Shen Lian turned and walked toward the shrine. Xu Yang watched her from the roof. She stopped in front of the old shrine and looked at the cracked door. Her expression became serious. She raised her hand and touched the mark beside the door. A faint pink light appeared for a moment, then disappeared. Shen Lian pulled her hand back and looked at the shrine quietly. Xu Yang's ears moved. That mark reacted to her.... Shen Lian turned away and started walking back toward the village.
Xu Yang followed her with his eyes until she disappeared around the corner. He looked back at the shrine. Nothing moved. Still, something about it felt wrong. He lowered his head onto his paws. "I really wanted one quiet night...." A few moments later, a soft sound came from inside the shrine. Xu Yang's ears immediately lifted. He stared at the dark doorway. Then the sound stopped. Xu Yang remained still for a moment before closing his eyes again.
Next day,Xu Yang sat atop the ridge beam of the main hall, tail wrapped neatly around his paws, watching the unmoving streets. To any eye, he was simply a cat enjoying a high vantage point. Heaven noticed....That's not "noticed." That's "registered.".... I've felt this before.... Xu Yang's tail tightened slightly around his paws. This is different from the shrine. The shrine reacts, but Heaven… categorizes.... His ears tilted back just slightly. When Heaven looks directly… things don't stay uncertain for long. Uncertainty is the only thing keeping me alive right now.... His claws pressed lightly into the wood beneath him. If it finishes looking… The thought stopped before he could finish it.
Xu Yang looked at sky.So this is the part where I stop being a background mistake and become a defined problem.... His eyes narrowed slightly. I hate being noticed.... Below him, a wooden door opened. Xu Yang's ears immediately turned toward the sound. Shen Lian stepped out, already dressed for travel. She adjusted the sleeve of her robe and looked through the empty village. Her eyes moved over the houses, the closed doors, and the dark road before finally lifting toward him.
Xu Yang immediately sat a little straighter. Why is she looking at me like that?.... Shen Lian walked a few steps closer. "You've chosen a troublesome place to live." she said, as if she were simply commenting on the morning. Xu Yang blinked slowly. So you're going to choose where I should live now?.... His tail twitched. Good. Very good.... He looked away for a moment. Are you my mother or something?.... He quickly looked back and kept his face blank.
Shen Lian stopped beneath the roof and looked up at him. "You understand what I'm saying." Xu Yang's ears moved. No. No, I don't. I am a completely normal cat. A very ordinary cat.... Shen Lian raised one eyebrow. "You don't have to pretend with me." Xu Yang stared at her. His paws shifted slightly against the wood. That's exactly the kind of sentence people say right before making my life much worse.... Shen Lian folded her arms. "You were watching the shrine last night." Xu Yang looked toward the shrine, then back at her. "..." Shen Lian gave him a small smile. "And you understood what happened."
Xu Yang slowly lowered his head. Maybe if I look cute enough, she'll forget.... He blinked at her once. Then twice. Shen Lian's smile grew a little. "That won't work." Xu Yang's ears flattened. Of course it won't. Why did I even try?.... Shen Lian took another step closer. "Aren't you going to say something?" Xu Yang hesitated. About what exactly?.... He opened his mouth. "Meow." Shen Lian stared at him. Xu Yang stared back. There. Perfect answer.... Shen Lian let out a quiet breath that sounded almost like a laugh. "You're difficult." Xu Yang's tail flicked. Finally, someone understands....
Shen Lian's expression became serious again. "You are hiding something." Xu Yang immediately looked toward the village. Maybe the roof. Maybe the trees. Maybe I should just leave now.... Shen Lian watched him for a moment before speaking more softly. "Pretending? But how long?" Xu Yang's body went still. His ears slowly turned toward her. She knows.... His tail stopped moving. Shen Lian did not press him for an answer. She only looked at him as if she already knew there was one. Xu Yang swallowed nervously. Great. Just great. First the shrine, then Heaven, and now her. Is there anyone in this world who can mind their own business?.... He forced himself to relax and curled his tail around his paws again.
Shen Lian smiled. "We will see how long you remain only that." She turned and walked toward the shrine. Xu Yang stared after her. Only that? What does that even mean?.... He looked at the road, then at the shrine. He stayed still for second then he followed.The shrine clearing smelled of damp wood and old dust. In the gray light, the broken doors looked less like old wood and more like something that had been forced open from the inside.
One door hung crookedly from a single hinge. The other moved slightly even though there was barely any wind. A thin line of black dirt ran from the doorway across the ground. No one wanted to step near it. The villagers stood far away in small groups, shoulders pressed close together, whispering under their breath. Some kept looking at the shrine. Others kept glancing toward the trees behind them. A little boy started to cry, and his mother quickly pulled him against her side, one hand covering the back of his head. "Something is wrong with the shrine," one villager muttered, his fingers tightening around the edge of his sleeve as he stared at the cracked doorway. Another shook his head quickly. "Not just the shrine. Everything feels… off these days." He rubbed his arms and swallowed.
A woman tightened her grip on her child's hand until the child looked up at her. "What is happening these days? First the water, then the animals, now this…" Her voice became quieter near the end. A soft wooden knock came from inside the shrine. Everyone stopped moving. The woman pulled her child behind her. One man took a quick step back and nearly bumped into another villager. "Did you hear that?" someone whispered. Nobody answered. Another knock came from inside. This time, several villagers flinched. Someone dropped a small wooden cup. It hit the ground and rolled across the dirt. No one bent down to pick it up.
A man lowered his voice. "We should leave. Go to another village. This place isn't safe anymore." "That easy?" another snapped back. He turned sharply, then lowered his voice when he noticed everyone looking at him. "And where would you go? You think it won't follow us there?" The first man's face tightened. He looked toward the road, then back at the shrine. An older villager slowly shook his head. "We can't just abandon everything. Our homes, our fields…" He rubbed his rough hands together as if trying to steady them. "And if it's already marked us?" someone whispered. The words made the group fall quiet.
A few villagers looked down at their own arms. One man quickly pulled his sleeve lower. Another noticed and stared at him. "Why are you covering your arm?" The man stiffened. "Nothing." His answer came too fast. "Show it." "I said it's nothing." He stepped back. The villagers around him also moved away without thinking. Before anyone could say more, the shrine door creaked.Several villagers backed away together. A woman covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming.
The little boy hide his face against his mother's robe. The door stopped. Nothing came out. The man who had suggested leaving pointed toward it with a shaking finger. "You see?" he whispered. "You all see it now." The older villager raised a hand, stopping him from speaking further. "No one goes near it," he said firmly. His voice was steady, but his fingers were trembling. "Not today." "But staying feels worse," someone said quietly. A few villagers nodded. One woman looked toward the road as if she might leave right then, but after a moment she lowered her eyes and stayed. The wind moved through the clearing again, brushing against the broken shrine doors. All of them fell quiet at once.
Near the path, Yan Luo leaned against a tree with his arms folded, his posture relaxed. Only the slight movement of his fingers against his sleeve showed that he was paying close attention. Qing Li crouched beside him, one knee raised, drawing idle patterns in the dirt with a twig. He made one line, stopped, then slowly scratched it away. "Aren't you coming here often lately?" Qing Li asked lightly without looking up. "What is it… Heaven not giving you enough tasks anymore?" Yan Luo's eyes remained on the shrine. "This is not a place for questions." Qing Li's mouth curved slightly. He rolled the twig between his fingers before looking up. "Then I'll just earn the right to ask."
Yan Luo finally glanced down at him. "Try earning silence first." Qing Li chuckled softly and lowered his eyes again. "You're in a good mood today." "I'm always like this." Qing Li looked at him for a moment. "That's even worse." Yan Luo ignored him. His gaze moved back toward the shrine. After a moment, he said, "You also keep coming here lately." Qing Li's hand stopped in the dirt. "Does Wang Xiao not need your help?" Yan Luo's tone remained calm. Qing Li slowly lifted his head. Before he could answer, Yan Luo added, "Of course he doesn't need your help."
Qing Li blinked once, then smiled. "You sound very sure." "What could you even help him with?" Yan Luo asked. Qing Li's fingers tightened slightly around the twig. "You seem to have thought about that quite a lot." Yan Luo's eyes shifted toward him. "I observe what is around me." Qing Li slowly stood, brushing the dirt from his fingers. "Is that what you call it?" "What else would I call it?" Qing Li stepped closer, studying his face. "Nothing. I think I understand." Yan Luo said nothing. For a moment, neither moved. Then, faintly, Yan Luo smiled.
Qing Li froze for half a second. His eyes narrowed slightly, and the smile on his face slowly disappeared. "Oh?" He tilted his head. "That sounded almost personal." Yan Luo's expression returned to normal. Qing Li folded his arms loosely. "You're getting bold," he said lightly. Yan Luo's gaze remained steady. "I'm stating facts." Qing Li let out a soft laugh, but there was less warmth in it now. Then both of them stopped as sound came.They both looked up as Xu Yang approached. Yan Luo's gaze flicked once toward Shen Lian's back. "Ohh! He is still alive!" he murmured. Qing Li tilted his head. "Disappointed?" Yan Luo snorted. "Why should I be? I'm relieved."
Qing Li gave him a sideways look. "You don't sound relieved." Yan Luo folded his arms again. "That's because you're imagining things." "Of course," Qing Li said with a small smile. "I usually am." Xu Yang glanced between them. Why do these two always sound like they are arguing about something I don't understand?.... He decided not to ask. He had enough problems already. Xu Yang leapt lightly onto the low stone border surrounding the shrine, settling as if drawn by nothing more than curiosity. His ears tracked every sound: villagers whispering, Shen Lian's measured steps, the faint creak of wood as the shrine shifted in the morning damp.
One villager noticed him and stepped aside. "Even the cat came to look." he whispered. Another villager grabbed his sleeve. "Don't say that. What if it hears you?" Xu Yang's ear twitched. I can hear you perfectly.... He looked away and pretended not to notice. Shen Lian stood before the broken doorway, studying the darkness within. She did not enter. She did not touch the threshold. "Something interfered," she said. Yan Luo straightened slightly, his relaxed expression disappearing. "With the seal?" "With timing," she replied. Qing Li's twig stopped halfway through a line. "That's worse."
Xu Yang's tail tip twitched. Yes. Much worse.... Heaven did not lose track of corrections. If something had forced this awakening early, it meant another force was pushing back. Or pulling me forward.... He lowered his eyes to the stone beneath his paws. Which would be worse? Probably both. Why can't the universe ever give me a normal problem?.... Qing Li glanced at him. "You're unusually quiet." Xu Yang slowly looked at him. "Meow." Qing Li's lips curved. "Right. Very convincing." Yan Luo glanced between them. "Leave the little cat alone."
Qing Li raised an eyebrow. "I'm only talking." "That's usually when you cause trouble." Qing Li placed a hand against his chest. "You wound me." Yan Luo gave him a flat look. "You'll survive." Xu Yang flicked his tail. At least someone finally understands the situation.... Shen Lian turned, her gaze sweeping the clearing—villagers, hunters, trees, sky. And finally, the cat. "You felt it," she said. Xu Yang tilted his head. Felt... felt what? Your endless stare?.... He slowly blinked at her. Maybe if I look confused enough, this conversation will end.... Shen Lian stepped closer. "Last night," she continued softly, "when the bell rang the second time, you looked at the shrine before anyone else moved."
Yan Luo's posture sharpened. His hand moved slightly away from his sleeve. Qing Li's eyes narrowed with interest. Xu Yang licked his paw. Very important cat business. Nothing suspicious here.... He carefully rubbed his paw over his face. Shen Lian watched him without blinking. "You're avoiding the question." Xu Yang continued grooming himself. If I don't answer, technically I haven't lied.... Qing Li covered a small smile with the back of his hand. Yan Luo noticed and gave him a warning look. Qing Li immediately looked away.
Shen Lian crouched, bringing herself to his level. "Animals sense danger," she said. "But they do not recognize judgment." Xu Yang's paw paused. His eyes slowly lifted toward her. That sounds extremely specific.... Shen Lian smiled. "Interesting," she murmured. Xu Yang's ears lowered slightly. I don't like that word anymore.... Behind her, the shrine creaked. Every head turned. The sound was small—the shift of old wood, the settling of broken hinges. But the air changed. The hum beneath the earth deepened. Not awakening but listening. A villager cried out, "It's moving again!" Several villagers stumbled backward.
One man grabbed another by the shoulder to keep himself from falling. A woman pulled her child behind her and covered his ears. Shen Lian rose smoothly. "Stay back," she said. Yan Luo's hand rested fully on the hilt at his side. His eyes stayed fixed on the shrine. Qing Li stood, the playful look gone from his face. His tail flicked once before stilling. Xu Yang did not retreat. If it emerged again, running would only confirm what it already suspected.... Besides, running from an ancient shrine while surrounded by frightened villagers was probably the fastest way to become the most suspicious cat in the village. He stayed where he was.
The shrine's darkness did not produce a hand. Did not reveal eyes. Instead, a thin line etched itself across the stone threshold—a crack, hairline and deliberate, as if carved by an invisible blade. It glowed faintly. Xu Yang's breath hitched. This glow.... I think I know about this.... He stared at the thin light, trying to place the feeling it gave him. Heaven's mark did not shine.... Shen Lian saw it too.Her eyes narrowed as she studied the glowing crack. "Heaven." she said quietly.
Villagers fell to their knees, some in prayer, others in terror. One man pressed his forehead to the ground. Another kept looking at the shrine with wide eyes, unable to speak. Yan Luo's grip tightened. "Heaven doesn't interfere here." Qing Li's eyes remained on the crack. "It does now." Xu Yang stared at the crack. Correction had begun but not against the shrine.... It's against the anomaly tied to it.... His ears slowly lowered. It's against me.... He looked around at the villagers kneeling in fear, then at Yan Luo, Qing Li, and Shen Lian. I'm only one in the world, right?.... He stared at the glowing crack again. Of course it's all against me....
The line slowly widened across the old stone. Nothing broke apart and nothing fell from it. The stone simply began to disappear along the line, leaving a clean empty space where the old surface had been. The villagers stared at it without moving, their faces growing pale as the deep sound beneath the ground slowly became weaker. The wooden shrine creaked again, and something underneath it seemed to shift.
Xu Yang's vision blurred around the edges. The people around him looked distant, and even their voices seemed far away. A cold feeling spread through his chest as a faint voice appeared in his mind. Correction in progress.... Shen Lian suddenly turned toward him, her expression changing when she saw his face. Yan Luo also noticed and stepped closer, while Qing Li's usual smile disappeared. "It found him." Qing Li said quietly.
The crack widened again, and this time the entire shrine seemed to shake with it. Shen Lian stepped forward and stood between the shrine and the villagers. "No one moves," she said firmly. The villagers froze where they stood. One man slowly lowered the foot he had raised, while another pulled his wife closer. "What is happening?" someone whispered. "I don't know," another villager answered, his voice shaking. A woman looked toward Shen Lian with fear. "Can she stop it?" The man beside her swallowed. "I don't know." Their whispers quickly spread through the group as more villagers looked toward the shrine, unsure whether they should stay or run.
Xu Yang kept his eyes on the strange line above the shrine. His claws pressed against the stone beneath him as the pressure around the clearing grew heavier. Yan Luo moved slightly in front of him without saying anything. Qing Li noticed and gave him a small look. "You're very protective today." Yan Luo didn't turn around. "Shut up." Qing Li's lips curved slightly. "I was only saying." "Then stop saying." Xu Yang glanced at both of them. Seriously?.... Something is trying to erase me and they're still doing this.... The crack spread farther across the shrine. The deep vibration under the ground returned, stronger this time, and several villagers stumbled backward.
One woman covered her ears while another held her chest and tried to catch her breath. A child began crying as his mother pulled him into her arms. Shen Lian raised one hand. "Stay back." Her voice was calm, but the villagers listened immediately. Yan Luo looked at the strange crack. "We should break the field before it spreads." "No," Shen Lian replied. "If you resist it directly, it will react." Yan Luo frowned. "And if we do nothing?" Shen Lian's eyes moved toward Xu Yang. "Then it will choose." Xu Yang's ears twitched. He didn't like the way she looked at him. What does that mean?....
Before he could think further, the darkness above the shrine suddenly changed and thin pale threads began appearing in the air, one after another, as if someone were slowly pulling invisible strings down from the sky. They were almost clear, but their edges caught the light whenever they moved. Some passed between the trees and made the leaves bend without touching them. Others slipped through the villagers, passing through their clothes and bodies without leaving a mark. One thread crossed the shrine and went straight through the old stone.
Xu Yang stared as another thread came down directly in front of him. It stopped only a finger's width from his face, trembling softly in the air. Xu Yang held his breath. Then it moved closer. A second thread appeared beside it, followed by a third, and soon several pale strands were hanging around him. They moved slowly, almost like they were searching for something. One brushed against his shoulder, and Xu Yang flinched when a sudden cold ran through his body. The thread did not disappear. It stayed against him for a moment before sliding down his arm. Another curled around his wrist.
Xu Yang pulled back, but the thread tightened and followed his movement. His eyes widened. These things weren't moving randomly. They were following him. What is this?.... His vision returned to normal a second later, but the feeling remained. He could still feel something touching him, as if unseen hands were checking every part of him. Correction parameters identified.... Xu Yang's stomach tightened. Great. Just great.... Yan Luo looked toward him. "What did it—" "Don't," Shen Lian interrupted. "Do not ask questions the sky might answer." Qing Li looked at her. "The sky gives answers now?" Shen Lian ignored him. "It is not about thought. It is about attention."
Qing Li gave a quiet breath of laughter. "Sounds like the same thing with extra steps." Shen Lian finally looked at him. "Then keep your steps quiet." Qing Li raised an eyebrow but said nothing. The strange crack continued spreading, and the old stone around it slowly disappeared. Deep beneath the shrine, something moved again. The chains holding it shook against the stone, but the presence did not come out. It seemed to understand what was happening above it. Even that ancient thing was afraid of Heaven. Xu Yang felt his chest tighten. If something like that was afraid of Heaven.... What chance did I have?....
Suddenly, a child broke away from the villagers and ran toward the shrine. His mother reached for him, but she could not even scream. Xu Yang moved before anyone else could. He jumped down, rushed across the ground and stopped in front of the child. He hissed sharply, making the child freeze. His mother quickly grabbed him and pulled him back. The villagers stared at Xu Yang. Then the pressure above the shrine changed. The pale threads suddenly stopped moving. Every strand turned toward Xu Yang at the same time. The sight made his body go stiff.
One by one, more threads appeared between the trees, above the rooftops and around the shrine, until the whole clearing seemed covered in thin pale strands. They crossed over each other without touching, forming a strange web around Xu Yang. Some stretched high into the sky while others disappeared into the ground beneath his paws. Xu Yang could feel them getting closer. Yan Luo stepped forward. "No." Shen Lian looked at him. "If it takes him, it will take everything tied to him." Qing Li's expression became serious. "That's... not good."
Shen Lian kept watching Xu Yang. "He is not supposed to exist here." Xu Yang slowly looked at her. "And now Heaven knows it." The threads tightened around him. Several strands pulled upward at once, and the whole web around Xu Yang trembled. Deep beneath the shrine, the ancient chains shook again as the thing below seemed to watch what was happening. A faint red glow appeared beneath the old stones and disappeared. The villagers lowered their heads as the pressure became stronger.
Xu Yang looked up. The threads above him were slowly rising, gathering into one place high over the village. More strands joined them from every direction, becoming brighter as they crossed the dark sky. It looked as if something unseen was pulling them together from the other side. The sky above the village seemed to bend toward them. The pale threads gathered higher and higher until they met in one place. Everything became still. Then, high above the village, where the sky should have been empty, a faint, colorless line began to draw itself across the air.