17

The next three days passed without any incident. Other than Bo Qin checking up on Lin Kai twice a day, nothing significant happened in Lin Kai's life. He would wake up to the tolling of the bell, then move his aching body a little before settling into his chair, staring into the horizon, his mind drifting aimlessly. Sometimes, he would just lie on his bed, trying to sense the mysterious effects of the healing skill. But no matter what he did, nothing could shake him from his boredom. Although he was used to spending days doing nothing back when he was in the bamboo forest clearing, this restlessness felt different. He wasn't used to it anymore.

"If only I had the internet," Lin Kai often muttered to himself, missing the comforts of technology and its distractions.

On the evening of the third day, Lin Kai welcomed Bo Qin as usual. Their conversations were always small talk, nothing too deep. In the mornings, Bo Qin would head off to work, and by the evenings, he'd return tired. Yet no matter how exhausted he was, he always made time to visit Lin Kai and check on his condition.

"This is your last day of rest. Do you think you'll be able to get back to work tomorrow?" Bo Qin asked, looking at Lin Kai with concern. "If you still need more time, I can talk to the steward. Maybe he'll give you a few extra days off."

Even as he said it, Bo Qin knew the chances were slim. Getting the initial three days had been hard enough, and he doubted the steward would be willing to give more. But to his relief, Lin Kai shook his head.

"I'm fine," Lin Kai smiled and stretched his body, trying to show Bo Qin he was alright. "The healing pill and these few days of rest have done wonders. I should be okay to start working again."

"But your leg…" Bo Qin frowned, his gaze shifting to the bandages still wrapped around Lin Kai's leg. He had seen the injury himself, and it had been gruesome. Even with the help of the healing pill, he found it hard to believe it could heal so quickly.

"I can manage," Lin Kai replied, shaking his head gently. There was still a long way to go before his leg fully healed, but as long as he didn't make any sudden movements or strain it too much, he could endure the rest.

Bo Qin sighed deeply, clearly unconvinced, but didn't push the issue any further. He wanted to say more, to try and convince Lin Kai to rest a little longer, but the words got stuck in his throat. It wasn't his decision to make.

They sat in silence after that, the quiet stretching between them. Normally, Bo Qin would have left by now, retreating to his own room to rest, but tonight he stayed. Something was on his mind, and Lin Kai could sense it.

After nearly five minutes, Bo Qin finally broke the silence. "What really happened on that mountain?" His voice was quiet, but the weight of the question was heavy. Lin Kai's injury had become the talk among the servants. While the higher-ups in the Ji family didn't seem to care, for people like them, it was a big deal. It affected their lives, especially those responsible for herb-gathering.

"There are all kinds of rumors going around. Some say you were chased by warriors, others say monsters, and some even think you just fell down the mountain." Bo Qin's eyes searched Lin Kai's face for the truth.

Lin Kai took a deep breath, his expression somber. He had known that questions would come up about his injury, and he had expected members of the Ji family to inquire, but none of them had shown any interest. To the Ji family, he was nobody special. Even if he revealed his bone refinement ability, it wouldn't matter. To them, he'd just be another low-level warrior. And as for the beast that had attacked him, it was equally insignificant.

"It was a beast," Lin Kai said softly, choosing his words carefully. He couldn't tell Bo Qin everything, but he could share a part of the truth. "After I got the Moonlight Grass, the beast chased me for a while. Luckily, I managed to escape, or else…"

He trailed off, pretending to be caught in the memory, but his eyes watched Bo Qin closely, trying to gauge if he knew more than he was letting on.

"I see." Bo Qin nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "A lot of us guessed as much. After you came back injured, none of the other herb-pickers dared to go too far. Most of them have been staying near the edges of the forest."

"As for the Ji family… they don't seem interested in handling the situation." He let out a heavy sigh.

"It's a pity."

"Yes, it is," Lin Kai agreed, though his thoughts were elsewhere. If the Ji family had taken action, they would have cleared out the beasts, making it safer to explore further and gather more valuable herbs.

"I wasn't talking about the Ji family not dealing with the beasts," Bo Qin interrupted, shaking his head.

"Huh?" Lin Kai frowned, confused.

"I was talking about the Moonlight Grass you brought back." Bo Qin's voice carried a hint of regret.

"Why?" Lin Kai asked, feeling more confused than ever. He remembered that the guard had accepted the herb, despite it being crushed during his escape. Did the guard trick him? Was the herb worthless after all?

"These past few days, I've heard that the value of Moonlight Grass is dropping because the Lunar Months are coming."

"Lunar Months?" Lin Kai's confusion deepened as he stared at Bo Qin, waiting for an explanation.

"I heard that as the Lunar Month approaches, more and more Moonlight Grass starts appearing. Soon, you'll be able to find it growing everywhere."

Lin Kai frowned. He wracked his brain, trying to recall anything about this so-called Lunar Month, but nothing came to mind. It wasn't the first time he had trouble remembering things. After arriving in this world and taking over this body, large chunks of his memories were still missing. There were so many things he didn't know yet.

Bo Qin looked at him with a raised eyebrow, clearly puzzled by Lin Kai's blank expression. "Did you hit your head too hard?"

Lin Kai gave an awkward chuckle, but his face showed genuine confusion.

Bo Qin sighed heavily and leaned forward, explaining slowly. "The last three months of the year are called the Lunar Months. During that time, three moons are visible in the sky, and the days get shorter and shorter until the final month, when the sun disappears entirely, leaving only the three moons to light the world."

"Hiss…" Lin Kai sucked in a sharp breath at the revelation. The thought of an entire month of night made his skin crawl, but after the initial shock, he calmed down. He had already seen plenty of strange and magical things in this world. Compared to that, the appearance of three moons and a whole month of darkness didn't seem so far-fetched.

"When is it going to start?" Lin Kai asked, his curiosity piqued. Since Bo Qin said the Lunar Months were coming soon, he wanted to know how soon.

"In ten or so days," Bo Qin replied, giving him a rough estimate. "The Ji family is holding a competition just before the Lunar Months begin. You'll know by then."

"A competition? For whom?" Lin Kai's interest grew. Was it meant for the servants or the guards, perhaps to scout for talented individuals?

Bo Qin gave him a look as if he were speaking nonsense. "For their family members, of course. Who else did you think it was for?"

"I thought it was for the servants," Lin Kai said, shaking his head with a sheepish smile.

Bo Qin let out a small laugh, clearly amused by the idea. "If any servant can step into the realm of warriors, they can just report it and be promoted to a guard. Why would they need to compete? Don't tell me you really thought you'd be joining the Ji family's competition?" He gave Lin Kai a teasing glance, like he was talking to someone clueless.

Lin Kai opened his mouth to explain but stopped halfway, thinking it wasn't worth it.

"I... forget it," he muttered with a resigned smile. Even if the competition was for servants, it wasn't as if he planned on participating anyway.

"Weirdo," Bo Qin mumbled under his breath. He looked out the window, noticing how late it was getting. "It's already dark. You should get some rest. Remember, don't strain yourself. If you don't feel up to it tomorrow, just take another day off."

After offering his final piece of advice, Bo Qin stood up, gave Lin Kai a nod, and left the room. Lin Kai watched him go, then turned his gaze to the starry sky outside.

Time passed slowly as Lin Kai stared at the stars. He didn't know how long he sat there, lost in his thoughts. It wasn't until his neck started aching from holding it up too long that he finally shut his eyes and lay back on his bed, sighing deeply. His mind was cluttered with thoughts, but none of them seemed to lead to any answers.

"What should I do?"

That was the question he kept asking himself. He thought about his future, what direction he should take, but no clear path revealed itself. Frustrated, he asked a different question.

"What am I even doing?"

Four months. He had been in this world for four whole months now. At first, everything had been exciting—the discovery of extraordinary powers, the realization that he could absorb items to gain skills and abilities. It had felt like the start of something amazing.

But now...

After spending so many days in isolation, with only his thoughts for company, he wasn't sure anymore. What was his purpose? Why was he here? Sure, he had died in his previous world and somehow ended up in this one, but what was he supposed to do with this second chance at life?

In his old life, everything had been straightforward. He had always been like an arrow, aimed at one goal—perfection in coding. He had been raised with that focus and had achieved it through hard work and dedication.

But now, in this life, what was his goal? Was it to become strong? And if so, for what? He had no enemies, no grudges, no pressing reason to become powerful. There was no urgency driving him. Everything that was happening felt more like a natural course of events, rather than something he actively pursued. It was as if his life had become a routine, like a program running on autopilot. He would wake up, chop bamboo, search for something to absorb, and then go to sleep. Over and over again.

His life felt... pointless.

"Heh…" Lin Kai let out a bitter laugh as the realization hit him. Closing his eyes, he tried to force himself to sleep, but after three days of doing little but rest, sleep wouldn't come. He was wide awake, his mind still spinning.

With a heavy sigh, Lin Kai got up from his bed. He dragged a chair outside, placing it under a tree in the distance. The night air was cool, and the stars above twinkled brightly. He sat there in silence, his head tilted upwards, staring at the vast sky.

It was almost as if he was hoping the stars would give him the answer he sought.