The mountain gate still hadn't recovered.
Not that nothing was happening.
It was that nothing could move.
—
The three were still where they stood.
One stood frozen.
One spoke but was stuck mid-sentence.
One couldn't even lift his hand.
—
The air felt stuck.
Stuttering.
—
People watched from afar.
No one dared get close.
—
"Something's wrong," someone whispered.
—
No one replied.
—
—
Liu Xia had already walked away.
He put down the broom and was about to switch tasks.
Halfway there—
He paused.
—
Not because of people.
But—
The person ahead was moving strangely.
—
A laborer.
Standing in place.
Repeating.
Raise hand.
Lower hand.
Raise hand.
Lower hand.
—
Exactly the same.
—
Liu Xia frowned.
"What are you doing?" he said.
—
No response.
The man kept repeating.
—
Liu Xia walked over.
Looked.
"You broken?" he said.
—
—
In that instant—
—
"Broken"
Held.
—
The man stopped.
His whole body froze.
Then—
Completely still.
—
As if defined as "broken."
—
—
Liu Xia froze for a moment.
"…I was just saying it," he muttered.
—
No response.
—
He stood there for a second.
A bit uncomfortable.
—
"Forget it," he said.
—
He turned to leave.
Paused.
Then looked back.
—
"Recover," he said.
—
—
The next second—
—
The man moved.
—
His actions returned to normal.
—
He froze.
Looked at his own hands.
"Just now…?"
he said.
—
Liu Xia had already left.
—
He didn't hear.
—
—
Mountain gate.
—
The three—
Worse.
—
The first.
Still standing.
Couldn't move.
But his eyes were moving.
—
He was trying to "grant himself permission."
But—
No one was giving it.
—
The second.
His speech began to "break."
—
Every word he said—
Became real.
—
"Stop."
—
The world paused.
—
"Move."
—
The ground shifted slightly.
—
He stopped daring to speak.
—
But—
"Silence"
Also held.
—
He froze.
—
The third.
The worst.
—
He was "defining himself."
—
But the definitions were incomplete.
—
"I…"
—
Stopped.
—
The next step—
Couldn't follow.
—
His existence—
Was thinning.
—
Like he might disappear.
—
—
In the distance—
—
Jesse stepped out.
—
For the first time—
She approached.
—
She looked at the three.
Didn't move.
—
She knew.
This wasn't an attack.
—
It was—
"They touched something they shouldn't have."
—
She glanced around.
Spoke softly:
"This can't continue."
—
She took a step forward.
Stopped.
—
She didn't try to fix it.
—
She knew she couldn't.
—
She could only—
Find him.
—
—
Laborers' quarters.
—
Liu Xia had just sat down.
About to rest.
—
The door opened.
—
Jesse stood there.
—
Liu Xia glanced at her.
"You again," he said.
—
Jesse didn't waste words.
"Come with me," she said.
—
Liu Xia frowned.
"No," he said.
—
Jesse paused.
"Someone's in trouble," she said.
—
Liu Xia: "What does that have to do with me?"
—
Jesse looked at him.
Word by word:
"You caused it."
—
Silence.
—
Liu Xia looked at her.
Paused for a second.
—
"I didn't touch them," he said.
—
Jesse nodded.
"I know," she said.
—
"But—"
She paused.
—
"You said it."
—
—
The room went quiet.
—
Liu Xia looked at her.
Didn't speak.
—
After two seconds—
He stood up.
—
"Let's go," he said.
—
His tone was normal.
—
Like he was just going out to take a look.
—
—
Mountain gate.
—
They returned.
—
Liu Xia took one look.
Frowned.
—
"What's wrong with them," he said.
—
Jesse didn't answer.
—
She looked at him.
—
Liu Xia watched for a moment.
Sighed.
—
"You people are really troublesome," he said.
—
He walked over.
Stood in front of the three.
—
Took a look.
—
"Can you just be normal," he said.
—
—
In that instant—
—
All "abnormal states"
—
Were overwritten.
—
Into:
"Normal."
—
—
The first could move.
The second could speak normally.
The third stabilized.
—
All three jolted at once.
—
Restored.
—
—
They looked at Liu Xia.
Their expressions completely changed.
—
Not shock.
—
But—
Fear.
—
—
Liu Xia had already turned away.
—
"All good," he said.
—
"Stop messing around."
—
He walked off.
—
As if nothing had happened.
—
—
Jesse stood there.
Watching his back.
—
She didn't move.
—
She said softly:
"You still think you didn't do anything?"
—
No one answered.
—
But this time—
She already knew the answer.