Soooo peeps… As I became conscious of my surroundings, I found myself listening to an old man. He was speaking gently, almost like it had been since he had been talking.
"Look for your cousin," he said. "She'll tell you what to do."
He leaned closer, his voice low and raspy.
"Your cousin has been searching for you all this while. It's better if you find her as soon as possible. You'll find her in the territory of the Red Desert. Both of you have suffered enough pain to keep you awake at night. It's time the two of you meet and get revenge for what happened to you and your families."
I stared at him blankly. I didn't know what he was talking about. I looked around, then back at him.
"What are you looking at?" he asked.
"Nothing," I replied quietly. "Just… do I really have to do it?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Do you have another plan to get revenge on these people? Are you not tired of their assassinations? How many more do you want to lose before you come to your senses? Use your powers and protect each other."
Then he smiled slightly, nodded at me, and walked away disappearing before my eyes. One moment he was there, and the next, he was gone. I blinked, turned in every direction, and cried out, "Where are you? Where have you gone?!"
But there was no answer.
Tired and confused, I began to walk. I was wearing tattered pieces of cloth wrapped around my body, and a worn-out scarf covered my face. Only a few bangs of hair escaped from beneath it, giving me a slightly mysterious look.
As I continued on, I saw a group of people headed in the same direction. I approached them. One man noticed and called out, "Oye! Young man! What do you want?"
No one responded.
Again, he shouted, "Oye! You!"
Still, no reply.
"What kind of person is this? I've been calling for a while, and he doesn't answer… idiot."
And then de started walking toward me. I quickly stepped aside, trying to give him space to pass.
"Oye! I'm talking to you!"
"Me?" I said.
"Weren't you calling for a young man?"
"Look around! Who else here is young?" he laughed.
Then he came closer, peering at my face. I stepped back, uncertain.
"Are you a girl?"
"Gi... girl?" I echoed, hesitantly.
That's when I realized because of my veil, I must have looked more like a boy.
So I covered my face tighter and said, "Hahaha! Me? A girl? Ever seen such a handsome girl, laoye?"
He laughed too. "That's what I said! I was thinking my 85-year-old eyes can't even tell genders anymore!"
I laughed with him and discreetly adjusted my scarf again.
Then I asked, "Laoye, I want to go to the Red Desert. Do you know where it is?"
"Yes, I know."
"Can you tell me?"
"No, I cannot," he said, flashing a sheepish grin that revealed his gold-stained, broken teeth.
Honestly, I felt a bit disgusted. But since I was pretending to be a guy, I had to man up. I looked down at my sandals, avoiding eye contact.
"What can I do to make you tell me?"
"Follow me to my destination. Help me with my chores. I'm old. In exchange, I'll tell you where the Red Desert is and I'll even help you get there."
I was pretty sure he was messing with me, but against my better judgment, I said yes. I started walking with him. I had no idea where I was, why I was here, or even who I truly was. I knew I was Ann, but in this odd attire like something from a Chinese costume drama I felt like someone else. Maybe even a man. Strangely, it was exhilarating. I had always wanted to be a Chinese action fantasy heroine... or hero?
We joined a caravan of about twenty people, all dressed in beautifully traditional clothes. Their outfits were vibrant beads, layers of flowing cloth hanging from belts, and forehead pieces that made the women and children look almost regal. They were some kind of nomadic grassland people, I assumed. I didn't ask.
The days were hot. The nights, cold. After long days of walking, lifting, and working, we'd light a fire. At night we'd gather around it singing, dancing, chasing each other, eating whatever little food we had. It was... what we'd call "rosy" in the modern era.
After seven days of travel, we reached a pyramid-like area. As everyone prepared to leave, the old man called me over.
He hugged me tightly. I turned red with embarrassment but not too much. Only I knew I was a girl. He still thought I was a boy.
To be honest, if this were the modern world, I might've called the police for touching me without consent. I sighed. My ears burned as my face flushed.
After what felt like a full minute, he let go.
"Son... you don't have to follow us anymore."
I panicked. "Laoye, what are you talking about? Did I do something wrong?"
He smiled, but there was sadness in his eyes.
He placed a hand on my shoulder and turned me toward the vast openness before us. " Érzǐ... this is your destination."
"My destination?"
He nodded.
"The Red Desert?" I asked.
He smiled again.
I should've felt happy. I'd reached my goal far sooner than I expected. But not like this. I felt strangely... sad.
"Let me say goodbye to them," I said quietly.
"There's no need for that," he snapped.
His tone was sharp. My eyes welled up with tears.
"Get used to farewells. No one stays in life forever," he said, and turned to leave.
He walked away, and soon disappeared into the desert like he had never existed.
I looked around. Above me loomed a small pyramid. I was alone, standing right beside it.
Before I could gather my thoughts, I saw a fancy carriage approaching with guards on horseback. It stopped just a few feet from me.
A soft, raspy voice came from inside.
"Cousin..."
"Cousin?" I repeated.
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