After Hu Tao's grandfather passed away at home, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor held an exceptionally grand funeral for its 75th head.
That was also the first time Hu Tao took on the full responsibility of the parlor alone.
Despite her young age, she handled everything with care and precision, earning the approval of all the guests and ceremonial officials.
After the funeral, thirteen-year-old Hu Tao packed her bag and, under the cover of night, quietly slipped out, heading alone to Wuwang Hill.
Somewhere deep in Wuwang Hill lay the so-called "border."
It was the line between life and death, a secret place managed by generations of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Legend had it that people could meet their departed loved ones and souls with lingering wishes there. Hu Tao went hoping to see her grandfather one last time before he crossed over completely.
"Grandpa passed away so suddenly..." Hu Tao whispered. "He must have had so many things he wanted to say. And... I really miss him."
Lu Chen nodded silently, saying nothing.
He was being a good listener.
Seated on the edge of the bed, Qiqi slowly lowered the coconut milk bottle from her lips, watching Hu Tao intently.
Those normally bright and lively plum blossom eyes were now calm, holding a shade of emotion that was difficult to reach.
Hu Tao had never shown this side of herself before.
"I searched at the border for two days and two nights."
"Countless wandering souls passed by—some hurried, some filled with resentment."
"But Grandpa was nowhere to be found."
Hu Tao kept looking, growing tired and exhausted, eventually falling into a deep sleep.
When she awoke, the night was thick and the dew heavy. Around her, a few stray souls clapped mockingly.
"Old Hu? You think he'd be here? What a wild fantasy!"
Still unwilling to give up, Hu Tao waited day after day. Her food supply dwindled, her water nearly gone—yet Grandpa never appeared.
Instead, she met an old woman she'd never seen before.
Hu Tao lifted her head, mimicking the old woman's tone:
"Hahaha, you're just as stubborn as Old Hu!"
She pinched her throat to imitate the aged voice—there really was that touch of twilight to it, though the act looked a bit silly.
Lu Chen laughed.
"Too bad. Heads of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor would never linger here."
Hu Tao switched voices again. "I was anxious and asked, 'Why not?'"
"What do you mean why? Your family has always lived and died with honesty. There's no need for them to stay behind. Go on—go back to where you belong!"
The mysterious old woman waved goodbye and crossed the border, disappearing into the deeper mists.
Hu Tao watched her fading silhouette. Though confused, she also felt oddly at peace.
She took a long, slow breath. "I figured Grandpa hadn't shown up because he'd already crossed over... gone where he was meant to go."
Those who linger at the "border" are people still clinging to the world of the living.
She didn't see her grandfather—not even a single previous head of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Her plum blossom eyes locked on Lu Chen. "Grandpa lived upright and without regret. He came with a smile and left with one. So why should I treat his passing as something sorrowful?"
Lu Chen reflected quietly. The room grew still.
No regrets?
When Kitsune Saiguu and Makoto passed, in those final moments, did they feel regret?
Perhaps.
But he knew one thing for sure—he had regrets.
He didn't share Hu Tao's open-hearted outlook. As long as the outcome remained unchanged, he would still carry that weight.
But...
"Only those with deep, unfulfilled obsessions remain in the world," Lu Chen said, thinking of the enormous sakura tree at Narukami Shrine—that truly remained behind.
"Because their wishes weren't fulfilled..."
Even after the calamity, though Kitsune Saiguu had long passed, her will endured. She still protected Inazuma in her own way.
Because her heart remained bound by unfinished wishes...
The living must inherit the will of the departed, and complete what they could not. Only then could obsessions like his finally fade.
"So?" Hu Tao's wide eyes leaned in. "Have you figured it out?"
Lu Chen smiled for the first time in a while. "Nope."
"Huh?" Hu Tao frowned. "Then all my counseling was for nothing?"
"You've got your way of overcoming obsession... and I've got mine." His voice was soft, but firm.
"See? That is figuring it out!" Hu Tao beamed and patted Lu Chen's shoulder like a little adult.
"Young people shouldn't always be so gloomy! The road ahead is long—you've got so much time left!"
Lu Chen pushed her hand away. Hu Tao made a show of pouting.
Lu Chen chuckled and cupped his hands together in thanks.
"Thank you, Master Hu, for your wise teachings. I'll take them to heart."
"Hehe~" Hu Tao waved him off. "No need to be so formal!"
Lu Chen understood.
Everyone had different paths in life. What Hu Tao had been through couldn't be directly applied to him.
But after today, he felt ready to face those haunting dreams with a little more peace.
As he was about to leave, he saw Qiqi hand a bottle of coconut milk to Hu Tao.
"Tastes good... for you..."
"Whoa!" Hu Tao lit up. "Qiqi, are you comforting me? You're the best!"
She pounced forward and hugged Qiqi tight, rubbing her face against her.
"Qiqi is so sweet, so good..."
Qiqi wriggled out awkwardly, poking her head out with her usual look of disdain.
"So hot... don't like..."
Her face said "disgusted," but she didn't push Hu Tao away.
Lu Chen shook his head and laughed, pushing the door open and stepping out.
...
That night, the nightmare came as expected.
Once again, it was the brutal battlefield of Khaenri'ah. Lu Chen turned and saw his comrades.
The sky was blood-red. The world drowned in despair and slaughter.
Those familiar, fallen faces still glared at him in blame, as if they wouldn't rest until they dragged him down into the abyss...
A cold smile crept onto Lu Chen's lips.
Fake. All of it.
Gripping his long blade tightly, Lu Chen let out a wild smile.
He charged into the battlefield. Any who stood in his way—he cut them down. God or not.
Roaring mechanical giants, foul Abyssal corruption—he feared none of it. Even if Celestia itself descended onto the battlefield—so what? It was just a dream.
Might as well treat it like a rehearsal.
Lu Chen stood tall in the heart of that broken world. Even if one day this nightmare became reality, he would walk forward without hesitation.
When he awoke, Ei looked at Lu Chen, surprised by the gleam in his eyes.
This spirited look—he didn't seem like someone who had just had a nightmare.
"What did you dream about?"
"I dreamed..." Lu Chen tightened his grip on Ei's wrist, smiling. "That I was playing a game."
"A game?" Ei blinked in confusion.
Lu Chen gave a light chuckle. Wasn't it though? A game where he could reload endlessly, and fight every battle to his heart's content.
"Come on, time to get up. We've still got a match today."
He pulled Ei to her feet, then went to the hotel front desk and asked for two cups of coffee.
Before leaving, he gave the server a small reminder.
"Extra sugar."