The entrance to the passage was not wide, and very dark. Murong Yun, seeing the strings of grain sacks behind A'Xuan, finally showed some conscience and lit a ball of green spiritual light for illumination.
Since A'Xuan insisted on managing the grain sacks behind, Murong Yun cast a glance at her waist and stepped inside ahead of her.
The secret passage was very long, with many forks along the way. It was A'Xuan who guided the path, and according to him, if they took the wrong turn, what awaited ahead would be deadly traps.
Out of the dozens of branching passages along the way, there was only a single true road.
The terrain within was so intricate and shifting that it completely barred any drifters without a map from getting in.
The three of them, with four donkeys and the grain sacks A Xuan kept suspended in the air, walked straight on for nearly the time it takes an incense stick to burn before a glimmer of light appeared.
The light seeped through the crack of the exit. Murong Yun pushed open the dust‑laden door, and at last brightness filled her sight.
“Where is this?”
Murong Yun gazed at the dilapidated temple where the passage emerged—the exit lay hidden beneath the towering base of a Buddha statue.
“It’s an abandoned City God Temple.”
Hua Le stepped out first from the side, sweeping away the straw‑like cobwebs clinging to the door. Tilting her head, she glanced at the house—already in ruins, its window paper aged and brittle—and gave an explanation.
“Since a larger and more splendid City God Temple was built in the city, no one has come here again.”
Murong Yun stooped to lead out the four foolish donkeys, then raised his head to glance at the tiny City God Temple, a trace of sentiment stirring within him.
People are ever eager for the new and weary of the old, yet little do they realize that in times of peril, the way out lies hidden in this shabby City God Temple.
Be it the grand City God or the humble one, aren’t they both guardians all the same?
A'Xuan was the last to emerge. Though he was manipulating a great load of provisions, not a trace of weariness showed on him. With a flick of his fingers, he stacked the grain neatly behind the idol.
Even the four donkeys were shut inside the temple. After sealing the entrance with a barrier of spiritual power, he finally departed with peace of mind.
Murong Yun stared wide‑eyed at his series of actions, the corner of his mouth twitching—should he be praised for being cautious?
“Come on, once we get through South Street, we’ll be at the General’s residence. I can finally go home!
Unlike the other two, Hua Le could hardly contain herself—her eyes nearly shining with excitement—as she tugged Murong Yun along and was the first to step out of the City God Temple.
It’s one thing for the City God Temple to be long forsaken and in decay—but even Liaozhou, which Hua Le remembered as bustling, was now nothing but devastation.
Though the Pingyun army hadn’t breached the city walls, the streets within were already choked with smoke and ruin. Every inn, eatery, and grain shop in sight had been ransacked beyond recognition.
More shockingly, even the scattered trees and plants at the corners had been snapped, stripped of bark, their roots torn out—leaving only dead branches strewn across the ground.
“How… how could it become like this?”
Hua Le’s face was filled with disbelief. She walked forward a few steps, staring at the scene so unlike what she remembered, struggling to come to terms with it.
Then a gust of wind swept past, carrying with it a faded lantern from the restaurant across the way. The whole street was eerily empty—barely a soul in sight.
It was bad enough there were no living souls around—but when Hua Le turned and caught sight of a gaunt, rotting corpse, she let out a startled cry.
“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. It’s okay.”
Murong Yun was stunned by the sight as well. She instinctively raised a hand to shield Hua Le’s eyes and drew the startled girl close.
She was used to the lively, flower-filled streets of Liujing. Compared to that, this barren city was unrecognizable—if she hadn’t known it was Liaozhou, she might’ve thought she’d wandered into a ghost town.
Of the three, only A'Xuan stayed composed. His lips beneath the mask didn’t so much as twitch—it was clear he’d expected this all along.
“Come on, let’s head to the General’s residence first."
If the city hasn’t been taken, then surely someone remains at the General’s estate.
Besides, as far as he could tell, the General’s wife was hardly some delicate, ordinary woman.
With that, he strode ahead toward the corner of the street. He’d spent days recovering here and knew the place well—especially South Street, lined with plum trees, the biggest of which stood outside the Qin family’s cloth shop.
Back when he left, the plum trees lining both sides of the street were just starting to bud. By now, they must be in full bloom.
But as the three turned onto South Street, they saw the two neat rows of plum trees—and the largest among them stood out even from a distance, its branches rising high into the air.
But the plum blossoms that once lined the street—every last one had been snapped away…
“The plum blossoms… why are they all gone?”
Hua Le was still shaken by the corpse she’d seen earlier. Now, faced with the place she’d once loved to play—where plum blossoms should be in full bloom this time of year, their scent filling the air—there wasn’t a single flower left
“Maybe… they got eaten.”
Murong Yun had no idea what beauty this place once held. All she saw was the nearest plum tree—its side branches snapped clean off, leaving only the main trunk. Scattered twigs on the ground still showed traces of teeth.
The meaning behind it all—once it sank in—sent a chill through Murong Yun.
Liaozhou must’ve been shut away for far too long—long enough that those inside either died of hunger or turned into something like locusts.
Even A'Xuan’s lips tightened this time. Without a word, he led the other two onward.
This time, there was a stir from the houses on either side of the street. Murong Yun caught the faint sound and turned toward it. The door of the house was tightly shut, but through the tattered window paper, she glimpsed someone inside.
It was unmistakably human, but the gaze was chillingly vacant. And when it met hers, a green light flickered in those eyes.
It didn’t look human anymore. More like a ravenous wolf…
Murong Yun wasn’t someone who scared easily. She gave a faint smirk in the direction of that gaze—and the moment her spiritual pressure flared, it disappeared without a trace.
It might’ve been a bit of overkill, but that look—that look that treated her like prey—was something she truly couldn’t stand.
They followed the street and soon reached the biggest plum tree. Its trunk was so thick that a single person couldn’t encircle it. It was obviously very old.
But now, most of the bark had been peeled off, and nearly all the plum branches had been snapped—only the ones high up on the main trunk were still untouched.
“Oh—there are still blossoms here. So they did bloom after all.”
Passing by, Hua Le glanced up at the plum tree she used to climb as a child. At its crown, high above reach, a few blossoms had survived.
Under the plum tree, wisps of its scent still lingered—subtle, yet deeply soothing.
“Sister Lei, can you help me pick that plum blossom? I want to give it to my mother.”
Hua Le recalled that before she was abducted, the plum tree in her mother’s courtyard had gotten sick and hadn’t bloomed. Her mother had looked so downcast at the time.
It was then that she made a promise to herself: once South Street bloomed with plum blossoms again, she’d take a bunch back to her mother.
After she was taken, the plum blossoms on South Street were ruined. But luckily, one branch still survived here.
Well… if she didn’t ask Sister Lei to pick it, someone else would probably come and eat it in a few days anyway…
🐇♡🐇♡🐇♡🐇
Beneath the almost bald plum tree. A single blossom remains high up. Hua Le stares at it with longing. Murong Yun lounges nearby, arms crossed. A’Xuan is crouched, inspecting the tree bark like it owes him money.
Hua Le (pointing upward): "There! That one! The last plum blossom! I need it!"
Murong Yun (Looked at A'xuan): A’Xuan, you’re taller than me. Can you climb up and get it?
A’Xuan (Rolling his eyes): "I’m tall, not a squirrel."
Murong Yun (Deadpan): "You mean, if you climb that tree, it might file a complaint?"
Hua Le (Pleading): "Please? It’s for my mother. She didn’t get to see any blossoms last year. The tree in her courtyard got sick. She looked so sad… like someone stole spring."
A’Xuan (Sighing): "Fine. But if I fall, I’m haunting you."
Murong Yun (Grinning): "I’ll help. I’ll write your ghost biography: “He died for a plum blossom.”"
A’Xuan starts climbing. The tree creaks ominously.
Hua Le (Worried): Be careful! That branch looks like it holds grudges.
Murong Yun (Flatly said): "Most of its parts were eaten, of course it holds a lot of grudges.
A’Xuan (Reaching Out): Almost… got it…
The tree snaps, he did not fall but a fallen branch hit Murong Yun in the head.
Hua Le (Giggling): It’s plum blossom revenge!
A’Xuan (Triumphantly): Got it! One blossom. No bruises. Minimal casualties.
Murong Yun (holding her aching head): I'm the minimal casualty. I expect compensation.
Hua Le (cradling the blossom): Thank you! Mother is going to cry. Happy tears. Probably...
Murong Yun (dry): You sure she won’t cry because you took the last plum standing?
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