The Land of Eternal Night

With the arrival of Shallow Night, the village's calm was disrupted as families bustled to the Fire Spring to retrieve their Sunstones.

Qin Ming stood ready, armed with a hunting fork, a short blade, and a bow with arrows—fully prepared for his venture.

He had already eaten the flatbread Lu Ze brought but chose not to mention his plans to go out, lest he be dissuaded.

Qin Ming didn't intend to recklessly risk his life. His goal was to search a relatively safer area, based on something he'd glimpsed in the mountains during the fall.

"Hopefully, it's still there. It might bring me a pleasant surprise."

The village grew quiet as everyone finished collecting their Sunstones.

Qin Ming set off. On the way, he encountered two villagers. He greeted them with a smile and slipped away before they could react.

He passed the Fire Spring and stepped into the pitch-black wilderness.

The conditions outside were harsh. Qin Ming trudged through the snow, which rose past his chest, leaving only his upper body visible.

The cold was relentless, and his exhaled breath quickly turned to frost on his eyebrows and hair.

Even during Shallow Night, the world was dim, and visibility was limited.

Gripping his hunting fork tightly, Qin Ming pushed forward. The journey was grueling, but after about four miles, he neared his destination.

Ahead lay a dense patch of trees, a dark silhouette even from a distance.

Qin Ming's target was the forest's edge—he had no intention of venturing too deep.

Stumbling through the snow, he entered the woods. Most of the trees were bare, their branches weighed down by snow, save for a few hardy species.

He paused, recalling the tracks he'd seen before. There had been tree hollows nearby—perhaps one of them was a nest.

"That creature was larger than others of its kind. It's likely mutated. If I can find its main nest, I should have a good haul."

After a brief rest, Qin Ming pressed on.

The forest was shrouded in darkness, and occasional cries of strange birds echoed through the desolation, sending chills down his spine.

Suddenly, Qin Ming tensed. A faint, foul odor wafted through the air—something was off.

Holding his hunting fork firmly, he scanned his surroundings, ready for any danger.

A sharp sound above made him react instantly. He thrust his fork upward, his instincts screaming at him.

He glimpsed it then—a shadow hanging upside down from a tree branch more than ten meters high. It had a pale, wrinkled face like that of an old man, and it swooped down toward him with alarming speed.

In the dead silence of the forest, the scene was horrifying.

Fortunately, Qin Ming had sensed the threat in time. His fork struck out to meet the descending creature.

A sharp, piercing screech split the air, chilling to the bone. The creature veered off mid-attack, skimming a few meters past Qin Ming before soaring upward.

Its powerful wings beat against the cold wind, lifting it into the dark sky. After a brief circle, it disappeared into the night.

Though he hadn't seen it clearly, Qin Ming recognized the creature immediately.

A Face Vulture. A scavenger bird with a gray-black eagle's body and a pale, wrinkled face eerily similar to an old man's. It typically weighed no more than forty pounds.

Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't attack a living adult, preferring to feast on corpses. Was the scarcity of prey driving it to act so erratically?

Qin Ming remained on high alert for a long while, but the creature did not return.

He was close to his goal now and refused to turn back. After resting briefly, he continued onward.

"This should be the place."

The area was dominated by pine, broadleaf, and birch trees. Qin Ming recognized it immediately. He spotted the hollow he had seen before.

The forest was dim, but the hollow's edge was unusually clean—a bad sign.

If the creature were sheltering there, its breath would have left frost on the opening in this frigid weather.

Disappointed, Qin Ming frowned. Could the creature have abandoned this area entirely?

Taking a deep breath, he decided to search the vicinity more thoroughly.

With his hunting fork in one hand and his short blade in the other, Qin Ming moved cautiously.

After some time, he spotted faint tracks in the snow. His heart leapt with hope.

Suddenly, a burst of light erupted in the distance, casting a radiant glow across the forest.

Qin Ming froze, wary and alert. He scanned the area quickly for any lurking predators or suspicious tree hollows.

The light faded almost as quickly as it appeared, plunging the world back into darkness.

It was Earth Light, caused by the Fire Spring's heat rising from the ground. It was more common in warmer weather, particularly summer, when it could last for days and bring rainclouds.

For those who lived in a world without daylight, it was a breathtaking spectacle.

The forest returned to its eerie gloom, but Qin Ming's smile was genuine—he had spotted another hollow, this one ringed with frost.

Moving quietly, he approached a massive tree with a hollow several feet above the ground.

Setting down his hunting fork, he leapt forward, grabbing the tree trunk and hauling himself up with practiced agility.

At the hollow's edge, he swung his short blade, striking hard. A muffled thud sounded, and something inside the hollow retreated hastily.

Qin Ming grinned—he'd found it.

If this was its main nest, there would be plenty of stored food inside.

The hollow echoed with frantic noises. Qin Ming wasted no time. Pulling on a thick leather glove, he reached in.

The creature thrashed and bit at him, but the glove protected his arm. With a firm yank, he dragged it out.

By the glow of his Sunstone, Qin Ming examined the hollow's interior and smiled. It was filled with wild walnuts, chestnuts, and red dates—exactly what he needed.

Hunger gnawed at him constantly, and these provisions were lifesaving treasures. Qin Ming's clear eyes gleamed with excitement.

He turned his gaze to the creature he'd caught—a red squirrel. Its fur was a brilliant crimson, shimmering like silk in the Sunstone's light.

Normal squirrels weighed less than a pound, but this one was over two—clearly mutated.

The squirrel gnawed furiously at the leather glove, but it couldn't escape. Its fur alone was worth a small fortune.

Qin Ming bound it with a piece of wire and hung it from the tree before turning his attention back to the hollow.

With practiced efficiency, he scooped out handfuls of nuts and dried fruit, filling his leather bag until it bulged.

Weighing it, he estimated it to be over eight pounds.

Nearby, the captured squirrel hung limply, its black eyes glaring furiously at him. It chattered angrily, as if cursing him.

"You're heavy enough already. Eight pounds of food wouldn't have lasted you long," Qin Ming muttered, chuckling as he searched the area.

Mutated creatures like this usually had multiple nests. Sure enough, he found two more hollows nearby, each filled with food.

He cracked open some walnuts and chestnuts, savoring their flavor. Washing a few red dates in the snow, he popped them into his mouth, relishing the sweetness.

Satisfied, Qin Ming smiled brightly. These supplies would sustain him through the winter.

The squirrel had four nests in total, storing over thirty pounds of food. It truly lived up to its mutated status.

Qin Ming packed everything into his bag.

Nearby, the squirrel fell eerily silent. When Qin Ming turned to check, it hung stiffly, as though dead.

"Did it just play dead?" he wondered, shaking it lightly.

He'd heard that mutated animals were intelligent and had fiery tempers. Could it have died from anger?

"Well, that solves a problem. Wenrui wanted meat. I can make a pot of stew," Qin Ming murmured. He was pleased—he'd soon fulfill the boy's wish.

Back in Shuangshu Village, word spread that Qin Ming had ventured out fully armed.

"Is he hunting a bear?" someone speculated.

Lu Ze heard the news and frowned deeply. "That kid—what is he thinking, going out alone?"

…

Standing on a high ridge, Qin Ming gazed into the distance. The forest stretched endlessly, a dark sea of trees, with vague mountain silhouettes looming beyond.

Deep within the mountains, faint glimmers of light flickered—places of mystery, danger, and unknown wonders.

Qin Ming knew that was a realm he could not yet touch.