Chief, don't hit me in the face

Chapter 1: Born in the Wilderness, Summer Trees Grow in Autumn!

Morning mist hangs heavy, evening winds are cold; spring rain washes away the apricot blossoms, soaking my clothes and blurring my tear-filled eyes, leaving only a deep sorrow in my heart! Xia Ye stood on the overgrown Cross Slope, gazing at the city shrouded in misty rain in the distance. A totem battle flag embroidered with the golden character “Xia” stood out so starkly against the landscape! “Within three years, I will take this city!” Xia Ye clenched his right hand so tightly his knuckles turned white; it took more than a dozen deep breaths before he could barely suppress the hatred welling up in his heart. The chirping of insects and birds could not dispel the chill of early spring. Carrying a basket of tender wild greens on his back and two scrawny rabbits in his hands, Xia Ye made his way along the slippery blue-stone pavement into Xia City. This was the main city of the Xia Tribe in northern Youzhou. Further north lay an endless forest of ancient trees, resembling an infinite ocean of woods. Within it, alongside unnamed plants, lurked all manner of ancient beasts and wild tribes of varying sizes. Though called the main city, it differed from the forest of steel skyscrapers in Xia Ye’s memory. Every building here was constructed from massive blocks of stone—some not even polished by stonemasons—so they were angular and rugged, exuding a raw, untamed atmosphere everywhere. “North of Youzhou?” Xia Ye curled the corner of his mouth, somewhat speechless. On the map he knew well, this area should be near Chengde—but it didn’t matter. Perhaps humanity had gone too far, or perhaps it was God’s punishment—when the world’s population reached 10 billion, it was as if a doomsday switch had been activated,and a mysterious green spore began to drift through the air. It settled on human skin, took root, and sprouted—and one by one, living beings became nourishment for the parasites. In a short time, roots extending from their feet burrowed into the soil, rendering them unable to move. Their bodies then became fibrotic, eventually transforming into plants! Thus, humanity perished, and civilization came to an end! As the years and stars passed, over 100 million years went by, and traces of human activity gradually reappeared in the world—though their path of development was now vastly different from the one Xia Ye had known. Those mysterious spores had long since vanished, but they had brought about immense changes to the environment, giving rise to a substance known as “Genki.” Influenced by “Genki,” the species of this world began to take on different forms as they evolved. Humans were able to harness Genki, which gave rise to various secret arts—such as witchcraft, spirit summoning, and mechanical arts—allowing them to use this energy to strengthen themselves and enhance their combat prowess! Based on this, the Genki civilization was born, bursting forth with brilliant and diverse splendor! But Xia Ye just wanted to cry! Because the birth of any civilization is inevitably the result of environmental influences. In this era, where technology remained stuck at the transition between the Stone and Bronze Ages, survival was extremely difficult. The means of production were desperately scarce; farming relied on primitive slash-and-burn methods, and only a few people understood sericulture and animal husbandry—practices that were extremely inefficient. Every year, many people starved to death. Conflicts in which several people died over a single handful of rice were a common occurrence. Running his hand over the stone knife at his waist, Xia Ye tightened his back basket. This cruel and harsh world made him feel as if he were playing a survival game set in a famine—every day, he struggled to find food, eat it, and stay alive! As he passed a shop called “Da Mo Zao,” Xia Ye stopped, hesitated for a moment, and then walked inside. This was a shop selling all kinds of mechanical contraptions; judging by the name, it was clearly a Mo School establishment, which meant the prices were exceptionally high. The clerk propping his chin on his hand behind the counter glanced at Xia Ye before going back to dozing off. A penniless wretch like this—he probably couldn’t afford even a wooden claw, let alone a Thousand-Eyed Crow. The shop was filled with a dazzling array of goods: wooden armor painted gold, battle puppets with mind-boggling mechanisms, and—on the shelves to the right—row upon row of mechanical beasts crafted from wood and stone. Xia Ye looked around and finally stopped in front of the wooden display case on the west side. Here, a collection of antiquities was on display: rusty bronze swords, bloodstained jade, and bones weathered by wind and frost—all brought back from various ruins. But what caught Xia Ye’s attention most was a clay figurine on his right; the closer he got, the more violently his left eyelid twitched. “Hey, don’t go touching everything—you won’t be able to afford to pay for it if you break it!” The shop assistant tapped the table, his voice tinged with disdain. Before Xia Ye could react, a clear, cheerful voice rang out first. “Hey, what kind of shop assistant are you? Are you trying to chase customers away?” Xia Ye turned around and saw a young girl dressed in cotton garments walk in; perhaps because she was dressed as a boy, she exuded an extra touch of heroic spirit! “Master Da Jiang, what brings you here?” The waiter jumped to his feet, his face beaming with a smile. He hurriedly poured a glass of water and rushed over to the girl. “Give me your luggage—have a sip of water first!” “Hmph, if I hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have known you were so lazy!” The girl grumbled irritably, took the cup, and gulped it down in one go. “He can’t afford it anyway!” The shop assistant looked a little aggrieved. “A masterpiece?” Xia Ye was taken aback. In this era, mechanical engineering was an extremely important and profound discipline; without natural talent and hard work, one could never hope to achieve anything. “Master Craftsman” wasn’t a name, but a title—it typically took a mechanical engineer fifteen years to rise from apprentice to this position! How old was this girl in front of him, with her androgynous style? No more than fifteen! “How do you know he can’t afford it?” The girl retorted, “Also, don’t call me ‘Master Craftsman’—if other mechanical engineers hear that, it’ll cause trouble!” “Heh heh, you’ll be one sooner or later anyway!” The shop assistant flattered her effusively. “So? See anything you like? I’ll give you half off—consider it an apology for the clerk’s rudeness!” The girl gestured to Xia Ye, showing remarkable generosity. “Master Craftsman!” The shop assistant’s face instantly turned sour: “We’ll lose money on that!” The young woman waved her hand dismissively and stood beside Xia Ye: “You have a good eye. The craftsmanship of this mechanical clay figurine is truly exquisite—it must have been made by a master artisan. Just look at the paintwork—who would have thought it’s already a hundred years old? And the way the limbs are connected…” Xia Ye turned his head. Though the light was dim on this rainy day, it couldn’t hide the girl’s radiant charm. She was clearly a passionate clockwork artisan; rather than selling the item, she seemed completely absorbed in her own world. “Huh? Sorry, I’m rambling!” The girl scratched her hair sheepishly. “It’s fine!” Xia Ye chuckled softly; he really liked people with such a pure spirit. Whenever the topic turned to automaton craftsmanship, the girl’s eyes would light up. “You’re also preparing for the upcoming Blood Survival Trial, right? Then I’d like to wholeheartedly recommend my latest creation to you: the Thousand-Eyed Raven!” The girl carefully picked up a raven. “Its frame is different from the common all-wooden ones—it’s forged from bronze, while the body is made from Li Mountain hardwood, renowned for its strength and lightness. So the overall weight hasn’t increased. Plus, I’ve modified the power system: a single Yuanqi Stone can extend its flight range by at least five li!” “Such a young mechanical engineer—truly brimming with talent!” Xia Ye felt a twinge of envy. Both the Mo School and the Gongshu School had opened mechanical engineering academies in Xia City to teach and impart knowledge, but Xia Ye was a penniless pauper with not even half a dao coin to his name—he simply couldn’t afford the exorbitant tuition. The young woman had rolled up her sleeves, revealing two fair arms, and wore a pair of black deerskin fingerless gloves—likely for convenience and safety when crafting mechanical devices. She carried a bulging animal-skin bag slung diagonally across her chest and had a massive wooden umbrella strapped to her back. Her neat, short hair gave her a bold and sharp appearance, and combined with her outfit, if she didn’t speak, she could easily be mistaken for a boy! “Sorry, I can’t afford it!” Xia Ye took two steps back. “Uh!” The girl was momentarily at a loss; after a brief hesitation, she made her decision: “Then I’ll give you a better price!” “It’s a master’s craftsmanship—I’d be losing money even at the original price!” The shop assistant was getting desperate, almost wanting to snatch the Thousand-Eyed Crow right out of her hands. Mo Wu Heng was indeed exceptionally skilled in mechanical arts, but when it came to business, she was a complete disaster. “Yes, it’s way too much of a loss!” Xia Ye wasn’t about to take advantage of the situation: “But that clay figurine—if possible, please set it aside for me for a week!” “Are you sure? I tried to repair it, but I couldn’t. So it’s just a pile of clay!” The girl named Mo Wu Heng eyed Xia Ye suspiciously. Could he be a mechanical engineer? Had he come to snatch up a bargain? The boy before her was fifteen or sixteen years old, frail as if he’d just recovered from a serious illness. His complexion was still pale from malnutrition, and he wore the cheapest hemp clothes, heavily patched but washed very clean. In this era that revered physical strength, a burly build meant access to food. So even though Xia Ye had a handsome face, no woman would give him a second glance. “But his eyes are truly beautiful!” Mo Wuhen muttered to herself. The boy’s eyes were jet-black and luminous, as if formed from brilliant stars that had fallen from a summer night sky—but unfortunately, he had only one! Yes, Xia Ye’s left eye was covered by an eye patch—a look usually reserved for the blind! Mo Wu Heng also noticed that the spaces between his fingernails were spotless—hmm, this was a very clean-minded young man! “If it’s still here in a week, just sell it to me at the original price!” Xia Ye smiled and turned to leave. He didn’t want to deceive this innocent girl, but his left eyelid was twitching violently—a sure sign that there was something extraordinary about the clay figurine. “Pfft, buying it back at full price? That kid’ll probably starve to death tomorrow!” The shop assistant sneered. “He has a rabbit!” Mo Wu Heng was speechless. “Then he’ll starve to death the day after tomorrow!” The shop assistant insisted, “He’s one of the Xia family’s infamous ‘Two Good-for-Nothings.’ How could he possibly have ten knife coins in a week? Not even a robbery would be that fast!” “He has a rabbit!” Mo Wu Heng glanced down the street. The teenager’s back was straight and upright, without a trace of subservience. “For the love of the Great Craftsman, I know he has rabbits, okay? Two of them, even!” The shop assistant muttered, “He’s so skinny he’s nothing but skin and bones. Go ahead and eat him—if you can cut off two liang of meat, I’ll admit I’m wrong!” “The Beast Tide just ended!” After saying this, Mo Wu Heng examined the clay figurine, still feeling a bit reluctant: “No way, I’ve got to check it one more time!” “What?” The shop assistant looked completely baffled, but he wasn’t stupid—he caught on quickly. Wild Beasts were terrifying and ferocious creatures. Every four years, much like the salmon run, they would sweep down from the frozen tundra of the North. They spared nothing edible—not just animals or wild fruits, but even grass roots and insects—and they would rampage, destroying everything in their path. As a result, after a Wild Beast Tide passed, the land lay in utter desolation, as if the end of the world had come! It had been less than half a month since the Wild Beast tide had passed, and some stragglers—those who’d been left behind by their herds—were still roaming the wilderness. No one dared venture out easily, except for the bravest tribal warriors. This was partly to avoid danger, and partly because the beasts that had narrowly survived were still hiding in their dens, not yet showing themselves—leaving no game to hunt! But this young boy—not only did he venture out, he even caught two surviving rabbits. Even if they were scrawny, they were still rabbits that had survived the wave of wild beasts! “His nerve is bigger than a rabbit’s—no, wait, bigger than a bear’s! Did I misjudge him?” At this thought, the assistant shuddered violently! But he immediately realized he was overthinking it—ten knife coins? Not even the spirit of an ancestor could steal that back from him! To the south of the city lay a vast shantytown built of thatch and yellow mud—a place that couldn’t even shelter residents from a moderate storm. Xia Ye’s home was in the fifth row of the left alley. This was Xia City’s notorious slum. It was evening, and dinnertime had arrived, yet not a wisp of smoke rose from any of the huts; the atmosphere was eerily cold. The sound of a child crying from hunger carried far and wide, occasionally interspersed with the shouts of men and the sobs of women. The rain had turned the dirt road into a muddy mess. Xia Ye’s straw sandals were already soaked through, steeped in cold water, and his toes were stiff with the cold. In this hellish weather, even the tribe’s heroes would probably be shivering so hard their balls would shrink. His left eye began to ache again—that excruciating, bone-piercing pain made the corners of Xia Ye’s mouth twitch. To make matters worse, he was starting to see hallucinations. Ever since he’d fallen seriously ill a few days ago, warm, yellow orbs of light had been drifting around his eyes like clouds. Fortunately, once he put on his eye patch, he couldn’t see them anymore; otherwise, they would have severely impaired his vision. If it weren’t for the twitching eyelid—a warning that something in his surroundings required his attention—Xia Ye would have gouged it out long ago. Of course, his sister’s reassurance was also a factor; the thought of Xia Lingyue working hard to save money so she could find a Grand Sorcerer to treat him made this excruciating pain seem bearable. Just thinking of his sister made Xia Ye’s steps grow more urgent, but the moment he turned the corner and the thatched cottage came into view, his expression suddenly changed drastically. His own house now resembled a vortex, frantically devouring the surrounding vital energy and emitting occasional explosive booms.