Nian Lin walked alone for some time.
He took out the map Senior Mo had given him and searched for the nearest place where he could spend the night. After studying it for a while, he discovered that the closest settlement was still very far away. At his current speed, he wouldn't arrive until tomorrow evening.
He silently rolled up the map and put it away.
By now, the sky had grown considerably darker. Thick black clouds gathered overhead, swallowing the stars one after another. The occasional flashes of lightning illuminated the horizon, followed by distant rumbles of thunder. It seemed that heavy rain would soon fall.
Nian Lin didn't mind.
All he needed was a place to spend the night.
Searching for food, shelter, and safety had been part of his life since childhood. Finding a place to survive for one night was nothing difficult for him.
Before long, he discovered a small grass hut hidden among several old trees.
Judging from its appearance, someone had once lived there.
As always, Nian Lin didn't enter immediately.
He first circled the surroundings, carefully observing every corner. Leaving the ruins hadn't erased the caution he had developed over the years.
Only after confirming that there was no immediate danger did he slowly push open the worn wooden door.
Several small beasts inside instantly became alert and stared at him warily.
Nian Lin paid them no attention.
Instead, his gaze slowly swept across the interior until it finally stopped.
Bones.
Scattered across one corner of the hut were several weathered bones.
Having hunted countless beasts over the years, Nian Lin recognized them almost instantly.
They weren't beast bones.
They were human.
He quietly stared at them for a long time.
His expression remained as cold as ever.
"What a pitiful death..."
He muttered softly.
"To die alone like a wild animal... with no one even left to bury your remains."
His gaze remained fixed on the skeleton.
The bones had already been gnawed by beasts. Some were scattered throughout the hut, while others had been dragged outside.
A strange thought suddenly surfaced in his heart.
"Will this also be my fate one day?"
"To die alone inside some forgotten place..."
"Leaving behind nothing but a pile of bones..."
"Is dying alone terrifying..."
"...or is living alone even more terrifying?"
He remained silent for a long while before lightly shaking his head.
"I have no time to think about such things."
The rain soon began to fall.
That night passed quietly.
...
The following morning, Nian Lin slowly opened his eyes.
The small beasts that had shared the hut with him had long since disappeared.
Some would become prey today.
Others would become predators.
That was simply the law of survival.
His gaze once again landed on the scattered human bones.
After remaining silent for a few breaths, he slowly walked over.
"I'm not kind."
"I'm not noble."
"I don't even think this has any value."
As he spoke, he punched the dry earth beside the hut, creating a shallow pit.
Using a strand of spiritual energy, he carefully gathered the scattered bones and placed them inside.
"So I don't really care."
He gently covered the pit with earth.
"But..."
"I borrowed your hut for one night."
"So let this be my repayment."
After saying those words, Nian Lin turned around without looking back.
The nameless grave remained behind beneath the quiet morning sky, while his lone figure gradually disappeared into the distance.
_______________
On a forest pathway between two enormous rocks, the furious snarls and howls of wolves echoed continuously through the forest. It sounded as though they were fiercely battling something.
If one drew closer, they would see a young man dressed in beast skins, gripping a long spear with both hands as he desperately tried to fend off a pack of blood-red wolves.
Unfortunately, his resistance only seemed to excite them further.
Their saliva dripped from their mouths as they greedily stared at him. Some of the bolder wolves lunged forward, attempting to tear flesh from his body. A few succeeded, leaving several bloody wounds across his arms and shoulders. Others ripped open holes in his beast-skin clothing, exposing fresh flesh beneath.
The young man already looked as though he wouldn't survive much longer.
However, the wolves hadn't escaped unscathed either. Several had been pierced by his spear, while one lay motionless nearby.
The young man looked around in despair.
"Many days for the prey... one day for the hunter."
He laughed bitterly.
"If I had known today would be my last hunt, I would've stayed home."
Regret always came after everything was already over.
Looking at the circling wolves, he couldn't help but rain vulgar curses upon them.
Another wolf suddenly leaped toward him, aiming for his throat.
Although it missed its target, it still clamped its jaws around his left arm.
"AAARGH!"
The young man roared in pain.
Instead of retreating, he lowered his head and bit the wolf's ear with all his strength.
The wolf let out a miserable screech before jumping away, leaving one of its ears behind.
Seeing that the young man still possessed enough strength to fight back, the wolf leader growled, stopping the rest of the pack from attacking.
It was obvious they were experienced hunters.
Rather than risking unnecessary injuries, they intended to let the young man continue bleeding until he no longer had the strength to resist.
The young man understood this as well.
The despair in his eyes deepened.
He was brave...
But who said brave people weren't afraid of death?
Especially dying miserably beneath the fangs of a pack of wolves.
Wouldn't that shame his ancestors?
Being eaten alive by beasts...
He let out another bitter laugh.
Just then...
A calm voice interrupted his thoughts.
"If I save you... how many Spirit Coins will you give me?"
The young man was startled.
He quickly turned around.
Standing not far away was a youth who looked no older than twelve or thirteen. His face was smeared with black mud, making it impossible to see his true appearance clearly.
The young man nearly cried tears of joy.
"The heavens haven't abandoned me after all!"
He thought that the youth had come at the perfect time.
Even if he couldn't kill the wolves, he could at least lure them away long enough for him to escape.
Using his remaining strength, he forced himself to continue standing proudly.
He knew wolves perceived weakness.
As long as they believed he could still fight, they would hesitate.
But if another easier prey appeared...
Sure enough.
The wolves instantly shifted their attention toward the young newcomer.
Without the slightest hesitation, the young man turned and sprinted toward the rocky passage.
"I, Zhao Chen, am not a heartless man! Thank you for saving my life! I will remember this kindness forever!"
Despite looking half dead only moments ago, he now ran astonishingly fast.
Hope truly was a terrifying thing.
Nian Lin silently watched the fleeing man.
His gaze remained calm.
His eyes resembled a bottomless well, so deep that no one could see what he was thinking.
He slowly shifted his attention toward the approaching wolves.
Since leaving the abandoned hut early that morning, he had walked the entire day before finally hearing the sounds of battle.
The wolves before him were nothing extraordinary.
They were ordinary wolves...
Yet their coordination and cunning surpassed that of many humans.
Just as they approached within several meters of him...
They suddenly stopped.
Every wolf instinctively retreated several steps.
The leader stared at him with extreme vigilance.
Nian Lin calmly looked back.
"It has already developed a trace of intelligence... But its instincts are even sharper."
Even after suppressing the killing intent accumulated during his years in the ruins, the wolf leader could still sense the dangerous aura hidden beneath the surface.
Experienced hunters indeed.
Seeing that no screams had followed him, Zhao Chen slowly turned around.
The moment he saw the scene before him, his scalp went numb.
He almost choked on his own breath.
Without another word, he immediately stopped running.
Looking nervously at Nian Lin, he said with a trembling voice,
"How much do you want? I'll pay! Please don't kill me! I'm only a hunter... my wife is pregnant..."
"What a hypocrite."
Nian Lin thought to himself.
If he hadn't wanted an opportunity to enter a mortal settlement, he wouldn't have interfered with the wolves' dinner.
He calmly asked,
"Are you from Bailou Village?"
"Yes!"
Zhao Chen answered immediately.
"My name is Zhao Chen! I'm a hunter from Bailou Village!"
As though understanding something, Zhao Chen hurriedly continued,
"I can bring you into the village! I'll pay the entrance fees! Whatever you want, I'll do it!"
The wolves had already lost their patience.
Although they feared Nian Lin, their hunger continued growing.
Several wolves lowered their bodies, preparing to attack once more.
"Smart."
Nian Lin thought.
"But words alone aren't enough."
Understanding what he meant, Zhao Chen immediately tore off a piece of beast skin from his clothes.
Using the blood flowing from his arm, he quickly wrote several lines upon it.
"This is my proof!"
"If I ever go back on my word... this will be the evidence!"
He threw the blood-written beast skin toward Nian Lin.
Nian Lin caught it.
He calmly glanced over the bloodstained writing before nodding slightly.
At that exact moment...
The wolves finally exhausted the last of their patience.
With furious howls, they charged.