After the well-prepared dinner of the adventurers, the formal meeting began.
Hyun tapped his finger twice on the sleek black table in the living room, and immediately, a three-dimensional space map appeared. Hyun, accompanied by his assistant Violet, waited for the image to fully materialize before starting to explain the map:
* This is all the information about the terrain we've gathered from the drones. It consists of mountains, forests, and villages, with no traces of modern civilization nearby. This is the location of our target, and this is our current location.
Hyun's invaluable assistant, Violet, had been waiting for this moment. She raised the two sticks she held and pressed the small button on the handle. The sticks extended automatically until they touched the two red dots on the screen, then stretched even further, poking Cain sitting right next to her. Liana quickly adjusted the direction of one stick to make it poke Cain's cheek. Maintaining a cold and serious demeanour, Cain regained his composure and continued the conversation with Hyun:
* So we're pretty close to the target.
* Yes, by some clever means, Liana has chosen the right mountainside to surround our target.
Liana chuckled mischievously and winked playfully, but Cain remained indifferent. He continued:
* Looks like a giant natural stadium.
* Yes, and there's only one entrance by road, this western mountain pass, but if we want to infiltrate, we'll have to climb another treacherous mountain road above.
* What about the imagery inside this valley?
* Somehow, it's distorted, so we can't know what the terrain inside looks like.
* Hmph!
Liana quickly whispered to Hyun:
* This isn't good, not good at all. It would be best if you fixed that modern electronic stuff quickly. Look over there; that smug face is getting on my nerves.
Cain and Liana, along with Violet, continued to exchange glances. After joking around, Liana finally seemed to be a bit serious. She spoke up:
* Ahem, so the plan will go like this. We'll split into two teams. Hyun, you'll stay here and keep an eye on Violet; make sure she doesn't wander off. Meanwhile, retrieve those drones to see if they have any issues. The rest of us will proceed with the primary mission. Tomorrow morning, we'll try to infiltrate through the main entrance. It seems like there are always locals coming and going, so we'll blend in there. After successfully infiltrating, we'll scout around and locate where Nea is first and then proceed to track the target.
Liana turned to Hyun and instructed him:
* Remember to fix those drones quickly. Observing us carry out this mission will give you more experience because you'll have to follow us on the next mission. Just take it easy, and you'll get used to it.
* Understood. Captain!
Hyun solemnly acknowledged the order.
* Alright, Selene, let's go prepare "that."
Liana eagerly turned to grab Selene's hand and pulled her away, with Violet tagging along behind.
* What are they doing?
Hyun asked Cain, who looked at Hyun coldly before replying:
* You will see it tomorrow.
At dawn the next day, Hyun saw off the three going on the mission. He watched Cain with a puzzled expression as he carried a large backpack. And he didn't look too pleased. Liana chuckled:
* Why don't you store it in your library? That would be more convenient.
* That's not your closet!
Cain replied curtly.
After a brief struggle, all three set out. Cain, Liana, and Selene blended into a diverse group of merchants, commoners, and travellers. After successfully infiltrating, Liana and Cain spent the entire day scouting around the city while Selene investigated the areas outside the capital. Selene could easily conceal herself from ordinary sight and move around freely due to her ability to create mirrors. However, they still couldn't find Nea, who was recuperating in a room. After a tiring day of searching, the trio returned to the inn to rest and prepare for the next mission.
****
After what felt like an endless night for Nea, he crawled out of bed, his hand clutching his tired face. Throughout the night, he had drifted in and out of sleep, plagued by a thousand unanswered questions swirling in his mind. Who could provide him with answers? Whom should he even ask? Asking too many questions not only left the listener exasperated but also left Nea feeling mentally frazzled. But that was just the beginning. Throughout the night, he had also been plagued by nightmares. He kept dreaming of that sinister figure with the glowing red eyes appearing in his dreams, seizing him, staring at him intensely, and tightening his grip around his neck. And so, Nea had a far from restful night, his eyes bearing dark circles from sleeplessness.
Knock knock knock
Nea jolted awake, the gentle knocking sounding like thunder in his ears.
"Who could that be?" Nea wondered to himself.
* Come in.
He called out.
A middle-aged woman entered from the door, carrying a tray of food and drinks for Nea.
* Hello, I'm Lan, the housekeeper of this estate.
She greeted.
* Hello, ma'am.
Nea replied politely.
"It's strange how suddenly I understand their language, and it even seems I can speak it too. Is it real? I don't even know what language I'm speaking anymore. Ah! My head hurts; I won't think about it anymore." Nea thought to himself.
Nea looked at the tray of food, which contained a variety of dishes from stir-fried vegetables to roast pork, making his mouth water. His stomach grumbled loudly. Since yesterday, he had only eaten a little porridge; now, he has finally had a decent meal. Nea looked at the housekeeper, who nodded and said:
* You are a guest of Lord Gióng and the princess, so feel free to make yourself at home. If you need anything, ask, but please do not leave the premises alone or without my permission. Apart from those here, nobody outside this estate knows you're our guest. With those green eyes of yours, you'll be mistaken for an intruder. Do you understand?"
* Yes, ma'am, I understand.
Nea thought to himself, "Wow, she looks earnest. And here I was, planning to sneak out to the gate to see what it's like. This is going to be difficult."
*hubble-bubble*
Nea's stomach began to rumble incessantly.
"Well, only with a full stomach can one think properly."
So Nea devoured the meal hungrily, not leaving a single thing behind. A group of servants lingering near the door glanced at Nea, murmuring to each other:
* Wow, he eats well, doesn't he?
* Yeah, just like Gióng.
* Maybe he's like him in other ways too. That's what I heard.
* Hey, who dares to mention the general's name so casually?
* Oh! Princess!
The servants froze, realizing that the intruder among them was the princess herself.
* Hey, you guys, why aren't you doing your job? I'll deduct your wages now.
The housekeeper scolded each person in turn.
* Oh! Your Highness!
It took the housekeeper a moment to realize that the princess was among the workers. She asked respectfully:
* What are you doing here? Lord Gióng has been at the palace since early morning.
* Hmph, I know, but he said he's busy today and can't play with me, so I'm sulking. I came here to play with everyone.
After saying that, she cheerfully walked forward, followed by her entourage. Nea had finished his meal by now, so he carried the tray outside to find a place to wash the dishes.
*Splash*
Suddenly, a seven or eight-year-old child rushed out of nowhere and crashed right into Nea's legs, but luckily, he managed to keep his balance so nothing was broken. The child timidly stepped back, bowing his head to apologize. Nea just smiled and asked:
* Are you okay?
The child shook his head, then smiled back at Nea.
* Hưng, when it's crowded, don't run around like that. Come here and help everyone.
The housekeeper approached the child, checking his arms and legs before leading him away. She glanced at Nea carrying the tray of utensils and said:
* You come with us, the kitchen is this way.
So, that morning, Nea joined in helping with chores alongside the princess and everyone else on the estate. At first, everyone was wary and distant from him, and Nea felt the same. Still, gradually, with the housekeeper's guidance and Nea's enthusiasm, everyone became friendlier towards him. Nea noticed that the reason they kept their distance was because of the necklace, so he cleverly tucked it inside his shirt. Nea assisted everyone from cooking to decorating the interior and occasionally played with Hưng, the housekeeper's son. Participating in these activities temporarily eased his mind, somewhat relieving him from the heavy thoughts weighing on his heart, even just for a little while. Nea observed everyone, all lively and cheerful, especially the princess. Despite her eye colour resembling that of the person who brought him here, Nea was now certain she wasn't that person. Someone as kind and cheerful as she couldn't possibly be evil.
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During the lunch break, Nea happened to come across the guard who had been stationed outside his room last night. His name was Minh, and Nea could see his face now that it was daytime. Minh looked handsome and refined, although somewhat tired now. As soon as he saw Nea, he recognized him.
* Oh, you're awake now, huh?
* Yes, were you on guard duty outside my room last night?
* Just part of the job.
Minh glanced at the paper crane in Nea's hand.
* Oh, are you helping out around here?
* Yes.
* Oh, even the princess is here. She still looks lively, as usual.
* Does the princess often come here?
* Oh, you're not from around here, yes! The princess will marry our general, Gióng, in a day or two. These tasks are part of the preparations for their wedding.
Nea was somewhat surprised; although he didn't care much, something puzzled him. Nea blurted out:
* Why does the princess have red eyes?
* Oh, the princess got those eyes after returning from Mount Thai Son. Come to the kitchen with me. I need to find something to eat, and then I'll tell you the story of the two. Since you're here, you must know this.
Minh searched for food while recounting the history of Vietnam to Nea. After listening, Nea felt quite overwhelmed. Part of it was because he enjoyed hearing stories, and the other part was because if this story were told in the world he came from, it would be like a fairy tale. However, it was the truth here, something that had already happened and was still unfolding.
Minh patted his full belly and rubbed his eyes, bidding Nea farewell and arranging to meet again that evening before hurrying to bed. While Nea was still drifting off into thoughts about the story he had just heard, the princess suddenly appeared:
* Hey, N...e.., you there, come with me.
The princess led Nea to the gate, seeming to be preparing to go somewhere. The housekeeper approached respectfully and asked the princess:
* Your Highness, is it safe to have him accompany you?
Aunt Lan, don't worry, everything is under my control. The princess winked at the housekeeper and then climbed onto her horse. She turned to Nea and asked:
* Do you know how to ride a horse?
Nea shook his head. The princess then said:
* In that case, climb onto the pack saddle.
Nea was puzzled about where he would be going, then the housekeeper explained:
* Just now, some strong boys fell from the roof while repairing it due to carelessness. Most of them got injured, so could you and the princess please help us buy some items?
* Sure, no problem.
So Nea, the princess, and her two attendants headed towards the luxurious and bustling capital city. From the moment he woke up until now, this was Nea's first time stepping out of that mansion. Sitting on the wooden cargo carrier pulled by a horse, although not the most comfortable, Nea didn't complain because he was too busy admiring the scenery. Surrounded by mountains, terraced fields were everywhere, stretching from the plains to the mountain slopes, resembling a staircase. The capital city before him was also magnificent, from the imposing entrance gate to the bustling streets inside. But perhaps the most impressive sight was still the fortress atop the mountain; the closer he looked, the more he realized it was a magnificent structure.
After finishing their shopping, they returned to the main road leading out of the capital city, but now the road was crowded with people. They stood on both sides of the road as if waiting for something. Nea glanced at the wide-open gate of the fortress, where a group of people was entering. Leading that group was Gióng. Nea immediately recognized his imposing figure and muscular build. Just moments ago, he had heard the lad named Minh recounting Gióng's heroic feats, and Nea couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. Gióng possessed immense strength and a critical mission to protect the country's peace. Gióng seemed like the main character in the comic books Nea used to read. Then something suddenly sparked in Nea's mind: "The Seal!"
"The Seal" is something the organization, founded by Nea's father, is trying to protect. It holds a potent source of energy. Its primary function is to restrain a mighty entity sealed in the center of the Earth. If the seal is destroyed, everything will immediately come to an end. Usually, the seal resides within the apple in the Garden of Eden, but it has been transferred to a human in some alternate versions of Earth.
"Someone suddenly possessing immense power like Gióng is likely because he carries that seal. It seems like the mission is to protect the seal, right? But if the person carrying the seal has extraordinary strength like this, why would they need our protection?"
Nea was once again lost in his thoughts, but something caught his attention more than before: the bustling crowd laughing and talking moments ago had fallen silent. Everyone was quiet, not saying a word or laughing, nothing like welcoming their national hero. Nea looked further, and behind Gióng was a group of strange people. They were peculiar because they were dressed very differently from the locals; their clothes were dusty and covered from head to toe, resembling desert wanderers. Perhaps more noteworthy was the gigantic, luxurious palanquin they were carrying, which oxen, horses, or cattle did not pull but by people. There were even dozens of people struggling to lift the palanquin. The surrounding people began to whisper, and the words Nea could clearly hear were:
* Barbarians.
Suddenly, a ball flew out onto the street, followed by a child. Things happened quickly after that; the child suddenly appeared in the middle of the road, so the Mong people immediately switched to a defensive stance for the palanquin. A wanderer quickly pulled out a short sword from behind, rushed towards the child like a cat pouncing on its prey, and swung the sword decisively.
*Swoosh*
The sound of metal cutting through flesh was sickeningly sweet. He glanced at his victim:
"No one here??"
At some point, Gióng had managed to throw himself off his horse to shield the child, and although it only grazed him slightly, it still drew a bit of blood. Gióng glared at the man, then growled:
* What were you intending to do? It's just a child.
The man replied, his voice mocking:
* Oh, come on. It's just a natural reflex. We're on enemy territory, after all.
The interpreter translated Gióng's words for him, but Gióng's eyes remained fixed on the man. He spoke:
* Enemy? You requested to come here for a fair and honourable match in the arena. Do you think we would resort to such tricks?
* Who knows!!
The man replied mockingly, which suddenly changed the atmosphere, making everything feel heavier.
* Gióng!!
The princess's voice echoed, and she stepped out from the crowd. Seeing the wound on her brother, she was filled with anger. Her eyes began to emit a radiant red light, making the wandering man feel suffocated.
Gióng noticed this and gently took the princess's hand, saying:
* Princess, please don't do that; I'm fine.
His voice softened her somewhat, and she turned to him, asking anxiously:
* Are you really okay?
To prove his words, Gióng stood up straight, his towering figure making the Mong soldiers take a few steps back. He returned the child to his family, who thanked him before retreating into the crowd. Gióng turned to the princess, smiling gently as he said:
* You're wandering around again.
* I was just out shopping to prepare for our wedding.
The tender gaze exchanged between the couple seemed like a thorn piercing the eyes of the figure sitting on the palanquin. He ordered the palanquin to be lowered and strode towards Gióng and the princess. With arrogance, he proclaimed:
* Greetings the Princess Ngọc Hoa of Viet, whose beauty is truly unparalleled. I am Chenghiz, prince of the Mong, and I come here to express my intention to propose. You know, it would also be advantageous for the peace of your country, I think...
* Silent! Insolent fool. Win this tournament first before dreaming of speaking with me.
The princess harboured no sympathy for the prince of the Mong. After her words, she grabbed Gióng's hand and turned away. The Mong prince could only smirk before turning back to his palanquin. The whole entourage began to move towards the royal palace. Passing by Nea, the princess showed Gióng all the goods she bought:
* Look at these, my dear.
* Isn't that Nea over there?
* Oh, You can pronounce his name?
* He looks pretty wealthy now, doesn't he?
Gióng waved to Nea, who politely returned the gesture. As the princess was with Gióng, she instructed the two attendants to return Nea and the belongings to Gióng's estate.
****
Throughout the evening, Nea assisted everyone in decorating everything to make it look splendid. The entire estate was adorned with brightly lit red lanterns placed from the rooftops to the ground, and paper cranes hung suspended everywhere. Nea honestly had a day full of joy and exhilaration in a completely unfamiliar place.
As night fell, the young guard named Minh reappeared to carry out his duties. Nea found him easy to converse with, so he initiated a conversation. Nea recounted the incident from earlier in the evening, and upon hearing it, Minh was visibly displeased:
* Huh, if it weren't for those Mong people, everything would be smooth sailing by now.
* What's the matter?
* Their purpose in coming here is to take the princess from Lord Gióng's hands. They want the princess to marry their prince to facilitate the alliance between our two countries. Not long ago, they invaded the country of Hoa, an influential nation in the north.
* Wait, isn't that the country that wanted to invade here?
* That's right, but after getting a severe beating from Lord Gióng, they became weakened and vulnerable to invasion. Now, those Mong people are once again scheming to conquer this land. Instead of invasion, they've chosen the path of marriage. However, no one agrees, especially Hùng Vương. So, they've come up with a plan, which is to organize a martial arts tournament starting tomorrow. If they win, our side must agree to marry the princess to them.
Nea recalled the events of the afternoon and said:
* I don't think they stand a chance.
* Haha, that's right; how could they win against Lord Gióng?
The two continued to banter like this until midnight when a voice called out:
* Hưng, Hưng...
The housekeeper appeared, asking:
* Have you two seen my little boy?
* We haven't.
* Strange, he said he was going to the toilet and then disappeared again, this boy...
* Let us help you find Hưng; he's probably just off playing somewhere.
And so the three of them split up to search. Nea searched for a while but still couldn't find him. He climbed up onto the wall to look out over the courtyard. Nea observed the surroundings for a while but didn't see little Hưng anywhere. Suddenly, the lively lights from the city caught Nea's attention. He sat back to rest, admiring the scene before continuing the search.
"It's so peaceful around here. I can even hear people's voices from far away."
Nea recalled everything that had happened in the day.
"He was quick to act, jumping off the horse to shield the child despite his large size. Well, if he has the energy from the seal, it all makes sense."
*Trickle, trickle*
"Huh, is that the sound of running water? It's not raining; the weather is clear."
*Trickle, trickle*
*Trickle, trickle*
A gust of wind suddenly rose from behind, causing Nea to notice a familiar scent—the same scent he had encountered several times just the other day.
"Blood!"
The solid metallic smell of blood filled Nea's nostrils, causing him to cover his nose instinctively. But then Nea noticed that his hands were also stained red with blood. A chill ran down Nea's spine as the sound of flowing water grew louder and heavier. The sound seemed to be coming from right behind Nea. Slowly, he turned around, and the sight of fresh blood dripping from the roof to the ground seemed to etch itself into Nea's eyes. He looked up at the rooftop, illuminated by the bright round moon, and there stood a figure dressed like a wanderer from earlier that afternoon. In one hand, the figure raised a bloodied sabre near his mouth and proceeded to lick the fresh blood on it, while the other hand dangled two heads, still oozing blood. Nea's bewildered eyes reflected two familiar faces - one of Lan, the housekeeper, and the other that of Hưng, her young boy.
The enchanting moonlight of the full moon night suddenly turned chillingly cold. Time seemed to freeze for Nea, and there was no sound except the steady trickle of flowing blood.