Gou Jie stood silently, a letter held tightly in his grasp as he ascended the frost-laden hill. He journeyed to the hill's peak, permitting the biting chill to lash against him.
From his elevated position, he looked out over Qingzhou City. The inner city walls were visible from here, and behind the city's tallest tower lay the Thousand Divination Tower. However, he could no longer see it.
He unfolded the letter, skimming over the few lines it contained.
"We calculated that ending a few hundred years ago."
"But we are still calculating."
"The reason is simple."
"We don't believe you."
"What a coincidence. You don't believe me either."
"Unfortunately, we didn't seem to succeed. Then you can do the rest."
"Let's try. Maybe it will work."
The message was brief and unadorned, like a mundane letter from home, trivial in its tone. Gou Jie noted the signatures — his master, Yue Yang, and his father, Gou Xinyue.
