Chapter 1 of 100

Chapter 1

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During the Tianyuan era, a great drought struck the land, with no rain for several months.

The sky was a deep blue, with a scorching sun hanging high, not a single cloud in sight. Between heaven and earth, there was a suffocating silence; no insects chirped, no birds sang, and no human voices were heard. Everything was eerily quiet.

A winding stream, its riverbed cracked and split, lay exposed like a gaping, bloodthirsty mouth ready to devour lives.

Beside the stream was a small village with only a dozen or so households, now completely desolate. All the villagers had fled the famine, and the livestock—pigs, cows, and sheep—had either been taken by their owners, consumed, or left to die of thirst and hunger.

The scorching sun baked the village, as if trying to cook the land beneath it.

Suddenly, from a house near the village entrance, came a rustling sound. A moment later, a head poked out of the window. It belonged to a young boy, pale and emaciated, with messy, dirty hair. His entire body seemed lifeless, except for his pair of bright, black eyes. Even in such dire circumstances, his eyes remained clear and bright.

The boy's name was Li Wenjun, a local. His father was a simple craftsman, and his mother washed clothes for others. He had siblings. They had once lived a simple life, able to enjoy meat during festivals. However, the prolonged drought had made survival a challenge, and their family was no exception.

After their food supplies were exhausted and the village well ran dry, they joined the exodus of people fleeing the famine. The number of refugees was overwhelming, and with so many siblings, his parents could not take care of everyone. At some point, Li Wenjun became separated from his family.

Driven by a strong will to survive and a desire to reunite with his family, and with a leather water bag, Li Wenjun managed to survive for half a month after being separated. During this time, he ate tree bark and roots when hungry, and drank water or his own urine when thirsty. Even the urine became scarce.

A few days ago, Li Wenjun found this village near the river. Despite his hunger, he searched the village and found half a black, rock-hard pancake. With this half-pancake, he managed to survive for a few more days.

The pancake would eventually run out, and what Li Wenjun found more unbearable than hunger was thirst. The scorching air he breathed in felt like a line of fire burning his lungs, making it unbearable.

All the tree bark and roots that could be eaten in the village had been stripped and dug up. The entire village had fled, and if not for Li Wenjun, it would have been a ghost town. This was a common occurrence during the drought.

Li Wenjun instinctively knew he couldn't stay in the village any longer. Staying meant certain death; leaving offered a slim chance of survival.

The sun was too harsh, and Li Wenjun dared not go out. Walking in the sun would drain his strength and cause his body to lose more water. He could not afford to lose either.

All he could do was wait—wait until the sun set and the temperature cooled down before venturing out into the arid world.

Just waiting was not an option; it would only make him succumb to hunger and thirst, and he would drink the last bit of water in his water bag. Without that water, he would be doomed.

Li Wenjun lay down in the shade, closed his eyes, and forced himself to sleep. The silence was terrifying, with only his breathing breaking the stillness.

His breathing was labored, a sound that sent shivers down his spine.

Hunger, thirst, physical weakness, longing for his family, fear of death, endless loneliness, and the scorching air—all these negative emotions entangled him, making it hard for him to fall asleep.

After a long time, Li Wenjun opened his eyes. The sun had set, and the last rays of light seemed to bid farewell to the young boy.

Li Wenjun did not immediately go out. The sun setting did not mean it was cool outside; he had to wait a bit longer.

After about an hour, it was completely dark, and a crescent moon hung weakly in the sky.

Li Wenjun gathered his few possessions: a leather water bag, a jujube wood club, a torch, flint, and a bundle of clothes. This was all he had.

The leather water bag and the jujube wood club were from home. The club, about two feet long and as thick as his arm, was a tool his mother used to wash clothes. The bundle and clothes were also from home, now dirty and tattered. The torch and flint were found in the village.

Under the dim moonlight, Li Wenjun walked out of the village. He did not dare to light the torch, fearing any waste. Fortunately, the moon provided enough light to see the path.

Li Wenjun had been thinking for the past few days. His biggest problem was the lack of water and food, with water being the most critical. If he could find a water source, there might be wild plants around it, solving both his water and food problems.

Li Wenjun decided to follow the riverbed. This area had once been a river, and there might be some water in low-lying areas.

This was his plan for survival. Whether he would find water, he could only force himself to believe he would.

Following the riverbed, Li Wenjun walked with deep and shallow steps. His body was weak, and his strength was depleted, but he pushed on with a strong will to survive, walking for most of the night.

However, he found nothing. Not a drop of water, not even a blade of grass. The drought had either killed the grass or it had been eaten by people and animals. The dry, withered grass was inedible and would only worsen his condition.

As dawn approached, Li Wenjun grew anxious. Based on his experience, the next day would likely be another scorching one. If he were exposed to the sun, he would either die or be severely dehydrated.

He quickly climbed the riverbank, looking for a place similar to the village he had just left to shelter from the sun. However, he found only a barren wilderness, not even a thatched hut in sight.

Disappointed, Li Wenjun retracted his gaze. Suddenly, a faint green caught his eye. His spirits lifted, and he examined it closely. He saw a patch of reeds in the riverbed, the green coming from there.

Without hesitation, Li Wenjun ran over to the reeds.

The reed bed was about half an acre, with most of the reeds dried up. A small patch of reeds lay on the ground, where the green came from.

Li Wenjun lifted the reeds and was delighted to find the ground was not completely dry, with a bit more moisture than the surrounding soil.

Overjoyed, Li Wenjun found a stick and started digging. Soon, he unearthed a dozen or so reed roots. Without cleaning the dirt, he put them in his mouth.

When he bit down, a bitter yet slightly sweet juice squeezed out. Li Wenjun felt as if he had found the sweetest food in the world, closing his eyes to savor it.

After eating two roots, Li Wenjun stopped, unsure if he would find more reed roots. He opened his water bag and put all the reed roots inside to preserve their moisture.

Li Wenjun carefully checked the area he had dug, ensuring there were no more moist reed roots. Then he ran to the south bank of the river, lying down against the riverbank to shelter from the rising sun.

With these reed roots, Li Wenjun miraculously survived for three more days. By then, he was over a hundred miles from the village he had left. However, the reed roots provided little water and nutrition, and his body grew weaker.

After another sunset, Li Wenjun checked his water bag. There was only one reed root left and a small amount of water. He was again facing the danger of running out of food and water.

Li Wenjun's only option was to continue following the riverbed in search of water. If he did not find more, he would not survive.

Li Wenjun put the last reed root in his mouth, chewing it thoroughly to extract every bit of moisture and value.

After finishing the reed root, Li Wenjun raised his water bag, which smelled strongly of urine. He thought for a moment and sealed the bag again. He would not use the last bit of water unless absolutely necessary.

Gathering his strength, Li Wenjun resumed his desperate journey.

The moon in the sky was nearly full, and in a few days, it would be the 15th. He wondered if his parents and siblings were together and if they ever thought of him.

Shaking his head, Li Wenjun forced himself to remain strong. Any weakness would do him no good.

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