The Crossroads of Decision

"..." Who else could it be? There was no need for Uncle to spell out the conclusion for everyone to figure it out. Yet, figuring it out did not mean Moumou was willing to accept it. Flashes of Xi's innocent smile continuously flickered through her mind. Moumou kept piecing together every single moment she had spent with Xi, gathering all the suspicious details, arranging them into a long list of doubts, and reciting them one by one to Uncle.

"If things are truly as you imagine, and all of this was orchestrated entirely by Xi, then she is simply too divine. If she could accurately predict Liangyin's and my arrival and wait for us like a hare crashing into a stump, then I believe she would also have the ability to keep you two nuisances from ever approaching the Night Ghost encampment, thereby preventing any interference with her plans. I have no idea what status she holds among the Night Ghost clan, but I do know there are only two major factions within them. One is the pragmatic Chieftain and the Night Ghost elders who support him; the other is the theocratic Witch and the Night Ghost elders who support the God of Nature. Xi is neither a Witch nor could she possibly be the Chieftain. Could someone with a mere few centuries of seniority possibly become an elder? According to historical records, the Night Ghosts are characterized by long lifespans, formidable strength, and low reproductive rates. Those elders have probably been in their positions for centuries—how could they possibly allow a young junior with a mere three hundred years of life to easily seize their authority? If Xi, as an ordinary Night Ghost, possesses this level of predictive ability and step-by-step scheming, then I believe with such exceptional qualifications, the Night Ghosts could have conquered the world long ago. Would they really need to cower in this tiny, resource-poor, and harsh-climate region?" Driven by a mix of reluctance and anger, Moumou blurted everything out in a sudden surge of agitation, as if failing to do so would mean Xi was about to betray her right then and there. Long after she finished speaking, her hands were still trembling slightly.

Whether Uncle was refuted into silence by Moumou's logic or simply waiting for her to calm down, he did not immediately reply. He merely stood to the side, wearing his solemn face once more before breaking into a gentle smile to soothe her. Junyan also noticed that something was amiss with Moumou. Although he did not know what she had experienced during this period, her current behavior suggested that some distressing events had occurred, causing this girl, who usually only knew how to laugh foolishly, to suddenly fly into an emotional frenzy.

"Moumou, you're being too emotional." Huanluo was standing closer to Moumou than the other two and had spent more time with her. She reached out, placed a hand on Moumou's shoulder, and gently reminded her in a calm tone, "Right now, what Uncle said and what you said are merely speculations. Until a definitive conclusion is reached, there's no need to overthink it."

Moumou knew that losing her temper at this moment would do nothing to help the situation and would only add to the chaos. She took a few deep breaths, severely reprimanding herself in her mind for the negative emotions and the lingering influence of past events, before casting them all behind her. After calming down for a moment, she spoke again: "Uncle, Junyan, I'm sorry. I was just too emotional. My feelings were swayed by something that happened in the past, and my tone was too harsh. However, the points I stated just now were rational and without omission. I believe you can understand where my doubts lie, Uncle."

Hearing the apology, Uncle's smile did not fade. He looked with great satisfaction at Moumou and Huanluo, much like a mentor whose painstakingly taught disciple was finally ready to graduate: "It's fine. What's the big deal?~ It seems I really am getting old, bogged down by my own perspective for a moment there. You're right, lass. If Xi were truly as I imagined, how could we still be standing here chatting peacefully right now? Young lasses truly cannot be underestimated. This old man honestly has no idea what that lass Xi is planning anymore, nor do I have any clue how far you've grown, Moumou. You youngsters are really going to phase us old folks out..." Laughing, Uncle helplessly patted his own head. "Junyan, you've followed me for too long—so long that you've grown accustomed to everything about your master. Whenever I speak, you just agree. If this keeps up, you'll be discarded right along with us old fogies. I'm afraid you won't be able to catch up to any of these lasses."

Junyan's face flushed red at his master's double-entendre teasing, and he stammered for a moment without managing to say anything.

"That's not right, Uncle. Weren't we admitted into the Grant family at the same time? Why have I always felt like you and Junyan have known each other for a long time?" Moumou looked at Uncle in bewilderment. "Actually, I've wondered about this for a long time. I always felt like your entry into the Grant family was premeditated. With your strength, how could you possibly lower yourself to become a mere senior guard in the Grant family? If I couldn't see it before, it was due to my lack of skill, but if I still can't see it now, it would mean all these years of practice by your big sister here were for nothing. Those two water dragons, which ordinary mages could never conjure, probably didn't take much effort for you at all, did they? Just how formidable is your true strength? Come on, someone who understands, explain this to me."

"As for that, it's actually quite easy to explain." Junyan finally ignored Uncle's winking and nudging, and with a light chuckle, explained to Moumou: "Uncle is actually one of the few remaining active mages from the older generation in Carenia. The King of Carenia discovered abnormal movements among the magical beasts and sent him to White-Border City to investigate. The examinations and everything else were merely a cover; Uncle actually came here just to enjoy life."

"You child, I told you to have some thoughts of your own, not to stand there grinning." Uncle coughed twice, his face blushing. "How can you call it enjoying life? At the very least, I took you on as a disciple, gave Moumou some inspiration, and investigated the cause of the magical beast frenzy, saving White-Border City from certain doom. I'm working very hard here, you know!"

"The cause of the beast frenzy? What is it? Isn't it just natural evolution?" Moumou hurriedly grabbed Uncle's sleeve and asked.

"How could it possibly be natural evolution?" Uncle looked at Moumou as if she were a monster. "I thought you'd gotten smarter, lass, but how are you still so thick-headed? Have you ever seen a species spontaneously evolve in just a few short months? If humans evolved at that speed, the Night Ghosts and magical beasts would have conquered us long ago. This clearly means someone is manipulating things behind the scenes."

...

Unawares, the sky was already growing pale with dawn.

The Night Ghosts sent away by Xi had not yet returned. The garrison guards encountered along the path on their way there had also vanished without a trace. The entire Night Ghost encampment was as vacant as a ghost town. A chilly morning breeze swept past, while the illumination lanterns from the night still cast a faint glow. The morning glow at the edge of the sky slowly spread out. Moumou and Huanluo walked like this until they reached the intersection leading to the southern forest.

Whether this was also a choice given to them by Xi was unknown. Right before them lay only these two paths: first, leave now and find a peaceful life far away from the conflict; second, return to the house provided by Xi and continue waiting for the verdict of fate.