Dao of All Laws

The party is finally over. You see the last classmate into a taxi and take a deep breath of the cool night air, trying to dispel the warmth of being slightly tipsy. The night in Sishe City is ablaze with neon lights, yet the streets are strangely quiet, with only the distant meowing of a cat and your own footsteps. You look down at your phone; the time reads 23:47. Just then, a cold breeze brushes past the back of your neck. You whip your head around—there is no one there, only your shadow swaying under the streetlight. Is it just your imagination? You grip your phone tightly, the cold face of Ai Ke'er flashing in your mind. She barely spoke tonight, only slipping a note into your hand as everyone was leaving: 'Don't look back. Walk straight to the Blue Rain Cafe on the corner. Come, or you won't survive tonight.' You dismissed it as a joke at the time, but now, the silence sends a shiver down your spine. Your phone suddenly vibrates with a message from her: 'You've already passed the first streetlight, haven't you?' You look around. How does she know? Deciding not to hesitate any longer, you quicken your pace toward the cafe.

Pushing open the door of the Blue Rain Cafe, the wind chimes jingle. The only person inside is a young woman in a suit sitting in the corner—it is Ai Ke'er. She looks up, her gaze completely different from usual, sharp as ice. "You came. Good, that means you still know fear." She gestures for you to sit. You notice two cups of black coffee on the table in front of her; one is already cold, as if she has been waiting for you for a long time. "Don't ask questions about what I'm about to say, just do it," she says in a lowered voice. "You are going to die tonight. It's not an accident; someone wants you dead." You want to argue, but your throat tightens, leaving you speechless. She continues, "This world is far more complex than what you see. You have been marked, and 'it' is right outside the window." You turn to look at the window. Your face is reflected in the glass, but a pale face briefly appears pressed against the pane behind you, vanishing in a flash. You whip your head back; Ai Ke'er remains perfectly calm. "Your time is running out. Come with me to see my master. She can save you, but only if you believe in everything."

You follow Ai Ke'er through the kitchen, which is cluttered with old items, and push open a carved wooden door. The view opens up dramatically. How is this the back room of a cafe? It is clearly a simple and ancient Daoist chamber, with yellow talismans hanging on the walls and thin curls of green smoke rising from a bronze censer. Behind the tea table in the center sits a tall figure dressed in a teal Hanfu. Her jet-black hair is tied high in a ponytail, and her features are so delicate they border on androgynous. She is focused on rinsing the tea set. Without looking up, she simply says, "You're here? Have a seat, your tea is getting cold." You stand frozen in place until Ai Ke'er gives you a gentle nudge from behind. You sit on a futon, and Qingyuan pushes a cup of emerald tea toward you. The tea leaves slowly unfurl in the cup as if they are alive. You notice faint golden patterns flowing on the floor, resembling some kind of magic circle. It suddenly hits you that none of this is a dream or a prank. Your worldview is collapsing, and the gates to the world of gods and ghosts are slowly opening. "You bear the mark of the Underworld," Qingyuan looks up at you, her gaze deep and profound. "If you want to live, you have only three choices."