Mountain gate.
Too quiet.
Unnaturally quiet.
Few people.
But not empty.
Everyone was… waiting.
—
Liu Xia swept as usual.
Halfway through—
He paused.
Not because of people.
Because—
The sound was gone.
The wind was blowing.
But he couldn't hear it.
—
He looked up.
Glanced around.
"Why is it so quiet today," he said.
—
No one answered.
—
In the distance—
Three people stood.
Not like yesterday.
This time—
More stable.
More heavy.
—
They didn't approach.
Just stood there.
—
The one in the middle spoke:
"Domain seal."
—
The next second—
—
The air tightened.
—
Not a formation.
Not pressure.
But—
The rules were "closed in."
—
The mountain gate was isolated.
—
Liu Xia was inside.
—
He stepped forward.
Stopped.
—
His foot lifted—
But didn't fall.
—
Not because he chose not to move.
But—
The act of "moving forward" did not hold.
—
Liu Xia frowned.
Looked down.
"Hm?" he said.
—
In the distance—
The second person spoke:
"Within this domain—"
"All actions require confirmation."
—
The third added:
"This person holds no priority."
—
The one in the middle finished:
"All results must be defined."
—
Three rules.
Fell into place.
—
The air went completely still.
—
Liu Xia stood there.
Not moving.
—
He tried to step again.
—
Still couldn't.
—
He was silent for a second.
Then sighed.
"You again," he said.
—
No one responded.
—
They were watching.
Waiting for him—
To fail.
—
Liu Xia looked down.
At his foot.
Then ahead.
—
"A bit annoying," he said.
—
He raised his head.
His tone shifted slightly.
Not loud.
But clear.
—
"I'm going through."
—
—
In that instant—
—
First rule:
"Actions require confirmation."
—
Was overwritten.
—
Into:
"His actions require no confirmation."
—
Second rule:
"No priority."
—
Was rewritten.
—
Into:
"His priority is absolute."
—
Third rule:
"Results must be defined."
—
Collapsed.
—
Because—
The result had already been established.
—
—
Liu Xia's foot landed.
—
He moved.
—
One step.
Two steps.
—
No resistance.
—
In the distance—
The three of them—
Their expressions changed at once.
—
Their rules hadn't been broken.
—
They had been—
Replaced.
—
—
Liu Xia took two steps, then paused.
Turned back.
—
"What are you even trying to do," he said.
—
No one answered.
—
But this time—
There was something extra in the air.
—
Not pressure.
Not a formation.
—
It was—
Attention.
—
From a higher place.
—
—
Liu Xia frowned.
"Even more annoying," he said.
—
He turned and kept walking.
—
At that moment—
—
In the distance—
The three of them trembled at once.
—
Not attacked.
—
But—
Rule backlash.
—
The first froze.
He tried to move.
Couldn't.
—
The rule he had set:
"Actions require confirmation"—
—
Was now acting on himself.
—
He had no "permission."
So—
He couldn't move.
—
The second turned pale instantly.
He opened his mouth:
"Stop—"
—
The word fell.
—
Space paused.
—
It really stopped for a moment.
—
But the next second—
—
It spiraled out of control.
—
The word "stop" expanded infinitely.
—
Everything around began to stutter.
—
Like it was lagging.
—
He froze.
—
"I didn't mean—"
he said.
—
"Didn't mean" held.
—
His intent was denied.
—
His whole body locked.
—
The third took a step back.
His face completely changed.
—
The rule he had set:
"All results must be defined"—
—
Now—
Applied to himself.
—
Every movement he made—
Had to be "defined first."
—
But he didn't have time.
—
The action—
Broke.
—
—
All three—
Failed at once.
—
No attack.
No force.
—
Just—
Their own rules—
Returned to them.
—
—
Liu Xia had already walked far away.
—
He yawned.
"Even weirder today," he said.
—
He didn't look back.
Didn't know what happened behind him.
—
—
In the distance—
—
Jesse stood behind a tree.
—
She had seen everything.
—
Didn't move at all.
—
Her hand slowly clenched.
—
She said quietly:
"It's started."
—
—
Higher above—
—
That ever-present "attention"—
Shifted slightly.
—
As if confirming something.
—
—
"It's confirmed."
—
No one responded.
—
But the conclusion—
Had already been established.