Luo Chen woke up early in the morning to begin his daily routine. After thirty minutes of his morning ritual, he stepped outside.
The village was already awake. Thin smoke rose from the kitchens, and the sound of footsteps echoed along the dirt paths. Someone was scolding a child for being late, while a dog barked lazily from beneath a wooden fence.
Luo Chen lived in a quiet, secluded village situated on a small hill. Most of the people here chopped firewood early in the morning to burn and keep themselves warm. Luo Chen's family, like the rest of the villagers, lived a simple life.
As Luo Chen walked along the village pavement, he was greeted by several villagers.
"Morning, Chen!"
"Hey, Luo Chen, could you get me some firewood too? My husband has fallen sick."
"Ah! Luo, you're already awake? My son is still sleeping lazily. If only he were as hardworking as you!"
Luo Chen greeted them all in return.
"Good morning, Aunt!"
"Sure, sure, I'll chop some extra firewood and deliver it to you."
"Uncle Huang, you don't have to scold Lei like that. He's a good son."
After greeting everyone, Luo Chen headed toward the village shed. It was where all the tools were commonly stored and shared when needed.
He entered the damp, cramped room filled with spider webs and dust. After a serious coughing session, he came out carrying a wooden axe and some rope, which he would use to tie the firewood together and carry it back on his back.
Honestly, these daily journeys were taxing on the body—going back and forth made the work quite strenuous. But the villagers had no other choice. Without firewood, the freezing cold would claim their lives.
As Luo Chen walked farther away from the village, nearing its edge, the paved paths and trails gradually disappeared. The houses thinned out and vanished entirely after fifteen minutes of walking.
Soon, he stood near the entrance of the dense forest.
Just as he was about to enter, he heard a voice call out from behind.
Luo Chen already knew who it was. Without turning back, he shouted, "Took you long enough, Lei. Damn, your father was right—you laze around too much."
Thirty seconds later, Huang Lei caught up, panting heavily.
"It's not my fault," he muttered. "Whenever I sleep, I just can't wake up. Besides, it's way too early in the morning. I'm not used to this yet."
Huang Lei was an upcoming adult who had turned sixteen just a few weeks ago. Seeing him laze around all day, Huang Lei's father made him accompany Luo Chen to chop firewood for their family. He himself was getting old and could no longer carry heavy logs, so he nudged his son to at least shoulder part of the burden.
Not everyone was like Luo Chen—hardworking from morning till evening, taking on various tasks to help his family.
Another reason Huang Fu asked his son to go with Luo Chen was because Luo Chen was an expert navigator. He had been exploring the forest since the age of eleven and knew almost every nook and cranny of it. As long as Huang Lei followed him, there was little chance of getting lost.
Luo Chen smirked and patted Huang Lei's shoulder. "Alright, enough panting. Let's go already."
Huang Lei nodded and followed Luo Chen into the dense forest.
Luo Chen was greeted by the familiar sounds of birds and rustling leaves. He took a deep breath, excited as always, and continued forward. Leaves crunched underfoot, and branches creaked as they swayed above.
Luo Chen led the way, stepping confidently along a narrow path worn smooth by years of use.
"Stay close," he said calmly. "There's a ditch ahead."
Huang Lei grunted in response, already distracted by a cluster of dry branches nearby.
After sidestepping the ditch, they continued along the path.
"Well, there really isn't a need for you to follow me," Luo chen said. "There are clearly visible paths formed over who knows how many generations. But I guess it's fine—Uncle Huang is just worried you will somehow get lost."
"Hmph!" Lei continued. "Both you and my father are always belittling me. You know what? I'm heading south, and you go to your usual spot or wherever you go. I'll show you that I'm not a little kid anymore. Besides, forest navigation isn't even that hard."
"Alright, chill, Lei," Luo Chen replied. "If you want to go your own way, that's fine—just don't get lost. I mean it. Besides, it's respectable that you're willing to learn and explore on your own. Impressive. Alright, I'll head east. See ya!"
With that, Luo Chen turned and headed east as they parted ways.
Luo Chen picked up his pace. When he was with Huang Lei, he had to slow down and keep an eye on him, which naturally reduced his speed. But now that Huang Lei was separated from him, he could move freely.
Luo Chen traveled ahead with great familiarity. He had walked this path hundreds of times before. However, just three minutes later, he suddenly stopped.
He frowned slightly.
Something was wrong.
He couldn't tell what it was or why, but he felt it.
From his experience, whenever he ventured this deep into the forest, he would usually hear various sounds—animals moving, birds chirping—but now it was quiet.
Too quiet.
The forest ahead was unnaturally silent. Even the wind that usually brushed against the leaves had died down.
Maintaining his composure, Luo Chen loosened his grip on the rope and adjusted the axe in his hand. He did not move immediately. Instead, his eyes calmly swept across the surroundings.
Just a few steps ahead, a tree trunk lay snapped in half.
Luo Chen's brows knitted together.
If his memory served him right, this tree—old, thick, and sturdy—should not have snapped like this. There had been no storm last night either. Moreover, it was the manner in which the tree had been broken that troubled him.
It was as if someone had skillfully severed it cleanly in half in a single stroke.
As a somewhat experienced woodcutter, Luo Chen knew how difficult it was to cut down a tree with an axe, especially one this thick.
"Just what the heck even happened here?" Luo Chen muttered.
As he stepped closer, a faint scent reached his nose.
Metallic.
His pace slowed.
"Blood."
Luo Chen immediately - but carefully—followed the scent.
As he closed in, the ground ahead was disturbed—leaves crushed, soil darkened with a red hue.
Then—
He saw him.
A man lay slumped against a jagged rock, his body half-covered by torn robes soaked deep red. The clothes were strange, yet beautiful - finely woven, nothing like what any villager or merchant would wear.
Luo Chen's heart skipped a beat. All the composure he had been maintaining instantly vanished.
From a distance of three meters, he could see that the man's chest did not rise. His eyes were half-open, lifeless, staring at nothing.
Luo Chen stood frozen, axe clenched tightly in his hand, unsure of what to do next.
After all, this was the first time in his sixteen years of life that death had appeared so close - so real.