Witch

In a small forest, beneath an ordinary tree, sat a beautiful woman who appeared to be around twenty-two years old. Her beauty was otherworldly and would capture anyone's attention, no matter where she was. However, there seemed to be something wrong with her.

Her skin was pale, with cracks that marred its white surface. On her forehead, there was a snowflake mark that gave her a unique beauty. Her hair was almost entirely white, with only small parts having black strands.

Wearing old clothes that barely covered her intimate parts, there was a trace of blood on her lips. Despite appearing completely unwell, there was a small, determined smile on her lips that was simultaneously melancholic.

'I have to endure a little longer, just a little longer,' the woman thought as she looked at her belly, which was larger than it should be.

"Don't worry. Even if I have to give my own life, I won't let you die or be taken by them, my baby. Be born well and healthy; that's my last motivation to stay alive."

While saying this, crystalline tears streamed down her eyes—a pitiful sight. Her strength was fading, and her eyes were almost closing.

But then she heard voices and hurried footsteps nearby.

"QUICK, FIND THE WITCH, DON'T LET HER ESCAPE! ANYONE WHO FINDS HER AND KILLS HER WITH HER CHILD WILL RECEIVE A GREAT REWARD."

A loud voice echoed as many others shouted excitedly and ran, trying to find her.

"WITCH!! YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO RUN; YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR SINS."

As the voices grew closer, the woman wasted no time, mustering the last of her strength to run in the opposite direction of the voices as fast as her speed allowed.

"Almost there. I will protect you, no matter who they are. I won't let anyone harm you," she said in her mind, but her steps were slowing, her internal injuries were worsening, and she soon spat blood.

"No, I have to endure! I WILL ENDURE!" As she said this, a cold energy emanated from her belly; the snowflake on her forehead glowed, her mostly white hair transformed completely, and her internal wounds were frozen, momentarily relieving her pain.

'Thank you, my baby,' she thought while running until she suddenly stumbled on a tree. She quickly got up, ignoring the pain, and when she saw the trunk she tripped over, there seemed to be something underneath.

She swiftly cleared fallen leaves and soil with her bloody and cut fingers, her effort not in vain. Under the trunk and roots, there was a small, hidden cave. Without hesitation, she used all her remaining strength to crawl inside and, with great effort, conceal herself.

The space was small, fitting only two people, but it was a difficult place to find. She smiled in relief, tears streaming down her face as she began to feel the pain from her injuries returning slightly.

"They won't find me here if I'm lucky. My strength is at its end; I've tried my best. I can barely move now. At least once, if there's any god, please save my child. He doesn't deserve this fate," she whispered faintly, placing her bloodied and injured hand on her belly.

'Why is this happening to me? What did I and my baby do to deserve this fate?'

At that moment, her tired eyes, after running for days without sleep, finally found rest. She quickly fell into a deep sleep while ancient memories flooded her mind.

******************

"Brother, why do we need so many people to hunt down an ordinary woman? I heard she doesn't even cultivate; she's just a mortal. How can she escape for so long?" A young common boy asked the man beside him.

"You haven't been in the province in recent years, so you don't know the story. Do you remember five years ago, the city in the northern mountains that was completely frozen?" The man asked calmly.

"I remember, but I don't know the details. I was still very young and didn't care. All I know is that something happened, and the city was completely frozen, and everyone inside it was killed."

"Yes, that really happened. People don't know why the higher-ups didn't leak the news, but it was all the fault of just one person. In a matter of seconds, an entire city was completely drowned in ice, not even insects survived," the man replied with a slight fear in his expression.

"Brother, but how is that possible? Even a powerful cultivator couldn't do that, and she's just an ordinary woman, isn't she?"

"Yes, she was just an ordinary woman, but when she became pregnant five years ago, something changed. She no longer qualifies as an ordinary person; she has become the target of everyone and is now considered a forbidden-class witch."