A chilling breeze rushed past the mountains, bringing along air thick with smoke. The moon glistened ominously beneath the clouds.
Shen Zhengqiu woke up startled at the smell and a chill started from her heart. Who would burn a fire this much so late at night?
She quickly got up and looked outside only to have the wind blow in her face making it hard to even breathe, but when she does take a breath she is overwhelmed by the strong smell of smoke and blood.
Blood?
Her heart started beating furiously and the chill began to spread even further. After regaining her senses she rushes into her Parent's room and shouted anxiously "Father! Mother! The town is on fire! Wake up.." When she sees that they start to wake up, she goes to wake Shen Hung up too.
-
At the Roaring River Town, away from the outskirts where the Shen Clan Manor is, tragic wails and panicking could be heard from every corner of the streets.
Men with torn pieces of fabric over their faces and long blades could be seen breaking down doors and dragging people out. They mercilessly killed the fathers, brought children into cages and stripped the mothers and had their ways with them. Some fathers were a little more prepared than others and put up a fight to protect their beloved families.
One father grabbed his bow which he usually uses to hunt and drew an arrow and shot an arrow at the bandit dragging his youngest son away.
Thwish~
The arrow shot out of the bow and pierced through the air and was precisely aimed right at the back of the burly man's neck. Instead of coming out of the other side that the father hoped would happen, it just bounced off the neck and left a small red mark.
Only a Gold Martial Artist could survive that!
The bandit's veins on his forehead started to bulge and he rubbed the back of his neck as if a mosquito just bit him, nonetheless who likes a mosquito who bites? He turned around and stared daggers at the father, unfortunately he lost his temper and his fist tightened crushing the boy's arm in his hand.
"Ah!" The boy who was previously struggling with tears in his eyes like a wild beast looked incredulously at his arm and fainted immediately. His father saw this and his eyes went bloodshot and ran at the bandit without a weapon, like a tiger who sees blood. Without even giving a care, the bandit swings his sword and a sound of crushing bones and flesh tearing could be heard as the fathers head flies off and hits the ground.
Thud!
The bandit, who is in fact the leader, just looks at that with boredom and then notices the boy dangling from his hand by what was left of that part of his arm. "Tsk.. Hurry up boys otherwise you will get starved if you are not quick enough!" He shouts at his men and casually throws the boy into the burning building without so much as a second glance.
What can a slave with a crushed arm be worth?
Nothing.
-
Snap!
A twig is crushed under the tireless running of a family of four and few maids.
Behind them you could hear incessant shouting and smell the burning of trees and blood of people. "There is more over 'ere, quick lets catch them and we will get more share from boss!"
Shen Haoran looked at his wife, son and daughter with fear evident in his eyes. He caught sight of his son sniffling with tears at the corners of his eyes, his wife with a panicked face full of grief and then his daughter just behind him who was stumbling whilst running. She also had a face full of fear and was out of breath but still kept running from the adrenaline.
His face hardened and hot blood started to rush through his veins and arteries from his heart, he turned around and shouted at his wife "Zhang'er! Go, I will stop these bastards and you take the children away!"
Su Zhanghe turned around and saw the calm and determined face of her husband and her heart tightened, but she knew that they only have a chance to get their children away if Haoran stops the bandits chasing relentlessly from behind them. Her eyes shine with resolve and love and meets her husband's eyes, she reluctantly withdraws her eyes and runs off with Shen Hung and Shen Zhengqiu.
Not long after leaving Shen Haoran, you could hear sounds of metal clashing and flesh being pierced. A few tragic wails echoed throughout the forest, belonging to multiple people. Fueled by the love of his family and adrenaline, Shen Haoran hacked two bandits heads off and cut ones arm off. However, before he could do anything else a sword pierced through his back shattering his heart.
The moon shone through the forest, painting a tragic scene.
-
An arrow traversed through the trees and struck a woman's arm which was then followed by a pitiful shriek.
Shen Hung turned around to see an arrow sticking out of his Mother's arm, dripping with blood and staining her clothes a crimson red. She was on her knees with her face pale covered in sweat.
"Mama..!" He croaked whilst crying with tears running down his cheeks, and ran to her wondering what he should do. When hearing her brother say that along with the dense blood that smells familiar, Shen Zhengqiu stood in a daze whilst her mind went blank.
Click!
Like a fuse being set off something flips in her head, her eyes turned into a malevolent red and she starts running towards the bandits behind her on her fours like a bloodthirsty beast.
Unfortunately, she is only 7 years old and there is no way she would be stronger than an Iron Martial Artist and the bandit whacked her on the back of her head. Her limbs went weak and she started to slip into unconsciousness.
Whilst drifting between consciousness she could hear moans and screams of agony and sobbing, it is a night that she would never forget and would lock within her heart forever.