Dewdrops hung on the delicate leaves, gently caressed by the cold breeze, swaying them back and forth, making the trees dance with the golden threads of sunlight falling. It looked like a painting being crafted by the sun as it rose.
The wind suddenly surged with great force, turning the dance into a grand celebration, with even the tiny insects joining in among the waving grass. The twisted branches moved, adding to the joy with a gentle wave.
Although the atmosphere was full of life, nearby, on one of the dancing thorny leaves, someone was sad. That tiny dewdrop, unable to withstand the cold windstorm, trembled at the edge of the leaf, burdened with worries that neither humans nor nature could see.
It was alone, gently swaying, growing more fearful with each wild gust of wind. In the end, it surrendered and was torn from the place it had fought so hard to remain. It soared away with the wind.
Suddenly, the dewdrop did not expect to feel relief for the first time. It quickly became joyful, teasing the air as the air responded kindly. The burden that had weighed it down vanished, leaving behind only the painful memory that clung to the leaf when it had accepted the current and ceased to resist.
The dewdrop didn't notice the passage of time, but it was very happy as it passed between the tall trees and lowlands, beside the quiet ponds under the blue sky, with happy sheep and cows grazing around the plains.
Despite the initial happiness, it began to fade when it witnessed the wolves attacking the sheep, their cries spreading through the air. They couldn't resist, and their blood spilled, eventually becoming food for others.
Its happiness continued to dwindle each time it saw a tragic scene: bandits attacking villages, the strong bullying the weak, and more. However, it suddenly shifted when it entered a forest with dense trees that added a melancholic atmosphere, and its joy was shattered by a foreboding aura.
Its fear intensified. It wanted to turn back, but that was impossible. It struggled against the evil aura, but to no avail... it was swept by this aura through the sorrowful atmosphere until it reached an empty space between several trees. There, two people lay asleep—a boy and a girl—separated by a gentle fire.
Without warning, the dewdrop wanted to scream! An intensely monstrous aura overtook the place, condensing very slowly inside the sleeping boy's body.
However, in truth, amidst this terrifying aura, the girl's aura sent a magical sense of life, warm and nurturing. The dewdrop hurried towards the girl, but was pulled forcefully, falling onto Chang Yu's forehead. It gave one final cry before pouring all its remaining hope and joy, fear, and loneliness onto him, finding its way into his heart.
Chang Yu stirred and turned several times, feeling a strange sensation. He slowly opened his eyes and felt the cold on his forehead. He reached out sluggishly and touched it. Eventually, he discovered it was just a small droplet, but a deep feeling stirred within him, as if something had moved inside him.
He didn't quite understand, and remained frozen for a short time. He hadn't yet woken from his beautiful dream, still feeling as though he were a mirage drifting with the wind, free from worry or sorrow, far from the weight of the earth. Only happy.
That is, until the droplet separated his temporary happiness from the emptiness he now felt. It was as if an unwelcome wake-up call had arrived, representing his simple dream of freedom and happiness, though it didn't last long.
He looked around with difficulty, everything seemed the same. He sighed, the same happy trees behind the sleeping girl. The fire separating them, as if it divided her warm world that illuminates and nourishes everything it touches, from another world, like the twilight of night, silent, devouring life's colors bit by bit.
He felt sadness rise within him, as if his emotions had found an opportunity to rebel against the seal. Waves of his heart clashed wildly with the giant wall that appeared before him, unwavering, showing no signs of care.
On the surface, Chang Yu's face seemed void of expression. He thought, "Six days have passed in the blink of an eye. It's time to go." He sighed, as if releasing the steam of anger from the waves crashing against the unyielding dam.
With difficulty, he rose, gathering his belongings into a bag he had stolen from some bandits in the forest. He snapped his fingers, and the bag floated in a bubble. He glanced at the other side where the girl lay.
He thought, "Yong Er, I'm sorry. I'll have to ignore your actions and feelings. I have a mission to complete, and no distractions are allowed." His face remained unchanged, which made the seal even firmer against the fierce assault of his emotions. He approached her while she slept in an almost childlike manner.
"Please forgive me, Yong Er!" He reached out, and as his fingers brushed her neck, an intense feeling squeezed his heart! Images of the girl he had recently fallen in love with flashed in his mind.
He pressed his heart, causing her to lose consciousness. Again, his face showed no external change. He snapped his fingers, and the bag floated again in another bubble.
Chang Yu appeared dark, as though he regretted his hesitation. He was slightly disturbed as he moved southward, following Wuchi's orders, leaving behind tons of suppressed emotions, the longing and memories of a lonely girl caught up in a complex conspiracy against her will.
He walked through the gloomy trees, the long grass, and the small insects that sang a sad tune. This atmosphere made his emotions slip through. The wind moved his hair, and he began thinking about his future again, occasionally reflecting on his past.
"How wonderful it would be if nothing happened, and we just kept playing, grew up, then... it would be nice to have many children. Hehe."
A slight smile appeared on his lips. This was the first time he felt happiness since going to the mountain, a beautiful feeling that accumulated in his chest. Suddenly, the images of that city resurfaced, as if someone were watching him.
He immediately jumped back, terrified! He assumed a fighting stance, his eyes widening sharply! He looked left and right quickly, but found nothing except the song of insects and the rustling of trees.
When he realized what had happened, he erased the thoughts from his mind. A look of annoyance appeared on his face, and he clenched his teeth, almost grinding them. His fingers nearly broke from the intensity of his grip. "Damn your feelings, Chang Yu!" He punched his face! He spat out a few drops of blood and wiped his mouth.
That sharp gaze returned again. He looked around, feeling the cold penetrate his eyes. "Wuqi, there was no need for this. A simple reminder would have sufficed."
The air surged violently, the branches swaying intensely. Some small insects flew away as the air coursed between the gaps in the trees in a highly organized and terrifying manner. This combination produced a strong, cold sound. "This is the simple reminder. It won't be so simple next time, remember that."
Suddenly, the sound from the trees changed. This time, it was more natural, less cold and terrifying. "Continue your journey. There's not much left before you meet the event."
Chang Yu sighed. He was exhausted, but they both knew this was only the beginning. Chang Yu had yet to see anything.
He moved southward quickly, against the wind, which slowed him down slightly. After some time, he stopped and hid among the tall grass. He heard the sound of wheels and many horse steps. "What's going on? I don't think anyone would come to this forest. How did so many horses get in?" Chang Yu thought.
The sound grew closer and closer until it was right in front of him. He saw a majestic procession passing by. Dozens? No! Hundreds of warriors surrounded the carts, a mix of infantry and cavalry. Each cart was surrounded by a group of elite cavalry, sitting proudly, holding their spears and swords high.
He could feel their auras, which were overwhelming. Their presence was far stronger than his own. There was no doubt that if he tried to fight them, he would meet a miserable death.
Especially some of the knights, whose auras were unlike the other fighters, varying from sharp to light and others. They were overwhelmingly strong! If Chang Yu's strength was, for example, three, the strength of these knights would definitely be over ten!
A sense of unease grew within him, and the seal wall slightly weakened.
The flags held high by some of the knights caught his attention. Chang Yu was conflicted, as this wasn't just a simple display. This was an immensely powerful force! Especially the flag raised high, fluttering in the wind.
"Ji? Isn't this the neighboring empire? They have a good relationship with us. Why would they come with all this power?" Many questions filled his mind.
Suddenly, his scalp went numb! He felt cold sweat running down his back, and his eyes widened in horror as a mighty voice rang inside his head. "Leave!"
Involuntarily, he jumped in front of the procession, lowered his head, and clasped his hands together, shouting, "Honorable one! Please, rest assured that I mean no harm! I was just awestruck by the grandeur of your procession and forgot to show you the respect you deserve!"
A cold breeze blew between them, entering their eyes, yet no one stirred. Only the sound of a horse's movement filled Chang Yu's heart, and waves of agitation surged within him! The guards made way for him, and when he appeared, there was a towering knight with a stern expression, as solid as stone.
Chang Yu shuddered involuntarily. This was one of the knights whose strength was exaggerated. The motion of his spear aimed at Chang Yu's head was the moment that shattered the dam in his heart! Chang Yu's emotions erupted, creating a flood within him, expressing its celebration of breaking the seal.
The knight wore gleaming silver armor, resembling a giant white dragon. He was very tall, with his spear being the only thing longer than him among all the fighters around the procession.
Chang Yu felt the cold sweat on his back increase. He swallowed hard as he stared closely at the sharp edge before his eyes. "Damn! If he wants to kill me, I won't even feel it! What's happening? The Ji Empire has been very good to us, there are even blood ties! Could they be here for war?"
Suddenly, a sharp, threatening voice entered Chang Yu's ears, making his heart race madly. "Who are you? What are you doing here? I don't think you're just a passerby. Only madmen or those with great power enter this forest. Answer honestly, or you'll only see the world flip before your eyes."
Chang Yu's head burned with the boiling flood of fear; it felt like hell. He didn't know how to act in this situation. His hands trembled violently. He said with fear, "S...sir! My name is C...Chang Yu! I-I'm from the Yu state, a village on a mountain... I came here because... I heard there was a great opportunity here! And whoever gets it—gets fortune and endless wealth!"
Before the guard could respond, one of the luxurious carts shook. A mighty voice resonated in the area, sounding like the roar of dragons at times, and at other times, like the gentleness of angels.
"A great opportunity? Do you think we're children? If you're going to lie, lie properly. Speak! If General Kuang only makes your head dance, I'll make you wish for death and still never reach it if you lie again!"
Chang Yu felt his heart being squeezed by this man. He appeared as an absolute ruler, a supreme emperor!
His heartbeats became like the pounding of loud drums. His face darkened, and he began to feel the Grim Reaper knocking at his soul's door. After a short period of standing, Chang Yu's expression changed, as though he had been taken by surprise for a moment.
His legs weakened, unable to bear the pressure, trembling violently before he fell to his knees. He saw the general, hands clasped, lowering his head, offering his respect in silence to the person sitting in the cart.
The general turned back to Chang Yu, extending his silver spear until its sharp tip touched Chang Yu's scalp. He felt the cold, not just on his head, but throughout his entire body!
It was as though his body became a battlefield between hell and the freezing cold, with lightning and thunder mixed in. He felt stings across his body, from his head to his toes. For the first time, Chang Yu cried out of pure fear. Transparent diamond-like tears fell, carving the earth as they dropped, as if trying to embrace Chang Yu's tragedies, the only one who truly knew all his feelings.
The general's patience wore thin. He pressed harder on Chang Yu's head, causing a small amount of blood to trickle out before it turned to lava. He shouted, "You! Didn't you hear the prince's words?! Speak!"
He paused for a moment, his tone turning cold. "You have fifteen breaths before you wish for death. Use them as you will."
Chang Yu could no longer endure. He had reached his limit—terror, fear, cold, heat, electricity, trembling, unable to stand, and blood that only wanted to escape from the drums of his heart. He almost lost his mind. He thought, in a moment of madness, "I'm not weak to this extent!"
Suddenly, he raised his hand and struck the spear away in the blink of an eye. As the general was about to stab Chang Yu, he screamed with all his heart, all the pain, both psychological and physical, from the time he spent with his sister.
The appearance of all these inhuman elements before his eyes—the sight of the loving mother he lost, the girl he had just started to love, controlling him like an animal tool—made him scream in agony with tears and snot pouring down his face.
"You want to kill me?! Kill me! Kill me and make this tortured teenager rest in peace! My mother died young, leaving my father to suffer, and my sister! My sister, an adopted child, tortured by a rare disease!!"
He gasped for air. He paused for a moment, as if realizing something. He wiped away his tears and continued, "Keep torturing me, demons, keep dragging me to do your hard work! Then leave me with a child, shackle my hands and feet and laugh while I suffer!! It hasn't been long since my father died by their hands!"
Before he could continue, Chang Yu looked at the warriors. Not a single one of them flinched, like statues. Especially that general, who didn't utter a word, his face unchanged! Not even for a second did he flinch!
It was as if his body ran with ice, not blood, and his heart was made of iron! But even iron can soften and bend if hammered hard enough. This was what Chang Yu thought as his eyes widened, watching the cart shake and hearing the mocking tone from inside.
"Have you finished your silly story? You can't possibly think that these twisted words would make my well-trained forces speak a word? Are you joking? If you haven't finished, hurry up. Only five breaths left. You've wasted our time."
Suddenly, Wuqi's words appeared in Chang Yu's mind, when he asked about humans, about why some of them are so cruel that even if their parents were killed in front of them, they wouldn't flinch. What makes them different? Wuqi replied, "Humans... complex beings. If they show empathy, they become like sheep waiting for slaughter.
It's the nature they were born with, the human trait of empathy, whether toward other humans or other things. But circumstances and reality—the reality of humans—made them cruel. They must become cruel to avoid mistakes that lead to betrayal, death. It's the new nature that reality imposes.
That's why humans are selfish. When their lives are at stake, they are ready to change even the nature they were born with. Thus, the cruel ones are the ideal model of humanity, the superior class. I want you to sit on their throne. Do you understand?"
Still, there are some exceptions to this rule, born with the nature of cruelty. Anyway, that's enough for now. Develop this concept on your own. It's about total selfishness. Be extremely selfish, Chang Yu."
Chang Yu thought, his mind racing while facing the army of statues before him, "Wuqi... Is this what you wanted me to see? In the end, no matter how much I resist, no matter how much I fight for my feelings, will I just be kicked and humiliated? Is this the world you wanted me to see? A world of cruelty? Is there really no way to live in it except to become cruel? This is painful... so painful..."
After a short struggle, Chang Yu surrendered. He surrendered and let go of all his principles. Every time he said he would change, he returned when faced with something new. Though a small resistance remained, he fell silent, feeling the breeze again, his body's temperature and heartbeats calming, the ice melting off the lava, creating balance, and the lightning returning to its clouds. He withdrew his hands and relaxed them.
"Two breaths," the general said sharply again. Chang Yu straightened up, wiped his tears, clasped his hands again, and said naturally, "Sir, I came here only to find a cure for my sick sister. I heard it was available here. I hope you will allow me to leave, and I apologize for causing any trouble."
Somehow, the general felt a change within him. He thought, "It's a pity, if this boy were trained well and disciplined, he would undoubtedly be a general leading the battlefield. It's unfortunate... truly unfortunate that he met the prince... He won't leave him like this, for sure!"
He really wanted to talk to the boy in front of him, but disobeying orders meant death, something he couldn't allow. He waved his spear and returned it to its previous position. He said, more naturally, "And what proof do you have?"
Chang Yu extended his hand, and in the blink of an eye, a bubble appeared before him, causing dust to rise and some grass to bend. For just a moment, everyone was shocked, some still stunned, as these were techniques they had never seen before. Chang Yu popped the bubble, revealing a child who seemed to be asleep. The general's eyes softened slightly. He let out a simple sigh and said, "You can go. No need to check further."
"Thank you, sir!" Chang Yu's voice returned to normal as he bowed and showed his respect. Just as he was about to turn and leave, the cart shook again. The voice from inside said, "Hey, Chang Yu, wait a moment. Your stories are fascinating, and my little sister liked them. How about accompanying us and telling more stories? I'll definitely cure your sister when we arrive. What do you think? A good offer, right? I'll also give you a horse!"