C20 He Was Not a Man

Groping blindly in the pitch-dark cave, Jing Chong stumbled around, bumping into the walls like a blind man navigating unfamiliar terrain. After a considerable effort, he reached a disheartening conclusion: the vast cave was no bigger than a house, and that was the extent of it.

The rough stone walls were the only features in the otherwise barren space, not a single stray stone in sight. Walking on the ground was effortless, indicating that the cave had been crudely hewn and never refined. The only detail his hands could discern on the stone walls were the smooth areas, clearly the result of being sliced by sharp blades during the cave's creation.

From these observations, Jing Chong deduced that the cave couldn't be more than ten years old and was nothing more than an abandoned, purposeless hollow. This realization was a bitter pill to swallow.

It appeared that not every cave on earth concealed treasures, and he was far from being a divinely appointed spelunker. It was all just a stroke of luck. With a self-deprecating chuckle, he abandoned all fanciful dreams of hidden riches, conceding that his quest had been in vain.

As he pondered his next move, he kicked at the ground listlessly, yet no serendipitous discovery like before presented itself. After a fruitless search, an extremely disappointed Jing Chong could no longer justify the delay. He turned and slowly made his way back to the mouth of the cave, muttering, "What a letdown!"

The delay had caused the day to darken, but a sliver of twilight enabled Jing Chong to easily locate the cave entrance. Exiting the cave with difficulty, his heart was heavy with discontent.

Overcome with frustration, he looked up at the sky and railed against his misfortune, "Curse this cruel fate! Not only are you heartless, but you're also miserly. My life is hard enough; can't you spare a little something for me?"

Grumbling, he stepped out of the cave, all the while gathering the scattered stones and stacking them near the entrance. Clearly, he was not ready to accept his lack of findings. His actions were driven by the faint hope that he might return one day, should the whim strike him again.

To prevent his discovery from being claimed by others, the always meticulous Jing Chong decided to conceal it. He meticulously gathered the scattered stones and, still not reassured, heaped a pile of grass from the nearby rocks over the cave entrance. The mountain wall looked untouched once again. The spot was so well-hidden that it was unlikely to be found, and even if it were, it would cause him no harm. He was simply taking precautions.

After completing his task, Jing Chong breathed a sigh of relief, half-jokingly thinking of his efforts as moving house for the mountain god. "Well, even if you haven't granted me any favors, this is still the first thing I've found since arriving at Blood Razor Keep. Maybe one day, on a whim, I'll come back here to relieve myself—might as well make good use of this secluded spot!"

He continued to shake his head and mumble to himself, perhaps revealing a slight vindictive streak within. Despite this, he felt no rush to leave, sensing that something valuable might be hidden there.

But reality was staring him in the face, and he couldn't ignore it. Biting the bullet, he resolved to leave.

"Jing Chong! Jing Chong! Where have you run off to? Did a wolf get you or what?" A familiar voice echoed from the distant woods, stirring the wildlife into a frenzy.

A brief hesitation passed before a smile crept onto Jing Chong's lips. He knew immediately who it was—Nie Haiyuan. In the vastness of Blood Razor Keep, he only knew this one person.

Nie Haiyuan was more than just a petty swindler; he was a kind soul whose concern could deeply touch others. Jing Chong had only been gone a short while, and already Nie Haiyuan was worried. The words, though rough, felt incredibly comforting to Jing Chong. They brought a warmth that spread through him, making his blood surge with life.

Jing Chong couldn't suppress a knowing smile as he quickened his pace towards the source of the voice.

He hadn't anticipated that in his hasty departure from Skyreach Keep, he would have covered such a considerable distance in his blind rush.

The path here was narrow, twisting, and overgrown with weeds, clearly seldom traveled.

It wasn't until he navigated several bends and threaded through the serpentine woods that a wide road finally lay before him as expected.

A short distance up the mountain path, a plump figure was glancing around in confusion, scratching his head and cheeks, and calling out into the woods with a voice that was almost comically gruff.

Seeing this, Jing Chong felt a pang of guilt. After all, he was now part of a community, and his sudden disappearance was bound to cause concern, especially for Nie Haiyuan, who had deceived him into coming to Blood Razor Keep. Surely, Nie would hold him accountable.

As he mulled this over, a wave of unease washed over Jing Chong, but the thought of Nie Haiyuan's typically easygoing demeanor soon soothed him.

After clearing his throat, Jing Chong hastened his steps and quickly reached Nie Haiyuan from behind. With a light tap on the shoulder, Jing Chong looked up with earnest warmth and said, "You were looking for me!"

Nie Haiyuan was accustomed to Jing Chong's brief manner of speaking, but his eyes betrayed his feelings. Upon seeing Jing Chong, they sparkled with unmistakable relief, and the deep-seated worry that had lurked there vanished in an instant. With a grin stretching across his face, Nie Haiyuan teased, "What have you been up to? Did you come to Blood Razor Keep to learn the art of wooing and dating?"

His words were irreverent, instantly extinguishing the flicker of fondness Jing Chong had felt. With a scornful glance, Jing Chong turned on his heel without another word and strode off alone towards Skyreach Keep.