It had been two days since the Thunder Sky Brotherhood’s village was destroyed. In that time, Shun, Tao, Gu, and Minho had begun to face the grim reality that their peaceful lives were over. The wreckage of their home still weighed on their minds, but survival forced them to focus on the present.

Each night, Gu went out to find food, scouring the forests for fish and fruits. He had been careful to stay undetected by any nearby threats, especially the dreaded Greenwood Brotherhood. While he foraged, Shun and Tao busied themselves inside the cave, working on building a small hut in the open chamber. They sealed the cave entrance with vines and branches, making it nearly invisible from the outside. One of them always kept guard, listening for any sounds of approaching danger.

Minho, meanwhile, had spent her time studying the few books that Shun managed to save from the village. One of the most valuable was the book on the Kalie language of the Frost Kingdom. This book was now her guide in deciphering the mysterious black mirror.

For the past two days, Minho had resisted the urge to examine the mirror again. The mirror ws still buried beneath the roots of the large tree, fearing that its strange appearance would only add to her companions' anxieties. They were already emotionally drained and paranoid from the loss of their home. Introducing something as bewildering as the mirror could shatter their fragile sense of safety.

Minho knew she needed more information before revealing the mirror to the others. If she couldn’t explain its function, it might spark fear or distrust. The group could easily believe that the mirror was cursed, and in their current state of mind, that belief could cause chaos.

Although Minho didn’t yet understand the full significance of the mirror, she felt certain that it held great power. The Kalie language book provided only a small piece of the puzzle, and she knew she would need more resources to fully decipher the inscriptions. Still, even small clues were valuable. She hoped that, in time, she could unlock the mirror's secrets and offer the group a clearer picture of what it was and how it might help them.

But for now, she kept the mirror hidden. Revealing it too soon, with only guesses about its purpose, could end in disaster. The worst-case scenario haunted her: the others might believe that the mirror had cursed them, feeding their growing paranoia.

Minho's cautious approach stemmed from her desire to protect her companions, fear of the unknown. She was the only one who knew about the mirror and thought it had potential. If it could somehow help them, then she had to be the one to figure it out first. Until then, she kept her discovery secret, waiting for the right moment.

Meanwhile, Tao and Shun had finally finished building the small hut inside the cave. It wasn’t big enough for all of them, but it had been built with Minho in mind. The swarms of mosquitoes and other pests that plagued the nights were particularly bothersome to her, so Tao and Shun prioritized her comfort over their own.

"We made it for you," Tao said with a smirk as he gestured toward the modest structure. "We’ll build ours later. Now get in there, you brat."

Minho tried to protest, "But—"

"No buts," Shun cut in with a grin. "I even asked Brother Gu to find dry hay so we could make you a soft bed. You’ll sleep there tonight, and that's final."

Reluctantly, Minho nodded, "Alright, I’ll use it tonight." She couldn’t deny the sense of gratitude that welled up inside her, despite the casual teasing from the two.

With that settled, Tao and Shun returned to working on another hut for themselves, while Gu entered the cave, his expression serious. "The Greenwood bandits are still determined to control the entire Jing Mountains," he reported grimly. "I can’t keep finding enough fish and fruit every day like this. At this rate, we won’t survive when winter arrives in a month. We need to head to one of our secret stash spots to gather supplies and rations before it’s too late."

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the group gathered around a small fire, discussing their dwindling options. The cave’s flickering shadows reflected the unease that hung over them.

"But the Greenwood bandits know all of our stash locations thanks to Minfe," Minho said, stopping herself from calling the traitor “Senior Brother.” Her tone was bitter. The betrayal still stung, and the mention of his name only added to the tension.

Shun and Tao both nodded grimly in agreement. The memory of Minfe’s betrayal was still fresh, and it had left them vulnerable in more ways than one.

Gu, however, remained resolute. "I know, but we don’t have many choices left. Shun and I can head out under the cover of darkness tonight. We’ll see how far we can get before we spot any Greenwood bandits. Tao, you can stay here and guard the cave."

Shun considered the plan, his brow furrowed in thought. "It does seem reasonable," he finally said. "At the very least, we should check if any of our secret stashes are still intact. If even one remains, it could be enough to get us through the winter."

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Tao, however, was less convinced. "But Brother Gu, this could easily be a trap. The Greenwood Brotherhood knows all of our locations. They could just be waiting for us to show up, ready to ambush. And besides," she added, her voice lowering, "it’s clear that they’re not afraid of imperial patrols anymore. Just look at how bold they’ve been—raiding other brotherhoods in broad daylight."

Her concern was valid. Bandits in the Jing Mountains typically operated under the cover of night to avoid drawing the attention of imperial patrols, but the Greenwood Brotherhood seemed to have cast aside all fear of authority.

"You’re right," Gu admitted, his expression darkening. "I haven’t seen a single imperial patrol in the last two days. It’s as if the empire has abandoned the Jing Mountains, leaving the Greenwood Brotherhood to do as they please."

Minho, who had been quietly listening, spoke up after a moment of thought. "It must be a reward for their role in the assassination attempt on the second prince, Han Ming. The Empress must have made some kind of deal with them. Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense why they would act so fearlessly."

A brief silence followed her words. Though Minho was the youngest of the group, her sharp mind was something the Thunder Sky Brotherhood had always respected. Her theory, however grim, seemed plausible.

Gu sighed heavily. "Even if that’s true, we won’t survive the winter if we don’t find supplies soon. We have no other choice but to check the stashes, trap or not."

Tao, though still hesitant, finally relented. "Alright, but if you sense any trouble, promise me you’ll turn back immediately. We can’t afford to lose either of you."

Shun and Gu exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. "We’ll be careful," Shun promised.

With the plan set, the group settled in for their evening meal. Tao had cooked her famous stew, a simple yet comforting dish that lifted their spirits, if only for a moment. The warmth of the food filled their bellies as the cold night began to settle in.

Once the moon had risen high in the sky, casting its pale light over the mountains, Shun and Gu gathered their gear. Clad in dark clothes, they slipped out of the cave’s entrance, disappearing into the shadows of the forest.

Tao remained at the entrance of the cave, keeping a vigilant watch with her bow in hand. She worked quietly, weaving a rope from vines to pass the time, her sharp eyes ever watchful for any sign of movement outside.

Meanwhile, Minho, safe inside the newly built hut, glanced nervously toward the cave entrance, making sure Tao remained outside on watch. Her heart raced as she tiptoed toward the large tree nestled deeper in the cave's open chamber. Every few steps, she paused, listening intently for any sound of Tao re-entering the cave, but the only noise was the distant crackling of the fire and the occasional shuffle from the entrance.

Once she reached the tree, she crouched down and used a makeshift shovel,a flat stone tied to a stick, to dig at the spot where she had buried her bag two days ago. The earth gave way easily, revealing the hidden sack that held her most guarded secret.

Minho's hands trembled slightly as she retrieved the bag, wiping dirt off it quickly. This was her chance—likely the only time she'd be alone long enough to investigate the mirror without raising suspicion. She couldn’t afford to miss it. Taking a deep breath, she tucked the bag under her arm and hurried back to the small hut.

Inside, she lay down on the pile of hay that Shun and Tao had prepared for her, pulling the bag close as she rummaged through its contents. She first removed the bundle of firewood and set them aside carefully. Then, with both hands, she withdrew the black mirror itself, feeling a strange chill as her fingers brushed its smooth surface.

Minho pressed along the side of the mirror that caused its dark surface to glow faintly. The reflection shimmered, giving way to the strange, mountain, objects hovering above it, as if the mirror was projecting a view from another world entirely. The familiar sight both intrigued and unsettled her.

The hut, though small, provided enough privacy for her to work without being disturbed. The faint light of the mirror flickered in the dark, its glow soft enough to be hidden by the makeshift walls of leaves and vines that Tao and Shun had painstakingly built. If she had been out in the open, Tao would have surely seen the glow, but here, Minho was safe to explore the mystery without drawing attention.

Sitting cross-legged on the hay, Minho pulled out her notes, her eyes flickering between the floating icons on the mirror and the rough sketches she’d made from previous experiments. She had already explored some of the basic functions of the mirror—icons like [Camera], [Settings], and [Maps] had given her clues, but there were still many more she hadn’t dared touch. Tonight, she was determined to delve deeper.

Her fingers hovered over two unfamiliar icons: [News] and [Browser]. According to her notes, [News] seemed to be some sort of magic or spell designed for gathering information. Though Minho wasn’t entirely sure, the description implied that it could provide updates on recent events or important happenings. As for [Browser], it supposedly connected to something called the [Internet]—an endless sea of knowledge, or so the notes claimed. The concept was baffling, but Minho couldn't deny its potential. If it truly held vast amounts of information, it could be the key to understanding much more.

After some thought, she decided to test [News] first. Right now, information was exactly what she needed. Her curiosity burned to know what was going on beyond the cave—whether the Greenwood Brotherhood was still causing chaos or if something bigger was at play. She cautiously pressed the [News] icon, half-expecting another mishap like the one she had with [Maps], which had didn’t function because of something called [Location]

The screen spun for a few seconds, showing a small, rotating wheel before finally settling on a grid of boxes. Each box was adorned with vibrant, life-like paintings and bold, polished text—so real that it almost seemed like she could touch the scenes. Minho stared in awe for a moment, marveling at the clarity of the images before her. Then, the mirror prompted her to scroll, indicating with a small symbol how she could move the screen up and down by sliding her finger.

She carefully followed the instruction and scrolled to the first box. Its bold text read:

[Breaking News] The President of the [International Teleportation Research Institute] has admitted that the [Teleportation] of complex objects is not possible by today’s [standards]!

Minho squinted at the words, her brow furrowing. The language, as usual, was a mix of polished Han characters and the more intricate Kalie script. It was hard to decipher, even with her limited knowledge of the Frost Kingdom’s language. She paused, realizing that she would need help understanding these foreign words. Fortunately, she had brought along the book—Minfe’s old text on the Kalie language,

Minho set the mirror down momentarily and flipped through the book, searching for the unfamiliar terms. "Teleportation," "Institute," and "Standards" were all foreign to her, but she diligently cross-referenced them with the Han to Kalie translations, scribbling notes as she went.

Many of the Kalie words she encountered weren’t in the book—a limitation she expected since it was only a single volume. Words like [Teleportation] weren’t listed, though from context, Minho gathered that it referred to some kind of process or method. [Institute] translated as an organization dedicated to education, while [Research] was easier, meaning to seek reasoning behind the unknown—in plain Han, it simply meant "research."

As Minho worked, she mused over the meaning of these unfamiliar terms. Perhaps an [Institute] was similar to a sect? An organization devoted to learning and study, just like the sects she had grown up hearing about. It made sense to her, even if the mirror's time period was vastly different from her own.

Intrigued, Minho decided to delve deeper. She tapped on the bold text of the headline to see what this mysterious title was talking about, hoping it would provide her with more clarity.