Extra Prequel Chapter 1: Falling Into Water
1189 Words
"Southern Xinjiang.
Late autumn.
The setting sun cast a golden glow over the vast and jagged peaks, majestic and towering, reaching into the sky, exemplifying the grandeur of the ages.
Amidst the mountains, red leaves glowed like flames, painting the forests in layers. The evening wind howled, and mist and clouds wafted, resembling a sea of fire undulating and surging without end.
Between the rocks, a waterfall cascaded straight down, like a fierce silver dragon, carving through mountains, traversing the forest, and leaping into the roaring river at the foot of the mountain. The splash sent up waves that reached the sky, the sound echoing through the heavens.
The river, a hundred feet wide, rushed eastward, with rocks along the banks rising and falling, half-hidden, half-revealed, and the swift current cutting through countless white waves.
In the middle of the river, two bright red warships sailed side by side, swift as galloping horses, leading the way for a massive beast-like floating fortress behind them.
The floating fortress had seven towering floors, grand and majestic, with fluttering flags on both sides. One side displayed the emblem of a crimson firebird, while the other, in blood-red, embroidered the character "Jin," glittering with dazzling light under the sun. On both decks, squads of soldiers in silver armor, wielding axes and halberds, stood guard in a disciplined manner.
The three ships sailed through the waves, swiftly passing the waterfall.
Suddenly, on the third floor at the back of the floating fortress, two windows with the inscription "Fei Lu" were broken open. A slender figure shot out, clearing the railing and plummeting towards the ground below.
In the moment his feet touched the ground, he bent his legs and leaned forward, attempting to roll to avoid injury. However, whether due to insufficient control or strength, he continued rolling until he heavily collided with the railing at the stern.
The owner of the figure was a young man in exquisite clothing.
His features were delicate, but his complexion was unusually pale. The lacquered veil crown on his head was askew, and the embroidered grand-sleeved robe with golden threads was somewhat disheveled.
The young man groaned, supporting himself with one hand against the railing, eyes closed, breathing heavily, his chest heaving violently.
On one side of his thigh, a dagger was embedded, handleless, and the surrounding satin trousers were soaked with the blood that had poured out, creating a mix of red and black.
The dagger was evidently poisoned.
Perhaps due to the nearby tumultuous noise of the waterfall like a galactic river descending from the ninth heaven, the commotion at the stern seemed not to have attracted the attention of the soldiers on the ship.
At this moment, another figure leaped out of the broken windows on the third floor, landing silently on the second floor of the stern.
This was a short-haired young man dressed in a matching short robe, similar to the armored soldiers on the ship, though without the armor. His face seemed somewhat indifferent, and one hand held a large iron-backed bow, while an arrow quiver hung from his waist.
The young man in the short robe looked down from the second floor, and his gaze immediately locked onto the young man in exquisite clothing. Without hesitation, he strung the bow, aimed downwards, and released an arrow.
Just as the arrow was less than a yard away from him, the young man in exquisite clothing abruptly rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the lethal shot. However, his sleeve was nicked by a nail on the deck, leaving a tear.
"Clang!"
The arrow was exceptionally sharp, piercing through the railing and plunging into the river.
Seeing this, the young man in the short robe shouldered the large bow, and with a swift jump, descended from the second floor.
At this moment, the young man in exquisite clothing, still half-leaning on the stern, had exacerbated the wound on his thigh with the intense movement.
With a grimace of pain, he became more alert, and with both hands, he firmly grasped the handle of the dagger embedded in his leg and pulled it out.
"Ah!" he cried out in pain.
Enduring the pain, the young man became more lucid. Seeing the other party approaching, he used both hands to grip the railing, and with a backward leap, he fell directly into the churning river.
"Splosh!" His body splashed into the water.
The young man in the short robe's face changed dramatically. He quickly walked to the stern, the large bow already drawn, and with the sound of a twang, a series of arrows shot through the air, heading straight for the spot where the young man had fallen into the water.
...
Several days later, a hundred miles away.
Dark clouds gathered, and a light rain drizzled down, casting a mist over the undulating expanse of desolate grass, adding a layer of fog to this already desolate valley plain.
A grand river, with majestic momentum, flowed from the direction of the setting sun, meandering through the plain, rolling eastward, its end unknown.
In the sky, occasionally a few large birds could be seen soaring, and from time to time, vague roars of beasts echoed in the surroundings, the only sound breaking the silence of this quiet land.
The sound of hooves came, heralding a group of over ten people riding on unidentified beasts.
Leading the group were several tall knights, their upper bodies bare, with ancient bronze skin, muscles knotted, and various tattoos of different colors and intertwining patterns. The central knight was a burly giant, about eight feet tall, different from the others. He draped a brightly colored golden fur over his shoulders, and around his neck hung a horn made of an unknown animal bone.
Behind these men, there were similarly bare-chested tattooed knights, including one fully wrapped in a white robe, wearing a bamboo hat and a veil covering her face. She rode a beast that resembled a tiger, surrounded by the tattooed knights.
This group, walking in the rain, arrived at the riverbank.
"Stop, rest for a moment." With the sound of a horn from the burly giant, the group stopped by the roadside, and all the tattooed knights dismounted, surrounding the woman's mount vigilantly.
Suddenly, the giant noticed a figure lying by the riverbank, its fate unknown.
The knights began to discuss, but no one approached.
"Quiet."
The burly giant whispered, and the noisy crowd immediately fell silent.
He cautiously looked around and, hesitating for a moment, quickly walked towards the young man. Bending down, he checked the youth's breathing, and touched various parts of his body. Then he hurriedly walked back to the woman with a veil, whispering to her.
The veiled woman reached into a fur bag hanging from the side of her mount and took out a black pill, handing it to the giant.
Returning to the riverbank, the giant inserted the pill into the youth's mouth and made him swallow it, then turned back to the group.
After a short rest, the entire group set off again, heading slowly to the east, the destination unknown."
- Writer
