Without wasting time, under the piercing night wind and the high-hanging moon in the dark sky, Du Chen and Hyeon Li rushed to begin their journey toward Daeng City.
Inside the gently swaying carriage, Du Chen was sharpening his sword with focus, while Hyeon Li sat quietly, gazing out the small window at the sky, her mind drifting with thoughts of what awaited them there.
"Hey hey, Hyeon Li. Don't look so worried. It's a shame for such a pretty face to look that gloomy. Are you really going to ignore this handsome guy in front of you?" Du Chen teased casually.
"Bastard. I wonder why I got paired with an idiot like you. You'll only be a burden," Hyeon Li replied coldly.
"Oi oi, come on! Aside from my good looks, I'm a skilled swordsman, you know? Don't underestimate me. Relax, I won't let your beautiful face bleed," Du Chen said, clearly offended.
"Tch..." Hyeon Li muttered, turning her head away.
Moments later, the wind suddenly blew harder, and the carriage came to a sudden halt. A young man carrying a sleeping little girl stood in front of the carriage.
"Excuse me, may I know the destination of this carriage?" the young man asked the driver.
"We're heading to Daeng City. Why are you stopping us?" the driver responded.
"My destination is also Daeng City. May I ride along? I'll pay two silver coins for the fare," the man asked politely.
"Hmm... very well. Get in the back cargo section," the driver replied.
"Thank you very much, sir," said the man as he walked toward the back.
Meanwhile, inside the main carriage...
BUMP!
The sudden stop made Du Chen lose his balance and…
Smack! His face landed right onto Hyeon Li's chest.
"YOU PERVERT!"
SLAAP!
A hard slap landed on Du Chen's cheek.
"ARGH! Why did you slap me?! That was an accident! If you want to blame someone, blame the driver who braked so suddenly!" Du Chen protested, rubbing his cheek.
"Tch. Shut up," Hyeon Li replied coldly.
"By the way, that young man with the little girl is talking to the driver," Hyeon Li said, glancing outside.
"Damn... if you want to blame someone, blame him for stopping the carriage," Du Chen grumbled.
"Seems like he just wanted a ride. Leave him be. That little girl must be freezing," Hyeon Li responded calmly.
"Whatever," Du Chen said with a sigh.
The carriage continued its journey to Daeng City, now with one additional passenger—the young man and the little girl—riding in the cargo section.
---
In the Cargo Carriage...
Jian Mo looked down at the little girl in his arms.
"Su Daji, are you cold?" he murmured softly.
His mind drifted back to the night before...
He had passed through the ruins of a village destroyed by a battle between the alliance sects and the Demon Fire Sect. Amidst the wreckage, he found a little girl crying beside her brother's lifeless body.
As a cold-blooded demon, Jian Mo had never cared for anyone. But for some reason, at that moment... his heart stirred.
"Hey, kid… was that your brother?" he asked.
The girl nodded while sobbing, "Mhm… yes…"
"Alright, let me help you bury him," Jian Mo said.
After they buried the brother, Jian Mo knelt and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Hey, want to come with me?" he asked.
"I… have no one left. Staying here is just waiting to die," the girl whispered.
"Then let's go home," Jian Mo said.
Since then, they had lived together in a small house of Jian Mo's on the coastal town of Diyun. And now, they were headed to Daeng City.
Tired from memories and the journey, Jian Mo slowly drifted off to sleep.
---
In the Forest Near Daeng City…
In a small cabin, three men dressed in black gathered.
"Report! The alliance has sent an expedition team. Two silver-rank warriors," said one subordinate.
"Heh… they really underestimate our power," scoffed Karyo, one of the leading soldiers. "As we know, warriors are divided into four ranks: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Mythril. Each has five stages."
"Indeed," Tian Le responded. "They think we're weak."
At the far end of the room sat a large man, muscular and radiating a terrifying aura. He sat upon a chair like a throne.
"Damn… they really think they can toy with us," growled Lian Shi, a general of the Demon Fire Sect. He gripped the armrest of his chair until it cracked under pressure.
Then, Lian Shi stood up, his voice deep and echoing.
"Tomorrow… we move. Show them who they should truly fear."
"Understood, Lord Lian!" the soldiers shouted in unison.
---