The man in leather awoke with a start, his body aching from exhaustion. He realized he was lying on a bed, the softness beneath him a stark contrast to the chaos he remembered before losing consciousness. At the foot of the bed sat Mei Hua, her back to him. She seemed lost in thought until she sensed his stirring. Turning to face him, her expression brightened.
"I'm glad to see you've awakened," Hua said warmly, standing up with a grace that belied her age. Her voice carried a more soothing yet commanding tone. "Your fate had shifted this time, and now we must journey through more stories to mend them."
With all that being said, Mei Hua turned and walked away leaving the room in silence. The man hesitated, still processing her cryptic words, but the pull to follow her was quite undeniable. He rose from the comforts of the bed and trailed behind her, stepping into the heart of the cabin once more.
At the table where it had all begun, Mei Hua gestured for him to sit once more, with thr same kindly demeanor she had thr first time they had met. "Come now," she said, her tone impatient but playful. "We don't have all week. The story must continue." She took her seat, awaiting for the man to join her.
The man lingered for a moment, conflicted, but ultimately sank into the chair across from her. He had no other choice but to follow her lead.
Mei Hua picked up one of the cards—the one labeled Zaoshi, meaning 'Early Demise.' But something had changed. The card's design had altered, and the word had transformed. It now read 'Shou' meaning 'Long Life.' The bat symbol had changed as it stood alive and well rather than being impaled with a spear.
The story had begun anew, unfolding in a time when the old world had given way to the new. This was the era where legends intertwined with modernity, where fate can and could still be rewritten, and where the journey they had taken would shape the course of the new age.
Mr. and Mrs. Cheng stood before an ancient icy mountain, their faces etched with exhaustion as they were too old for such journey and the hours of trudging through the relentless snowstorm was already taking its toll. The howling wind but into their skin, and their legs felt like they could give out at any moment.
"Aren't we close already?" Mrs. Cheng asked her husband, her voice barely audible over the roaring wind. Her petite frame seemed no match for the storm, and she hugged her coat tighter around her shivering body.
Mr. Cheng unfolded an old, weathered map, his gloved hands trembling slightly from the cold wind. Displayed on the map was a treacherous path leading to a mysterious artifact—the Jade Stone. He studied it closely before turning to his wife, a look of joy breaking through his frostbitten features. "Honey, we've made it," he said, his voice brimming with relief and excitement.
Mrs. Cheng, despite her fatigue, managed a small chuckle. They were so close from reaching their destination that might save their daughter's life.
Ahead of them lay a small cave nestled at the base of the mountain, its dark entrance barely visible through the swirling snow, but they could still see it. "Come on, dear, let's go," Mr. Cheng urged, his energy renewed by the promise of their goal.
But Mrs. Cheng struggled to keep up. Each step seemed harder than the last, her small frame weighed down by fatigue. Besides, this wasn't her or her husband's idea, venturing into such a dangerous wilderness. Yet, they had no choice but to agree—they had to do this for their daughter, who had fallen victim to a mysterious illness after making contact with a mysterious talisman. The illness was so strong that no doctor could diagnose. Only a priest had given them hope, speaking of the miraculous Jade Stone as the cure for her illness.
Seeing his wife falter, Mr. Cheng extended a hand to her. "Here, let me help you," he said, concern in his voice.
Mrs. Cheng reached out but she was far too weak for such a journey. Mr. Cheng seeing the situation his wife was in, dropped his hand. "I'll continue while you rest," he said, assuring her that he could continue.
Mrs. Cheng wanted to protest against her husband continuing the journey but he shut her up before she could speak further. "No," he said, helping his wife down, her back rested against a dried up tree. "I'll return once I've recovered the stone, but I need you to stay right here."
Mrs. Cheng was reluctant on letting her husband leave her, but sacrifices had to be made in order to help their daughter recover from her illness, so she had no other choice but to agree.
Mr. Cheng nodded back. "I'll be back," he promised, before turning toward the cave. His determination drove him forward as he trudged through the snow.
However, just as he neared the entrance, a sharp cracking sound stopped him in his tracks. He glanced down to see fissures spidering across the icy ground beneath his feet.
Before he could react, the earth groaned and trembled violently. The ground gave way with a deafening roar, and Mr. Cheng cried out as the icy terrain collapsed, swallowing him into the darkness below.
Mrs. Cheng screamed, her voice raw with panic as she scrambled to her feet, the storm whipping around her. But it was too late—her husband had vanished into the abyss.
————
Mrs. Cheng collapsed to her knees, her tears freezing against her cheeks as the snowstorm raged on. She had feared this moment as she saw how deep the hole was, her heart ached with the certainty that no one could survive such a fall—especially not a man in his late fifties. The sheer height of the drop and the icy terrain bellow spelled an inevitable end.
But it seemed as if Fate had different plans.
Far below, Mr. Cheng stirred. Pain shot through his entire body, sharp and all-consuming, but just as quickly as it came, it began to fade, as if some unseen force was mending him. His groans were faint, barely audible in the eerie silence. Slowly, he opened his eyes, though his vision remained blurred.
At first, he could see nothing but jagged stones covered by darkness surrounding him. The air was cold and damp, the faint sound of dripping water echoing in the void. As his vision cleared, a straight sight met him. Swirling purple lights illuminated the dark tunnel he had landed in, casting shadows that danced across the walls.
The light was unlike anything he had ever seen in his thirty years of exploring old caves and ruins. It pulsed rhythmically, almost alive, its glow providing just enough illumination to reveal the tunnel's jagged, uneven surfaces. Mr. Cheng slowly pushed himself to a sitting position, wincing as he moved. The pain jn his body had entirely subsided, leaving him with a peculiar sense of vitality he couldn't explain. It was almost like he never fell in the first place.
He looked around, his mind racing with questions. How had he survived the fall? What was this strange light? And more importantly, how was he going to find his way back to his wife, who was probably scared about his wellbeing?
———
His wife's voice echoed from above the tunnel, calling out to him frantically. "Husband, are you there there?!" she shouted with every ounce of strength she had, her voice filled with hope. Despite the dire situation he found himself in and rhe looming threat of death, her unwavering faith in his survival was certain.
Mr. Cheng forced himself to respond, his last voice strained and faint, but he did his best. "I'm here! I'm okay!" he called out weakly. Relief washed over Mrs. Cheng just from hearing her husband's voice. She exhaled deeply, feeling the heavy burden on her chest begin to ease.
With great and unyielding effort, Mr. Cheng scrambled to his feet. The biting cold air swirled around him in the tunnel, sending shiver through his body, but he steadied himself, determined to move forward. He carefully examined his wife, who had leaned over to the edge to catch sight of him. "I think there's a path down here!" he called up to her.
"Are you sure you're okay? Do you need my assistance?" Mrs. Cheng asked anxiously.
Mr. Cheng on the other hand, refused. "No," he replied firmly. "It's too dangerous. Stay there. I'll continue from her till I meet you at the top!"
Although his words were meant to reassure her, Mrs. Cheng's concern deepened even more. How could he sound so casual after barely surviving such a fall? Still, she reluctantly agreed to her husband's decision to stay put. She obeyed and waited, while Mr. Cheng pressed on.
The journey through the tunnel was treacherous. Minutes dragged into hours as he navigated through endless obstacles. Each time he felt like giving up, the thought of his daughter and the promise ge made to save her reignited his resolve. Night eventually descended, and the darkness made his trek trek even more challenging, but with the help of the purple swirling lights swimming through the tunnel, he was able to find his way through the tunnel.
As he considered stopping to catch his breath, something peculiar caught his eye. It was a structure—a red gate, reminiscent of those built for temples. Mr. Cheng paused, staring in awe at the strange and unexpected sight, his curiosity piqued.
The strange purple light that encircled the area seemed to pulse from the entrance. Drawn by his curiosity, Mr. Cheng approached the structure cautiously, his footsteps echoing faintly in the hollow space. Now standing directly in front of it, he took a deep breath.
He reached out, his hand trembling as it moved closer to the glowing entrance. But before his fingers could make contact, something cold and unnaturally firm grasped his wrist. Startled, he froze. The hand holding him was dry and brittle, its texture unmistakably that of decayed flesh.
Heart pounding, Mr. Cheng turned his head slowly to his right. What he saw made his blood run cold. Towering over him was an eight-foot-tall figure, its presence overwhelming and ghastly. Long, tangled black hair framed a face devoid of life, its empty eye sockets staring blankly at him. The creature's skin, though stretched tightly over its massive frame, was mummified and cracked, as though it had been preserved for centuries.