The second hand kept ticking—round and round—something had to be said, or the atmosphere would feel strangely off. Chang Dong cleared his throat. "How did the check-up go? Did you accompany Xiao Liu?" Ye Liuxi groaned. "It was completely strange. It felt like a full-body examination—blood drawn, eyes tested, and we were moved from one room to another, constantly delayed, as if deliberately stretching the time. In the end, the diagnosis was only stable for now. If it weren’t for the doctors’ good attitude, I’d have wanted to storm out and shout." Chang Dong nodded. "This hospital might have been established by a family member." Ye Liuxi asked, puzzled. "Why?" "Both the diagnosis and the test results are perfectly reasonable—yet utterly useless." Ye Liuxi chuckled, suddenly remembering. "Oh, by the way, after Fei Tang returned, he asked me to do something." "What was it?" "He wasn’t just accompanying Ah He—he was furious. He said the other party was just making things up." Now Ahuo is mute. He's worried that after we leave, Ahuo might be treated unfairly, so he'd like me to ask Zhao Guanshou to treat Ahuo especially well. He's also come up with an idea: could we request a pair of substitute tongues from Zhao Guanshou? The assistant tongue could be placed in Ahuo's mouth, while the main tongue could be kept by Ahuo himself. In this way, Ahuo would be able to speak freely and no longer be controlled by others. The idea is quite good. Before mentioning his own thoughts, Chang Dong asked, "What do you think?" Ye Liuxi replied, "That's clearly a simple, selfless gesture—giving roses and still enjoying the fragrance. Why wouldn't we agree? Perhaps this will make Ahuo grateful to Fei Tang, and I'll even be able to facilitate a connection between them." Chang Dong said, "Go ahead and present this to Zhao Guanshou—he'll certainly agree. Whether or not it actually gets carried out is another matter. Moreover, you should know roughly what kind of status you hold. Zhao Guanshou's current courtesy toward you is merely temporary and superficial. Once the situation is fully assessed, he may well turn "The closer Ahuo gets to you and the more favors he receives from you, the greater the chance he'll be dragged along in your troubles down the line. As for Fei Tang, perhaps you shouldn't be so eager to mediate between them—after all, one is from the interior region and the other from the exterior. While they haven't yet truly developed feelings for each other, let's just keep things cool for now." Ye Liuxi looked up at Changdong, "I feel like you've been rather pessimistic tonight." Changdong replied, "…The current situation isn't clear; I can't see a path ahead." "Not seeing a path doesn't mean you can't walk—just take it step by step." "What if there's no path at all?" Ye Liuxi said, "I've only ever heard of people without legs. I've never heard of anyone without a path. Even if we're truly without legs, wouldn't a cane still allow us to forge a path?" Indeed, a cane could help create a path, and so could climbing—but that would surely be much more difficult. Changdong didn't know what to say. "You go rest now, and we'll still have to travel tomorrow. He stepped back, just about to close the door, when Ye Liuxi pointed at the cup in his hand. "You came out to brush up, didn't you? How come you're still asleep?" Chang Dong sighed inwardly, feeling utterly disoriented today. "I'm a bit confused. I'll go and freshen up." Heading toward the bathroom, he hadn't taken more than a few steps when Ye Liuxi suddenly called out, "Chang Dong." Chang Dong turned around. Ye Liuxi said, "You've been acting odd today. You never do this before." "Li Jin'ao mentioned that you went out for a long walk during the day. In this Black Stone City, I don't see much scenery... Is something wrong?" Chang Dong remained silent. He wasn't used to lying, yet so many truths remained unspoken, stuck like a lump in his throat, unable to be released. Ye Liuxi didn’t ask any further. He simply came up, put his arms around him, and whispered, “You don’t have to speak now. I’ll still say this: whatever comes up, let’s face each other directly, talk it all out thoroughly—no matter what the outcome turns out to be. We’re all adults; nothing’s beyond our capacity to handle. I’ll wait for you to come and talk to me.” … Chang Dong washed his face with cold water, but after the wash, he remained unclear, even more hazy than before. Lying in bed, thinking of Ye Liuxi’s words—“I’ll wait for you to come and talk to me”—he couldn’t help but smile wryly. What could they talk about? Where to begin? What purpose would they hope to achieve after the conversation? He drifted off to sleep in a half-conscious state. In his dream, it was very cold outside, with strong winds. His body felt light—wind seeped through the window cracks, blowing and swirling, eventually lifting him entirely. Then, he wandered through a dark desert, holding a burning candle to light his path. Far ahead, there was a glow, That was the direction—he kept walking. At last, he drew near, yet could not shake off the eerie sensation: the beam of light, like stage spotlights, seemed to emerge from nowhere—no source visible on any side. Surrounding the beam sat eighteen people, quiet, silent, pale-faced. Chang Dong’s hands trembled violently; wax dripped onto his back, each drop cold. Those eighteen were the victims of the mountain tea incident. The candle flame flickered and then went out, a fine white mist filling his nostrils. Within the beam, Kong Yang raised his head and waved at him, as if calling him to come closer. Only then did Chang Dong notice that there was an empty seat beside Kong Yang. There had been nineteen victims—his arrival had been late. They had been waiting for him. He should have come earlier. Black mountain tea, no miracle, no survivors. Chang Dong's lips moved slowly as he retreated step by step: no, he couldn't rejoin the team—he still had so many things to finish off... Then, suddenly, the world spun and turned, and those people surged forward, lifting him, pressing him down, twisting his arms and legs. The candle rolled helplessly at his side, out of reach. Chang Dong strained to lift his head, and before him stood an infinitely enlarged face. It was the man Dragon Zhi had first chosen—the man who had just become a father. The man grabbed his collar, dragging him fiercely toward the light while demanding, "Why? You could have stayed neutral and let us avenge ourselves—yet you still stand by her, you go to help her! Do you still have a heart? Where is your conscience? Where is your heart?" Many hands came pressing in, sharp nails tearing into his skin, peeling open his chest, all shouting in unison, "Heart? Heart?" Chang Dong struggled desperately, but then suddenly, those people stepped back, standing on the sides, watching him with expressions of fear. Chang Dong lowered his head and saw his chest, bloodied and splattered, where his heart had already shattered into fragments. A silvery cord, like the thread on a sewing needle, ran through the heart tissue, intricately stitching it together in fine, dense rows. The heart still beat, the cord weaving through the heart muscle, glowing with an eerie tremor. He shivered, reaching out with his hands to grasp the torn flesh of his chest. As he lifted his eyes, he saw Kong Yang. Someone choked on tears, saying the bodies had still not been found. The leaves fell outside the pass, drifting thousands of miles yet unable to find their roots. Kong Yang finally spoke, not blaming him, merely asking, "Changdong, why do you keep apologizing so much?" "Ding Liu said, 'Don't worry—on my father-in-law's end, I'll take care of everything. Also, don't think he's that easily impressed. He's not someone who only cares about money. Once I tell him about the situation in the interior provinces, I'm sure he'll be just as eager as if he'd been handed a fresh piece of news—imagine him taking a ticket to Beijing or Shanghai and showing up there, how could anyone else manage to make it to the interior provinces? Hey, Xi, if my father-in-law invites you to show him around, don't be soft with your pricing. Charge him whatever you like—ten or eighty thousand, no problem. He's got the means.' What about you? Over these past few days, could you help me out—go around Xishì more often, and when you come across some older, antique items, buy them first and hold the payment for me? I’ll definitely find use for them. Ah Hu nods. Fei Tang feels particularly pleased with himself, thinking that although he hasn’t made a major gain this visit, the prospects clearly look promising. He confidently promises Ah Hu, “Next time I come, I’ll bring you something fresh and unusual—something you’ve never seen before.” There's still one more thing... He had originally intended to mention the turtle-back snake orchid, hoping to delight Ahuo. But then he thought—Ye Liuxi would still need to go asking people for help, and asking is no easy matter. Better wait until things were nearly certain before bringing it up. So, the words he had on his lips softened into: "...And that turtle-back snake orchid—don't know if it'll survive outside. Oh, Liu, if it can thrive beyond these walls, then we might as well cut our losses on antiques and just focus on selling flowers—we'd be rich off just that!" Ding Liu's eyes sparkled: "I think that thing is even better than gold. With that, I'll have an easier time explaining myself to my father-in-law. Oh, how about we do it right now?" They exchanged glances, silently aligned, and reached agreement without a single word. Everything was clear, yet unspoken. Chang Dong, listening to their joyful, animated talk, suddenly understood everything. One code, one story—there's nothing to hide. Leaf Liuxi doesn't need to be kept in the dark, nor does Ding Liu or Fei Tang. They're all part of Longzhi's plan. They have reason to know what dangers they might face, and the right to take every step possible to avoid or respond to them. He rushed into the house to find Changdong, only then did Changdong remember he had forgotten to notify him: "The situation has taken a sudden turn—our decision to leave is just within the next couple of days. Either you pack up and join us, and we'll stop at some place along the way to settle you down. The farther you go, the better. Don't think about your career or future—just focus on stability and peace. That's all that matters." Li Jinao stood speechless, growing more and more convinced that Changdong's tone sounded as if he were urging him to flee and seek safety. Changdong paid no further attention to him, simply went about packing his things. After standing there for a while, Li Jinao suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and, without hesitation, sprinted back to his room. A man of his age wouldn't eat salt for nothing, nor walk across bridges for nothing—his words didn't need to be spelled out clearly. The struggles in Black Stone City were shifting rapidly; some prominent figures had already lost influence before even taking office, leaving countless minor players behind. It seemed he had made a bad bet, joined the wrong side. —By midday, Considering Chang Dong wasn't feeling well the day before, Ye Liuxi insisted that he lie down alongside Gao Shen in the ambulance, with Ding Liu accompanying them as a caregiver. As for the SUV, she and Fei Tang would take turns driving, picking up Li Jinao and the two chickens along the way. Ah-Hu saw them off. Though Fei Tang had promised to return soon, seeing the once-bustling courtyard now suddenly quiet and empty—both chickens now on the vehicle—she couldn't help but have tears welling up. Seeing Ah-Hu distressed, Fei Tang felt a pang of guilt: he'd always felt he owed her something since nearly breaking down and making her cry during their visit to the remote village last time, even though she had been pretending—it had been out of necessity. He couldn't think of anything more suitable to say, so he kept reassuring Ahuo in a rush: "Take good care of yourself—we'll see each other again soon..." As he was speaking, Changdong leaned out from the ambulance and said, "There's still room on the vehicle—we can take one more person without being crowded. If Ahuo is willing, she could accompany us for a while, just as a way to take a walk and freshen up. After all, the Yulin Guard has a convoy escorting them all the way, so she can return with them later." What could be less enthusiastic than that? Ahuo quickly nodded. She knew well her current position was awkward—Zhao Guanshou probably wouldn't use her again, and perhaps one day she'd even be asked to leave the Yulin Guard altogether. The more delayed the confrontation, the better. — Brother Dong, I just feel this isn’t a escort mission at all—it’s more like a detention. — There are two vehicles, mysterious, curtains drawn tightly, so we can’t even see who’s inside. Chang Dong suddenly interrupts her: “Xiao Liu?” “Hmm?” “Isn’t this rather dull? How about we take a personality assessment?” “You say it.” Chang Dong says: “One of your relatives passed away in a fire, and everyone thought it was an accident.” “Years later, you fall in love with someone. During a conversation, you suddenly realize that the fire was actually caused by her accidentally dropping a cigarette butt—she herself didn’t know it would lead to such serious consequences. What would you do?” Ding Liu stares wide-eyed: “Is this even basic courtesy? Can you just drop cigarette butts anywhere? A cigarette butt doesn’t usually cause a fire unless it’s dropped in a trash can or a pile of grass, right? So, isn’t that just throwing them into the trash or the grass?” “This is criminal! And it even resulted in deaths! Isn’t this negligence leading to a fatal outcome? Shouldn’t she be arrested and sent to prison?” What can I do...of course, I'll file a police report and fight for justice," Chang Dong reminded her. "You've already fallen in love with him." Ding Liu scoffed, "So what? In this day and age, people get married and then divorce—how is it wrong to fall in love with someone wrong? If I lose my family in the fire, I won't be able to face death without doing something." Chang Dong asked, "Then, from a rational standpoint, can you forgive him?" Ding Liu frowned, "It's hard to forgive—my family, even if he meant no harm, I still feel uneasy...Oh, Dong-gong, what does this say about my personality?" Chang Dong smiled. He had originally intended to ask, "Can you still love him?" but seeing Ding Liu's reaction, he thought he didn't need to. He softly said, "You're someone who can take hold and let go—quite good." Is that really a personality assessment? Ding Liu wasn't satisfied. "Then, Dong-gong, what would you do if it were you?" Changdong didn't reply. He closed his eyes, as though drifting off to sleep while talking.