First Battle

In the morning, after completing her daily routine, Bei Lin took her dagger and headed to the stream. She decided to explore upstream, where the stream originated. The area above the stream led to a forest, She planned to fight only normal beasts like deer, bears, and boars, which were abundant in the surrounding woods.

She walked upstream for an hour, noting how the stream's flow grew stronger and the forest denser as she progressed. Eventually, she reached a flat area on the mountainside, where the stream cascaded down from above. The serene setting contrasted with what lay ahead: a large, gray boar with a ferocious demeanor, tearing at the bark of an old tree. It hadn't noticed her yet.

Cautiously, she began to move closer, taking deliberate, silent steps, using the tips of her slippers to avoid making noise. Her eyes stayed fixed on the boar, carefully observing its every move. However, her luck faltered when her foot accidentally touched a dry branch, creating a faint but sharp crack.

The boar froze in place and snapped its head around, glaring in her direction. Bei Lin's face tensed in frustration at her mistake, but she quickly forced a smile, hoping to mask her nervousness. Her smile, though radiant and charming enough to enchant at first glance, seemed to enrage the boar. Its expression turned even fiercer, as if it were insulted by her grin, like an ugly girl daring to charm a handsome boy.

The brown boar fixed its furious gaze on Bei Lin. Nervous but determined, she tightened her grip on the dagger, her palms slightly sweaty. The boar pawed the ground twice with its foreleg, kicking up dust, and charged at her with a fierce roar. Bei Lin, facing her first real battle against a dangerous enemy, felt her heart race. Though her training had prepared her reflexes, her inexperience left her on edge.

As the boar closed the gap, its tusks aiming for her, Bei Lin waited until it was just over two meters away before sidestepping and dodging its charge. Her instincts kicked in, the hours of practice with Lei Wang proving their worth. The boar, having missed its target, skidded to a stop and turned to charge again, its anger evident.

This time, Bei Lin didn't allow the boar to regain momentum. As it turned, she quickly moved behind it and slashed at its small tail with her dagger. The blade struck true, cutting the tail clean off. The boar let out a sharp cry of pain, thrashing its body wildly. The cry and its sudden movements made her arm numb from the recoil, a reminder of the boar's raw strength despite her powerful strike.

Enraged, the boar turned back toward her, its fury blazing in its brown eyes. It charged again, its speed doubling from the pain. The sudden increase in velocity caught Bei Lin off guard, her reaction slightly delayed. She dove to the side, rolling across the dusty ground. Her clothes became caked in dirt, but she quickly sprang to her feet, dagger ready, her eyes locked on the boar.

The boar charged again. Bei Lin stood her ground. As it got close, she moved forward and swung her dagger at its eyes. Her blade cut the boar's face and hit its left eye. The boar howled in pain and bumped into Bei Lin's shoulder. The hit made her arm numb and nearly dropped her dagger.

The pain fueled her anger. She gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on the dagger. With a strong slash, she cut deep into the boar's snout. The creature staggered, crying out in agony. Finally, the boar fell to the ground, motionless. Panting, Bei Lin stood over it, trembling from exhaustion and adrenaline. She had won, but the battle showed her how inexperienced she still was.

Suddenly, a sharp force struck Bei Lin's back, throwing her forward. She stumbled and fell to the ground, rolling slightly before coming to a stop. Her dress was torn, and she could feel blood seeping from a fresh wound. Pain flared across her back, but she gritted her teeth and ignored it, forcing herself to get up quickly. Her instincts screamed at her to face her attacker.

Standing there was a brown bear, its hulking frame slightly taller than her at 144 cm. Its dark eyes locked onto her with predatory focus, its claws stained with her blood. Bei Lin cursed herself for her carelessness. She had been too focused on the boar and hadn't been aware of her surroundings.

The bear growled and came closer. Bei Lin stared at her dagger on the ground. She had lost it during the attack. Her fists clenched as she felt tense. This was not just any beast; it was strong, and her inexperience could put her in danger.

But she would not back down. She took deep breaths to calm her mind, even though her back hurt. Her training told her that losing focus could lead to death. The bear roared and stepped forward, its claws gleaming in the dim light.

She looked at the dagger again, thinking about what to do next. Without it, she had little chance to hurt the bear. But going for it meant risking another attack. The situation was serious, but Bei Lin tightened her fists, her determination clear in her eyes.

"This isn't where I die," she whispered.

Bei Lin stood still, staring at the bear. It roared loudly and charged at her quickly. Without her dagger, she had to use her speed and strength. She dodged the bear's first swipe, feeling the wind as it missed her shoulder.

The bear turned fast and slashed again, this time grazing her arm. The sharp pain and warm blood showed it was a worse cut than she expected. She gritted her teeth and stepped back, her eyes on the dagger lying a few steps away.

The bear lunged at her. Bei Lin dropped to the ground and rolled under its heavy swing. Her bruised back scraped against the rocky soil. She winced but pushed herself closer to the dagger. The bear, now angry, slammed its claws into the ground where she had just been. Dust and debris flew everywhere.

Bei Lin scrambled to reach the dagger. Her fingers grabbed its hilt just as the bear lunged again. She barely rolled out of the way. The bear's claws tore into the ground where her head had been. She spun to face it, holding the dagger tightly.

The bear stood up and swung its claws. Bei Lin jumped back, feeling the ground shake. She charged at the bear, slashing its side. The blade cut deep, and the bear roared in pain.

The bear swung at her wildly. Its claws brushed her leg, causing her to stumble. Pain shot through her, but she steadied herself and held the dagger tightly. She rushed in again, aiming for its shoulder. She drove the blade deep with all her strength. The bear swayed, blood soaking its fur, and swiped at her. Its claws grazed her ribs and knocked her aside.

She rolled off the bear. She was panting and covered in blood and dirt. Her body hurt from bruises and cuts. But she got to her feet, holding her dagger tightly. The fight was over.

Bei Lin realized how far she still had to go on her journey. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she hurried toward the stream. She crouched by the water, washing the blood from her wounds and cutting strips of her tattered dress with her dagger. Using the cloth, she tied makeshift bandages around her injuries to stem the bleeding.

The boar and bear she had left behind were tempting prizes, but she knew dragging them back would slow her down and put her life in greater danger. The smell of blood could easily attract more predators, and she didn't have the strength to fight again. Her priority was survival, not spoils.

Ignoring the throbbing pain in her leg and back, she sprinted downstream toward her village. The effort of running with injuries made every step agonizing, but she pressed on, knowing the faster she moved, the safer she would be. After about 30 minutes, her legs burned, and she felt lightheaded from the loss of blood. She stopped at the stream again, kneeling to drink the cool water.

Looking around desperately, she searched for the healing herb she had heard about—purple flash. It was her only hope to stop the bleeding and dull the pain. After scanning the area for some time, she finally spotted a cluster of the violet plants growing near a tree. Gathering as much as she could, she returned to the stream.

She crushed the herb against a rock by the water's edge, creating a paste-like consistency. Starting with her leg, she applied the purple flash paste to her wounds, wincing as the stinging sensation coursed through her body. Her hands trembled as she worked on her arms next. For her back, she struggled, blindly smearing the herb against her skin. Though it wasn't perfect, the bleeding slowed, and the pain dulled slightly.

Her head spun, and her body felt heavy. She knew she couldn't risk staying on the ground any longer. Summoning what strength she had left, she climbed a small tree nearby. Each movement was a struggle, her wounded leg protesting with every pull. Finally, she reached a thick branch that could hold her weight and settled there, leaning against the trunk.

The summer breeze rustled through the leaves, cooling her sweat-drenched body and tousling her black hair. She closed her eyes, exhaustion overtaking her. Her last thoughts before drifting off were a silent prayer that no predators would find her in this vulnerable state.

The forest grew quiet around her as she slept, the gentle sway of the branch beneath her carrying her into a fragile rest.