By The Lake (I)

Ning Que did not know how to continue the conversation. He glanced at the bubble floating in front of her, which prompted him to recall what he and his teacher had speculated about on the ship. Uncertainly, he asked, "This is what the world looks like?"

Sangsang did not answer.

Despite the unyielding blizzard, the speed of the big black horse was still extremely fast. Without taking much time, they had crossed the Snow Sea. Ning Que turned and looked back at the clear hoof prints on the snow-covered plains, seemingly deep in thought.

Every step would leave a trace. This sentence was somewhat sarcastic as it was something meant to be painfully obvious, but such a simple truth was much needed in what he was going to do. Were those traces not the most significant impact of mankind to this world? Like city walls, palaces, fields, paths, and river banks?