[center][h3][color=c4df9b]Shrine of an Forgotten God, Henan[/color][hr][/h3][/center][b][i]Vanished[/i][/b] [@Kidd][@Feyblue][hr]It was easier to get a view of the man with the red-peaked straw hat when coming face to face with him. The man certainly wasn't attractive. No, rugged would be a better way of describing him. His face was square with rough and unevenly cut stubble. He adorned himself in thick clothes with large sleeves that hid his figure, but it was still easy to tell that he was quite muscular. While tired, he seemed pretty easy-going considering that he didn't have a sword on him. Though, his hands felt like weapons considering how brutish and calloused they were.

[color=d65e5e]"Ah..." [/color]The man said as he seemed to think for a moment. [color=d65e5e]"You must be the one from the Luo clan."[/color]

He paused for a moment as he flipped through the pages.

[color=d65e5e]"Allow me to introduce myself. People call me Sima. It ain't my name, but my parents called me something strange. Unfortunately, I'm here for business."[/color]

Another brief pause as he stopped flipping. A look came over him: realization about the confusion that he could create.

[color=d65e5e]"Business not about you, thankfully. Though, I should say that it involves you thanks to your clan head."[/color]

He pulled out a loose paper wedged between the pages of his book and held it in front of him.

[color=d65e5e]"There's a writ with your clan head promising your help. The main deal is that I need a guide familiar 'round these parts. An isolated village a few hours out seemed to have up and vanished. Not too strange to happen during the war, but a peddler seemed to have traded with 'em 3 months ago."[/color]

He placed the writ back in the book.

[color=d65e5e]"I'm not really one to wave authority 'round so if you would rather point me in the right direction from here, you can. I was supposed to get here this morning but uh, I'm not the greatest with directions.[/color]

He paused one last time before looking at the dilapidated shrine.

[color=d65e5e]"I know that you're lookin' after someone here already, so I'd understand if you'd want to stay."[/color]

[center][h3][color=6ecff6]Xincai, Henan[/color][hr][/h3][/center][b][i]The Little Scholar That Could[/i][/b] [@Zeroth][hr][color=f7976a]"Am I alright...?"[/color] The little scholar thought deeply before replying. [color=f7976a]"No... I'm stuck in this city, I have to deliver these scrolls to someone in Sichuan and all I have left are a few days worth of coin and this stupid promissory note!"[/color]

The young scholar took a note out of her pocket before almost throwing it away in her brief moment of anger. She held the note out behind her. Hyun-Woo could read its brief words as the scholar went to put the note back into her pocket. The scrawl seemed to be written with enough anger for the ink to bleed a considerable amount.

[i][quote=The Promissory Note]One favour. Don't you dare give this note to someone else, you old bastard.[/quote][/i]

[color=f7976a]"And no..."[/color] The little scholar looked dejected once again. [color=f7976a]"It was expected... Can't expect someone to escort me west when the pay would barely cover food expenses."[/color]

She fumbled around some more to collect the rest of her scrolls. Thankfully, the scroll that was going to roll out of sight had been stopped by Hyun-Woo's foot. With all of her scrolls back in hand, she stood up again. She was covered in dirt, but it wasn't like she had enough hands to brush herself off and hold the scrolls at the same time.

She took a deep breath. Her eyes were still red from tearing up, but she seemed to calm herself down.

[color=f7976a]"Thank you,"[/color] she said with a bow. [color=f7976a]"I'm sure I'll find a way out of this predicament, but I shan't take more of your time mister martial artist."[/color]

With one last deep breath, the young scholar began to walk away. Though, she was in no rush to go anywhere.

[hr][b][i]The Hunt for the Madwoman[/i][/b] [@Restalaan][hr]
City turned to roads. Roads turned to paths. Paths lead to nowhere but the wilds. It was apparent that Xiao Shan was going northwest. After all, it was quite easy to figure out which way was which. Such were the basics of any warrior within the jianghu. If one could not navigate and forage on their own, how could they hope to live?

She didn't quite find anything of interest in the woods. There were some berries that looked inedible. Tasting them would reveal a putrid sour flavour and seeds as large as the berries. There were trees, bushes, flowers, and grass. Lots of grass. It was pretty easy to figure out why the Yang Yuying hadn't immediately been found. It was just plain boring to look for her.

It was actually quite peaceful. The sounds of nature were pleasant to anyone who could hear them. Birds were chirping. Wind was rustling leaves. A man was gasping for air. Wait, what was that last one? 

A man came barrelling out of a bush in front of Xiao Shan. He was covered in scratches with leaves and branches sticking out of his clothes. He looked exactly like a thug. Large, bulging muscles. A fur vest. No sleeves. Scars on his face. Extremely bald. Rather than a menacing figure, he seemed more like a panicking mess.

[color=ffee8c]"You have to help me!"[/color] He immediately began to beg. If the man had known how to prostrate, he would have been sliding on his knees with his arms outstretched. [color=ffee8c]"This woman is insane! She..."[/color]

It was quite apparent that the man was completely out of breath as he could barely wheeze out the rest of his words.