Knock, knock, knock!
Knocking sounded from behind the tightly sealed gates. The old gatekeeper raised his eyelids in confusion and slowly turned the key.
"Good heavens!"
"Hello, old man! We're back!"
The old man jumped in fright. He stared shakily at Sha Si, who had supposedly died and now stood before him again, unable to say a word for quite some time.
"You shouldn't scare an old man like that." Marian walked over, helped the old man up from the ground, and held the gate open.
Sha Si spun lightly in a circle, making her skirt flare out. She looked thoroughly at ease.
"Old sir, I'm sorry."
"N-No... it's fine... it's fine..."
The old man looked at Sha Si's terrifying face. He could not even scream. The horror before him had surpassed all reason; aside from remaining frozen in a daze, there was nothing he could do.
As he watched the group follow Sha Si and Marian out, the gates closed once more. Only after the tremendous crash did the old man snap back to his senses.
He let out a loud cry and fled clutching his head. Presumably, he would never guard these gates again, nor would he tell horror stories to curious people.
Marian did not notice the old man's strange reaction. His gaze remained fixed on Sha Si ahead of him, humming a tune.
He watched her childishly step on protruding stones, hopping from one to another.
"Who would have thought?" Marian shook his head self-mockingly, recalling the miracles he had witnessed over the past week.
Sha Si had truly cured the child's mother, and she had even cured those mutants.
For several days, Marian watched Sha Si work at an intense pace. Several times, while preparing medicine, she had simply sat down on the floor and