Zhao Yan felt an inexplicable sense of panic, a wave of anxiety that was nearly overwhelming. He was well aware of his own physical condition, and while he could exert some control over his body, everything around him felt strange and unfamiliar. A strong conviction surged within him: this body was definitely not his! With that thought, Zhao Yan began scanning the forest and soon spotted a small creek nearby. Ignoring everything else, he sprinted toward it. Running barefoot through the forest was risky—his feet could easily get hurt—but in that moment, he couldn't care less. He just needed to confirm his suspicions.
When he reached the creek and looked into the water, he braced himself for what he might see. Despite preparing himself mentally, the reflection still startled him. It was his face, but significantly younger. Judging by his current height and the proportions of his hands and feet, he looked to be around thirteen or fourteen. He sank down by the creek, unsure how to process this reality. It was beyond any scientific explanation; if this was time travel, he had no memory of ever being in such a place. Regaining youth? That seemed even more far-fetched. If people could truly become young again, then humanity would have figured out how to control life and death. Why struggle so hard every day? Injuries could simply revert to a youthful state, leading to a perfectly healthy body. It was essentially the secret to immortality.
After calming himself, he dipped his feet into the water. From running earlier, he could feel the abrasions on his feet, and if he didn't tend to them, infection could mean death out here in the wilderness. However, as he washed away the dirt, he discovered there were no cuts or scrapes at all—his skin was intact. Looking back in the direction he had come from, he saw only a few muddy footprints on the ground; there was not a drop of blood. Confusion engulfed Zhao Yan. Someone must have tampered with his body while he was unconscious; otherwise, such an incredible transformation wouldn't have occurred.
Zhao Yan cupped his hands and drank from the creek, surprised that the water tasted completely normal. Even if it had an off taste, he figured this body should handle it without much harm. Just then, a rustling sound behind him made him snap to attention. Could it be a wild animal? Quickly, he found a large rock to hide behind. A figure emerged from the bushes—a person. But their attire was bizarre, resembling an NPC from a war game, wearing armor that wasn't fully enclosing but rather consisted of iron plates protecting their chest and limbs. It was a lightweight armor, which, while not as intimidating as heavy armor seen in movies, still offered some protection against serious injury.
"Who's hiding behind that rock? Come out. I saw you just now," the figure said, followed by the unmistakable sound of a blade being drawn. The voice was high-pitched, clearly that of a woman, though Zhao Yan didn't recognize her gender immediately because of her helmet. He instinctively shrank back further behind the rock, trying to make himself as small as possible. However, it was futile. A sharp dagger was suddenly pressed against his throat. One wrong move and she wouldn't hesitate to slit his throat. He could sense that this woman was adept with a blade—steady and precise. She must have blood on her hands; otherwise, she wouldn't be so calm. Moreover, her speed was astounding. Just moments ago, she had been about twenty meters away, and now the dagger was at his throat in the blink of an eye. There was no chance of escape, so Zhao Yan slowly raised his hands and turned his face away.
When he saw her face, he couldn't help but gasp—not because she was stunning, but due to the murderous intent in her eyes and the danger radiating from her. It sent shivers down his spine. He was certain this woman had killed before, and not just once or twice.
Seeing his face seemed to ease her tension somewhat, as the deadly aura surrounding her lessened, but she didn't retract the dagger. It shifted from his throat to the back of his neck. "Stand up and walk forward. If you make any funny moves, I swear I'll stab you right in the heart," she commanded.
Zhao Yan cautiously stood up, realizing that the woman towered over him. Judging by his own height, he estimated he was about 1.6 meters tall, while this woman was at least a head taller, likely over 1.8 meters. Such a tall woman was rare. Her exposed skin showed well-developed muscles, indicating extensive training. He figured she could easily take down several male soldiers without breaking a sweat. Zhao Yan's legs trembled in fear; this was genuine terror. Some might question why he was afraid—didn't he just regain youth? Why fear a knife at his throat? But it was a primal reaction; if a blade was pressed against you, even the toughest person would shake.
The woman led Zhao Yan for about ten minutes until they reached a campsite. By the campfire sat two middle-aged men and another woman, all dressed in similarly strange clothing. The men looked like characters from a game, while the other woman exuded an icy demeanor, never once glancing in his direction.
Upon seeing Zhao Yan, the two men paused for a moment before one joked, "You went to fetch water and came back with a kid? Why is he naked? What did you do to him?" Although it was meant to be lighthearted, Zhao Yan noticed the woman behind him tighten her grip on the dagger, clearly irked by the man's teasing. The blade pricked his skin slightly.
"Don't you find it strange? Where do you think we are? It's impossible for a child to be here in this hellhole," she shot back, pushing Zhao Yan to the ground. He didn't dare move.
One of the men pulled a piece of cloth from his bag and covered Zhao Yan with it. "You're overly sensitive. Maybe he's a survivor. Life's tough; even commoners would risk it all for survival. Doesn't it look like this kid is just another unlucky soul?" He turned to Zhao Yan, who, now wrapped in the cloth, nodded vigorously. He was acutely aware that he couldn't explain anything—he didn't know where he was or who these people were or how he ended up in this deep, dark forest. The woman huffed and went back to the fire to rest. The man didn't press further but tossed a piece of fruit to Zhao Yan. "Eat up; once we're done here, we'll take you to the nearest town."
Zhao Yan looked at the fruit, puzzled. It didn't resemble anything he had ever seen. It seemed odd, but seeing the others enjoy it, he took a bite. It wasn't particularly tasty, but it was edible. The flesh was dry, lacking moisture, but it would suffice to stave off hunger.
After half an hour, the group extinguished the fire, their expressions growing serious. The man glanced at Zhao Yan. "Stay here; it's safe." Then he turned to the cold woman, saying, "You don't need to drop your barrier to protect this kid." The woman shot him a glance and replied, "I'm not wasting my magic on an irrelevant person, and don't forget our purpose here." With that, she waved her hand, retracting her magical aura. Zhao Yan felt a flash of light flicker around him before vanishing. He gaped in shock. Was this magic? Did such fantastical things really exist? In less than an hour, his entire worldview had been upended. No matter where this place was, it couldn't possibly still be Earth. If it wasn't Earth, then where the hell was he?
Reluctantly, the man decided to take Zhao Yan with him as they ventured deeper into the forest. The group moved at an astonishing pace, with the man keeping Zhao Yan close while following the others. After a while, one of the men halted. "It's in that cave," he said, drawing a long sword from his waist. The man placed Zhao Yan on a tree branch, checked the surroundings for danger, and instructed, "Wait here. We're going to deal with the goblin king. Once we're done, I'll come back for you." With that, he joined the others.
Desperation led Zhao Yan to grab the man's arm. "Who are you? Why are you helping me?" The man was taken aback by the question but replied, "I'm an adventurer, obviously. As for why I'm helping you, I know what it feels like to lose family to monsters. I understand what you're going through, so just stay strong and keep living."
Those simple words warmed Zhao Yan's heart. After thirty years, he had never heard anyone say something so kind. He felt a lump in his throat and was about to respond when the man jumped down to rejoin the others.
Time ticked away as Zhao Yan clung to the tree, waiting without moving. The longer he waited, the more anxious he felt. From the little he overheard, it seemed the goblin king they were going after was not going to be easy to handle. The men's expressions as they spoke revealed that. They hadn't said much to each other, and the few comments made were all about the mission, indicating they didn't share a deep bond. They were likely just a temporary group thrown together for this task. Zhao Yan noted that they didn't even call each other by name; they simply referred to each other as "hey" or "you." That realization further validated Zhao Yan's suspicions.