Chapter 17 Those Past Events

Su Yun barely slept all night.

It wasn't just because I was afraid and uneasy being alone in the yard, but more so because I was worried about the night wind.

Didn't you say you wouldn't leave until early tomorrow morning?

Why did they run away in the middle of the night?

Besides, why the sudden decision to leave?

Is there something wrong with her?

Su Yun wanted to chase after her and find out what was going on, but the night was long and dark. Just as she was about to step out the door, a mournful shrill laugh came from the nearby forest, "Ah—haha—", like the intermittent shrill laughter of a woman who was about to die in the ghostly forest.

Startled, Su Yun immediately locked the door and retreated back into the room.

Oh my god, that's terrifying.

That night, Su Yun was exhausted and sleepy. Listening to the intermittent cries outside the window, her nerves were on edge, and she barely slept a wink.

Now that things have come to this, Su Yun realized the importance of Ye Feng. If Ye Feng really left, she definitely wouldn't dare to stay here any longer.

Putting aside the loneliness of being all alone with no one to talk to, the most important thing is her weak body. If she encounters danger one day, she doesn't know if she can withstand a single blow. It would be better if she died instantly, but what she fears most is being tortured and eaten piece by piece. Su Yun dared not think about it anymore; just thinking about it made her shudder.

We finally met Ye Feng, and whatever his purpose, we can't let him leave like this...

We have to keep her here, or... if she has to leave, she should go with him...

Su Yun pondered all night and made up her mind. When it was almost dawn, she quickly packed her things and went out to chase the night wind.

It was just dawn, the sky was turning a pale white, and a layer of dim light enveloped everything, making it difficult to see anything clearly. It was early morning, the time when animals were most active. In fact, most animals are active at dawn, when the temperature, humidity, and light are just right. Animals like to go out to forage at this time and then rest at noon. Although he knew that it was not a good time to set off, Su Yun could no longer care about that.

She dared not go out at night, as she had already wasted a lot of time. Now she had no idea where Ye Feng had gone, so she had to find him quickly.

So Su Yun looked around the village, carefully observing whether the lush vegetation had been disturbed, trying to determine which direction the night wind was probably coming from.

She first came to the main road leading out of the village, where the grass and trees were lush and layered, still covered with a light dew. If the night wind had traveled this way, it would have left some traces of trampled grass, but this place was flat and clean, obviously no one had been here.

Su Yun then turned to the southwest, where the bamboo forest where she had previously dug bamboo shoots was located. Further away was a place she had not yet explored, as the two of them had walked through the bamboo forest several times before, and the wild grass on both sides of the road had been cut down.

Su Yun carefully searched the area, but he was still unsure whether Ye Feng had gone this way.

She had no choice but to take another look. She went to the back of the village, where there was a forest. The vegetation was still lush and messy, and occasionally a "coo-coo" could be heard from inside. The leaves were obscuring the view, and everything was indistinct in the dim light.

Su Yun didn't dare to recklessly venture into the forest before dawn, lest he encounter wild wolves or lone bears, which would be a real problem.

So Su Yun decided to take a walk around the area and investigate before making any further moves. After walking around for a while, he didn't find anything unusual. Su Yun really couldn't figure out where Ye Feng had gone.

After touring the area around the small village, all that remained was the stream where they usually went to wash clothes. Next to the steps was a dilapidated stone bridge, overgrown with weeds, connecting a small patch of dense woods on the other side of the stream, stretching out into the distant mountains.

The path she stumbled and fell along from the highway to the southeast of the stream is the same one she took before. Could she have gotten lost on the highway?

If it were Su Yun, he would most likely follow the highway to the city and look for human settlements. However, Ye Feng seems to be somewhat resistant to humans and would most likely not choose this side. Therefore, the only possibilities are the bamboo forest, the back mountain, and the forest across the stream.

It's a multiple-choice question!

This time, Su Yun was troubled. If only she hadn't been spacing out last night, she should have called Ye Feng to stop immediately.

However, Ye Feng was too fast. Before she could react, he had disappeared in the blink of an eye.

As dawn broke, Su Yun grew even more anxious. There was no other way; she had to force herself to calm down and observe more carefully.

Su Yun circled around several places again, and finally found a small passage in the woods on the opposite bank of the river, with some broken grass and trees on both sides.

"It's most likely this way." Su Yun gripped his knife, calmed himself, adjusted his equipment, and resolutely stepped into the forest on the other side of the stream.

Unbeknownst to her, a figure was running swiftly through the forest behind the mountain...

After crossing the stone bridge, Su Yun followed the narrow path that had become barely visible as he climbed the mountain. The sky was beginning to lighten, but the forest was still dark. The intertwined branches cast strange, eerie shadows that were quite frightening to behold.

Su Yun shrank his neck and gripped the stick tightly. Not only did he see these terrifying shadows, but he also occasionally heard something "whoosh" as it ran past from the depths of the forest.

With a heavy heart, Su Yun gripped the sickle and carried a wooden stick, slowly walking along the path. He walked for a long, long time until the path ended up in ruins, overgrown with weeds and shrubs. Su Yun observed his surroundings and muttered to himself, "Did I go the wrong way?"

Faced with the desolate and uninhabited dense forest, she hesitated whether to turn back to find a way out. But she had already walked more than halfway out, so turning back now would be a waste of time.

We'll just have to keep looking.

Su Yun, sweating profusely, continued on her way, finally passing through the small forest. She found a high point, stood on a rock with a wide view, and looked around. Beyond this small forest, what awaited her was another stretch of continuous green mountains.

By now it was fully light, and the rolling green hills, shrouded in mist, appeared magnificent and distant.

Although the road ahead was uncertain, everything was bright and clear under the sunlight, and Su Yun was finally less afraid. Although she was unsure, she still planned to walk ahead and see how it went. If it didn't work out, she could turn back at noon.

Thinking this, Su Yun plunged into the forest again. This time, the mountain was covered with lush vegetation, and there was no path at all. Su Yun could only walk through the forest with one foot in the deep and one foot out of the shallow. After the sun rose, the forest was unusually quiet. It was probably because the small animals that came out at night had gone back to rest. After the sun rose, those that were active during the day had not yet fully woken up.

So, Su Yun walked alone through the forest, stopping from time to time to try to find his way. He was generally quite safe along the way and did not encounter any danger.

After crossing half of the mountain, Su Yun still found nothing. Just as she was hesitating whether to turn back and try a different direction, a faint "creaking" sound came from the bushes by the roadside in a quiet forest.

"What is that?"

Su Yun was startled at first, then instinctively tightened her grip on the sickle.

He remained still, listening silently to the sounds around him.

After a while, a gust of wind blew by.

The "squeak-quack-quack" sound came from the bushes next to them again, and then Su Yun's eyes lit up. This sounded like the sound of a pheasant!

Recognizing what sounded like a pheasant's call, Su Yun felt a surge of joy. She then realized she was a little hungry, as she had left in a hurry and didn't have much food with her. Faced with this free food, Su Yun couldn't let it pass by easily. So she slowed her pace, moved gently, and tiptoed towards the bushes from which the sound was coming. Sure enough, it was a brightly colored pheasant, its long tail feathers held high, leisurely digging a hole under the low bushes.

Su Yun was overjoyed, her mind racing with excitement – ​​she was sure she'd get to eat roast chicken!

Before Su Yun could even finish his joy, the pheasant in the mountains was very alert. Hearing the faint sound of Su Yun parting the branches, it immediately raised its head, flapped its wings, and with a "caw," flew out of the bushes where it was hiding, trailing its long tail feathers, and flew into the nearby grove of trees.

Su Yun was starving, so he couldn't possibly let go of the lunch that was about to be his, and hurriedly grabbed his machete and chased after him.

The pheasant didn't fly far, only about four or five meters away, before stopping and tilting its head to look back at her curiously, as if trying to entice her. Its little eyes rolled around, and it tilted its head, as if asking, "Why aren't you following me?"

Su Yun was so engrossed in chasing that she was completely unaware that she had run further and further away, eventually disappearing into the deep mountains.

She relentlessly chased after the pheasant that had appeared out of nowhere. The pheasant seemed to be luring her, flying and stopping intermittently. Several times, Su Yun felt that she was about to catch it.

Finally, the chicken seemed to be tired from flying and stopped motionless under the low tree, allowing Su Yun to crouch down and slowly approach.

Hehehe, here comes the roast chicken!

Two meters, one meter...

As the distance gradually decreases...

Su Yun raised the stick he carried with him and pounced forward like a hungry wolf, completely unaware of the strange thing under his feet.

The forest was perpetually dark, and the ground was very damp. Su Yun stepped on a patch of green moss, slipped, and flew off along with the silky fallen leaves, landing in a ravine.

What's worse, without even touching a single feather, the pheasant flapped its wings and flew away in a flash, cawing smugly twice. The pheasant perched on a branch, gave Su Yun, who was lying in the ditch, a haughty look, and then spread its wings and flew away proudly, its tail feathers trailing behind it.

So annoying!

Don't let me catch you, or I'll pluck all your fur off.

Su Yun was furious. She patted the mud off her body and was about to climb out of the ravine when a sharp pain shot through her foot. She looked down and saw that her ankle was red and swollen, and it hurt terribly with the slightest movement.

It seems that I twisted my ankle when I fell, and not only that, my arm was also scratched when I fell, and it hurts terribly whenever I move it.

And the buttocks, the back...

When I fell, my head was completely fuzzy. Now that I've come to my senses, I realize that I'm in pain all over...

Okay, so this is what they call "trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead"?

Su Yun tried to take a few steps, attempting to climb out of the ravine, but due to the pain in her feet, she fell back to the bottom. Looking at the ravine with its nearly two-meter drop, Su Yun decided to find a way to circle back.

So she dragged her half-crippled body, supported herself with a wooden stick, endured the pain, and continued limping deeper into the woods.

Sigh, you've really died before you even got started. Don't let me catch you!

snort!

Su Yun walked slowly out along the ravine, her cheeks puffed out.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the black figure of Ye Feng moved like lightning, swiftly traversing through the woods.

He ran as fast as he could, ignoring the several cuts he got from tree branches, and finally returned to the familiar courtyard at dawn.

Night Breeze timidly pushed open the door. He was hesitant to face Su Yun, because his injuries had long since healed. Most of the wounds had scabbed over and healed completely, and even the deepest ones had formed a thin scab. He was no longer the wounded soldier who couldn't walk and needed to recuperate. He was fully recovered, able to leave on his own, hunt on his own, and live independently. He no longer needed to rely on others, nor could he continue to be a burden to them...

In this cruel post-apocalyptic world, resources are extremely limited. Most people, orcs, live alone, and he is no exception. Occasionally, when he encounters danger, he does receive help, but it is mostly from fellow orcs who at most provide him with a temporary safe place and a bowl of water. In the end, once they see that he can walk again, they start to drive him away. Compared to humans who are always wary of orcs and do not take advantage of his injuries to turn a blind eye or stab him in the back, the orcs are actually quite good.

"Different species repel each other." This was a saying by Karen Mok, who used to live next door to him.

Mo Wenxin is a monkey-man who lives next door to Ye Feng. He is Ye Feng's only friend and teacher. He named Ye Feng, taught him to speak, and did many other things for him. His most frequently uttered phrase is: "Different species repel each other! Humans will never truly accept them, the beastmen!"

Mo Wenxin's orc genes are not obvious. He does not have prominent ears or tail. He looks very much like a human, except that his hair is slightly thicker and his facial features are slightly more rugged. Otherwise, there is not much difference in appearance.

He was found in the wild and sent to an orphanage as a human. Kind people adopted him and raised him as a human for more than ten years. He also lived in human society for more than ten years, but during a medical examination, he was found to have the genes of a beastman.

And then, with a snap, human life shattered like a dazzling bubble, and those lives that were once like beautiful dreams vanished lightly.

When researchers came to forcibly take him in, he fought back and was injected with an unknown liquid. His body underwent uncontrollable changes, his orc genes manifested, and he went berserk due to the side effects. His eyes turned bloodshot and he became incredibly strong. He managed to escape when surrounded by a group of researchers. He could have simply run away to the mountains.

But he still cared about his parents who had raised him for over a decade. When he saw them being detained for illegally adopting him, he still showed up at the police station, intending to rush in and save them. But he never expected that it was all a scam.

When his adoptive parents saw him go berserk with bloodshot eyes and bared teeth, their years of raising him vanished in an instant. They resolutely abandoned him and cooperated with the police and the laboratory to stage a good show, just to wait for him to take the bait. However, he still clung to his parents and foolishly walked into the trap. Thus, he was captured and taken to the laboratory, where he was subjected to endless experiments and torture from then on.

In the laboratory, Mo Wenxin taught him a lot. She was his teacher and the only friend he ever had. Ye Feng dared not and would never forget her last words before he died: "Humans can never truly accept those who are different. Once you show your fangs, they will abandon you."

His injuries have long since healed; it's time for him to leave.

But for some reason, watching the little courtyard gradually transform from desolate to bustling, he suddenly felt the urge to stay out even later.

Little did he know, while carefully concealing his injury, he accidentally hurt Su Yun. Looking at her astonished eyes and her injured neck, images flashed through Ye Feng's mind: the surprised, wary…and then disgusted looks of humans…

he…

The night wind lowered his eyelashes, his heart filled with melancholy and sorrow; he didn't want to see that expression on Su Yun's face...

So he fled quickly...

But...

Yet he was still so reluctant to part with it...

So he lingered nearby all night, thinking for a long time, and finally came up with a plan: since he was about to leave, let him have a reason and an excuse to come back one more time!

So he frantically ventured into the mountains and forests, finally hunting a fat wild boar before dawn. Then he ran all the way back to the yard...

Finally, I'm back here.

It was already dawn, and the morning light scattered a soft golden glow across the eaves. The small courtyard was quiet, just like when he first arrived, yet very different.

The once desolate and overgrown courtyard has been transformed. It is now filled with dried vegetables, herbs, and bamboo shoots, and all the utensils are neatly arranged in the courtyard. Even the reclining chair he used to sit in is still quietly placed under the corridor.

It was as quiet as before, yet not as quiet as it used to be.

His heart ached slightly again, but Ye Feng lowered his eyelashes, forcibly suppressing the emotions in his eyes. He quietly unloaded the wild boar from his shoulder and gently placed it on the ground beside the well. Although he said he was worried that Su Yun would lack food after he left, he knew that Su Yun was so clever that she would definitely not go hungry...

Knowing this, he still did it involuntarily, as a way of repaying Su Yun for taking care of him during this time, and also out of reluctance to part with her.

After giving the wild boar to Su Yun, he had no reason to stay any longer...

It's time to say goodbye.

The night wind released the wild boar, but then stopped moving...

He stood in the courtyard for a long time, silently staring at the closed room, wanting to see it yet afraid to see it... His heart seemed to be being torn apart repeatedly, and he couldn't help but stop in his tracks. He stood there blankly for a long time... until the sun slowly rose and the courtyard gradually brightened... Only then did Ye Feng realize that something was wrong.

The courtyard was unusually quiet. The sun was so high in the sky; Su Yun should have been up by now. What's wrong?

Suddenly, a sense of foreboding washed over me. Could it be that I've encountered some kind of danger?

Ye Feng felt a surge of panic and strode forward. He pushed open the door and was surprised to find it unlocked. He hurried into the room, only to find the bed empty. Su Yun wasn't there!

Night Wind rushed forward anxiously to check, but there were no signs of a struggle, nor a strong smell of blood. Touching the blanket, it was already ice-cold, proving that Su Yun had left quite early and hadn't been suddenly captured by something...

The night breeze swept around the house and yard, finding that the food drying in the sun was still there, the fish in the water tank were still there, and most of the food and belongings were still there. Only the small backpack and the stick and knife that Su Yun usually carried when he went out were missing. It seemed... he hadn't run away...

Looking again at the small hoe that Su Yun usually used for work, it was still standing quietly in the corner, seemingly no longer used for chores...

Seeing Su Yun's unusual and strange behavior, Ye Feng felt an uncontrollable joy welling up in his heart. Su Yun... could it be that she went out to look for him?

When he returned to the courtyard, it was just past dawn, usually before Su Yun was supposed to get up. However, she left before the normal activity time, which meant she wasn't going to work, nor was she packing her luggage and taking supplies to leave. Upon closer inspection, Su Yun didn't take many useful items, indicating that she was in a hurry.

Joy and unease welled up in Ye Feng's heart at the same time. He hurriedly ran outside, but the bamboo grove where Su Yun often went to dig bamboo shoots was gone... the abandoned houses in the village were gone... the reclaimed land was gone... even the stream where people washed clothes was gone...

Where did Su Yun go?

Only then did the joy fade, replaced by unease, a profound anxiety slowly creeping into Ye Feng's heart...

Night Wind's heart sank.

Su Yun has disappeared—

Has something happened to you?

The post-apocalyptic world is fraught with danger: mutated beasts, man-eating insects, and highly venomous monsters... any of these can cause a weak human to lose their color and vitality.

The thought of those bright, sparkling eyes losing their light and lying in a pool of blood... made Ye Feng's heart ache as if someone were gripping it tightly.

Where did she go?