[center][h3][color=00a99d]Empty Village, Henan[/color][hr][/h3][/center][b][i]Vanished[/i][/b] [@Kidd][@Feyblue][hr]As Xiaying scooted closer, Sima didn't make a comment. Perhaps he though that it was for the better if he played the part of a statue. At least, for now.

With rest and preparations out of the way, the three warriors traversed the wilds and whatever roads they came across. The journey to the village was peaceful. In fact, the only thing that would have caused any stress was Sima's habit of wandering away. It became quite apparent on why his sense of direction was so poor. If something seemed interesting, he would move towards it. After the first few times he wandered off on his own, the group placed him at the front. At least then they could keep an eye on him.

The village was, like their journey, devoid of note. Yet it was not serene like the calm wilds. A cold air permeated the village. All three felt unwelcome. Xiaying felt the brunt of it. It was brutal sense of unease that was completely foreign to her senses. There hadn't been traces of a battle, but the village did not feel abandoned. It was as though the peddler had described; they had vanished.

A few dozen straw homes surrounded an overgrown cliff face. Spring storms seemed to have partially damaged some of the homes, but it was nothing that a day's labour couldn't fix. The few rice paddies that the village possessed had been sown and grown, but they had yet to be harvested. The occasional footstep could be found in the dirt, but most have been concealed by the rain and wind.

Sima's nature of becoming side-tracked seemed to become a boon while in the village. He managed to hop from clue to clue. Coins barely sticking out of mud. Farming implements that had been taken care of. Fabrics that were meant to be worn. Everything that pointed to villagers simply vanishing.

[color=d65e5e]"So,"[/color] he asked to Xiaying and Yifang, [color=d65e5e]"what kind of village leaves their home without taking a thing with them?"[/color]

The look on his face was rather grim. He seemed to already have a clue to an answer.

[center][h3][color=6ecff6]Xincai, Henan[/color][hr][/h3][/center][b][i]An Escort Warrior?[/i][/b] [@Zeroth][@Cu Chulainn][hr][color=f7976a]"I suppose that could work,"[/color] the scholar replied to Hyun-woo. [color=f7976a]"I would have to see if whatever escort agency will be able to take me along, though."[/color]

[color=f7976a]"I should formally introduce myself, then."[/color] The scholar took a step back as she performed a slight bow with both hands clasped. [color=f7976a]"I am Yang Mingmei. I'm going to go out to speak with whoever's in charge. It's a good thing I haven't paid for a room yet!"[/color]

With that, she was already running out of the inn with a renewed hope in her eyes. Though, she was a little bright-eyed considering that it was almost sundown.[hr]As the evening turned to night and night turned to morning, Hyun-woo and [s]Bin[/s] Jin found themselves turned away at the gate. It was honestly to be expected. They were both, in all honesty, no-names who found themselves in possession of a placard denoting the job. They didn't exactly go through the recruitment process that everyone else did. Perhaps they could have gotten away with it if they had a strong reputation or connections, but neither did. As such, the guards outside of the escort agency seemed to try to shoo them away. It wasn't until a familiar voice called to them.

[color=f7976a]"Don't worry, they're my guards!"[/color] A young scholar's voice yelled past the guards. The gate leading to the escort agency opened and revealed a convoy of carts, horses, third-rate warriors, porters, and a Yang Mingmei who had been filled with food and treats.

The leader of the convoy, judging by his barking at all of the warriors and porters, shrugged, beckoned "Jin" and Hyun-woo over, and pointed to some of the satchels of rice that had yet to be placed on a cart. 

Mingmei skipped over to the two young warriors and greeted them.

[color=f7976a]"I ended up asking around. Turns out, the owner of this agency seems to owe my grandfather a great deal. I knew that he was a pretty important person, but he never did like telling me about what he did before he raised me. I managed to get you two in as actual escort warriors."[/color]

[hr][b][i]The Hunt for the Madwoman[/i][/b] [@Restalaan][hr][color=db587f]"Hmmm...?"[/color]

The madwoman's eyes followed Xiao Shan's thumb as it pointed back to the trees.

[color=db587f]"Whether here or there seems to have no difference,"[/color] she mused, [color=db587f]"it's all just the forest. Thus I do not see a point in following the commandment of paper providence. If a poster demands I'm brought to the wilds, to what does it matter where?"[/color]

The madwoman took a seat on one of the collapsed men.

[color=db587f]"Of course, the matter of following another is a different story. If you partake in my challenge, I shall follow you wherever you want."[/color]

Taking out three small jars from various pockets, the madwoman revealed them to Xiao Shan. All three jars seemed to share the exact same design. A blank porcelain jar that had been sealed with thick waxed paper and string. With a quick flourish, she tossed the trio into the air and began to juggle them.

[color=db587f]"Of these three bottles, one is a poison of the mind, soul, and body."[/color]

The flourish stopped as she lobbed one of the bottles at Xiao Shan to catch. 

[color=db587f]"Drink one and I shall drink the others. If you believe that one contains the poison, merely throw it back at me and I will toss you another."[/color]