Chapter 2.2

The flickering light of the campfire softened the angles of Kevin's forehead and nose bridge while accentuating the dark shadows cast by his long eyelashes, imparting a perfect balance of ruggedness and beauty.

To the young boy's surprise, Kevin was the most handsome adult he had ever encountered, yet at the same time, the most insignificant.

"How could he start eating by himself?" the boy thought, as his stomach grumbled in protest.

With experience comes wisdom, and Kevin knew the hunger impulse too well.

Despite his astonishing good looks, he ate with a calm and measured pace, savoring each bite.

Peering at the young boy with an intense and grievance expression, Kevin wondered if he was looking into the eyes of the Pach family's young master from years ago.

The eyes of this little boy still have the shadow of a feline animal, the color is light and bright, and the pupils are big and round at night, which is extraordinarily clear.

In the end, before taking a few bites, he couldn't help but said: "If you stare at me again, your eyeballs should fall out..."

At the time, Kevin had just joined the reserve army and had been granted a rare extended spring break.

While he had hoped to unwind during that time, he found himself commissioned halfway through to care for young Master Pach.

The boy had been a veritable bear, stubborn, unyielding, obstinate, and determined to defy any authority, particularly that of Kevin.

During his youth, Kevin possessed the vigor of a young man and an insolent nature that surpassed his current disposition.

His actions were often fueled by a desire to rule over others, leading him to discipline a wayward lad with several beatings to prevent him from straying further off course.

Each time, the youngster's profile mirrored the visage of this boy; fierce, belligerent, and imbued with an unwillingness to concede defeat.

For years, Kevin remained ignorant of the boy's whereabouts until the day he overheard gossip in a tent nestled in the desert of bones.

The rumors spoke of the Pach family's downfall, leaving Kevin to assume the worst for the defiant youth.

As he ruminated over the boy's fate, Kevin, who had developed into a sly and cunning man with centuries of experience, was overwhelmed by a pang of remorse upon seeing a ghost.

Coughing up an excuse, he rose to release the boy from his restraints, only to be met with the young lad's unexpected proposition. "Give me some meat, I'll call you daddy!"

Kevin: "..."

Like a fart with that Pach family...

At that moment, Kevin's thoughts drifted to the Pach family's demise, rendering the child's plea all the more repugnant.

Nonetheless, he agreed, and the little boy was put down, providing the boy with a succulent roast gopher to sate his greedy appetite.

In the end, he ate the roast gopher next to the fire until his mouth was full of greasy food.

Although Kevin forgot to save a portion of the meal for future consumption, he was surprised to observe the lean and lanky child devour two gophers and three bird eggs with ease.

Seeing it, he couldn't help reminding: "You'd better keep some on your body just in case, no one will share your food after tomorrow."

The boy asked without thinking, "Why?"

"Because I left at dawn," Kevin said.

The boy made an impetuous request, "Can I come with you? This place is like a maze. I've been walking around for several days, and I still need to find someone..."

The boy insisted on the principle that if you have milk, you must be the mother. Regrettably for the boy, Kevin paid no heed to his pleas.

As Kevin lay there in the dense forest, calculating his next move, he couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation thrill through his body.

He knew it would take at least two long days for the letter to reach the priest and the palace cavalry to find him.

And he didn't plan to meet those people until he thought about how to explain his situation.

He had just enough time to plan his escape and find a new hiding place, but fate had other plans in store for him.

As the first rays of dawn broke, Kevin was suddenly jolted awake by the thundering sound of hooves.

He sat up in alarm, his heart pounding in his chest.

Looking up, he saw a team of cavalry riders descending from the sky.

They were led by a young man with short blond hair, who was dressed in shining armor.

A young man with short blond hair and a team of capable cavalry descended from the sky, leaving Kevin completely shocked and disoriented.

The cavalry riders drew up in front of Kevin and dismounted. The young man with blond hair stepped forward.

Was this a dream or a hallucination?

But as the blond youth approached him, his face contorted with shock and disbelief.

Mi Ao couldn't believe his eyes.

He had brought Kevin's body back from the battlefield with his own hands, and yet here he was, alive and well!

"Mi Ao?" With a surprised expression, Kevin looked at the leading blond youth.

Kevin blinked several times, thinking that he must be hallucinating.

But no, there was no denying it. Mi Ao was actually riding a vulture.

He could scarcely believe what he was seeing, almost thinking it to be a figment of his imagination.

Kevin could not help but smile. He had not seen Mi Ao in years, and he was glad to see that his friend was still alive.

Initially perched upon the back of a vulture with his back straight, Mi Ao also seemed taken aback by Kevin's sudden appearance, lowering his head and momentarily burying it behind the vulture's high neck.

Eventually, he waved his hands in disbelief, speaking in a hesitant tone: "Wait, wait...let me slow down for a while, I think I seem to be hallucinating."

Despite the uncertainty that befell them, Kevin decided to speak candidly: "No, it's not a hallucination. It's me. I'm still alive."