By the time the village entrance finally appeared in the distance, the sun was already sinking low, dragging long shadows across the dirt road like tired limbs refusing to lift.
The sky burned in muted shades of orange and gray, as if even the heavens were weary.
The return journey felt longer than the trip to town.
Not because the road had changed—but because the people walking it had.
No one spoke loudly.
No one joked.
No one complained about sore feet.
Dust clung stubbornly to sleeves, hems, and worn shoes. Sweat had dried into uncomfortable patches against skin, but no one bothered to wipe it away. Compared to what weighed on their hearts, these discomforts were nothing.
Shen Yuan walked among them, head lowered slightly, listening to the rhythm of footsteps and breathing.
Ahead, near the village gate, dark shapes gathered.
Women stood with hands clasped tightly at their waists, eyes scanning the road again and again.
Children bounced restlessly, running forward only to be pulled back.
Old men leaned on canes, pretending calm while watching with sharp, unblinking gazes.
They were waiting.
The moment Old Han noticed them, his expression hardened.
He raised his hand.
"Stop."
The group slowed and came to a halt.
Several people looked confused, but no one questioned him.
Old Han turned around slowly. His face was rough, lined deeply by sun and hardship, but his eyes were steady—eyes that had seen too much to be fooled by false hope.
"Listen carefully," he said, his voice low but firm.
The chatter died instantly.
"What happened on the road today," Old Han continued, "stays on the road."
A young farmer clenched his fists. "Old Han, but that—"
"No," Old Han interrupted sharply. "No 'but'."
The young man fell silent.
"You want your wives to lose sleep every night?" Old Han asked.
"You want your children crying whenever you step outside the village?"
No one answered.
"Fear spreads faster than hunger," Old Han said grimly. "Once it enters your home, it never leaves."
Shen Yuan's gaze darkened slightly.
That's true, he thought. Fear rots people from the inside.
Old Han swept his gaze across the group.
"Only those who survive to the end get the right to laugh," he said quietly. "So endure it."
He paused, his voice dropping further.
"Even if it hurts. Even if it burns inside your chest."
Some people swallowed hard.
"Endure," Old Han finished, "and wait for better days."
Silence followed.
Then—slowly—people began to move.
Hands brushed dust from clothes. Sleeves were tugged straight. Faces stiffened into something resembling calm.
Forced smiles.
But smiles nonetheless.
When the group started walking again, they looked like villagers returning from an ordinary market trip.
No one would guess how close they had been to disaster.
---
The moment they crossed into the village, the fragile silence shattered.
"Father!"
"Mother!"
Small figures rushed forward, colliding into familiar arms. Some children cried openly, faces pressed against rough clothing. Others laughed with relief, tugging excitedly at sleeves.
Shen Yuan slowed his steps.
A group of children spotted him almost immediately.
"Big Brother Shen!"
"You went to town again!"
"Is town really huge?"
"Did you bring food?"
Their voices overlapped, bright and unfiltered.
Shen Yuan's expression softened slightly.
He reached into his sleeve and opened his palm.
Wrapped candies glinted faintly in the fading light.
The children froze.
Then—
"Candy!"
"Town candy!"
They stared as if afraid it might vanish.
Shen Yuan nodded once. "Don't worry, Everyone gets one."
Carefully—almost reverently—they took them.
One little boy unwrapped his candy and tasted it. His eyes widened, and his breathing stopped for a heartbeat.
"It's… sweet," he whispered, as if speaking too loudly might offend the heavens.
Another child laughed. "So sweet!"
Shen Yuan watched quietly.
This is enough, he thought. For today.
After exchanging a few words, he waved them off and continued home.
---
In the courtyard, his grandfather sat on a low stool, carving wood with patient hands. Thin curls of wood fell softly to the ground, piling beside his feet. Several wooden dolls lay nearby—simple, rough, but shaped with care.
"You're back," his grandfather said without lifting his head.
"Yes," Shen Yuan replied. "I bought some meat."
His grandfather chuckled. "Good. Meat gives strength."
They spoke of small things—market prices, familiar faces, Shopkeeper Wu asking after his health.
Nothing important.
Everything important.
Shen Yuan carried the meat into the kitchen and began cooking.
The scent soon filled the air.
Smoke drifted lazily from the chimney.
As he began preparing the meal, the familiar rhythm of chopping and stirring steadied his thoughts.
Then—
A faint sound.
A rustle.
Shen Yuan paused.
Again—
A faint rustle.
It came again from the window beside the kitchen.
He set the knife down and stepped outside.
Two small figures froze like startled rabbits.
A thin boy stood in front, shoulders squared despite his slight frame. His clothes were patched, dirt-stained. Behind him, a tiny girl clutched his sleeve, half-hidden, eyes wide and frightened.
Shen Yuan recognized the small kid immediately.He was the one who initially refused when he was distributing fish last time.
"…You," he said gently. "Why are you here?"
The boy swallowed hard.
"I—I'm sorry, Big Brother Shen," he said quickly. "We didn't mean to steal. We just… smelled food.So..so.."
The girl peeked out, then hid again.
Shen Yuan studied them quietly.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
The boy hesitated, then answered honestly.
"Yes...big brother shen."
Shen Yuan stepped aside.
"Then come in and eat."
The boy blinked. "…Really?"
"Yes."
Shen Yuan turned and walked inside.
The two children followed silently, obedient as ducklings.
---
His grandfather looked up.
"Yuan'er, What happened?"
"Nothing it's just the kids. They're hungry," Shen Yuan said simply.
The children came forward and bowed stiffly.
"Greetings, Grandpa Shen," the boy said earnestly.
The girl copied him, wobbling slightly.
"Hellow granpaa~"
His grandfather laughed warmly. "Sit. Sit."
They sat at the table, backs straight, hands folded tightly on their laps.
Shen Yuan finished cooking and brought out the dishes.
He served the children first, then his grandfather, then himself.
But they didn't move.
The little girl stared at the meat, eyes shining, lips trembling. Saliva pooled at the corner of her mouth—but she didn't touch the food. Her fingers tightened around her brother's sleeve.
His grandfather raised an eyebrow.
"What are you waiting for eat kids, don't hesitate eat till your bellies are round" he said gently.
Still, they hesitated.
Only when his grandfather picked up his chopsticks did the boy finally relax.
He fed his sister first.
The moment she tasted the food, her shoulders shook.
Tears streamed silently down her cheeks as she kept eating.
The boy wiped her face with his sleeve without a word, then continued feeding her carefully, his own eyes red.
Shen Yuan didn't react.
He understood those tears.
They weren't from sadness alone.
They were from feeling relief.
They were from fear loosening its grip.
They were from when hunger was finally answered.
His grandfather set his chopsticks down and watched with a gentle smile.
After they finished, both children slid off their chairs and bowed deeply.
"Thannk you, Granpaa," the girl said softly.
"And thank you, Big Brother Shen."the boy said sincerely.
His grandfather laughed and handed the girl a wooden bird doll from the shelf.
Her eyes widened.
"For me?"
"Yes for you."
She hugged it tightly.
Shen Yuan felt something ease inside his chest.
"So," he asked, "are you full?"
"Yes!" the girl nodded enthusiastically.
The boy nodded too. "Yes."
"So, What's your name?"
"My name is Mo Fan," he said. "This is my sister, Mo Ling."
"Where do you live?"
"We live near the creek beside the fields."
"Why are you alone? Where are your parents?"
Mo Fan lowered his head.
"Our mother passed away from illness," he said quietly. "Father went to town yesterday. He didn't return".
" So we waited at the open platform till now and were returning home we smelled some delicious smell so we followed it and so we were watching through the window"
Shen Yuan's gaze sharpened.
"So you haven't eaten since then."
"Yes."
"You'll stay here tonight," Shen Yuan said firmly. "We'll wait for your father. Until he returns you will live here"
"Don't worry about your food and bed I'll take care of it as long as you are obedient"
Mo Fan's eyes widened.
"Thank you," he said, bowing deeply.
Mo Ling copied him immediately.
"Thankyou big bother shen"
His grandfather laughed loudly hearing her words. "Yuan'er, go take some rest. I'll take care of their bedding."
Shen Yuan nodded.
"If you're hungry later," he told the children, "tell Grandpa.Don't hesitate there's more food in the kitchen "
"Yeah!!!! Thank you thank you big browther!" Mo Ling laughed, hopping lightly.
Shen Yuan smiled faintly.
"Good night."
---
Shen Yuan closed the door behind him.
The latch clicked softly, sealing the room off from the rest of the house. The faint sounds from the hall—Mo Ling's quiet laughter, his grandfather's low voice—were gradually muffled until only silence remained.
He placed the sword he had bought at the market against the wall.
It was a plain weapon, its blade dull and unremarkable, but for now it was enough. His attention wasn't on weapons tonight.
He walked to the bed and sat down cross-legged, spine straight, breathing even.
"Status," he called silently.
The familiar blue screen unfolded before his eyes, hovering quietly in the air.
His gaze moved past his cultivation level, past his techniques, and finally settled on the faintly glowing icon at the bottom.
Newbie Package — Remaining Reward
Within it, a single card pulsed steadily.
Physique Changing Card
Shen Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly.
He had delayed using it until now for a reason. Tonight, his house was calm. His cultivation had just stabilized. His mind, though exhausted, was steady enough to endure pain.
This was the best opportunity.
"System," he commanded inwardly, "use the Physique Changing Card."
The screen shifted.
---