[The wind blows north~ you left so~ decisively, my eyes can't open, tears streaming down, with a single sentence you took everything back.]
On a southbound plane, someone was playing an old song by Sun Nan (as long as you don't connect to the network, using electronics is fine during stable flight), relaxing with eyes closed and thoroughly enjoying it. Next to him, by the window seat, a woman stared absentmindedly at the endless ocean of clouds outside.
In this age of major depression, the number of commercial flights has plummeted, and fewer people travel by plane. On the flip side, China's anti-terror security has skyrocketed. Airport security is intense—layer after layer of screening catches anyone suspicious. Metal detectors and X-ray scans are just the basics; along the way, the woman saw plenty of devices whose purpose she couldn't even guess from the appearance.
The woman knew, of course, those devices were meant for Chosen Ones.
She'd seen those devices in Shanghai before—well, almost seen them herself—and witnessed their power firsthand. Even though the Magic City was destroyed in an instant, the Demon Revealing Plan had gone off without a hitch. Now, Demon Revealing Mirrors have been rolled out everywhere important, scanning crowds 24/7.
As for what happens to Chosen Ones who get caught, well, that's a tricky subject.
China bans guns, but Chosen Ones are even more dangerous than firearms. Especially since no one knows what they stash in their storage spaces—every Chosen One is basically a walking powder keg. If one blows up, the consequences are unimaginable.
Some people suggested locking down every Chosen One, going full fortress mode, better safe than sorry—catch them all, no mercy.
But others thought that was a bad idea and came up with alternatives.
These two ideas kept clashing at the top, and in the end, they formed two special departments: one led by Jasper Xiao, the other by Cobra.
The whole situation with the Glasses Snake was already a lost cause, no need to spell it out. On Jasper Xiao’s end, it was all about playing by the book, using the power of the Chosen Ones to deal with other Chosen Ones. This department called itself the Anti-Terror Special Task Force to outsiders. The woman breezed through security, easily spotting those folks dressed sort-of like SWAT but not quite.
But whether you were a Chosen One or a demon-hunting mirror, nobody picked up on this woman’s special vibe. In fact, they couldn’t even sense her existence at all.
She had flawless looks and a killer aura, but it was like she didn’t even exist in this world. No invisibility cloak, but the minute she dialed down her presence, everyone subconsciously ignored her. Even when she walked right up to the boarding gate with zero ID or tickets, the flight attendant just smiled out of habit and let her through like it was the most natural thing ever.
She just strolled onto the plane, found an empty seat, and plopped down. Nobody thought anything of it.
Honestly, this trick was way more magical than your average stealth infiltration.
This flight was headed for Shenzhen. The plane was flying south, the clouds drifting north. The woman gently opened her palm, and the Fate Needle glimmered faintly, pointing in the same direction as the plane’s nose. She stared at the needle, face blank, lost in thought.
"The wind blows north, and you walk away so clean and cool... My eyes can’t stay open, tears keep falling..."
Sun Hao’s singing was getting more emotional by the second, practically oozing with feeling. But the woman suddenly seemed a little annoyed. She raised her hand and snapped her fingers right in front of the guy next to her. The passenger, who’d had his eyes closed and was zoning out, blinked open, like he’d just randomly decided he didn’t want to hear this song anymore, scrolled through the playlist, and picked something else.
The song "The Wind Blows North" cut off abruptly, replaced by a brand-new track with a much more soothing melody.
The woman relaxed a little, and the guy next to her went right back to his meditation.
"You open your arms and melt me down. You twirl your fingers and crush me to bits. You stir up the wind and clouds and sweep me away. You raise the waves and toss me out!"
Liu Huan’s voice was all sorrow and drama—classic "Can’t Live Without You." His singing sounded like an accusation, a plea, a helpless sigh and a question all rolled into one. Great song, but the woman’s pretty brows instantly scrunched up.
"Us two~~, it’s just not fair! Love and hate—totally your call. But today, I can’t~~ live without you, whether you love me or not..."
Snap! The woman snapped her fingers again, and the guy next to her opened his eyes, scanning up and down for another song. She glanced over, shook her head, and muttered, "What’s up with this dude? Why are all his songs like this..." Snap—she snapped a third time, and the guy just shut off the player completely.
Finally, a bit of peace and quiet.
Flowers shed tears in troubled times, birds panic at parting. Music is all about emotions, and it matches your mood. Right now, this was the last kind of music the woman wanted to hear.
Rustle—there was a quick speaker test, then the flight attendant’s voice came on: “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re about to arrive at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport.”
Almost there. The woman glanced at the Fate Needle again, her eyes deep and thoughtful.
“Before landing, here’s an oldie for you all—‘The One Who Loves You Most’ by Huang Pin Yuan.”
This time, no finger snap—the woman just smacked her forehead, looking utterly defeated by fate.
[Thinking of you, day after day.]
[Lonely old me, still the same as ever.]
[When will that beautiful dream finally come true?]
[My dear, I wish I could see you again, just once.]
Surrounded by this inescapable singing, the woman simply shut her eyes, trying to block out the world and find some peace. But once she locked herself in that silent bubble, the melody and lyrics of the song kept haunting her, along with memories of everything she'd been through.
In October, she left Earth and dove into the far end of the Axis of Worlds, arriving in her own destined realm. In that dazzling, surreal, and impossibly perfect world, she witnessed things she’d never even dreamed of. Time stretched and twisted—months on Earth, years over there. But the years left no mark on her; if anything, they made her more flawless than ever.
Yet on those endless lonely nights, gazing up at the moon, her heart—so detached and otherworldly—still held a soft, fragile spot.
[The autumn wind blows, again and again.]
[And I remember this time last year.]