WoH: Warnings of the Future

The Strange Box

*The movement alerts everyone to his prescence. Fenger takes Rong Xuan's hand defensively, glaring at him*

Young man: *a little stiffly* I won't hurt someone Senior Zhen wants to protect- I give you my word. Please forgive my brashness earlier.

*Everyone looks at Ruyu, then at the young man, confused. The girl opens her mouth, brows furrowed in indignance, but the young man hushes her before she can speak*

Rong Xuan: Ah. *bows* Forgiven.

Young man: Mn.

Wen Ruyu: You're not afraid of the accomplished Rong Xuan, but you're afraid of me?? A healer who can't even fight an ant anymore? How does that make- who are you even?

Young man: It's not fear, it's respect.

Wen Ruyu: Respect?

Young man: Yeah. You've done so many good deeds in your life, who wouldn't respect you?

Qin Huaizhang: *snorts quietly, thinking* Respect wasn't enough to make you help them, was it?

Young man: *bows* My name is Wen Kexing. *pushes the girl forward* Her name is Gu Xiang. She's... I adopted her. She's my little sister.

Wen Ruyu: *chuckles* So we have the same surname! My surname was Wen too before I joined the Immortal Physician Valley- I've reverted back to it now. What a coincidence!

Wen Kexing: *nods stiffly, trying so hard to not look like he's dying inside* Yeah. What a coincidence... haha...

Wen Ruyu: Don't call me Senior Zhen- just call me Ruyu.

Wen Kexing: *laughs* I don't dare. How about simply Senior?

Wen Ruyu: ...you don't look that young. You're like... 10 years younger than me? Maybe less?

Wen Kexing: I... *chuckles lightly, fanning himself* I'm... not like you. I'm actually of Zhou-xiong's generation- I'd say we're probably about the same age. I've heard a lot about him after all... *smiles at Zishu* He's special. A white lotus in the mud of the world.

*Zishu rolls his eyes. The rest of the group take a few seconds to realize Kexing means is he and Gu Xiang were transported here the same way Zishu and Jiuxiao were rather than the way the 5 dead people were. Huaizhang nods, silently acknowledging he was too quick to judge Kexing. Maybe, he thinks, if Kexing'd been old enough back then, he would've helped Ruyu and Miaomiao after all*

Wen Ruyu: I... see?

Wen Kexing: Point is, based on age, I should call you my senior.

Wen Ruyu: Okay sure. Whatever makes you comfortable.

Rong Xuan: So you know me and Ruyu, and Zishu and Jiuxiao- do you know the rest of us then?

Wen Kexing: *waves at Huaizhang* If I didn't know who he was before, I'd be an idiot not to know now with how Zishu and Jiuxiao greeted him. *bows* My greetings, Master Qin.

Qin Huaizhang: *nods* Greetings to you too, Young Master Wen.

Wen Kexing: *turns to Fenger and feigns confusion* You're... Lady Yue of the Immortal Physician Valley?

Yue Fenger: Yeah. *tugs Miaomiao forward* And this my shimei and Ruyu's husband, Gu Miaomiao.

Gu Miaomiao: *bows*

Wen Kexing: *bows deeper* An honor to meet you, Lady Gu.

Wen Ruyu: Well, this definitely explains the whole 9 people thing.

Qin Jiuxiao: What?

*Fenger hands him the note and with Zishu, Kexing and Gu Xiang, he reads what the other 5 already know*

Wen Kexing: ...what the fuck?

Qin Huaizhang: What the fuck is right. *sighs* On the bright side, we've found the chapters and instructions on how to work the box.

Zhou Zishu: Does it feel like a trap?

Rong Xuan: I don't think so...?

Gu Miaomiao: Honestly? Kinda. But I don't see the alternative. Did you see any exits while you were out there?

*Zishu, Kexing, Jiuxiao and Gu Xiang shake their heads*

Qin Jiuxiao: We should probably get on with it then, if there's no alternative and everyone's here? At least put 1 of those things in to see what happens.

Qin Huaizhang: I'll do it- I can jump away if it's a trap and if I don't, I'm already dead. Not much it can do.

*As the first disc is put in, the light shining on the screen, the whole setup whirls to life. Color appears, and 3 words are imprinted on the screen*

8 Years Later.