranquil smile, leaving Kyorin in a state of uncertainty, pondering whether this woman was blind, tone-deaf—or just unhinged.
To be continued...