As the first rays of sunlight kissed the Jing Mountains, they illuminated a makeshift village nestled deep in the rugged terrain. This village belonged to the Thunder Sky Brotherhood, Today, the village stirred to life at a slower pace than usual—yesterday’s raid had been a resounding success, and everyone was still basking in its afterglow.

For the next couple of weeks, the brotherhood planned to lay low. It was an unspoken rule among the bandit groups that they rotated their activities, giving each brotherhood its turn to loot and raid without stepping on each other’s toes. With their spoils safely hidden for now, Thunder Sky could afford a few quiet days.

Yuan and little Minho emerged from their modest hut, still yawning and rubbing the sleep from their eyes. They both slung simple cloth bags over their shoulders, preparing for the day ahead. As they stepped into the open, they saw a group of brothers and sisters gathering nearby, preparing to form a hunting and foraging party.

Minho, finishing a big yawn, squinted through the morning light and spotted Sister Tao at the head of the group. Tao was overseeing the preparations, a similar cloth bag hanging over her shoulder. She was leading the group into the forest to gather wood, mushrooms, and other supplies the brotherhood would need for the coming days.

Yuan, however, had a different task. Along with Brother Gu, he was to hide yesterday’s loot in one of their many secret stashes scattered across the mountain range. He adjusted his bag, planning to gather some fruit or fish along the way, but Gu was nowhere to be seen.

"Ha... that lazy bum Brother Gu is still not here," Yuan muttered in mild frustration. He glanced down at Minho, who was still half-asleep, her eyelids drooping. Smiling, he knelt to her level and said, "Xiao Minho, I’ll be waiting for Brother Gu, so you go with Sister Tao and listen to her and Sister Yang, alright?"

Minho nodded through another sleepy yawn, barely processing his words. Yuan chuckled softly at her groggy expression but still felt the need to warn her. "And remember," he added, "don’t wander into the territories of other bandit brotherhoods. Especially the Greenwood Brotherhood in the eastern mountains—they’re not as friendly as us."

Minho nodded again, her eyes half-closed, clearly more focused on sleep than on Yuan’s warnings. Yuan sighed, shaking his head with a smile as he called out, "Sister Yang!"

Sister Yang, who was busy talking with some of the brothers about the details of the day’s foraging trip, turned in his direction. "Yes, Brother Yuan?" she replied as she walked over.

Kneeling down next to Minho, Sister Yang gave the little girl’s cheeks a gentle squeeze, coaxing a small smile out of her. "What’s up?" she asked, still playing with Minho’s sleepy face.

Yuan sighed again. "It seems Brother Gu is still not awake," he explained. "I’ll go to his hut and drag him out if I have to, but in the meantime, could you keep an eye on Minho during the trip?"

Yang chuckled softly, nodding as she continued to fuss over Minho. "Of course, Brother Yuan. This happens every time after a raid. Brother Gu really needs to get his act together."

Yuan nodded in agreement, his expression one of mild exasperation as he turned to leave. "Thanks, Yang. I’ll be back once I’ve pried that lazy bum out of bed." With that, he headed off toward Gu’s hut, leaving Minho in the capable hands of Sister Yang.

Yang smiled as she straightened up, giving Minho one last affectionate pat on the head. "Alright, sleepyhead," she said, her voice gentle but firm, "let's get going. The forest won’t forage itself, and if we’re lucky, we might find some wild berries you love so much."

Minho, now a bit more awake, nodded and followed Sister Yang towards the gathering group, casting one last glance at Yuan as he disappeared into the village. Despite the quiet morning and the relaxed atmosphere, Yuan’s earlier warnings about the Greenwood Brotherhood lingered in her mind. But for now, the excitement of the forest trip and the comfort of being with her brothers and sisters distracted her from any worries.

As the group disappeared into the woods, another scene was unfolding at the hut where the hostages were kept.

Outside the dim, weathered hut, Senior Brother Dao and Minfe stood waiting. Both had an air of tension about them, though Minfe was clearly worse for wear, holding his head in pain and wincing from last night’s heavy drinking. Dao, noticing his state, shook his head disapprovingly.

“This is why you should drink responsibly," Dao said, his tone half-scolding. "Especially since you can’t handle it like the others. Look at you—today’s an important day, and you’re barely functioning.”

Minfe grunted, massaging his temples. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. We’re going to make a lot of money today,” he muttered, trying to shrug off the headache and fatigue.

At that moment, Brother Qin emerged from the hut, guiding Liu Bei out into the light. Liu Bei was tightly bound with ropes and had a rough blindfold covering his eyes. As Qin led him forward, both Minfe and Dao stepped up to inspect his restraints.

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Minfe, squinting through the pain in his head, nodded at the ropes and said, “Take him through the confusing path. We can’t risk anyone finding his way back to our base.” His words were firm, though his voice carried the weight of his hangover.

Dao, still focused on the blindfold, frowned. “This isn’t tied properly. Let me fix it,” he said, stepping forward. His hands moved quickly, adjusting the knot with precision, ensuring Liu Bei’s vision was completely blocked.

Minfe raised an eyebrow as he watched Dao’s meticulous adjustments. He still felt uneasy, his headache clouding his thoughts. Once Dao finished, Minfe stepped forward and tugged on the knot, tightening it even more. “This should hold better now,” he said, satisfied.

Dao gave a nod of approval as Qin, standing by patiently, asked, “All set then, Senior Brother Dao? Senior Brother Minfe?”

Dao glanced one more time at Liu Bei, who stood silently, then nodded. “Yes, everything is in place.”

“Good,” Minfe said, forcing a smile despite his pounding head. “Get moving, and again remember to stay off the main paths. We can’t afford him finding our base.”

Qin smirked, giving a small salute before gripping Liu Bei’s shoulder and guiding him down a narrow trail that twisted and turned through the dense forest. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he’s properly lost by the time we release him in the village.”

As Qin and Liu Bei disappeared into the forest, the morning air around the hut seemed to thicken with a strange, uneasy silence. Minfe leaned back against a nearby tree, closing his eyes for a moment, still trying to shake the remnants of last night’s drinking session.

The morning sun, still low in the sky, painted the mountains in hues of gold and amber, deeper in the forest, the group led by Sister Tao had ventured far from the village, their simple bags already beginning to fill with gathered fruits and firewood.

The forest buzzed with the sounds of rustling leaves, chirping birds, and the occasional laughter among the bandits. However, while most of them diligently collected resources, there was one outlier who seemed to have her mind elsewhere.

Little Minho, with her curiosity as boundless as ever, wandered away from the main group, weaving through the underbrush, searching for berries instead of firewood or mushrooms. She pushed through thick bushes, peering into each one, only to emerge covered in leaves. Her small figure, now resembling a walking pile of forest debris, caught the attention of Sister Tao and Sister Yang, who watched her with amusement.

“You little brat,” Sister Tao called out, barely able to suppress her laughter. “Why don’t you try finding something useful for once?”

Minho, spinning in circles in a frantic attempt to shake off a stubborn leaf stuck to her back, replied, “I am trying, Sister Tao! But... berries!” Her focus remained on the leaf clinging to her as if it were the only thing that mattered in the world.

Sister Yang, shaking her head with a smile, sighed. “Fine, you can look for berries, but don’t wander off too far, okay? Stay where we can see you. Sister Tao and I are going to catch some fish by the river.”

“Okay!” Minho shouted with renewed enthusiasm. With the leaf finally gone, she immediately dove into another cluster of bushes, disappearing from sight for a moment. The two sisters exchanged a chuckle, shaking their heads at the girl’s relentless energy.

As Minho explored the underbrush, her excitement slowly waned. After several minutes of fruitless searching, she stopped, catching her breath. Her small hands rested on her knees as she looked around, her brow furrowed with mild frustration. It was then that something familiar caught her attention. She squinted, her gaze sweeping the area, and realized with a start that this was the very spot she had seen the strange green light the night before.

Her heart quickened as she turned in a slow circle, trying to spot any sign of what she had witnessed. Sure enough, in the distance, half-hidden by overgrown vines and rocks, she noticed a small, shadowy opening—a cave. It didn’t look like much in the daylight, but Minho was certain this was where the mysterious flash had originated. The memory of the glowing light danced in her mind.

She glanced back toward the river, where Sister Tao and Sister Yang were busy fishing with the rest of the group. They were laughing, completely absorbed in their task. Minho bit her lip, debating whether or not to tell them about the cave and the strange light. She knew they would probably scold her for wandering off, and she didn’t want to seem foolish for bringing up something she wasn’t entirely sure about. But her curiosity gnawed at her, and the cave seemed to call to her with a quiet, irresistible pull.

“A little peek won’t hurt,” she whispered to herself, her decision made. Besides, it was just a quick look—nothing more. She could explore it on her own, just for a moment, and then head back to the others before they even noticed she was gone.

Without a second thought, Minho began creeping toward the cave, her small footsteps barely rustling the leaves on the forest floor. The mouth of the cave loomed ahead, dark and foreboding, with the scent of damp earth growing stronger as she approached. The entrance was narrow, just wide enough for a person to squeeze through, and the inside was as dark and humid as one would expect from a cave hidden deep within the Jing Mountains.

As Minho ventured further inside, the cool air wrapped around her like a shiver, and her footsteps echoed faintly off the stone walls. The darkness pressed in on her, but after a few cautious steps, she noticed a faint light farther into the cave. It wasn’t the strange green glow she had seen the night before, but it was something—something that made her quicken her pace with growing curiosity.

She rushed toward the light and, to her amazement, found herself in a massive underground chamber. The cave was far larger than their entire village, with towering walls that stretched up to a ceiling so high it disappeared into shadow. Above her, a large hole in the ceiling allowed sunlight to pour into the cave, casting a warm, golden glow over the space. The sunlight illuminated an entire ecosystem of green plants growing in the fertile soil, and at the center of it all stood a massive tree, its roots snaking across the ground like veins of life.

Minho’s eyes widened in awe. At first, she thought the greenish light she’d seen last night might have been nothing more than moonlight reflecting off the plants and the tree. But as she stood there, bathed in sunlight, she hesitated. The light she’d seen had been far too bright and eerie to be a simple reflection of the moon.

Curiosity tugged at her once again, and she walked deeper into the cave, her small feet carrying her toward the center where the tree stood. As she neared, something caught her eye—something shiny, sparkling in the sunlight. She stepped closer and crouched down to inspect it. There, half-buried in the moss, was a sleek, black object. It was rectangular, about the size of her hand, and far too smooth and reflective to be any kind of natural stone.

Minho squinted, her reflection staring back at her from the surface of the object. It was as if she were looking into a black mirror, but one that was clearer and more polished than anything she had ever seen before. The glossy surface seemed to shimmer in the light, and for a moment, she wondered if this could be something valuable—perhaps a treasure used by the wealthy ladies of large sects.

"If colored glass is worth a lot..." Minho muttered to herself, "...then a mirror like this, that's black and so clear, must be worth a fortune!"

Her fingers traced the edges of the object, and as she inspected it more closely, she noticed a small protrusion on the side. It was barely noticeable, but it stood out just enough to catch her attention. Without thinking, she pressed it, curious to see what would happen.

In an instant, the object lit up, casting a soft glow that filled the cave. Minho gasped, startled by the sudden burst of light, and instinctively dropped the object. It tumbled from her hands and fell onto the soft moss below, thankfully without breaking.

Her heart raced as she stepped back, eyes wide as the object continued to glow faintly where it had fallen. She had never seen anything like this before. What was it? A magical artifact? Some kind of relic from an ancient time? Like in the folklore Sister Tao used to tell? The questions swirled in her mind as she cautiously approached the glowing object once more, her curiosity burning even brighter than before.