Let's Bomb Them

A-Yi repaired the road leading to Dingye City. This road lay inside a cave.

Standing at the cave entrance, A-Yu told A-Yi to move the exit ninety-six li north.

A-Yi opened a stone door in the rock wall. Inside was a control console. A-Yi pulled down two levers and opened a valve.

Psssh~

Mist spewed out. Linkages beneath the console rose and fell, and gears began to turn.

The entire cave shook for a moment and began moving north. A-Yu frowned. "No, that's too much noise!"

A-Yi turned the valve down two notches.

The noise lessened, but the exit also moved much more slowly.

A-Yu shook her head. "No, it's still too loud."

A-Yi turned it down another half notch. A-Yu still found it unsuitable. "Turn the valve down another half notch."

"Another half notch?" A-Yi refused. "Then it won't even be as fast as walking. Ninety-six li—when will we ever get there?"

Zhao Xiaowan said to A-Yu, "Sister, going too slowly won't do either. We need to reach the camp within an hour. The longer the night, the more dreams it brings. That would be very unfavorable for us."

A-Yu trusted Zhao Xiaowan's judgment. "I also think an hour is appropriate."

A-Yi carefully adjusted the valve. "Whatever Xiao Wan says is appropriate. Why don't you become sworn sisters with her?"

A-Yu frowned. "You blockhead! She wasn't born from me, so how can I become sworn sisters with her?"

A-Yi was unconvinced. "My father wasn't born from you either. Why did you become sworn siblings with him?"

A-Yu said, "We're sworn sisters. He and I are sworn brother and sister. How can those be the same?"

Jiuer asked, "Mother, did you give birth to us first, or did you become sworn sisters with us first?"

A-Yu grew even angrier. "She's