The sky was vast, the earth expansive, and the forests were painted in layers of autumn colors as the southern geese followed the wind.
For the soldiers undergoing training in the Yan Kingdom, it was an exhilarating day. For hunters, it was a season promising a bountiful harvest. But for the prisoners of the Battle of Qiujiang, it was a day that offered a sliver of hope for survival while simultaneously confronting them with the inescapable prospect of death.
For Mei Lin, however, it was nothing short of a miserable day. If the Southern Yue captives were forced to serve as training aids for the Yan army, driven by their defeat in battle, then what had she—a mere concubine in the prince’s residence—done to deserve such treatment?
Leaning wearily against a branch of a lush pine tree, Mei Lin picked a pine cone, peeling away the layers to reveal the seeds inside. Meanwhile, she silently cursed Luo Mei, Murong Jing He, the Dark Factory, and its master, one by one.
Luo Mei’s so-called "game" was to release the prisoners into the forest, allowing them to flee as far as they could. Two hours later, her soldiers would enter the forest to hunt them down, with rewards given based on the number of heads collected. As for Mei Lin, Luo Mei had explained that she wanted to see how someone without martial skills could survive in such perilous circumstances—information that would help her conduct more targeted training for her soldiers.
It all stemmed from the suspicion that had arisen when Mei Lin emerged from the forest unharmed last time. Mei Lin pursed her lips, feeling somewhat helpless. She recalled how, just before entering the forest, Luo Mei had pulled her aside and muttered something. When Mei Lin didn’t respond, Luo Mei had given her a strange smile and said, "You’d better start praying you don’t get caught by me."
Even if she hadn’t understood it at the time, Mei Lin now realized that her lack of knowledge of the Xiyan language had been discovered. Luo Mei had spoken to her in Xiyan, and although Mei Lin didn’t understand the words, she could now guess their meaning. It seemed there was no escaping this time.
As for Murong Jing He...
She shook her head, pushing him out of her thoughts as she watched the sun, already past its zenith, begin its descent toward the west. The soldiers should be closing in by now. Before entering the forest, she had carefully observed the soldiers; their keen and vigorous spirits told her they were no ordinary troops. Competing with them in speed, even with a two-hour head start, was futile. So instead of racing through the forest like the other prisoners, Mei Lin had taken her time, carefully erasing any traces she left behind. But now... she suddenly thought of the goshawk Murong Xuan Lie had brought with him and instinctively glanced up at the sky.
The sky was a clear blue, with only a few wisps of clouds drifting by and no birds in sight. She let out a small sigh of relief.
She cracked open a pine nut and tasted the rich, oily kernel, the flavor spreading across her tongue.
It’s good to be alive, Mei Lin thought as she peered through the branches and leaves. Two ragged men, supporting each other and limping, were making their way past a rock. She remembered that they had been ahead of her earlier; they must have gotten lost to end up back here.
Just as she was considering whether to point them in the right direction, a sharp whistle pierced the air. A flash of white light shot through the sky, striking one man in the neck before passing through the other, skewering them both together.
The pine nut slipped from Mei Lin’s fingers as she instinctively held her breath, not daring to move. Moments later, a man in armor stepped into view, yanking his blade from the ground and swiftly beheading the two men, tying their heads to his waist.
Mei Lin closed her eyes silently, trying to avoid drawing his attention. When she finally opened them again, the man had disappeared. She knew that if those two men hadn’t distracted him, her head would likely be hanging from his waist by now.
Having witnessed the prowess of Luo Mei’s soldiers firsthand, Mei Lin’s sense of impending danger skyrocketed. Her only hope now was for the sun to set quickly. No matter how skilled those soldiers were, the darkness and the hidden perils of the forest would hinder them. With her current abilities, escaping the forest was impossible. She could only play cat and mouse with them until morning.
Luo Mei had ordered her soldiers to return to camp by the hour of Si the next morning. If Mei Lin could survive until then, she would earn herself a temporary reprieve.
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