Mmm~~~
Bain moaned softly as nature's quiet sounds registered in his brain.
Where am I?
He opened his eyes abruptly, examining the strange wooden cabin he found himself in.
Hiss!~~
He had a headache.
'What happened? I remember that he was surrounded with no way out... But then someone... Someone… Someone!'
Bain was about to spring up when a calm voice echoed out.
"I see you're up."
Who?
Bain quickly turned his attention to the cabin door. And there he was… The silver-haired stranger!
With unhurried steps, the man stepped into the cabin in full farming attire with a hoe in his hand and a basket of wheat on his back.
"Easy boy... You don't have enough strength in you." The silver-haired man said, slowly putting his hoe and basket.
Bain placed his hand on the mat he rested on, trying to pull himself up and lean against the wall.
With a skeptical look, he gazed at the good-looking man who was now taking out the many stalks of wheat from his basket.
"Relax."
The man gave him a brief yet lazy glance while focusing on his wheat as though he couldn't be bothered with Bain.
"If I wanted you dead, you will. If anything, I should've killed you for that restless belly of yours, keeping me awake till morning."
~Gruuu~
Bain's belly grumbled as though attesting to what he said.
He lowered his head awkwardly, recalling being on a vast farmland when he last met those miscreants. So this guy should be the owner of the vast farmland.
It was just that he was shocked, realizing that people farmed here. He thought they were just a bunch of criminals, all focusing on killing and murdering, too lazy to do everyday jobs.
"Are you surprised?" The silver-haired man chuckled, seeing through his thoughts. "Boy, there is so much you still don't know about this place."
.
~Tack... Tack... Tack… Tack…~
In the chimney space, the steady sounds of flames dancing underneath the overhead cauldron filled the room with a strange silence.
~Snap!
The silver-haired man processed the wheat stalks with a calm demeanor, still not turning to face him.
"Mainland 01… Before coming here, most people in the outside world only consider it a place of absolute violence."
Whoosh!
The silver-haired man's kitchen blade separated the heads of the wheat from their stalks with a skilled technique that gave Bain the illusion the silver-haired man was performing an execution.
Indeed… The silver-haired man was right.
If he wanted to kill him, he would have been dead ages ago. Yet, he not only saved him but also changed his damp attire too.
Bain stared out the window, seeing yesterday's clothes hanging on an old-fashioned clothing line, alongside several maize on a cob, plants, and crops drying out.
His attention returned to the silver-haired man, seeing him use his knife to shove the cut wheat heads into one open sac below the table while throwing the worthless stalks into another bag.
Looking at the fireplace, he was sure the man used the stalks as firewood.
All evidence showed that the guy must've been living and farming here for a long time.
His actions were unlike the many criminals he had seen since his arrival.
.
"Listen well. Here, there is indeed violence and chaos roaming about. The streets are filled with criminals, ready to make their best hunt, all with greedy intentions!"
~Pang!
The air remained stagnant with every thumping slash from the silver-haired man's blade. But just then, Bain's eyes unintentionally fell on a peculiar document not too far from his reach. And judging from how the silver-haired man kept the document, it's clear he was trying to hide it.
The document had a word that made his bubble boil with vigilance. No matter what, he had to take a look.'
He was currently on a woven straw sleeping mat on the floor. And any subtle movements might cause the floors to creak.
Bain frowned. 'This won't do!'
He listened to all sounds around him, from the boiling sounds of the small cauldron-styled pot to the light noises from the fire, the chirping birds outdoors, and even the silver-haired man's wheat processing… all these sounds should cover him well if he timed things right.
Secretly taking a big breath and acting naturally, he kept his body fixed while slowly stretching and creeping his hands towards the document.
He, Bain, didn't mean to be nosy. But the words on the document were too tempting and important for him to know.
Look up, look around; the cabin had no other doors apart from the one leading out. And the fact that a pot was hanging overhead in the fireplace meant the silver-haired man used this space as his kitchen too.
There was also a bed adjacent to him, books on the floor, pots pinned on the walls, utensils on the side, garden tools leaning against the walls, clothes in an open basket, etc.
This very small space managed to contain it all.
'The silver-haired man lives alone. And from the woodwork and congested space, he should've built it by hand... Maybe he was also trying to find a peaceful life in this chaos?'
It wouldn't be far-fetched for Bain to think so.
Though good-looking, the silver-haired man looked 47~50, meaning he should be about 180~220.
One should bear in mind that there was a difference between silver hair and aging white hair. The man's natural hair color from birth was silvery.
A person who could diligently cultivate such an abundant farmland meant that they would always have to look after it.
From observation, the crops were rich, and the smell of grain all showed signs of his diligence.
Bain drew many conclusions from what he saw, making him already have a good impression of the mature and handsome silver-haired man.
He had a good impression of the man. But that still wasn't enough to deter him from getting the document.
Almost there… Almost there…
Bain's fingers made a stretch reach for it!
…