"Why was I here?"
That question stumped Han Fen. She looked east along the road, where countless torches blurred together with the stars scattered across the night sky. Then she turned west. Jade City was brightly lit nearby, with people coming and going; it was even livelier than during the day.
She opened her mouth twice, then turned and asked, "Why are we here?"
Tie Linglong's eyes never left He Nu. "We're passing through. We're about to enter the city."
"That's right, we're just passing through." Han Fen breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it was a wonderful answer.
He Nu gazed up at the night sky, her expression resolute, as if she had remembered something.
Tie Linglong and Han Fen had spent most of the day searching for He Nu in the depths of Rouge Forest. They found her standing beneath a tree before dusk, staring blankly. She recognized no one, but when Han Fen said, "Let's go," she obediently followed.
They had walked slowly, and it was long after nightfall by the time they reached the city gates. He Nu, who had not spoken once along the way, suddenly asked, "Where?"
Tie Linglong wondered whether the martial arts contest had ended. She was desperate to learn the result, but she couldn't leave He Nu behind. "Let's go. We'll be inside the city in no time."
"Inside the city?" He Nu asked coldly, as if more memories had surfaced. "Is this Jade City?"
"That's right! Master of the Masses, you remember!" Han Fen cried happily, clapping her hands.
He Nu shot her a glance. "Han Fen, can't you be quiet for a moment?"
Han Fen froze, then turned to Tie Linglong, her face alight with joy. She silently mouthed, "She remembers me."
Tie Linglong was more cautious. Something still