The lonely night was accompanied by carriage's noise as faint chatters could be heard from afar. Any sound was hard to keep low; the later the night, the louder the sound.

Many carriages passed a forest while silently being illuminated by the moon. Torch helped the driver to decide which route they should take in this dark forest. This group of carriages was called a caravan.

Inside these carriages were adventurers and goods that needed to be protected and delivered. The owner of the goods were also adventurers. They brought various commodities and its prices were high.

The leader of the caravan was someone who looked like a ninety years old man. He had hunchback and wrinkles all over his face, but he could move normally like a middle-aged man. This old man was called Grandpa Po.

Grandpa Po was a veteran adventurer who was famous for being strict about knowledge. He treasured information more than gold, and he had one thing he loved besides information; his grandson.

"Grandpa Po, where should we rest today? The horses are very tired," asked a horseman.

"This place is not safe," answered Grandpa Po firmly. "We should go an hour more from this route and settle there."

"But the horse.." the horseman said with concern.

"I know they're tired. It's fine with this speed, don't stop."

Grandpa Po's carriage was in the middle, meanwhile, there were more than five carriages that came along. Considering the number of goods and adventurers, it was normal to use many carriages. The total of the adventurers was 40 after all.

However, a fat man from the rear carriage complained a few minutes later. "Grandpa, if this goes on, the horse won't move in the morning and our schedule will be late!"

Then, another man supported him. "Yeah, they will be too tired. What will you do if they're sick? Do you think there will be a substitute horse in this forest?"

Hearing this reasonable argument, many adventurers began to speak up their worry.

"We have goods to deliver and we need the horse for that matter!"

"It's late in the night, even human needs rest, let alone horse!"

"Settle here is no different from there. We will still be in the forest!"

As the noises heated up, Grandpa Po whispered to the horseman, and the carriage he was on had stopped. He then got off the carriage and folded his arm on his back.

As though there was a tacit agreement, the rest carriages also stopped and got off. After they got off, no one dared to speak nor make any noise. They stared at Grandpa Po with respect and waited for him to speak first.

However, even after everyone got off, Grandpa Po had not spoken at all. He walked in front of them and stared each adventurer eye to eye under the faint moonlight. They all could hear the trembling breath of an old man but when they looked in the eye, it was as if a fierce lion was about to swallow them up. No one dared to look at it directly for a long time!

"We.." Grandpa Po finally spoke after the long silence, "are in a very dangerous route."

He looked up to the moon while showing his back to the adventurers. "If you wish to take a different route, go on. I won't stop you."

The adventurers gulped as a reflex. They felt nervous every time this old man spoke. Moreover, it sounded like a farewell word!

"However, we already decided in the first place, all of us decided which route we should take, am I wrong?"

"No, Grandpa.." answered the adventurers in unison.

"You have no idea what kind of danger awaits if we stay here, but if you insist, we can rest here."

Some of their complexions became bright after hearing this. The horse reason was merely an excuse, they were the ones who need a rest.

"But!" Grandpa Po said shortly in a loud voice.

Everyone became startled. They quickly anticipated the next word with many possibilities.

Grandpa Po turned his back and faced the adventurers. "You all should agree if the worst comes. When I say run, run! When I say move, we have to move! This caravan holds a very important value to your life, so trust me as your leader if you want this trade to be successful."

"Yes, grandpa!" answered most of the adventurers quickly.

After that, they dispersed and hurriedly prepare tents to rest. During this moment, Grandpa Po sat in the carriage and sighed.

"Grandpa, what makes you sigh?" an adventurer named Yi Hui asked him.

"They don't take my words personally. You come here with your kids? Go tell your last word just in case."

Suddenly a chill run down to Yi Hui's spine. He asked with a trembling voice, "gra-grandpa, are you joking? Ha-haha.. that's not funny."

"Do I look like joking? Go tell them now. I won't repeat myself."

Yi Hui immediately took his leave in an awkward manner. No one really noticed his expression because the others were busy building their tent.

Grandpa Po turned his head to the left side inside the carriage. He saw some people sleeping in a stiff position. Sleeping on a carriage means you slept on a plank of hard flat wood, nothing felt good about it unlike the soft bed people usually had.

He then approached one young man and splashed some water with his fingers. "Wake up, kid."

The young man slowly opened his eyelids as he blinked it a few times while yawning. "Grandpa? Is it my shift now?"

"No, but I have something to tell." The young man followed Grandpa Po outside, and they walked quite long before they arrived at a tree.

"Oh, this tree. Is it the same tree at that place? It feels different." The young man wondered.

But before answering the young man's question, Grandpa Po explained briefly about the settlement in this forest point. Furthermore, he answered the young man's question with, "anyway, this is an ash tree. Just in case something happens, keep this bracelet. Do not ever take it off nor sell it unless you got no arm left."

The young man who was still sleepy only nodded and wore the bracelet. After a few more advice and conversation, they returned to the rest point. They saw the tents neatly built and some people already sleep; only those who were in the shift did not sleep. So their conversation was long enough that people already sleep when they returned.

To the young man's surprise, Grandpa Po burned a tent out of nowhere, and he shouted like a roaring lion. "Run! Run for your life! The danger is near, run!!"

After he shouted, Grandpa Po grabbed the young man's shoulder firmly. His eyes were teary, and his breath was heavy. "My child, my dear Eldu. Run, I can't protect you. Hurry up, run to the river!"

The young man was in total confusion. "but what about yo—"

"I have my way. I can't swim well with this body. Go!"

The tent alarmed everyone; they knew what the tent meant as per the signal agreement. The caravan was disbanded!

People hurriedly took their goods and ran. Some had their own arrangement and ran towards the planned direction while some ran aimlessly. Eldu tried to help a few people pack their goods because he saw Grandpa Po was still helping others.

Just as he was about to pack other goods, a sturdy hand dragged him. It was Yi Hui's hand. This middle-aged man brought two sons and his face was full of frowns and worry. "Did you hear what your grandpa said? Jump to the river! Believe your grandpa as I believe him! Go now! Don't waste your time."

Yi Hui dragged him near the river. He saw many people gathered and looked at the river stream with the moon reflected on it. Doubts and hesitations were filling them.

On the other side, Yi Hui's words made Eldu's intention increase in an extreme state. He took a few steps back to get ready, then ran with all power.

He jumped!

A very high jump!

He jumped with mixed feelings. He would get separated from his grandpa again, and he did not even know if he would survive after jumping to the river. This was not the first farewell.

Eldu secretly said to himself. "Until next time, be well grandpa.."