Chapter 1: Strange Land

  Zhu Yongxing woke up from his coma and nightmare to find himself lying on a rock at the edge of a river, with half of his body submerged in water. His head was throbbing with pain, and his stomach was bloated, but he still remembered going hunting with Li Changqi, carrying firearms, when he lost his footing while crossing a mountain stream and was swept away by the strong current to a deep pool. Then, he was pulled down to the bottom of the pool by a powerful force, struggling in a dark tunnel that seemed endless, before losing consciousness again.

  With a forceful shake of his head, Zhu Yongxing temporarily got rid of the thing that was like a memory and yet like a nightmare in his mind. Then he slowly stood up, stumbled onto the shore, lay down on the soft riverbank, panting heavily. After a long time, Zhu Yongxing recovered some strength, sat up, looked around, this place seemed to be a small valley in the midst of towering mountains, an unknown big river flowing slowly by.

  "Old Li, Old Li." Facing an entirely unfamiliar environment, Zhu Yongxing felt bewildered and helpless. He opened his mouth and shouted twice, but found that his voice was hoarse. The surroundings were silent except for the sound of water, a silence that made one's heart skip a beat and gave one a sense of foreboding. This made Zhu Yongxing very nervous, so he hastily removed the rifle still slung over his shoulder and grasped it tightly in his hand. Although the gunpowder in the rifle was soaked and couldn't be fired immediately, it gave Zhu Yongxing some sense of reliance and comfort.

  ……

  Soft pink clouds bring a warm and cozy feeling, along the way, green grass is dotted with small purple, yellow and red flowers, their petals unfolding like trays, in the middle are tender yellow stamens, happily basking in the sunshine and endless beautiful dreams.

  But Zhu Yongxing walked along the riverbank, feeling that the silence was filled with ominousness, and everything around him seemed to be confronting him with cold solemnity. He eagerly hoped to meet people as soon as possible, preferably Li Changqi, to know where this place was and take him away from this strange and dark forest.

  Disappointed, but still accompanied by Zhu Yongxing, he could only walk along the riverbank and did not dare to step into the dense forest for the time being. Zhu Yongxing had heard that in the forest there were leeches in the muddy puddles, aphids on the leaves, and poisonous insects in the grass...

  "Huh, a yellow cloth was exposed from behind a large stone by the riverbank ahead. Zhu Yongxing was overjoyed and quickly walked a few steps, but then slowed down again. A person was lying face down in the shallow water behind the stone, looking at their clothes and hairstyle, but it wasn't someone he knew. Moreover, judging by the appearance, this person seemed to be dead. Hmm? What kind of clothing is this, why does it look like a costume from a movie?"

  As he approached, Zhu Yongxing hesitated for a moment, reached out to turn the person over, felt the pulse on his neck, and then shook his head. The man was indeed dead. He stretched out his hand again to brush away the long hair stuck to the corpse's face, and when he saw the man's appearance, Zhu Yongxing had a strange feeling, as if he had seen another version of himself, or as if he were looking in a mirror.

  An elephant, a very similar elephant, Zhu Yongxing subconsciously touched his own face. After regaining his composure, Zhu Yongxing continued to look up and down, wondering what was going on, he couldn't figure it out, and felt a bit confused and eerie. After a long time, he reached out and pulled the body onto the riverbank, and took down a small package from the deceased's waist. When he opened it, he found that the bag contained a square seal and several small gold ingots. Copper or gold? Zhu Yongxing weighed them in his hand, looked at the inscription on the seal again, and surprisingly recognized it as the "Seal of the Crown Prince of Min".

  Suddenly, a few roars of wild beasts came from afar. Zhu Yongxing looked up at the sky and decided to leave despite having many doubts in his heart. This guy, forget it, who made you look like me? Make some effort and let you rest in peace, lest you be torn apart by wild beasts! I'll take the things on your body for now, maybe after we get out of here, we can use them to find your family and bury you properly.

  Zhu Yongxing dragged the body into a pit and hastily buried it with mud and stones, making a mark. As he buried the deceased who looked similar to him, he suddenly felt a sense of disorientation, as if his consciousness had floated out of his body and was gazing at himself from outside. This plunged his mind into brief confusion and chaos, causing him to lose his senses for quite some time. When he finally finished, Zhu Yongxing couldn't help but let out a deep sigh, then looked again in the direction of the sun, mustered up his courage, turned around, and slowly walked towards the thicket along a path that seemed to have been trodden by someone.

  Above his head, a cluster of life hung suspended, while underfoot was a tangle of thorny vines and shrubs. Although it seemed there was a path, the hook-laden wild wisteria kept snagging at Zhu Yongxing's legs. The dense jungle was so thick that even the brightest sunlight couldn't penetrate the canopy woven from the lush foliage, only occasionally allowing a few rays to filter through the gaps. Strange, unknown trees hung with net-like aerial roots swayed gently, like a row of gallows. Looking out into the distance, ahead seemed to be a green tunnel leading to an endless abyss, every step an adventure that filled him with trepidation. Dammit, was this really the godforsaken tropical jungle?

  Zhu Yongxing finally stopped his tired footsteps and shook his head in distress. Cutting through thorns, yes, this phrase is not bad, but relying only on the multi-functional combat knife he carried with him, it was clear that he couldn't accomplish such a glorious and arduous task. He didn't know how far he had walked, only knowing that now he was panting, his face covered in sweat, his clothes soaked through with sweat, his stomach growling, and the damp crotch itching unbearably.

  At this time, a flowing sound of gurgling water faintly came, Zhu Yongxing carefully listened and determined that it was not the sound of wind blowing through leaves. He couldn't help but quicken his pace with joy. The sound became clearer and clearer, and the power of hope that sprang up was boundless. He pushed aside the branches that blocked his way, shook off the vines that tripped him, and strode forward with all his might. About twenty minutes later, he arrived at a small stream, where dense green trees shaded the stream, and the gentle gurgling of the stream was like a beautiful song that soothed the soul.

  This can be said to be a paradise, Zhu Yongxing was inspired by this almost illusory scene, and quickly came to the creek, bent down to scoop up the creek water, and the spring water was so clear and cool. He also took off his clothes, happily stroking his sweat-soaked body, feeling so happy that he trembled with joy.

  The brook in the dense forest brought Yu Yongxing serenity, fragrance and coolness. The birds chirping in the woods made him fully feel the comfort after anxiety and the intoxication after fatigue, which was a reward from heaven to the sufferer. Moreover, not far from the stream, there was a small shed, although it looked somewhat rotten and dilapidated, but at this moment, there could be no greater luxury than this.

  ………