The village slowly returned to its usual routine. After the strange incident at the shrine, the villagers began coming out of their houses and returning to their daily work. Some carried baskets towards the market, while others swept their courtyards or went to the nearby well to fetch water. A few people stopped along the road to speak with their neighbours, but no one mentioned what had happened earlier. No one remembered running from the shrine or seeing the sky split apart. They only felt strangely tired, as though they had spent the entire night awake.
An old man standing outside his house rubbed his forehead before returning to his work. A woman carrying vegetables paused in the middle of the road, glanced towards the shrine and then continued walking without knowing why she had stopped. Everything appeared normal again. At the centre of the village stood the old shrine. Its stone steps were covered with moss, and the wooden pillars supporting its curved roof had darkened with age. A bronze bell hung beneath the eaves, while an incense burner rested near the entrance. Nothing seemed unusual at first glance, yet the shrine gave Xu Yang an uncomfortable feeling. He had seen it before, but now certain details seemed different. The carvings above the entrance looked unusually sharp, while some of the stones appeared much newer than the rest. It was difficult to explain, but the place felt as though someone had built it recently and then tried to make it look old.
At the entrance, Xu Yang sat quietly with its paws tucked beneath its body. Xu Yang had not moved for some time. He watched the villagers going about their business, but his attention kept returning to the strange feeling surrounding the shrine. The wind passed through the courtyard, moving the leaves scattered across the ground. However, whenever it approached him, it changed direction slightly. Even the dust seemed unwilling to settle near his paws. Xu Yang lowered his head and looked at the ground. What is going on now? First, the sky splits open, then the world tries to erase things, and now even the wind is avoiding me...He moved one paw forward, watching a small piece of dry grass roll away from him. Am I really that troublesome?... He lifted his head and looked towards the courtyard again.
Everything appeared normal, but he could still feel something pressing against him. It was not spiritual pressure or killing intent. It was more like the world itself was trying to tell him that he did not belong there. A few paces away, Yan Luo had also noticed the strange behaviour of the surroundings. He stood beneath an old tree with his arms folded inside his sleeves, his eyes fixed on the black cat. After watching the dust move away from Xu Yang's paws, he turned slightly towards Qing Li. "Even the air doesn't want him." he remarked quietly. Qing Li followed his gaze. He stood beside Yan Luo, his expression calm as he watched the leaves change direction near the shrine steps. "It isn't refusal," he replied. "It's uncertainty." Yan Luo frowned and glanced at him. "What's the difference?" Qing Li adjusted the tassel hanging from his waist before answering. "Refusal means something knows what it wants to reject. Uncertainty means it doesn't know where to place him." Yan Luo looked towards the cat again. "That sounds worse." "It probably is."
Qing Li did not explain further. His attention remained on the shrine, where the spiritual energy seemed to behave differently from the rest of the village. There were no visible threads descending from the sky this time. No shining lines spread across the courtyard, and no strange markings appeared on the ground. Yet the pressure around Xu Yang continued to increase. The space near the shrine seemed to shift slightly. The distance between the stone steps and the entrance changed, and the shadows beneath the wooden pillars moved in ways that did not match the sunlight. It was as though the world was trying to correct something without drawing attention to itself. Xu Yang noticed the change and slowly raised his head. He could feel the invisible pressure gathering around him. It was not trying to hurt him. Instead, it seemed to be guiding him away, much like someone politely asking an unwanted guest to leave. He stared at the shrine entrance for a moment. So that's it? The world has decided I don't belong here? His ears twitched. Well, that's unfortunate. I'm already sitting here...Xu Yang slowly stood up and took a step forward. The moment his paw crossed the invisible boundary, the pressure trembled. He paused briefly before taking another step. Nothing struck him, but the space around him seemed to resist his movement. He continued walking until he reached the entrance and sat down directly before the shrine.
For a few moments, nothing happened. Then the sunlight near the stone steps distorted. The shadows shifted, and the bronze bell beneath the roof moved slightly. The invisible boundary flickered as though it were trying to find another way to push him away. However, Xu Yang remained where he was. The pressure grew stronger for a brief moment before suddenly disappearing. The wind returned to the courtyard, and the leaves began moving normally again. Dust drifted across the stone floor without changing direction. No one understood what had happened, but several villagers stopped walking and looked around. An old woman rubbed her chest, while a young man standing near the well took a deep breath. They had not realised how tense they had been until the feeling disappeared. Yan Luo slowly unfolded his arms. "Did you see that?" he asked, looking at the shrine entrance. Qing Li nodded. "The world tried to move him." "And failed." "Yes." Yan Luo looked at Xu Yang, who had already settled down comfortably. "Does he even know what he's doing?" Qing Li considered the question before answering. "Probably not." Yan Luo turned towards him. "That's not reassuring." Qing Li smiled faintly. "Would you prefer that he knew?" Yan Luo did not reply. He continued watching the cat, who seemed completely uninterested in the strange event that had just taken place.
At the outer edge of the courtyard, Shen Lian was also watching. She stood beneath the branches of an old willow tree.She had noticed the strange movement of the spiritual energy and the brief distortion around the shrine. Her expression remained calm, but her attention had become sharper. Whatever is happening here, it is connected to the black cat...She stepped away from the tree and began walking towards the shrine. Qing Li noticed her first. He tilted his head slightly and followed her movement. "Why is she still here?" he asked. Yan Luo glanced towards the approaching woman. "How would I know?" Qing Li looked at him with a small smile. "Perhaps she's waiting for you." Yan Luo turned his head. "For what?" "An invitation, perhaps. You could take her for a walk by the river or invite her for tea." Yan Luo stared at him before looking away. "Do you ever think about anything useful?" Qing Li folded his arms. "I do. For example, how to make your life more interesting."
Yan Luo sighed. "My life was perfectly peaceful before I met you." Qing Li laughed softly. "Then you should be grateful. I've improved it." Yan Luo raised his hand and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. Qing Li stopped laughing and rubbed the spot, looking at him with mild disbelief. "What was that for?" "To remind you that silence is also an option." Qing Li gave him an innocent smile. "You could have simply asked." Yan Luo ignored him and looked towards Shen Lian again. She was now approaching the shrine steps. Qing Li followed his gaze."She's going towards him." he remarked. "What if she tries something?" Yan Luo caught his sleeve before he could take a step forward. "Leave her alone." Qing Li looked down at his sleeve and then at Yan Luo. "You're stopping me?" "Yes." "Why?" Yan Luo released a quiet breath. "She won't harm Xu Yang." Qing Li slowly raised an eyebrow. "So you trust her that much?" Yan Luo's expression darkened. "Shut up." Qing Li smiled but did not continue teasing him.
Meanwhile, Shen Lian stopped a few steps away from the shrine entrance. She looked down at the black cat sitting on the stone step. From a distance, he appeared to be an ordinary animal with dark fur and bright eyes. However, after everything she had witnessed, she was no longer willing to believe that appearance. She crouched slightly and rested one hand on her knee. "Hey, strange cat." Xu Yang lifted his head and looked at her. Why is she here again?... He flicked his tail once. I thought she had already left. Does this woman have nothing better to do?...Shen Lian noticed his reaction and smiled faintly. "Still looking at people like that?" she asked, tilting her head. "You really are an unfriendly little creature."
Xu Yang turned his face away. I don't remember inviting you to talk to me... Shen Lian straightened and glanced towards the village road. "Where have you been wandering these past few days?" she asked. Xu Yang's ears twitched, but he made no movement. Shen Lian looked back at him. "Don't pretend you don't understand me. I've seen you near the old execution ground, and I know something strange is happening in this village." She paused and watched his expression. "I'm not leaving until I find the truth, so you should get used to seeing me around." Xu Yang flicked his tail and looked away. Fine. Stay if you want. Just don't expect me to explain everything...
Shen Lian studied him for another moment before turning towards the shrine. She could sense spiritual energy beneath the ground, but its movement was unusual.The earth veins that should have carried spiritual power through the village seemed to change direction whenever they approached the shrine. She stepped closer to the lowest stair and crouched down. Placing her fingers against the stone, she slowly released a thin stream of spiritual energy. She waited for a response, but nothing happened. There was no trace of prayer, no warmth from the offerings and no spiritual residue left by the villagers who had visited the shrine over the years.Shen Lian frowned. That is impossible.A shrine used by villagers every day should have carried at least some trace of their prayers... She moved her fingers over the surface and noticed that the carvings beneath them felt unusually fresh. The stone itself was weathered, but the lines were too clear. It was almost as though the shrine had been made recently and someone had deliberately aged its surface. Her gaze moved towards the entrance. The spiritual energy is not simply avoiding the shrine. It seems to be flowing around something inside it...She glanced at Xu Yang, who was sitting quietly beside the steps.The fate threads were equally strange. Whenever they approached the cat, they slipped away or disappeared before reaching.
Shen Lian narrowed her eyes. This place is behaving like a scar pretending to be skin... Before she could examine the stone further, the bronze bell beneath the roof moved slightly. She looked up. The bell swayed once, but no sound came from it. Shen Lian remained still for a moment before lowering her gaze towards the cat. Xu Yang was already watching her. Their eyes met, and a faint line appeared between her brows. "What exactly are you?" she murmured. Xu Yang's ears flattened slightly. Here we go again. Can't she stop staring at me?... He shifted his paws and curled his tail closer to his body. I know I'm good looking cat, but that doesn't mean I have to answer every question...Shen Lian rose and brushed the dust from her robe.
As the morning passed, the villagers continued visiting the shrine. Some came to offer incense, while others placed fruit and small bowls of food before the entrance. A woman carrying a wooden tray approached the steps. She stopped when she noticed Xu Yang and looked around. "Whose cat is this?" she murmured. Xu Yang raised his head, but before the woman could look at him properly, her expression changed. She seemed to have forgotten what she was about to say...After a moment, she shook her head and placed the tray beside the incense burner. She took out a few incense sticks, lit them and held them between her hands. As she bowed, her movement suddenly stopped. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. She remained in that position for several breaths, as though trying to remember something important. When she finally straightened, her eyes were wet. She touched her cheek in confusion and looked towards the shrine. "Why..." Her voice faded. She glanced down at the incense in her hands before placing it inside the burner. Then she picked up her empty tray and walked away.
Xu Yang followed her with his eyes. The woman had barely taken ten steps when she stopped and turned around. She looked towards the shrine with a puzzled expression, as though she had forgotten something there. After a few moments, she shook her head and continued walking. Xu Yang's ears lowered. What was that?... He looked towards the incense burner. The thin smoke rose into the air before bending slightly to one side. He remembered the woman's expression. She had felt something. He was certain of it. But whatever she had felt had disappeared before she could understand it. This isn't ordinary forgetfulness... His gaze followed the woman until she disappeared behind the houses. It was almost as though the world had taken away the feeling before it could become a proper memory... His tail moved slowly against the stone. Is the world trying to smooth everything over? Anything unusual happens, and before anyone can question it, they simply forget...
As more villagers visited the shrine, other strange details began to appear. An old man stopped before the stone carvings and leaned closer. He raised one hand, tracing a line with his finger. "Were these carvings always this deep?" he asked, turning towards the man beside him. The other villager glanced at the wall and shrugged. "They've always been there." The old man frowned. "I don't remember them looking like this." His companion looked impatiently towards the road. "You're getting old. Your memory isn't what it used to be." The old man opened his mouth to argue, but after another glance at the carvings, he simply lowered his hand.
Nearby, two children were arguing about the stepping stones in front of the shrine. One insisted that the path had been straight the previous day, while the other claimed it had always curved towards the old tree. Their argument grew louder until one of them stamped his foot. "I'm telling you, it was different yesterday!" he protested. His friend shook his head. "You're making things up." An elderly woman carrying an incense bowl looked down at the bronze surface. She turned it over in her hands and rubbed her thumb against the metal. "I thought this bowl was made of iron," she said. A man standing nearby glanced at it. "It's bronze." She stared at the bowl for a moment before nodding. "Yes, of course."
None of them questioned the matter further. They simply continued with their work, as though there was no reason to remember such small details. Xu Yang watched everything from the entrance. The more he observed, the more uncomfortable he became. These weren't large changes. They were small enough for people to ignore, but they kept happening. The shrine seemed to be changing, and the villagers were slowly accepting every difference without questioning it.
Near the edge of the courtyard, a little boy stood watching the cat. He was barefoot, with a small cloth pouch tied around his waist. Unlike the adults, he did not seem interested in looking away. He stared at Xu Yang for a long time before slowly approaching the steps. Xu Yang raised his head and watched him. The boy stopped a few feet away and tilted his head. "You're always sitting here." he said. Xu Yang blinked. The boy crouched down, resting his hands on his knees. "Do you live here?" He waited for an answer, but Xu Yang only moved his tail. The boy seemed satisfied anyway. He turned towards the shrine and examined the wooden pillars, the bronze bell and the carvings above the entrance.
After a moment, he frowned. "Something is strange." His mother was standing nearby, gathering the empty baskets she had brought from the market. The boy turned towards her and tugged at her sleeve. "Mother." She looked down at him. "What is it? Don't wander too far." He pointed towards the shrine. "Was this shrine always here?" His mother laughed softly as she picked up another basket. "Of course it was. It's been here longer than you have." The boy frowned and looked at the entrance again. "Then why doesn't it look old?" His mother stopped arranging the baskets. She glanced towards the shrine, but her expression quickly became uncertain. For a moment, she seemed ready to answer. Then she looked at the boy and gently took his hand. "Don't linger here. We should go." The boy did not move immediately. "But Mother—" She gave his hand a gentle tug. "Come along. Your father is waiting." He allowed himself to be led away, but he kept looking over his shoulder.
Xu Yang watched him disappear behind the houses.At least someone noticed... His ears moved slightly as he looked towards the shrine again. Not everyone was forgetting... A short distance away, Yan Luo had also observed the exchange. He looked at the departing mother and child before turning towards Qing Li. "Children notice these things first." he said quietly. Qing Li followed the boy with his eyes. "They have fewer memories to defend." Yan Luo glanced at him. "And fewer reasons to accept things that don't make sense." Qing Li nodded slightly. His gaze returned to the shrine. "Have you noticed it too?" Yan Luo asked. "The changes?" "Yes." Qing Li watched the incense smoke drifting near the entrance. "The world is trying to make everything appear normal." Yan Luo's expression became serious. "Or erase anything that proves it isn't."
Neither spoke for a while. They both understood that the strange events were connected, but neither knew how far the changes had spread. Yan Luo looked towards Xu Yang. "Should we do something?" Qing Li remained silent for a moment before answering. "We observe for now." Yan Luo turned towards him. "For how long?" Qing Li's eyes remained on the cat. "Until observing becomes the same as doing nothing." Yan Luo let out a quiet breath. "That's not particularly reassuring." Qing Li glanced at him with a faint smile. "Did you expect comfort from me?" "I expected less philosophy and more action." "And I expected you to understand that acting without knowing the cause can make things worse." Yan Luo narrowed his eyes. "You mistake talking for thinking." Qing Li laughed softly. "And you mistake urgency for usefulness." Yan Luo looked away, clearly unimpressed. "Don't start again."Qing Li stepped closer and lowered his voice. "You're still listening." Yan Luo glanced at him. "Unfortunately." Qing Li smiled but did not continue.
Meanwhile,Shen Lian had finished examining the shrine. She stood near the entrance, looking once more at the carvings above the door. She turned to leave, but as she passed beneath the eaves, her sleeve brushed against the bronze bell. The bell rang. Its clear sound travelled across the courtyard, causing several villagers to stop and look towards the shrine. A man carrying a basket turned his head. The woman who had offered incense earlier paused near the road. Even Yan Luo and Qing Li looked towards the entrance. Shen Lian stopped and glanced over her shoulder. She had barely touched the bell. There had been no reason for it to ring so loudly. Yet she did not ask anyone about it. After a moment, she continued walking. The sound lingered in the courtyard before slowly fading.
The villagers returned to their work without discussing it. Some looked towards the shrine once more, but none seemed interested in questioning what had happened. Soon, the courtyard became quiet again. The offerings remained beside the entrance, and the incense continued burning. Xu Yang stayed where he was. He could feel the world settling around the shrine. The strange spiritual currents began moving again, and the paths of fate slowly returned to their usual positions. The villagers' memories were also changing. Small doubts disappeared, and the unusual details became less noticeable. It was as though the world had decided to adjust its story instead of removing him directly.
Xu Yang lowered his head. So the first attempt failed, and now reality is changing everything around me... He looked at the stone steps beneath his paws. I don't even know what I'm supposed to do about this. I don't understand these rules, and I certainly don't know how to fight something that doesn't have a body... His ears moved slightly as he listened to the sounds of the village. Am I supposed to find the cause? But where would I even start? I'm just a cat. A very unfortunate cat, apparently. He remained silent for a while... He could not feel any clear danger, but the situation bothered him more than he wanted to admit. If the world continued changing things this way, how long would it take before the villagers forgot the shrine itself? Or the people who had once visited it?...
Beneath the stone steps, deep inside the earth, something stirred. It was not a sudden movement or an awakening. There was no burst of spiritual power, and no sound came from beneath the ground. Yet something had become aware of the cat sitting above it. Xu Yang's ears twitched. He looked down at the stone beneath his paws, but nothing seemed unusual. He waited for a moment before looking away. That night, the village became quiet. Most of the houses had closed their doors, and only a few lanterns remained lit along the narrow streets.
A man returning from the neighbouring village passed the shrine with a wooden basket over his shoulder. He slowed down and looked towards the entrance. After taking a few more steps, he stopped. "Was this shrine always this close to the road?" he murmured. He looked back towards the path, then towards the shrine again. His expression became puzzled, but he eventually shook his head and continued walking. Above him, the bronze bell swayed gently. There was no wind. At the shrine entrance, the black cat opened his eyes. His pupils narrowed as he stared towards the dark sky.
For a brief moment, the stars seemed strangely close, as though the sky itself had become too shallow. Xu Yang continued watching until the feeling disappeared. The following morning, the little boy returned. This time, he came alone. He walked through the courtyard holding a small wooden toy in both hands. It was a simple carving of a little bird, with uneven wings and a short tail. The boy approached the shrine carefully, looking around before climbing the first stone step. Xu Yang noticed him and lifted his head. The boy crouched in front of him and held out the wooden toy. "For you!" he said solemnly. Xu Yang looked at the toy, then at the boy.
The child placed it beside the cat's paws and pushed it forward slightly. "So you don't disappear." Xu Yang stared at the little wooden bird. Is this supposed to help? He looked up at the boy again. Because of a wooden toy, I won't disappear?... His tail flicked once, slower than before. The boy seemed pleased with himself and gave the toy another gentle push. Xu Yang lowered his head and examined it. The carving was rough, and one of its wings was slightly larger than the other. It was clearly made by a child. Yet the boy had brought it here because he was worried the cat might disappear. Xu Yang remained silent for a moment. No… I need to think about this properly. Seriously. His gaze lingered on the small offering. I can't just sit here watching things happen and hope it fixes itself.