Chapter Ninety-Three: The Abandoned Infant (Part One)

【Flashback】

Ten years ago.

Near Dragon King Mountain, by a small creek.

A newborn baby, wrapped tightly so that only a pair of eyes were visible, was placed into a wooden basin and set afloat downstream.

No one knew what fate awaited this little one.

The baby's cries echoed endlessly through the forest as the basin drifted smoothly along the river. Suddenly, a floating branch appeared, striking the basin.

The basin instantly changed course, drifting toward a different direction—one that led to a raging waterfall!

If it fell, the baby would surely be shattered to pieces.

A squirrel, leisurely gathering pinecones nearby, glanced over and was shocked to see the basin with the baby inside floating on the water.

In a panic, it stuffed two pinecones into its mouth, puffing its cheeks comically to free its paws for rescue.

The clever squirrel quickly darted ahead of the basin, grabbed a branch nearby, and jumped onto a rock to intercept the basin.

At first, the branch did stop the basin.

But as the current suddenly surged, the slender branch snapped under the strain, nearly dragging the squirrel into the river.

In this critical moment, the squirrel hesitated, spat out the pinecones, and called out. Immediately, several other squirrels appeared.

Using a language only they understood, they quickly conferred. Under the lead squirrel’s direction, they hoisted a sturdy branch and positioned it directly in the basin's path.

All claws gripped the branch tightly. Together, their combined strength finally halted the basin. Then, the squirrels worked as one to pry the basin’s bottom.

The basin was redirected, floating into a small stream that led deep into the forest. The squirrels shaded their eyes, watching the basin drift safely away.

The basin floated along the mountain stream until it came to rest in a pond filled with fallen leaves. A thick green snake noticed the basin and slithered over.

Climbing onto the basin, the green snake opened its mouth, aiming to bite the baby. The child cried out in fear, instinctively covering their eyes, unwilling to look.

Behind the baby, a venomous insect had jumped on. Seeing it, the snake quickly swallowed it whole.

Once again, the little one was safe and smiled innocently and sweetly.

At that moment, two hunters passing by happened upon the baby.

Whizz!

One hunter drew his bow, aimed at the green snake on the baby, and swiftly shot an arrow, killing it. They would never know that this very snake had just saved the baby's life.

Often, what you see as truth is not the whole truth.

What you perceive as evil may be an unseen kindness to others.

The baby was taken away by the two hunters to a wooden cabin at the mountain’s foot.

Creak!

Pushing open the cabin door revealed a large animal hide spread across the floor—a full pelt of a mature brown bear, minus the head.

One wall was adorned with skulls of various animals: mountain goats, elk, wolves, and tigers.

The opposite wall held an assortment of tools: saws, bows and arrows, hammers, large knives, harpoons, and an iron axe stained with fresh blood.

Though it seemed the hunters had rescued the baby, in truth, the child was brought to another kind of "hell."

The female hunter was infertile and longed for a child; she believed this baby was a divine gift.

The male hunter, however, disliked the child. He found the baby's gaze terrifying.

It reminded him of the vengeful eyes of the innocent creatures he had once slain—an illusion born from his deepest fears.

The child’s eyes were pure, clear, innocent, and lovely, but to him, they seemed like the gaze of a soul come to claim his life.

Thankfully, under the female hunter’s protection, the child's early years were relatively safe.

Time flew by—four years passed in the blink of an eye.

Perhaps growing up among hunters made the girl stronger and more mature than most children. Even when hurt, she never cried, brushing it off with a smile.

She regarded the female hunter as her mother but refused to acknowledge the male hunter, who often beat the female and even her.

Several times, while she slept, she overheard the woman sobbing quietly at night. She would rise from her bed and sit beside her, wiping away her tears.

One night, the woman gave the girl a lucky bell bracelet, placing it on her wrist. She spoke words beyond the child’s understanding but clung to her tightly through tears, as if saying goodbye.

The next day.

While the man was out hunting, the woman seized the chance, grabbed the girl’s hand, and fled the cabin.

She wanted to escape the dreadful man and live peacefully with the girl.

Returning home, the man discovered the woman’s betrayal and escape with the child. Grabbing his iron axe, he followed their footprints in pursuit.

He finally caught up to the woman, who was clutching the child as they approached a suspension bridge. Crossing it meant reaching the outside world, far away from him.

The woman looked back, saw him gaining fast, and quickened her pace.

As they reached the bridge's midpoint, a wooden plank broke, and her foot slipped through.

“Run! Don’t look back!”

Her calf was trapped by the broken plank. She pushed the girl forward, urging her to leave without worrying about her.

The girl glanced back and saw the man wielding his axe, his face twisted with fury, advancing toward her.

Crossing the bridge, the man ignored the woman’s injured, bleeding leg.

He strode past her, but she grabbed his ankle desperately.

The girl was nearly across the bridge.

Struggling fiercely, he finally kicked the woman away. The plank beneath her shattered instantly, and she began to fall—but she caught the rope in time.

The man glanced at the girl, then at the woman struggling below, and chose to save her, grabbing her hand.

Seeing the girl safely reach the other side, the woman shed tears and smiled faintly. Drawing a knife, she cut the rope.

The man realized too late. The suspension bridge lost balance, and he clung to the planks in terror.

Still, the woman pulled him off the bridge, and they both fell, crashing down the cliff.

The girl crouched at the broken edge, sobbing uncontrollably as she looked down at the woman’s shattered form lying in a pool of blood.

In his last moments midair, the man held onto her hand, still trying to protect her.

He cradled her as his body absorbed the impact below.

Even so, he could not save her.

Lying on the ground, bloodied and battered, the man turned his head to look at the woman, who lay beside him, turning her face toward him.

They reached out, their fingers nearly touching before both fell still.

In his final instant, the man saw the spirits of the animals he had killed standing nearby, as if there to escort him away.