A shooting star streaks across the brilliant night sky, casting a brief moment of light on the surrounding landscape. In the distance, thunder rumbles, and heavy raindrops pound against the cobblestone walkway, each one striking the ground with a sickening splat, like bones breaking. It's a ghastly scene, a macabre mixture of rainwater and fresh blood that gives the path an eerie red hue, sending shivers down the spine of anyone who dares to venture close.
In the midst of the madness, a pathetic figure cowers under the light of a flickering torch, barely visible. The man looks like he has been through the wringer, as if he had been caught in a blender and then tossed in a tornado for good measure. Even under normal circumstances, he would be the poster child for frailty. It's a pitiful sight that would elicit laughs from even the most uncaring of hearts.
"If I could speak, I would curse at you!" His ferocious words are as feeble as a newborn kitten's meow, but they still manage to carry over the din of the storm. It seems he can still hear, despite the raging winds and battering rain. The question lingers, however - is it me he can hear?
"I'm sorry. I'm awfully sorry," he coughs. "Please, please don't go." His voice is barely a whisper, drowned out by the deluge of rain.
The torchlight flickers and sputters, threatening to leave the man alone in the dark.
Wiping his bloody mouth on his sleeve, the man's glistening, feminine eyes scramble, never settling in one place. "Ming Tianjian," he croaks, his voice hoarse. "That's--" he coughs, "my name."
I begin to utter the word "Human..." but I'm interrupted by a sudden movement from the nearby bushes. A furry monster with two heads hops out, causing me to jump behind a wavering tree. Even though I'm an incorporeal entity with no physical form, the bunny's grotesque appearance and menacing beady eyes manage to sear my non-existent skin.
Ming Tianjian also looks in my direction, his eyes scanning the area. He seems to sense the presence of something else, but after a moment of mortal incompetence, he turns his attention back to the ugly thing.
The creature hops closer, its two heads bobbing up and down in a grotesque dance. But before it can reach Ming Tianjian, he tries desperately to bring it into his lap. "I was a little mean, wasn't I?" Tears roll down his face. "Do you have a name, little one?" He tries to move to a more comfortable position, but all in vain.
The thing's ghastly matted and greasy fur are clumped together in wet, tangled strands, making Tianjian seem average-looking. Not even hell would be an appropriate name for the bunny.
Tianjian huddles with the monster, muttering in an almost lullaby voice, "Don't worry, I only have a few ticks left." He strokes the creature slowly and methodically, and the bunny seems to be entranced by Tianjian's soft and womanly voice. Hesitantly, Tianjian perches it on his side, where a sorry wound gushes red ooze. "Once I'm gone, don't forget to eat."
The cold, hard rain continues to pound against him unrelentingly, each drop a reminder of the cruel and unforgiving world he's leaving behind. As his final breath escapes his lips, the creature lets out a low growl, its two heads snapping forward in unison. And then, as if on cue, the rain stops.
"What a tragedy," I say, my voice a mere whisper. "What sins did this soul commit to deserve such a fate?"
As I stare at the ground shaking under his corpse and the hideous creature munching, I think, perhaps the creature should have been named Hell, for the place Ming Tianjian is headed cannot even compare.
A blinding light appears, and a heavenly figure steps out. "Don't you recognize her?" he asks in a condescending voice.
"Lian Shen? Why are you here so early?" I inquire, surprised by his unexpected appearance.
"I dropped my fishing rod," Lian Shen replies, almost childishly, making me chuckle somewhat.
"I see. Who were you talking about earlier?" I ask, curious.
"What do you mean who?" Lian Shen looks puzzled.
"Have you already forgotten?" I inquire, raising an eyebrow.
"Who was I talking about?" Lian Shen asks again, scratching his head.
"You know, that girl?" I remind him.
"Ah, ah! Yes, yes!" Lian Shen exclaims. "She's the sole heiress of Black- um, Black Lotus," he says, stumbling over his words.
My stomach drops. "So you mean to say Ming Tianxian was here, and I didn't even notice?" I say in disbelief.
"You- how could you be so forgetful? The ghastly lady was right in front of you, and you forgot her!" Lian Shen admonishes me, shaking his head.
"Ming Tianjian?" I ask, my gaze returning to the corpse, only to find it and the now full-stomached bunny being pulled into the ground where a new, sinister portal emerges.
Confused, Lian Shen shakes his heavenly head and struts away, tranquil in the horrendously dark environment. "You still have a chance to see her if you go now, you goose," he says teasingly.
"Me... in there?" I stutter, pointing at the blue and purple transforming portal, my mind momentarily forgetting about Tianjian. "Do you really want me gone that badly?" I gasp. "I admit, I might have devoured the last remaining ancient apple, but isn't this a bit extreme?"
"If you're not willing to go, then stay," came the ominous reply. "But mark my words, this is the final chance you'll have to witness someone as capable of overturning the heavens as her."
Extra scene:
As they dined, the bunny felt a strange energy pulsing through their veins, as though they were imbued with the essence of life itself. Unbeknownst to them, they were indulging in the remains of a once-living human, yet they continued to nibble away in blissful ignorance. Even as Ming Tianjian slipped away into the abyss of death, the bunny continued to chew on her bones, relishing in the last vestiges of her existence. It was only after they had devoured every last leg muscle that the guilt began to set in. With a contented belch and a sheepish glance, the bunny realized their sin. "Oh," it hiccupped.
Extra, extra scene:
"Wait," Lian Shen's mouth opens, trying to process what he had just heard. "D-D-Did you just say that the precious 9,000-year-old glistening red apple was eaten alive by you, you worthless piece of ungrateful crap?!?!" he exclaims, his tone full of unadulterated disbelief. "Do you think flogging family is easy?!"