Chapter 55: A Village Without Children
Two peaceful days passed beneath clear skies.
The caravan settled back into its familiar rhythm.
Morning began before sunrise.
Breakfast was eaten while the wagons were prepared.
The Mountain Chargers were harnessed.
The Frost Wolves stretched and sniffed the wind before taking their places around the convoy.
The merchants discussed inventories.
The guards sparred whenever Elder Ruan found a suitable stretch of road.
And Yun Che...
Lost.
Repeatedly.
Every spare moment became another lesson in fighting on a moving battlefield.
Fortunately, repeated defeat had one wonderful advantage.
There was always something new to improve.
Around midday on the third day, a small village appeared in the distance.
Smoke drifted lazily from stone chimneys.
Green fields stretched around neat irrigation canals.
Goats wandered between wooden fences while several cattle grazed peacefully beside a small stream.
Near the western edge of the settlement lay a series of carefully dug ponds connected by narrow channels.
Fish farming.
Yun Che smiled slightly.
"...Someone here is thinking ahead."
Date palms swayed gently beyond the ponds.
Vegetable gardens surrounded many homes.
Further away...
Golden grain rippled beneath the afternoon breeze.
Everything looked...
Comfortably ordinary.
The caravan naturally slowed.
They had originally intended to stop outside the settlement for lunch.
None of the goods being transported were meant for this village.
Everything inside the wagons had already been contracted for delivery in Goldriver.
Selling now would only complicate inventory.
As the lead wagon prepared to turn toward an open field...
Jin Wei suddenly spoke.
"Elder Liang."
The elderly merchant looked up from the accounting book resting on his knees.
"Hm?"
"I'd like permission to enter the village."
Liang adjusted his glasses.
"For?"
"Market research."
A knowing smile appeared on the old merchant's face.
"The new toy line?"
"Exactly."
Liang sighed.
"You do realize your father won't approve."
Jin Wei smiled.
"I suspected you would say that."
"Because it's true."
The old merchant closed his ledger.
"Your father measures opportunity differently from most merchants."
"If a venture promises little profit..."
"...he won't devote an established business to it."
"He believes time is the most valuable resource a merchant possesses."
"Wasting it on small gains often prevents larger ones."
Yun Che listened quietly.
He had heard stories about Master Jin.
A brilliant merchant.
An incredibly demanding father.
Strict.
Precise.
Cold whenever business entered the conversation.
Oddly enough...
He also enjoyed teaching younger merchants.
Provided they were willing to listen and methods could be questionable.
Liang continued.
"He would rather invest one hundred thousand spirit coins into a venture returning twenty percent..."
"...than spend the same effort earning two."
Jin Wei nodded.
"I know."
"But I believe he's wrong this time."
Liang raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"I'm confident."
"As confident as I was about the reinforced bicycles."
The old merchant remained silent.
Jin Wei grinned broadly.
"I'm going to sell these things to every rich family that spoils their children."
He paused.
Then added with complete confidence,
"I'm going to suck those rich kids dry."
Silence.
Liang Wen slowly lowered his glasses.
"...Young Master."
"...Please choose your words more carefully."
Bao Kun coughed loudly to hide his laughter.
Even Shen Rui's lips twitched.
Jin Wei cleared his throat.
"...Perhaps that wasn't the most elegant way to express my business strategy."
"It was certainly memorable," Yun Che muttered.
Jin Wei quickly recovered.
"I'm not asking to launch anything today."
"I want information."
"I want to know whether children enjoy them."
"We already tested them in Brightvale."
"The response was excellent."
"If children here react the same way..."
"...I'll know we're moving in the right direction."
"And?"
"I'll continue testing them at every stop."
He smiled proudly.
"By the time production begins..."
"...people will already know they exist."
Liang studied him for several long moments.
Finally...
He nodded once.
"Very well."
"But remember..."
He pointed toward the village.
"Those children aren't your customers."
"The price you're discussing will be far beyond what ordinary farming families can afford."
"Unless you're planning a cheaper line."
Jin Wei shook his head.
"No."
"I simply want honest reactions."
"The customers will come later."
Liang smiled faintly.
"...Now that..."
"...is proper market research."
Permission granted, the caravan redirected toward the village.
While everyone else prepared to enter...
Yun Che occupied himself with another exercise.
Six colorful cube puzzles floated lazily around him.
Each rotated independently.
One spun horizontally.
Another vertically.
The others twisted in seemingly random directions.
Yun Che's eyes remained closed.
One cube clicked.
Then another.
Then another.
His brow gradually furrowed.
The fourth cube suddenly scrambled instead of improving.
"...Again."
He sighed.
Telekinesis remained frustrating.
Moving weapons was surprisingly simple.
Weapons had only one purpose.
Direction.
Speed.
Force.
These cubes demanded precision.
Tiny rotations.
Exact angles.
Dozens of consecutive movements without mistake.
The moment his attention drifted...
The cubes immediately twisted into complete chaos.
He smiled anyway.
That was exactly why he practiced with them.
If he could manipulate something this delicate...
Then controlling steel during combat would eventually become second nature.
The goal wasn't solving puzzles.
The goal was teaching his mind that Telekinesis belonged to him as naturally as his own hands.
One day...
It would no longer require conscious thought.
After that...
He intended to place Ki Zone into his second stream of thought as well.
Maintaining battlefield awareness without sacrificing concentration.
The idea still felt distant.
But...
Not impossible.
The caravan rolled through the village entrance.
The settlement was modest.
Solid stone houses lined wide dirt roads.
Children's toys lay forgotten outside several homes.
Laundry fluttered from wooden poles.
A pair of elderly women chatted while cleaning vegetables.
Life appeared peaceful.
Almost too peaceful.
Villagers gradually gathered around the newcomers.
That was perfectly normal.
A caravan represented news.
Trade.
Stories.
The possibility of buying things unavailable elsewhere.
Nothing unusual there.
Yun Che smiled politely as people waved.
Then...
Every Frost Wolf stopped wagging its tail.
Heads lifted.
Ears stood straight.
Several low growls spread through the escort formation.
Yun Che immediately noticed.
"...Amon?"
His own companion lifted its head uneasily.
Mirage fluttered higher.
Whisper drifted closer to his shoulder.
The atmosphere changed almost imperceptibly.
The wolves weren't frightened.
They were...
Alert.
Every escort immediately recognized the change.
Elder Ruan's eyes narrowed.
Shen Rui quietly rested one hand upon a dagger.
Bao Kun adjusted the grip on his shield without making the movement obvious.
Years of experience had taught them one simple truth.
Never ignore a Frost Wolf's instincts.
Their danger sense bordered on precognition.
False alarms were incredibly rare.
Yun Che glanced around.
Some villagers quickly looked away whenever the wolves met their eyes.
Others quietly retreated indoors.
One old man abruptly stopped smiling.
"...Are they simply nervous?"
He whispered.
Elder Ruan answered without turning.
"Maybe."
"Or..."
"...someone dangerous is hiding here."
The answer settled heavily over the escort.
Nothing else happened.
No attack.
No obvious threat.
Yet nobody relaxed.
Eventually the caravan reached the central square.
Several large shade trees surrounded an old stone well.
The wagons formed their usual defensive circle almost automatically.
Only then did an elderly man approach.
He walked with the confidence of someone accustomed to responsibility.
Though age had bent his back slightly, his eyes remained surprisingly sharp.
Beside him stood two broad-shouldered men.
The first wore thick wool clothing and carried a shepherd's crook polished smooth by years of use.
Several sheepdogs followed obediently behind him.
The second possessed weathered skin darkened by countless summers beneath the sun.
His enormous hands looked capable of uprooting trees.
Mud still clung to his boots.
The elderly man bowed politely.
"I welcome you to Willowbrook."
"I am the Village Chief, Zhao Guoren."
He gestured toward his companions.
"This is Liu Shan."
"Our head shepherd."
"And this is Chen Bo"
"Our finest farmer."
Both men inclined their heads respectfully.
Elder Liang returned the greeting.
"I am Liang Wen of the Azure Wolf Consortium."
"These are the Northern Wolf Escort Company under Captain Ruan."
"We seek only a brief rest."
"Our cargo is destined for Goldriver."
"We merely hoped to stretch our legs..."
"...and perhaps display a few new products before continuing."
Chief's face immediately brightened.
"You honor our little village."
He clasped his hands warmly.
"The legendary Wolf Brigade?"
"And the Azure Wolf Consortium?"
"This is wonderful."
"You needn't rush away."
"Stay the day."
"Lunch shall be provided."
"It would bring Willowbrook great pride to host such distinguished guests."
His enthusiasm appeared entirely genuine.
Several villagers nodded eagerly.
Others hurried away, no doubt already preparing food.
Standing near the wagons, Yun Che quietly watched everything.
Beside him...
Jin Wei was also observing.
Neither spoke for a while.
Finally Yun Che leaned slightly closer.
"...Something's bothering me."
Jin Wei answered without looking away from the crowd.
"I know."
"You noticed too?"
Yun Che slowly nodded.
"I haven't seen a single child."
The merchant's cheerful expression disappeared.
"...Neither have I."
He had spent the entire walk through the village searching instinctively.
After all...
Children were supposed to be his market research.
Yet...
Despite passing dozens of homes...
Seeing toys.
Hearing livestock.
Watching families gather...
Not one child had appeared.
Not even out of curiosity.
For a village receiving a caravan for the first time in months...
That wasn't merely unusual.
It was wrong.
--------------------------
The village square grew quieter with every passing minute.
At first glance, everything still appeared perfectly ordinary.
Villagers busied themselves carrying baskets of vegetables. Elderly women smiled politely as they arranged bowls and wooden tables. Farmers stood respectfully near the well, waiting for instructions from the village chief. Even the smell of freshly cooked food drifted pleasantly through the warm afternoon air.
Yet the longer one looked...
...the more wrong everything became.
Yun Che's gaze wandered across the surrounding houses once more.
Not a single child.
Not one curious face peeking through a window.
Not one barefoot youngster hiding behind a fence.
It was as though every child in the village had disappeared.
"They're hiding them..."
he murmured almost unconsciously.
Jin Wei nodded without taking his eyes off the crowd.
"They don't want us speaking to them."
The realization settled between them.
Adults could lie.
Children often couldn't.
Several Frost Wolves continued pacing restlessly around the caravan.
Their ears never relaxed.
Their noses remained lifted.
Every few moments one would stare toward a different house before giving another low growl.
Yun Che had spent several days around the escort company now.
He had learned something important.
A Frost Wolf never became anxious without reason.
Elder Ruan quietly rode his wolf toward Elder Liang.
Neither man spoke.
To anyone watching...
It looked as though they were simply observing the village together.
Only the faint ripple of Ki between them revealed otherwise.
A private transmission.
Mind-to-mind communication.
It was a technique every escort captain and senior guard had mastered.
Without Ki sensitivity, nobody would even realize a conversation was taking place.
"Thoughts?" Elder Liang asked calmly.
"Very bad."
Ruan didn't hesitate.
"The wolves smelled danger before we entered."
"Now I know why."
"Several anesthesia herbs."
Liang's eyes shifted almost imperceptibly toward the cooking fires.
"Sleeping herbs?"
"Strong ones."
"The dose would not render us helpless."
"No," Liang replied. "But it might make us slow enough for whatever is hiding behind them."
Liang remained silent.
Ruan continued.
"Look at their faces."
The old merchant did.
Some villagers smiled far too broadly.
Others refused to make eye contact.
Several stood unnaturally still.
A young woman carrying vegetables nearly dropped them when Bao Kun glanced in her direction.
Another old man wiped sweat from his forehead despite the pleasant weather.
No reaction matched another.
There was no natural rhythm to the village.
Only fear.
And forced politeness.
"They're relying on arrogance."
Liang nodded faintly.
It made perfect sense.
Most cultivators viewed ordinary people as insignificant.
How could farmers possibly threaten Foundation Establishment experts?
That arrogance killed many wandering cultivators every year.
People underestimated poison.
Numbers.
Preparation.
Terrain.
The tragedy was that such incidents were not uncommon.
Powerful cultivators rarely accepted guard duty.
Most preferred sects.
Ruins.
Treasure hunts.
Cities therefore relied heavily upon Mortal Realm guards, with only elite settlements maintaining permanent Foundation Establishment defenders.
Lord Shen's territory was not unique.
Any prosperous city understood that true security required stronger cultivators.
Tiny villages...
Did not enjoy that luxury.
The trap might have worked against a smaller, careless group.
It would not work against Elder Ruan.
The Northern Wolf Escort Company possessed a reputation for surviving precisely because they never underestimated anyone.
Compliments meant nothing.
Hospitality meant nothing.
Only evidence mattered.
Several younger guards looked longingly toward the food being prepared.
One quietly muttered,
"...Smells wonderful."
Elder Ruan didn't even turn around.
"If anyone leaves the defensive perimeter without orders..."
"...I'll personally throw you back to Mistforge."
Every guard immediately straightened.
Nobody doubted he meant it.
Soon...
Lunch arrived.
Large wooden trays carried bowls of fish stew, roasted vegetables, fresh flatbread and fragrant herbal soup.
Everything looked delicious.
Chief Zhao Guoren smiled warmly.
"It is humble food."
"But please..."
"...accept Willowbrook's gratitude."
Elder Liang stepped forward instead of sitting.
He looked at the bowls.
Then...
Without warning...
Liang tipped the bowl without touching it. The soup floated several inches above the stones, suspended inside an invisible sphere.
He separated a single drop and passed it beneath his nose.
A faint smile appeared.
"Exactly as expected."
Chief Zhao's face stiffened.
"...What do you mean?"
Liang calmly stood.
"The Sleeping Orchid."
"Ground Moon Poppy."
"And White Reed Blossom."
"An interesting combination."
"Effective."
"But rather noticeable."
The chief's smile finally disappeared.
Elder Ruan slowly stepped forward.
His voice remained calm.
"What are you trying to do?"
Chief Zhao forced another laugh.
"I... I don't understand."
"What do you mean?"
The old captain's expression never changed.
Then...
The air exploded.
Killer Intent.
It swept across the square like an invisible tidal wave.
Not enough to kill.
Only enough to crush resistance.
Every villager froze.
Several collapsed to their knees immediately.
Others dropped bowls and baskets.
Two men tried to run before their legs simply refused to move.
Yun Che felt the pressure too.
He had experienced Shen Rui's focused Killing Intent.
This...
Was different.
This was broad.
Controlled.
The pressure of someone who had survived countless battlefields.
Silence consumed the square.
Elder Ruan repeated himself.
"What."
"Are."
"You."
"Trying."
"To."
"Do."
Chief Zhao's lips trembled.
For several agonizing moments...
He fought to remain silent.
Then...
His entire body gave way.
"We didn't have a choice!"
he screamed.
"We were going to offer you!"
Everything stopped.
"We..."
"Were going to sacrifice you."
Nobody spoke.
Even the wind seemed to vanish.
Chief Zhao collapsed completely.
"Our guardian..."
"...needs cultivators."
"It protects the village."
"It keeps evil cultivators away."
"It keeps monsters away."
"It grows weaker."
"So..."
"...we feed it."
Yun Che stared at him in disbelief.
"...Feed it?"
The old man's shoulders shook violently.
"If we don't..."
"...it comes for us."
Suddenly shouting erupted from one of the nearby houses.
"No!"
A middle-aged woman burst outside.
Behind her came several elderly villagers dragging frightened children with them.
Tears streamed down her face.
"Stop lying!"
"There is no guardian!"
"It isn't protecting us!"
"It's a monster!"
"It eats everything!"
"If we don't offer travelers..."
"...it takes our families instead!"
Another old man stumbled forward.
"You can't hide from it!"
"We tried!"
"It always finds you!"
"You can't escape!"
Children began crying openly.
One little girl buried her face against her mother's dress.
Elder Liang's expression grew serious.
"What kind of monster?"
Nobody answered immediately.
Finally...
A shepherd whispered,
"We've never seen all of it."
"Only..."
"...the roots."
"The roots are everywhere."
"They come from beneath the forest."
"They drag people away."
The farmer beside him nodded frantically.
"The elders called it..."
"...the Guardian of the Forest."
"But it isn't a guardian."
"It only knows hunger."
Yun Che felt cold despite the afternoon sun.
He had expected many possibilities.
Bandits.
A wanted criminal.
Perhaps frightened villagers hiding from outsiders.
Never...
This.
His thoughts wandered unwillingly.
If I had been traveling alone...
He pictured himself accepting the offered meal.
Laughing politely.
Thanking the villagers.
Then waking...
Bound before some nameless horror beneath the forest.
Or perhaps...
Never waking at all.
His stomach tightened.
Beside him, Lin Xia had gone completely pale.
She came from Mistforge.
A city where people argued over prices, complained about taxes, competed with rival shops and dreamed about joining sects.
Cruel people certainly existed.
But this...
Entire families preparing innocent travelers as sacrifices...
...was beyond anything she had imagined.
She looked at the frightened children clinging desperately to their parents.
Then at the trembling villagers.
Finally...
She whispered,
"...How can people become like this?"
"Slowly," Elder Liang said.
Lin Xia looked toward him.
"One frightened choice at a time."
Standing in the center of Willowbrook, surrounded by tears, fear and impossible choices...
They all understood one terrible truth.
Sometimes monsters did not create tragedy.
Sometimes...
They taught ordinary people to create it themselves.