In a flat field, there was a wooden house.
The house was made entirely of sturdy tree trunks, emitting a solid and robust smell. The house was not newly built; it had been around for some years, so there was moss on its surface, and some trunks even sprouted tender branches.
Surrounding the wooden house was a tall bamboo fence. In front and behind it were vegetable fields, with a well in the center of the field.
At this moment, a young and beautiful girl was fetching water by the well.
Although her clothes were extremely simple, they could not hide her beauty. She had just turned 16, with a pair of black eyes that were clear and pure like crystal.
The sunlight filtered through the overlapping lush leaves, shining on her face, making her skin appear as white as snow, with a transparent blush and warmth.
Her black hair hung playfully, partially covering her lovely earlobes.
Her pink lips were pursed, biting on a shell-white teeth, her face showing a determined expression.
She laboriously lifted the full bucket of water from the deep well and, with a gasp, moved the wooden bucket to the brick ground next to the well.
"Whew!" The girl puffed out her rosy cheeks, exhaled a breath, and then extended her fair hand to fan herself.
Hearing the sound of the wooden bucket hitting the ground, the door of the wooden house creaked open, and an old man walked out from inside.
The old man's hair was a mix of black and white, his face wrinkled, and although his pair of old eyes were full of vicissitudes, the scars on his face and hands indicated his rich combat experience when he was young. Like an old tiger, although old, his ferocity remained.
"Baby, this water bucket is too heavy. I told you to let me carry it. Why did you secretly water the vegetables behind my back?" The old man looked at the girl beside the well with a loving expression on his face.
"Dad!" The girl sweetly called out, "You came back so late from hunting yesterday, you should sleep a little longer this morning. It's just a bucket of water. Look, I've already brought it up, haven't I?"
"You, always so stubborn!" The old man's tone was helpless, but his eyes were filled with indulgence.
He took a big step and walked to the well, reaching out a hand and effortlessly grabbing the water bucket. "Come on, girl, let's water the vegetables together."
The air was filled with the fragrance of wild grass and flowers, and the summer breeze blew over warmly, brushing over the treetops, transforming into a fresh and deep scent.
On the vegetable field in front of the house in the wilderness, the daughter scooped water with a ladle, bending over, carefully watering the vegetables. The father was responsible for fetching water, and the two water buckets were exchanged alternately. A warm atmosphere of family filled the small space.
"Alas, getting old after all, I can't lift it after a few tries." After a while, the old man stood by the well, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and sighed deeply.
The girl turned around, smiling brightly, and scolded, "Dad, you finally realize it. You're getting old, always trying to be strong. I've told you many times, let Alex go hunting. You should just lie at home and enjoy your retirement."
"Hehehe." The old man laughed, nodded, and said jokingly, "Yes, and you too. You're not a child anymore, you should find a husband. Let me find a good match for you. My daughter is the most beautiful girl in this area. I'm not worried about finding a good husband for you!"
The girl's face suddenly flushed with embarrassment, making her unable to speak.
The old man looked up at the sky, as if seeing a bright future. He sighed leisurely, "When Alex gets married and settles down, I'll find a good match for you. You'll get married and have children. It would be best to have a big, healthy boy. Hehe, then I can have a grandson to play with. That would make me happy. Life is not easy. How many hunters can live a fulfilling life? Sigh, my young companions are all gone now, leaving only me."
"Dad, you're wrong." The girl smiled comfortingly, "You're not alone. You still have us."
"Hehe... Hmm?" The old man smiled and was about to speak when he suddenly heard a commotion and turned around abruptly.
The bamboo gate of the fence was violently kicked open from the outside.
"Are you Alex's father?" Aidan's face was cold as he walked into the courtyard with a huge wolf by his side, breaking the tranquility.
The old man was shocked and quickly knelt down, "Pays respects to Ascender, my lord!"
"Your son dared to offend me and has been killed by me. Bring his body here!" Aidan looked down at the kneeling old man and said directly.
As soon as he finished speaking, two young hunters walked in from outside the fence, each carrying Alex's body.
Seeing this body, the old man trembled violently!
"Alex!" The girl cried out in despair and rushed forward, throwing herself onto Alex's body, tears streaming down her face instantly.
"... " The two young hunters, seeing the girl they admired crying so bitterly in front of them, felt very sorry and wanted to say something to comfort her, but they couldn't find the words.
"Old man, I heard you're the most famous hunter around here. That's good." Aidan paused here, then continued expressionlessly, "Now, draw me a map showing all the trap locations in the nearby forest, as well as your observations and conclusions on the distribution of wild animals during your hunting over the years. If you draw it, I will forgive your son for offending me. If you can't draw it... hmph."
These villages are all under the control of the castle. The villagers in the village are all serfs of the castle.
Now that Alex has offended the Ascender, according to castle law, the entire family will be implicated!
The old man trembled again and almost collapsed to the ground. This kind of blow was too big and too sudden for him.
"Murderer, you are the murderer who killed my brother! You take lives wantonly and come here to demand justice? I will avenge my brother!!" The girl screamed with hatred and anger towards Aidan, and she rushed towards him. However, before she could reach him, a figure suddenly leaped out and stopped her.
It was not the two young hunters who stopped her, but her old father.
"You fool!" The old man let out a deep roar and slapped her, knocking her to the ground.
"Your brother is already dead. Do you want to die too? Do you want to leave me, your father, to live out my days in loneliness?" The old man said, tears streaming down his face, trembling violently.
"Dad!" The girl was shocked back to her senses, tears flowing like a river from her eyes, her voice filled with pain, resentment, grievance, pity, hatred, helplessness, and various other complex emotions.
The old man turned around, faced Aidan, his knees went weak, and he knelt down again, touching his forehead to the ground, deeply bowing at Aidan's feet. His voice choked, trembling, "Ascender, my lord, my son has indeed committed a grave offense against you! I will draw the map for you, please spare us."
Aidan's face softened slightly. He looked down at the old man and said, "You can rest assured that as long as you draw it truthfully, I will spare you. But you'd better not deceive me. If I find any hint of deception, your lives will be in danger!"