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"Salome was in my place? That means-"

Hao Xuan couldn't help but try and connect the dots but the old lady stopped him.

"There is no need to look for meaning where there is none. All you need to know now is the choice falls upon your shoulders. What will you do?"

She flicked a finger and a cup of hot tea appeared in Hao Xuan's hand.

"Just like your mother used to make," she said smilingly but to Hao Xuan's eyes it looked like the blood from the reaper's scythe.

Even so, if she actually wanted to hurt him he couldn't stop her so he threw caution to the wind and took a sip. It was exactly as he remembered.

"It's been a decade since I last tasted this" he looked up from the cup to thank her, "I appreciate you creating this place just for my visit...even if it was a nightmare."

"Was it? It is difficult to understand the minds of you humans. I was under the impression this was your favorite memory."

Hao Xuan chuckled, "Not a memory but a dream."

And she responded in much the same manner, "And where do you think your dreams come from?"

"That- That seems like a discussion for another time. Right now I still need answers."

"Then accept my terms, dear, and I will guide you to your truth."

Hao Xuan finished the tea in one go and placed the cup on the floor, preparing to make his case.

"Hear me out on that. You said I would choose your side after listening to the other guys anyway, right? That means you actually don't need to keep the answers as leverage since you believe that I would have no other option other than choosing you over them. So why not give me the answers now and save me a shit ton of trouble and time."

"This way, not only will I see you in a better light but also appreciate you doing this me favor. Is that not a better option?"

It went without saying that Hao Xuan would not accept everything she said as the truth but hearing her side of the story would certainly open his eyes a lot.

​ But unbeknown to him the old lady had already seen this coming. She just needed Hao Xuan to ask for it first so he would think it was his idea.

She met his gaze, "You are definitely smarter than the last one. A lot more clever. So be it, ask your questions and if I find that you deserve the answers then you shall have them."

Elated, Hao Xuan could barely sit straight.

"Thank you, I appreciate you giving me a chance. To start off, could you please explain exactly who the others are? I'm afraid the descriptions you gave are a little lost on me."

The old lady gestured towards the fireplace where the first image already waited for him. Hao Xuan's brow instantly locked in a furrow because that face belonged to-

"Meng? He is one of them?"

"Indeed. You were created by the human they call the 'Emperor' but it was he who gave you your essence."

Hao Xuan made a mental note of how she used the word created to describe him before continuing.

"Who is he exactly?"

But his query was ignored altogether as a faceless figure appeared in Meng's place.

"This is the one they call the Emperor. A human who has eluded even my eyes for eons. He is the mastermind behind all of it."

And when his figure disappeared the flame instantly turned dark red but no actual figure could be seen.

"He is the last one to find out about your existence. You will meet him after leaving here, try to act surprised. He will tell you who the man named 'Meng' really is. They used to be brothers at one point."

Hao Xuan nodded somewhat absentmindedly, "So with you, there are four powers after me?"

"Kahahaha," a strange kind of laughter escaped her gullet as she shook her head animatedly, "Not at all. We are the only ones who know the truth of your existence. There are countless others after you, especially after all the terrible choices you have made."

Hao Xuan tried not to take it personally but he could feel himself blushing a little from embarrassment, "O-Okay then. Next question, you said the Emperor created me, does that mean he is my father or something?"

"Ask him yourself when you see him," she barked angrily, enraged at even the continued mention of him.

"Okay okay. Then can you at least tell me why all this is happening? Like the reason for their actions."

She shook her head again, "No. Each one of them has their own reasons. You must find out for yourself what they are."

Hao Xuan gritted his teeth in annoyance, "Alright, okay. Then can you tell me the reason why YOU want me as a servant? Or is that also too much to ask?"