The lovers returned to Doctor Lo's clinic. Guo Baiyu spent the afternoon giving his final instructions to Doctor Lo and his students on how to care for the severely injured patients. He explained to Doctor Lo that since the patients were now stabilized and out of danger, they would be leaving in a couple of days.
Like they always had done in the past, their departure was always kept secret, known only to themselves. So, after dinner, the lovers packed up their belongings. They agreed that tomorrow they would leave Waterfall City, do some sightseeing further north, and then return to Cloud City.
Zhao Renshu sat at the table, a thoughtful expression on his face. "This is the first time, and it won't be the last, that we will meet such a person. How do you feel?" He looked at Guo Baiyu. "From now on, words will spread that you and I are married to the same woman."
"I am glad to tell them," Guo Baiyu replied calmly. "The day I decided to leave the Guo residence; I was already ready to face any hardship with Ping'an and you. Don't worry about me." He then looked at Ping'an. "How about you?"
Ping'an smiled at Zhao Renshu and Guo Baiyu. "I knew a long time ago that people's mouths are the deadliest weapon. I don't care."
"Good, we're all good, right?" Zhao Renshu said, satisfied.
"What about you?" Guo Baiyu asked, returning the question. "That was a big confession."
"So what?" Zhao Renshu scoffed, feigning indifference.
"Have you learned?" Guo Baiyu pressed gently.
"Lesson learned," Zhao Renshu sighed dramatically, admitting his earlier over-the-top reaction.
The next morning, two students went to wake the doctor and his two friends, but they found an empty bedroom. There was a note addressed to Doctor Lo on the table. The students brought the note to Doctor Lo. He read it, a small smile on his face, and then put the note down on the table.
"They have already left in the early hours of this morning," Doctor Lo informed his wife and daughter. "Xiao Hudie, your big brother gave you a piece of jade." He picked up a small white piece of jade, tied to a red string. "He said it can protect you from evil spirits." Doctor Lo placed the jade around Xiao Hudie's neck.
"Miss, please let me formally inform you of your arrival," a male student said loudly, seeing Huang Hongse enter.
"No need." Huang Hongse pushed the male student aside and rushed into the clinic, her eyes scanning for someone.
Huang Hongse saw Doctor Lo and his family sitting at the table, having breakfast. She walked quickly to their table. "Where is Renshu?" she demanded.
"Doctor Guozhao and his two friends left early this morning," Doctor Lo replied.
"Doctor Lo, do you mind if I take a look?" Huang Hongse asked, gesturing towards the room.
"Miss Huang, no need to do that," Madam Lo said, shaking her head. She handed Guo Baiyu's letter to Huang Hongse. "This is their farewell letter."
Huang Hongse quickly read the letter, her expression falling. Then she rushed out of the clinic. She ran straight into Huang Yueliang and Lim Peizhi at the front entrance.
"What are you two doing here?" Huang Hongse asked, exasperated.
"I'm here to apologize," Lim Peizhi replied, looking contrite.
"No need," Huang Hongse dismissed. "They are gone. I am chasing Renshu. I need a clearer explanation than yesterday's stupid makeup explanation."
The lovers stopped on a T-junction road. There were two roads: one to the left and one to the right.
"This looks familiar," Zhao Renshu laughed, a nostalgic glint in his eye. "Remember the last time we chose a path that led us to that demon snake?"
"Left," Ping'an said decisively.
"Are you sure?" Zhao Renshu questioned, a mischievous grin playing on his lips.
"I think I've been here before," Ping'an mused, a faraway look in her eyes.
"Really?" Zhao Renshu teased. "I remember you told me last time that you never set foot outside of Peace Town."
Ping'an sighed heavily, a sense of wonder in her voice. "Since I remember, I have never walked outside of Peace Town, but this place... I think I have been here before. A half a day of horseback riding around the mountain trail, and it should take us to a big flower field. I don't know why, but I feel safe standing here. I feel like... I am home."
"I think this is what the Goddess meant to go back where it began," Guo Baiyu murmured thoughtfully.
"And I thought she wanted us to return to our mother's womb," Zhao Renshu laughed, scratching his chin with his left thumb. "You say over the mountain, right? Let's go, it's going to be a long walk. If our horses weren't lost in the battle, we wouldn't have to walk."
"What about right?" Guo Baiyu asked, always the practical one.
"If I remember correctly," Ping'an replied, "I believe this is a green oasis of land, but whether it is left or right, the trail will still merge together on the other side of the mountain."
Then the lovers heard men cheering and a loud neighing sound.
"Let's go check it out," Zhao Renshu said, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "You say either way we take it will merge into a single road on the other side of the mountain, right?"
"Yes, but—" Ping'an began.
"No but!" Zhao Renshu interrupted. "I want to see what kind of creature neighs this loud. Besides, don't you want to write it down in your journal?" He walked decisively to the right.
"Writing a journal doesn't mean that you go looking for trouble," Guo Baiyu sighed, though a small smile touched his lips.
Then Zhao Renshu stopped, turned around, and said, "I'm not looking for trouble. I'm just checking it out."
The lovers took the road to the right.
The Huang sisters and Lim Peizhi rode their horses up the mountain trail, following the path the lovers had taken.
"Hongse, why are you chasing after Renshu?" Lim Peizhi asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"You have always hated him. What happened this time?" Huang Yueliang added, curious.
"He rejected me because of Ping'an," Huang Hongse admitted, her voice tight with frustration.
"Isn't she Baiyu's wife?" Lim Peizhi questioned.
"Renshu said she is Renshu's wife too," Huang Hongse clarified, still reeling from the revelation.
"Both brothers are married to the same woman? Am I understanding this correctly?" Huang Yueliang asked, her eyes wide with surprise.
"He said his last name is Zhao and Baiyu's surname is Guo. They are Ping'an's husbands, so her surname is Guozhao," Huang Hongse explained, relaying the full, astounding truth.
"No wonder when you traded words with Baiyu," Huang Yueliang mused. "This made Renshu very angry. He almost killed us! He also says even if he has a perverted mind, it is absolutely not toward you."
"Stop!" Lim Peizhi suddenly commanded, pulling on his reins.
The three friends stopped their horses.
"What's the matter?" Huang Yueliang asked.
"We are entering the Wasteland," Lim Peizhi stated, his face grim.
"I don't care," Huang Hongse insisted, ready to press on.
"The Wasteland belongs to the most dangerous criminals for the past two hundred years," Lim Peizhi explained. "They tried to destroy Waterfall City once, but were driven deep into the mountain by our ancestors. They were a group of two hundred men and women. Our ancestors told them, we could be good neighbors if they stayed in the Wasteland and never set foot in our City, otherwise we would send troops and destroy them. In the past two hundred years, they have not dared to invade Waterfall City. Those prisoners who escaped from Waterfall City will join them. I believe they are forming an army to take over our city. They are dangerous cannibal criminals, and they believe that eating centaur meat will make them immortal."
"Centaur?" Huang Hongse repeated, her eyes widening.
"Immortals who are half human and half horse," Lim Peizhi elaborated. "In the history of our Waterfall City, the last battle between us and the Wastelanders was because the leader of the Wastelanders and his army of two hundred had consumed centaur flesh. They believed they were immortal, but in the end, they were defeated by our ancestors' army."
"Have any of you seen a Centaur?" Huang Hongse asked, fascinated.
"No," Lim Peizhi replied. "They stay in Horsemen Land. They never venture out of their territory, nor has any man been brave enough to enter their territory. No one knows if their existence is even true."
"In the eyes of mainlanders, Waterfall City is a city of criminals, but I think the Wastelanders are the true criminals," Huang Yueliang said. "I don't mean it in a bad way." She smiled at Lim Peizhi. "In the eyes of the mainland people, Waterfall City is a place for criminals to rehabilitate."
"There is no shame to say that Waterfall City was established by criminals who had a change of heart," Lim Peizhi responded, his voice filled with pride. "We took it as our pride. We cannot enter the Wasteland."
"Hongse, I am sure we will meet Hunter Zhao again," Huang Yueliang said, trying to persuade her cousin. "He is a hunter. We are hunters. Hunters always cross paths. Let's go back."