So-Called Karma 3

The sky darkened early in Lipeia, plunging the city into pitch blackness, but street lamps spaced every few meters bathed the square in a light so bright it rivaled day.

The wind howled across the square, showing arriving travelers just how fierce and irritable the city's character could be. The locals boasted high-bridged noses and deep-set eyes, with freckles dotting their faces more often than not. Those waiting to pick someone up embraced their loved ones upon sight, exchanging rapid-fire words in a language that twisted the tongue.

Yan Xianchuan could hear their chatter but couldn't follow a word. Fortunately, Lu Mingqiu had had the foresight to prepare her a language-assist chip.

After a brief delay, the chip faithfully translated the conversations. Ordinary greetings, really—the ones waiting asked if the travelers had had a smooth journey, and the latter responded with complaints about the in-flight meals. The former promised a grand feast was waiting at home, complete with their favorite vodka.

The two laughed heartily as they stepped into the biting wind, their shared mirth carrying a warmth even the north wind couldn't chill.

Others had ignored the weather forecast and wore flimsy clothes. Yan Xianchuan passed one such soul who sneezed repeatedly, cursing between each sneeze.

Ah, that was a colorful insult, dutifully rendered by her translator. Throughout history, curses inevitably revolved around reproductive organs and lineage, and this one was particularly creative—it didn't even spare the family dog.

Yan Xianchuan caught the gist and felt as though a new door had swung open in her mind.

They crossed the square to the roadside, where Lu Mingqiu turned and asked, "Want to grab a late-night snack? I've booked a hotel. We'll stay here for the night and set out early tomorrow."

"If you're craving something, we can go now. Lipeia's hotpot is famous, and the liquor is top-notch too."

She was wearing yet another new face, sticking to her usual everywoman look. The only real difference was in her eyes—hardly altered at all, perhaps to blend in with the locals—so they remained their natural crystal blue, like a calm sea.

Yan Xianchuan, on the other hand, had undergone a complete transformation. Originally distinctly Chinese, her hair was now a light gold, her eyes a clear blue, and her eye sockets deepened, giving her an unmistakably mixed-race appearance.

Mixed and Western was common in Lipeia, but pure Chinese looks stood out.

Lipeia wasn't a developed city—the young had all fled, and few outsiders ever came—so it wore its age proudly, steeped in a melancholic twilight.

Yan Xianchuan found herself tempted.

Lu Mingqiu studied her with a puzzled smile. "What's wrong? If you want to go, just say so."

She raised a hand to hail a cab. As it glided to the curb, she added, "You've been acting strange lately."

Have I been strange...? Yan Xianchuan turned the words over in her mind, half-questioning, half-reflecting. She stole a glance at her companion, who was already giving the driver their destination, and felt a pang of irritation. It's all because of you.

Her hesitation stemmed from not wanting to disrupt the timeline, but her silence made it seem like her fault.

She realized she had made a mistake, incurred a debt, and by the logic of ordinary social exchange, she should repay Lu Mingqiu.

Except this woman needed no repayment. She didn't follow the standard rules of social interaction, and Yan Xianchuan often caught herself slipping into unspoken fantasies—she couldn't decide which bothered her more.

"You two here as tourists?" the driver asked curiously in Common, his accent thick.

"What gave it away?" Lu Mingqiu chatted back.

At that, the driver laughed heartily, clearly pleased. "I could tell at a glance. Thirty years behind the wheel, and my eye's never wrong."

"These days, few tourists make it to Lipeia. What can you do? This city's an old relic."

"I think it has a lot of historical charm. Those big cities may look developed, but they're all copy-paste, no character." Lu Mingqiu gazed out the window at the flickering lights of buildings. "Structures from before the Great Cleansing are rare these days."

"Historical charm..." The driver shook his head with a self-deprecating laugh but said no more.

"But if you're tourists, there are a few must-sees. The standard guidebooks are mostly for fleecing outsiders. First, hit up Old John's Tavern—they serve liquor and grilled meat, and it's truly first-rate. Then you've got Desausura Palace, the old royal residence. I've taken my son there a couple times; the little rascal is wild as they come, but even he said it was beautiful and swore he'd live in a place like that one day. As if that's not a pipe dream."

The driver cursed with a laugh, but affection bled through every word.

Yan Xianchuan noticed a small compartment on the driver's side slightly ajar, the foot of a toy robot peeking out—probably a keepsake from his son.

The driver was chatty and warm, a far cry from the cabbies back in Nanjin.

As they stepped out, he wished them a pleasant stay before driving off.

The buildings here loomed taller, blocking the north wind. The streetlamps were styled as red lanterns—probably charming in the daytime, but at night they cast a bloody red glow that felt oddly unsettling.

Passersby took no notice, but Yan Xianchuan couldn't suppress a shiver.

Lu Mingqiu glanced at her, her voice soft. "What's wrong? You look like you've got something on your mind. If you want to say something, just say it."

Yan Xianchuan opened her mouth, then instinct shoved the tangled words back down. "I just worried that eating a late-night snack might delay your plans," she said, sidestepping.

"You're overthinking it." Lu Mingqiu's tone turned serious. "If I brought it up, it means doing it won't have any adverse effects. If I didn't have time, I wouldn't have mentioned it."

"Besides, this trip is just to look around and scope out the area. Since we don't know what they're really up to, I won't take unnecessary risks."

"Our abilities are complementary, so even if the unexpected happens, we can retreat. If I were planning something big, I wouldn't have brought just you."

"So don't worry too much." A light smile touched her lips.

Yan Xianchuan could only nod. "Got it."

"Let's go," Lu Mingqiu said, leading the way. "You barely ate on the airship; you must be hungry."

Yan Xianchuan followed a step behind, then caught up to walk beside her.

The hotpot here tasted nothing like what she'd had in Nanjin. That had been all about the numbing spice; this one, despite its fiery red chili oil, wasn't overpowering. Instead, it had a crisp, fragrant depth from the flash-fried chilies.

The restaurant was generous with its portions. Beef, lamb, horse meat, venison—the menu boasted every conceivable meat across several pages. And with that abundance came a flood of alcohol.

White spirits and ale dominated the tables, with wine playing second fiddle. Nearly every diner was drinking, each table littered with empty bottles, the air thick with loud, animated conversation.

Maybe it was the cold that made the locals so spirited and boisterous.

Yan Xianchuan had never tried hard liquor, but watching Lu Mingqiu knock it back piqued her curiosity, so she poured herself a glass.

By all logic, she should have decent tolerance—her constitution was strong, and she'd downed plenty of cocktails in the ten-to-twenty percent range, treating them like soft drinks.

But before she even took a sip, the smell hit her—sharp and pungent, clearly packing a serious punch. She glanced at her companion across the table, who knocked back a full glass as if it were water, her expression unchanged, as if there were nothing to fear.

Yan Xianchuan took a sip. Her eyes widened. The clear liquid in her mouth wasn't just strong; it felt like a knife or needles stabbing wildly at her tongue.

She swallowed hurriedly, and it burned its way down her esophagus, settling into her stomach like fire. From throat to gut, everything blazed—whether it was spice or heat, she couldn't tell—but a wave of warmth surged from her core, flooding her body until it reached the crown of her head, and even her breath through her nose felt hot.

Her gaze went unfocused. Across the table, Lu Mingqiu burst into laughter, teasing, "So, how is it? Good?"

Yan Xianchuan let out a puff of hot air but refused to do the whole panting-and-hissing routine. "A little spicy."

Amused, Lu Mingqiu poured a glass of water and slid it over. "Here, drink some water. That stuff's high-proof. Want to try some ale instead?"

Yan Xianchuan eyed the aluminum can sitting in the corner of the table.

"It's just beer, but it's got a strong malt flavor—pretty good actually," Lu Mingqiu offered.

"I didn't know you had such a head for liquor." Yan Xianchuan picked up the can decorated with a wheat pattern, popped the tab, and cautiously took a small sip rather than a big gulp.

The clear brown liquid slid over her tongue, touched with bitterness at first, then a complex malt flavor spread across her palate, conjuring golden waves of grain swaying under the sun—as if she were walking through a wheat field, able to catch the faint green scent of the stalks.

Her eyes lit up, and she took another sip.

"Good, right?" Lu Mingqiu said with a smile. "I've always had a high tolerance; I just don't drink often."

As if reading the unspoken question in Yan Xianchuan's expression, she raised her glass and downed the clear, potent spirit in one go. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

"Besides, a slight buzz can be really relaxing." She propped her chin on her hand. "Feeling a bit better than before?"

Yan Xianchuan stared into her starlit blue eyes and, as if under a spell, nodded enthusiastically. "Much better. The hotpot's great too."

"That's good to hear." Lu Mingqiu picked up a slice of meat, dipped it in sauce, and chewed slowly. "After all, we're friends. If something's troubling you, you can tell me. I can't promise I'll solve it, but talking it out eases the burden."

That's never going to happen... Yan Xianchuan nodded on the surface, but inwardly she felt a strong urge to argue otherwise.

After their warm meal, they headed to the booked hotel—connecting rooms as usual, one apiece. The night passed without incident, and after a bland breakfast at the hotel, Lu Mingqiu stretched and grabbed two bottles of water. "I've rented a car. We'll drive from here."

"Is it far?" Yan Xianchuan asked, taking both bottles.

"About four hours by car." Lu Mingqiu spoke while walking. "It's remote, and we can't exactly walk in through the front door."

She patted her suitcase. "We'll be counting on this little thing."