"Move," she called.
The white wolf snapped back to attention and trotted after her. By the time it reached Su Wanwan's side, its tail was no longer trembling. It stood high, like a flag.
Su Wanwan glanced at it without saying anything, then reached out and patted its head again.
The white wolf's tail rose even higher.
The White Donkey snorted beside them and nudged its head into Su Wanwan's palm. Su Wanwan had no choice but to pet it too. Only then was the White Donkey satisfied. It pulled its head back, and even its steps became a little lighter.
Sun Wukong looked back at the sight and laughed so hard that the Golden Staff nearly slipped off his shoulder.
"You Fox, you really know how to play big sister."
Su Wanwan shot him a glare. "What big sister? That sounds awful."
"Then what are you?"
"A... a guide."
"Leading a donkey and a wolf?" Sun Wukong laughed even louder. "What kind of group is this? Some fable?"
Su Wanwan was left speechless. The White Donkey did not understand, but it felt that Sun Wukong was laughing at it and unhappily snorted out a breath. The white wolf understood, but did not feel insulted, because it had no idea what a fable was.
Past Wind-Return Ravine, the road west gradually changed. Not the road itself, but its scent. The air carried a dry, gritty smell. The wind was no longer damp enough to make skin feel sticky. It had become sharp and clean, sweeping across their faces like a broad-bladed knife. It left no moisture behind, only stole away the warmth. The vegetation beside the road had changed as well, from dense broadleaf forests to sparse bushes. Their leaves were small and hard, gray-green, coated with a thin waxy