Chapter 2: Echoes of a Forgotten Destiny

Years passed, stretching into the vast expanse of over 100,000 years. The once unfamiliar life had become a distant memory, and the world had changed beyond recognition.

Deep in the heart of a cold, snowy mountain, where the winds howled with an eerie chill, the harsh stone stairs led down into darkness. The air was frigid, and the snow lay thick and unyielding. It was in this desolate, frozen landscape that a scene unfolded.

At the base of the mountain, amid the biting cold, stood a solitary figure accompanied by a loyal right-hand man. The figure, adorned in a striking black and red hanfu with intricate gold embroidery, moved with a graceful yet commanding presence. Her long, wavy hair flowed freely, and a Red Crescent tattoo marked her forehead, adding an air of mystique. Beside her, her right-hand man wore a plain black hanfu, his black wolf-cut hairstyle framing his face, and round glasses perched on his nose.

They navigated the treacherous terrain with practiced ease, their breaths forming clouds in the icy air. As they reached the bottom of the stone stairs, their eyes fell upon a small, unexpected sight—a baby lying in the snow, seemingly untouched by the cold. The infant's presence in such a harsh environment was puzzling and out of place. The figure and her companion exchanged a look of surprise and curiosity, drawn to the child by fate or perhaps by a deeper, unspoken connection.

The baby, wrapped in tattered remnants of cloth, lay there with a serene expression, as though untouched by the harsh world around. The scene was set against the backdrop of the unforgiving mountain, a stark contrast to the delicate, vulnerable life they had discovered.

The figure's gaze softened as they observed the child. There was something hauntingly familiar about the baby's calm demeanor amidst the chaos of the snowy landscape. The right-hand man, usually stern and composed, looked on with a mixture of concern and wonder.

Together, they approached the infant with careful steps. The figure, her emotions masked by an inscrutable expression, gently lifted the baby from the snow. The child's peaceful face and the strange serenity in her eyes seemed to resonate with something deep within the figure, stirring a sense of destiny or purpose long forgotten.

"My", the woman said while holding the baby in her hands, "humans are such complex creature, leaving an infant here on the frozen stones of my door step"

"Well it's not the people's fault for you are the one who spread the rumors about accepting infant sacrifices for peace", said her right hand man, "you should look for his name, it might be there inside his clothes"

"That was over fifty thousand years ago, to increase the population of my kingdom at that and besides, I stopped that practice more than thousand years ago" she looked at her right hand man and continued, "Why would they mention the name of the baby if they were going to sacrifice it?"

"Well that means that this baby is not for sacrifice", he said looking around and at the barrier in front of them. Neither humans nor any outsiders dare to enter without permission into their territory. "The baby must have a pass with it to enter"

"Ai Ran you mean an ID?" she asked him in sarcasm tone, "we are modern people not ancient"

"Modern people lived in ancient world for thousands of years now", he continued her sentence and searched the baby's clothes in the woman's hands, "there, found it", he took out a black medallion, "this is the pass he had and this is his family emblem", and he looked at the jade token.

His eyes widened in confusion and fright. "Kai, you should take a look", he handed her the jade token. Rye kai narrowed her eyes and slightly exhaled at it. Ai Ran continued, "The plot has begun"

The baby in her hand was the real mastermind and villain in the novel she was reincarnated in. fate seems to have bought him right to her door step.

"Well it seems", she looked at the token and then the baby, and "this baby will be the death of me, huh? He is too adorable for that"

"What happens now?" he asked, "should we return him?"

"From what I remember in the novel, this boy's uncle went against his father and killed his entire family for power", she said, "The boy struggles to grow up and was filled with desire to get power at any cost and became the villain, that the short of his life"

"his circumstances made him into power hungry villain", Ai Ran creased the baby's cheeks which was still warm, "it hasn't been long since he was left here, maybe thirty minutes or less"

"the mother must not be that far away from here", she smiled at him, "the plot has already changed, friend"

"how?"

"the boy was never supposed to be left here" 

The baby's presence in the snow stirred a profound sense of unease in Rye Kai. The realization that the plot had already begun to deviate from what she knew added a layer of urgency to the situation.

Rye Kai adjusted her hold on the baby, her gaze drifting towards the unforgiving mountain landscape. The harsh cold seemed to echo the tumultuous change in fate that had just begun.

"Considering the changes in the plot," Rye Kai mused aloud, her thoughts turning to the implications of this shift, "it's clear that we cannot simply ignore this development. The baby's presence here might be a sign of something greater—a disruption in the natural order that could affect the balance of power and events we've known for so long."

Ai Ran nodded, his expression thoughtful as he studied the baby. "So, what are we to do with this disruption? We cannot let him remain here, nor can we return him to a life of villainy if the plot has already altered."

Rye Kai looked down at the infant, the serene expression on his face contrasting sharply with the grim reality of his situation. "We must investigate further. There may be other forces at play, or perhaps the reason for his abandonment holds the key to understanding this new trajectory."

With a determined nod, Rye Kai began to raise, her right-hand man following suit. "Let's start by searching the area around us. If the mother or anyone connected to this child is nearby, we need to find them before it's too late."

As Rye Kai and Ai Ran ventured further into the snowy expanse, their search took them to a somber discovery. Lying a short distance from where they had found the baby was a woman, motionless amidst the snow. Her figure was partially obscured by the drifting flakes, and the scene around her was eerily quiet.

Rye Kai approached cautiously, her gaze falling upon the woman's pale, lifeless face. She knelt beside the figure, her heart sinking as she noticed the mother's shallow breathing. The realization that the woman was on the brink of death added a new layer of urgency to their mission.

Ai Ran, standing a few steps behind, watched with a mixture of concern and curiosity. "It seems she is barely clinging to life," he remarked, his voice tinged with sadness. "We need to act quickly."

The woman's eyes fluttered open, revealing a flicker of recognition as she saw Rye Kai. Despite her weakened state, she managed to summon the strength to speak, her voice barely a whisper against the howling wind.

"Please… come closer," she pleaded, her gaze fixed on Rye Kai. "Protect my child. He is… he is all I have."

As Rye Kai knelt beside the dying mother, her gaze filled with concern and curiosity. She gently asked, "Why did you leave your son at my doorstep? Haven't you heard the rumors about the sacrifices?"

The mother, her breaths shallow and labored, managed a faint smile. "I heard the rumors," she whispered, "but they were just that—rumors. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I had no choice but to leave him here, hoping he would be found by someone who could protect him."

Her eyes, filled with a mix of regret and resignation, locked onto Rye Kai's. "I knew that leaving him at your doorstep was risky. But I trusted that you would understand the gravity of the situation. My family's enemies have left us no safe haven."

Rye Kai's heart ached with empathy. "Why leave him here, despite the danger?"

The mother's gaze, filled with a mix of regret and resignation, locked onto Rye Kai's. "I recognized you; you are the Empress of the mighty Rye Empire. Even with the rumors about sacrifices, I trusted that you would understand the gravity of the situation. I believed that you would not let harm come to him, given the circumstances."

The realization struck Rye Kai with shock. Her eyes widened in surprise as the weight of the mother's words sank in. Someone had recognized her amidst the rumors and uncertainties. A slow, confident smile spread across her face as she processed this.

"Me?" Rye Kai asked, her voice carrying a note of both surprise and pride. "You recognized me?"

The mother nodded weakly. "I had to make a decision. If I had stayed with him, they would have found us both. I hoped that by placing him here, he would have a chance to survive, even if I could not."

The mother's eyes flickered with a faint, tired smile. "Yes. I had faith that someone like you, with such a position and power, would see the gravity of the situation and act with honor."

Rye Kai's smile softened, and her tone grew serious. "I will do what I can, Lady," she said, her voice steady. "But I cannot guarantee you the outcome." rye looked at the baby and the dying mother. She bought the baby closer to his mother's face and she grabbed the mother's hand put it above the baby's hand, "why don't you say good bye to him"

The mother looked at her son with tears of sorrow and regret, for living him so soon and all alone in this world. The baby opened his eyes to see his mother one last time. The mother's strength waned, and her eyes closed for the last time. Rye Kai remained by her side, her resolve solidified by the recognition and trust placed in her.

Ai Ran, observing the interaction, stepped closer and asked, "Are you sure you want to proceed with this? Because protecting the child will change your entire story"

Rye Kai, still processing the impact of the mother's recognition, nodded with determination. "Yes, I must see this through. The story has already shifted, and I have better plans for him. We will honor her last wish and protect the child from the shadows that is."

Ai Ran, sensing her resolve, asked with a hint of confusion, "What are your plans?"

Rye Kai's smile turned eerie as she replied, "I will protect him for two and a half years only. After that, he will need to experience his original hardships."

Ai Ran sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I knew you would say that. Let me guess why? You want him to get stronger so he can protect himself and you will guide him so that he doesn't end up coming to you?"

Rye Kai laughed softly. "My best friend, you never fail to read me."

With the weight of the mother's request and their new responsibilities, Rye Kai and Ai Ran prepared to face the challenges ahead, ready to unravel the mystery surrounding the child and embrace the destiny that awaited them.