Xing Shen hadn’t heard of the “Seven Fingers of Kuafu,” so Yan Tuo briefly summarized what he’d read in his mother’s diary.
“Reviewing the old to know the new”—this saying rang true. Mentioning it now, Yan Tuo had some new thoughts: “Everyone knows the story of Kuafu chasing the sun. What my mother recorded was similar to the myth, with one exaggerated detail—after collapsing from exhaustion, Kuafu desperately clawed at the ground with his fingers, wearing three of them down, leaving seven.”
As he spoke, he spread his fingers in a clawing gesture: “Back then, I wondered how crawling on the ground could be so difficult that it would wear down someone’s fingers. Now I think we should consider it differently—if he was clawing upward from underground, desperately digging through the soil with his fingers, it makes more sense.”
Nie Jiuluo felt stirred by this: “I’ve always thought that the ‘Kuafu Chasing the Sun’ story fits better as an Earth Xiao myth than one of ours.”
“Because the sun hangs above us with fixed rising and setting times, yet Kuafu insisted on chasing it, supposedly to make it more obedient to humans—that logic seems forced. But it makes perfect sense for Earth Xiao to chase the sun. Living underground, unable to see the sun, they would ‘chase’ it, continuing to dig outward even with their last breath, even at the cost of wearing down their fingers.”
Yu Rong found this reasoning sound but grew more confused: “The message about Nüwa’s flesh connecting to immortality makes sense, but what about ‘Kua-fu-seven’? What were they trying to tell those outside? That someone named Kuafu had seven fingers?”
Xing Shen smiled: “It’s precisely because this second message seemed meaningless that it was ignored from the start. Everyone was excited about the first message—though the First Emperor of Qin was gone, the Han Emperor still sought immortality. If they could obtain the secret method and present it to the emperor, wouldn’t wealth and glory be theirs?”
“But it was difficult. During that rebellion, the Coiled Head Flags were burned, and the musical score and a stone tablet with flag signals were destroyed. Only this clumsy Coiled Head Qing remained.”
He struck one of the stone chimes with his wooden stick, producing a dull, meaningless sound.
Nie Jiuluo pondered: “So generations of Coiled Head Army entering Green Soil weren’t just seeking wealth—more importantly, they sought to solve the mystery of Nüwa’s flesh?”
Xing Shen nodded: “Who wouldn’t want to? Even in modern times, countless people seek ways to live longer. If it were just a baseless legend, that would be one thing, but the message on the arrow was clear—it wasn’t false, they had real leads, just one step away.”
His face showed contempt: “The ancestors broke faith, abandoning their companions in the Black and White Rapids, causing the trail to go cold. Then generation after generation of descendants kept running back in, trying to pick up the threads—what a fate.”
Yan Tuo couldn’t help saying: “As a Coiled Head Army descendant, aren’t you… overly empathizing with those abandoned in the Black and White Rapids?”
Xing Shen coldly replied: “I’m not empathizing with either side, I just stand for justice and fairness. This wasn’t right.”
This rebuke was quite harsh. Yan Tuo fell silent, and Nie Jiuluo gently tugged at his clothes. Yan Tuo noticed and smiled, lowering his hand to hold hers.
The movement was slight, but Xing Shen “saw” it—such movements of bodily light, however small, were obvious to him.
He turned away.
Yu Rong was eager to know what happened next: “Then? Surely there must have been some progress after generations of entering Green Soil?”
Xing Shen said: “There was progress, but not much. In short, they found the location of the musician statues, but the ancients were subtle in hiding things—they wouldn’t just leave them out waiting to be taken. Unable to crack the mystery, they couldn’t find the items.”
“You know what happened after that—it was passed down generation after generation until the late Qing Dynasty when chaos disrupted everything and people scattered. Honestly, Uncle Jiang is capable—he managed to gather the descendants again and collect much information, but his ambitions were too small, just focused on quick profits and digging up gold.”
Nie Jiuluo glanced at him: “Uncle Jiang’s ambitions are small, but yours seem quite grand. What do you want to do?”
Xing Shen turned toward her, his tone showing disappointment: “Ah Luo, you’ve always been like this, showing no curiosity about people or things. The Black and White Rapids below is a completely different world, hiding such great secrets. More importantly, so many of our predecessors are trapped down there. Wouldn’t solving these mysteries be more fulfilling than just living day to day?”
Nie Jiuluo stared silently at Xing Shen. Though he couldn’t see her gaze, he could feel its intensity.
He grew uncomfortable under her scrutiny.
Nie Jiuluo said: “First, I’m not just living day to day—I live a rich, fulfilling life. Second, Xing Shen, you seem to have forgotten why we’re here.”
“Some came because they’re related to hostages, seeking to rescue loved ones. Others came to resolve threats hanging over them. Everyone had their unavoidable reasons. But I’ve noticed you’re different, or at least not entirely—you’ve always dreamed of adventure. Uncle Jiang’s ambitions were too small for you; you want to do more, but never had the chance.”
“Before this mission, everyone was hesitant, seeing the huge power difference and unwilling to risk it. Then you said you had a way—that you could ‘borrow yin soldiers.’ I thought you had some great technique, but hearing it now, it’s all so intangible. Never mind the trouble of finding things in the musician statues—I just want to ask: even if you gathered everything, can you guarantee that after two thousand years, those yin soldiers are still alive? Can they be borrowed? Will they obey your commands?”
“You’re completely uncertain about everything, just using a grand cause to cover your agenda, using everyone to test a theory. Your so-called ‘borrowing yin soldiers’ is less reliable than Yu Rong’s guns!”
After speaking, she turned and left.
Yan Tuo smiled wryly, wanting to say something, but thought better of it—this was Coiled Head Army “family business,” and as an outsider, he shouldn’t comment.
He went after Nie Jiuluo: someone needed to stop her—where could she go anyway?
Yu Rong remained in place, slowly digesting Nie Jiuluo’s words, then looked Xing Shen up and down before letting out a cold laugh: “I’ve been saying all along that this ‘summoning ghosts’ business isn’t reliable.”
***
Nie Jiuluo truly had nowhere to go. It was dark outside by now, and having just walked the mountain paths for a day and night to get here, she couldn’t just head back out without resting.
Xing Shen’s group had brought sufficient equipment and supplies. Yan Tuo set up two tents on a third-level platform, far from Xing Shen’s group. He then cooked instant noodles over the fire, added some egg drops, and brought them over to share with Nie Jiuluo.
Nie Jiuluo was still angry, holding her paper bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other, trying unsuccessfully to catch noodles from the pot.
Yan Tuo placed some noodles in her bowl and added more soup with a ladle: “Don’t be angry. Look on the bright side—at least Yu Rong got guns. Whether for confrontation or sneak attacks, guns will improve our chances.”
He added: “Just treat this borrowing yin soldiers business as a joke.”
Nie Jiuluo gritted her teeth: “I don’t understand why Uncle Jiang chose him as successor. An incompetent leader is bad enough, but one with dark intentions is even worse.”
Yan Tuo said nothing, as he didn’t know Xing Shen well, though, from the last Earth Xiao hunt, Xing Shen had performed adequately.
He spoke diplomatically: “Just pretend this wasn’t part of the plan. If we can borrow them, it’s an unexpected bonus; if not, no disappointment.”
Just then, Yu Rong’s voice came from below: “Hey… Miss Luo, come down for a minute.”
***
Stone steps were carved into the platform’s side. Though steep, they made going up and down convenient.
Yu Rong stood at the bottom of the stairs, arms crossed, looking up at her. Before Nie Jiuluo got close, she started complaining: “You’re so troublesome. Mountain Strong calls you Miss Luo and Xing Shen warns me not to slip up—isn’t this all too complicated?”
Nie Jiuluo cut her off: “What is it?”
“Well. We haven’t reached the meeting date yet, but shouldn’t we familiarize ourselves with the situation first, and scout things out? After sleeping, we’ll enter the Golden Human Gates tomorrow morning. Xing Shen, after your scolding, doesn’t dare ask you himself—he wanted me to ask if you’re still coming with us?”
Nie Jiuluo countered: “You’ve seen how unreliable he is. Are you comfortable working with him?”
Yu Rong was honest: “He’s unreliable just about this yin soldier business, and honestly, I never had much hope for ghost summoning anyway. During the last Earth Xiao hunt, Xing Shen’s arrangements were decent. You shouldn’t completely dismiss him over this one thing. As for Earth Xiao—well, though they can’t be killed, they don’t revive instantly either. It’s not that terrifying when you think about it.”
Nie Jiuluo changed the subject: “Lin Xirou entered so early, probably finished all her preparations. You’re already behind, even going in advance now. Is there any point in scouting?”
Yu Rong said: “Of course there is. Know yourself and your enemy, right? Since she’s prepared, we especially need to scout first, to avoid blindly walking into her traps.”
Nie Jiuluo: “Isn’t it risky going together? Should we consider splitting into front, middle, and rear teams?”
Yu Rong understood her meaning—don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
She thought for a moment: “Three teams would be difficult, but two is doable. One team with Grasshopper, one with Sun Zhou—they’re detectors, can warn us if Earth Xiao approaches. So, you’ll enter the Golden Human Gates?”
Nie Jiuluo nodded.
Yu Rong had asked everything she needed to, turned to leave, then suddenly remembered something and turned back.
She gestured toward Yan Tuo above: “Mountain Strong says you’re his girlfriend now? Is it true? That’s quite some progress.”
For some reason, though Nie Jiuluo hadn’t known Yu Rong long, she felt no barriers between them, feeling she could discuss anything.
She said: “Life is short. Getting things isn’t easy, but losing them is. So, keep your eyes open—opportunities, men, friends, and everything you find worthwhile right in front of you—if you like it, grab it.”
Yu Rong shared Sister Lu’s thinking: “Won’t observe longer? What if you grab wrong?”
“Isn’t grabbing wrong normal? Who can bet right every time? If you grab wrong, just let go.”
Yu Rong nodded: “Good attitude. Hope you grabbed it right. Tested the goods yet?”
Nie Jiuluo: “Huh?”
She thought she’d misheard.
Yu Rong looked completely frank: “You can’t pick someone inadequate. Your conditions are pretty good—you deserve high quality in all aspects.”
She emphasized “all aspects.”
Nie Jiuluo was speechless but wanted to laugh. After a pause, she replied: “You seem quite knowledgeable.”
Yu Rong shrugged, completely at ease: “What don’t I know about!”
***
Back at the tent, the pot was covered. Nie Jiuluo sat down and picked up her bowl again: “You finished?”
Yan Tuo lifted the lid: “No, waiting for you.”
Nie Jiuluo glanced at him: “The noodles will get mushy if left too long. Why wait for me? Does eating together make it tastier?”
Yan Tuo: “Exactly—eating together makes it tastier.”
Nie Jiuluo was momentarily speechless, then burst out laughing.
Yan Tuo laughed too, ladling soup noodles for her: “What did Yu Rong talk to you about?”
Nie Jiuluo said: “Nothing much, just said we’re entering the Golden Human Gates tomorrow morning.”
Yan Tuo said nothing but looked diagonally forward. When getting equipment earlier, he’d asked Mountain Strong—to enter the Golden Human Gates, they needed to keep going in that direction.
Nie Jiuluo followed his gaze, speaking softly: “It’s strange. I’ve always refused to enter Green Soil. When Uncle Jiang asked my opinion, I’d always say I’d wait outside, they could find me if needed.”
“Now that we’re at the Golden Human Gates, I’m not nervous at all.”
Not only was she not nervous, but she felt an odd sense of peace.
Yan Tuo said: “This is just the entrance. The Golden Human Gates are so solid—it’s not time to be nervous yet. I’m not very nervous either. Getting nervous before even facing anything—that would be too useless.”
Nie Jiuluo said nothing, then after a while, raised her hand to touch the small jade persimmon and peanut pendants on her neck.
Good things (persimmon) will happen (peanut).
Will they?
She had many reasons for coming this time, but there was one she hadn’t told anyone.
—Enter the Black and White Rapids, humans become Xiao ghosts.
—Uncle Jiang said Mother Pei Ke was dragged away by Earth Xiao, leaving a trail of blood.
But being dragged away didn’t necessarily mean death—no one had seen her mother’s corpse.
What if she had escaped? Her blood was poison to Earth Xiao.
The Coiled Head Army Xiao ghosts from two thousand years ago might not have survived until now—they might be long dead. But Pei Ke, if she escaped, would still be alive.
Nie Jiuluo’s hand began to tremble slightly.
Perhaps this was the real reason she wasn’t nervous.