Welcome to Peach Blossom Paradise

The cart struggled to move along the uneven road.

The man pulling the cart was panting heavily, while the passenger was relaxed and carefree.

"Don't rush," Bai Wei said leisurely to Wei Ke. "Take your time, and be careful not to fall."

No, it won't.

"I mean, please don't drop me."

Wei Ke gritted his teeth, saying "No way!" aloud while silently chanting "I'll kill you sooner or later!"

Bai Wei naturally heard this dual message from both his voice and his heart, but he didn't care. He just smiled, playing with the Music Box in his hand while quietly scrutinizing Wei Ke.

Everything Bai Wei is doing right now has a purpose.

Because Wei Ke's current state is very special.

"He has a lion in his eyes" is a phrase usually used to describe immature teenagers, but Wei Ke is different; he truly has a wild beast hidden inside him.

Moreover, it is an extremely dangerous wild beast.

When it is fully awakened, it will be very difficult for Bai Wei to deal with it, and there is a risk of something going wrong.

But he is also arguably the most crucial figure in this land.

It is more important than Ulu to Rhine, Jie La Er to Lyra, Ni Ya to the Holy Sound, so if Bai Wei wants to get what he wants in this land, he must take control of Wei Ke.

As for how exactly to deal with such a beast...

Bai Wei gently wound up the clockwork, causing the music to start playing again.

"So, how have you and your little dog been living all this time?" he asked casually.

"A De is... a wolf," Wei Ke replied, panting.

"Ah, yes, yes, it's a wolf, a wolf," Bai Wei said with a smile. "So how did you and that Little Wolf live together?"

"I don't understand... what you mean," Wei Ke said. "What do you mean by, how to live?"

"Can there really be communication between humans and wolves?" Bai Wei said. "I'm not questioning you, I'm just a little curious because I've never kept a pet."

"... A De, he's not a pet," Wei Ke said. "He's my family."

"I know it's your family, you don't need to emphasize that anymore. What I'm more interested in is how it gradually transformed from a wild beast that knew nothing into your family that you depend on for survival." Bai Wei settled into a comfortable position on the cart. "Since we're just killing time anyway, why don't you tell me your story?"

Wei Ke wanted to say, "I'm not free, I'm still pulling the cart!"

But whether it was because no one had ever asked him about his relationship with A De, or because he hadn't seen A De in so long, Wei Ke couldn't help but say, "That was... many years ago."

The story itself is not particularly original.

It's simply a story about an orphan who encounters a young lone wolf, and how they go from mutual hostility to mutual dependence. There are almost no twists or turns along the way; it's more like a calm lake, with only the occasional breeze stirring up a ripple.

During Wei Ke's narration, Bai Wei would occasionally ask one or two seemingly casual questions.

For example.

When was the first time you saw it?

Is it winter? Does it snow?

"No, it's raining."

Wei Ke answered each question, and as Bai Wei continued to press on with one question after another, long-buried memories seemed to be awakened.

He felt as if he had returned to that winter when it was pouring rain, and he, thin and frail, looked at the dying creature and then hesitated before reaching out his hand.

Such memories placed a considerable burden on Wei Ke, who was pulling the cart.

So gradually, Wei Ke's thoughts became blurred again, as if only instinct was responding to Bai Wei.

"Did you never think of hurting it?"

"...Yes."

Why?

There's no reason why.

"There is, I think," Bai Wei's voice echoed in Wei Ke's ears, "And it's quite obvious."

"...I do not understand."

"You understand." Bai Wei's voice was very soft, as if afraid of disturbing something. "Can't you remember? He saved you."

"... He saved me?"

"Yes, he saved you," Bai Wei said. "On that stormy day, have you forgotten?"

In an instant, Wei Ke opened his eyes as he recalled the past.

In the pouring rain, Wei Ke saw the boy who had reached out his hand to him, and a smile forced onto his pale face.

"Tell me, A De," Bai Wei said softly, "Tell me where Wei Ke is."

Wei Ke's pupils narrowed slightly.

In an instant, the scene from his memory exploded like a thunderclap. The violent light tore everything apart in an instant and rushed toward Wei Ke with unstoppable force, engulfing him in the blink of an eye.

"Ahhh..."

He felt immense pain and instinctively wanted to scream.

But the next second, all of these things disappeared.

Wei Ke stood blankly in front of a dilapidated little village, his palms sweating as he gripped the handrail of the cart, while the monotonous mechanical sound of the Music Box still echoed in his ears.

"We've arrived."

The cart behind him suddenly felt lighter, and Wei Ke subconsciously turned his head to see Bai Wei stretching as he walked to his side and patted him on the shoulder.

"You've got good stamina," Bai Wei said with a smile. "We at Rhine love energetic young men like you."

After saying that, he leisurely walked towards the dilapidated village.

"... Wait a minute." Wei Ke put down the cart and quickly chased after them. "What just happened?"

"Huh?" Bai Wei tilted her head and looked at Wei Ke. "What? What happened?"

Wei Ke couldn't quite remember; his mind was a jumbled mess.

"Did you just ask me a question?" That was all he remembered.

"Yes," Bai Wei said. "I asked you about you and that little dog."

"A De is... never mind." Wei Ke shook his head and pressed, "And then?"

"And then it ends here." Bai Wei stopped. "Do you think the little girl's parents might be in here?"

... The little girl's parents?

Wei Ke didn't react at first, until he saw Bai Wei shake the Music Box in his hand, and then he remembered something.

"Yes." Wei Ke's attention was immediately diverted to the village in front of him. "It is indeed possible that it is here. It is the best place to stay between the two towns. Most merchants and Hunter will stay here for one night, after all, the wilderness at night is too dangerous."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Bai Wei raised an eyebrow. "Don't you want this Music Box anymore?"

"... I didn't agree to help just because of this Music Box."

Although Wei Ke said that, his actions betrayed him, and he entered the village first.

Unbeknownst to him, Bai Wei was standing behind him, gazing thoughtfully at his retreating figure.

In the end, Bai Wei said nothing and leisurely followed Wei Ke.

The village they were in was so small that calling it a village wasn't quite accurate. There were fewer than ten houses in total, and most of them were abandoned. The walls and doors had collapsed, and the bodies inside could be seen directly from the outside.

Judging from the condition of the body, it had obviously been dead for some time.

Wei Ke was clearly very familiar with the place. He skipped over the collapsed houses and went to the innermost house, which was the only intact one and still locked.

Wei Ke walked straight up and knocked on the locked door from the inside.

But there was no response.

"Is there any explanation for this?" Bai Wei walked up to Wei Ke and asked, "Do you think there are still people inside?"

"If it's locked, it means someone is inside," Wei Ke explained. "Because this door can only be locked from the inside, so if it's locked, it means someone is hiding inside. And when the person leaving, they will open the door to show that it's safe inside."

"Sounds like an unspoken rule?"

"Yes, it started with the Hunter," Wei Ke said. "But it gradually spread, and whenever people encountered an unclaimed house in the wild, they would do the same to avoid the night, because Corpse Ghoul couldn't directly break through the house."

"I see." Bai Wei nodded. "Then... why is the door locked in broad daylight?"

Wei Ke pursed his lips, unusually not answering Bai Wei, but instead knocking harder on the door. Dust fell from the door, clearly having accumulated for several days.

He didn't know the situation in the inner room, but Bai Wei knew very well that such a wall obviously couldn't block Bai Wei's view.

Bai Wei could clearly see two corpses, a man and a woman, that had been dead for several days in the inner room, with flies swarming and nibbling at them.

Just like in the game.

The little girl was destined never to see her parents again.

So, Bai Wei wound up the Music Box again, and when the music started playing, he handed the Music Box to Wei Ke.

"Stop fooling yourself," Bai Wei said calmly. "With your sense of smell, you should have been able to smell that the scent inside is the same as the scent on this thing by now."

Wei Ke stared blankly at Bai Wei.

After a long while, he silently kicked open the door.

Wei Ke dragged the already rotting corpse out of the house.

If there was any sliver of hope beforehand, that hope vanished after seeing the body.

The man and woman's characteristics match the little girl's description, so they are clearly her parents.

"This..." Wei Ke looked at Bai Wei helplessly, "What should we do?"

"What do you mean, 'what to do'?" Bai Wei said with a smile. "Didn't you anticipate this situation from the beginning?"

Wei Ke opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

Yes, he had always believed that the little girl's parents would not survive, but when he actually saw their bodies, he still felt an indescribable pang of sorrow.

"I'm asking, what should we do next?" Wei Ke said. "Should we take the body back?"

"How do you plan to transport them?" Bai Wei raised an eyebrow. "Are you having these two corpses ride in the same car with me?"

"Well..."

"Hehe, just kidding." Bai Wei shrugged and said, "Actually, you've already completed the mission, haven't you? That little girl just asked you to find her parents, and now, you've found them."

"... Is that all?"

That's it.

"...All right."

Wei Ke responded sullenly, then took the scarf that belonged to the mother off the body, intending to give it to the little girl later.

Then, with Bai Wei's permission, he dug a pit and buried the little girl's parents.

After doing all this, he returned to Bai Wei's side, and then, as if remembering something, he took out the Music Box that Bai Wei had given him earlier from his pocket, wanting to return it to Bai Wei.

But Bai Wei didn't take it. Instead, she looked at Wei Ke with a smile and said, "This is already yours."

"...What?"

"Have you forgotten? This was originally the reward that child gave you." Bai Wei pointed to the Music Box. "Now that you've finished it, it naturally belongs to you. Congratulations, you've completed your first mission in your Hunter Career and received your first reward."

Wei Ke stared blankly at the Music Box in his hand.

Is this what your first payment is like?

Wei Ke felt a little unreal, and after hesitating for a moment, he nodded and accepted it.

"We won't leave today, we'll just stay here for the night." Bai Wei glanced at the sky and went into the house they had been in before. "Let's get some rest. We've already taken a detour, we need to work even harder tomorrow."

To travel even faster... or rather, to pull the cart even harder.

Wei Ke muttered a silent complaint to himself, but he knew Bai Wei was right, so he obediently followed him inside.

Although people had died in the house, and there was still an indescribable stench, neither of them cared. Bai Wei even lay down right where the two had died and said leisurely to Wei Ke, "I'm too tired from traveling today. I'm going to sleep first. You stay at the door and wake me up if anything happens."

Wei Ke subconsciously said "oh," then walked to the door and sat down. After a while, he realized that something was wrong.

Let's not even mention that he was the one pulling the cart.

Why did Bai Wei tell him to stand guard at the door, and he actually came?

Wei Ke instinctively wanted to get up and confront Bai Wei, but found that Bai Wei had already fallen fast asleep. After hesitating for a moment, he sat back down.

Well, no matter what, this guy is a good fighter. If something really happens tonight, he'll be the one to handle it.

As for myself... I'll just hold on for a bit.

Anyway, this isn't the first time something like this has happened... huh?

Wei Ke looked somewhat bewildered.

For whom did he keep watch before?

Wei Ke couldn't quite remember.

Never mind.

Out of sheer boredom, Wei Ke took out the Music Box and, imitating Bai Wei, slowly wound it up.

As for Bai Wei, he wasn't pretending to be asleep; he had actually entered Peach Blossom Paradise.

During this period, his situation was very precarious, to the point that he dared not abandon his body and enter Peach Blossom Paradise rashly, lest he be unable to react to any unexpected situation.

But with Wei Ke around, things are different; at least there's a certain level of security.

Therefore, Bai Wei no longer hesitated and quickly activated the stone bench after entering Peach Blossom Paradise.

In an instant, three illusory figures slowly appeared beside the stone table.

Bai Wei looked at them with a smile.

Welcome to Peach Blossom Paradise.