Parallel World Episode 13 Recap
> Parallel World Recap
As the sandstorm passed through, the sky gradually turned yellow. Ye Liuxi stood alone on the rooftop, looking toward Chang Dong not far away. She observed him as he dug a grave using a military shovel, lining it with branches, shrubs, and weeds, arranging Kong Yang and her teammates' bodies neatly. After Chang Dong had preserved their belongings, he doused their bodies with gasoline. The billowing smoke and flames distorted Chang Dong's silhouette.
Fei Tang, Ding Liu, and the others were contemplating their next steps. They couldn't stay here indefinitely, so they had to decide whether to continue forward or backtrack out of the pass. Chang Dong was still carving leather puppets of Kong Yang and her teammates in a side room. Ye Liuxi didn't go to visit him, knowing that it wouldn't make a difference, so she let him have some quiet time alone.
Ye Liuxi carried a knife and went to find Lao Qian. While sharpening the knife, she questioned him, which left him pale and bewildered. Lao Qian truthfully explained the origins of the sand people, tracing it back to a creature named "Yan Zhong." This creature was greedy and bloodthirsty, with a penchant for licking the salt secreted from the Liusheyadan. It would awaken every few decades or even centuries, causing nearby villages to suffer each time.
Initially, Yan Zhong would disguise itself as an outsider entering the village, but gradually, the villagers started to disappear. It had an incredible ability to adapt to its surroundings and could easily change its facial appearance, making it difficult for people to recognize. After a period of activity, it would return to Liusheyadan to sleep, and the Sand Mounds and Devouring Water Marshes would become its guardians.
Because ordinary people couldn't approach it, Ye Liuxi was puzzled by the existence of the sand people. She suspected that someone was regularly feeding corpses into Liusheyadan. Over the next two days, they remained in the same place for rest and recovery. Ye Liuxi continued her "game," while Lao Qian, A He, and Shu Tiao nervously faced her questions. Any slight mistake would result in point deductions and, ultimately, death.
After a few rounds, Ye Liuxi noticed that Lao Qian provided the most information. However, he was just a fortune-teller, and whenever he faced a question he couldn't answer, he would suggest going to the market. Rumor had it that the market was protected by Heishi City, and they used wind power for electricity. Locals could control and transport exotic creatures to cultivate crops. The primary currency was gold foil or barter, which piqued Ye Liuxi's interest.
In the blink of an eye, three days had passed. Ye Liuxi finally entered the side room where Chang Dong had been sitting blankly in a corner. He had lost weight and grown some stubble on his chin due to neglecting his appearance. Chang Dong had dreamt of an endless desert road with Kong Yang sitting beside him in a car, wearing the same crimson dress he had remembered. Kong Yang persuaded him to forget about her, as only by forgetting could he start anew. Life was a journey of thousands of miles with numerous travelers, some adding color to the scenery while others casting shadows. He needed to stand atop the mountains, witnessing the grandeur of the world, and not become fixated on a single sand dune.
For this reason, Chang Dong, with Ye Liuxi's company, gathered the courage to leave the side room. He shaved his face, looking refreshed, and sat beside her outside, gazing up at the clear sky. Under the same sky, their shadows were sometimes distant, sometimes close, and eventually overlapped gently, like a tender embrace. Ye Liuxi accompanied Chang Dong to the underground chamber. The sunlight hadn't reached inside yet, providing some shade. Chang Dong had been treated well for three days, and now it was time for him to gather his spirits and consider the next steps for the future.
Chang Dong slept soundly for a long time, one full day and night. When he woke up, he saw Ye Liuxi lying beside him. He groggily opened his eyes, intentionally messing up the blanket that he had already neatly folded. However, this time Chang Dong didn't insist on his compulsions, and he tried to convince himself to accept Ye Liuxi's appreciation for the beauty of disorder. Ye Liuxi responded with a contented smile.
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