Yang Ruoning lay in the luxurious bathtub at the Kinsey residence, the water temperature just right. Himalayan bath salts filled the air with a pleasant floral scent. For someone who had just spent over half a year in a thousand-year-old past, a bubble bath felt like something from the previous century. If there was one thing from the modern world she missed the most, it was everything in this bathroom. The flush toilet, the bathtub, the shower, the faucet, even the toilet paper. The lavender-scented aromatherapy temporarily relaxed her tense body. She closed her eyes, savoring the moment of ease.
She had stolen hair samples from the former emperor, Qingye, and Luo Yuan. Mr. Kinsey had already sent them for DNA testing, and a response would be available in just a few hours.
A few hours here would mean months had passed in that world. She had to return as soon as possible.
After her bath, she went straight to the top-floor laboratory. Mr. Kinsey was still there, reviewing the photos and videos Yang Ruoning had brought back.
“This is all truly miraculous, Ivy,” Mr. Kinsey exclaimed as soon as he saw her.
“Yes, everything there felt so magical, like China a thousand years ago on a different timeline,” Yang Ruoning replied.
“Da Song, right?”
“Yes, Da Song.”
“I suspect time diverged from our current world around the Tang Dynasty,” Mr. Kinsey said.
“You know Chinese history?”
“Of course, I’m a collector of antiquities.” As he spoke, Mr. Kinsey turned to look at Yang Ruoning. “What happened to you there? You said time flows slower in their world?”
“Mmm, yes, a day here is a year there,” Yang Ruoning said.
“So Jason must have spent over a decade there,” Mr. Kinsey said. “He met someone he loved and started a family. Am I right in guessing that?”
Yang Ruoning paused for a moment, then briefly recounted her experiences of the past few months to Mr. Kinsey.
After listening, Mr. Kinsey crossed his arms and pondered for a moment, then looked at Yang Ruoning and said with a hint of seriousness, “I’m afraid you might be in danger if you go back again?”
“I understand, but if Qingye is indeed Jason’s son, I must go back no matter what.”
“I haven’t told you yet, but the forensic pathologist’s preliminary finding is that Jason died of poisoning. However, the lab is still analyzing the specific poison, and it will take some time.”
“So you think the person who poisoned Jason would also want to kill me.”
“The forensic pathologist said this poison might not be simple. Therefore, I believe the real danger isn’t people, but time itself. Perhaps Jason’s death was caused by him disrupting time. Time, in order to correct the disturbed timeline, must eliminate those who shouldn’t be at that point in time.”
“Correcting a disturbed timeline?”
“Yes, which is why Luo Yuan didn’t die, and he will eventually kill Qingye and return to his destiny.”
“So you’re saying Jason and Qingye must die.”
“…And you. None of you should exist on that timeline.”
Hearing him say this, Yang Ruoning fell silent. She felt Mr. Kinsey’s theory seemed quite plausible.
“No matter what, I have to try. They are my last family, and besides, Luo Yuan…” Yang Ruoning said.
“You’ve fallen in love with him, haven’t you?” Mr. Kinsey suddenly said.
“I like him very much…”
“Are you going to marry him?”
Yang Ruoning lowered her head, remaining silent.
“I know you’ve made your decision. Whatever it is, I just hope you’ll be safe,” Mr. Kinsey said. “So, what can I do for you?”
“I hope… you can help that child adapt to life here, if he can come here,” Yang Ruoning paused, then added, “I mean, in case I can’t return with him.”
“I promise you.”
“Mmm, and… I’d like more weapons,” Yang Ruoning said.
Yang Ruoning packed all her belongings and returned to the laboratory with Mr. Kinsey. They sat in the room, chatting idly while waiting for the DNA results.
Suddenly, Kinsey’s phone rang. He answered it quickly and hung up after a few brief words. He turned to Yang Ruoning and said, “It’s Jason’s son.”
As expected. Yang Ruoning asked again, “And the other one?”
“The two have no blood relation.”
As Yang Ruoning, with a hiking bag more than half her height on her back, stepped through the temporal tunnel, she once again saw images of all sizes filling the void.
The largest image in the center was hazy. The destinies of Qingye and Luo Yuan were obscured by a thick mist, making it impossible to see what had happened behind it. Their fates seemed veiled and uncertain due to her existence, and Yang Ruoning didn’t know if this was good news or bad.
She scanned the surrounding images, searching for any intersection with the destinies of the two, but found none. She sighed, perhaps even the gods didn't know.
She sighed again. Just as she was about to turn off the phone she was using to record, the mist in that image rapidly receded, and the scene became clear. Yang Ruoning saw, in a vast green valley, a tall figure standing. The man was clad in purple dragon robes, and petals fell upon him like snow. Beside him stood a small child, gazing up at him with curiosity.
The child soon ran off. Yang Ruoning saw that where the child had been standing, a tombstone had appeared. The characters engraved on the tombstone made Yang Ruoning’s blood run cold.
“Tomb of my wife, Yang Shi Ruoning.”
To be able to see the appearance of her tombstone after death, strangely, she didn't feel fear. She was simply happy that someone would visit her grave after her death.
“Whatever,” Yang Ruoning put away her phone, opened the gate of time, and stepped through.