Fate and Choice

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The following afternoon.

It wasn't a good day.

The wind carried a damp chill, and the sky was as dark as ink, resembling the dead of night—a clear sign that a storm was coming.

A black stallion galloped down the muddy road, kicking up clouds of dust.

Up ahead, the path split into two directions. At the fork, the horse neighed and came to a stop, its hooves clattering against the ground.

"To the left, this road leads to Soto City, known as the granary of the Balak Kingdom."

"The road straight ahead goes to the Silvis Kingdom. Cross the Fasno Province at the kingdom's center, and you'll reach the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire—Heaven Dou City."

Zhu Zhuqing folded the map in her hands, swung her long legs over, and nimbly dismounted. Tilting her head slightly, she looked up at the young man still seated on the horse and asked, "Didn't you say you were heading to Heaven Dou City?"

"You want to go to Soto City?"

Lu Xian didn't answer immediately. Instead, he met her gaze and calmly countered, "And you?"

Zhu Zhuqing hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickering. "I… I do want to see it for myself…"

"I see…"

A brief silence fell between them.

Lu Xian forced a smile and was the first to break the stillness.

"Since you've already decided, then this is where our paths diverge. I really am going to Heaven Dou City."

"That's quite a distance…" Zhu Zhuqing hesitated. "Will we… meet again?"

"Why ask that?"

"We've already met once."

"What would be the point of meeting again?"

"Would it be the joy of a long-awaited reunion, or just like this—another parting?"

Gone was Lu Xian's usual carefree attitude. Instead, he chuckled lazily, his expression unreadable.

"Zhu Zhuqing, thanks for keeping me company on this not-so-boring journey. I had fun."

With a tug on the reins, he turned his horse around, casting his gaze toward the distance. His voice was light as he said, "I'm off. Take care of yourself. My journey is still long, and I won't be giving you my horse."

"Hyah—"

With a flick of the reins, the horse neighed and galloped off, its hoofbeats fading into the distance. Before long, Lu Xian's figure disappeared beneath the heavy, ink-black clouds.

So decisive.

Zhu Zhuqing stood frozen, lips slightly parted. The look in his eyes when he left… it was unfamiliar.

That one turn of his back felt like an eternal farewell, as if they would never cross paths again.

Just like the fork in the road beneath her feet.

Each had chosen a different path, walking their own journey, heading further and further apart. At the end of those roads, there would never be another intersection.

An indescribable feeling welled up in her heart.

"What's the meaning of our meeting…?"

[Group Chat]

Xiao Yan: Why hasn't Brother Lu been online today? Did he do something shady last night and pass out? Hehehe~

Ye Fan: That's bold of you, Card-Timing Bro! Have you forgotten Lu Bro's ability? Talk behind his back, and don't be surprised if you suddenly find something extra in your mouth.

Xiao Yan: Cough, cough! Damn it, who used a voodoo technique to make me say nonsense just now?! I, Xiao Yan, will never forgive them!

Ye Fan: Tsk tsk! That's so you.

Lu Xian: Fire-boy, why do I see people talking behind my back the moment I log in?

Xiao Yan: Brother Lu, if I told you that Old Man Yao hijacked my account, would you believe me?

Ye Fan: LOL! Believe it or not, I don't!

Lu Xian: Tch, guess if I believe it or not? Next time, I'll make sure you get the full experience.

Xiao Yan: Nooo, Brother Lu! Xiao Yan knows he was wrong!

Yan Lingji: Lu Xian, why are you so late today?

Lu Xian: Fire-Chick, were you waiting for me? What's up? Need something?

Lu Xian was a bit surprised.

Fire-Chick actually reached out to him first.

Yan Lingji: I originally wanted to find a way to visit that fortune teller's world and learn about my fate firsthand. But… his world is gone now.

Yan Lingji: Now, only you know what my future holds.

Yan Lingji: I want to know… what was my fate?

A juicy topic!

The group chat fell silent, with everyone quietly watching.

Lu Xian: Before I answer, why don't you take a guess? Do you think your ending was good or bad?

Inside a crystal prison, Yan Lingji's charming eyes took on a melancholic sheen. Her long, fox-like eyes were filled with untold stories.

After a brief silence, she replied.

Yan Lingji: The one I was loyal to belonged to the old era—an outcast of the new world. I think… my fate wasn't good.

Raindrops began to fall, pattering softly against the earth.

Lu Xian looked up at the sky. Thick, dark clouds churned above him. He needed to find shelter soon.

"Hope there's a place to stay nearby…"

Lu Xian: If you see it so clearly, why stay blindly loyal?

Yan Lingji: You should know—I am a child of Baiyue. I have no choice.

Lu Xian: You have a choice. You just don't want to make it.

Lu Xian: Thousands of years in the future, there will be no more Baiyue, no more Xiongnu. Fifty-six ethnic groups will form one unified nation—Huaxia. There will be no division.

Yan Lingji: I've seen the nineteenth level of hell… in the mortal world.

The rain intensified.

Ahead, near a small hill, a wooden shack came into view—a temporary shelter for hunters or woodcutters.

"Lucky break!"

Lu Xian grinned, urging his horse forward. Just as he led the horse inside, the sky unleashed a torrential downpour.

Inside, the shack still leaked, but it was better than getting drenched outside.

A few bundles of dry wood sat in the corner.

"Definitely a woodcutter's rest stop."

He knocked over one of the bundles to use as a seat and began typing in the chat.

Outside, the world was pitch black, lightning flashing through the sky like writhing serpents.

Through the heavy rain, footsteps splashed against the puddles.

Lu Xian's ears twitched. He slowly stood up and walked to the broken door.

"In this storm, who's unlucky enough to end up here with me?"

He stood at the entrance.

In the darkness, a figure slowly approached through the rain.

BOOM—

A bolt of lightning tore through the clouds, briefly illuminating the world.

In a waterlogged puddle, their reflections rippled—a fractured image of two figures.

One stood inside, eyes calm and unreadable.

One stood outside, letting the rain wash over them.

Dark hair clung messily to their pale face, water trailing down their skin.

"Why did you follow me?"

"I don't know what our meeting means… but I think… it shouldn't end in parting."

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