Yi Ming sat on thick grass, his legs were stretched while his back was pressed against a wide tree— his head lowered, his eyes closed, and his breathing was barely perceptible. Both his hands and clothes were dyed red, still wet from blood. His appearance was miserable like he was on his last leg, but truthfully, he was merely sleeping— resting after his long departure from White Wind City.

“Mom…” he softly whimpered under his breath. Even in his dreams, the torment from his affliction was never-ending. His expression twisted in agony as his body suddenly spasmed, sending sharp, stinging pain through his nerves and muscles, as if countless needles were piercing him.

“Aunt Wei…” he moaned, blood leaking from his lips. After the stinging pain came a searing heat that surged into his meridians, scorching him from the inside. Scarlet lines traced along his burning skin, glowing like molten lava.

“Uncle Jian…” he continued to murmur deliriously. “Mayor Su…”

“Moyun…”

Sweat poured from his temples. After the flame, a tightening force began to clench at his mind, its unrelenting grip constricting him, causing him to writhe in discomfort.

Yi Ming was startled awake at the height of the pain— when his mind felt like it was on the verge of exploding. With his breathing ragged and uneven, he took a moment to calm his heart, and though he felt a throbbing ache throughout his body, he slowly stood up.

This experience wasn’t new to him— he had struggled against it since he was five years old. By now, he was so accustomed to it that he no longer felt the need to complain, it was merely a part of his life, and he had accepted that.

Feeling his parched throat, he reached into the bundle on his back, removed a sheepskin bag, and drank from it.

The lukewarm liquid flowing down his throat provided some relief, and as he wiped away the sweat that accumulated on his forehead, he turned, staring in the direction he came from.

“It’s been almost a week since I left White Wind City, I wonder how everyone is doing?” He wondered thoughtfully.

He missed Aunt Wei, Uncle Jian, Mayor Su, and even the Yi estate, but at the same time, he had never felt so alive. The freedom to go wherever he wanted, without being confined by four walls, surrounded only by open space— it excited him. He didn’t regret his decision to leave.

Though it was frightening at first, he had somewhat acclimated to the change. On his first night in the wilds, he hadn’t thought he would make it past the next day. The unfamiliar sounds of nature terrified him— he was on guard during the day and kept awake at night. He also had an unsettling feeling of being stalked by someone or something. Having read countless books in the Yi estate, he was aware of the dangers of the outside world and the ferocious beasts that roamed these lands. He trusted his instincts and believed it to be the case. Yet, when the next day came and he finally encountered his supposed stalker, he was shocked by its friendliness despite its fierce appearance.

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In the days that followed, he encountered more beasts living in the forest, and as it turned out, none of them were as terrifying as the books had described. He even made friends with them.

He couldn’t help but feel the books had exaggerated, alleviating some of his anxiety for this journey.

As Yi Ming checked his supplies and rations, preparing for another arduous day, a large shadow suddenly loomed over him from behind. It stood six meters tall and had menacing eyes that glowed fiery red. Thick, viscous saliva dripped from its broad mouth, and with each exhale, a cloud of smoke escaped through rows of razor-sharp teeth.

Yi Ming felt its presence and froze. As he turned around to check, the shadow immediately pounced on him.

His eyes widened— not in fear, but in joy.

“Brownie!” He exclaimed, with open arms.

Two massive paws, the size of tree trunks, scooped him up and pulled him close.

Yi Ming felt the familiar soft fur against his face and giggled in delight.

“You’re back!” He remarked.

The shadow belonged to a tyrannical brown bear with fur decorated with intricate golden patterns. This was the very creature that had been stalking Yi Ming after he left White Wind City. The two had hit it off after their first meeting and the bear began to follow him. Yi Ming didn’t push it away, instead, he welcomed the company as traveling alone can be dull.

The bear gently lowered him to the ground after their warm embrace. It examined him, and upon noticing the blood across his body, it let out a low growl of concern. With a gentle nudge of its huge head, the bear began cleaning away the blood with its tongue.

“Haha, that tickles!” Yi Ming laughed, completely drenched in saliva but not minding it one bit.

Noticing the worry in Brownie’s eyes, Yi Ming stroked its fur and smiled. “It’s okay, I’m fine,” he reassured.

Brownie shook its head, seemingly unconvinced. It snorted and growled.

What happened next was nothing if not strange. The boy and the bear seemed to be having a conversation, though Brownie never uttered another sound. Most of the time, it was Yi Ming who spoke, but there were moments when he would pause— as if he was listening to something. Then, he’d quickly respond. The two appeared to be communicating in a way that was beyond spoken words.

Yi Ming wasn’t aware of this oddity. To him, it felt… natural. While Brownie never moved his jaws, Yi Ming understood everything— its words, its intentions, its feelings.

“Your condition is worsening,” Brownie conveyed gravely, its voice strange— neither male nor female, making it impossible to discern its gender.

“I know,” Yi Ming replied with a simple nod, his tone casual.

“I’m not sure how much longer you can keep going on like this.”

“Well, of course, you wouldn’t— you’re just a simple bear,” Yi Ming teased, grinning. “But really, you don’t need to worry. I’ve explained it to you when we first met, this is just how it is with me. After coughing a few blood here and there, I’ll feel better.”

“You’re lying,” Brownie responded, unamused. “Your affliction is far from simple. With each passing day, your hair grows whiter, your vision fades, your bones stiffen, your meridians burn, your organs fail, and your mind experiences torture.”

“You will die— blind and broken.”