"To the International Heritage Building," I said as I got into the taxi.
"Right away, miss."
The cab pulled away from the curb.
I stared through the window as the city passed by.
People were already beginning to prepare for the Halo Rite. Decorations had appeared along the streets, and more than a few people were carrying masks beneath their arms or hanging them from their bags.
The driver glanced at me through the rear-view mirror.
"People are already getting ready for the Halo Rite."
I gave him a brief look before turning back toward the window.
I wasn't particularly interested.
I was already annoyed that I had to carry out this objective.
Did I water the flowers?
The thought came to me at the most inconvenient moment.
I frowned.
I should have checked before leaving.
The vehicle eventually slowed to a stop.
"Ma'am, we have arrived."
I stepped out and looked up.
"Interesting."
The International Heritage Building was certainly impressive.
But compared with what I had seen inside the sect, it was hardly extraordinary.
The sect likely has more artifacts than they do.
I entered the building.
"Good morning, sir. I'm looking for Kim."
One of the security personnel looked at me.
"Kim?"
"Lead Kim," another guard corrected.
Recognition crossed the first guard's face.
"Oh."
He looked at me again.
"Well?"
"Give me a moment."
With that, he disappeared through a doorway.
"You can have a seat," the other guard said, gesturing toward a nearby chair.
I nodded and sat down.
It wasn't long before footsteps approached.
"Miss Karly. Good morning."
Mr. Kim arrived with another guard.
"We received the letter from your sect, so I believe you are here for the matter mentioned in it?"
He motioned for me to follow him.
"Quite the cultivators you people have."
My eyes caught on what appeared to be an old blade displayed nearby.
"Ha-ha. Well, they are needed."
He smiled.
"And they are what we have to work with."
We entered his office.
He went through several papers on his desk.
"Well, we do not have the exact location of Xiaoyou."
He paused.
"But he has been seen frequenting certain locations."
He looked toward the door.
"Get me Miss Mary."
His voice carried into the corridor.
A moment later, he returned his attention to the papers.
"Tea?"
He poured himself a cup.
"No, thank you."
He simply nodded and took a sip.
The door opened.
"Kim, what is the matter?"
A woman stepped inside.
Then she noticed me.
"Oh."
Kim gestured toward me.
"This is Miss Karly. She is from Ming Yaun Zong."
He turned toward the woman.
"And Miss Karly, this is Miss Mary. She will be one of the people assisting you in locating Xiaoyou."
"Nice to meet you."
I offered my hand.
She shook it.
"Are we finally taking action against Logan and Morgan?"
Mary turned toward Kim.
"No."
Kim shook his head.
"We are only providing logistics. The sect said they would handle the matter themselves."
He glanced at me.
Mary looked at me again.
"Oh."
She nodded.
"Okay, then."
───
"We meet tomorrow."
Mary walked beside me after we left Mr. Kim's office.
"Luckily, the location this time isn't that far."
"I see."
"I'll show you where you'll be staying in the meantime."
She disappeared somewhere inside the building, leaving me waiting.
A short while later, she returned with another woman.
"Yes. So I will need you to get her to your apartment building. Just hand the building superintendent this letter."
She passed the letter to the woman.
"This is Megumi. She'll show you where you'll be staying."
Megumi exchanged greetings with the woman.
Then she turned toward me.
"Hmm."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Well, then we should get going."
Her tail swayed slowly behind her.
I looked at it for a moment before following her.
The streets were considerably noisier than the museum had been.
People were everywhere.
Preparations for the Halo Rite seemed to have taken over much of the city.
"The Halo Rite is soon," Megumi said.
She looked down at the mask she was carrying as we travelled through the streets.
I nodded.
"I've noticed."
───
The room was rather nice.
The building itself looked old, but there was something unique about it.
I placed my box on the bed and brought out a change of clothes.
After breakfast, I found myself sitting with several documents spread across the table.
A man who had introduced himself as Nicholas was reading through one of them.
"Heiwa fought with him?"
I looked up.
"Do you know her?"
"Miss Lilong Heiwa was an employee of the Concord a little while back," Mary explained.
She was looking through another document.
"And yes. She did fight with Xiaoyou."
"Lilong?"
Megumi's twin sister, Sadako, suddenly looked up.
"Like the one from Major Shuilong Zu?"
Her eyes widened.
"Wow."
I looked between them.
"So, when are we leaving?"
"We could leave now."
Mary checked the time.
"But six o'clock would be ideal."
Sadako raised her eyebrows.
I glanced at Megumi.
She gave me a small smile.
Does she know the place?
I wasn't entirely certain what I was supposed to make of that.
"Do we need all of you to come along?"
By the time we boarded the train, I had decided to ask.
"Hmm."
Mary took a sip from her drink.
"We're going for a different reason, so you need not worry."
That answer somehow made me more curious.
But I let it go.
When the train finally arrived at the station, we made our way to an inn and dropped off our luggage.
"Okay."
Mary looked at us.
"We're heading out in thirty minutes."
She disappeared into her room.
I went into mine, changed, and waited.
Before long, we were walking into the forest.
Nicholas carried a rather large bag on his back.
Large enough that I was beginning to wonder what exactly they had planned.
It certainly looked like they had something else to do.
I just wasn't sure what.
"He frequents this area," Mary said.
"But I cannot promise that you'll meet him today."
"I understand."
We continued walking.
The daylight gradually faded.
Then night settled over the forest.
I was beginning to wonder how much farther we had to go when—
Lights appeared.
Not gradually.
They simply appeared ahead of us.
I stopped.
"What is this?"
I looked around.
"The Halo Rite?"
No.
It wasn't time for that yet.
The lights multiplied.
Lanterns illuminated paths that hadn't been there a moment ago.
Figures moved between them.
Tents and stalls emerged from the darkness.
My hand instinctively moved toward my blade.
Then I stopped myself.
Mary continued forward as though this were perfectly ordinary.
"Welcome to the Pilgrim Fair."
We approached a man holding a lantern.
The light cast strange shadows across his face.
Mary and the others began speaking with him.
Nicholas removed the large bag from his back.
I stared at it.
"What should…"
My voice trailed off.
My eyes had fallen on someone standing among the lanterns.
Someone I knew.
"Xiaoyou."
───
FROM: The Hall Master of the Hall of Discipline
TO: Disciple Karly Kyleigh Sytengco Panlillo
DATE: 10th Opaline, 1902
CLASSIFICATION: Restricted
PATH: Cìkè
RANK: Outer Disciple
SUBJECT: Qìtú — Xiaoyou
DISCIPLINARY WRIT
By order of the Hall of Discipline, this writ concerns Xiaoyou, formerly a disciple of the Sect and presently designated a Qìtú.
Following his expulsion from the Sect, Xiaoyou has continued to employ cultivation techniques against civilian settlements and public property.
Reports have confirmed his involvement in an attack against the Concord and its personnel, as well as his connection to the destruction of a fishing village, resulting in casualties and extensive property damage.
His actions have consequently been recognized as a threat to the Sect and to those under its protection.
You are hereby ordered to:
• Locate Xiaoyou.
• Confirm his identity beyond reasonable doubt.
• Prevent further loss of life where practicable.
• Terminate the threat posed by Xiaoyou.
The manner of execution is left to your judgment.
You are not authorized to disclose the contents of this writ to unauthorized persons, nor are you to involve the Sect publicly unless circumstances make such intervention unavoidable.
No arrest is required.
No negotiation is authorized.
No public declaration is to be made.
The Hall accepts responsibility for this order.
Return a written account of the operation upon completion.
By authority of the Hall of Discipline,
Teyo
Hall Master of Discipline
Míng Yuān Zōng