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It was just like a dream.

She traversed a great, long journey, crossing mountains and ridges in the ice and snow, reaching an endless field of rice at the end of the road.

The rich stalks glimmered like gold. She did not know who had planted them here, or why they grew so prosperously.

How wonderful.

'Then, stay here.'

She hears a voice calling out to her.

No... No.

She remembers her unfinished business, and the place she must return to.

She picks up a stalk of rice.

A vague figure waves a hoe around, burying seeds in a plot.

You're back?! Thank goodness, everyone was waiting for you!

You were gone so long. Did the trip go smoothly? Did you find the crops you were searching for?

Laoshi... Are you alright? You look a bit...

Wh-What is this?!

Help! Someone!

Xiaohe? You're still here?

I found it...

The contamination... It didn't come with the flood. The source must be underground.

If we gather the Tianshi Bureaus, it might not be too late to start researching now!

There's no need to bother with that.

We've already decided to abandon these lands...

It won't take that much time! Give me maybe two or three days, and I should be able to pinpoint the source of the contamination! There must be a solution!

Every bit of land here in Dahuang was hard-won. We haven't put in anywhere near that much effort yet, so how could we just give up—

It's not just a few plots of land. It's the entire city.

What...?

Everyone is to move into the core city and follow it east, leaving behind all the other fields here by tomorrow.

The other Tianshis are getting everyone together to prepare for the move. This is what matters most right now... You should go help them.

Whose... idea was this?

Who else could order the entire city relocated?

Why...?

All these experimental fields, and these newly-planted crops...

This has already been a famine year. If we give up on these crops, how many more people are going to go hungry?

It'll be just like it used to be...

We've tried our best.

Evacuate the people as soon as possible. Establish post-disaster countermeasures in advance. You are a Tianshi, so have your priorities straight at a time like this—

Is the legend true...?

What nonsense are you spouting now...?

What's hidden in the permafrost on the north bank of the river? It's those things that contaminated our land, isn't it?

Just treat it like any other Catastrophe.

There've been so many things we couldn't protect over the years...

The people aren't just going to leave.

This is our land. Nobody's going to leave until we figure out exactly what's going on.

If Shennong could keep these enemies from our homes, then so can we.

Is it an illusion?

The vast fields in front of him instantly turn empty and barren.

No, it's not that the fields have turned barren. Rather, Heaven and earth are being invaded by a foreign space. It warps beyond the recognition of any soul.

What's going on over there?!

It's too late...

Shu, what in tarnation was that...?

Laoshi... is she sick? How did she become like this?

Give her... a proper burial.

The thin, emaciated body falls to the cold, hard ground, a small pack of seeds tucked in the pocket of her flimsy shirt.

Are these the seeds she brought back? Did she manage to find the legendary seeds?

Our harvests have been terrible the last couple of years. Maybe with this packet of seeds, there's some hope after all.

Let's take it back...

How'd the demonic contamination end up underground?

Isn't the Chamber of Heaven's Designs standing guard outside? How did the contaminants get past the old one and make their way inside?

Based on current observations, the contamination here likely existed long before the Chamber of Heaven's Designs did.

The underground area here is already highly contaminated.

But, the demonic influence here hasn't spread in all these years. Was it because of her?

But, why now of all times...? Could she have...?

The Chamber has likely already determined the source of this calamity. But, the top priority remains dealing with the crisis at hand.

The impact of this demonic catastrophe is unprecedented, and well beyond the scope of any of the Chamber's plans.

That's clear from the fact that you Chamber Tianshis actually called me up... So, what options do we still have?

Have all the Chamber's forces on the north bank withdraw, and at the same time, have the demon defense line pull back fifty kilometers to the south.

Abandon all plots, and evacuate to the core city. After that, we'll need your help activating the core city's defenses, and re-establishing a defensive line using the core city as a barrier.

This plan doesn't tally up how many people are going to be sacrificed.

Demonic taint is not like any ordinary calamity. It must be nipped in the bud.

I've never seen Yan make such a rough call before. Who ordered it?

Was it your big boss, the great and unknowable Old Tianshi?

Just do as you're told, and don't ask too many questions.

What are you looking at?

Why would she do this?

She probably doesn't want to leave though...

If the demons had already contaminated the land all the way back then... She's been single-handedly suppressing it all this time.

A thousand years... What would it feel like to have your consciousness gnawed by demons for a thousand years...?

Shu... Good grief...

There's no other way?

There's nothing we can do. You can't whisk everyone away inside a painting, and I can't build a castle out of thin air to carry everyone off either.

Then, what about her?

What do you mean...?

Surely she would've known that this day would eventually come?

The question is... where is she now?

Crying.

The cries came from far away. Babies wailing, old people sobbing. Even the crops in the field are mourning.

Just like the scene from forty years ago.

That was another famine year.

You're Shu?

You're... from the Sui Regulator?

Your orders are to farm Dahuang. Catastrophes have been frequent in recent years, and harvests have failed year after year. As a proxy, you clearly have the ability to save these crops, yet you've chosen to stand by and do nothing?

The people can't do what I can.

If I save them, the people will only think about how to make this 'miracle' happen again.

But, I can't save them every time... One day, I will be gone.

And when that time comes, the power I wield now... will become nothing more than the 'root of evil' that harms others.

Is there nothing you can do?

There really isn't much that I can do... other than write down my experiences and pass them down to future generations.

Once the hard years are over, there will be bountiful years to follow. People have always had to rely on themselves to survive.

But how am I to believe that by remaining here, you're doing something good for Yan and its people?

How long are you staying here?

...Until this time next year.

Wait for this year's harvest. You'll see.

By the way, have you ever worked the land before?

It's planting season now, and everyone has their hands full. Would you mind lending me a hand?

I vaguely remember that the crops grew particularly well that year.

The plowed rice piled up into little hills, and the farmers said they wouldn't need to worry about Catastrophe for the next few years.

You're smiling?

...I'm really glad.

Are you still going to write me up in your report to the Sui Regulator?

Are you going to stay here forever? Stay here and help us...

With you here, everyone feels safe.

I used to have a friend just like you.

Now, there truly is no other way.

Just once... I'm begging you just this one time.

Can you please save the people here, only once?

You promised me that you'd stay here forever...

Shu...

The room is empty.

A warm bowl of soup still sits on the table.

I see... You've already...

The rain starts to fall.

It's raining?

The farmer looks up to see a thin cloud covering the crescent moon in the sky. Shortly thereafter, a few drops of cold rain fall.

Who is that...?

In the distance, someone walks deeper into the fields.

She walks across the barren fields, and wherever her feet fall, small verdant patches follow.

'Wei, where are you going?'

She does not respond, and simply continues to walk forward.

She walks further and further, until her figure disappears altogether with a thunderclap.

Unlike the heavy rain from just a few days earlier, the rain right now is so tender and fine.

As the rain falls, all the cracks in the land fade away.

And thus, a soul trapped for a thousand years dissipates.

All things will come to grow.

Laoshi?

It's raining?

As I thought...

Like ink stains blending and blurring with water, the painting sealing this section of space gradually dissipates without a trace.

What just happened?!

You were so close...

Why you—

Lord Zuo, I have no intention of becoming your enemy. However, I do hope you take what I said to heart.

The days ahead of us are long, and there shall come a time when we meet again.

In the end, this is how it turned out. Just like I said.

My dear sister... These humans can't do anything without you.

May you rest well now.

When you next awaken, everything will be better.