Fleeing Team

On the slopes of that mountain, a group of people were traveling. They were a mixture of young and old people, and there were about two hundred people in total. They were sluggish and in disarray, and upon closer inspection, many were wounded. Some had been more grievously injured than others, with many having lost entire limbs. It was a horrifying scene.

"Uncle San, are we going to make it?" a young woman asked an elderly person, as she rode upon a unicorn.

"Yes, we are," the old man answered her with absolute certainty.

They were surpassers, hailing from Wind God Shelter. They were once incredibly strong, and one of them had even opened eight gene locks. They had conquered royal shelters for years.

But this legacy was brought to its knees upon the arrival of a powerful spirit. Thousands of people had died in the sudden siege, and only two hundred had made it out alive.

The man who had opened eight gene locks, and many other brave warriors, remained behind to stall the spirit that attacked them. They gave their lives so others could escape.

But fleeing to the wilds was not a guarantee of safety for anyone. It was often a crueler fate, and this mountain was not someplace anyone could take refuge. This was a place not even an army of spirits would dare go, and so the small group's chances of survival were nearly nil.

But these people did not know this. Still, they remained wary, just as much as they were weary. It was a foreign land, and they had to maintain vigilance.

Even if they crossed the mountain successfully, there was no guarantee fonder pastures awaited them on the other side. The area past the mountain was most likely controlled by spirits, as well.

With nowhere specific to run, and with no idea what fate might soon await them, all they could do was give in to the whims of their feet. They traveled with no destination in mind, in a simple escape of the horrors behind them, in a desperate hope that no more would lie ahead.

Lin Weiwei did not ask again. As kind as her uncle's few words were, she had just been hesitant to accept the truth of what was most likely to happen. She wanted at least one comforting thought, but their reserves were empty and there was no comfort to be had. Whether any of them would survive was now in the fickle hands of destiny.

After another two days of harsh passage, they encountered more than a fair share of creatures. Two more people fell in battle with them, and they were still in what could be regarded as the foothills of the mountain. As they went deeper, they knew crueler monstrosities would soon appear.

"Careful; we have movement to the left," someone said, which drew their attention there.

"Prepare for battle!" Uncle San rallied, whose actual name was Lin He. After his command, silence gripped the air again. Then came the sounds of rustling. It drew nearer and nearer.

Sweat and fear choked the hearts of those who waited for whatever foul beast would emerge and waylay them.

A shadow started to form in the foliage, and with their weapons in hand, they prepared to fight.

But when this shadow came closer, the dark figure began to take shape. It was a person, strangely. It was a twenty-year-old man with skin that was smoother than any fair maiden.

If it wasn't for the person's manly face and strong, wide body, he could have very well been mistaken for a woman.

When they saw another human approach, relief captured their hearts. Someone yelled, "What is wrong with you? You should stick with the team!"

"He is not one of us. And how can a baby exist here, in the Third God's Sanctuary?" When Lin He said this, the warmth of relief evaporated in a sudden tug. Their nervousness was amplified once more.

The people realized that they did not recognize this man, and a baby was asleep sucking her finger. The sight unnerved them.

Humans could not enter a sanctuary before they were sixteen years old. Only death would await them, if they tried. If this was true, how could one survive there?

"Kill him! He is not human, and this is a trick." When a person commanded this, bows were raised and aimed at the shadowy figure.

"Don't shoot!" The man with a baby in one arm, raised his other with the plea.

"Renounce that forked-tongue, and spare us any lies you wish to conjure. Attack this wicked fiend!" With these words, arrows were nocked and strings were drawn.

The refugees were on edge, and they had every right to be. With this person appearing from out of nowhere, in possession of a strange baby, they struggled to believe it to be an actual human.

"Stop, he is one of us!" Lin Weiwei leapt off her unicorn and stopped the barrage of arrows that was about to be loosed.

"One of us?! You don't even know him," someone asked.

"I know him. And if you can't recognize his appearance, then his name is one you must certainly be familiar with," Lin Weiwei said.

"Are you certain? You know who this man is?" Lin He asked, as no one dared to lower their bows.

"This is President Ji's son-in-law, Han Sen," Lin Weiwei said.

Lin Weiwei was Lin Feng's auntie. They had once met a long time ago, in a conference held by the four families of Lin, Xue, Ji, and Wang.

"He is Han Sen?" Lin He asked, in disbelief.

"Ask him, if you do not believe me," Lin Weiwei said snidely.

Before Lin He could ask, Han Sen broke the silence. He asked, "Sister Wei, how is Lin Feng?"

A vat of relief washed over Lin He. It was immediately comforting for him to learn this person knew Lin Weiwei and Lin Feng, who was still in the Second God's Sanctuary.

"Not bad. But now is not the time for idle chit-chat. Do you care to tell me why you are out here, on Ghost Mountain? And where in the sanctuaries did this baby come from?" Lin Weiwei asked.

Everyone was still in a state of alarm, so Han Sen stepped forward to be friendlier and ease some of the tension out of the atmosphere.

"A creature chased me here whilst I was out hunting. Oh, and it's not an actual baby. It's a humanoid pet. I'm still growing it." Han Sen smiled.

Han Sen wished to say something more, but a sudden scream erupted from the front of the team. It was a wretched plea for aid, and when they turned to look, they saw a surpasser burning to cinders.