The sound of bird calls was crisp and melodious.
Mo Xian woke up. She was lying on her side on the grass, resting her head on one of her arms.
Mo Xian looked up at her surroundings, which were completely unfamiliar. She tried hard to recall what had happened beforehand, but she had not the slightest impression. She could only remember having a gathering at a bar and drinking quite a bit of alcohol. She had truly suffered a blackout. Mo Xian tried her best to think back, but she could remember nothing at all, and the harder she tried, the more her head ached. She felt utterly vexed. She shouldn't have drunk so much; she really shouldn't have drunk that much alcohol.
In this unfamiliar environment, a sense of panic instinctively began to rise within her.
She shook her head, which held not a single coherent thought, trying to gather her wits.
With no other choice, she decided simply to wait and see. Mo Xian went over to sit beneath a large nearby tree, pressed her back against the trunk, and closed her eyes.
She felt the surrounding area gradually grow quiet.
Sounds from the vicinity drifted into her ears—distant and near.
The calls of birds far and near, the chirping of insects, rustling sounds coming in waves, and even the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves overhead, along with... the sound of flowing water, bounding along cheerfully!
Water! In an instant, Mo Xian perked up. Her wide eyes were bright and alert. She stood up and walked toward the sound of the water. Mo Xian did not feel thirsty; she just wanted to wash her face. Her face wasn't dirty, nor was her appearance disheveled, and her mind was clear enough. Dressed in blue with her hair fluttering slightly in the breeze, her steps light and steady, she actually looked quite pretty. Yet she felt flustered and eager to tidy herself up.
The distance was not far. Following the sound of the water, she reached it in just a few steps. The water was shallow and crystal clear, rushing eagerly to crash against protruding rocks, kicking up layers of spray before falling back into the stream and racing away into the distance. Mo Xian cupped water in her hands and washed her face over and over again, as if she could wash away all the trouble and difficulty before her by doing so. Her reflection in the water showed large eyes, a cute nose, small lips, and slightly dampened strands of hair. She looked like a lotus emerging from the water—very beautiful.
Mo Xian had no idea where she was. She searched through all her pockets, but they were completely empty; there was nothing at all.
Her top priority was to figure out her location, and she also needed food. If this was an uninhabited wilderness and she couldn't find anything to fill her stomach, starving to death was not out of the question. Mo Xian walked along the riverbank while sizing up her surroundings. She could confirm that she was currently out in the wild, surrounded by countless nameless weeds and wild trees of varying ages, along with birds, small animals, and of course, potentially large beasts... Right now, she didn't have a single tool in her hands. She could pick some wild fruits to stave off her hunger, or, if she was lucky, perhaps find some animal young. Mo Xian calculated these possibilities in her heart. Of course, it would be even better to run into people—or better yet, acquaintances—along with transportation and communication tools...
Before she knew it, Mo Xian had walked a considerable distance, and the place where she had woken up was completely out of sight. The sky gradually grew dark, yet she still hadn't seen a single person. Holding some wild fruits in her hand, Mo Xian had no appetite. But going without food was out of the question, so she forced herself to eat a few wild fruits to recover her strength. She found a tall, concealed tree and climbed up. The thick trunk and dense leaves were more than enough for her to lie down on and rest. The bright moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting mottled patterns across her body. Perhaps she was simply too exhausted, for Mo Xian fell asleep almost instantly.
The moment the morning sun shone on Mo Xian's face, she woke up. She hadn't even dreamed once all night. She reached out, picked a few wild fruits, and ate them. After resting for the entire night, her energy had improved significantly. From time to time, a refreshing breeze blew past. Morning, sunlight, a gentle breeze, and wild fruits...
As the sun climbed higher and higher, Mo Xian crossed her legs and looked around, but she could see nothing far in the distance.
She climbed to the highest point she could reach, yet all she saw was a vast expanse of mountain forests. However, a different sound reached her ears. Mo Xian held her breath, remaining completely motionless as she listened carefully and intently.
It was the magnificent sound of rushing water plunging down. It was coming from the direction ahead.
Mo Xian continued walking forward along the edge of the water. Passing through a dense forest, the sound grew louder and louder.
After passing through the woods, Mo Xian saw a large pool of water appear before her. In front of the pool was a cliff, and a column of water poured down from high above, crashing into the basin below and kicking up layers of spray.
It was now approaching noon. Mo Xian wiped the ceaseless sweat from her face, only for a fresh layer of beads to pop up almost immediately. Her clothes had long since grown damp and sticky, coated in a layer of dust.
Right now, Mo Xian felt as though she were looking at a giant bathtub. First, she washed her face, and that fresh, clean feeling was simply wonderful. Then she took off her blue clothes, washed them clean, and hung them to dry on the branch of a tree bathed in sunlight. She also washed her undergarments and laid them out to dry on a rock by the pool. Taking off her shoes, Mo Xian stepped into the pool. As her body submerged, the water in the pool nourished every inch of her skin, giving her the wonderful sensation of sweet dew after a long drought. She scooped up water and splashed it over herself, letting it slide from her neck and shoulders back into the pool. Once she was clean, Mo Xian swam around. Taking a refreshing bath and going for a swim was surely the most pleasant thing to do on a scorching summer day.
"Clop, clop, clop..." The sound of horse hooves rang out.
More a dozen horses were galloping from a distance toward Mo Xian's location.
Mo Xian was swimming happily when she heard the sound. She stopped swimming and listened intently to identify what it was. Confirming that it was the sound of horse hooves, she froze for a split second. Horse hooves? Horse hooves? What was going on? Where had horses come from? How could there be the sound of horse hooves here? This place was so picturesque—could it be a scenic tourist spot? If it was a scenic spot, why wasn't there anyone around? Could they be filming a movie or a television series? Had she accidentally wandered onto a shooting set? If so, would she run into a celebrity? Or perhaps meet her own idol directly? Or maybe none of those things? Then just what kind of situation was this? Could it be a nature reserve? Would there be fierce wild animals with sharp teeth? Or...
The sound of hoofbeats drew closer and closer. Mo Xian felt that the drumming hooves were becoming increasingly bizarre...
Still in the pool, Mo Xian felt a growing uncertainty about her environment... An inexplicable panic washed over her, and she couldn't help shivering. She felt colder and colder, and her body began to tremble. Mo Xian had no idea what she should do. She felt as though she were standing amidst a thick fog, unable to see the scenery outside and entirely lost.
The horses were clearly galloping wildly. Among the approaching hoofbeats, Mo Xian heard the sound of people talking. People. There were people on horseback. Could it be? Perhaps Mo Xian could call for help.
However, overly optimistic hopes are always easily shattered.
"Young master, the person ran off in that direction." The voice was loud and clear, belonging to a man. The herd of horses galloped past at an even faster pace.
They came aggressively, with ill intent. Mo Xian could sense it.
They were just passing by. Mo Xian swam over to a more secluded spot close to the cliff. The thought of calling for help had faded significantly; she decided to hide first and see what the situation was. In case she accidentally stirred up trouble...
"He must not be allowed to escape! After him!"
"If I catch that bastard, I'll skin him alive!"
Extreme fury!
The herd of horses thundered past not far away, kicking up a billow of dust that filled the sky and lingered for a long time.
After the horses passed, there was a deathly silence.
This desolate wilderness was no place to linger... Mo Xian was in the prime of her youth, with vast stretches of time waiting for her to spend and so many experiences yet to come. Her life had only just begun, and she did not want to throw it all away here—she really didn't...
"Behave yourself!" came a harsh, reprimanding voice.
"If you don't behave, I'll cripple you right now!" shouted a voice clearly laden with anger.
It was becoming more and more spine-chilling.
The herd of horses was turning back.
Mo Xian stopped her movement to leave and stood completely still, praying only that the horses would leave quickly.
Having caught their target, they were clearly no longer in a hurry, and the horses walked at a leisurely pace.
Why were they going so slowly... Mo Xian had broken out in a sweat from anxiety.
"Look! What's that?" A tall, thin man's crisp voice rang out. His voice was quite pleasant to the ear, but it made Mo Xian jump. The distance was very close...
Mo Xian's clothes were hanging on the tree, fluttering, fluttering...
Following the direction the tall, thin man pointed, the group looked over, growing as excited as if they had discovered a new continent. "There's an accomplice!" shouted a cacophony of voices. With a loud "boom" in her head, Mo Xian felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. Truly, whatever you fear most comes to pass.