The boy's face showed a mix of shock and fear. The word was engraved in his mind, and he couldn't understand how it had appeared. The more he thought, the more fear grew inside him. The darkness, the strange place, and the word—it was terrifying.
By nature, the boy was cautious. Had things been normal, he wouldn't have dared to turn the pages of the book, especially not knowing what lay ahead. But with no other option, he found himself under intense psychological pressure. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he tried to flip a page but kept hesitating.
He wasn't sure how long he'd been sitting there, folding and retreating, but his hunger was growing unbearable. As his mental and physical exhaustion increased, he was forced to turn a page. His hand shook as he did so.
Despite everything, nothing happened. This only deepened his terror. His thoughts spiraled, and he started flipping the pages desperately. But again, nothing changed. He stopped and simply sat, listening to his stomach growl. His eyes reflected hopelessness, and he remained motionless for a long time.
Eventually, he stood up, clenching his fist and muscles, as though making a decision. Suddenly, he punched his face, repeatedly hitting his head until blood poured from it, even losing some teeth.
Then, just as he was about to strike again, he stopped. It seemed like his awareness returned, but it didn't. He dropped to his knees, hitting his head once more. Thankfully, the ground was soft, but he wished it weren't. Blood spilled onto the book.
Earlier, he only wanted to torture himself, but now he genuinely wished for death. Any hope had vanished. He thought the pages must be ruined by the blood, but surprisingly, that wasn't the case.
At that moment, as blood dripped and death thoughts flooded his mind, words appeared before him: "Heir of Emperor Chang Yu." Then, he collapsed into unconsciousness.
---
Meanwhile, far away in another world, a loud scream echoed in a vast, empty sky, red like blood. The source of the scream was deep in the earth, hundreds of meters below the surface. In the very center of the deepest pit, a man hung from a massive stake that seemed to melt, yet remained rigid and solid.
The man appeared to be dead in the most horrific way, but suddenly, he came back to life, full of vitality. However, his skin began to melt away, followed by his flesh being consumed. A mysterious force entered his body, grinding his bones and squeezing his nerves. His screams tore through his throat. Slowly, the unknown power moved to his head, consuming him piece by piece, while he endured the agony, fully aware of every second.
What's strange is that no blood spilled. Instead, it gathered above him, boiling, and was burned in bursts. Then, the cycle began again—he died, came back to life, and the process repeated.
You might wonder what the man did to deserve such torment. This man is the very one who led the boy to the sealed mountain area. During an earthquake, he mysteriously disappeared, and since then, he has been enduring this gruesome fate.
---
Back with the boy, after a while of unconsciousness, he slowly opened his eyes, struggling to focus. He looked up at the familiar ceiling, just as he heard the sound of pottery breaking. He tried to move his head, but the pain was unbearable. His head was held still as he sensed someone approaching him.
Tears welled up in his eyes as he saw his adopted sister holding him, crying out, "Dad! Dad, hurry! My brother's awake! Thank God you're safe, Chang Yu!" Her sweet voice, which had accompanied him on his journey, echoed in his ears again. It was a scene too unreal to believe.
Suddenly, an old man entered the room. The boy forgot about his sister's cries as he stared at the man's face—once youthful and miraculous, now aged and wrinkled. His eyes widened in shock. Time seemed to freeze as he looked at his father, who now appeared to be in his sixties. The boy couldn't speak, feeling that all the fatigue and aging on his father's face was his fault. If only he hadn't gone, none of this would have happened! He closed his eyes, drowning in tears and thoughts, unable to say a word. But the old man didn't move. He just stared at him with tired eyes filled with longing, then left without saying anything.
---
"Chang Yu! Promise me you won't go again! Your father and I almost died of grief when Uncle Feng found you lying in the plains, covered in your blood. Please, stay here and don't carry this burden! We'll leave this savage village!" Her words were full of sorrow, and she waited for his reply with bated breath.
With great effort, she reached out and touched his cheek, holding his hand. After a moment, she cried on his chest, murmuring his name over and over.
His eyes softened as he watched her cry, and for the first time, his feelings shifted from sibling affection and perhaps a bit of admiration to love. Suddenly, his eyes stiffened, and his whole body followed suit! The girl quickly grabbed his hand, shouting, "Chang Yu! What's happening to you? Wait a moment, I'll get Dad!"
The moment she left the room, his body relaxed and appeared lifeless. A few minutes later, the girl returned, helping her adopted father walk. Just as she entered, she fell to the ground with a loud scream, "Brother!" Her feet froze, unable to move, as she stared desperately at him, tears streaming down her face. It was as if her heart might burst out of her chest at any moment.
---
The old man approached his son, checking his pulse without saying a word. A smile appeared on his face, and he turned, gently patting the girl's head. But suddenly, she grabbed his hand, lifting her head, and said, "Dad, save him!"
The old man carried her gently, placing his hand on her forehead and whispered in her ear, "Your brother is still alive. He may have lost consciousness, but just let him rest a bit, and he will wake up."
The girl finally calmed down and fell into a deep sleep.
---
Despite what the old man said, the boy did not wake up for weeks. They brought every doctor in the village and nearby towns, but none could find any reason for his condition. They even brought charlatans who spoke of strange, expensive remedies, but nothing worked. The family lost hope, day by day, until they came to the grim conclusion that he was in a permanent coma.
The father, though loving, was a realist. After trying every possible solution with no result, what other explanation could there be? But his adopted sister never gave up, even in despair. She continued with the daily rituals, cooking for him, burning incense, praying, and making medicines.
But, as the days passed, even the fire in her eyes seemed to fade. After three months, she finally gave up. That day, she didn't do anything she had been doing for the past three months.
---
Suddenly, one night, while everyone else was sleeping, a loud scream pierced the night. The father and the girl woke up in panic, rushing toward the source of the sound. What shocked them even more was that it came from the boy's room!
They rushed inside to find the boy holding his head and screaming in agony, writhing in pain. Just moments later, when they reached him and grabbed his hands, he fell back into unconsciousness, as if nothing had happened.