Xin was holding a bucket below the roof on the second floor, right under a small stream of droplets.
"Shit's leaking. The floor is all soaked." The air was pretty musty, too.
"I guess the roof leaks constantly, that's why this bucket was here. And now, with people gone, there was no one to set it up." Lei said.
"I grabbed some cheap carpets below, we'll put them under our sleeping bags, should be enough to keep us dry for tonight."
"I've got two blankets in my bag of holding. Want one?"
"Why did you grab two?"
"Just in case. Got a problem with that?"
"Ha, was hoping you thought of me."
"Well, maybe I did." He handed him a thin wool blanket. "Know what I think?"
"Shoot it."
"This house, abandoned, like uncle Jun's hut."
"And?"
They heard footsteps coming up. Wu Xianyun entered the room, a bottle of wine in her hands.
"You guys alright here? We are heating up a fireplace below. Oh, and I found some rice wine, wanted to share." She handed them a bottle. Her gaze was warm, but slightly concerned.
"We were just talking, existential shit, you know? You are free to join." Lei pointed to a lone chair, near the attic entrance.
"Ha, let me sit with you two for a bit. So, you guys drink?"
"I don't think we should. It's not that cold, and we might get ambushed. Need to stay vigilant." Xin denied her offer coldly. "But we'll keep it, for a better time."
"What a jerk, you decided for both of us again? Anyway, I was just telling Xin that it all feels repetitive."
"In what way?"
"I think I get it." Xin said. "Fist sect had tried to extort us before. Tealstone was ruined by a beast tide, and now there is this insect thing. We had to fight in an abandoned hut, in the forest, not the steppe, but still in the wilderness, and now we are in similar circumstances. That's what you mean, brother?"
"Yes, exactly. It all feels like a vicious loop. I remember meeting new people in Clay Nest, but I could already recognize them, like I've met them before. Similar situations, similar events. All variations of the same shit. And now I have this eerie feeling about this place. Truth is, I feel like that grasshopper attack is not a coincidence. What if someone was probing us?"
"I had this idea, too, but I had nothing to back it up. Trust me, I've been using all of my methods, but found nothing. Doesn't mean there isn't anyone playing with us. And this repetitive stuff thing, sounds relatable. And sometimes I feel like I am not even me."
"Maybe that's why I felt like we were similar when we met. We both knew the absurdity of what's going on. You catch my drift? This whole thing. Life."
"I don't know, man. My life had its ups and downs, but honestly, before the boar, I felt like it was going downhill. Then I hit the rock bottom, or at least I think I did, and now it's slowly getting better. Still, I feel like many beautiful colours have faded."
"What do you mean? Could you elaborate?" Wu Xiaoyun looked interested, her eyes lightened up.
"I lived in nature, and it was beautiful. Appreciated every moment, every sound. I still hurt and had my hardships, but it also kept me afloat. Now, it's all the city and the sect. The sect and the city.
Serenity. Tranquility. These words were a part of my life, yet seem like a distant dream now. And now that we are out of the sect, even if the situation gets more dangerous day by day, I actually feel better, even if I smell like shit. We all do, to be honest. Except for you, sister. You smell nice somehow."
"Oooooh! Calm down, gigolo!" Lei chuckled. "What a womanizer, hahaha!"
"That's not what I meant. Sister Xiaoyun just doesn't smell badly like we all do, and it's not just her being a girl. Yao Nang smells like an old shoe."
"Hahaha, you are a very eccentric guy." She giggled earnestly. "But I'll take this compliment, thank you. I've got my methods. And this repetitiveness thing, sounds like stress. When people are mentally exhausted or their psyche is unbalanced, they tend to get such episodes. Same with feeling dissociated." She suddenly had a serious expression on her face again. "I need to take care of Su Xing, his throat is sore. Need to heat a concoction so he doesn't get sick."
"I'm also an alchemist, call me if you need any help." He said, then thought about her words. Dissociated, huh?
"Thank you, brother Xin. Come down if you need anything. Good night." She headed down the stairs.
"I am also in this room." Lei blurted out. "Fuck me, right?"
"Haha, what's wrong with you, Lei? Why are you so moody? We are all just chatting, no?"
"I am pouring my soul out, she comes in and starts talking about you. She's been eyefucking you for quite some time, man. And then you start flirting."
"Oh, I can see why you would see it this way, but no, I just wanted to be nice. I don't see her like that."
"Well, maybe I was confused, it was my first time seeing you being nice to a woman." Lei grinned.. "Look, I am not jealous, but maybe I just expected something else from this talk. Don't know."
"It was pleasant, you know, being sincere. Usually, when I get moody, people just avoid me like a plague. Here, we just briefly talked about the stuff that bothers us and... It was fine. It's unusual." Xin couldn't fully express what he felt.
"Yeah, right." Lei turned to the wall and prepared to sleep, sulking, but spoke up again. "When we come back, are we breaking through?"
"Of course. Good night."
"Good night."
Xin felt sleepy, and he wasn't too bothered by the distant chatting on the first floor.
Still, he felt like meditating on his own messy thoughts. So, this girl, she is pretty in her own way. But I don't like her, do I? Well, she's caring and pleasant. Got this weird green hair. Whatever. I have no feelings for her, why lead her on? It would be nice, having someone, but still. Would Lei get pissed if I pursued her? No, probably not.
Does Xie Taowei hate me? He seems a bit more reasonable than I initially thought. You just have to earn his respect. Master Lu is very reliable and competent, too. And his way of asking questions reveals him as a talented teacher. Still, failing his breakthrough so many times? How can this happen? A mental block?
Tu Qiang seems like a decent fellow, too. Yao Nang and him have split, but are acting in a civil manner, not starting any drama. And he isn't abusing his rank to bully the mortals. Maybe we'll become friends one day?
Xin was about to reminisce about other group members, but fell asleep.
He was dreaming about Tealstone. Everyone was there. Mom, dad, Feng Chonglin, uncle Jun, Lady Meiling, Xie Xiaodan.
They were eating and chatting, and his mom was at the head of the table.
"My boy, tell me how it went" She asked.
"Mom, I don't know... What went?" He felt himself mumbling, and everyone stared at him, making him uncomfortable.
"Well, you know. The thing." She smiled and looked at him, with a hint of arrogance.
"I didn't. My teeth went soft." He showed her a bloody, wet tooth that he held in his hand. "See?" He touched a hole in his mouth with his tongue, and it had a metallic, sour taste.
"Your dad is disappointed. Aren't you, dad?" She looked at his dad. He nodded. He was just sitting there, but his hands were tied as he held the chopsticks.
"Um-um-uhm." His dad said.
"Father, did they cut your tongue off?"
"No. They didn't."
"So why do you speak like that?"
"Uhmhmhmh." He mumbled.
"WAKE UP!" Tu Qiang shouted from the outside, his voice slightly muffled by the rain. "Alarm!"
Xin jumped up, his heart was beating like crazy. He felt his head spin for a moment, but his body quickly recomposed itself.
Boom! He heard something crash outside.
"Aaaargh!" A female voice screamed.
Xin and Lei rushed downwards. Xin had both his arbalest and glaive with him, and Lei's saber was also drawn.
There, through the open window shutters, Xin saw a figure. It was a head taller than a man, its own head looked like a giant fly trap, its body was made of bark and plant, intervining, and from its torso grew four limbs, made out of thick, dark green vines. It hissed viciously as it strode towards the inn, while eerie sounds of dangling movement echoed from all sides!