Despite his hesitation, Ace eventually sighed and allowed the girl to board the bedridden boat.
The last thing he wanted was another passenger weighing down their barely-repaired excuse of a vessel, but Liu i had already given her approval, and he didn't want to disappoint his little girl.
The boat rocked gently beneath them as the girl stepped aboard, her delicate fra making barely a sound.
She adjusted the hood of her cloak, shielding herself from the salty breeze before settling onto a wooden plank.
"I'm Sarah," she said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
Liu i, ever the friendly one, bead a huge smile and gestured toward Ace.
"This is my master, Xiao Zhi! And I'm Liu i!"
Ace simply focused on rowing, only gave a brief nod in acknowledgnt.
He was already regretting this decision.
Sarah turned to Liu i, her curious gaze lingering on the girl's small fra.
"You're… really young. Where are you two headed for?"
Liu i's grin widened. "I'm off to join a fighting tournant!" she declared proudly.
Sarah's expression shifted instantly, her brows knitting together as she turned toward Ace.
Her eyes seed to be staring straight into the soul as she stared at Ace in horror.
Ace caught the look and groaned internally. He already could make an intelligent guess on what she was currently thinking.
The boat then slowly drifted into the open sea, the waves lapping gently against the sides, making an eerie, rhythmic sound in the still night.
The only light guiding them was the flickering glow of Sarah's lantern, casting long, dancing shadows over the water.
Ace, already questioning every life decision that led him here, glanced at the girl who had just casually climbed aboard his fragile, barely-holding-together death trap.
"So… Sarah, was it?" he asked, resting his chin on his palm. "What brings you to this fine floating disaster?"
Sarah gave a small, weary smile. "As I said, I need a doctor from the other shore."
Ace sighed. "Right, right. You did say that. But—"
"Since we have ti," Sarah suddenly said, "shall I tell you a story?"
Ace narrowed his eyes. "...That depends. Will it make regret getting on this boat?"
Sarah ignored him and continued.
"Did you know that people who cross the sea at night during this season... never return?"
The wind picked up slightly. The lantern's fla flickered.
Ace's entire body tensed.
"...Co again?"
Liu i, who had been happily munching on a spirit apple, paused mid-bite.
Sarah's voice took on a haunting lilt.
"Legend has it that once the sun sets in the month of sumr, the sea stops belonging to mortals. It becos the domain of... sothing else."
Ace slowly turned to Liu i. "Why did you let her on the boat again?"
Liu i blinked. "She needed help!"
Ace pointed at Sarah. "Yes, and now she's traumatizing us for free."
Sarah, completely unbothered, continued. "No one knows exactly what happens to those who travel by night during this period. So say their boats vanish without a trace. Others believe they're swallowed by the sea itself."
Ace imdiately started rowing faster.
Sarah tilted her head. "Why are you in such a hurry?"
Ace shot her a deadpan look. "Oh, I don't know, Sarah. Maybe because YOU JUST SAID WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE?"
The voice in his head humd with amusent.
Oh, so now you suddenly care about survival?
"Not now, you old—whatever you are!" Ace snapped internally.
anwhile, Liu i was eating her apple like this was the best entertainnt of her life.
"Sarah, do people really disappear?"
Sarah nodded solemnly. "Every. Single. Ti."
At that exact mont, a deep, unnatural groan rumbled from beneath the boat.
Ace froze. Liu i paused. Sarah stared calmly at the water.
Ace cleared his throat. "Right. So. Just to clarify."
"Mm?" Sarah humd.
"You didn't think to tell us this BEFORE we set sail?"
Sarah gave the biggest smile which in ace opinion was th scariest smile he had ever seen as she said, "Would you have set sail for Dark Valley if I did?"
Ace stared at her. Then at Liu i. Then at the pitch-black waters around them.
"Co on, Liu i! You row too!" Ace barked, gripping the oars like his life depended on it—which, at this point, he was convinced it did.
Liu i, chomping down the last bite of her apple, wiped her hands and grabbed an oar. "Alright, alright. No need to panic, Master!"
Ace shot her a glare. "I'm not panicking. I'm being... strategically cautious."
anwhile, Sarah sat at the front of the boat, swinging her legs, holding up her lantern.
The soft glow illuminated the sea ahead, making the water look almost peaceful—if you ignored the fact that they were rowing across a death-trap of legends.
Every so often, Sarah giggled while petting white fur with one hand.
Ace didn't like that.
"Why are you still laughing?" he finally asked, rowing faster just in case she knew sothing he didn't.
"Oh, no reason," Sarah humd, her expression unreadable. "You two are just... fun."
Ace felt his left eye twitch. "That is not the answer I was hoping for."
Strangely enough, despite the ominous stories, the creepy noises earlier, and the increasing paranoia clawing at his brain, they encountered no dangers.
But then, they encountered no monsters, nor did anyone co and claim their boat as their nor any mysterious surprise rising from the sea.
After what felt like an eternity, they reached the other shore.
Ace and Liu i practically jumped onto solid ground.
Ace took a deep breath, then exhaled. "Well. That wasn't so bad."
Liu i stretched her arms. "See? You were worried for nothing!"
Ace shot her a deadpan look. "Forgive for not being optimistic about 'mysterious disappearances at sea.'"
Turning around, they both looked toward the boat, ready to bid farewell to Sarah—
Except... Sarah wasn't there.
She wasn't on the boat nor was she anywhere near the shore. In fact, she wasn't anywhere around either, it was like she had vanished.
Vanished into thin air?
Ace felt a cold chill creep down his spine. "...Liu i?"
"Yeah?"
"We're never giving a free ride to any more strangers. Understood?"
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