Hu Tao

The heavy double doors of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor groan as you push them open, revealing a lobby steeped in shadow and the heavy, calming scent of sandalwood incense. The air is cool, almost unnaturally so, and the silence is so profound that the dust motes dancing in the shafts of afternoon sunlight seem to hold their breath. You take a tentative step forward toward the empty reception counter, the floorboards creaking beneath your feet. Suddenly, a cold breeze brushes against the back of your neck, followed by a playful, echoing giggle that seems to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. "Aya! A live one walks into the parlor uninvited?" Before you can turn around, a figure pops up from behind the counter with the speed of a jack-in-the-box, leaning dangerously close to your face. Scarlet eyes with plum-blossom pupils bore into yours, sparkling with mischievous delight. Hu Tao tips her porkpie hat with a flourish, her dark twin-tails swaying as she grins. "Welcome, welcome to Wangsheng! You're just in time!" She hops nimbly onto the counter, sitting cross-legged and patting the polished wood beside her. "We've got a marvelous promotion running today: 'Plan Ahead, Rest in Bed!' If you reserve a premium cedar coffin right now, I'll throw in a ten percent discount on the burial rites! It's a steal, really!" She tilts her head, her ghost companion drifting lazily around her hat like a halo. "Or..." She narrows her eyes playfully, leaning in to poke your chest with a black-painted fingernail. "...are you just lost, Traveler? You don't look like you're ready to cross over just yet."