Uh…so, what’s next?
‘Next…what is next? They were supposed to take a few years before they move forward, so what now?’ Chief Lian continued mumbling, unable to extricate himself from the shock and the consequent existential crisis.
Lao-San embarrassedly suggested, ‘Uh…I think Chief Lian is quite tired, and you’ve all also been through a long journey so how about I check you all in to an inn for now. This can continue in the morning.’
They gave Chief Lian one last sympathetic look before nodding. Jason said, ‘Yes…let’s do that then.’
He led them out of the pavilion, their footsteps echoing softly on the cobblestone path as they made their way through the tranquil village. The sun was setting, casting a warm, golden glow over the thatched roofs and stone walls, and villagers were beginning to light lanterns that swayed gently in the evening breeze.
The view provided a pleasing contrast to the hustle and bustle of the day.
The group followed Lao-San through narrow, winding streets lined with blooming flowers and lush greenery, the air filled with the faint scent of jasmine and the distant hum of cicadas. Eventually, they arrived at a quaint inn nestled among the trees, its wooden sign displaying ‘Peach blossom Inn’, gently above the entrance.
Lao-San pushed open the heavy wooden door, and they were greeted by the cozy interior of the inn. The common room was dimly lit by lanterns hanging from wooden beams, casting a warm, inviting glow over the rustic furniture and wooden floors. A crackling fire in the hearth added to the atmosphere, and the a homely scent wafted through the air, filling the visitors with warmth.
He approached the innkeeper, a scrawny, kind looking middle-aged man with a welcoming smile. After a brief exchange, he scanned them curiously before nodding and handed him several keys, each attached to a wooden tag with a number carved into it.
Lao-San turned back to the group, handing each of them a key. ‘I’ve booked separate rooms for all of you. You’ll find them comfortable and quiet. Please rest well tonight, great heroes.’
He led them up a narrow staircase, the wooden steps creaking softly underfoot. The corridor was lined with doors, each bearing a number corresponding to the keys they held. He gestured to the rooms, one by one.
The rooms were simple yet cozy, each furnished with a comfortable bed draped in soft linens, a small wooden desk, and a window overlooking the village below. The fading light of the evening cast long shadows across the room, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere.
‘Rest well,’ Lao- San said with a gentle smile. ‘Tomorrow, we can continue.’
The group thanked him and entered their respective rooms, the doors closing softly behind them. The inn was quiet, save for the distant sounds of the village winding down for the night. They each settled into their rooms, feeling the weight of the day’s events slowly lift. However, there was still one issue they had to deal with before their much-needed rest.
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It was something they all held back on, as they weren’t quite sure how much these people knew, and how much was safe to reveal despite the hospitality and generosity shown by the Chief and Lao-San.
They stat window had popped up with a notification the moment they formed their cores.
Now that they were away from prying eyes, they opened it.
Notification!
Congratulations, you have formed your core! Now you are free from the restraints placed by the stat system and a step closer to unlocking your true potentials!
Your stats can now be raised to infinity as long as you follow the designated path. Keep it up!
Each of them became lost in thought upon receiving this message, unsure of what it entailed just yet. However, they would one day fond out.
Funnily enough, all five of them had spent all night pondering the contents of this notification, unable to sleep or rest as their brain refused to calm down, causing them to spiral in to the dreaded black hole that is overthinking.
As such, rays of sunlight touched their faces, intruding through the open window, bringing the unwelcome yet much-awaited news that tomorrow had arrived. A new day had come upon them…one which they would remember as the day which brought them closer to a truth which was hidden behind a seemingly insurmountable wall.
They rolled out of bed as the light flashed on their retinas, preventing them from any attempts at dozing off, though to their surprise, mental exhaustion aside, they felt neither tired nor sleepy.
They washed up and made their way downstairs to meet up with their teammates to discuss what had kept them up all night, yet they were all stuck at the same place, unable to find the answer. Hence, with no other direction in sight they decided to move forward towards what they know.
‘Then, let’s go back to the pavilion’, said Daiki, already moving ahead.
The other’s followed suit, and decided to follow the next step proposed by the Chief.
‘I don’t know what we did wrong, but I hope we didn’t break that handsome 1500-year-old mummy’, said Alice with knitted eyebrows.
‘Yeah, let’s. Because he’s our only lead here, we can’t afford to have him break’, agreed Seo-Jun in exasperation.
They arrived at the pavilion and went straight for the Chief’s room as per their memory. Zhiren stepped forward and knocked on the door, ‘Excuse me, Chief Lian? It’s us, the uhh…heroes from the prophecy. May we come in’, she said, blushing in embarrassment at her own words.
The others also had similar reactions to the referral.
There was no answer, so she decided to try knocking again but as she raised her fist, a loud thud was heard from inside.
The door suddenly flew open and a storm of dust floating around the room came rushing out, blurring their vision and causing them to cough.
As the dust started to settle, they noticed a dignified figure standing in the center with his hand behind his back…it was Lian Zhong, evidently having recovered.
He truly reminded them of an immortal as the dust had formed clouds around his lower half, portraying a look of unreal mystery.
He smiled at them and said, ‘Good Morning, dear heroes. Welcome back’, he bowed his head, ‘I apologize for my unrefined behavior yesterday, I am deeply ashamed that I became like that despite having lived to this age’.
‘Uh, good morning and thanks…but it’s okay, really. We understand. Glad you’re okay now’, said Seo-Jun quickly.
‘But, what is all this?’ asked Daiki, gesturing at the dust clouds gradually settling down.
Chief Lian raised his head, ‘This?’
He waved his arms as a great wind dispelled all the gathered dust obscuring their sight sending it outside, the room clearing up looking the same as last night, as if the sight before was just their imagination.
The only difference, and the apparent cause of the commotion was that there was square hole in the wooden floor in front of the Chief, with a staircase in sight.
The Chief gestured to it with his chin, ‘This is what next’.
To be continued…
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Seo-Jun: Couldn’t you have just told us that normally?
Lian Zhong: ╮(╯▽╰)╭
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