They pushed open the door and walked in.
Then both Malin and Steve froze.
Beneath their feet was an island in the middle of a lake, lush with green grass and blooming flowers. Birds flew overhead, and fish leaped in the lake.
A desk and office chair stood on the grass ahead, with several butterflies resting on the desktop.
The Whip Bearer sat on a large rock at the edge of the island, a cigar between the fingers of his right hand and a fishing rod in his left. The breeze gently stirred his already somewhat loose clerical robes.
Malin and Steven exchanged a glance, each seeing a trace of alarm in the other's eyes.
After a brief pause, the two walked over, one behind the other, and stopped behind the Whip Bearer.
Silence.
Silence.
Silence...
The wind continued to blow, pleasantly cool and fresh, but Malin and Steven were like students standing in punishment. One looked down at the grass beneath their feet, while the other watched the light shimmering on the lake ahead. Every second was sheer torment.
At last, the silence broke.
"Ah, it's been so long since I last relaxed like this," Fudeng said with a smile. "I still remember when I was young. Life was actually quite easy. There weren't so many burdens, so many responsibilities, and most importantly, so many worries."
Normally, at a time like this, either Malin or Steven would pick up the conversation and expand on it, letting the Whip Bearer talk to his heart's content before ending with laughter.
But this time, both Malin and Steven remained silent.
Then, very quickly, each wondered why the other wasn't responding.
They glanced at each other out of the corners of their eyes with a hint of reproach, but the moment to respond