Zhang Xin tried to recall events, but he found himself trapped in a state of confusion, unable to understand how he had transitioned from his workplace to this strange situation. Suddenly, his mind felt like it was exploding from within as memories that weren't his flooded in, like watching an immensely long movie in a single moment. The memories were foreign, filled with scenes and events he hadn't lived. His brain shook from the shock, and the pain intensified until he had to clutch his head with both hands, trying to ease the mental collapse he was experiencing. His scattered thoughts intermingled chaotically, making it feel as if his mind was on the verge of breaking. After a long moment of inner struggle, his thoughts started to clarify, and he realized the startling truth hidden within those strange memories.
"No... this can't be!" Zhang Xin whispered to himself in a trembling voice, filled with dread. "I've traveled through time! In the body of a seven-year-old child with my name, living in a village called Changjia."
As the images continued to flash in his mind, the details of the young boy whose body he now occupied formed with painful clarity. This village, Changjia, had enjoyed decades of peace and serenity amid quiet mountains before its residents faced one of the worst nightmares. Half a day ago, the village had been leading a simple life, marked by tranquility punctuated by the laughter of children and gatherings of elders near the clay houses. But this peace was shattered by a sudden, violent invasion. A group of bandits descended like hungry beasts, destroying everything in their path and leaving behind devastation beyond imagination. The attack was swift and brutally intense, forcing the strongest villagers to face the enemy, while the elders, children, and those too weak to fight tried to escape to the rugged mountains. Zhang Xin was one of these children, fleeing with the elders, desperate to survive.
The terrifying surprise came in the form of an ambush set by the bandits along the escape routes, suggesting they had anticipated the escapees and prepared for it. In those final moments before being captured, his strength gave out, and he fainted from terror and exhaustion, completely losing consciousness amid the chaos.
When Zhang Xin regained consciousness, he felt a sharp pain in his head, as if a heavy stick had struck him mercilessly. He touched his forehead gently and found a small wound, likely from a rock or an unnoticed stone when he lost consciousness. He looked at his small hands and young body, beginning to realize something different, as though he had crossed an invisible boundary between life and death.
He muttered bitterly, feeling the weight of this strange child's body, "Maybe I really did die once…" Though his mind was flooded with questions, he gathered his strength and took a deep breath despite the rising pain in his body. He lifted his head and looked around, trying to comprehend what had happened here.
Around him lay bodies strewn across the ground, telling the story of a desperate battle. The body of an old woman lay lifeless nearby, her blood staining the earth. One of her open eyes seemed to silently watch him, painting a picture of horror and deep pain. Zhang Xin looked up at the sky, where dark clouds gathered on the horizon, as if silently witnessing the tragedy.
As he absorbed the situation, the sound of his empty stomach snapped him out of his thoughts. "Ehm..." the sound came out as his body protested its hunger. "It seems this body hasn't eaten in a long time," he told himself. He knew that survival meant more than just escaping the battle; he now had to find food.
Slowly and hesitantly, he rose on his small, trembling feet, his eyes cautiously scanning the area. The shock still weighed on his mind, but his survival instinct was stronger. He crawled toward the old woman's body lying nearby. The stench and blood covering her body did not deter him, as his urgent need to survive drove him to take the risk. After a difficult search, he found half a piece of dry biscuit and the woman's torn, blood-stained clothing. These were his only findings from the search. He took the small piece of dry biscuit with a trembling hand and swallowed his saliva with difficulty, realizing that this little biscuit might be the difference between life and death in this harsh world.
"I've survived… but for how long?" he whispered softly, trying to convince himself that he was safe, even if just for a moment. But the truth was harsher; danger still loomed everywhere.
He looked at the darkening sky, which had begun to pour rain. He knew that staying in this state without shelter meant certain death. In this harsh season, between autumn and winter, the heavy rain and bitter cold became real threats. The barren mountains offered no refuge, except for the burned village behind him.
"Without shelter from the wind and rain… I'll never survive," he muttered to himself quietly, his small body trembling from the cold and shock. Night was approaching, and the darkness enveloping the mountains left him feeling powerless. Yet, Zhang Xin was no child; he was a grown man within a small body, a man who had lived a full life before.
Zhang Xin ignored the sticky blood on his hands and fought the rising nausea in his body. Steadily, he chewed the dry biscuit he had found and took cautious steps toward the group that had left the village.
"If I return to the village, frightened and passive, I will surely die, and perhaps I won't get a second chance."
He resolved to take the initiative, to act rather than wait for death. With the memories of his past life and knowledge of the village, there was still a glimmer of hope. But this hope was faint. Zhang Xin saw the strong men climbing the mountain slowly, their backs disappearing into the sparse forest, and catching up to them seemed impossible. He lay still on the ground, contemplating his next move.
Changjia village was surrounded by a small forest, but he knew that forest was not safe. The bandits knew every entrance and exit of this area, and there was a high chance that patrols monitored any escape attempt.
Thinking about this made him uneasy, but time wasn't on his side.
"I hope it rains soon…" he whispered to himself, looking up at the sky. His chances of survival were slim unless he could use the rain and increasing darkness to his advantage. Even if this body had better capabilities than an ordinary child, living under such conditions was nearly impossible.
However, having faced death once, Zhang Xin valued life more than ever.
"As a human again, even if the chance of survival is slim, I will not give up."
The mountain winds were harsh, but Zhang Xin suppressed his deep fears. He knew he needed to keep his weak body's blood flowing, so he continued moving his limbs gently to prevent stiffness from restricting him. Fortunately, the torn, blood-covered clothes of the old woman helped keep him somewhat warm, like a thin blanket wrapped around his frail body. Time passed slowly.
Finally, as nightfall approached, a silver-white lightning bolt sliced through the dark and gray sky, illuminating the forest in a faint glow.
"Boom!"
Thunder echoed in the sky, and with it came raindrops the size of peas. The ground began to wash clean, and nature was filled with sound and sight. Zhang Xin looked at the falling rain and felt a sense of determination return to him.
"I will survive, no matter what!" he declared firmly, and after waiting for a few breaths, he quickly rose without hesitation.