The overlord of the gods is interrogating the alien female spy.

　"Big brother, that lousy chess player hasn't come back yet?"

　When Shuo returned from his practice, he looked at his sister, who seemed to be asking his second brother but was actually asking another 'second brother', and simply shook his head.

　"It's still early. But we should be able to make it in time for the family reunion dinner."

　"Um……"

　Xi Xian couldn't stay still for long, so she wandered around the Celestial Master's Mansion, which was now practically indistinguishable from the old mansion, with Nian following her around to join in the fun.

　"It's going to be really lively. Xi, there are going to be firecrackers tonight, so don't be scared and run back inside."

　"Hmph. Times have changed. What do you take me for?"

　Xi Nai is afraid of firecrackers, she just finds them too noisy.

　"boom--"

　Suddenly, a firecracker went off, and Sui Jia Xiaolong stood at attention.

　"year!"

　"It's not me, it's not me."

　Coming to her senses, Xi became furious and immediately went to cause trouble for Nian. But Nian shrugged, indicating that it had nothing to do with her.

　"Who is that?"

　"Over there, over there!"

　The two men followed the sound and found several brothers standing there like children, each holding an incense stick and using firecrackers to blast iron bowls on the frozen lake.

　"You stinky old man! We never see you usually, but as soon as you come back, you start messing around with that short guy and that old pickpocket!"

　"Hey, Xi, that's not a nice thing to say. Who's the pickpocket? I'm a legitimate civil engineer, show some respect."

　"Pah! You embroiderer, you be the judge, who has nothing better to do than go around stealing things when they visit others? Huh? How many paintings have you stolen from me?"

　"Nonsense! This is a family matter, what's this talk about stealing!"

　Ji, who seemed arrogant and didn't mingle with the brothers but was actually acting as a lookout, heard this and was about to cooperate when he saw Xi's threatening gaze. It was probably a warning that if he dared to speak, Xi would go and complain to Shu.

　"Tsk. This is indeed the tenth brother's fault. It's one thing to take some antiques from me, but why did he steal his sister's calligraphy?"

　"Hey! You little bastard, you were all brother to me when we were reselling things, but now that the creditors are catching up, you're selling me out, aren't you! I'm going to tell Sister Shu on you, I'll accuse you of bullying your brother!"

　"I've put up with you for too long, Tenth Brother. If you're so tough, don't go complaining to my sister. Let's go to our eldest brother and settle this!"

　"Fine, let's go! Who's afraid of who's a little dog!"

　After all that commotion, when Xi wanted to ask about the firecrackers earlier, she turned around and found that Lao Ba and Lao Shi Er had already disappeared, having slipped away in the chaos.

　"hateful."

　Turning back again, the two brothers who had just been grabbing each other's clothes, about to confront their older brother, turned and ran away as soon as they rounded the corner, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

　"Haha, there's an idiot."

　While watching the show from the sidelines, Nian even forgot to laugh twice.

　"Who! Which bastard stole my Ah Huang's food bowl!"

　Just as I was about to say something, I suddenly heard a Taoist priest's wail and a pet's barking.

　"..."

　The two sisters exchanged a glance, then decisively pretended nothing had happened and left.

　"Where did you go, Xi and Nian? Come help us pick the vegetables!"

　Back in the courtyard of the old couple, before Xi could even catch her breath, Shu called her over to help.

　"We're going to make a lot of dumplings today."

　"Oh……"

　Looking around, Xi noticed that apart from Shu and Nine-Colored Deer diligently making dumplings, Nian was fiddling with how to put the chili sauce inside, and Lingjie was sipping her wine intermittently. The rolling pin in front of Lao Si was moving rapidly, the dumpling wrappers were still unformed, and he was humming some tune, clearly lost in his own world.

　Sigh...none of her brothers are reliable, and her sisters are no better...

　"Did the scribe say when he'll be back?"

　Jie and Wang went to Suiling together. Xi hadn't found out anything from her elder brother, so she wanted to try and find out more from here.

　"No, not yet. But we'll definitely make it in time for this meal. So let's work harder... Order! Get to work!"

　"Yes Yes Yes."

　Will I definitely be able to make it to this meal?

　Looking at the two unsightly dumpling wrappers she had painstakingly made in front of her, Xi thought for a moment and then picked up a baby dog ​​to help her roll out the dumpling wrappers.

　"Phew. I'm so tired."

　"Huh? What do you mean you're tired? It's clearly Ah Yao who's been doing all the work for you."

　Nian rubbed his shoulders, looking at Xi who was complaining of being tired even though she hadn't done anything.

　He rolled his eyes.

　"Isn't it tiring to stand?"

　"Then eat more dumplings tonight, and you'll make it back."

　"Let's talk about it then."

　New Year...

　The lights outside were already on before the sun had even set.

　Xi's eyes swept over each of her brothers and sisters, piling up the numbers little by little.

　The last time everyone was together... it seems like we were still attached to that time.

　"That guy..."

　After the first firework exploded in the night sky, the night above Baizao was no longer desolate.

　"Xi! Stop covering your ears!"

　"You're going to die, Nian!"

　What is this guy deliberately yelling in her ear?

　"Look over there! Look over there!"

　The night sky was ablaze with fireworks, and snow was falling beneath the night sky.

　Looking out at the brightly lit streets, people were running around under the moonlight.

　The shouts of people, amplified by the sound of firecrackers, were incredibly loud.

　The old year has passed! The new year has arrived!

　"The old year has passed!! The new year has arrived!!"

　"What did they say?!"

　Xi couldn't hear very clearly.

　"We'll be able to eat soon!"

　When Xi looked at the door again, she understood what those words had been shouted.

　"Have you been waiting long, Xi?"

　That person had just returned with her two other family members.

　"Hmm...but it hasn't been long yet."

　The room lights fell on her face, and as everyone raised their glasses, Xi finally revealed a relaxed smile.

　Part 1: do the Long Road

　Chapter 1 That Spring in 1077

　The caravan from Letania made a temporary stop in the land of Kazdel.

　The birch forest looked very quiet in the darkness.

　The girl felt a pang of longing for her homeland of Letania.

　"My little lamb, why is it all alone here?"

　Her mother found her and placed the harmonica she had left in the car in her arms.

　The Leitanians have always been inseparable from musical instruments.

　"Mom, I want to go home."

　"So you were homesick. Don't worry, little lamb, we'll be at that dark devil's castle soon. Once we sell this shipment, we can use the money to buy you a new dress. Let's have a happy birthday this year."

　Mentioning her birthday, the girl's golden eyes shone with anticipation. Clutching her harmonica tightly, she returned to the center of the camp with her mother.

　Her father, a black goat from Letania, was chatting with his guards around a campfire, with plenty of Letania wine beside them.

　"Dad, you've been drinking again."

　"Oh! Isn't this my little lamb? Come here quickly, the meat is just ready to be roasted."

　"No. The alcohol tastes too strong."

　The girl didn't want to go, because her father was a heavy drinker and would start boasting when he did. Although he had inherited a title from his grandfather, making him a nobleman of Letania, he was merely a minor baron, without any real land, and had now fallen so low that he had to run his own business to support the family. Yet, her father still tirelessly boasted to people about how his honor came about, and how his grandfather, through his wisdom and good fortune, had transformed himself from an ordinary bard into a prestigious baron.

　"Haha, then over there, play a tune for us, my little lamb."

　The Leitanians always play a few pieces of music when the mood strikes.

　The girl doesn't know many musical pieces. The one she's most proficient at right now is a family tune that was supposedly composed by her father's grandfather. But even with that tune, she can't play it completely. It seems that her musical talent is not satisfactory. If she doesn't get into a music academy, she'll have to inherit her father's caravan.

　But she didn't like either of these lifestyles.

　The girl put her harmonica to her lips and played a tune, while her parents and the caravan people she knew danced around the campfire. The broken parts only elicited laughter, and her mother would hug her and tell her how to play the rest.

　Perhaps, just as Mom said, once we deliver this shipment to that legendary Devil's Castle, we'll make a lot of money. I'm sure I can get home before her birthday.

　In February, the winter chill had not yet dissipated on the earth. In the birch forest at night, without enough warm clothes or a campfire to keep warm, people would probably freeze to death.

　"..."

　The dagger in her hand was many times heavier than the harmonica. Her fingers, which were gripping the dagger, were sore and frozen, but she couldn't let go of it.

　Those people might not have left yet.

　Her mother's body was pressing down on her, and her father lay in front of her.

　The caravan's guards were all slaughtered; everything from last night felt like a beautiful dream.

　She wished that everything now was just that nightmare, and that she would soon wake up in her mother's arms, being patted on the back and soothed back to sleep. Outside the tent, the sounds of her father and the uncles and aunts from the caravan could still be heard chatting and laughing.

　"..."

　The ground was cold, and her nose was covered in wet, cold mud.

　She wanted to cry, but if she cried now, she would surely die.

　"Tch. This is all we have? What a waste of your time, brothers."

　"Have you searched everywhere?"

　"We've searched everywhere. They claim to be nobles, but they're worse off than those demons."

　And so poor and stingy.

　"Enough with the talk. Pack your things and get out of here as soon as possible."

　Those people were gathered together, speaking in a language she couldn't understand.

　Her heart was pounding. Those people were about to leave, and she...

　A foot stepped in front of her, almost stopping the girl's heart in her tracks.

　Have you searched for this?

　"I've searched it all. I've searched everything."

　call……

　The people in front of her left, and before the girl could even catch her breath, the body pressing down on her mother was kicked away.