The kingdom did not sleep that night.
From the northern mountains to the southern rivers.
From the capital to the smallest villages.
Everyone had heard it.
The crying woman.
The sorrowful voice that seed to co from the heavens themselves.
And by dawn—
Fear had spread everywhere.
---
Inside the palace.
The Emperor had barely rested.
Several reports were already piled on his desk.
One after another.
The ministers’ ssengers had arrived before sunrise.
The Emperor sat quietly as the head spy finished his report.
"Your Majesty."
"The crying voice was heard throughout the entire kingdom."
The Emperor’s expression darkened.
"Entire kingdom?"
"Yes."
"Every province has reported the sa thing."
The spy lowered his head.
"People are frightened."
"Many temples are crowded."
"So villages believe it is an on."
The room beca silent.
The Emperor’s fingers tapped lightly against the desk.
This was becoming worse than he expected.
---
anwhile—
The Dowager Empress was already awake.
She sat calmly in her chamber drinking tea.
Though her expression was composed—
The maid serving her could see the tension in her eyes.
The Dowager Empress rarely worried.
But this situation was different.
Very different.
---
"Send word."
Her voice was firm.
"To the Emperor."
"The Empress."
"Princess Zhi."
"Prince Liang."
"Lady Chen."
"And Shin Gu."
The maid bowed.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
---
"Tell them to prepare."
"We leave for the shrine imdiately."
---
Soon—
ssages spread through the palace.
One after another.
---
At the Duke residence.
The Empress sat on the edge of her bed.
Her eyes felt heavy.
She hadn’t slept.
Not even for a mont.
Every ti she closed her eyes—
She heard the crying voice again.
The sound lingered in her mind.
Like a nightmare that refused to leave.
---
Beside her—
The three ghosts looked equally exhausted.
Which was strange.
Ghosts didn’t need sleep.
Yet they looked terrible.
The female ghost hugged her knees silently.
The scholar ghost stared at the wall.
The general ghost remained unusually quiet.
---
A knock sounded.
"Your Majesty."
"The Dowager Empress has summoned everyone."
The Empress sighed.
"Already?"
---
The maid nodded.
"The shrine."
"The monk."
---
The Empress rubbed her forehead.
Today was going to be long.
---
Elsewhere.
Princess Zhi looked just as exhausted.
Dark circles had ford beneath her eyes.
The mont she heard the summons—
She groaned dramatically.
"I haven’t slept at all."
---
Prince Liang looked equally miserable.
"I don’t think anyone slept."
---
By mid-morning.
Several palace carriages had gathered.
The group slowly assembled.
The Emperor.
The Empress.
Princess Zhi.
Prince Liang.
The Dowager Empress.
Lady Chen.
And finally—
Shin Gu.
---
The mont Lady Chen saw her—
She blinked.
Then frowned.
---
Sothing felt strange.
---
Shin Gu looked completely normal.
Not tired.
Not nervous.
Not frightened.
---
In fact—
She looked rested.
Very rested.
---
Lady Chen stared.
Then suddenly rembered sothing.
Last night.
During all the chaos.
At the lake.
In the search.
In the discussions.
---
Shin Gu had never appeared.
---
The realization struck her instantly.
---
"Wait."
Everyone looked toward her.
---
Lady Chen narrowed her eyes.
"You weren’t there."
---
Silence.
---
Prince Liang frowned.
"What?"
---
Lady Chen pointed directly at Shin Gu.
"When the crying voice started."
"When everyone gathered near the lake."
"You weren’t there."
---
The group beca quiet.
---
The Emperor’s gaze shifted toward Shin Gu.
The Empress also looked at her.
---
Now that Lady Chen ntioned it—
It was true.
---
No one had seen Shin Gu.
Not once.
---
Princess Zhi blinked.
"You’re right."
---
The Dowager Empress frowned slightly.
---
Lady Chen folded her arms.
"Where were you?"
---
For the first ti.
A small tension entered the atmosphere.
---
Shin Gu looked at everyone.
Then calmly replied—
"I was asleep."
---
Silence.
---
"...What?"
Princess Zhi stared.
---
Shin Gu remained composed.
"I was sleeping."
---
Lady Chen looked unconvinced.
"Sleeping?"
---
Shin Gu nodded.
"Yes."
---
Prince Liang frowned.
"How?"
---
Even the Emperor was watching carefully now.
---
Lady Chen stepped forward.
"How could you sleep?"
---
"The entire kingdom heard that voice."
---
"Servants were screaming."
---
"The palace was awake."
---
"The crying was so loud it woke everyone."
---
She narrowed her eyes.
"And you slept through all of it?"
---
The question lingered.
---
For a brief mont—
Nobody spoke.
---
Shin Gu simply smiled.
A calm.
Perfect smile.
---
"I take sleeping dicine."
---
The answer ca naturally.
Almost too naturally.
---
Several people exchanged looks.
---
Princess Zhi looked doubtful.
"Enough sleeping dicine to ignore the end of the world?"
---
Prince Liang coughed to hide a laugh.
---
The Dowager Empress gave him a warning look.
---
The Emperor remained silent.
Watching.
Observing.
---
The Empress quietly studied Shin Gu.
Sothing felt off.
Very off.
---
Not because of what she said.
But because of how she said it.
---
Too calm.
Too prepared.
---
For a brief mont—
The female ghost beside the Empress narrowed her eyes.
---
The scholar ghost did the sa.
---
Even the general ghost seed suspicious.
---
But before anyone could question further—
The Dowager Empress spoke.
"Enough."
---
Everyone beca silent.
---
"We can investigate later."
---
She stood.
"The monk is waiting."
---
The Emperor nodded.
She was right.
They needed answers first.
---
Soon—
Everyone entered their assigned carriages.
The convoy began moving toward the shrine.
---
As the wheels rolled across the road—
The Empress glanced through the carriage window.
At the carriage ahead.
The one carrying Shin Gu.
---
For so reason—
A chill ran down her spine.
---
And far away.
Hidden behind the curtains of her carriage.
---
Shin Gu slowly opened her eyes.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
Cold.
Secretive.
Dangerous.
---
Then she whispered softly.
"So..."
"They noticed."
---
But instead of fear—
She looked amused.
And that frightened fate far more than fear ever could.
The journey to the shrine was unusually quiet.
No one spoke much.
The mory of the crying woman still lingered in everyone’s minds.
Even the guards escorting the royal convoy seed nervous.
The roads were crowded.
Villagers.
rchants.
Travelers.
Everyone was discussing the sa thing.
The voice.
The crying.
The on.
The fear.
---
Inside the Empress’s carriage, silence dominated.
The Empress sat quietly.
Beside her, Princess Zhi looked exhausted.
Neither woman had slept.
The three ghosts accompanying the Empress remained unusually silent.
Even Lian Hua’s absence felt strange.
Normally there would be laughter.
Today—
Only unease.
---
Several hours later—
The convoy arrived at the mountain shrine.
The ancient temple stood atop a stone staircase.
Clouds drifted around the mountain peaks.
The atmosphere felt peaceful.
Sacred.
Yet sohow heavy.
As though the mountain itself knew what was coming.
---
Waiting at the entrance—
The monk stood quietly.
His expression was calm.
But his eyes looked older than before.
More tired.
As though he had witnessed sothing dreadful.
---
The mont the Emperor arrived—
Everyone bowed respectfully.
The monk returned the greeting.
---
"You already know why we are here."
The Emperor wasted no ti.
The monk nodded slowly.
"I do."
---
The group exchanged glances.
Princess Zhi stepped forward.
"You know what caused the crying?"
---
The monk’s silence answered before his words did.
---
"Yes."
---
The single word sent a chill through everyone.
---
The Dowager Empress frowned.
"Then explain."
---
The monk looked toward the distant mountains.
For a long mont—
No one spoke.
---
Finally—
He sighed.
---
"The kingdom is entering a dangerous period."
---
The Emperor’s gaze sharpened.
"What does that an?"
---
The monk closed his eyes briefly.
"Sothing ancient has awakened."
---
The sa words the female ghost had spoken.
The Empress’s heart tightened.
---
Prince Liang frowned.
"What exactly awakened?"
---
The monk shook his head.
"I cannot tell you everything."
---
The answer frustrated everyone.
---
Princess Zhi folded her arms.
"You know but won’t tell us?"
---
The monk looked at her.
"I know enough to understand the danger."
"But not enough to understand the full truth."
---
Silence followed.
---
The Dowager Empress finally asked the most important question.
"Can you stop it?"
---
The monk’s expression darkened.
---
"No."
---
The answer hit everyone hard.
---
The Emperor stared at him.
"No?"
---
The monk shook his head.
"I cannot stop what has awakened."
---
The Empress felt her stomach sink.
---
Princess Zhi looked horrified.
"What do you an you can’t stop it?"
"You’re the most powerful cultivator in the kingdom!"
---
The monk smiled bitterly.
"Even mountains have limits."
---
Silence.
---
The wind blew softly across the shrine.
---
The monk continued.
"I cannot destroy it."
"I cannot seal it."
"I cannot erase it."
---
The Emperor clenched his fists.
---
"Then what can you do?"
---
The monk looked toward the horizon.
---
"I can protect the kingdom."
---
Everyone beca still.
---
The monk slowly pointed toward the distant landscape.
---
"I can create a spiritual boundary."
---
The Emperor frowned.
"A boundary?"
---
The monk nodded.
---
"If what has awakened remains outside..."
"It cannot cross."
---
The Empress looked hopeful.
"So the kingdom will be safe?"
---
The monk hesitated.
---
"For now."
---
The three words imdiately destroyed that hope.
---
"For now?" Princess Zhi repeated.
---
The monk nodded.
---
"Boundaries weaken."
"Ti changes things."
"Power grows."
---
No one liked that answer.
---
Not at all.
---
The Emperor looked toward the mountain below.
Thinking.
Calculating.
---
At least it was sothing.
Better than nothing.
---
The Dowager Empress finally spoke.
"How long will the boundary take?"
---
"Three days."
---
The monk’s answer ca imdiately.
---
The Emperor nodded.
"Then begin."
---
The monk bowed.
"I will."
---
Nearby—
Shin Gu stood quietly among the group.
Her face remained calm.
Respectful.
Perfect.
---
But inside—
She was laughing.
---
Fools.
All of them.
---
A boundary?
---
Her lips nearly curled upward.
---
The monk thought he understood what was happening.
The Emperor thought he was protecting the kingdom.
The Dowager Empress believed danger was outside.
---
They were all looking in the wrong direction.
---
The real chaos—
Had never been outside.
---
It had always been inside.
---
Inside the palace.
Inside their hos.
Inside their trust.
---
Inside their hearts.
---
The monk could build walls.
He could create barriers.
He could protect borders.
---
But he couldn’t stop fear.
---
He couldn’t stop suspicion.
---
He couldn’t stop secrets.
---
And he certainly couldn’t stop people from turning against one another.
---
Shin Gu lowered her eyes.
Hiding her amusent.
---
Go ahead.
Build your boundary.
Protect your kingdom.
Feel safe.
---
The safer people felt—
The easier it beca to destroy them.
---
The monk suddenly glanced in her direction.
For a brief second—
Their eyes t.
---
Sothing strange passed between them.
---
The monk frowned slightly.
---
Shin Gu imdiately lowered her gaze respectfully.
The perfect image of innocence.
---
A mont later—
The monk looked away.
---
But a seed of suspicion had quietly been planted.
---
The eting continued.
Plans were discussed.
Protection arrangents were made.
The Emperor assigned additional guards.
The Dowager Empress ordered temples throughout the kingdom to remain open.
Prince Liang volunteered to investigate unusual incidents reported in nearby provinces.
Princess Zhi promised to help organize relief efforts if panic spread among the people.
---
Everyone was doing sothing.
Preparing.
Planning.
Fighting against an unseen threat.
---
And Shin Gu watched all of it.
---
A small smile hidden behind lowered eyes.
---
Because while everyone was preparing for danger from outside—
She was already preparing the next move from within.
---
And far beyond the kingdom’s borders—
The crying woman wept once more.
Her sorrowful voice carried by the wind.
Waiting.
Watching.
As destiny slowly moved toward its next Chapter.
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