The group continued walking deeper into the forest. As they moved from the outer circle to the middle region, the surroundings changed. The trees here were much thicker and taller then before. Their large branches spread out like giant umbrellas, blocking almost all the sunlight. Even though it was still afternoon, the forest floor looked dim, like it was already evening.
The air felt heavy and wet. It smelled like wet soil and rotting leaves.
"Stay close," Lone Bear said in a low, serious voice. He stopped for a moment and looked around. "We are in the middle region now. The beasts here are not like the wolves. They are stronger and smarter."
"Why is it so quiet?" Ling Xiao asked. He looked at the bushes. In the outer region, there were birds singing, but here, there was only silence.
"Because the predators are hunting," Lin Rou said. Her voice was raspy. She walked silently, not making any sound on the dried leaves. "When the forest is quiet, it means a big beast is nearby."
Ling Xiao nodded. This was very different from the training grounds in the Imperial Palace. There, the guards were always ready to save him. Here, he was on his own.
They walked for another hour. The path became muddy and hard to walk on.
"Wait," Chen Wei said suddenly. He raised his hand. "Look at the ground."
The group stopped. Chen Wei pointed to a patch of wet mud near a small stream. There were deep footprints in the mud. They looked like holes punched into the earth.
Lone Bear crouched down. He touched the mud with his finger. "It is fresh," he said. "Iron-Bristle Boars. A small group passed here not long ago."
"How many?" Ling Xiao asked.
"Maybe three or four," Lone Bear stood up and wiped his hand on his pants. "They are heading downstream to feed."
"This is a perfect spot," Chen Wei looked around with a calculating look. He pointed to a narrow space between two large rocks. "The path gets tight here. If we set a trap, they cannot run left or right. They have to come straight at us."
"Good," Lone Bear grinned. "We will set the trap here. Kid, come here. Make yourself useful."
Ling Xiao walked over. "What do I do?"
"Clear these leaves," Lone Bear ordered. "We need to dig a hole. If the leaves are there, the trap won't sit right."
Ling Xiao nodded. He bent down and started to clear the wet, rotting leaves with his hands. He did not complain. He knew he was the newest member of the team, so he had to work.
While Ling Xiao worked, Chen Wei took out a small bag from his belt. He opened it and sprinkled some grey powder on the ground.
"What is that?" Ling Xiao asked.
"It is Spirit-Root powder," Chen Wei explained. "It smells like food to the boars. It will make them come here. But be careful not to touch it. The smell is very strong."
They spent the next hour setting up the trap. It was hard work. They dug a pit and covered it with thin sticks and dirt. It looked just like the normal ground.
By the time they finished, the forest was completely dark. Night had fallen. In the jungle, there was no moonlight because of the thick trees. It was pitch black.
"Can we light a fire?" Ling Xiao asked. "It is very dark."
"No," Lone Bear shook his head quickly. "Are you crazy? If we light a fire, every beast for five miles will see us. Do you want to fight a Tiger King tonight?"
"Oh," Ling Xiao said quietly. "I understand."
"We will use a Glow Stone," Chen Wei said. He took out a small stone that gave off a faint blue light. It was not very bright, but it was enough to see each other's faces.
They found a dry spot behind some thick bushes, a little far from the trap. They set up three small tents in a circle.
"Time to eat," Lin Rou said. She sat down on a tree root and took out a package of food.
The group sat around the dim blue light. The atmosphere was quiet. Everyone was tired from the long walk.
Lone Bear tossed a package to Ling Xiao. "Catch."
Ling Xiao caught it. He opened the leaf wrapping. Inside was a piece of dried meat and some hard bread. It looked very unappetizing.
"It is not warm food," Lone Bear said, taking a big bite of his own meat. "But it fills the stomach."
Ling Xiao took a bite. The meat was hard as leather and very salty. He had to chew for a long time before he could swallow. He missed the soft pastries and hot tea of the palace. But he knew he could not show it.
"Is it bad?" Chen Wei asked, looking at Ling Xiao's face.
"No," Ling Xiao lied. He took a sip of water from his skin. "It is okay. I am just tired."
"You did good today," Lone Bear said suddenly. His voice was loud in the quiet night. "When the wolves attacked, you did not run away. Most city boys would cry for their mothers."
Ling Xiao smiled a little. "I was scared," he admitted. "But I knew I had to fight."
"Fear is good," Lin Rou said. She was cleaning her dagger with a cloth. "Fear keeps you alive. If you are not scared, you die fast."
"So, Ying Xiao," Chen Wei leaned forward. The blue light made his face look pale. "You said your father was a merchant?"
"Yes," Ling Xiao said. He repeated the story he had made up. "He traded in silk and spices. We were traveling to the capital."
"And bandits attacked you?" Chen Wei asked again. "Where did it happen?"
Ling Xiao hesitated for a second. "Near the... Grey Valley," he said, naming a place he saw on the map. "There were many of them. My guards fought, but they were outnumbered."
"That is sad," Chen Wei said, nodding slowly. "The roads are dangerous these days. So you are the only one left?"
"Yes," Ling Xiao looked down. "Just me."
"And you managed to save that sword?" Lone Bear pointed at the sword on Ling Xiao's waist. "That is a fine weapon. The design on the scabbard... I have never seen that style in this city."
"My father bought it from a traveler," Ling Xiao said quickly. "He gave it to me for my birthday. He said it would protect me."
"He was right," Lone Bear laughed. "It cut that wolf like it was butter. If you sell that sword, you could live like a king for a year."
Ling Xiao shook his head. "I will never sell it. It is the last memory of my father."
"Of course, of course," Chen Wei smiled. But his eyes were not smiling. He looked at the ring on Ling Xiao's finger. "And the ring? Did you save your family's money too?"
"A little," Ling Xiao said cautiously. "Just enough to get to my uncle's house in the Tianming City."
"Tianming City is very far," Lone Bear grunted. "You have a long walk ahead of you, kid."
"I will manage," Ling Xiao said.
" Tell us," Lone Bear said, changing the subject. "Have you ever hunted a boar before?"
"No," Ling Xiao admitted. "Only small animals."
"Well, listen carefully," Lone Bear said, acting like a teacher. "Boars are stupid, but they are strong. Their skin is like iron. You cannot cut their body easily. You have to aim for the eyes or the throat. Under the neck, the skin is soft. That is their weak point."
"I will remember that," Ling Xiao nodded seriously.
"And don't stand in front of them," Lin Rou added. "They charge in a straight line. If they hit you, they will break your ribs. You have to be fast. Dodge to the side, then strike."
"Like we did with the wolves?" Ling Xiao asked.
"Yes, but faster," Lin Rou said.
They talked for a while longer. Lone Bear told a story about a time he fought a giant snake. He waved his hands and made sound effects, making the story sound very exciting. Ling Xiao listened with wide eyes. He felt like he was part of an adventure. He thought these people were rough, but they were good warriors who were teaching him how to survive.
"Alright," Lone Bear yawned loudly. He stretched his big arms. "Enough talking. We need to sleep. The boars will come at sunrise."
"Who will keep watch?" Ling Xiao asked.
"We will take turns," Chen Wei said. "You go to sleep first, kid. You are young, you need rest. We will wake you up later for your turn."
"Thank you, Brother Chen," Ling Xiao stood up. He felt grateful.
"Goodnight, Brother Bear. Sister Lin."
"Goodnight," they said.
Ling Xiao crawled into his small tent and zipped the flap close.
As soon as Ling Xiao was gone, the friendly atmosphere at the campfire vanished instantly. The smiles dropped from their faces.