Hongzhen Sanatorium: The Right Way to Vacation at Public Expense

Another muffled thud came from the mountainside. At the same moment that line of tiny ink marks appeared, the mushroom soup in the pot was shaken open, creating a half-circle of white foam. Jinhsi's chopsticks slipped to the edge of the bowl, Dania quickly picked up the tripe and put it back into her own bowl. After confirming that the food was safe, she looked up at Zhou Yu.

Chisaki's tablet flashed red three times in a row, the sluice gate icon on the screen was covered by a black chain, and a line of small text popped up next to it.

"The Fractsidus seized control of the gate, and the mountain's energy flow is being reversed. We recommend we evacuate within ten minutes."

The veins on the back of Qiu Yuan's hand, which was gripping the sword, Dreamless Phantom deep in the pit towards the mountain path.

"I'll go clear the way."

"Stop delivering food!"

Zhou Yu placed the strainer on the side of the pot, took out his old post road pass, and casually pulled out an inn accommodation voucher to place on top of it.

"Since the gate is under the management of the scenic area's facilities, and the outsourced black talisman locked it without authorization, we will first determine it as an illegal occupation of public facilities according to procedure."

Sigelica's expression was somewhat distorted as she held her shield.

"Just how many random tickets are you carrying with you?"

"Business travelers' sense of security comes from written documentation."

Zhou Yu wrote "Temporary maintenance passage open" in the corner of the ticket with a ballpoint pen, then patted the paper against the crack.

"Open the sluice gate, release the water, call it a day, let's go down the mountain and soak in the hot springs."

A sharp whistling sound came from the crack in the black rune. The remnant at the bottom of the pit struggled violently, its fingers digging into the rock layer. Chisa drew her sword and pressed it forward, the blade slicing a half-circle of cold light along the edge of the pit, forcing the hand to slide down again. A dull mechanical sound came from the mountainside, the sound of metal rubbing echoing in the snow mist.

The red light turned into a yellow line, Chisaki stared at the tablet.

"The sluice gate is open 30%, the pulse flow is releasing pressure, and the core of the afterimage is beginning to peel away."

Zhou Yu placed the last piece of mushroom into Jinhsi's bowl.

"Thirty percent is enough to give it diarrhea. Lord Yin, please finish your soup, and we'll prepare to check out."

Jinhsi held the bowl, watching the black and golden body at the bottom of the pit being dispersed layer by layer by the golden light. The tension on her face finally dissipated. She lowered her head and took a sip of soup, the steam making her eyelashes wet.

Dania leaned closer and whispered a reminder.

"Make sure you finish the sesame paste too, it was made by Xiao Yu."

Jinhsi hesitated and moved the bowl closer to the sauce dish. Sigelica saw this, her lips twitched, and finally she hoisted the shield back onto her shoulder.

"Alright, let's put the apocalypse aside for now, the dipping sauce comes first."

By the time they descended the mountain, the snow had lessened considerably. The old post road was dampened by the condensed mist on both sides. Qiu Yuan led the way, while Chisa lagged behind. Her sword was not sheathed, and its tip occasionally brushed against the black ash on the stone steps. Jinhsi, wearing the thick cloak that Aimis had given her, was being half-pulled along by Dania, holding a half-finished bowl of mushroom soup in her hands.

Hongzhen is located at the foot of the mountain. A row of lanterns hangs at the entrance of the town to keep out the cold. A wooden sign reads "Winter Solstice Hot Spring Therapy Street". The roofs on both sides of the street are covered with snow, and smoke rises from the chimneys. Several pastry shops are taking glutinous rice balls out of the steamer. The aroma of sweet wine and osmanthus is mixed with the hot steam.

Zhou Yu stood at the entrance of town, patted the snow off his sleeves, and announced it quite naturally.

"Mission accomplished. The escorted individuals need rest and recuperation; our entire inspection team will now begin a publicly funded sanatorium procedure on the spot."

Qiu Yuan tripped on the stone steps.

"Manager Zhou, um... Ling Yin needs some quiet time for seclusion."

"That's why you should look for the most expensive place—good soundproofing, plenty of hot water, and a kitchen that can prepare meals 24/7."

Zhou Yu waved the voucher, stamped by Changli Li, in front of him.

"Go and inform the Patrol Department that no unauthorized personnel should approach Hongzhen tonight. Leave the rest to logistics."

The largest hot spring inn in Hongzhen is called Cold Spring Inn. Two stone deer at the entrance had half their faces covered by snow. The innkeeper was originally adjusting the beads on his abacus when he saw the Lingyin Mansion seal on the voucher, and the pen in his hand almost rolled into his teacup.

"You want the whole backyard?"

Zhou Yu leaned against the counter, wearing only a cotton robe temporarily provided by the inn over her white vest, and her floral shorts stood out conspicuously by the fire.

"The backyard, hot springs, kitchen, firewood, late-night snacks, and even food stalls are all available for delivery from the Magistrate's residence with tickets. The Magistrate is not in good health, and his entourage has been working non-stop for half a day; they need to fully recover."

The shopkeeper looked at Jinhsi. Jinhsi was about to speak, Dania had already turned back from the pastry plate at the door, holding three pieces of glutinous rice cake in her hands, with white sugar on the corner of her mouth.

"Xiao Yu, this is soft and it even stretches into strings."

Zhou Yu casually handed her the fourth piece.

If you like, ask the kitchen to steam two more baskets.

Chisaki's tablet emitted a crisp alarm.

"Warning: Dania's current calorie intake has exceeded the daily food budget limit of the Magistrate's residence. Feeding is recommended to be stopped."

Dania, with a pastry in her mouth, froze for a second, her satisfied expression fading as she stopped chewing. Zhou Yu took the tablet, swiped it a couple of times, changed the upper limit setting to unlimited, and then shoved the device back into Chisaki's arms.

"When working people go on business trips, their meal portions shouldn't be calculated based on the standard afternoon tea allowance in the office."

Chisaki looked at the screen, and a new note popped up on the notepad.

"Sample anomaly; logistical permissions override financial restrictions."

Sigelica covered her face.

"Sooner or later, Changli will be so angry with you that he'll change the rules overnight."

"Eat first, then change the system."

Zhou Yu handed over a string of "Suihan Wine".

"You blocked three rocks with your shield today; who's going to be responsible if you get low blood sugar?"

Sigelica cursed under her breath, but her hands quickly grabbed the bamboo skewer.

The hot spring in the backyard was divided into several sections by a screen. Hot steam rose from the water. Chilled watermelon and plum drinks were placed in the wooden tub. Aimis threw her shawl on the shelf first, then slid into the water with the wooden tub in her arms. The splashing water hit Linnai's face, and Linnai splashed it back with a small wooden spoon. The laughter of the two echoed between the courtyard walls.

Sigelica leaned against the edge of the pool, her entire body submerged except for her head and one hand holding a pastry.

"Now I understand what the joy of sucking up to someone's coattails is; it turns out you really can soak in a hot spring after a world-class crisis."

Chisaki sat on a stone bench by the pool, her feet soaking in the water, while the tablet continued to run in a waterproof bag.

"Your heart rate has dropped by 29 percent, and your complaining frequency has decreased by 40 percent. The treatment is effective."

"Delete that line."

"The data has been synced to your personal research profile."

Outside the screen, Chisa stood on the veranda, wearing an overcoat and holding a sword at her side. Her gaze swept over the eaves, corners of the walls, and the courtyard gate. Dania poked her head out from the heat and waved to her.

"Sister Chisa, the water is very warm."

"I'll be in charge of guarding."

Dania walked up the stone steps to the shore, water droplets falling to the ground from the ends of her pink hair. She reached out and grabbed Chisa's sleeve, her grip light but her attitude earnest.

"Xiao Yu said that everyone needs to participate in the recuperation process."

Chisa looked to the other side of the screen.

Zhou Yu.

A plate of sliced, chilled watermelon was handed over through the screen, Zhou Yu's voice sounding languid from the steam.

"I've left the knife on the shore, and posted temporary anti-slip warnings and 'No Trespassing' signs around the inn. If any 'black talisman' manages to sneak in, it'll have to read the 300-word check-in instructions first."

Linnai laughed so hard in the water she almost slipped and fell in.

"Chisa, even the enemy is being given reading comprehension questions, what are you still standing there for?"

While Aimis was at it, she carefully placed Chisa's sword on the wooden frame on the shore. When Dania Chisa the pool, her shoulders and back were still tense. The water level reached her collarbone. She sat in the corner, her fingers still unconsciously reaching half an inch towards the shore.

Dania pushed the plate of watermelon in front of her.

"This is so sweet."

Chisa stared at the red-fleshed watermelon, and after a few moments, she picked up a slice. When she bit into it, the cool juice flowed out, and the sweetness overpowered the metallic aura of the scabbard. She saw Dania spinning around in the water, hugging a wooden basin, Jinhsi sat on the other side, sipping her medicinal soup. Sigelica and Linnai almost used a wooden spoon as a weapon for the last piece of glutinous rice cake.

Chisa swallowed the watermelon, her shoulder line gradually relaxed, and the bell at her waist hung on the shore, gently swaying and making a crisp sound.

On the rooftop, Qiu Yuan sat on the edge of the ridge, a cloak draped over his shoulders. A cold wind brushed against his cheeks, while below, the backyard was bustling with heat, laughter and splashing water mingling together. He looked down at the calluses on his palms from practicing swordsmanship, then at Zhou Yu's back as he instructed the shopkeeper to add more charcoal through the screen. Suddenly, he felt that all his years of hard work and self-cultivation in the martial world, enduring wind and rain, might have been defeated by a stamped voucher and a plate of chilled watermelon.

A soft sound came from the other end of the tile. Qiu Yuan pressed his sword hilt and glanced over. In the shadow of the roof ridge, there was a half-painted black talisman, wet with snow. The ink flowed down the tile gutters, revealing a line of thin characters.

"Cradle at the top of the list of places for recuperation."