[-] I reach out in the direction it's running and try to grab it, but it has somehow predicted my prediction...
[-] When it's about a meter from me, the big rooster spreads its wings and flutters into the air, as if aiming to jump over my head. Then it steps on my shoulder with its powerful claws, and its long nails dig into my coat.
[-] Suddenly, I feel a huge force pulling against my shoulder as the big rooster flaps its wings, loses its balance, and falls into my arms... giving me the chance to hug it tightly.
[-] It turns out that its nails got hooked on my coat.
[player] (whisper) I thought that only stray cats do this...
[Girl in Green] Wow! You're so amazing! A-Yuan and I have been trying to catch it for an hour already.
[-] After taking the big rooster off me, the girl with the cleaver tilts her head and looks at me in confusion. In fact, I've already managed to guess her identity based on the earlier conversation. She is A-Yuan, the shaman of Bamboo Cloud, the very person I'm looking for.
[A-Yuan] You don't look like you're from Champion Street. What brings you to the Ancestral Hall?
[player] Hi, I'm PLAYER. I'm here to supervise the preparations for the Bamboo Cloud anniversary celebration and ensure everything goes according to schedule. This is my work ID.
[Girl in Green] You're here to supervise the preparations... Pfft! You're our supervisor?
[A-Yuan] Now that you mention it, Ms. Fuuka did say that a supervisor would come here to help out with the parade preparations... It's nice to meet you too. I'm A-Yuan, the shaman of this place.
[Girl in Green] I'm Hua Yuqing from the Floating Dreams theater. I'm also a resident of this street. Nice to meet you.
[player] Ahaha, no need to call me supervisor... I came here to help you guys, so come to me whenever you need any help.
[A-Yuan] But...
[-] A-Yuan looks at me with a troubled expression.
[A-Yuan] I'm about to burn incense and bathe to get ready for communicating with the ancestors. I'm afraid...
[player] ...
[Hua Yuqing] I'll say it for you. This isn't a good time for outsiders to be here. Come with me! I'll treat you to the most delicious Nanxiang beef noodles on the street. Let's get out of A-Yuan's hair.
[-] Hua Yuqing drags me out of the Ancestral Hall.
Nanxiang Beef Noodle Restaurant
[Hua Yuqing] Two bowls of your signature spicy beef noodles please!
[-] After we leave the Ancestral Hall, Hua Yuqing quickly pulls me into a nearby Nanxiang Beef Noodle Restaurant.
[Hua Yuqing] You'll hear firecrackers go off soon. After that, we can participate in the ritual.
[player] The ritual?
[Hua Yuqing] According to the customs of the Nanxiang people, it's necessary to perform a ritual to confirm that the ancestors are willing to return to the human world. Only after that can we hold the parade and receive the ancestors' blessings in the new year.
[???] Here's your food. Enjoy!
[Hua Yuqing] Huh? Mr. Li, I ordered two bowls of your signature spicy beef noodles!
[-] A bowl of glossy spicy beef noodles sits in front of me, while the bowl in front of Hua Yuqing looks watery and tasteless.
[Mr. Li] Sorry about that, Miss Hua. A few days ago, Miss Bai instructed us to only make you noodles in broth during this time.
[Mr. Li] There's nothing I can do about it. I really appreciate the sacrifices you're making for the anniversary celebration performance! I'll leave you two to it. Please enjoy your meal.
[Hua Yuqing] Huh? Wait a minute! I...
[-] As if he doesn't want to displease Hua Yuqing, Mr. Li quickly hides in the kitchen and doesn't come out again.
[Hua Yuqing] My spicy beef noodles... *sobbing*
[player] What's the anniversary celebration performance?
[Hua Yuqing] Huh? Aren't you Bamboo Cloud's supervisor? Don't you know that Floating Dreams has been invited to participate in the anniversary celebration performance?
[player] Let me check my schedule... Nope, I don't see anything about that. Maybe another colleague is responsible for that.
[Hua Yuqing] It's such a shame that an interesting person like you isn't our supervisor. I'm sure my sister would think you're interesting too.
[Hua Yuqing] Sigh, I've lost my appetite after seeing this bowl of watery and tasteless noodles. You can have it.
[-] Hua Yuqing pushes her bowl toward me with a look of disgust.
[Hua Yuqing] Hmm?
[-] Suddenly, the sound of firecrackers fills the air. In an instant, all the diners and employees of the bustling restaurant drop everything they are doing and run outside.
[Hua Yuqing] Ah! The ritual has started! A-Yuan is as efficient as always.
[-] Before I can put the noodles in my chopsticks in my mouth, Hua Yuqing pulls me up and drags me toward the Ancestral Hall behind the crowd.
[player] My noodles...
Ancestral Hall
[Hua Yuqing] Huff... this way. There are as many people here as always.
[-] By the time we return to the Ancestral Hall, it's already surrounded by a huge crowd. After struggling for a while, I manage to squeeze a path to the front row with Hua Yuqing's help.
[-] The old tree in the Ancestral Hall is now decorated with prayer strips, and an altar with various sacrificial food offerings has been placed under it. Now poached, the big rooster from before lies on a dish covered with red paper.
[-] Wearing an ancient mask amid the soft tinkling of silver bells, A-Yuan begins performing an ancient and mysterious dance to the sound of gongs and drums in the middle of the courtyard.
[-] Her graceful yet slightly eerie movements give her an intangible presence that silences the crowd.
[-] After the dance
[-] As A-Yuan walks leisurely toward the crowd, her eyes scan everyone's faces deliberately like she is searching for something.
[player] (whisper) What is she doing?
[Hua Yuqing] (whisper) Shush! Stop talking.
[-] Hua Yuqing leans closely against my ear nervously and lowers her voice to a whisper.
[Hua Yuqing] (whisper) Something bad is going to happen!
[-] While I'm wondering what could possibly happen, someone sneezes loudly in the crowd, prompting A-Yuan to pause.
[Middle-aged Man] Ahhh! I-I'm sorry... Hit me if you want, but don't throw me out! That's too cruel... L-Let me witness the return of the ancestors with my own eyes!
[-] The middle-aged man who sneezed loudly wails as the angry crowd drags him away.
[Hua Yuqing] (whisper) Do you understand now?
[-] I nod fearfully.
[-] As we speak, A-Yuan recovers and walks around everyone again before stopping in front of a resident. The people around him start sighing in envy, breaking the quiet atmosphere.
[Hua Yuqing] Phew! Now that someone has been selected, the success of the ritual depends on this person.
[-] The resident A-Yuan selected follows her to the altar, where they burn incense and worship heaven, earth, and the four cardinal directions. A-Yuan takes two wooden blocks that are about two palms long from a wooden box on the altar and gives them to the resident.
[Hua Yuqing] That's a Jiaobei, a divination tool used by the Nanxiang people to communicate with their ancestors.
[-] Each Jiaobei has two sides--one round and one flat. The resident throws them into the air as everyone stares at them intently.
[-] The entire crowd sighs immediately when both Jiaobei fall to the ground with the round side facing upwards.
[Hua Yuqing] It's a Yin answer... which means the ancestors have rejected our invitation.
[player] So has the ritual failed?
[Hua Yuqing] Not yet. It's only a failure if we get three Yin answers.
[-] The resident bearing everyone's expectations throws the Jiaobei again as Hua Yuqing clutches my arm nervously...
[-] A moment later
[-] Unfortunately... the next two attempts are also Yin answers.
[-] The crowd is in an uproar as the resident returns to the crowd dejectedly.
[player] Judging from everyone's reaction, it looks like the ritual has failed.
[Hua Yuqing] Yes, but to be precise, the ritual has failed again.
[player] Again?
[Hua Yuqing] This ritual can be performed on every auspicious day before the parade begins, and it's normal to fail once or twice, but this year...
[Person A] Sigh, how many times has it been now? Do you think the ritual will ever succeed?
[Person B] Exactly. The anniversary celebration is coming up, but we haven't even been able to invite the ancestors for the parade...
[Person C] If the ritual keeps failing, does that mean we won't be able to invite the ancestors in the whole year? What will happen to the parade?
[-] There are several responses to every comment, and it isn't long before the crowd starts arguing louder and louder. Meanwhile, A-Yuan, who has taken off her mask, wipes the Jiaobei with a blank expression and puts them back in the wooden box, seemingly paying no mind to the discussions around her.
[???] We're running out of time now, so let's just treat this ritual as a formality. The most important thing is to ensure the highly anticipated parade of Bamboo Cloud's anniversary celebration takes place. It would be shameful for all of us if it doesn't!
[-] A man stands up in the crowd and complains grudgingly to A-Yuan. I look in the direction of the voice and see Mr. Li, the manager of the beef noodle restaurant.
[-] Upon hearing his words, A-Yuan's calm expression becomes serious.
[A-Yuan] The parade is meaningless if it disrespects the ancestors. I've said this many times already. As the shaman in charge of this Bamboo Cloud ritual, I'll never do anything that crosses my bottom line.
[Mr. Li] Who's going to take responsibility if the parade isn't held this year? Little girl, you are not a phony shaman, are you?
[Hua Yuqing] These people are trying to pick a fight again!
[-] Based on what Hua Yuqing said, it sounds like this isn't the first time this has happened...
