Chapter Four: The Strange Wound

Z Country Control Center

They have entered the forest; the signal is weak, and only traces of life energy can be detected.

“Switch to primary detection mode! Report any unusual activity immediately and notify me!” The commander, seated at the center, spoke gravely. “This individual is classified under SS-level confidentiality! No leaks allowed, or the military authorities will deal with it!”

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“Ah!” Xiaoshan gritted his teeth, clutching the wound left by the tree branch.

“Let go of your wound and let me see,” Ruoxi said anxiously, seeing the pain etched on Xiaoshan’s face.

A strange sensation ran through Xiaoshan’s arm. He had never suffered this kind of injury before, and for some reason, he had a premonition that he would come to know such pain often in the future.

Slowly, Xiaoshan moved his hand away from the wound. Oddly, only one of his arms was injured; the other bore only a few scratches, barely harmed at all.

As he uncovered the wound, Ruoxi’s expression grew increasingly grave.

The skin on his arm had vanished in a bizarre way, leaving only a raw, crimson mark. The wound had sunken in, shriveled as though it belonged to some ancient mummy, a sizable patch shrunken and dry.

Within moments, blood began pouring from the shriveled veins, flowing like water from a spout, trickling down his arm to the ground.

Seeing this, Ruoxi immediately tore a strip of cloth from the edge of her skirt with a sharp rip. She pressed one end to Xiaoshan’s wound, held it tight, and wrapped it around and around his arm to staunch the bleeding until the cloth was used up.

“It’s nothing! Just a bit of bleeding!” Ruoxi grinned at Xiaoshan. “Really, it’s nothing. The doctor says this sort of thing is good for your health! Honestly, it’s no big deal!”

Hearing her, Xiaoshan couldn’t help but smile. He knew she was trying to comfort him, worried that he would cry. Unconsciously, as he touched his wound, he found the pain had eased significantly.

Seeing that Xiaoshan didn’t seem on the verge of tears, Ruoxi let out a breath of relief.

He hadn’t taken the time to survey his surroundings when they’d arrived.

Now the branches seemed to have ceased their attacks, granting him a chance to take in the environment.

The tree trunks stood tall ahead, rising eight or nine meters high, their boughs splitting into many long branches. Whenever the wind blew, the branches swayed; some stretched so long they swept the ground, their twisted forms snaking across the earth.

If one wasn’t careful, it was easy to trip.

Strangely, the ground where they stood was clear of tangled branches—a proper patch of earth.

It didn’t feel like the typical tropical rainforest, yet the heat, the lushness of the trees, and the abundance of rain were all evident. The lowest trees nearby were five or six meters tall at least.

Only the barren plain a few kilometers away seemed out of place. As Xiaoshan observed the surroundings, a sudden shout rang out!

“Lin Ruoxi!”

Where are you?

Ruoxi!

Upon hearing the distant call, Ruoxi’s expression changed. She had snuck out for a bit of fun, hoping to avoid the others, but instead, she’d ended up with a stranger in tow.

She grabbed Xiaoshan’s arm and hurried in the opposite direction.

But before they had gone far, two or three figures jumped out ahead, blocking their path.

“Well, well, Ruoxi, where do you think you’re going?” the young man leading them called out first.

“Haotian! How did you know I was here?” Ruoxi asked, her face puzzled.

“When you shouted just now, I heard you,” Haotian replied with a laugh. “We were calling for you earlier just to see how you’d react. We weren’t really looking for you.”

“Who’s that with you? Is he from Wudang Academy?” the man to Haotian’s left asked.

“Him? I don’t know! He doesn’t even know himself!” Ruoxi spread her hands, circled Xiaoshan, and shook her head.

“What did you say? Why would I shout? I don’t even remember shouting,” Ruoxi replied in confusion.

“Then,” Haotian smiled, pointing at Xiaoshan, “if you don’t know him, why are you with him?”

“We know each other now, so we’re together,” Ruoxi said, smiling at Xiaoshan.

“What’s his name?” Haotian asked, bewildered.

“He doesn’t know his name either,” Ruoxi continued.

“But—”

“But what? If you don’t answer today, just wait until Elder Lin gives you a beating!” Haotian teased.

“I don’t need you worrying about that!” Ruoxi retorted with a snort. “Let’s go!” she said to Xiaoshan, then turned to Haotian. “Let’s head back to town!”

“She—” The man beside Haotian stepped forward, pointing at Ruoxi with a trembling finger.

“Let’s go!” Haotian shook out his robe and fell in behind Ruoxi.

“Ruoxi, why did you go to the forbidden grounds just now, and why did you take an outsider?” Haotian said, his face expressionless. “Don’t you understand our ancestral rules?”

“It was just a little butterfly that flew in there! I only chased after it,” Ruoxi protested.

Ruoxi tried her best to explain, “Besides, he was the one chasing me! I didn’t take him to the forbidden grounds on purpose! Nothing happened anyway, so it’s none of your business!”

“Don’t you know? Elder Lin will punish you according to the family rules!” Haotian said, anxiety written across his face.

“Ruoxi, was the forbidden ground that place you just took me to?” Xiaoshan asked, puzzled.

Ruoxi looked at Xiaoshan, speechless. Just now, she’d claimed he went there himself, but now he was contradicting her in front of everyone.

“You went there on your own!” Ruoxi huffed and quickened her pace, leaving Xiaoshan behind.

Xiaoshan noticed the confusion on Ruoxi’s face. He didn’t understand why she was angry, nor why she’d leave him behind—hadn’t she just promised she wouldn’t?

“Hey! Kid!” Haotian rested a hand on Xiaoshan’s shoulder. “Did you make her mad?”

“Are you talking about me?” Xiaoshan glanced at the hand on his shoulder. “I suppose I did.”

“What’s your name?” Haotian asked with a playful look.

“You can call me Xiaoshan,” Xiaoshan replied.

“Come on! We just met, and you’re already giving me your nickname?” Haotian laughed.

“Call me whatever you want! Doesn’t matter to me!” Xiaoshan picked up his pace, leaving Haotian behind.

“Oh, so you’ve got a bit of a temper… I like that!” Haotian shook his head with a smile.

“Everyone’s gone, why are you still standing here?” the man beside Haotian said, quickening his own pace.

“Hmph!”

“Looks like everyone’s got a temper today!” Haotian laughed, watching the two figures ahead, and hurried after them.

As Xiaoshan quickened his steps, he drew closer and closer to Ruoxi, until he was beside her. “Why are you walking so fast? I can barely keep up!” he said.

“Follow if you want!” Ruoxi retorted loudly as Xiaoshan caught up to her on the left, then sped up again.

“Hurry up!” Ruoxi turned back, grinning at Xiaoshan.

He was so taken aback by her smile that he almost forgot to keep up.

The three behind watched their performance with utter bewilderment.