How long had she sat in the endless void?
She herself had forgotten.
There was no day or night in the void.
She would sleep, for in doing so, she could forget all that pained her.
Time took everything away.
The past had already slipped by, memories blurred, and even souls had perished.
Nothing could escape time, not even the soul.
She had lost her memory, even her own face, leaving only a vague, indistinct shell.
She was not even a ghost; she was merely a lingering thought, a need, a nightmare, a solitude.
She did not know why she sat in this void, staring intently at the largest screen;
She seemed to be searching for something in this screen, yet she did not know what it was she sought. She merely watched the lives flow and pass on the screen, forgetting everything in the void of time.
*****************
Black and White Impermanence were sent by King Yama that day to search the cracks of time for lost, wandering souls.
In recent days, the usually peaceful Underworld had been thrown into disarray by an immortal from the heavens. This immortal visited the Underworld periodically, demanding people from King Yama. However, the people he wanted were not in King Yama's ledgers. Thus, he complained to the Jade Emperor in Heaven, citing King Yama's negligence. Unexpectedly, the usually fair Jade Emperor, without even initiating an investigation, immediately questioned King Yama's authority and fined the Underworld a thousand years of its revenue. King Yama, though angry, dared not speak out and was forced to send all personnel from the Underworld to search for the woman's soul. For the past five hundred years, they had captured many souls wandering in the mortal realm but had yet to find the person the immortal sought.
Today, Black and White Impermanence were again scolded severely by King Yama for failing to find the person. Out of desperation, the two decided to try their luck in the cracks of time.
The void was perpetually dark, a place filled with hidden dangers and countless demons and monsters, a place even King Yama dared not enter rashly. But in order to claim their annual stipend sooner, Black and White Impermanence, as salaried employees of the Underworld, had no choice but to venture forth.
"I say, which immortal from the heavens could it be, that even King Yama dares not utter a word?" asked White Impermanence.
"You don't know about that. That one is an ancient immortal who opened the heavens and the earth along with Pangu," replied Black Impermanence.
"Ah, so that's how it is," White Impermanence finally understood, "No wonder he enters and exits the Underworld as if no one is there, and King Yama dares not even look him in the eye. Then, why is he looking for a mortal who cycles through the six realms?"
"Alas, it is said that a few hundred years ago, for some unknown reason, this supreme god fell into reincarnation and became entangled with a woman. However, that woman left him first. After returning from the mortal realm, he searched the three realms for that woman, but could never find her. Five hundred years have passed, and no one knows where that woman is... Wait," Black Impermanence suddenly stopped, staring at a light ahead. "Old Bai, what is that light up ahead?"
White Impermanence followed his gaze and then exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, Old Hei, doesn't that light have the soul of a woman sitting in it?! But, why would she be here?"