The Whispering Peaks loomed closer as the narrow trail opened into a small plateau. A dilapidated shrine stood at its center, shrouded in mist. The snow had begun to fall again, delicate flakes catching in Li Wei's hair and eyelashes.
"This is where we rest," Feng Rui announced, his voice steady but laced with exhaustion. He set his pack down by the shrine, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of danger.
Li Wei hesitated. "Is it safe here?"
Feng Rui smirked, leaning against a broken pillar. "Safe enough. Besides, those men won't track us here for a while. They'll regroup first."
Li Wei nodded, setting his own pack down beside Feng Rui's. Despite the biting cold, the shrine gave him a strange sense of calm. The carvings on the stone walls depicted dragons, mountains, and swirling clouds, their artistry faded but still beautiful.
---
As they sat by a small fire Feng Rui had managed to start, the silence between them grew heavy. Li Wei glanced at Feng Rui, who seemed lost in thought, his dark eyes fixed on the flickering flames.
"You said earlier that you've lost people," Li Wei began hesitantly. "Was it… because of something like this?" He gestured vaguely to the book, the ambush, and their precarious situation.
Feng Rui's gaze didn't waver from the fire. "Something like this, yes," he replied, his tone unusually soft.
Li Wei waited, hoping Feng Rui would elaborate. When he didn't, Li Wei pressed on. "I know I ask too many questions, but… I want to understand. Why do you fight? Why do you risk your life for someone you barely know?"
Feng Rui finally looked at him, his expression unreadable. "Do you really think I barely know you, Li Wei?"
The question caught Li Wei off guard. "What do you mean?"
Feng Rui leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. "You're not just some scholar with a mysterious book. I've seen the way you stand up for what you believe in, even when it terrifies you. You've got a strength most people don't. And that's worth protecting."
Li Wei's cheeks flushed, both from the praise and the intensity of Feng Rui's gaze. "But I'm not strong," he said quietly. "I'm just… me."
Feng Rui's lips curved into a small smile. "Sometimes, just being yourself is the strongest thing you can do."
---
The conversation shifted after that, the tension easing as they spoke of lighter things—old stories, strange encounters, and fleeting dreams. Feng Rui teased Li Wei about his awkwardness, while Li Wei managed to pull a rare laugh from Feng Rui with a tale of his misadventures in the academy.
As the fire burned lower, Feng Rui's gaze turned to the book that rested beside Li Wei. "There's more to that book than just riddles and codes," he said, his tone serious again. "Do you know where it came from?"
Li Wei shook his head. "I found it in an old library. It was buried beneath stacks of forgotten scrolls. Something about it… drew me in."
Feng Rui picked up the book, his fingers brushing over its worn leather cover. "It's not just any book, Li Wei. The symbols inside… they're ancient. Sacred, even. People would kill to keep secrets like these buried."
Li Wei's stomach twisted. "Then why does it feel like I was meant to find it?"
Feng Rui looked at him, his expression unreadable once more. "Maybe you were."
The cryptic reply left Li Wei with more questions than answers, but before he could press further, the sound of distant footsteps echoed through the stillness.
Feng Rui was on his feet in an instant, his hand on his sword. "Stay here," he ordered, his voice low and commanding.
Li Wei reached for his pack, gripping it tightly as Feng Rui disappeared into the shadows. The footsteps grew louder, accompanied by muffled voices.
Moments later, Feng Rui returned, his expression grim. "We're not alone."
Li Wei's heart raced. "Who is it? Are they—"
Feng Rui shook his head. "Not attackers. Travelers. But we can't trust anyone."
The two of them extinguished the fire and retreated to the shadows of the shrine. Li Wei's breathing was shallow as he clutched the book to his chest, his mind racing with fear and uncertainty.
As the footsteps grew closer, Feng Rui's hand tightened around his sword. He glanced at Li Wei, his expression softening for a moment. "No matter what happens, stay behind me," he said.
Li Wei nodded, his chest tightening at the thought of Feng Rui risking himself yet again.
The travelers emerged from the mist—a group of three, cloaked and armed. They paused at the edge of the shrine, their eyes scanning the area.
Feng Rui stepped forward, his posture relaxed but his grip on his sword firm. "Lost your way?" he called out, his voice calm but sharp.
The leader of the group, a tall man with a weathered face, raised a hand in a gesture of peace. "We mean no harm. Just seeking shelter from the storm."
Feng Rui didn't lower his guard. "Storms are predictable. People aren't."
The man chuckled. "Fair point. But we're just travelers, same as you."
Feng Rui's eyes narrowed, his body tense. Li Wei could feel the weight of the moment, the fragile line between peace and conflict.
Finally, Feng Rui stepped aside, gesturing to the shrine. "Make yourselves comfortable. But don't try anything foolish."
The group nodded, moving to the opposite side of the shrine. Feng Rui returned to Li Wei's side, his expression unreadable.
"We'll leave at first light," he said quietly.
Li Wei nodded, his mind buzzing with questions. Who were these strangers? And what secrets did the book hold that made them so valuable—and so dangerous?
As the night stretched on, Li Wei's thoughts kept returning to Feng Rui's words and actions. Beneath his enigmatic exterior, Feng Rui carried a weight that Li Wei couldn't yet comprehend.
But one thing was clear—whatever lay ahead, they would face it together.