The mountain gate was very quiet that day.
Unnaturally quiet.
—
Liu Xia swept as usual.
No one came to bother him.
No one asked questions.
Even the people watching him had decreased.
—
He felt a bit unaccustomed.
"No one's bothering me today," he said.
"A bit strange."
—
He finished one section and paused.
Looked around.
"Don't tell me something's coming again," he said.
—
No one responded.
—
But from a higher place—
Someone was watching.
—
Not one.
Many.
—
Above the side hall.
A sealing formation was activated.
—
The entire area was isolated.
—
Not to trap anyone.
But to—
Observe.
—
The old man stood at the center.
Around him were formations.
Not attack formations.
Recording formations.
—
"Begin," he said.
—
A faint light flickered.
The entire mountain gate was marked.
—
Target:
Liu Xia.
—
—
Mountain gate.
—
Liu Xia continued sweeping.
—
Halfway through—
He paused.
—
Not a feeling.
But—
He suddenly felt a bit hot.
—
The weather hadn't changed.
The wind was still there.
But he just felt—
A bit hot.
—
He looked up.
Glanced at the sky.
"Why does it feel a bit hot today," he said.
—
—
Inside the formation.
—
The records began to fluctuate.
—
The temperature line rose slightly.
—
Not an external change.
But—
"Environmental adjustment."
—
Someone whispered:
"It moved."
—
The old man said nothing.
He stared at the formation.
—
—
Liu Xia stood there.
Frowned slightly.
"Whatever," he said.
—
He continued sweeping.
—
The temperature didn't rise further.
It stopped at a point.
—
Like it was "just enough for him to feel."
—
—
Inside the formation.
—
"It didn't continue," someone said.
—
"He didn't continue speaking," the old man replied.
—
Silence.
—
"What if—"
The person began—
—
The old man interrupted:
"Keep watching."
—
—
Mountain gate.
—
Liu Xia finished that section.
Prepared to move.
—
After two steps—
He stopped.
—
Someone ahead.
—
Not blocking.
Just standing there.
—
A child.
—
A young laborer.
—
Liu Xia glanced at him.
"What is it?" he said.
—
The child didn't speak.
Just stood there.
—
His hands were shaking.
—
Liu Xia frowned.
"You're blocking the way," he said.
—
The child still didn't move.
—
Liu Xia looked at him for two seconds.
Sighed.
—
"Are you nervous?" he said.
—
—
In that instant—
—
The child's breathing steadied.
—
His hands stopped shaking.
—
His whole body relaxed.
—
He froze.
—
"I…"
he said.
—
Liu Xia had already walked past him.
"Good then," he said.
—
—
Inside the formation.
—
Everyone froze.
—
The recording formation—
Showed a "blank."
—
No process.
—
No transition.
—
Only the result:
—
Nervous → Not nervous
—
No path in between.
—
"Can't record it," someone said quietly.
—
The old man's hand tightened slightly.
—
"It's not changing a state," he said.
—
"It's direct replacement."
—
—
Mountain gate.
—
Liu Xia kept walking.
—
He walked normally.
Didn't stop.
—
But where he passed—
—
Everything was being "adjusted."
—
The direction of the wind.
The position of people.
The volume of sound.
—
All—
Just right.
—
As if it was accommodating him.
—
But he didn't know.
—
He just walked.
—
—
In the distance—
—
Jesse watched all this.
—
She didn't move.
—
Her hands remained clenched.
—
She looked at Liu Xia.
—
For a long time.
—
Then she said quietly:
"He's not changing the world."
—
She paused.
—
"The world is correcting itself."
—
To match—
What he says.