Three months had passed since Chen Yi, OuYang KuiFong, and OuYang MeiEr slipped away from Chen Village under the cover of dawn. The terraced farms still clung stubbornly to the mountainside, and life in the village continued as it always had—quiet, peaceful, and unremarkable. Yet beneath this veneer of normalcy, whispers lingered among the villagers. Some spoke of magic lessons in the forest; others recalled the trio’s sudden departure. No one dared speak too loudly, but the unease was palpable.

  It was on a crisp autumn morning that the tranquility shattered. A contingent of elite enforcers arrived at Chen Village, their polished armor gleaming like storm clouds against the sunlit hills. Led by Captain Feng, they bore the insignia of the Heavenly Court—a symbol both revered and feared. Their presence sent ripples of dread through the village, as if an invisible weight pressed down upon every rooftop and alleyway.

  Captain Feng strode into the square with military precision, his sharp eyes scanning the gathered crowd. His men fanned out around him, their postures rigid and intimidating. The villagers stood frozen, clutching tools or baskets, their faces pale with apprehension. They knew what came next: questions—and consequences for wrong answers.

  “We seek information about three individuals who passed through here,” Captain Feng began, his voice cutting through the tense silence like a blade. “Survivors from LongTu village. Describe them.”

  The elderly man who had once offered rice porridge to the trio stepped forward hesitantly. His hands trembled as he spoke. “There were three of them… strangers who came about a year ago. They stayed quietly, helped us with work, and then left without warning.”

  “Describe them,” Captain Feng repeated, his tone colder now.

  The old man swallowed hard. “The leader was tall, stern-looking, with dark hair and piercing eyes. He rarely spoke but carried himself like someone used to command. Then there was a younger man—big and strong, always cheerful despite his size. And a petite woman… gentle, skilled with herbs.” He paused, glancing nervously at the enforcers. “They didn’t say much about themselves, only that their village had been destroyed by bandits.”

  Captain Feng exchanged a glance with his second-in-command. These descriptions matched the reports from LongTu village almost perfectly. Three fugitives: a shadow mage, a brute with wind magic, and a healer. Dangerous, resourceful, and clever enough to evade capture for over a year.

  “Did they mention where they were headed?” Captain Feng pressed.

  “No,” the old man replied quickly. “But they often went into the woods. Maybe hunting?”

  Another villager chimed in timidly. “We saw them leave early one morning, heading east toward QingSan village.”

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  Captain Feng nodded curtly. “Thank you. Remember: no one speaks of this again. If we discover otherwise…” He let the threat hang unfinished, turning sharply on his heel. With a wave of his hand, he signalled his squad to move out.

  Over the following weeks, Captain Feng deployed teams of government officials to nearby villages, armed with detailed descriptions of the fugitives. Each team carried orders to interrogate locals discreetly, gathering any trace of sightings or rumours. The operation was methodical, designed to flush out prey that had grown dangerously adept at hiding.

  In QingSan village, nestled along a winding river, the trail finally grew warm. A fisherman reported seeing three travellers matching the descriptions weeks earlier. “They crossed the bridge at dusk,” he said, pointing eastward. “Headed deeper into the wilderness.”

  Encouraged by this lead, Captain Feng pushed his squad harder. They combed through dense forests, scoured abandoned ruins, and questioned isolated homesteads. Slowly but surely, the pieces fell into place. The fugitives were moving steadily northeast, avoiding major settlements and relying on natural terrain for cover.

  Yet even as the enforcers closed the gap, frustration simmered within their ranks. How could three individuals remain so elusive? Every clue seemed just out of reach, every sighting days old. It was as though the fugitives vanished into thin air.

  Meanwhile, Chen Yi, KuiFong, and MeiEr trudged through the rugged landscape, their senses attuned to every sound and shadow. Though they believed themselves safe after leaving Chen Village, instincts told them otherwise. When news of enforcer patrols reached them via sympathetic travellers, they realized their pursuers were relentless.

  “We can’t keep running forever,” KuiFong muttered one evening, rubbing his sore shoulders. “Sooner or later, they’ll catch up.”

  “They won’t stop until they do,” Chen Yi agreed grimly. “Which means we need to make our stand somewhere strategic.”

  MeiEr frowned, her gaze distant. “But where? We’re outnumbered and exhausted.”

  Chen Yi’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Not everywhere favours numbers over skill. Trust me—I have a plan.”

  Days later, the enforcers finally caught sight of their quarry near the edge of a sprawling chasm. The fugitives darted through QingSan village, their movements swift and deliberate. Shouts erupted as Captain Feng and his men gave chase, boots pounding against cobblestone streets.

  Chen Yi led the way, weaving through narrow alleys and using his shadow magic to obscure their path. Behind him, KuiFong and MeiEr followed closely, their breaths ragged but determined. As they reached the chasm, its jagged cliffs plunging into darkness below, KuiFong took charge.

  “Hold tight!” he barked, summoning a powerful gust of wind. The trio leapt into the air, carried across the abyss by KuiFong’s magic. On the far side, they landed safely, disappearing into the dense foliage beyond.

  Captain Feng skidded to a halt at the edge of the chasm, his fists clenched in fury. “Where’s our wind mage?!” he roared, knowing full well his squad lacked such abilities. Defeated and weary, the enforcers could only watch as their quarry vanished once more.

  Deep within a secluded cave, the trio huddled together, catching their breath. Exhaustion weighed heavily on them, but relief flickered in their eyes. For now, they were safe.

  “They’re persistent,” MeiEr murmured, breaking the silence. “What happens when they find us again?”

  Chen Yi’s expression hardened. “Then we fight smarter, not harder. This isn’t over yet.”

  As the first rays of dawn filtered through the cave’s entrance, the trio began planning their next move. Survival depended on staying one step ahead—but resilience required something more: hope.

  And hope, they decided, was worth fighting for.