From every bush to every branch of every tree, we searched.
We examined the ground until our eyes burned, crouching low to inspect soil that had been trampled, brushed aside, or deliberately smoothed over. Leaves were lifted. Twigs were snapped and turned. Nothing escaped our attention, yet nothing revealed itself either.
If my guess was correct, the thud I heard earlier had not been from an object falling.
It had been Renshu.
He was not a light man. If someone had struck him unconscious, the sound of his body hitting the ground would have been unmistakable. Which meant one thing, whoever took him must have acted quickly. They wouldn't have dragged him immediately. Dragging leaves marks. Dragging creates resistance, sound, evidence.
They must have carried him.
But if that was the case… why couldn't I find anything?
No scuffed soil. No broken grass. No blood. No signs of struggle.
"I'm starting to think General Renshu was carried away," I said finally, breaking the tense silence.
By now, the sun had fully risen. Warm light spilled over the camp, illuminating the trees and the bark we were meant to harvest. Under normal circumstances, this would have been perfect weather for work. How ironic.
Gao Ming turned to face me. "Why do you think so?" he asked. "It's difficult to carry a grown man. Unless there were more than two people involved."
"I suspect he was carried for a short distance," I replied carefully. "That way, there would be no trail marks and no noise. After that… he may have been placed down and dragged further away."
Rong Xu exhaled slowly. "Then how do we find out now?"
I didn't answer immediately.
Instead, I walked back to the bushes we had already examined countless times. If I were the kidnapper, where would I go?
Straight ahead would risk exposure, too close to the tents. To the left was no better. Any movement there would have been noticed almost immediately.
Which meant only two options remained.
The back.
Or the right.
And if they had been careful, but hopefully not perfect, there might still be something left behind.
As I moved, I explained my reasoning quietly to Rong Xu. He listened attentively, nodding along.
"Good thinking," he said. "I'll check the back path. You take the right."
I scanned everything as I walked, soil texture, bent branches, disturbed leaves, the faintest discoloration that could suggest blood. Anything could be a clue.
Minutes turned into an hour.
Nothing.
The longer we searched, the heavier my body felt. Exhaustion crept in, not just physical but mental. Searching for someone who had been taken, someone important, was draining in a way I couldn't quite explain.
No wonder Renshu had been so adamant about protecting me.
And how ironic that it happened to him instead.
"Aryan!"
The sudden shout made me jolt.
"I found a trail!"
I practically ran toward Rong Xu, ignoring the ache in my legs. "Where?" I demanded, breathless.
"Here." He pointed downward.
Footprints.
Several of them.
And unmistakable drag marks carved into the soil.
"This is it," I said, relief washing over me so strongly my knees nearly buckled.
Colonel Gao Ming joined us shortly after. Once everything was explained, his expression hardened.
"We do not know what kind of thieves these are," he said. "Since you two found the trail, I will follow it."
He reached for his sword.
"I'll come with you," Rong Xu said immediately. "If something happens to you, sir, who will be in charge? It's better if I—"
"No." Gao Ming cut him off. "You will stay here."
He turned toward me.
"And if I do not return… Aryan will take command."
The moment my name left his mouth, I froze.
"Sir, I don't think—"
"I do not care what you think," Gao Ming said sharply. "If we do not return in time, shave off all the bark and return to Shanxi immediately. Do not wait for us. This mission must be completed. We can be replaced. The thousands captured by the Mongols cannot."
And with that, he turned away and followed the trail alone.
I watched his back disappear between the trees, a heavy weight settling in my chest.
Was this how things were supposed to go?
Was I meant to stand here, safe, stationary, while others walked straight into danger for me?
Renshu had helped me once. More than once. And now, when he needed help, I wasn't even there.
I turned to Rong Xu, expecting to see concern or agreement.
Instead, his face was twisted with irritation. He glanced at me, then looked away entirely.
"If Colonel Gao Ming doesn't return by tonight," I said cautiously, "we should leave—"
"Just because he put you in charge doesn't mean you can order me around," Rong Xu interrupted.
The words struck harder than expected.
"What?" I asked. "What do you mean?"
"Oh, you know exactly what I mean," he replied, bitterness covering his voice. "You're always the special one. The general favors you. The colonel trusts you. And me? I've been here for over five years. Yet—"
He stopped himself and turned away.
I didn't follow.
Who did he think he was? It wasn't my fault Gao Ming entrusted me with responsibility. And if he knew the real reason Renshu kept me close, jealousy would be the last thing on his mind.
Of everything happening, Renshu missing, Gao Ming gone, this was what he chose to focus on?
I ordered everyone to resume shaving the bark. The mission could not be abandoned. Gao Ming was right.
Only once everything was set did I return to my tent.
The moment I lay down, exhaustion overtook me.
---
NIGHTFALL
A scratching sound jolted me awake.
I reached for my sword instinctively, pointing it toward the tent entrance.
"Aryan—it's me!"
My eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness.
"Rong Xu?" I muttered. "Are you here to tell me you want to be in charge? Please leave—"
"No!" he hissed. "Gao Ming still hasn't returned!"
My heart dropped. "What?"
"We need to look for them."
"We should stay put," I argued. "The two of us won't be able to do much."
"Please," he said urgently. "I made a mistake today. I shouldn't have been envious. I should have listened to you. You wanted to leave right?"
I hesitated.
Should we leave? It seemed wuite dangerous. Especially if it were only the two of us. However, the Renshu and Gao Ming still missing... I could not accept that and stay here.
"Alright," I said quietly. "Let's go."
---
We found the trail again and followed it under lantern light.
Every rustle made my heart lurch. Every shadow felt wrong. Renshu's warning echoed in my head, thieves lurked here. But they weren't killers. They wanted money. That was all.
Hopefully.
As we moved deeper into the forest, a familiar scent reached me.
Nux vomica.
Strong. Bitter.
My chest tightened. My father had once used it to kill his own brother.
I wondered, briefly, if I should have told the truth about that. Not because it haunted me anymore. I had accepted it long ago.
"Aryan," Rong Xu whispered. "We're close."
I nodded. "The footprints increase. They met others here."
"At least six people," he estimated.
I scanned the darkness.
Then he said it.
"We're here."