No matter how he looked at it, it was just an ordinary library.
The pilgrim shook off the disrespectful thoughts, approached the door with hesitant steps, and gently placed his luggage down.
In sequence, he took out a shawl, a small vial of pale powder, and a half-cut fresh twig—tools rumored to help traverse fog and barriers. Yet before he could use them, the destination revealed itself—No fog, no barriers, just a modest library standing alone under the moonlight.
The pilgrim was no gambler, at least not half a year ago. Back then, he would never have spent his last savings on those dubious tools and books. But in just six months, calamities and disasters had destroyed his career, family, and faith. Reason couldn't help him find the bodies of his wife and children, nor could empathy guide him back to a normal life. He became just another number among countless victims, lost in the crowd of statistics, feeling no empathy, only the chilling indifference of the currents threatening to drown him.
Until a rumor caught his attention: "Union".
From that day on, he devoted all remaining strength to seeking the deity of "Union".
He gathered every rumor, every whisper. "Thousand-Eared Night God" is the savior who dispels shadow calamities and the true connection of souls.
He tried every means possible. Some became followers, some ventured to the sacred site, but now all seemed to have vanished without a trace, beyond his reach.
Perhaps it was all in vain, but he had no other option but to press on.
Unexpectedly, just as his faith began to waver, the rumored structure appeared before his eyes. Oddly, despite being in Langqiu, it seemed rarely visited in the past. Since entering the area for miles around, he hadn't sensed any trace of human activity.
Following the instructions in the book, he reached the front gate of the library and softly uttered his prayers. Take away my fears. Dispel all shadows. Grant me true "Union".
With a hand, he pushed the door, feeling the damp touch of the wooden surface. The door swung open, perhaps it was already ajar.
Then, he faintly heard the sound of breathing.
On the other side of the door, there was only pitch darkness. Moments ago, there was clearly the moon above, but now it was obscured by shadows.
He felt it—the countless eyes staring at him, the myriad of breaths swirling around him. He opened his mouth, and the air was drawn in by countless throats; he sweat, and the temperature rose with the dilation of tens of thousands of pores.
But there was no breath of life. Besides himself, he felt no presence of any living being.
Or perhaps—he felt the presence of countless versions of himself.
At that moment, he understood.
He let out a silent, yet agonizing howl that reverberated throughout the library. Then, he burst out of the door, fleeing in the direction he came from.
Behind him, all that remained were the traces left by the rumored "Thousand-Eared Night God".
Yet, no matter how you looked at it... it was just another ordinary library.