In the early morning, the gentle rays of the sun illuminated the tranquil and serene Tauren village. A few birds perched atop the towering tents, chirping merrily, while on a grassy knoll, several young Tauren frolicked, chasing after a ball made of animal hide.
At that moment, a cold figure draped in a tattered gray cloak slowly approached from the opposite side of the road, a small fox trembling in fear on his shoulder, too frightened to make a sound.
The playful Tauren children were oblivious to the arrival of this uninvited guest, their attention wholly absorbed by the rolling ball.
Yet, an ominous aura began to waft through the air…
"Wow! Give it to me! Hurry, pass the ball!" The young Tauren children gleefully pursued the tumbling ball. One of the youngsters, kicking the ball, was chased by his peers as he ran, turning back with delight, shouting, "Hahaha… you can't catch me! You can't catch me! Hahaha…"
"Bang!"
A dull thud echoed, as the child, too preoccupied with taunting his friends, failed to notice the looming figure ahead. With a sudden impact, he collided with the indifferent man clad in the tattered gray cloak.
The force of the collision sent the unfortunate child sprawling onto the ground, and the once-controlled ball, now unattended, flew far away.
"Hahaha…"
The laughter of his companions erupted at the sight of his mishap. The fallen child, rubbing his sore nose, brushed off the dust from his knees, blushing as he called out to his friends, "What's so funny? What's so funny? It was just a little stumble! You've all fallen before too! There's nothing to laugh at! Stop laughing!"
However, witnessing his once-proud demeanor reduced to a disheveled state only elicited more laughter from the other Tauren children…
"Hahaha…"
Feeling a bit dejected, the child tugged at his sturdy horns and finally noticed the cold man he had collided with. "Um… you are the human guest that Elder Cole mentioned?"
Tilting his large head in thought, the young Tauren soon grasped the visitor's identity. "Good morning… um, by the way, Uncle, I didn't hurt you, did I? Hahaha… I'm really sorry! I got so caught up in playing that I forgot to look ahead, hehe…"
As he spoke, the child realized how foolish his distraction had been and sheepishly scratched his head, offering an awkward smile.
"…" With a detached gaze, Xiao Mu Yu looked down at the Tauren child, whose height nearly matched his own, his eyes icy and unyielding, like ancient glaciers.
"Swish!"
The indifferent man slightly raised his hand, and the cold blade of his sword traced an arc through the air before descending…
In the frozen gaze of all present, the sharp blade effortlessly sliced through the vibrant flesh and the once-sturdy vertebrae. Warm blood erupted, splattering into the air, as the gentle morning sunlight illuminated the droplets, casting an eerie beauty upon the translucent crimson that shimmered in the light.
Silence.
The world fell quiet.
The laughter of the young Tauren children froze on their faces, their expressions morphing to astonishment and fear as they beheld the bizarre scene unfolding before them. Their minds struggled to comprehend why the head of their joyful companion, who had been chasing alongside them just moments ago, had suddenly soared into the air.
The massive head, propelled by gravity, rolled across the grass, much like the ball they had been pursuing, finally coming to rest beside the animal-hide ball.
The large eyes of the severed head stared unblinkingly at the nearby ball, as if to convey a message—don't think you can escape, look! Even in death, I can still chase you!
The blood gushing from the neck stained the ground, creating a vivid crimson path—perhaps a road of death.
Ignoring the dazed Tauren children, the killer in the tattered gray cloak did not so much as blink. His cold demeanor gave the impression that he had merely severed a decayed branch obstructing his path.
The sword was raised.
In the warm sunlight, the previously battered blade now glimmered faintly.
Blood splattered…
Amidst the morning's embrace, Xiao Mu Yu, indifferent, stepped over the lifeless bodies of the young Tauren and their spilled blood, making his way towards the worn, towering animal-hide tent perched atop the small knoll…
...
Inside the dimly lit tent, the elderly Tauren shaman struggled to move his increasingly frail body, rummaging through the worn shelves for tribal tomes. Just then, the wooden door creaked open.
"Creak…"
A soft sound echoed as the bright sunlight streamed into the long-shadowed tent, casting a golden rectangle on the wooden floor. A cold figure, draped in a tattered gray cloak, stepped into the light.
"Ah… it's you, child," the aged Tauren grunted, turning his massive head with effort. Upon recognizing the visitor, Elder Cole smiled warmly, "My dear friend… cough, cough… good morning! Have you come to discuss the curse?"
"Ah… no need to worry, no need to worry," Elder Cole replied gently, retrieving an ancient tome from the shelf. "Look, I'm diligently searching for information, and… cough, cough… I believe I'm nearing a solution. By tomorrow noon at the latest, I should be able to resolve your curse."
"…" Ignoring the elderly shaman's comforting words, Xiao Mu Yu stepped closer, his icy demeanor unwavering.
"Um… child, do you have something else to discuss?" Elder Cole inquired, puzzled by his silence.
The indifferent man remained mute, his tattered gray cloak concealing a long sword that subtly rose…
"Swish…"
A soft sound.
A drop of blood slowly dripped from the blade's tip, tracing an odd arc through the air before splattering onto the ground, forming a crimson bloom. In the depths of darkness, the elderly Tauren shaman's stiffened body lowered its gaze…
She beheld her chest.
She saw the broken sword piercing her heart.
She noticed the cold hand gripping the sword, and the frigid eyes that held an icy despair, as if locked in the grip of the most terrifying cold…
...
...
The hand withdrew the broken sword slowly.
The elderly Tauren collapsed.
Her towering three-meter frame crashed heavily onto the wooden floor, producing a dull thud.
She did not cry out for help, for death came too swiftly, too suddenly. The chill of death was so profound that even her final scream was frozen in time.
In Xiao Mu Yu's cold and merciless gaze, the ancient Tauren, said to have lived for centuries, this esteemed elder, lay sprawled in a pool of blood, clutching her heart, her face contorted in shock, confusion, anger, and sorrow, twitching a few times…
Then, she lay still.
The morning sun streamed in, illuminating the dim tent, which had fallen silent… just as it had moments before.
The scent of blood lingered in the air, as the small fox trembled on the man's shoulder, burying its head deep within the gray-white strands of his hair, its tiny body quaking in fear.
Time ticked away.
Standing quietly in the dim chamber, waiting for the figure before him to transition from "human" to an "object," Xiao Mu Yu knelt, gazing at the massive Tauren, his cold eyes meeting those of the great beast. The indifferent man spoke softly.
"Elder… Cole?" With a gentle tug, the broken sword withdrew from her neck, separating the massive head from the body.
"Tauren… shaman?" He raised her hand and severed it at the elbow with the sword.
"Is she… dead?" In his icy voice, a hint of trepidation lingered, as if fearing the Tauren might rise again. He carefully divided the "object" into six parts, then halved the remaining sections once more.
Rising slowly, he surveyed the peculiar, dismembered remains before him, contemplating, "She must be… dead?"
As if to affirm his own conclusion, the cold man coldly replied, "Ah… dead… she should be dead."
Turning away indifferently, he no longer regarded the deep crimson pool or the scattered, dismembered remains within it. Xiao Mu Yu's silhouette gradually receded.
"She is certainly… dead…"
Outside, the sun shone brightly, the sky clear and refreshing.
Standing quietly atop the small knoll, his gaze icy as he surveyed the rows of towering animal-hide tents, sensing the vibrant life of the villagers dancing in the stark black-and-white world, Xiao Mu Yu coolly brushed back his hair, his cold footsteps treading upon the warm morning light as he slowly approached the tranquil and harmonious village.
The feast of blood…
Had only just begun…