2 Ouroboros (1/1)

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Time trickled and the people of Xiang Li felt restless as they kept waiting for Jiao Yu's figure to show up, and it was almost time for the second of the five night watch but she still could not be seen. Finally, the village head shouted for men to look for Jiao Yu and ask some women to look for her as well.

”What is happening? The time is almost here but your girl has not arrive! You better make sure that nothing goes wrong or else the burden of the whole village is something one cannot take without support.” A plump old man wearing expensive robes viciously glared at the two male who constantly bowed. ”Please do not worry, our people is already looking for her and surely she must have only rested somewhere on the way after all the road is too steep, Isn't that right?.” The village head bowed his head even lower showing his utmost sincerity.

”Yes, I'm sure my daughter wouldn't run away and come here soon, for us to complete the ceremony.”The other man beside the village head clenched his hands into a fist as he keep on musing over the daughter he had not met for some years, wishing she would appear to solve this problem before it becomes a trouble for him.

It was not a secret to everyone in the village of the oath they made with this man, their benefactor. Long before, the village was on the verge of decline as there were not enough support coming from the Head Officials overlooking the state villages and considering that the village was one of the smallest village, it was not a strange thing for the officials to not support them and that's why during the drought, food and water was scarce and death and sick people grew but because of one man appearing before them, they immediately passed the wave of misfortune.

They could still remember that time in December when everyone in the village gradually losing all hope, they heard from the neighboring village that a kind merchant gladly helped them with food, water, clothing and financially, and the village head could not help but inquire to take a look and ask help from this man. When the village head found the man, he found out that the benefactor was a wealthy merchant from the border of Lin' an, named Cheng Qiu.

The village wasecstatic as Cheng Qiu agreed to help them but before he provided anything to them, he surprisingly made a condition. A condition the village can neither say yes or no.

They found out that Cheng Qiu once had a son but he died due to an illness, without a son and a wife, he finally could not take it and tried to commit suicide once but because of the words a fortune teller told him, he journeyed to look for one thing. A bride for his son.

The condition was not an easy thing to decide, they could not take one of their kin as the bride and could only take an outsider like Jiao Yu's mother as the perfect scapegoat. And the still unborn Jiao Yu became the sacrificial lamb. After Jiao Yu's mother died, they decided to keep the condition from her to avoid making a mistake when the time comes.

But sadly, a mistake was already made as Jiao Yu still wasn't found by anyone. The village head and Jiao Yu's father finally grew tired of it and called people to go down the mountain and see if she was there. Little did they know that the person they were looking for was already stalking and spying their movements.

Earlier, Jiao Yu thought of running away and going down the mountain but upon thinking again, she decided to go back to where she was but moved to a different location to avoid alarming anyone. She started to climb a tall tree and hide behind the leaves growing from it and the nearby trees.

She was not sure how she can get away but considering their number, it would be too hard for her to get away even if she has a light body. She was not born a fighter, nor did she learn it or have any knowledge to do it but she learned how to hunt as part of her everyday life and she could only hope that the gods would help her this time and make use of her ability.

Seeing these people fussing over below, She wondered if this was all a farce and a dream or maybe it was just her misconception and overthinking all of this, but hearing and seeing with wishful thinking and seeing and hearing for oneself with open minded is also very different.

Jiao Yu was not far from them and could now clearly see their expressions especially the man she cherished and cared the most, her father looked extremely worriedand if not for what she had heard from her father's mouth, she would have believed that her father just cared and love her.

And she doubt that everyone in the village expressed any real emotions for her except pity and mockery. She could finally see their true faces, all this time she trusted them and cherished this village but for them to actually hide this truth from her for many years and could even make happy faces as they waited for her to be doomed.

She can't wait to see their faces when she destroys the very thing they all cherished and hope for.