A week after Li Yuan's "miraculous hunt," the Millbrook community had rediscovered their rhythm of life, though with a newfound awareness born from facing the brink of despair. Their shelter was filled with the aroma of smoked meat and the sounds of warm conversation, yet there was something different in how they interacted with each other—a deeper closeness, as if facing the possibility of a split had made them realize how precious their unity was.
Li Yuan sat in a corner of the shelter, observing how the community organized themselves with an efficiency born from bitter experience. Anna and Sarah Miller sat together, meticulously measuring portions of dried meat for everyone—no longer with reckless generosity, but with a precision that ensured the supplies would last as long as possible.
"Five thin slices for adults, three for teenagers, two for children," Anna counted in a low but firm voice. "And one extra slice for Old Pete—he needs the extra strength to recover from his cough."
They are learning that survival requires careful calculation, Li Yuan observed. But they are not letting that calculation eliminate their compassion.
Sarah nodded and added, "And we'll save the tenderest pieces for the younger children. They're still growing—they need good nutrition."
In another corner of the shelter, Thomas Aldrich led a discussion with the men about hunting strategies for the coming days. Although Li Yuan's hunting haul had given them a much-needed reprieve, they all understood that they could not rely on that kind of "luck" again.
"We need to set up a more systematic hunting schedule," Thomas said, drawing a rough map on the ground with a stick. "Small teams, different areas, so we don't deplete all the animals in one location."
Marcus nodded, his hands still shaking slightly from the exhaustion of the past few weeks, but his eyes were sharp with a new focus. "And we need to start thinking about how to preserve food for the long term. Winter is coming."
They are no longer just reacting to a crisis, Li Yuan realized with a warm sense of pride. They are planning, anticipating, thinking strategically. They are becoming true nomads.
Lila sat on Anna's lap, her small hands helping her mother measure food portions. The seven-year-old girl had changed in ways that made Li Yuan's heart feel both proud and sad at the same time.
"Mommy," Lila said in a voice that was serious for her age, "should we give our share to Uncle Robert? His leg still hurts, and he can't hunt like the others."
Anna stopped measuring and hugged her daughter tightly. "What makes you think that, honey?"
"Because family helps each other," Lila replied with a simple logic that made her sound much older than her years. "And we're all family, right?"
Out of the mouths of babes, Li Yuan mused, feeling something warm and gentle flow through his chest. The purest wisdom often comes from a heart not yet filled with adult calculations.
Robert, who was sitting not far from them with his leg still tightly bandaged, heard the conversation and his eyes filled with tears. "Little Lila," he called in a trembling voice, "come here."
The little girl ran over, and Robert hugged her carefully.
"Thank you," he whispered. "Not just for the offer of your food, but for reminding all of us what it means to be family."
Li Yuan watched this moment with a heart filled with a complex mix of emotions. In his Zhenjing, Granny Meredith's soul trembled with warmth, as if the old woman was also smiling at how the community she once loved continued to show kindness in the midst of hardship.
Ben Carter, who had now become one of the most reliable hunters despite his limited hand, sat with several other teenagers, mending traps. His fingers moved with a skill born from necessity, but he worked while telling stories, making the others laugh with his imitation of a rabbit's surprised expression when it got trapped.
They are finding a way to still be young people amid heavy responsibility, Li Yuan observed. That is a remarkable strength.
David Miller, who a few days ago had suggested splitting up, now moved among the small groups with a small bucket of soup made from the bones of Li Yuan's haul. He gave extra portions to those who looked weakest, sacrificing his own share without making a fuss about it.
He regrets his words, Li Yuan understood. And now he is trying to make amends with his actions.
When night fell and a campfire was carefully lit—they had learned never to waste firewood—the community gathered in their familiar circle. But tonight there was something special in the way they sat close together, in the way they shared the warmth not only of the fire but also of each other's presence.
Old Pete, although still weak from his illness, asked to speak.
"A week ago," he said in a voice that was still hoarse but clear, "we almost lost something very precious. Not just food or comfort, but... each other."
A silence descended, all eyes on the old man who had become one of their voices of wisdom.
"And today," he continued, "I look at all of you—you who are young and old, strong and weak—and I see something beautiful. I see how hardship has not made us hard, but has made us... softer toward one another."
Margaret Aldrich nodded with tearful eyes. "As Meredith always said—sometimes we have to almost lose something to truly appreciate it."
Granny Meredith, Li Yuan felt a gentle tremor in his Zhenjing, as if the soul stored there was also listening to this conversation.
"I want us to make a promise," Old Pete said, his trembling hands gripping his wooden staff, "that no matter how hard the days ahead are, no matter how empty our stomachs or how cold the night, we will never again consider leaving one another."
"I promise," Anna said without hesitation, her hand gently touching Lila's head.
"I promise," Marcus added, his voice strong even though his body was still weak.
One by one, everyone in the circle made the same promise, their voices blending in a simple but powerful harmony.
When it was Li Yuan's turn, he felt an extraordinary emotional weight. In his heart, he knew that his promise was different from the others—he had the ability to leave at any time, to survive in any condition, to find another community if this one failed.
But as he looked at the faces that were gazing at him with genuine trust and love, he knew that his promise would be deeper than all of theirs.
"I promise," he said in a voice that trembled with emotion, "not only to stay with you all, but to do everything in my power to ensure you all survive."
Even if it means sacrificing the secrets I've kept for months, he added to himself.
That night, after the others had fallen asleep, Li Yuan sat at the threshold of the shelter and felt something he had never felt with such intensity in his thousands of years of life.
The strength of ordinary humans, he mused, listening to the regular sounds of breathing from the sixty-nine souls sleeping under his protection. Not the power to move mountains or control the elements. But the power to choose kindness when harshness would be easier. The power to share when keeping to oneself would be safer. The power to stay together when splitting up would be more practical.
In his Zhenjing, Granny Meredith's soul trembled with a warmth that seemed to agree with his thoughts.
For thousands of years, I sought strength in Understandings, in the ability to transcend human limitations. But perhaps... perhaps true strength isn't about transcending humanity, but about being fully human.
Maybe that is what this world is truly trying to teach me through this small family.
The night wind blew softly through the leaves, carrying the scent of soil and decaying leaves—the scent of life's continuous cycle. And in that wind, Li Yuan felt something like approval from nature itself, as if the world also appreciated the choice this small community had made to stay together in the face of hardship.
Tomorrow there will be new challenges, he knew. There will be days when food runs low again, when the weather gets worse, when fatigue and despair try to break them apart again.
But tonight, they have proven something very important. They have proven that love and solidarity are not luxuries that can only be enjoyed in ease, but a strength that shines brightest precisely in hardship.
And I... I am lucky to be a witness to that strength.
Li Yuan smiled in the darkness, his heart full of deep gratitude for the family he had chosen, and for the lessons they continued to teach him about what it truly means to be human.