The mithryl Vein Mine lay in a grotesque silence, broken only by the occasional drip of water echoing through the blood-stained corridors. Reinforcements arrived at the mine, a dozen guards led by Captain Rong, a veteran known for his strict adherence to duty. As they descended into the mine, they were met with a sight that would haunt their dreams.
Corpses littered the ground, both guards and slaves alike. The guards' bodies were sprawled in unnatural positions, their eyes wide open in terror. Blood had pooled around them, and the air was thick with the metallic scent of death. The slaves, too, lay dead or dying, their faces twisted in pain and horror.
Captain Rong's face grew pale as he took in the scene. He had seen death before, but never such a massacre. The guards behind him murmured in fear and disbelief. They had never seen anything like this. As they moved deeper into the mine, the carnage only worsened.
Suddenly, a powerful aura descended upon them, a suffocating force that made their knees buckle. The Chief of the Guards, Wei Jian, had arrived. His imposing figure was framed by the flickering torchlight, his eyes blazing with fury.
Wei Jian's rage was palpable, his aura an oppressive wave that swept through the mine. The guards, seasoned as they were, shivered in fear. None had ever seen the chief so enraged. His qi surged, a visible manifestation of his power, and the air crackled with energy.
"Who did this?" Wei Jian's voice boomed through the tunnels, echoing off the stone walls. His anger was a tangible force, pressing down on everyone present. The weaker guards struggled to stay standing, their legs trembling collapsed, unconsc e of the slaves om the sheer intensity of his aura.The weakest among them succumbed entirely, their bodies unable to withstand the pressure.
Captain Rong, struggling to keep his composure, stepped forward. "Chief Wei, we arrived only moments ago. We have no explanation yet."
Wei Jian's eyes narrowed, and he turned his gaze to the remaining conscious slaves. "Speak! Who is responsible for this?" he demanded, his voice a thunderous roar.
A slave, barely able to lift his head, managed to whisper, "Snow... he did this. He killed the guards... he escaped."
Wei Jian's fury reached a new height. "Snow ," he repeated, his voice low and deadly.
He clenched his fists, the veins in his neck bulging as he struggled to contain his rage.
"How did one man do all this?" he demanded, his voice full of incredulity and fury
The slave, tears streaming down his face, recounted the events. "He fought with a strength I've never seen. He moved like a shadow, killing the guards one by one. He took their weapons, their armor... he used explosives to create chaos and escaped into the forest."
Wei Jian's aura flared, a shockwave of energy that caused the remaining guards to stagger. "Search the mine," he ordered, his voice ice-cold. "Find anything that can tell us where he went."
The guards, terrified and eager to obey, scattered to follow his command. Wei Jian turned to Captain Rong. "No one has ever escaped from our clan and it will not start under my watch.I want Snow found and brought to me, alive or dead. Send word to the other clan outposts. We will need their resources to track him down."
Captain Rong bowed, his fear evident. "Yes, Chief Wei."
Wei Jian's aura began to subside, but his fury remained. "No one defies the wei Clan and lives to tell the tale. Snow will pay for this," he vowed, his voice a deadly whisper.
The reinforcements moved with renewed urgency, their fear of the chief driving them forward. Wei Jian's presence was a constant reminder of the stakes. He watched them with cold, calculating eyes, his mind already plotting the next steps.
As the guards searched the mine for clues, Wei Jian sent a message to the Iron Vein Clan, detailing the attack and the need for immediate reinforcements. He knew they would respond quickly. The clan's honor had been sullied, and they would stop at nothing to restore it.
The hunt for Snow would begin, and Wei Jian would ensure it ended in blood.
While all this was happening Snow was still escaping.The dense forest loomed before Snow, a vast expanse of shadowed trees and whispering winds. His breath came in ragged gasps, his body aching from the wounds he had sustained in the mine. The blood on his hands was not all his own. The weight of stolen armor slowed him, but he dared not remove it yet—protection, no matter how ill-fitting, was a necessity.
Behind him, the Mithryl Vein Mine stood in eerie silence, its corridors now the domain of the dead. The screams had faded, but the memory of them lingered in his mind. Snow pressed forward, his feet sinking into the damp earth as he weaved between the towering trees.
He knew the Wei Clan would not let this insult stand. They would send their trackers and ruthless warriors. He had to put as much distance between himself and the mine as possible before dawn.
A rustling sound in the underbrush made him halt, his muscles tensing. He pressed his back against a tree, his fingers tightening around the hilt of a stolen sword. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. Was it an animal—or worse, a pursuer?
A moment passed. Then another.
Silence.
Snow exhaled slowly and continued forward, his movements precise and controlled
The wind shifted, carrying the scent of rain. His mind raced. If he could find a stream, he could mask his scent, throw off the trackers. He listened carefully, straining to hear the faint trickle of water over stone.
There—just beyond the ridge.
Summoning the last of his strength, Snow sprinted toward the sound. He stumbled over roots, his exhaustion threatening to drag him down, but he pushed on. He reached the edge of a small ravine, where a stream cut through the land like a silver thread.
Without hesitation, he waded in, biting back a curse as the icy water numbed his strained body. He crouched low, letting the current wash away the blood and grime. He knew he couldn't stay long—every second counted.
He did not linger for long and continued his escape