52 The Wizard

Ran Wei sat at one of the tables in the town hall, dangling her legs, waiting for food. The other villagers sometimes glanced at her but paid the woman no heed otherwise. After a few or so minutes, the old lady approached her, in her hand a plate of chicken. So they did have domesticated animals after all.

Unlike Li Yangyi Ran Wei was not suspicious of the food—there was no reason to be after all. She picked the meat apart with her chopstick and took a quick bite. It was delicious. She downed the food faster than it could cool down. Though it was hot enough for her to occasionally blow on it, Ran Wei still ate if someone would steal it away from her.

"I'm glad you like it. I may not be as good as that chef on the other side of the village, but I am still proud of my achievements." The receptionist puffed her bosom out.

Ran Wei wondered if this was considered worse than the food made by the chef, how delicious would that person's dishes taste? Thankfully, she wasn't much of a gourmet, or she'd have started salivating. She placed her chopsticks down and asked, "Is it fine for you not to tend the town hall?"

"Don't worry, there's hardly anyone that comes visiting. Townspeople and foreigners alike. This is more of a hobby for me." The old lady shrugged her shoulders and laughed. "Though this may be late, I welcome you to the village. You can count yourself lucky; some don't even make it here. I am the receptionist, and who are you?"

"My name is Ran Wei," she said and gave her a fist salute and bowed. Truthfully, doing so made her feel awkward, as no one in the City of Delight—except some elders stuck in the past—would issue such a greeting, but for some reason, she could not wash away the ancient vibe surrounding this village. "Thank you for putting up with me."

The receptionist chuckled as she propped her head with her fist. "What an outdated greeting. Are we having a duel?"

". . ." Ran Wei's eye twitched slightly as she heard that. Maybe a 'hello' would have sufficed after all. "Sorry, as you can tell, I am not really from here. I am rather confused as to what exactly is happening and where exactly this is."

The old woman pondered about her words. "This place, hm, it goes by a lot. Well, mostly these are titles made up by the current inhabitants of the village. Sanctuary, Safehaven, Hell, Samsara, etc." She sighed. "But the truth is much simpler than that. This place is a prison, haunted by the world's oldest warden, the witch, and her beasts."

Ran Weis' eyes opened wide. That seemed like a heavy subject out of nowhere. If she was still eating, she may have just choked. She only came to this store to play around and annoy Lin Zhuyue. . . why did it feel like she was suddenly part of a great conspiracy. "Can you elaborate on that?" Yet, why did this setting seem so interesting too? It was like being sucked into a long novel and living out the main character's life. It was starting to get a little fun (but for that price, alas, can't have good things without crippling debt these days!)

Ah Liang who had been watching the whole time, sharpened his hearing. He too was interested in the next words of the receptionist, and as expected, they proved to be incredibly important for solving the mystery of the witch:

"Just like you, I am originally not from this village," the receptionist said and pointed at the other customers sitting in the town hall. "And neither is, he, she, or they. In fact, at this point, I don't think anyone here is truly from this village." She paused. "Just like you, we came here wandering, ripped away from our original homes, leaving behind our family and friends. Once you arrive here, you will never be able to leave. If not because of the malice-filled witch in the cottage, then it may be through the ever-hungry beasts, or due to the endless fields that stretch far and wide, with no other settlement in sight."

Ran Wei, listening, did not know how to react. In the first place, what did the receptionist mean with witches and beasts? This fantasy plot was moving too fast for her. Might it be wise to just log out after all? She bit her lips. But she paid way too much to simply leave. In the end, she continued listening.

"Anyways, welcome to the village. How you review this place, whether to you it is a fortress that protects the inhabitants of outside danger or a cage that forces you to remain here for all eternity, is honestly up to you." The receptionist laughed as if it had nothing to do with her. "People will die, undoubtedly, but new people, just like you, will come. Those who arrive will have no choice but to start a new life. That's how the village stays alive after all. No need for trades, rivers, or guards." She closed her eyes, mulling over her next words. "Well, unless you can kill that immortal witch, that is."

...

Lin Zhuyue, just like Ran Wei, had entered the village too. Whether it was because the two of them share the same line of fate or the village indeed was like a whirlpool sucking up everyone that came close, was hard to say. Yet, she had arrived and that was it.

The woman had managed to dodge any incoming residents, including the chef, the little kid, and the receptionist, triggering no side-quest. She wandered around. curious, but also cautious. Unlike her coworker, Lin Zhuyue was a bonafide city girl. Though she was by no means wealthy, her life was comparably better than those within this village.

"What an interesting sight," she muttered to herself. She had arrived at the center of the village. There, a life-sized stone statue stood in a valiant pose, atop a marble podium. In his left hand was a book and in his right a staff, giving him the look of a hermit dwelling in mysticism. Such things, Lin Zhuyue would never encounter in the City of Delight that held endless battles against the outside sects.

Still, for some reason, she could not take her eyes of the statue. It appeared so vivid, so lifelike as if it would start moving, with its chest bobbing up and down. What incredible craftsmanship.

"Incredible, isn't it?" A voice from behind her said. Lin Zhuyue quickly turned around, surprised. Standing there was a man, around her age (meaning mid-twenties), also admiring the statue. "Even people who have no bearings with this ill-fated village hold their breaths upon witnessing the magnificent man that is engraved into stone. This statue is a symbol of our hope, a showcase of our unity."

Lin Zhuyue tilted her head, confused by the man that was offering unsolicited exposition. First of all, she was surprised to see young people walking around in this village. She had imagined only old bags would remain in the countryside, but that appeared not to be the case here.

The young man rubbed his head. "Sorry, I did not mean to surprise you. We hardly get any new people around here, especially those who simply frolic around without worry, so my curiosity had gotten the better of me." He coughed, to wash the awkwardness away. "I am the woodchopper. Apologies again if I scared you."

Lin Zhuyue shook her head, then courteously introduced herself. She turned her attention to the statue again. "Woodchopper, I have to know, this statue, what are its origins? I am a fan of everything beautiful you see. Arts, clothes, and people, all interest me. You could say it is a small passion of mine to pursue aesthetics, granted, I most often can't afford them, but that's life." If Ran Wei was listening, she'd be surprised to see that ill-mannered Lin Zhuyue talk so seriously. "Yet, even during my seasonal travels into the capital, I have never seen a statue with such grace. Who exactly could have created something this beautiful?"

The young man shrugged his shoulders. "Sadly, I do not know myself," he said, to Lin Zhuyue's disappointment. "I haven't been in this village for that long either. But I hear this statue had been here before the eldest inhabitant was even born. It is likely that this statue existed even before the village itself."

"But that's ludicrous!" Lin Zhuyue gasped. "Let alone barrages from the weather. . . there's not even a scratch on it. It doesn't look older than a decade, maybe even less, were it not for the moss and dirt coating that thing."

"This is why this statue represents our hope." The woodchopper said a somewhat proud smile on his face. "It wards of the witch and the beasts. We believe that as long as this statue stands here, we are safe. The townspeople revere it as if the man depicted was still alive and standing right in front of them and giving them their blessings. The man who fends of the witch; we call him the wizard."