“I guess that was your friends’ doing?” Senior Deng asked Liaowu.

 

“I don’t know. I doubt they did anything directly to them - what could have happened here?” Liaowu frowned.

 

“I can’t say for sure - but it’s obvious that they were related to unclean beings - really dangerous ones as well.” Senior Deng shook his head: “And I can only imagine, knowing what they might have done for those people, they might be marked and tracked by countless victims’ grudges and hatred, and upon the ‘reboot’ of the array, the protection they once had was weakened. And thus - it reasonably led to this.”

 

“But wouldn’t it mean the same for many people in the city, and the community collective?” Liaowu asked.

 

“Yes.” Senior Deng sighed: “Which means, the city would not be at peace for a very long time after this. But - but at least, the people can get a fresh start. The cancer is gone, for now. You still have many wounds.”

 

“Yeah, maybe.” Liaowu looked out the window to the east, the sun rose higher, and their surroundings got brighter and clearer.

 

It did not take too long before they drove off the road and into grass and dirt, yet with the morning light, they saw something they were not expecting - a crowd of people in the not-so-far distance. In fact, it would seem that a temporary camp of some sort was established in the supposedly empty land in front of them, with vehicles ready along the side and people running some kind of operation inside.

 

“You! Slow down, prepare to stop and state your business.” Several searchlights lit up and projected their beams onto them: “If you dare escape or rush into our camp, we will use force!”

 

“This is odd. Who are they and what are they doing right here?” Senior Deng frowned.

 

“Well, looks like they’re from the community collective.” Liaowu frowned: “But why here - ”

 

“Senior, do we stop?” The voice of the male follower of Senior Deng came from the radio.

 

“Wait for my signal. We’re not sure they are hostile yet.” Senior Deng responded and rolled down the window on his side. 

 

Three cars drove out from the camp and surrounded them. Three men with guns in their hands came out, following with a man in a ritual robe.

 

“What’s your business here?” The man in a ritual robe asked.

 

“We are friends of the Kshiti Temple, and we are here to provide aid, and hopefully find help in handling a - a delicate situation.” Senior Deng answered calmly: “But we were not informed about the - the camp you’ve set up here.”

 

“Who sent you here?”

 

“An Elder from the Kshiti Temple, she’s the one watching it right now.”

 

The man in a ritual robe thought for a minute, then nodded: “Get off the car, go in on foot with us.”

 

“Give up your weapons.” One of the armed men commanded.

 

Senior Deng gestured to the followers, then nodded at Liaowu. Liaowu groaned and handed out his wrench. The second time today, it was not a good feeling. The two followers of Senior Deng in the back handed the traitor to the armed men, cautioning them that they should keep close eyes on him. But none of the armed men acknowledged this request.

 

“Just do as they said.” Senior Deng was calm - maybe even too calm: “I don’t think they mean us or the normal people of the city any harm.”

 

The three armed men and the man in a ritual robe escorted them to the exterior wall of the temporary camp - it was made of metal fences, some wooden beams and dirt. Tire marks were all over the place, they even saw two buses moving people away.

 

“What is this camp? What’s happening here?” Liaowu couldn’t help but ask.

 

“Keep it to yourself. You’ll know when you need to know.” The man in a ritual robe answered, with an emotionless, almost ice cold tone.

 

“Who are these people?” Another armed man in tactical gear, seemingly someone of status, came to the man in a ritual robe.

 

“They claimed to be friends of the Kshiti Temple.” The man in a ritual robe answered: “So I brought them in and - ”

 

“Someone sent by the Kshiti Temple?” Right at this moment, a sharp looking old woman with silver hair and in civilian clothing walked by and asked. Her voice was weary, yet it did not lessen how commanding her voice was.

 

“Yes, Elder, they claimed so.” The man in a ritual robe bowed to the old woman, as did the man in tactical gear.

 

The old woman walked over. Her eyes scanned Senior Deng, Liaowu and then the rest of the senior’s followers. She fixed her eyes on Liaowu for a brief moment before asking: “You’re here to see someone. Who are you here to see?”

 

“Ugh - ” The hairs on Liaowu’s back stood up. In but a brief moment like this the old woman already saw through that much, there was no telling how much she could see if he had been here longer, or had met her a few more times.

 

“He’s here to see family. We were informed that someone from his family is here.” Senior Deng helped Liaowu answer.

 

“And you? What are you doing here?” The Elder’s attention switched to Senior Deng.

 

“We’re here along with him, and we are sent by an Elder at the Kshiti Temple - to help whatever way we can.”

 

“Okay, looks like you’re not lying.” The Elder nodded: “But you’re not telling the full truth either. If you’re here to do anything, I suggest you tell us what your business here is - when we’re inside.”

 

“Guangyuan Deng?” Barely a moment after their entrance through the front “gate” of the temporary camp, a female voice called out.

 

Liaowu and Senior Deng turned towards the voice - it was a woman who appeared to be of similar age to Senior Deng, with dirt and a little blood on her face and arms.

 

“... Luoshan?” Senior Deng frowned at first, before surprise and joy overtook his whole face.