Invisible Zones

 The furrows were neatly arranged, the crops—from roots to leaves to ears—glowing like golden artifacts, stark against the pitch-black mountains, shrouded in mystery.

 Feng Yi'an's words gripped the crowd. How could such a spectacle exist in these fog-drenched peaks?

 "Who's tending them?" Xu Yueping asked.

 Feng Yi'an shook his head. The lost patroller who first discovered the fields hadn't dared approach.

 After reporting it, higher-ups rushed to investigate, but the site had vanished.

 Old Liu, over seventy, sighed. "The wilderness holds endless secrets. Even city lords struggle to penetrate these untamed depths."

 "Grandpa Liu, have you seen strange things too?" Qin Ming pressed.

 The old man nodded. "Oddities lurk even near our villages.

 As a boy, he'd flown kites at the village edge. Retrieving one, he'd found its string sticky with blood.

 "Right outside our village?" Yang Yongqing gasped, glancing nervously at the night.

 "Maybe a wounded bird struck it?" Qin Ming suggested.

 "Perhaps. My grandfather paled when he saw that blood. Made me swear silence—until now."

 The memory hung uneasily.

 "Let's hear more mountain tales," Xu Yueping urged Feng.

 "Ever heard beasts mourn graves?" Feng's voice turned solemn.

 "What graves?"

 "Beast graves."

 "Animals… bury their dead?" Xu gaped.

 "In these misty wilds, anything's possible," Feng said.

 Years prior, their patrol leader had investigated strange noises, fearing a mutated creature's rise.

 "He wanted intel to prepare countermeasures—different threats need different approaches."

 The leader found a white-furred beast weeping at an ancient grave, its cypress over a millennium old.

 Light rain fell as the beast kowtowed. Birds descended; swamp monsters crawled ashore to worship.

 "Then?" someone pressed.

 "The leader crept closer to identify it… but the beast began mutating mid-ritual."

 The leader retreated, coughing blood. Though he delivered his report, his flesh rotted away.

 "Reinforcements fought hard. Had we delayed, that beast's evolution would've brought calamity."

 The room chilled. Peace hid unseen sacrifices.

 Old Liu rasped, "Many guardians vanish in these mountains. My friend… never returned.

 Feng nodded. "Most patrollers die wounded. Some go mad, eating raw flesh like beasts."

 He described predecessors: one-armed veterans dying in last stands, graves holding only bloodstained blades.

 "The old master wished to rest with his family. Instead, his spirit wanders these peaks."

 Qin Ming's wine turned bitter.

 Feng drank deeply. "Xu, plant these seeds." He produced four black beans. "Our brothers may not live to see spring.

 "Now? In winter?"

 "Nurture them in Fire Springs. 'Black Moon' must bloom by spring—it's their only hope."

 The plant's petals resembled crescent moons, shrouded in mist.

 Feng departed. "If I survive the purge, we'll drink again."

 "You'll prevail," Xu said hollowly.

 Villagers watched Feng vanish into darkness.

 "Four seeds won't overdraw the Fire Springs," someone muttered. No one objected—patrollers deserved this.

 Old Liu lingered. "They actually cultivated it…"

 Qin noticed Xu's troubled expression.

 …

 Hunters swarmed the streets next dawn, desperate for food.

 "Two blade-horned deer!" came cheers. Outer forests seemed safe.

 Children danced as meat roasted. Hope flickered.

 "Uncle! Try our venison!" Wen Rui called.

 Qin saw Xu returning grim-faced. "Patrollers pressed me about the seeds.

 Disaster struck at dusk. Hunters staggered back bloodied, prey abandoned.

 "A mutated Blood Bear! Chen nearly lost his arm!"

 The next group fared worse. A young warrior lay dying, chest caved in.

 "Lu Ze!" Qin rushed to his neighbor's house.

 "He's still out there!" Liang Wanqing trembled.

 Qin raced ahead, snow spraying. He found survivors carrying Lu—broken but alive.

 "Patrollers saved us," one gasped.

 Qin glared at the woods, blade drawn.

 Xu stopped him. "Wait!"

 Lu's wife sobbed. Qin reset his ribs, fury building.

 Village wails filled the night. Xu banned further hunts.

 In Xu's yard, Qin confronted him. "Lu's wounds—some weren't from claws."

 "They're punishing me," Xu spat. "I refused the seeds—they'd drain Fire Springs dry!"

 Old Liu whispered, "That patrol team slew a Blood Bear months back. Now someone wears its pelt.

 Qin's blade hand trembled. Guardians turned predators.

 Feng returned, feigning concern. "Our failure! We'll hunt that beast!"

 Xu forced civility. Qin sat motionless, murder in his veins.