Chapter 27: Lord Carefree
As they led him toward the settlement, Lin Mu's mind churned with frustration.
The system had continued to stay silent through the encounter, offering no guidance or explanation whatsoever.
"i know your definitely enjoying this, aren't you?" he muttered under his breath, though he knew the system wouldn't answer.
The settlement loomed larger as they approached, its gates creaking open to reveal a bustling interior filled with humanoids of varying ages and appearances. All eyes turned to Lin, their gazes a mix of curiosity, fear, and hostility.
The guards led him to a small building near the center of the settlement, its interior dimly lit and sparsely furnished. They pushed him inside and shut the door, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
"Sigh....guess grandpa was right again." Lin Mu let out a sigh before recalling a certain similar memory from his past.
Several years back...
Lin Mu sat under the shade of an old oak tree, his gaze distant, when he suddenly saw a woman walking on the pavement across the street. A middle aged man who seemed to be in a hurry ran past her forcing her to yelp and dodge. It was then that Lin Mu suddenly saw something drop out of her trench coat.
The woman cursed at the man with vivid irritation before continuing on her way, completely oblivious to her fallen item.
" Oh no, that lady forgot her purse." He said, his little face clouded with worry.
Lin Mu, then a boy with a kind heart and a naive sense of justice, had crossed the street to pick it up and chased after her.
"Ma'am, you dropped this!" he'd called out when he finally caught up to her.
But instead of gratitude, she spun around with an accusatory glare, snatching the purse from his hands. "What do you think you're doing?, Trying to steal from me?" she barked, loud enough for the bystanders to look. Her words were barbs, her voice dripping with disdain.
" N-no I didn't, I just–"
He tried to explain, but the scorn in her eyes didn't waver. "Just stay away from me you little thief." she spat before storming off, leaving Lin Mu standing there, small and bewildered.
Later in the evening, as he sat on their porch, his grandfather approached him from behind, the creak of the wooden planks on the stairs announcing his arrival. He quietly sat beside Lin Mu, his aged face filled with worry and the warmth of a parent.
" Mu'er, what's wrong?.." His grandfather finally broke the ice and asked what could have gotten his chatty grandson so upset that he had been completely silent since the moment he returned.
" It's nothing grandpa...I..I (sniff) just wanna be left alone.." Lin Mu tried to say while unconsciously sniffling with tears and snot. His grandfather obviously didn't listen to him and continued to persuade him to speak. Only after Lin Mu had relented and told him about what transpired between him and the woman, did he finally stop asking.
"Sigh...Listen Mu'er" Grandpa Lin let out a breath, his eyes glancing into the distant sky with a hint of melancholy. " a heart burdened by fear twists kindness into a threat, repaying compassion with hostility...not out of malice, but from the instinct to shield itself from what it cannot trust."
Lin Mu looked up, confusion etched on his young face. "But I wasn't trying to hurt her, I wasn't even trying to steal it, I just wanted to..to (sniff) return her purse."
"I know, and so does your heart. That's what matters. But not everyone sees the world the way you do." his grandfather said, placing a weathered hand on his shoulder. "Don't let their fear and wicked hearts change you. Be kind anyway. That's your strength."
Lin Mu nodded, though the sting of the encounter lingered. His grandfather rose and walked inside, leaving Lin Mu with the echoes of his words.
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" Huah..., What really matters is that I did something. If I had done it, expecting something in return, then it wouldn't be a good deed now would it." Lin Mu yawned, clasping his mouth with his right hand, his eyes squinting.
Having recalled such a memory, Lin Mu felt a lot calmer.
" Looks like they make perfect hosts, since they plan on leaving those two 8th stage Body Refining Realm warriors to watch me so closely...." Lin Mu stroked his chin while chuckling at the humanoid creatures obvious cautious nature while he paced the room, jokingly eyeing the interior.
"Well at least their kind enough to leave me with some shelter." he muttered, his voice echoing in the empty space.
He stopped by the small window, peering out at the settlement. He suddenly spotted Lian and Mei not to far away, their expressions unreadable as they spoke with the humanoid leader from earlier. Lin Mu couldn't help but reveal a wary smile. Whatever they were saying, he hoped it was in his favor.
For now, all he could do was wait.
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Several moments later....
Like Lin Mu expected, it wasn't long before he was roughly dragged out of the tent, the two Serinerian warriors who were tasked with watching his confinement earlier, now flanking him as if he were a dangerous animal that could snap at any moment.
Their scaled leathery armor, which looked like it was made from a reptilian beasts hide, gleamed under the suns rays. Additionally, their sharp, curved iron swords were always within reach, a silent reminder of the fragile truce between him and this alien settlement.
The air was thick with tension. Every step closer to the center of the settlement drew stares from the Several dozens of the similar looking humanoids, each with iridescent skin that shimmered in mixed hues of blues and purples. Their eyes, large and glowing faintly, betrayed both curiosity and suspicion.
Their Children hid behind their parents, peeking out with wide-eyed wonder at the supposed visitor of the tribe, while warriors stood with their hands on their weapons, ready to spring into action.