C1 His Name Was Zhao Lin

The White Isle Mountain snaked and twisted like a mighty dragon taking flight, gazing into the distance. Amidst the mountain, a verdant forest thrived with thick foliage and robust branches. Suddenly, a sharp whoosh cut through the air, followed by a scream. A young boy, about fifteen or sixteen and clad in tree bark, dashed toward the source of the outcry. He moved with the grace and ease of a swallow, as if the rugged terrain were no obstacle at all.

Before long, the boy returned with a white rabbit in tow, now lifeless, an arrow having pierced its skull. "Another white rabbit. It's been white rabbits for days on end. How odd. Where have all the other wild animals gone?" he mused to himself. Reaching a riverbank, he swiftly skinned the rabbit and cleaned out its innards, then set it to roast over a campfire.

As time passed, a delicious aroma wafted from the flames. The rabbit, now a golden brown, tantalized the boy's senses. His lips twitched in anticipation, and his hunger was instantly aroused. Despite his youth, he had a hearty appetite, and he devoured the rabbit with gusto. After his meal, he stretched out languidly and lay down, surrendering to a deep and satisfying slumber.

He was known as Zhao Lin. Orphaned from a young age, Zhao Lin had grown up in a cycle of feast and famine, reaching the age of fifteen with a resilience that belied his circumstances. He was determined, never one to give up or accept charity lightly. Even his archery and hunting skills were hard-won, having spent a year in unpaid apprenticeship under a grizzled old man who never truly took the time to teach him earnestly.

Once Zhao Lin had parted ways with the old man, White Isle Mountain became his sanctuary, his life sustained by the hunt. Loneliness was his constant companion, yet he had grown accustomed to it. He even indulged in the luxury of wild game, a rarity for most, further distancing himself from the outside world.

In the midst of sleep, a pair of roars jolted Zhao Lin awake. "A black bear!" he exclaimed, not with alarm but with excitement. Seizing his bow and arrows, he sprinted toward the commotion. "At last, a chance for a new flavor!" he thought. Zhao Lin's pace was swift, and ahead, a black bear, seemingly startled, bolted in a frantic escape.

"As soon as I arrived, you started running, but can you really get away?" Zhao Lin nocked an arrow to his bow, his gaze intense and the bow creaking in his hands. The arrowhead and the fleeing black bear were perfectly aligned. Zhao Lin had taken down no fewer than ten black bears with his bow; he knew exactly where to strike a lethal blow.

With a thud, the arrow aimed straight for the back of the black bear's head! "Ah, black bear meat, how I've missed it!" Zhao Lin's face lit up with pleasure, but his joy was short-lived as the arrow suddenly veered off course and embedded itself in a tree. Stunned, Zhao Lin watched the black bear vanish from view. "Impossible!" He ran to inspect the arrow and, seeing a white mark on the arrowhead, his face twisted with rage.

"Who's the coward sabotaging my hunt? Show yourself!" No sooner had the words left his mouth than Zhao Lin nearly jumped out of his skin. A striking young man in a white robe descended from above, his eyes glinting with a deadly threat. "You caused my arrow to miss!" Zhao Lin gasped for air, furious that this person had deflected his shot and let the bear escape—an unforgivable offense.

"An ant dares to speak such filth!" The young man's face darkened with anger, his palm flipping in warning. Zhao Lin's face paled; he knew that when a black bear made that gesture, it was a prelude to an attack. He backpedaled rapidly, drawing his bow and readying another arrow. To him, the man standing before him might as well have been a formidable black bear.

The young man let out a scornful laugh as the arrow halted an inch from his forehead, immobilized. "What?" Zhao Lin was aghast, firing another arrow in desperation. With a flick of his finger, the young man shattered the incoming arrow into dust, leaving Zhao Lin wide-eyed with terror. "You little..." Before the young man could finish, Zhao Lin was already sprinting away, his speed unmatched by the average person.

The young man looked on, dumbfounded, as he effortlessly took to the air without any aid, pursuing Zhao Lin. "That's no human; it's a monster, definitely a monster!" Panic-stricken, Zhao Lin ran wildly, choosing his path in haste. "Roar, roar!" The cries of various wild beasts echoed around him. Zhao Lin had an epiphany; no wonder he hadn't seen any other wild animals recently—they had all fled to this area!

"Strange, these savage beasts seem to have encountered something formidable!" Observing the rising dust and the tracks on the ground, Zhao Lin quickened his pace to follow. Unbeknownst to him, the young man had not abandoned him but was trailing at a distance, seemingly delighted with Zhao Lin's speed.

"Oh my God!" Zhao Lin exclaimed, startled by the sight before him. Countless wild beasts, typically rare in the forest, were now swarming in front of him. There were thousands of them, flying in the sky and running on the ground, all in a state of unrest and wariness.

"It's odd, these beasts aren't attacking me upon sight!" Zhao Lin's face turned pale, and he dared not make any sudden moves. In the presence of beasts, any rash action could be interpreted as a challenge. At that moment, a gust of wind sent shivers through his body, and his eyes reddened with fear. He saw something astonishing—a man and a woman standing midair.

The man was clad in a long gray robe and appeared to be in his early twenties. Zhao Lin, however, paid him no mind, his gaze locked on the girl. She was dressed in a white gown and looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, with long black hair cascading down to her waist, resembling a celestial fairy.

Each holding a bag, the man and woman opened them, and to the sounds of terrified cries, the beasts on the ground were swept up into the bags by the fierce wind. "This must be a dream, a terrible nightmare!" Zhao Lin thought, trying to flee, but his legs refused to cooperate. Sweat beaded on his face, dripping down like heavy rain.

"Hey, Junior Sister, there's someone there. I'll go and kill him!" The man and woman, having captured the beasts, noticed Zhao Lin collapsed on the ground. As Zhao Lin's face turned ashen, the pair floated down gracefully before him. "Never mind, he's just an ignorant child," the woman, about twenty years old, said with a look of compassion.

"Junior Sister, you've forgotten our masters' instructions. This matter must remain a secret!" The young man who had missed Zhao Lin with his arrow descended from above. "Senior Brother, he's only a child; it should be alright. Let's allow him to leave," the woman countered. As they debated, Zhao Lin's thoughts raced. He realized that what these three were doing was not meant for outsiders to know, and he was exactly that—an outsider. Desperate thoughts flickered through his mind; he did not want to die.

Suddenly, Zhao Lin lunged forward, wrapping his arms around the young woman's thigh. His words tumbled out swiftly and articulately, "Sister, I'm just an orphan. You've taken all the fellbeasts, and if I stay here, it's certain death for me. Why not take me with you? Sister, you're such a kind soul; surely you won't let me die of hunger at such a young age!"

The two men stood by, staring at the scene in shock, scarcely able to believe their eyes. "Alright, alright. Sister will take you with her. Just let go of my leg. I promise to take you with me!" The girl's cheeks were ablaze with embarrassment. In her fluster, she quickly acquiesced to Zhao Lin's plea. "Dear sister, you will always be my beloved sister!" Zhao Lin cried out, his eyes brimming with tears of gratitude. As he released the girl, none of the three noticed the sly smirk that briefly crossed Zhao Lin's face.