Which watch of the night are we in? Doctor, light my lantern. This sword, and these scrolls of verse… If we are to weave such a dream that even It cannot disturb, then the roads are profuse, the clouds are myriad, and we must take our time as we cast our eye.

Just who I wished to see; you fill the hole in this dream that stymied me. Yes, long will it be until we are met upon Rhodes Island, but this moment is no false one. Such is poetry's power, and wine's too. Pray, Doctor, serenade me, and be inebriated with me.

Seize it not! I don't mean to derelict my duty. Nay, you see, dreams are as this wine jar. Should I seek inebriation, its contents will never run dry—and this holds whether Sui wakes or not. In here, there is no hint of veracity or falsity, no fetter on one's ultimate freedom. Such is the highlight of dreams. Perhaps by this method, we can save 'us'.

Hurry now, lest we miss the morning roll call. Nay, nor could I stand all this regiment at first. But while our eldest brother exhorts I come to Yumen, still I stall. Stay a moment and you'll see why—for how heaven lights this sea of sand! We shall rue it if we miss it!

Still Jie compiles her tome, and Yu is yet young… Our eldest brother frets so, and the basket of blunders has his own plots abrew, all in which I'm loath to interfere; thus am I trying my own ways. Oh! Say, what of the bickering couple? Come the dream, should we have Dusk painting in a hotpot restaurant's employ, and Nian serving as her underling? Good, nay?

I seem an old friend, you say? Were you once an enemy or ally of Sui? If you are curious too of the answer, then assist me. When the time comes, I may return to the primordial chaos, for in the dream must exist at least one beyond Its effects. *yawn* I bid thee now unto my dream, to play the elements in song…

It has snown in Yumen—the winds of spring a thousand li afar, pear trees through all the city blooming full. I could well sleep for six millennia here and now. Oh, this sight deserves a place in the dream—I'll write of it on these city walls with my tail, lest I forget. Hmm. And Doctor, take note of where this wall is for me.

Have you decided, then? Within the dream, shall you be a speaking stone, or a water kettle of brew? With a dash of inebriation and a stroke of poetic spirit, one easily encompasses all the realm manifest. Ask yourself, Doctor, how could I ever mistake you?

Fail? And would the soldiers outside the tent flee in the face of a possible defeat? As humans have life and death, so the calendric Sui has spring and autumn. I take in sole the mantle of 'unfettered', and should I fail, then same as the sea washes and the ice melts, I shall never wake again, and that is that. Pray accompany me, Doctor, till this dream like no other is complete.

Let wind rise, brilliant in sharp anonymity. Let rain fall, tassels soaked within. And thus let the might of wine cleanse my heart.

Even the great desert's winds cannot blow their way into Yumen, let alone your likes… Doctor, pray sit. Our time is little. Together, we are to create a farcical dream.

Turn that off. Listen. The military forbids wine. Therefore, you did not see what you just saw.

Do you regard me as a tactician, or a general? Heh, Yumen has seen fit to drill me in all duties military ever since I came. There is naught in army affairs too great or small, and naught to be lazy about.

You cannot hold your drink, and yet maintaining sobriety is your strength. It seems you, too, have much you can only do in dreams. So be it. Assist me, and in those future days when we are formally met on Rhodes Island, I will assist you all I can in turn.

Your junior general abides by her orders.

When I speak thus, the ranks pay heed.

Now the day's hue gloams. How the clouds burn bright!

The sands stretch flat. Their beacons burn far.

To fell them, fell their strategy. I am, of course, prepared.

Bid I take it 'pon myself to seize the general's head.

The Heart sinks south in deep Lunar July; sets baleful low the autumn chills.

In snow sleeps blades and bows, all horns gone mute. How desolate the sight!

My wine is in its cup, my scabbard holds its sword. So water not my mood.

The drums' third movement deadens. Mists and all begone, the night is cold.

I took this edge cerulean as my brush; why cry now that vermilion does it write?

All ye with killing arms, you mean to beg and pray when war descends?!

No matter all the battles lost and won, these mounts and rivers ever move the soul… This stream does cradle safe the sun and moons; at ease, my heart all sole fends armors cold.

'...Dr. {@nickname}'. There. Our record of merits keeps a tally for your name now. Nay, stay, did you not see me pouring your wine out this whole time?

You see an odd look on my face? To tell the truth, I'm reminded how the matter between 'us' and Sui can only end in total victory or total failure… A fine hassle this dream poses.

The rear shall be the new front. The ranks will retreat as ordered. I bid you move with, Doctor.

Everything in camp is plain and frugal; just put up with it as best as you can. It's funny, back in Jiangnan, I had never noticed just how beautiful the moonlight was.

Perfect. Strip my armor for me, Doctor.

How did your clothes get so much ink on… Oh! Apologies, my tail must've just swept past you.

Arknights.

Be puzzled no longer. They're soldiers from Jiangqi. It's said they sing that song as they race rowing boats, back in their hometown. This is the one day we soldiers dare to long for home. It was only after I first saw them in Yumen that I started to dream of those siblings of mine, and felt I wanted to leave something of all this.

Doctor, I think tonight's password for the sentries shall be 'hot water kettle'. What say you?

Read carefully the start of each line… Heh, a fool you've been made indeed. No hidden acrostic at the head or tail, but now I've already poured your wine. A birthday is but a finer day than most to drop inebriate and dream farcical. Coupled with a fine friend and a verse of poetry, what more could one ask for?

I owe much to you, that by now I've more or less mulled this dream through. All that remains, remains until we meet far ahead upon Rhodes Island. Doctor, Yumen's beacons have lit again… I say that this realm deserves that we witness it with waking eyes.