After the Immortal Disappeared

He stole from many people every day. How could he remember Hee Lingchuan, whom he’d only met once?

"Give me back my stuff!"

"Sold it! Traded it for food!" The boy patted his belly. "It’s in here now!"

Hee Lingchuan gave a sinister smile, drew his Long Saber, and pressed the back of the blade against the boy’s belly, sliding it upward. "You ate what’s mine, so you can just squeeze it back out for me!"

The distinct chill of the metal terrified the boy, and he stumbled backward, shouting, "Panlong City has laws! You can’t kill me!"

"Panlong City has laws, so how dare you steal?" Though young, this brat was a hardened repeat offender who wouldn’t listen to reason. Hee Lingchuan asked the woman, "What did you lose?"

"An IOU and a Pardon Command."

’A Pardon Command?’ Hee Lingchuan was stunned. ’How could a commoner’s family have something like that?’

The woman shook the boy like a little wooden puppet. "Who sent you to my house to steal?"

The boy shook his head. "No one. I was hungry, so I had to find something to eat. Your house is so poor you don’t even have a single grain of rice, so I just grabbed whatever."

"You can read? Or did someone write down the words ’Pardon Command’ for you to recognize beforehand?" The woman sounded amused. "Otherwise, I have plenty of books in my house. Why didn’t you just grab one of those?"

It would be strange for a six or seven-year-old thief to be literate.

The boy fell silent, his mouth clamped shut tighter than a clam, but his eyes screamed, ’What are you going to do about it?’

"Who did you give the Pardon Command to?"

The boy blinked.

Hee Lingchuan took out a piece of broken silver from his robes and dangled it in front of the boy. But before he could speak, the woman pushed his hand back. "No need to ask. We’ll send him straight to the Government Office. They have people who specialize in interrogation."

"You think they’ll get anything out of him?" It was the first time Hee Lingchuan had seen someone with faith in the Government Office’s efficiency.

"A Pardon Command is no small matter. Stealing one is an insult to a fallen hero. Once the Government Office takes the case, they have to handle it severely." The woman patted the boy’s head. "He’s too young to have his hand chopped off, so they’ll probably brand his face with ink instead, a constant reminder to others that he’s a thief."

’If my face gets branded, how could I ever survive in Panlong City?’ The boy was horrified, his attitude softening immediately. "Big Sis... Miss, please, have mercy! I didn’t do it on purpose!"

He turned to plead with Hee Lingchuan, tears welling in his eyes. "I have a three-year-old sister! If I get caught, she’ll have nothing to eat!"

Hee Lingchuan remained a detached observer. His own losses were negligible; he’d let the primary victim deal with the little devil.

The woman was unmoved. "My Pardon Command. Who has it?"

"By... by Cheng Lake in the west of the city. It’s with Liu Tailai. Everyone else calls him Ergun."

"So it was him," the woman nodded.

Just then, a few Officials walked by. The woman waved them down, pointed at the boy, and said the thief had robbed seven households.

The boy was furious. "I told you the truth! Why are you still turning me in?"

"If I don’t turn you in, how am I supposed to get my things back?" she said coolly. "I’m just a weak woman. Do I have what it takes to snatch the Pardon Command back from Liu Ergun?"

Hearing "Pardon Command," the two constables were instantly stirred. "This kid actually stole a Pardon Command?"

"He confessed that Liu Tailai, also known as Liu Ergun, from the west side of the city, was the one who put him up to it. That bastard is a loan shark. My brother owed him a large sum of money before he died, and he wants me to continue paying the debt, so he sent this little devil to steal the Pardon Command."

Listening from the side, Hee Lingchuan felt the plot sounded rather familiar.

The woman then pointed at Hee Lingchuan and said, "This little thief also stole from six other households nearby. This gentleman is also a victim. He lost a bundle of firewood and two fish."

The constable noted it down carefully, then asked, "What’s your name?"

"Sunx Fuling."

"We’ll take him back for now. If we have more questions, we’ll come find you."

From the two men’s expressions, Hee Lingchuan knew they were only interested in the Pardon Command.

Then the two constables led the boy away.

Hee Lingchuan watched his short, thin back retreat. "He was begging so pitifully. I thought you would go soft on him."

Women tend to be soft-hearted, like Madam Ying.

"A city has its rules. If everyone acted on soft-hearted sentiment, there would be minor kindness but no greater justice."

Hee Lingchuan was filled with respect.

The woman paused before continuing, "Besides, the last time he was caught stealing on Maliu Street, he used the exact same excuse."

She turned and pushed open a door—the one right next to Hee Lingchuan’s.

"You live here too?" They were separated by just a single wall.

Come to think of it, he had never paid attention to who lived next to him. He only remembered seeing that his eastern neighbor had a child on the night the Emperor’s Liquid descended. This woman, however, was his western neighbor.

’In any case, this is just a Dream Realm, isn’t it?’

"Yes, it seems we’re neighbors." The woman glanced at his wooden door. "That little devil came specifically for my Pardon Command, but he took your things along the way. I’m sorry."

The words had barely left her mouth when Hee Lingchuan heard a RUMBLE.

The woman clutched her stomach and took a step back. Although she wore a face covering, Hee Lingchuan could almost see her embarrassment.

Recalling the little thief’s words, "Your house is so poor you don’t even have a single grain of rice," an idea struck Hee Lingchuan. He casually took out an oil-paper package and handed it to her. "Here. A thank-you gift for catching the thief."

The woman wanted to refuse, but the fragrant aroma seeping through the oil paper made her accept it. "Thank you!"

After eating and drinking his fill, Hee Lingchuan had gotten a lotus-leaf-wrapped chicken to-go from Yixiang Building, planning to have it as a late-night snack to treat himself. It was the restaurant’s signature dish, made with seven spices—including sand ginger powder, an ingredient brought into the city by foreign merchants—and was savory, fresh, and juicy. Hee Lingchuan had devoured a whole one himself and still hadn’t had enough.

The woman probably smiled, as Hee Lingchuan saw her almond-shaped eyes narrow into slits. Then they said their goodbyes and pushed open their respective doors.

Throughout the afternoon, Hee Lingchuan focused on his martial arts practice in the courtyard. Next door, it was as silent as ever.

He didn’t think much of it. The Panlong Wasteland was windy and sandy, with harsh sunlight. Panlong City, despite being on the Chipa Plateau, was no exception. Many people here had the habit of wearing face coverings when they went out, leaving only their eyes exposed to block the wind, sand, and glare. He often saw it on the streets.

As the sun was about to set, he heard a knock on the woman’s door, followed by conversation.

Hee Lingchuan had excellent hearing and could make out the dialogue from his own yard.

It was the constables, visiting again to ask the victim for more details. They assured her that they would investigate the case to the very end and bring justice to the hero’s family.

Then they left.

Hee Lingchuan finished his practice and took a cold bath. He had just put on his pants when there was a sudden knock on his courtyard gate.

’Anyone I know should be passed out drunk at home right now.’

He opened the gate to find a girl of seventeen or eighteen standing outside. Though dressed in plain, unadorned clothes, she was as pretty as a figure from a painting.

’A new face?’ Hee Lingchuan was slightly taken aback. "Excuse me, who are you looking for?"

The girl smiled at him, revealing a small dimple on her left cheek.

"I’m Sunx Fuling." She lifted her head, poised and graceful. "Your neighbor."

"Oh!" Hee Lingchuan took a closer look, and sure enough, her almond-shaped eyes were familiar.

She was carrying a bundle of firewood in her left hand. Upon seeing Hee Lingchuan, she quickly offered it to him. "I heard the sound of water. You probably don’t have any firewood to boil water for warmth, right? This is a return gift."

Since she said it was a return gift, Hee Lingchuan accepted the firewood.

It was a large bundle, and quite heavy.

"The lotus-leaf-wrapped chicken was delicious," his female neighbor said with a nod. "It’s Yixiang Building’s specialty. It must be expensive, right?"

Hee Lingchuan blurted out, "How did you know it was from Yixiang Building?"

"...There was a mark on the inside of the oil-paper package."

"Oh." He didn’t know where his usual silver tongue had gone. The "Hee Lingchuan" in reality could flirt with any young woman or wife he met, the words coming effortlessly.

An awkward silence fell between them.

His neighbor was the first to shift her feet. "Well, I’ll see you around..."

As if possessed, Hee Lingchuan inexplicably blurted out, "Would you like to come in and sit for a while?"

Every time he entered the dream, it was either to train or to fight. He had almost never had a proper conversation with an ordinary resident of Panlong City.

Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed again.

"Okay."

The woman followed Hee Lingchuan into the small courtyard, glancing around.

The weather was cold, but the room inside was too small. With a bed in it, there was no room for anyone to sit unless they both sat on the bed. That would obviously be too improper. Hee Lingchuan brought out the only stool and said, "Please, have a seat. I’ll get you a glass of water."

As soon as he said it, he froze. He hadn’t lit a fire in the courtyard all day. Where was he going to get boiled water?

’Should I offer the guest unboiled water?’

He had wine in the room, good wine. But if he brought out wine, would it seem like he had ulterior motives?

His neighbor was very considerate and waved her hand. "No need, really. I’m not thirsty."

Hee Lingchuan went into the kitchen anyway, brought out a small stove, and started a fire to boil water, which would also provide some warmth for them. "Your brother was Sunx Jiayuan?"

"Yes, the compensation has already been delivered." Sunx Fuling’s gaze swept over him. "The fact that you survived means you’re more capable than he was."

"I was just lucky." ’Only because I can’t die in the dream.’

He thought to himself that Sunx Jiayuan’s sister was truly beautiful and looked nothing like him. Her eyes were especially bright when she looked up, as if she could see right into a person’s soul.

"I was there when your brother sacrificed himself. In fact, I nearly followed in his footsteps." Hee Lingchuan poked the ashes in the stove. "Right before he died a hero’s death, he specifically asked us if becoming a martyr would wipe his old debts clean."

To his surprise, Sunx Fuling’s expression and tone were just as calm. "He really was hopeless, to have come up with a solution like that."

The ash was a bit thick, and Hee Lingchuan almost sneezed. "Well, he did manage to wipe out his remaining debt in the end, saving you from being implicated. By the way, did Sunx Jiayuan live here too? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him around."

"No, he lived in an earthen hut," Sunx Fuling said flatly. "What right does someone drowning in debt have to live in a wooden house?"

Earthen huts were the lowest tier of housing in Panlong City, just one step above a slave’s Humble Abode. The entire structure was six square meters, barely large enough for a bed, with not enough remaining space for an adult to stretch their legs.

If Hee Lingchuan’s wooden house was for commoners, then an earthen hut was standard for the destitute.

"But he would come here sometimes to freeload meals." Curiosity flickered in Sunx Fuling’s eyes. "I heard from Miss Willow that after my brother was killed, you also jumped into the Earth Cave Spiders’ lair?"

"I did." The fire was ready, so Hee Lingchuan quickly put the kettle on.

’This fire is burning so slowly.’

"Then did you see Second Madam Zhu? The leader of the Earth Cave Spiders." Sunx Fuling held her hands out to warm them by the fire. The flames reflected in her eyes, twinkling and dancing with a particular mischievousness.