Chapter 31: Passing By
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation.
Yu Sheng hesitated at the supermarket door, his hand hovering just above the handle. It was just a door—such a simple thing. But after all he’d been through lately, even the most mundane actions felt like a step into the unknown.
He took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.
The familiar sight of shelves stacked high with goods and the young shopkeeper standing behind the counter greeted him. Relief washed over Yu Sheng, but doubt still lingered. Was this really his usual supermarket? His mind conjured wild images: shelves lined with jars holding floating eyeballs, and the shopkeeper suddenly turning into a chainsaw-wielding monster…
“Get a grip,” Yu Sheng muttered to himself, shaking off the ridiculous thoughts. He needed to focus.
Once he was sure everything seemed normal, he approached the counter, giving the shopkeeper a nod. “I’m here for some things. Do you have any boxes of instant noodles and compressed biscuits?”
The shopkeeper looked up, one eyebrow lifting at Yu Sheng’s disheveled appearance. “Instant noodles, sure. They’re stacked under the stairs to the second floor. Help yourself.” He gestured to the iron staircase. “Compressed biscuits? Not much left—just what’s on the middle shelf over there.”
“Thanks. I’ll take all of them,” Yu Sheng said. “And I’ll grab a box of noodles too. Oh, and add two packs of the large sausages.”
“Got it.” The shopkeeper grabbed a large shopping bag and started packing up the biscuits. He glanced up as he worked. “Stocking up, huh? Just noodles and biscuits? Not the healthiest diet, you know. My wife always nags me about that.”
Yu Sheng offered a faint smile. “Just preparing.”
The shopkeeper shrugged and continued his work without pressing further.
Yu Sheng turned towards the stairs to grab the noodles when the glass door of the supermarket swung open again. Both doors moved, but one emitted a loud, grating squeak that set everyone’s teeth on edge.
The shopkeeper winced, looking up sharply. “Hey! That door’s broken. There’s a sign!”
“Oh, sorry! Didn’t notice,” said the newcomer sheepishly. He was a young man with tousled black hair, casually dressed, his face friendly but otherwise unremarkable. He glanced at the offending door before stepping fully inside. “You got boxes of instant noodles?”
Yu Sheng, returning with his own box, glanced briefly at the young man before looking away.
“Same kind as his?” the shopkeeper asked, nodding at Yu Sheng.
“Yeah, that’ll do,” the young man said, pointing at Yu Sheng’s box. “I’ll take one of those.”
“Under the stairs, on the right. Grab it yourself,” the shopkeeper instructed. “I’ll ring you up in a minute.”
Yu Sheng and the newcomer passed each other in the aisle. For a fleeting moment, Yu Sheng felt an odd sense of familiarity, but he brushed it off, focusing instead on paying for his items. He hefted his shopping bag and noodle box, and as he stepped outside, he noticed that the sky was deepening into twilight.
Meanwhile, Agent Li Lin found the stack of noodle boxes under the stairs. As he bent to pick one up, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Balancing the box on his knee, he fished out the device and read the message from his team leader.
“Settled in yet?”
Li Lin quickly typed back, “Yeah, just grabbing some supplies.”
Almost immediately, another message appeared. “Any unusual activity?”
“Nothing so far,” Li Lin replied. “I’ll start canvassing the area tomorrow, get to know the locals.”
He hesitated before sending one more message. “When is the Deep Diver arriving? Who’s coming?”
There was a pause before the response came through. “Xu Jiali. He’ll be with you tomorrow.”
Li Lin’s eyebrows shot up. Xu Jiali? He began to type a question when another message arrived.
“He just got back from Alamein-IX. Unexpected situation there, mission cut short. He’s debriefing now, then heading your way.”
“Just finished a mission and being sent out again?” Li Lin typed, frowning. “No downtime?”
“Xu Jiali insisted. He’s experiencing some aftereffects from the deep dive. Needs to wear a stabilizer for a while. Figured he’d take his leave next week instead. Your area should be quiet, so he can rest while assisting you. Discuss details when you meet.”
Li Lin sighed, sliding his phone back into his pocket. “Always something,” he muttered.
He approached the counter, setting the box down. The shopkeeper gave him a knowing look.
“Instant noodles, huh? Let me guess—stocking up?”
Li Lin chuckled. “Something like that.”
“Not the healthiest choice. My wife nags me every time I bring these home.”
“Well, maybe I should leave them, then,” Li Lin teased.
The shopkeeper laughed. “Too late now. That’ll be twenty bucks.”
Back at home, Irene sensed movement at the front door. From her place within the ornate frame hanging on the wall, she leaned forward, peering into the hallway. There was no sign of Yu Sheng.
Moments later, his head appeared around the doorframe, eyes darting cautiously around the room. Satisfied, he slipped inside, moving stealthily as if avoiding detection. He set down his load of groceries before quietly closing the door behind him.
Irene raised an eyebrow. “Yu Sheng, what are you doing? Why are you sneaking around like a cat burglar?”
He sighed heavily, slipping off his shoes. “You wouldn’t understand. I’ve developed a… let’s call it a healthy respect for doors lately. Can’t be too careful.”
“Doors?” Irene echoed, bemused. “Care to elaborate?”
He waved a hand dismissively. “Long story.”
Her gaze drifted to the pile of supplies he’d brought in. “You’ve been shopping, I see. Quite the haul. You know, a trolley might’ve been helpful.”
Yu Sheng looked at the assortment of instant noodles, sausages, and biscuits. A troubled expression crossed his face. “I should’ve bought some liquid food,” he murmured. “She hasn’t eaten in ages. Solid food might be too much…”
Irene watched as he began pacing. “Maybe I should go back out, get some eight-treasure porridge…”
“At this hour?” Irene interjected. “The shops might be closing.”
He paused, one foot already back in his shoe. “But she’s hungry…”
Irene’s tone softened. “Even if you get it now, do you have a way to get it to her immediately?”
Yu Sheng hesitated, the weight of her words sinking in.
“And honestly,” she continued, “even if you could, it would only be a temporary fix. The real issue isn’t just her hunger—it’s that entity, ‘Hunger’ itself.”
He nodded slowly, slipping off his shoe again. “You’re right. Feeding her is just a stopgap. The main problem is ‘Hunger.’”
He moved to the dining table, sinking into a chair opposite Irene’s frame. His eyes were distant, deep in thought.
Irene studied him carefully. “Have you… made some progress? Found a way to reach her?”
“Not exactly a way to reach the valley,” he replied, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice. “But perhaps a way to connect.”
Before she could ask, Yu Sheng raised his hand, fingers curling as if grasping an invisible object.
To Irene’s astonishment, a door materialized in the air before them. Its edges shimmered, the surface rippling like water. Yu Sheng grasped the handle that only now became visible and pulled.
The door swung open, revealing a scene unlike anything Irene had ever seen.
An elven woman stood on the other side, her appearance a blend of the organic and mechanical. Mechanical limbs and appendages extended from her back, and her lower body was an intricate assembly of gears and wheels. Despite the machinery, her face was ethereal, framed by silver hair, and she wore a flowing robe that contrasted with her mechanical components.
She stood before a vast machine that pulsed with otherworldly light. The mechanical limbs behind her adjusted dials and levers with precision. Upon seeing Yu Sheng, her eyes widened in shock.
“Who are you?” she demanded, her voice echoing through the space between them.
Yu Sheng blinked, taken aback. “Uh… sorry, wrong door.”
He quickly shut the door, the portal disappearing as swiftly as it had appeared.
Irene was speechless for a moment. Then, finding her voice, she exclaimed, “What in the world was that?!”
“As you saw,” Yu Sheng said calmly, “a door.”
She glared at him. “Don’t play coy with me! Where did that door lead? Who was that woman? And how did you even do that?!”
He smiled faintly. “I’m still figuring it out myself. But it seems I can… connect to certain places. Maybe even control where the door leads.”
Irene shook her head in disbelief. “This is beyond anything I’ve seen, and that’s saying something.”
Yu Sheng leaned back, his mind racing. “If I can replicate this, perhaps I can find a way to reach her—to reach the valley.”
Irene’s expression softened. “Just… be careful, okay? We don’t know what’s out there.”
He met her gaze. “I will. And thank you.”
She offered a small smile. “That’s what I’m here for.”