Ran Wei joined not long after, occupying the last core, making Shou quite satisfied. She sighed, as she reeked that familiar smell of beer and food. Once more, she saw the receptionist within her sight. Without further ado, she asked the receptionist. "Is there anyone I can speak with if I wish to learn more about this village?"
"You can ask me," the receptionist replied proudly. "I may be young, but I know my way around here. Otherwise, I'd never have gotten this job."
"Okay then." She took her offer. "Are you originally from this village?"
"Nope," the older woman answered. "I, just like you, wandered into this place. Only for me, it was 20 years ago. I still remember. At that time, I was just an immature girl from the Xuan Kingdom, pursuing my love. But, just as I was about to confess, I wandered through a world shrouded in fog, and landed in this godforsaken place." She chuckled, basking within her own melancholy. "At that time, I was as young as you, and the previous receptionist that explained this village to me was not much older than me. Time has really passed without giving me a chance to adjust. It's truly a shame."
The clerk listened with much attention. It wasn't only because she found the story interesting and that Mei Xue was so hellbent on finding the truth, but also because that receptionist reminded her of herself. She wondered. If she had never left her hometown, would she have ended up the same way as the middle-aged woman in front of her did?
"I don't quite understand though. Why can't you leave?"
"It's quite simple, really. The whole world, for us, is just a field of flowers. No matter how far you walk, the only thing that comes to greet you will be the witch, the village, or some shadow beast. It's not like nobody tried, but all those who left, without a doubt, return or die. Those are the options," the receptionist explained.
Ran Wei stared at the table while remaining seated. She observed her empty bowl and thanked the lord that her own hometown was not stricken with such a curse. Otherwise, she did not know how she'd survive in such a desolate place. Even now, she simply wished to leave and explore the world. The store clerk opened her mouth. "If you could leave though, what would you do?" It was not a question that the group had prepared beforehand, and ultimately would not leave in solving this puzzle, but she was simply mesmerized within the setting, and asking the question felt as if she had asked herself.
"Hmm. I don't know."
"Would you not return to your old place," Ran Wei asked.
The receptionist replied. "I could. But I do not know if I would. I have, by now, lived her more than I have at my old place."
"You could search for that old love again. Don't you miss your parents? Or some other friends and relatives?" she continued pressing, almost a little distressed as if she needed the answer for herself.
"I'd be lying if I said I was not curious." The receptionist giggled carefreely, as she stretched herself. "But what is the point? You should know, whether you like it or not, life moves forward. You can't control what happens beyond you, but you can understand your reaction to it. You can choose to be happy or sad, regardless of the outcome. Me? I will choose to be happy all the time. If I can return, that'd be nice, but if I cannot, that'd be just as great."
". . .You guys here really know how to be philosophical." Ran Wei sighed. She knew the receptionist had just talked about something insightful, but honestly, she wasn't smart enough to understand it. But what she did realize was that she too was content with her life. She had left behind many things when moving to the city, and she hadn't even gotten a ticket into the capital, yet after everything that was said, she was still happy with everything, no matter the road, one will find satisfaction and disappointment at the same time-what mattered was their attitude towards it. That was probably the same way the receptionist felt. "Uhm, say, may I speak to the village elder?"
...
Li Yangyi, after a while, was naturally the first to leave the instance first. He was shocked to see so many people the moment he left his consciousness. He had never expected this place to be so full! It was the right call to enter the world before anyone else, after all. He wondered, did his sister manage to enter?
"Welcome back," Li Yinyi greeted him from behind. She knew he'd be arriving as she had watched him live in that illusory world the whole time. "What's your completion rate now," was the first thing she asked.
"Uhm, it says 28%. That is pretty good, right?"
Li Yinyi nodded. "I think so too."
"I see that Zhang Yong has entered the world of the witch, but what's with all these other people? Did the emperor come to visit or why has there been a sudden influx of people," Li Yangyi voiced his thoughts.
"Well, it's probably that people wish to distract themselves from these turbulent times," a female voice said, and as the young boy turned around, was shocked to see the familiar face.
"Miss Mei Xue," Li Yangyi gasped then swiftly greeted her. "Uh, I am sorry for the late welcome. I did not know you were here at all."
Mei Xue shook her head. "Don't worry about it, you were in deep sleep after all. Also, thanks to you, I've gained valuable information." She eyed the now unmanned core and turned to the other customers. "Does anyone here mind if I go next?"
Naturally, no one would dare talk back to her. As such, she welcomed the new illusory world, as she fell asleep on the chair that Shou had given Li Yangyi.
"-Hey, are you listening, brat?" A grating voice immediately filled her eardrums, and Mei Xue knew exactly who it was. In front of her sat an old lady with gray hair, tied into a bun, and black robe. She had a weathered face, with black irises that left no light out.
"I am," Mei Xue spoke tactfully. Even if she did not, her beauty would paint everything she did elegantly anyways. "I've just been wondering. How exactly did I end up in this place?"
"How should I know," the old lady scoffed. "If you don't have anything better to do, just leave, will ya' I still have lots of stuff to do." Suddenly, she glanced out the window and saw the sun had already set. She sighed. "Nevermind. Stay the night here for now. I can't let an innocent girl like you outside at such a time."
"Thank you very much for the offer," Mei Xue bowed and spoke with a smile.
The old lady waved her away. "you said you've been wandering through the fields the whole day? It's good that you made it out alive, but I warn you, don't step into any of the wrong places, otherwise, you won't be so lucky next time." She stood up, pushing herself off the ground. "You must be hungry, I will make something to eat."
"I can help," Mei Xue spoke.
"Just sit!"
She did what she was told. She remained on the pillow and began taking in the scenery around her. The young lady was inside a wooden hut, one of many within these villages. A small candle illuminated the lights, completely different from the magic in Shous' store. The old woman in the kitchen was the owner of this humble abode. She had introduced herself as the apothecary.
When Mei Xue had entered, quite a lot of people had swarmed her and been enchanted by her looks. It was that woman who had pulled her away with an irritated face. It seemed that the charm she exuded did not work, which, to Mei Xue, was actually a positive thing. She could finally relax for once.
"Excuse me, how long have you lived here," Mei Xue watched over her shoulder and asked.
The apothecary grumbled but still answered. "Except for that wily old chef, probably the longer than anyone else. What do you want to know?"
"How did you know I wanted something?"
"You brats always want something. Always searching and full of ambition, as if life didn'T give enough already. I hate these kinds of people," she spat out. At the same time, she chopped a few herbs with her knife.
"I suppose that is true," Mei Xue replied. "I wanted to know what is up with this village."
The sounds in the kitchen stopped. After a few minutes, the old woman slowly answered. "You waste no time, do you?" She chuckled wryly, resuming her cooking. "I don't know if it is true or not, but long ago, I've heard a story. It was the origin of this village. Do you wish to hear it?"
Mei Xue nodded vehemently, then realized the apothecary could not see her. "I want to!"
An aromatic smell began to leave the kitchen. "The story goes, in the beginning, this place was not a village, but the home of one single, secluded family."