Eyewitness: It was just here! It had this enormous tail, and it tore into the ground, sparks flying everywhere.
Eyewitness: Oh, oh! My god, that's what's causing these tremors, isn't it?
Poitier: Damn it. Stay calm, please. Ugh. The ground's shaking so much I can barely stand.
Poitier: Don't panic. We'll keep you safe.
Liang Yue: Alpha Team, listen up. We need to cordon off everything in a two-mile radius around this scene.
Liang Yue: "It" could surface at any time. Be ready to engage.
Securing her radio, LiĆ”ng YuĆØ vaults over a broken wall, heading toward the epicenter.
Poitier: LiĆ”ngāHey! LiĆ”ng!
Liang Yue: This is a .40 USP-series anti-critter handgun, grenades laced with Ceiba soothing pollen.
Liang Yue: Enough to handle this sort of situation.
Poitier: Hey! LiƔng! That's the epicenter!
Arcane Affairs Officer I: Poitier, should we follow her?
Poitier: Pfft, only if you're crazy. Stand by and wait for my signal.
Her radio begins to emit strange static sounds.
Phone: Bzzābzztābzzt-bzztā
Liang Yue: Huh?
LiĆ”ng YuĆØ taps the phone, but it remains unresponsive.
Liang Yue: It's dead.
Deputy Chief Elden: I want you at the intersection of Adams Street and Sycamore. You'll be leading Mobile Unit Alpha. Get there, scout the site, and keep in contact.
Deputy Chief Elden: We'll position three heavy weapons squads at the edges of the cordon to block any escape.
Liang Yue: Heavy weapons?
Deputy Chief Elden: We've seen enough of that creature's destructive power. We can't take any chances.
Liang Yue: Chief, if it's really QiƔngliƔng, it knows me. It can sense me. I assure you it won't harm us.
Liang Yue: I'll do everything I can to reach it as soon as possible. If I do that, will you allow me to attempt to pacify it?
Deputy Chief Elden: ā¦
Deputy Chief Elden: Are you willing to take that risk, cadet? You'll be the only one that can get close.
Deputy Chief Elden: Once you're at the epicenter, you'll be on your own.
Liang Yue: Understood, Chief.
Liang Yue: I'll handle it.
Deputy Chief Elden: ā¦
His silence is long and thoughtful.
Deputy Chief Elden: Alright. Do it. Other officers will be on hand to assist in any way they can.
Deputy Chief Elden: But if that beast puts the public or my officers in danger, I will put it down.
Deputy Chief Elden: Understand me?
LiĆ”ng YuĆØ raises her ink-black irises to meet his, bright and determined.
Liang Yue: I understand.
At the epicenter, the ground beneath LiĆ”ng YuĆØ's feet shakes violently.
Behind her, a growing jam of gridlocked traffic is stuck behind the police cordon.
Driver: Whoa! What is going on, dude?
Poitier: Attention, citizens, we ask that you follow police instructions and detour away from this area immediately.
Driver: Hey, what's happening up there?
Driver: Uh ā¦ huh?
Another strong tremor surges from underground.
Driver: Ohāohā! Woah! Is this the end of the world? Or did I just have way too much?
LiĆ”ng YuĆØ keeps her eyes fixed on the ground, taking a deep breath.
Liang Yue: Calm down, LiĆ”ng YuĆØ. If it's really QiĆ”ngliĆ”ng, you'll know it. You can understand it. You can control it.
The ground pulses faster now like a racing heartbeat, heat waves rippling toward her.
Liang Yue: I can feel it. The electrical charge is intensifying.
Liang Yue: I can feel its blood boiling. What an exhilarating feeling. The world is about to burst into steam.
Liang Yue: Yes, it's coming.
She grabs her radio.
Liang Yue: Attention, all squads. This is LiĆ”ng YuĆØ.
Liang Yue: "It" is coming.
The officers at the cordon nearby immediately switched gears, ready for the coming action.
Liang Yue: Three.
Liang Yue: Two.
Liang Yue: One.
A deafening roar erupts as scalding air bursts up from the epicenter.
The column of steam pierces forward like a saw, cleaving open a hole as it moves.
As the air begins to swirl, LiĆ”ng YuĆØ dives to the ground and begins crawling to the edge of the abyss.
Liang Yue: Shhhāshhhācalm down. Calm down. Don't be afraid. We mean no harm.
She calls down into the darkness.
But the creature that lies beneath them does not heed her words.
It strikes the surface again.
Liang Yue: Ah! I can't ā¦!
Deputy Chief Elden stands ahead of the heavy weapons officers, radio in hand.
Deputy Chief Elden: All units, prepare to fire!!!
Liang Yue: Wait, don't shoot!
Amid the chaos, LiĆ”ng YuĆØ grasps her radio.
Liang Yue: This is LiĆ”ng YuĆØ calling Chief Elden! LiĆ”ng YuĆØ calling Chief Elden!
Deputy Chief Elden: You had your shot, kid.
Liang Yue: But ā¦!
Deputy Chief Elden: We can't afford to risk the lives of innocent people on another attempt. We can't afford to lose you, either!
Deputy Chief Elden: All unitsā
From a distance, the precinct's ranking officer raises his hand. Then, with a heavy motion, he brings it down.
Deputy Chief Elden: Fire!
In that moment, her instinct overpowers all sense and reason.
Liang Yue: Wait! Just wait for me!
She leaps into the scorching rush of steam amid a barrage of bullets.
The officers hesitate, letting their heavy guns go silent.
Arcane Affairs Officer II: Chief, I think someone just jumped in there!
Poitier: Oh, God, that's ā¦
Poitier turns back, shouting to Deputy Chief Elden, but he doesn't need to hear her words. He knows.
Deputy Chief Elden raises his right arm almost simultaneously.
Deputy Chief Elden: Hold your fire! All squads, cease fire!
The wind roars.
The candlelight flickers.
The silhouette of the beast dissolves like burnt salt, vanishing into endless emptiness.
Liang Yue: Don't.
A ringing sound ushers in an indescribable visionāthe cries of a living being, the world flipping upside down, and the wind sweeping through an old lilac tree in her hometown.
Inside the temple, an ancient bronze incense burner sends smoke rising into the sky. A single goji berry rests atop the burner.
Liang Yue: Ah!
Poitier is the first to leap into the chasm, rushing towards her friend.
Poitier: Damn it, princess! She wants to save it.
Poitier: LiƔng!!
Part 4 Winter Solstice
Liang Yue: One jump left, one jump right, jump into Peach Blossom Village.
Liang Yue: One jump forward, one jump back, jump into the reed marshes.
Liang Yue: You jump, I jump, jumping into the warm sun.
Wobbly chalk squares in red and yellow are drawn on a cement floor.
The goji berry perched on the incense burner drips with dew.
It watches silently as the girl plays hopscotch outside the temple.
Liang Yue: A-choo!
The wind rises as if in response.
A faint scent of sorghum wine and the rolling sound of Tang poems drift through the air.
Liang Yue: cough
The temple isn't very large, but it is enough to shelter a child unwilling to go home.
The child carefully unwraps a band-aid, aligning it over a wound before patting it gently on her skin.
The candlelight inside casts flickering shadows of the child.
Liang Yue: Hello?! Hello?! This is Detective LiĆ”ng YuĆØ speaking!
It's nothing but an old toy phone. Even if it had been real, she hasn't dialed anyone.
Liang Yue: Don't know who I am? Preposterous! State your name!
There is no answer.
She pauses, as though pondering how to continue her little story.
Liang Yue: Oh, so your name is QiƔngliƔng? The ancient mythical beast QiƔngliƔng?
Liang Yue: Alright then. From the sound of your voice, you're probably a weakling and not very scary at all. Why are you calling today?
Liang Yue: You're in trouble, aren't you? You've encountered an even worse "monster." They trapped you in stone, sealed you in a sculpture, left you with nothing to eat, and you're starving every day.
Liang Yue: Unbelievable! Who would do such a terrible thing? Not to worry! Detective LiĆ”ng YuĆØ will bring them to justice!
Liang Yue: No matter how big and bad these monsters bullying little QiƔngliƔng are, I'll drag them out, slam them down, and beat them up!
Suddenly realizing just how loud her voice had gotten, she stops.
Liang Yue: Sorry I've been doing all the talking. Say something, won't you?
Still, no answer.
But she decides she'll still "listen" attentively, nodding as if someone was tearfully speaking on the other end.
Liang Yue: Of course. Detective LiĆ”ng YuĆØ is the best detective in the world and will protect everyone, including little QiĆ”ngliĆ”ng.
Liang Yue: If you ever feel lonely, like when you can't find a friend for hopscotch or get scolded by your dad, you can come to me, and I'll help you.
Liang Yue: I won't let you be lonely.
Her voice grows softer and heavier until it falls away.
After a long while, she pretends to end the call.
Liang Yue: Are you real ā¦?
Liang Yue: Grandfather says you are, Dad too. They talk about you like you're a god, but neither of them has ever seen you.
Liang Yue: ā¦
Liang Yue: If you were real,
Liang Yue: then you could play with me.
The girl lifts her head from her arms, staring blankly at the flickering candlelight.
Liang Yue: ā¦
Then, a chant appears softly and dimly at the corner of her mind, drifting in from everywhere and nowhere.
Liang Yue: Before its matchless might, all evil bends.
Liang Yue: Wherever it strides, all terrors end.
Arise QiƔngliƔng, swift and fierce!
Banish all evil and cleanse this place.
Her voice is youthful, clear, and pure.
Qiangliang: Huff ā¦ huff ā¦
The beast before her has eyes like a glowing storm and a broad white-striped forehead. A powerful presence, so vast and near at the same time.
Qiangliang: Huff ā¦ huff ā¦ huff ā¦
It breathes softly, gazing at her from its bright, clear eyes.
Liang Yue: You-you came? Did you come because I called you?
Liang Yue: Will you be my friend?
She reaches her hand out delicately, moving softly until she touches the beast's nose.
Qiangliang: ā¦
Liang Yue: Is this your fur?
Liang Yue: It's like lightning. It tickles!
Liang Yue: Can I play with it?
A child hero with an unknown mission rides in from the horizon.
Liang Yue: ā¦
Liang Yue: ā¦?
Liang Yue: Uh ā¦
Poitier: ā!
Poitier: Thank God! You're awake!
Liang Yue: What happened to me?
