Soul Vault Antiquities— Reclaiming History, Piece by Piece
The lettering was elegant and sharp, accompanied by an emblem of a fragmented crown surrounded by ancient runes.
"This is it... So, magnificent."
The girl swallowed her words.
She stood for a moment, straightening her top and smoothing her hair. Then, she walked through the sliding doors.
Inside, the building felt like a museum crossed with a high-end research lab. Spotless floors. Display cases with labeled relics. Murals of ancient battles and celestial diagrams are printed onto the glass walls.
A receptionist handed her a number. "Please take a seat in the interview area. The interview has started."
The waiting room had a few others, some nervous, some already angry from rejections. She noticed a boy coming out of the room, red in the face and muttering under his breath.
He had lasted barely a minute.
After some time, her name was called.
"Wu Qing?"
She stood up and inhaled once, and stepped into the interview room.
Inside, two people were seated at a long desk.
One was a sharp-looking woman in her 30's, glasses perched perfectly on her nose, and the name plate showed Director Han Ruyin, known for her strict attitude.
Beside her,..
An older man sat beside the director. Calm, silent, with long gray hair tied loosely at the nape of his neck. His traditional-style robe, layered with a simple dark vest, gave him the look of someone who didn't entirely belong in the modern world. His face was lined but noble, and his gaze felt like it had watched centuries go by.
His nameplate read: Elder Shu— Historical Artifact Researcher.
(Though whispers called him The Eye of the Vault.)
Wu Qing bowed slightly,...
"Good morning sir and madam. I'm Wu Qing. I recently graduated with a major in Archaeological studies from Yuanjing University, Haidian, Beijing." Her voice is clear and composed.
The old man said nothing. But as his gaze fell upon her, Wu Qing felt a strange chill run along her spine. But felt no fear. It was a sense of... being seen, deeply. As if her very soul was reflecting something ancient in his eyes.
Still, she continued.
"I've spent the last two years volunteering at excavation sites across multiple provinces, and I've written a thesis comparing celestial relic patterns with mythological prophecies found in the Eastern Vault Manuscript. My focus has always been on interpreting artifacts that don't fall under any single culture. The ones that feel out of place, almost... forbidden."
Director Han raised a brow, intrigued. "And you believe we have such artifacts?"
"Yes. At our southern excavation in Linghai, the lion stone tablet with spiraling runes. It's not listed in the regional relic registry. I think it's older than any known dynasty. Possibly pre-divine era."
And then she handed her thesis report.
The room fell quiet.
The director was about to speak when Elder Shu raised his hand to stop the director.
And for the first time, he spoke. The voice was gravelly, low, and ancient.
"Tell me, Miss Wu... have you ever felt drawn to objects no one else can explain?"
Wu Qing blinked, unsure how to answer.
"I... no... I just... sometimes feel like I've seen them before," she admitted. "Like... like... I've read about them."
He nodded slowly, folding his hands.
"Then perhaps," he said softly, "do any of your family members have worked in these areas?"
After thinking for a few moments, Wu Qing answered, "No... I'm an orphan, and I was raised by a guardian who adopted me. It's just that my guardian had so many books in his house, and later I was curious and read them, and later I just wanted to work in this field.
Elder Shu asked with curiosity in his eyes, "Then, can you tell me about him?"
Wu Qing said, "I don't know. He passed away in my childhood. I just read about his words in the books he stored."
Elder Shu let out a quiet sigh...
Director Han cleared her throat, resuming the formal tone. "Thank you. We'll let you know within a day."
Wu Qing stood, bowed politely, and turned to leave.
Elder Shu whispered to himself, "I thought... I've found her...?"
After stepping out of the interview room, Wu Qing felt nothing in particular,.. no flutter of nerves, no wave of anxiety.
Just… a strange, something like excitement pulled her inside.
"That went... better than expected," she murmured.
Instead of leaving, she drifted into the outer hall. Walking slowly, as if searching for something she couldn't name. Her gaze moved from one display to another, observing every detail in silence.
Some pieces felt distant, lifeless. And some stirred something deep within her, like an unexplainable pull.
A sense that she had come here for more than just an interview.
The fog in her chest didn't lift, but she brushed it off. Pulling her hair tighter against the city breeze, she walked out without looking back.
On the way home, she stopped at a grocery store, its glass facade glowing beneath digital signboards. Automatic doors slid open as she stepped inside. The place was humming with quiet efficiency, self-checkout lanes, delivery robots gliding past, and screens flashing discount sales and products.
Wu Qing moved through the aisles without pause. She picked up ready-to-eat meals, fresh vegetables, and a small pack of frozen dumplings, fruits, and some instant noodles packets. And then she moved to the pets section, she selected premium cat food and a packet of dried fish treats —Snowy's favourite and a softer blend Misty preferred.
Payment was done with a quick scan of her phone.
And then, she continued her way back home.
The door unlocked with a muted tone. Wu Qing stepped in and pulled it closed.
She froze at the doorway.
The eggshell lay shattered across the floor like broken porcelain.
Her fingers loosened.
The bags slipped from her hands and fell soundlessly to the ground. Containers tipped over. Fruits rolled away in slow arcs, bumping gently against the wall.
Her breath stalled halfway in.
A faint numbness crept into her fingers, spreading up her palms. Her chest felt tight.
The room was silent...
"Snowy...? Misty...?"