Orion had seen this scenario play out before. That girl's thought process often bordered on the absurd.
He knew exactly what Hu Tao was planning to do and where she was going, so he didn't bother following. Hu Tao moved like the wind - she'd be back soon enough.
True to form, within what felt like half a moment, she came sprinting back, her arrival perfectly timed with the noon bell.
Lunch found them sharing their usual meal together at the same table, just like every other day.
But today was different - Hu Tao pushed her food around her plate with uncharacteristic gloom.
Lin Feng noticed immediately. "What's the matter?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
"You seem preoccupied."
This was unusual. Hu Tao, who could happily chatter away to stone lions for hours, whose optimism never wavered - for her to be visibly upset meant something serious was bothering her.
"It's nothing," Hu Tao waved weakly, her usual energy completely drained. Even her voice came out softer than normal.
"I'm just... I'll miss seeing you for so many days. That's all."
"Who says you won't see me?" Orion sounded genuinely surprised.
"I'm coming with you."
"How could you!" Hu Tao shot up from her seat, her tone suddenly grave.
"Your body can't handle such a long journey! And the terrain there - jagged rock formations everywhere - the walking alone would be too much!"
"I'm going." Orion's voice left no room for argument.
He had to....
The thought of Hu Tao traveling to such a distant, dangerous place alone at her age unsettled him.
And with Ningguang joining them... This might be his only chance to properly interact with one of his favorite characters from the game.
After all this time observing from afar, how could he pass up this opportunity?
As for his health... Well, his condition was what it was. He didn't know how much time he had left.
Wasn't it better to do everything he wanted while he still could? To avoid dying with regrets?
"No." Hu Tao stood her ground.
"Unless you want to become my next client." Her concern for his wellbeing was palpable.
"I know my own limits," Orion countered. "If you won't take me with you, I'll just follow on my own." He adopted his most stubborn expression, playing the petulant child.
"Alright, alright." Hu Tao knew when she was beaten.
Beneath Orion's typically gentle, polite exterior lay an iron will. That ever-present smile of his?
Deceptive.
When he set his mind to something, not even a team of oxen could drag him back.
Hu Tao had no choice but to relent. What alternative did she have? If Orion followed secretly, it would be far more dangerous than traveling together. At least this way she could keep an eye on him.
It said something about their relationship that Hu Tao - who even her grandfather had struggled to persuade once she'd made up her mind - found herself constantly making exceptions and compromises for Orion alone.
With the matter settled, Orion smiled.
"I'll go pack then," he said, rising from the table and heading straight for his room.
Hu Tao watched him go, sighing in a rare moment of exasperation.
That stubborn fool...
She truly didn't know what to do with him.
The truth was, Ningguang had originally come to the funeral parlor years ago to place a commission - back when the director wasn't Hu Tao, but her grandfather.
This was before Ningguang had risen to become Tianquan. Her request was unusual: she didn't want the parlor to find someone among the living, but rather to seek clues from the departed.
Time passed. Ningguang ascended to her position of power. The old director passed away. The matter was set aside.
When Hu Tao inherited the parlor, she meticulously reviewed all outstanding commissions, reaching out to each client.
Reactions varied - some, doubting a young girl's capabilities, withdrew their requests.
Others, impressed by her diligence despite her youth, were content to wait until she had more time.
A third group, busy with their own affairs, needed to coordinate schedules.
Ningguang fell into this third category. Fresh in her role as Tianquan, overwhelmed with work, she'd assumed the parlor's change in leadership might delay her commission indefinitely. She'd been surprised when Hu Tao reached out so soon.
That Hu Tao contacted her at all spoke volumes. Ningguang trusted her implicitly - the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had always maintained an impeccable reputation under its previous directors. Someone raised in that environment, she reasoned, would surely uphold its standards.
So she agreed, planning to depart for the Chasm once her current workload eased. After weeks of overtime, she was nearly ready.
For ten years, Ningguang had searched for Orion, sparing no expense to hire specialists in such matters.
She'd kept the search quiet, revealing neither the full scope of her efforts nor her motivations to anyone.
The wounds Orion had inflicted ran too deep. After what he'd done, Ningguang trusted no one with the truth - not even those closest to her.
---
Ningguang would make a scene about this matter if necessary. She deliberately limited the number of people assisting her search - too many helpers risked exposing her secret.
After all, there might still be those who remembered her connection to Orion from years past. Someone could piece things together.
She'd received the report long ago - a stone etched with the name "Orion" had been discovered near the Chasm's outskirts.
The area was said to be haunted too. At the mention of ghosts, Ningguang's pulse quickened. Could Orion have died? Become a restless spirit leaving his mark on stone?
Though knowing his character, such behavior seemed unlikely. Yet possibility mattered little - she had to investigate personally.
And when dealing with spirits, no one surpassed the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's expertise.
Now seated in her wind-slime drawn carriage facing the Chasm's direction, Ningguang felt her heart pound strangely.
Could this truly lead to him?
Previous false leads about Orion had never stirred her like this. Only now...
Her thoughts scattered as the carriage suddenly lurched downward. Turning, she saw Hu Tao loading luggage - both hers and Orion's - into the vehicle.
The journey to the Chasm's depths wouldn't differ much from traveling Wuwang Hill's slopes, save for the treacherous paths.
The deepest areas wouldn't even accommodate slime carriages, requiring travel on foot. This round trip with their investigation would likely consume half a month at minimum.
Given the extended duration, they'd naturally brought more supplies.
Of course, Hu Tao wouldn't dream of letting Orion shoulder heavy luggage in his condition. She'd recruited several parlour employees to transport everything.
As the Funeral Parlor's director embarking on an official distant commission, a modest entourage seemed appropriate.
Ningguang's spacious carriage easily accommodated their collective luggage with room to spare. A hired driver sat ready to steer the wind-slimes and navigate their course.
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End of chapter.....