Chapter 8

  Blood In The Wind.

  The sun rose slowly over the horizon.

  Sam was already awake.

  His sword cut through the air in smooth arcs. His spear thrust forward with controlled precision. His mana coating shimmered faintly — thin, dense, nearly undetectable.

  He did not grow tired of training.

  He enjoyed it.

  Every improvement. Every refinement. Every small percentage gained.

  ? AIRS

  ? Mana efficiency: 91%.

  ? Reaction speed improved by 3.2%.

  ? Physical strain: manageable.

  After finishing, Sam paused.

  There was somewhere he wanted to go.

  Deep within the forest lay two simple graves.

  One for his mother.

  One for his grandfather.

  Sam knelt quietly before them.

  For a long time, he said nothing.

  Then softly—

  “I’m getting stronger.”

  He spoke about Fang.

  About Lie.

  About his new shelter.

  About how he was slowly building something of his own.

  The wind moved gently through the trees.

  For a brief moment, the cautious, cold exterior faded.

  Then he stood up.

  And began walking back.

  Meanwhile…

  At the cave, the group had split duties again.

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  Uncle Ning and Uncle Ding gathered materials.

  Lie and Uncle Wang searched for food and suitable land.

  The women remained inside.

  But they made one critical mistake.

  The cave floor still carried blood stains and waste from the prey hunted the previous night.

  The scent spread.

  And the forest answered.

  A pack of wild beasts caught the smell.

  They moved toward the cave.

  Fast.

  Inside, Aunt Luo sensed it first.

  “Something is coming.”

  The women stepped outside.

  Aunt Luo — a strong wind mage.

  Xian — trained under her mother.

  Yuner — skilled in both magic and basic combat training.

  They were not weak.

  But they had one fatal flaw.

  They only knew long-range attack magic.

  No defensive control. No close combat technique.

  When the beasts charged, they launched wind blades and bursts of magic.

  Several beasts fell.

  But the remaining ones closed the distance.

  The battle turned chaotic.

  Xian screamed as a beast lunged past her attack.

  On his way back through the forest—

  Sam froze.

  Distant sounds.

  Roars. Screams.

  “AIRS. Scan.”

  ? AIRS

  ? Scan complete.

  ? Three human life-signs detected.

  ? Engaged in combat against multiple beasts.

  ? Location: 340 meters east.

  Sam’s eyes sharpened.

  He moved instantly.

  At the same time, Lie and the others heard the sounds.

  They ran.

  Uncle Ning and Ding were closer.

  Lie and Uncle Wang followed behind.

  Sam arrived first.

  The scene was brutal.

  He drew his bow without hesitation.

  One arrow.

  Two.

  Three.

  Perfect precision.

  Beasts dropped before they reached the women.

  After several strikes, the remaining creatures fled.

  Silence.

  Heavy breathing.

  Blood on the ground.

  Xian collapsed unconscious.

  Before Sam could speak—

  Uncle Ning and Uncle Ding burst into the clearing.

  They saw:

  Sam.

  Bow in hand.

  Women injured.

  Misunderstanding ignited instantly.

  “You bastard!” Uncle Ning roared.

  They attacked.

  Sam stepped back, dodging the first strike.

  He did not use magic.

  He did not reveal his true strength.

  But facing two skilled warriors without using full power was not easy.

  He defended. Adapted.

  ? AIRS

  ? Combat pattern analysis in progress.

  ? Opponent style: aggressive, momentum-based.

  ? Weakness identified: overcommitment on left swing.

  Sam adjusted.

  Gradually, he gained the upper hand.

  But he still held back.

  He would not expose everything.

  Just as tension reached its peak—

  “STOP!”

  Lie and Uncle Wang arrived.

  The fight froze.

  Lie’s eyes shifted to his sister.

  Unconscious.

  Blood on her clothes.

  His heart nearly stopped.

  Sam calmly reached into his pouch.

  From the forest, he had created simple disinfectants and processed medicinal herbs.

  He handed them to Lie.

  “Use this. Crush the leaves. Apply here. Clean the wound first.”

  They hesitated.

  Trust was fragile.

  “I trust him,” Lie said firmly.

  They followed Sam’s instructions.

  Minutes passed.

  Breathing stabilized.

  Xian’s pulse steadied.

  Relief flooded the cave entrance.

  Explanations followed.

  Beasts. Blood scent. Rescue.

  Realization dawned.

  Uncle Ning and Ding immediately bowed slightly.

  “We misunderstood. Forgive us.”

  Everyone thanked Sam.

  Lie, however, looked uneasy.

  What does he think of us now?

  ? AIRS

  ? Emotional analysis: Lie experiencing fear, gratitude, and shame.

  Sam stood quietly.

  Then he looked around.

  Dead beasts. Blood scattered everywhere.

  “This place is no longer safe,” he said calmly. “The scent will attract more predators.”

  He paused.

  “If you don’t mind… you can come to my shelter.”

  Silence.

  Lie looked at his family.

  Then back at Sam.

  “Give us some time to decide.”

  Sam nodded.

  “I’ll return later. Decide by then.”

  He turned and walked back into the forest.

  The wind carried away the smell

  of blood.

  But something else lingered—

  A fragile bridge of trust.

  End Of Chapter 8

  To Be Continued......