The first time Yu Xingxie witnessed death was at the fringes of the ocean. The local fisherman had brought in a heap of fish, ready to be gutted and fed into the mouths of Donghe's villagers. Xingxie had ripped mouthfuls of fried fish off of chopsticks her father used as skewers. The sesame and lemongrass flavour burst in her mouth. She had barely finished one before she begged for more.
The second time was when she first heard about the concept of divine punishment. The rise of the Artificial Gods—a society built upon sinners—had trampled through the three nations, looking for new sinners to ascend to godhood. They hadn't reached the village of Donghe at the time, but whispers travelled further than feet ever could.
The third time was at the hands of the prodigy of Donghe, first daughter of the Yu family, and Xingxie's older sister, Yu Bingyue.
"Xingxie, where are you going?" a village auntie asked with barely concealed revulsion. Her face was painted in white, two pink circles poorly blended into her cheeks. She was sitting with a group of women, their faces covered in the same manner. "Shouldn't you be with your mother? She's barely left the house in days."
Xingxie bound her sunkissed arms in cloth wraps. She bit the end of it with her sharp canines, jerking her head back to tighten the protective wraps. She was near the trading docks, hanging around a food stall. Zhang Wei, the owner, rung a battered bell as he called out the menu to travellers and traders alike.
"When have you ever cared about the wellness of my family?" Xingxie bit through clenched teeth.
Xingxie didn't have to look up to know who the gossiper was. Wu Fangmei was a middle aged women who insisted she was still in her youth, though her back certainly didn't believe so. She, along with other bored wives, often sat around Zhang Wei's food stall, gossiping and laughing loudly at the other villages of Donghe. They stuffed their mouths with buns and slurped soups, attempting to garner passerby Kaizokus' attention. Xingxie couldn't blame them; the Kaizoku clan were a charming group of pirates with well defined arms and stomachs from their strenuous lives on the sea.
"How dare you speak to me in such an ill manner." Fangmei looked embarrassed, but Xingxie couldn't tell under those artificially pink cheeks.
Xingxie rolled her sleeves down. She swiped a red bean bun from the group's table and took a dramatic bite, chewing in mock thought. The sweet, red paste melted on her tongue. She closed her eyes, savouring every bite and ignored the mortified gasps from the women. She swallowed and belched loudly.
"You… you— you'll be paying for that!" an old, petite woman stammered.
"I don't think my father would appreciate your tone, Yang Nainai," Xingxie said. The corner of her mouth quirked up at the woman's paled face. She tiled her head to the side, surveying the women with a serious expression. "He's been having a bad day lately. I'm sure you're intelligent enough to know why. How would he react if the only daughter he had left was being bullied by a village elder?" Xingxie took another bite of the bun and paced back and forth. "I heard your husband had laundered some of the trade money for himself. It must explain why he was wearing that embroidered tunic the other day."
"Are you mad? Accusing me of such a crime without proof!" Yang Hudei snapped defensively. Xingxie relaxed her arm over the woman's tense shoulders. They shot up to her ears.
"That zan you're wearing, it must've cost a fortune." Xingxie flicked Yang Hudei's hair stick. She hummed, biding her time. "In the past, you could barely afford your son an education. Now he's flourishing at the local school."
"You insolent child," another woman cursed. "Have your parents not taught you when to shut your mouth?"
Xingxie ignored her and leaned in close to Yang Hudei's shaking body. "My father is a kind man, Nainai, but he's far from a pushover."
Yang Hudei opened her mouth to protest, but Xingxie had already sprinted into Shilin forest, a half eaten bun caught between her mouth and another two jammed up into her sleeves.
"Zaijian, Nainai!" Xingxie cackled back with a wave.
Xingxie skillfully manoeuvred throughout the uneven terrain of Shilin in the same way she had done before. Ever since her education was abruptly halted, Xingxie spent most of her spare time in the vast forest expanse or near the ocean shimmering with Meng particles. She would attempt to climb ginko trees and bamboo, but fell flat on her face after miscalculating how much weight a branch could carry. She would bang rocks together in an effort to spark a fire, but abandoned her work with bloodied hands and bruised fingers. She'd spy on strange people dressed in foreign garbs, watching their past haunt them as their eyes turned to glass.
Xingxie was considered a lucky girl in a conservative world. She had the chance to go to school, to learn about numbers and texts alongside the village boys, but she had given up that luxury ages ago. Words seemed to hate her, constantly running off the page so fast Xingxie could barely catch up. It was why she spent her days mindlessly wandering around the village, venturing into the forest or creating objects with her Meng, instead of staying in a small classroom with the other village kids. Xingxie was inherently different, just like her sister. But, unlike her sister, it wasn't a good thing. Nothing she did was.
"Maybe if I showed them my dreams, they wouldn't think that way," Xingxie hummed to herself as she fastened a garter around her thigh. She tucked the bottom of her tunic into the leather band.
She had found travelling Ivorians with thick bands on their limbs, but had no idea what purpose they served. Ivorian clothes were vastly different to those of Hai. Where Hai had long, formless tunics with a wide fabric secured at their waist, Ivorious chose hard materials that wrapped around sensitive areas like the stomach and heart. Once she had seen the use of the garter, Xingxie had fashioned her own out of Meng.
Throughout the three clans of Xiaohai, each was blessed with their respective deity. The Kaizoku had Ryujin who had blessed them with charm. It was originally supposed to be a tangible power to control the tides, but Mazu had advised strongly against it, sparking the first division within Xiaohai. The Laideos had Yongwang, the Dragon King, who had given them the knowledge of the yeouiju and allowing them the power to catch the mystical orb from the sky. Once successfully caught, the yeouiju could be used to bond the Leideo with a Yong. The Haieans had been gifted a tangible power by Mazu, the Heavenly Consort: Meng.
Meng was a bright, shimmering substance found in water. Using both a Haiean's dreams and Meng filled water, the Haiean had the ability to manipulate water, creating objects at will. Bigger objects required the work of many dreamers, while smaller ones only need a single user. With Meng, a Haiean could make objects come to life just by using their imagination. This was how the north of Xiaohai harbored the most inventors in Ziama's history. However, nowadays, most people in the north focused on trade and their economy, like Xingxie's father.
Xingxie wasn't sure why or how she discovered her Meng; Haieans had lost touch of their original powers years ago. Meng still lingered through them, but without regular use, it would be hard to activate, just like her literacy abilities. She could guess that it was the Sea God's way of compensating for her misfortunes. Or maybe Xingxie had been so bored these past sixteen years that she had finally lost it. Regardless of why, Xingxie liked to keep the knowledge of her Meng to herself. It was like a secret that no one could pry out from her hands.
Xingxie stood up and shook her leg to test the clothing accessory and took a few steps forward.
"Not too bad of an invention, Ivorious. Still," Xingxie yawned and cracked her knuckles. "You should probably stick to academia."
Xingxie continued onwards, though she wasn't sure where. None of her adventures had a purpose anyway. Usually something or someone would find her, granting her a new goal to run towards or away from. Most of those people came from Ahadore, the land built upon sinners.
A couple months ago, Xingxie had stumbled across an abandoned camp. She rummaged through the camp and found all the leftover supplies all bearing the Vanius insignia. They were servants of the Spinner, a sister of Fate. All those who entered the gates of Ahadore were; the Spinner was the one that gave them a second chance at life. They were the Artificial Gods. Artificial in their making, gods in their nature. To the regular mortals in Ziama, Artificial Gods were ruthless beings, not gods. To the Spinner, they meant the same thing. Xingxie had never witnessed a trial until it was her sister who was convicted of her crime. Xingxie wanted to find her because her memory betrayed her. Apart from Xingxie, Bingyue was the only one who witnessed the murder with her own eyes.
That night in Li Lingbo's house, Xingxie had watched the events unfold in front of her eyes. Flashes of it were etched in her memory, though she struggled to remember much. The night sky illuminated by the pearlescent full moon, the ringing in her ears, Yue suddenly appearing in front of Xingxie. A bloodied knife had been in Yue's hand, fist shaking from her vice grip. Xingxie had felt like she was spectating from outside of her body, a shell of her glassy eyes and stained tunic forever engrained in the back of Xingxie's mind.
But Xingxie couldn't believe that her sister would kill Lingbo. Lingbo was Bingyue's closest friend. Sometimes Bingyue spent more time with Lingbo than her little sister; they were the only two girls who went to the local school together. Whenever Xingxie saw the girls around each other—which happened more often than the rest of the village had initially believed—they would always hide under the shadows of old buildings or under the wooden planks of the docks, away from watchful eyes. Xingxie never understood why they spent so much time together—how much could one talk before they start spilling nonsense?
"Hello?" Xingxie called lazily. She kicked at the dirt, sending chunks of it flying. "Are there Artificial Gods around, doing evil deeds? I'm willing to help you if you let me see my sister. I just want to talk to her! I'll even, I don't know…"
Xingxie pursed her lips. She had no idea how an Artificial God ascended to godhood. She didn't know where they would take Bingyue, but no one in Donghe village had seen her, so perhaps her sister had already crossed the border. Xingxie didn't have much time to dwell on her sister's whereabouts. Not when she planted her foot in the centre of a trap.
Xingxie yelped as she felt the ground disappear under her feet. Wind kicked up beneath her as she plummeted down the darkness. She gripped onto the dirt walls, but the soft soil did nothing to help her. Xingxie crashed face first into the ground with a pained moan. Xingxie laid there for a beat, inhaling mud. She pushed herself off the ground and wiped her face with her sleeve.
Xingxie heard a collection of snickers coming from the surface. Xingxie looked up to find a group of young children laughing at her disheveled state. From their clothing, they were not from Donghe village, rather the neighbouring one in Shilin. Their village was almost an hour away from the Donghe shore. Had Xingxie really been wandering that far from home?
Xingxie closed her eyes and exhaled sharply. A frustrated cry climbed up her throat as she staggered up with an angry fist at the air.
"Hey! Who in snakes' water do you think you are?" Xingxie grumbled angrily. She grabbed on the wall and tried to pull herself up. "You monkeys… When I catch you…"
Xingxie landed on her back as she accidentally clawed a chunk of dirt out from the wall. She pushed off the ground and leapt on the wall, only for the same thing to happen. She was about jump up again, when an unfamiliar accent caught her off guard.
"You look like you're struggling."
Xingxie had one foot off the ground, but the other didn't follow through as she startled at the sound. Her head flew straight into the wall, leaving a dent in the soil.
Aggravated, Xingxie squinted up with half lidded eyes. A silhouette stared back at her, but she couldn't make out his face. "Are you blind?"
The silhouette shook his head. "I was just asking. It's customary."
"It's also customary to help a damsel in distress," Xingxie reasoned.
"Damsels are supposed to be pleasing to look at," he drawled. "It's why princes help them."
"Why you—" Xingxie clenched her fists but cut herself off when she heard a squelch. She opened her palms to find water droplets she had unknowingly squeezed out from the muddied floor. Water meant Meng and right now, she was surrounded by it.
Xingxie hovered her outstretched palm on the ground. She blocked out the sounds of the chirping crickets, wind rustingling the trees, and the curious hums from the boy. Droplets slowly floated out from the ground, carrying shimmers of Meng particles with them. She turned her hands around the ball that was forming, stretching it out and pushing other places in until eventually, she formed a fishing rod, with a large glinting hook.
Xingxie barked out a triumphant laugh of disbelief. She tilted her head up with a wicked grin and hurled the hook at the boy. He stepped to the side just as the sharp tip of the hook caught itself on a rock. Xingxie pulled the chain to test its tension and planted her feet on the wall again. Slowly, she put one foot in front of the other. Finally, she grasped onto the rock and hauled herself up. She flopped on the ground, mud and dirt staining her clothes. A slow clap came from above. Xingxie blinked the dizzying spots away, clearing her focus.
"That was," the boy paused, olive green eyes searching Xingxie's face. He extended a hand in front of her. "Entertaining."
Xingxie begrudgingly took his hand, letting him pull her off the ground. "I'm glad you enjoy watching my pain." Xing looked him up and down and furrowed her brows. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be touring the capital?"
The boy in front of her had light hair and unusually fair skin. He had a straight nose which was paired with a narrowed face and gleaming olive eyes. He wore tight, restrictive clothing too. With a cinched in waistcoat over his shirt and carried no weapons or gear. He looked nothing like Xingxie or her people.
The only thing they had in common was their height. Xingxie was considerably taller than most people her age. She had even grown taller than her mother, who reached her shoulder. This boy was taller than Xingxie, though not by much; her eyes met the bottom of his face. Xingxie wasn't intimidated by his height, however; he didn't have the broad shoulders and thick muscles the dockworkers in Hai had, but with his quick dodge when Xingxie had thrown the hook, he was agile enough to defend himself.
"What?" the boy asked around an awkward laugh. The tips of his ears had turned pink as he stepped away from Xingxie.
Xingxie realised her face had been twisted into a scrutinizing expression for a minute too long. She blink and shook herself. "You didn't answer my question. What's your name? Where are you from?"
"Cassian Roux. I come from Asperitas," he said. When he saw Xingxie's confused face, he amended, "A kingdom in Ivorious. I came here with my friends. The school year is halfway done and we wanted to celebrate, as well as complete a study. We've stayed as guests in Shilin for a week and are planning to travel to Donghe."
"Donghe? That's an idiotic move," Xingxie muttered, remembering the statue of Mazu in the village centre that was covered in red paper. "It's bad timing to come here. The village is mourning."
"But that's exactly why we came here," he said. "We have homework to investigate a sinner recently condemned. It's for our Lore class."
Xingxie cocked a brow. Her lips turned into a thin line.
Women were not allowed to study the same things as men. Women were meant for the arts only, while men could pursue both. Yet, when Meng was still an active resource and not a mythical power, it was mostly women who were the inventors in Hai. In Ivorious, the rules around sex was much stricter than to those in Xiaohai; the Kaizoku needed crew members. As long as the pirate could perform the tiresome tasks on board, it didn't matter what sex they were. Though, it unconsciously seeped into daily tasks and conversations anyway. The Laidoes carried the same sentiment, but men were forced to serve the nation at a certain age, while beautiful women were married off. The ones that no one wanted could either enlist or live a fruitless life as a wife to a poor and unaccomplished husband. Xingxie didn't agree with the modern philosophy, but she was surprised Cassian wasn't rubbing it in her face. Or maybe he was, just in the subtle, degrading way that all boys her age spoke to her with. It was his trivialisation of Bingyue's ascension and Lingbo's death that angered her the most.
"My sister isn't a case study for you to gawk at," Xingxie said bitterly.
Cassian's eyes widened, but it felt performative rather than sincere. "I didn't realise she was…"
"We don't look alike." Xingxie crossed her arms and looked away. "You should go back to Ivorious. Yue isn't here anymore."
Cassian clicked his tongue, thinking. "She's already in the middle of her ascension isn't she? I knew it; she'd be in the middle of Xiaohai by now, Shuidu."
At this, Xingxie whipped her head back. Cassian's eyes were already on her, studying her like how he would her sister. "Is that where they turn the Xiaohaieans into Artificial Gods?"
"You didn't know?"
"I—I, well… now I do," Xingxie stammered. Suddenly, her anger was replaced with excitement. "Who cares? If I leave now, then I'd make it to the capital by the next morning, right?"
Cassian smiled sheepishly at her. "If you travel on foot, including rest time, then it'd take closer to a week."
Xingxie's mouth hung open. "What?"
Her parents had told her that the capital was very close to Donghe and it was why they worked so hard at the docklands. On maps around the local school, Yue described the proximity to be a day's worth of travel. She remembered how a boy had gone to Shuidu and came back four days later with a souvenir of Xiaohai's official flag. He told Xingxie that the rich city folk used pure gold for their chopsticks and shaved pieces of sparkling silver in their soups.
"Then, I have to leave today," Xingxie announced.
Her parents would understand; Xingxie often disappeared for days at a time, what difference was that and a week? But she didn't carry any money on her and she still had dried clumps of mud in her hair and clothes.
"If you truly are adamant about travelling to Shuidu, you'll need a companion," Cassian said. "At least, let me walk you back."
Slowly, she nodded, but her nose flared. "Don't do any of your strange homework on the villagers."
"I promise," Cassian said. "And I never break promises."
Xingxie gnawed on the inside of her cheek, her journey to Shuidu weighing heavy on her mind. Could she really make it to the capital by herself? She had her Meng ability to protect herself, but she wasn't built like a fighter. She barely had muscle on her body to fight off any predators, beast or human alike. She wasn't quick enough with her movements if she needed to slip away into the shadows either. So, without brawn or agility, Xingxie could only rely on her mind, but even that wasn't fully nurtured. When she first attended the local boy's school at twelve, the village was in high hopes of her having the same intellect as her sister, only to be disappointed with her reading capability. Xingxie wasn't weak in comparison to the children her age back at the village, but compared to seasoned adventurers like those at the Lucky Coin? She wouldn't stand a chance.
Soon, the ground below Xingxie turned from hard, packed forestland to soft and shapeless sand. She could hear the rhythmic lull of waves near her feet and the smell of freshly caught fish stinging her nose. In the horizon, she spotted a new ship sailing towards Donghe's docks which was bustling with workers. Xingxie saw her father's figure shouting out orders in all directions. From this angle, Xingxie could make out his back, but with her exposed environment, he could spot her any minute with a turn of his heel.
"Snakes," Xingxie cursed. "If Baba sees me, I'm dead."
Xingxie ran an exasperated hand through her tangled hair. It would've been wise to braid it up with a hair stick, but she had neglected her hair ever since Bingyue had left. It was her sister who took care of her after all, even things as trivial as her hair.
Xingxie cocked her head to the docks, gesturing to Cassian. Before he could take a step forward however, Xingxie shoved him into the water. Xingxie jumped in with him, wading through the sea as she dragged him by the collar. Her slippers were soaked through and she could feel the grainy sand and crushed shells that pricked her, but she persisted until she was waist deep.
"What are you doing?" Cassian spluttered behind her. His voice came out muffled as he gulped down the seawater. "Would this not bring more attention to us?"
Xingxie looked back and let go of him hastily; she hadn't given him time to recover from the fall. Cassian looked like he was drowning. Cassian's head disappeared. Xingxie sighed dramatically and plunged her arm down, fishing him up.
She planted her hands on her hips and stared at him, unimpressed. "It wouldn't if you knew how to swim."
Cassian crossed his arms. Droplets of sparkling water dripped down his hair. "Of course I know how to swim. You caught me off guard." Cassian looked around. "Why are we here, anyway?"
Xingxie poked his chest. "You stick out like a sore thumb. If we can get your hair darker, you won't shine so vibrantly like a lampost. Or, even better, we can douse you in dirt." Xingxie pointed to her hair. It had unknotted itself from the mud and now clung to the sides of her face. "But I think you'd rather the water."
"Can't you create something like you did in the pit?" Cassian huffed.
"Nope."
"Why not?"
Xingxie shrugged. "I don't feel like it."
Cassian failed to mask his annoyance, but Xingxie ignored it by wearing a beaming smile.
The ocean was now thrashing at their backs mercilessly. Cassian struggled to stay afloat even though his feet touched the ground. Once Xingxie had dunked his head under enough times for her to think it was mundane, the two paddled over to the docks until they reached one of the barnacle covered posts. The wooden planks above moaned with every march from the Donghe workers. Sand fell through the cracks and stuck on her clothes. There was a cave opening under the wharf where the sand would mix with green blades of grass. A few village kids had dug out a juvenile tunnel system under Donghe, but it only reached the village centre. Xingxie had to make sure none of the villagers caught her; she and Cassian were still exposed on either side, but at least no one could see them from above.
"Come on," Xingxie beckoned. She pelted against the dense sand. Once she had reached the drier sand, it was a more tedious walk with Cassian stumbling behind her. The opening was just in running distance; she only needed a few more steps until she could duck in.
Xingxie shrieked as someone hauled her off the ground. Another person nailed Cassian into the nearby post and he grunted with surprise. Xingxie craned her neck to see a broad shouldered girl in a tunic that had its sleeves cut off, revealing toned muscles from years of hard labour from her contributions to Donghe's trade system. Her hand closed around Cassian's neck, laughing as he tried to claw free.
That was Meihua. She was part of the Wang family, an exception to the petite and delicate girls of the village. Instead of learning how to weave and cook, she had assisted Xingxie's father down at the trading port by loading cargo and tying ships down. She was just like Xingxie. Both of them didn't go to school, both of them weren't considered feminine enough to marry young, and yet only one made herself useful. When Xingxie was younger, she was thin and scrawny, which made her an easy target for the Wang twins' preying eyes. Meihua, in Xingxie's opinion was the most frightening twin and was thankful not to be in Cassian's position right now. But, that could only mean the person who had grabbed Xingxie was…
"Shuaihua," Xingxie scoffed. "My father would be pretty angry if he caught you slacking."
"I think your father would be angrier if he found you here instead, Xingxie," Shuaihua shot back. "Didn't he scold you very loudly that one time not to be near the docks? Yes, of course! It was near the market stalls. Your face turned as red as apples."
Meihua snorted as Cassian writhed under her iron grip. "Why were you named after a star, anyway? You clearly don't suit the title."
"Neither do you two," Xing spat. "Being named after the words handsome and pretty? The Wang family are either stupidly shameless or have a sick appreciation for irony."
The twins ignored her comment and turned their attention to Cassian.
"Who's this foreigner?" Meihua asked, tilted her head to study his scowl. "You're a pretty boy, aren't you? What are you doing here, so far away from Ivorious?"
Cassian's breaths were ragged. "Research assignment."
"Did the unlucky charm bringing home a boy? An Ivorian too, well done Xingxie," Shauihua laughed and held Xingxie at arm's length. He twirled her around until he met her simmering glare. "I wonder, is he going to be your ticket out of Xiaohai?"
Xingxie glared at Cassian, who waited for an answer with an unreadable expression on his face. She remembered his words to her in the pit.
"He's ugly."
Cassian rolled his eyes.
"Two failures within the Yu household. A cold blooded killer and an escapee," Meihua mused. "At least you'll get to live with the regal kingdom folk now. Though, if you asked me, Bingyue deserved that fate. What a shame for her to be dead."
"She's not dead!" Xingxie yelled, indignant. "She's being turned into an Artificial God!"
"That's no better," Shuaihua said with a disgusted face. He leaned in close and whispered, "No one said it during the trial, but we all think it's you, Xingxie."
Xingxie swung her leg forward. Her soggy slippers hit a soft lump. She didn't think it'd do much, but it appeared men were far more weaker than she had anticipated. Shauihua roared and let go of her to clutch his groin. Xingxie whirled around, facing Meihua. Her fist connected with Meihua's jaw, but it was Xingxie who yelped out in pain.
Xingxie clutched her red and raw fist. She looked frantically from her balled hand to Meihua's jaw, which sustained no injuries. "Wh—wh—how?! Does my father make you load bricks all day?"
Cassian suddenly swung a fist at Meihua's nose. Xingxie heard a devastating crack. Meihua grabbed her bleeding face and dropped Cassian to the ground.
Xingxie stilled, breathing heavily. Her mouth was wide open as she gaped at Cassian. He turned slowly, staring past her with an irritated expression.
"Duck."
Xingxie obliged.
Cassian struck Shuaihua's cheek. Blood spurted out of his mouth. Xingxie scrambled up from the ground. She spun on her heel, scooped a handful of sand and threw it in his direction as she fell back. Sand flew into Shuaihua's eyes and he screamed, blinking the burn away. He rubbed his eyes, allowing Cassian's fist to collide with his neck. Shuaihua crumbled to the ground, wheezing uncontrollably.
Meihua roared behind her. Spit went flying everywhere and Xingxie swore the ground shook beneath her. Meihua looked around, her eyes narrowing on Xingxie. Xingxie felt her muscles tense and she scurried back as Meihua advanced. Xingxie felt her spine hit a post and hastily staggered up.
"Meihua, let's—let's have a calm conversation!" Xingxie squeaked, hiding one hand behind her back. Xingxie could feel the cold water at her finger tips, zaps of Meng making the hairs on her neck stand up.
She was halfway between the sea and the cave. From this distance, Xingxie needed some time for her to move the Meng closer to her hands for her to meld it together. She had been preparing for that exact scenario since she had sent sand flying at the other Wang twin.
"You and your friend attacked my brother!" she bellowed. Her nose hung loosely on her face as blood dripped into her mouth.
"I didn't realise you two were close." Xingxie said sardonically.
Meihua pushed off the ground, sending a fist at Xingxie's face. She dodged the blow and rolled forward until she met Meihua's back. With her newly fashioned blade, she swung at Meihua's back. Xingxie snapped her fingers. The blade turned back into water and sploshed onto the sand, leaving a dark ring near her shoes. A fresh line of blood appeared, thin enough to not be noticed, thick enough to leave a mark. Meihua cried out in pain.
She turned her head, dark eyes bulging out of her face. "Where in snake's water did you find a weapon?"
Xingxie held out her palms with a smug smile. She tilted her head to the side. "What are you talking about, Meihua?"
Xingxie spotted three villagers tentatively making their way to the four, unaware of what had just happened. Her smug expression fell and pulled Cassian's wrist in the direction of the cave.
"Quick!"
Xingxie pushed Cassian into the dark cave. Small rock pools splashed as Cassian stumbled his way through the unfamiliar terrain. Xingxie didn't stop moving until she found the makeshift ladder hidden in the corner of the damp enclosure.
She sat on one of the rungs and breathed, "For someone with such long legs, it's surprising how slow you are."
Cassian leaned against the rocky cave wall and doubled over, panting. "I'm not used to having brawls in the middle of my day."
"I'm sorry I'm not aristocratic enough for you." Xingxie spat. She looped her arm around one of the steps to secure herself. "If you wanted something Ivorian, you should've stayed in Asparagus."
"It's Asperitas." Cassian mumbled. "I'm not leaving until I finish my research. My professor will have my head on a stick if I come back empty handed."
"You're scared of a puny little professor?" Xingxie asked flatly.
Cassian shivered, a faraway glance in his eye. "She's terrifying."
"That's pathetic."
"You wouldn't think that if you met her." Cassian groaned. He tapped the side of the ladder with his knuckle. "Let's go. I want to get out of this place."
Xingxie scoffed. She climbed up the worn down ladder and pressed on the ceiling gently. Years ago, when Meng was still prevalent in Hai, the village kids had used it to craft a trap door disguised as hard, jagged rock. This cave was one of the last pieces of evidence of Meng and it was the only thing stopping Meng from becoming a mythical tale forever.
Xingxie winced, watching her fingertips turn red. The sharp stone had nicked her more times than she had anticipated; for someone who lived in Donghe for all her life, she still had trouble remembering where the trap door was.
Finally, the pads of her fingers met what felt like smooth wood. Cassian watched in anticipation. Xingxie wondered if he had been watching her craft her blade and fish hooks with such intensity. She knew he watched her craft them, but was he smart enough to see how she hid her abilities from the Wang twins? If he was, then Xingxie's Meng secret was at stake.
Xingxie navigated her hand until she found the steel ring knob. It opened with a loud creak. Sunlight split from the trees above ground, shining its rays in the cave and illuminated Cassian's face. His green eyes looked much more vibrant from this angle and his hair was beginning to dry. Xingxie's efforts in the ocean was all for nothing.
They climbed up the cave and leaned against a building wall, breathless. The house shielded them away from the busy village centre. Xingxie could hear buzzing melodies coming from bamboo flutes and villagers chatting amongst each other. Children were squealing over the rushing water of the Mazu water fountain in the centre of it all.
"We make a good team, don't we?" Cassian panted. He rolled his neck and looked up at Xingxie with quiet determination. "How well do you think we'd fare if we travelled to Shuidu together?"
Xingxie sunk lower into the ground. Her muscles ached. She wanted to head to Shuidu with a companion, sure, but was Cassian the right fit? Before he had known Xingxie's identity, he had talked about her sister like a project and not a person. Did it truly matter a person's intentions, if Xingxie could find her sister?
It was on Bingyue's eighteenth birthday when she had killed Lingbo and been sentenced to Artificial Godhood. Xingxie had crafted a crescent moon ornament to give to Bingyue on that day, but never got the chance. It was a delicate glass structure, but Xingxie had worked on it in private for months, making sure that it was unbreakable. Her bedroom wall had sustained too many dents of all shapes and sizes in the process of crafting.
All Xingxie wanted was to gift the moon to her sister. If that meant she had to team up with a scholar from Ivorious, then so be it. Besides, he only wanted to study her. That meant asking a few questions, taking a few notes, and leaving—a process that would only take minutes. Nothing bad could happen with a few words, right? She could tolerate him for the trip and they would part ways at Shuidu. Xingxie wasn't planning on heading back to Donghe when she finally reunited with her sister after all, and Cassian had his scholar friends somewhere in Shilin.
Xingxie cracked a wordless smile at Cassian. His fell.
"What?" Cassian asked. He watched Xingxie stand up and scooped up a mound of dirt in her arms. He furrowed his brows as Xingxie dumped the pile next to him.
"Your hair's dry," she pointed out, watching Cassian's reaction. His eye twitched rapidly and her wicked grin only spread wider.
She stood over the trapdoor and watched the droplets rise. She moved them on top of the dirt and flicked her wrist. The water splashed, mixing with the dirt. Soon, it turned to a thick muddy consistency. Then, she grabbed the back of Cassian's neck and dunked his head into the mud.
"Is this really necessary?" Cassian grumbled.
"Not anymore, no," she mused, covering his blond hair with the mud. After she was done, Xingxie stood back and admired her work. "But my eyes don't sting when I look at you now."
Cassian dusted off his pants with annoyance. His waistcoat had been unbuttoned and was now loosely hanging on his shoulders. His collared shirt had splotches of water on them and was stained with dirt and sand along with his hands.
"Oh, and," Xingxie leaned in close, holding his questioning gaze. "If you tell anyone about my Meng…"
"I won't," he said with a loud sigh.
Xingxie marched into the village centre where the fountain of Mazu was covered in red. She was greeted by a bustling atmosphere. The market was the busiest in the afternoons; the boys had finished getting their daily scoldings by the village masters, the girls finished their home education by nagging mothers, and at this time, many workers were changing over shifts, Xingxie's father included. He was surrounded by a group of other workers and father, laughing over cups of wine, listening to musicians playing in the empty corners of the village centre.
"Ba," Xingxie greeted warmly.
"X—Xingxie," her father stammered. He, along with the other four men, looked horrified at her dishevelled state. "What happened to you? Weren't you at home all day?"
"I was in Shilin," Xingxie said with a raised brow. "You haven't noticed I was gone?"
Xingxie's father awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Well… I had to leave early this morning, so I didn't notice…"
Her father wore old and tattered clothes that reeked of the sea. He wore a cream coloured shirt without sleeves, a red belt to tie his vest, and pants that reached the middle of his calf. On his neck hung a medallion which bore Hai's insignia. It was a status symbol and a way for incoming traders to identify the bosses. Now that Xingxie looked around, the other four also wore the insignia on varying parts of their body. One of them spoke up.
"Xingxie," one of the men spoke in a gravelly voice. "My kids have told me about your encounter this afternoon," he nodded to Cassian, who stood behind her. "They also told me about him, as well."
Xingxie's eyes went wide with recognition. It was Wang Jiahao. She immediately clasped her hands behind her straightened back and bowed deeply.
Her father's reaction had made sense. These four men were village leaders in different departments of Donghe's trade centre. Right now, Xingxie had just shown up to their conversation wearing a torn tunic, muddied hands, and tangled hair, with a strange foreigner boy no less.
Baba really is going to kill me. Xingxie thought.
"Really?" she faltered. She plastered on a tight smile. "What did they say?"
Xingxie thought of the nasty gash she gave Meihua. Forget about Artificial Godhood, Jiahao would have her beheaded. Did the Wang twins speak of their fight to their father, the village chief?
No, they wouldn't be that stupid, Xingxie thought. They'd have to explain how it happened; there's no way they'd admit to that.
"You should see your face, child." Jiahao let out a deep, rumbling laugh. The rest laughed with him, though Xingxie's father's seemed a touch too forced. "My kids would never speak ill of their people. I doubt they'd harm a fly. They are soon to be of age, after all. One day, they'll be in my position, leading Donghe in our illustrious trade."
"Let's hope not," Cassian murmured from behind. Xingxie suppressed a snort.
Jiahao's attention snapped to Cassian. The corners of his eyes crinkled up and Xingxie felt herself relax. The Wang family had been elected chief for three generations for a reason. Though Xingxie had only been under Jiahao's rule, she had heard from old grannies about how good the Wang family had been to the village.
"And where do you come from?" Jiahao asked, squinting at Cassian's hair. "Is… is that mud?"
"Of course not!" Xingxie cut in with a splutter. "He… he…"
"It's a fashion trend from Ivorious. Emerging, new. You won't have heard of it." Cassian said quickly. "We Ivorians enjoy nature."
"Ivorian fashion never made sense to me," a bald man chimed in with a shake of his head. He was head of exports, Xingxie knew. He took a long sip from his cup, allowing the clear mixture to burn down his throat. Xingxie had mistaken water for wine once. Her face had turned red as she coughed hysterically on the sudden fire lit in her mouth. "Their clothes are too restrictive. If a nearby kingdom comes and attacks you, how will you defend yourself?"
A large, stout man guffawed. "My son would have finished his education by the time they manage to land a strike."
"Xingxie, Shuaihua and Meihua are over assisting with the market stalls," Jiahao pointed to a vague direction. "Why don't you and your… friend help them?"
Xingxie began to step away. "I think I—"
Xingxie's father cleared his throat gruffly. He fixed her with a stern stare.
"Would love that!" Xingxie chirped.
"Xingxie is quiet fond of your twins, Chief," her father said. "We should all have dinner some time."
"I don't think that's a—" Xingxie started.
"How about tomorrow then?" Jiahao asked.
Xingxie frantically shook her head. "I wanted to talk to Ba about—"
"Tomorrow sounds great," her father responded. "After everything that's happened, we need a day to re—"
"I'm leaving for Shuidu tomorrow!" Xingxie suddenly yelled. She cleared her throat uncomfortably and faced her father. "Baba, I came here to tell you something important. I'll be leaving tomorrow morning at dawn and I'll be back in half a month."
Once Xingxie finished her announcement, the table froze. Xingxie's father gaped up at her. He waved her off, his movements like a rusty machine. "We'll discuss this later, Xingxie."
Xingxie didn't move. She watched the men go back to their conversation, trying to contain her anger. She hated nothing more than to be dismissed so casually. It was like she was a toy that was thrown under the table when the child got bored, only to be picked up and fiddled with again.
"Xingxie." Cassian tapped her shoulder. "We should go help the twins."
Xingxie startled as Cassian grabbed her shoulders and pushed her forward. "You want to go up against the Wang twins already?"
Cassian sighed as he trudged forward. "No, idiot. That was a lie. We're leaving now."
"Are you crazy?" Xingxie swiveled her head around. She planted both feet into the dirt path to stop Cassian from pushing her around like a wheelbarrow. "I need a shower."
"I thought you were keen on finding your sister," Cassian said. "I didn't realise your priorities are so easily abandoned."
"You smell too," Xingxie turned on her heel. "I'm going to the bathhouse. We'll leave after that."
"It'll be dark by then!" he called back.
"And I won't be the one to get eaten alive by flies!"