Whilst heading back, Hope asked curiously, "Do you feel fine now? Do the wounds still hurt?"
"I'm fine, it feels like I haven't even been wounded," Zixin replied without much thought.
Hope laughed, muttering, "That's good," before promptly dashing forward.
Zixin's pupils contracted after witnessing her speed. His thoughts ran. Her speed is ridiculous. I've already lost track of her, even though she has only run for a second. Why did she even run in the first place? Don't tell me she's playing a game with me… I might be close to full recovery, but this is still unfair. I can also just walk and ignore her.
He sighed, placing his attention upon the Hex Zone. His first attempt led to failure, followed by his second and third until his streak was broken by his success on his fourth try.
He held his head still, feeling the gradual exhaustion brought about by his three failed attempts. Recovering after standing still for a few moments, he decided to search for Hope, feeling a little concern for her safety.
He prepared himself, concentrating his strength on his feet, and dashed forward. Scanning his surroundings with precision, he finds his target meters away. Air currents brushed past him, assaulting him before coming to a resolute stop.
He raised his head, staring at Hope, who sat on the metallic railings of the market.
Must be the exit, huh? Let's see… How do I get up? There is probably a staircase somewhere, but I don't know where it is. Hmm… I suppose asking around should do the trick. He thought momentarily before heading towards the nearest stall.
The stall was run down with moss growing on the wooden sign. An old lady, seemingly in her late 40s, with noticeable wrinkles, came over with a disgusted expression. She tidied up her red dress before questioning Zixin's motives with utter hate, "Brat, what the hell do you want?"
Zixin's expression slightly darkened as he thought, Madam, it's still morning, please don't release your frustrations on me, of all people. Wait, is it even morning? We're underground, so I kind of just assumed—forget it.
He asked politely, a stark contrast to the lady's demeanor, "May I ask where the exit lies?"
"Do you really think that I'll tell you? Brat, you're nothing more than a lucky kid born to the right family!" The lady shouted fiercely, biting her lips intensely.
"So? What of it? If you're mad that our status couldn't be further apart, does that mean that you can't imagine yourself achieving such heights? Why should I care about your opinions? Please do both of us a favor by telling me where the exit is. In return, I can promise to never return to your stall." Zixin spoke coldly, negotiating his way out.
Her blood boiled as steam rushed from her ears, "You fuc—"
…
Sigh, finally—I can leave. It only took me thirty minutes before she decided to tell me. I was just asking about the exit. Is that hard to answer? Well, now that I think about it, she was mocking me the whole time. She was probably releasing her frustrations—good for her. Zixin's thoughts moved while he stretched his arms, walking his way to the exit.
When the staircase finally appeared in front of him, he wasted no time walking up.
After a few minutes, he reached the top where the metallic railings hang.
Hope off in front of him and commented, "You're surprisingly patient."
Zixin sighed internally before questioning her previous actions, "So, why did you run?"
"Huh? Are you that curious? I was kinda just bored, so I ran. Nothing special here." She spoke plainly, a little confused.
Maybe I should have actually just walked instead of running after her. I even entered the White Palace for nothing. Hmm? When did I leave the White Palace? Did I unconsciously let go of my consciousness once I felt tired enough? That's interesting. Zixin pondered for a moment, waiting for Hope's next move.
"Then, how about stepping into Fang Hau's Chamber again? This time, you could discuss with him." Hope proposed and returned with Zixin's silent acceptance.
Not a bad idea, after all, I still have questions left unanswered. Zixin unknowingly nodded.
Hope smiled, leading him out of the market. Once out, she grabbed his wrist, running towards the formation within Mount Lorebale.
"Huh?" Zixin muttered in surprise when she grabbed him.
Hope seemed to ignore him on the way towards the formation.
The moment they stood inside the formation, Hope activated the formation without a second thought.
…
Zixin opened his eyes, only to see a room filled with purple smoke. The smoke slowly condensed into a humanoid figure—Fang Hau.
He wore a plain, indiscriminate expression, turning over to look at Zixin. Bowing with practiced politeness, he spoke softly, "Welcome back, have you decided on your next course of action?"
After speaking, a smile formed upon his lips as he raised his right hand and purposely lowered his left hand.
"Light that never crossed the realms, fulfill our only binding pact."
The ground began to shake, and soon, the entire room started crumbling apart. Debris rained down like a storm, but Zixin instinctively knew where to go.
After taking one deep breath, Zixin rushed towards Fang Hau, with his thoughts running alongside him. If he's the one causing this, his surroundings must be a safe zone.
But before he could even take a step further, blinding lights flashed past him, encircling the room in a formation.
Zixin fell to the ground, but before he could even regain his composure, the room had completely changed.
When he finally regained his footing, he noticed the metallic table in front. Its luster is akin to stars' brilliant light.
Three grand thrones surrounded the table, each dyed a different theme. The throne at the center was dyed purple, the one to the left was red, whilst the one at the right was grey.
The room was tall with a ceiling that felt impossible to reach. Scarlet banners hang among the walls with peculiar patterns, each a unique symbol. The walls were a set of grey bricks, similar to those of a ruin. A magnificent red carpet stretched out to the table with glimmering lights.
Hope and Fang Hau sat on their respective seats, waiting for Zixin's thoughts to wander over.
"Come take a seat, let us begin our discussion." Fang Hau gestured.
Zixin walked over and noticed an odd sigil on the back of his seat. It was a silver crown with a crack in the middle. He set his thoughts aside, taking his seat.
Fang Hau gracefully stands up, bowing and introducing himself, "I am Fang Hau of Longevity, one of countless Lost Souls, but today I am your–Host. I strive with this discussion to persuade you to help in turning my plan–Truth–into reality."
After he sat down, Hope rose to her feet and spoke, "I am Hope, a Nameless, and the daughter born to put an end to our Contract."
After she sat down, Zixin followed suit, "I am Zixin of Longevity, a person with the soul wish to understand what I have yet to comprehend."