Wrath of the primordial demon god

The forest was alive with the sounds of night—rustling leaves, distant hoots of owls, and the occasional snap of a twig beneath unseen feet. Snow moved carefully, his every step measured, his breathing controlled. The cold water of the stream had dulled some of his pain, but exhaustion clawed at him. He could not stop—not yet. The Wei Clan would be mobilizing, and he had no illusions about their efficiency.

He climbed the ravine's edge, his hands grasping at wet roots and jagged rocks. As he reached the top, he crouched low, scanning the surroundings. Moonlight pierced through the dense canopy, casting silver streaks upon the forest floor. His stolen armor, though a burden, was the only thing keeping him alive. Without it, a single well-placed arrow could end his escape before it truly began.

The night air carried the scent of wet earth and pine, but another scent reached him—smoke. Faint, but unmistakable. A campfire. Someone was nearby.

Snow hesitated. A fire meant people, and people meant risk. But it also meant food, possibly shelter. His stomach twisted with hunger, his limbs screamed for rest. If he could take what he needed and disappear before they noticed…

Steeling himself, he moved toward the source.

---

Back at the Mithryl Vein Mine, the search was relentless. Torches flickered in the dark tunnels, their light casting eerie shadows upon the bloodstained walls.

Chief Wei Jian stood at the entrance, arms crossed, his fury simmering just beneath the surface. His presence alone kept the guards in line, their fear of his wrath outweighing their exhaustion.

A scout hurried toward him and knelt. "Chief Wei, we have found tracks leading into the forest. They are fresh. He is moving fast."

Wei Jian's eyes narrowed. "Send the hunters. I want every available tracker in pursuit ,he won't get far."

Captain Rong, standing at his side, spoke cautiously. "Snow is dangerous, Chief. He took out an entire guard force on his own. We must approach this carefully."

Wei Jian scoffed. "Carefully? He is a fugitive. A slave who defied our clan. He does not deserve carefulness." He turned to another guard. "Send word to the other outposts. I want bounties posted in every settlement. Snow will find no refuge, no allies. His face will be known from here to the empire's borders."

The guard bowed and rushed off to fulfill the order.

Wei Jian exhaled sharply, his hands clenched. "I will see him kneeling before me, or I will see his corpse."

Then, in a voice that carried absolute authority, he commanded, "Hunt him down."

---

Deep in the forest, Snow had found the camp.

Two figures sat near the fire, their backs to him. One was a man, sharpening a dagger with slow, deliberate strokes. The other, a younger woman, stirred a pot of something that smelled rich and enticing. Their horses were tethered nearby, packs loaded with supplies.

A merchant and his guard, perhaps? Or mercenaries? It didn't matter. He needed food, and if possible, one of those horses.

He crouched lower, preparing to strike.

Then, without warning—

The man with the dagger spoke, his voice calm. "You've been watching us for some time now. Why don't you come out before I decide you're a threat?"

Snow froze.

The woman turned slightly, her hand slipping beneath her cloak. A hidden weapon, no doubt.

Snow knew he had no choice. Slowly, he stepped into the firelight, keeping one hand near his sword. The man's eyes flicked over him—taking in the stolen armor, the bloodstains, the weariness in his stance.

"You're running from something," the man said.

Snow didn't answer.

The woman studied him, then gestured toward the fire. "Sit. Eat. You look half-dead."

Snow hesitated. But hunger won out. He lowered himself onto a log near the fire, his muscles protesting the motion.

The man tossed him a piece of dried meat. "We don't ask questions. Not unless you want to answer."

Snow took the food, chewing slowly. His mind raced. These two were dangerous in their own way. But for now, they weren't enemies.

And for now, that was enough.

---

At dawn, the hunt would begin in earnest.

The Wei Clan's best trackers were already closing in. The bounties would spread like wildfire.

Snow had won his first night of freedom.

But the real battle was only just beginning.

The fire crackled softly, casting dancing shadows across the clearing. Snow sat in silence, his back straight despite his exhaustion. He had learned long ago never to relax completely—not in a world where trust could be a fatal mistake.

The man who had spoken first continued sharpening his dagger, his gaze never fully leaving Snow. He was older, perhaps in his late thirties, with sharp, calculating eyes and a face marked by old scars. His presence exuded quiet danger.

The woman, on the other hand, was younger—perhaps in her mid-twenties. Her movements were fluid, practiced. Snow had no doubt that the hand beneath her cloak still gripped a weapon.

Snow swallowed the last of the dried meat. The warmth of the fire seeped into his bones, tempting him to lower his guard. But he forced himself to stay alert.

After a long silence, the man spoke again. "You have a name?"

Snow hesitated. His name was already spreading through the Wei Clan's network. If these two were bounty hunters or informants, revealing his identity would be a mistake.

"You can call me… Ash," he lied.

The man smirked slightly, as if he knew it was false but didn't care. "Well, Ash, I'm Shen. This is my sister, Mei."

Mei gave a small nod but said nothing.

Shen leaned forward slightly, his dagger glinting in the firelight. "Now, Ash, I don't know what kind of trouble you're in, but I do know this—someone covered in blood, wearing stolen armor, doesn't wander into the woods without a damn good reason."

Snow's grip on his sword tightened. "I don't owe you an explanation."

Shen chuckled. "No, you don't. But you do owe us something if you plan to eat our food and sit by our fire." His expression turned serious. "We don't like being dragged into other people's problems."

Snow studied him. They weren't attacking him outright, which meant they either weren't interested in his bounty—or they hadn't heard about it yet.

Shen seemed to read his thoughts. "Relax. We're not bounty hunters. Not anymore, anyway."

That caught Snow's attention. "Then what are you?"

Mei finally spoke, her voice soft but firm. "Survivors."

Snow understood that answer better than most.

A moment passed before Shen spoke again. "You're heading south, aren't you?"

Snow tensed.

Shen grinned. "I know these woods. If you keep moving in that direction, you'll hit the old merchant roads. Plenty of people use them to avoid the main highways—mercenaries, smugglers, fugitives." His gaze darkened slightly. "But the Wei Clan will know that too."

Snow's jaw tightened. He needed to put more distance between himself and the mine before dawn. The Wei Clan's trackers would already be closing in.

Mei reached into a pack and pulled out a small cloth bundle. She tossed it to Snow. "Dried rations. Enough for two days."

Snow caught it but didn't open it. "Why help me?"

Mei met his gaze. "Because we know what it's like to run."

Shen stood, stretching. "We'll be heading east come morning. If you want to avoid the Wei Clan, you should go west first, then south. It'll slow them down."

Snow nodded slowly. He didn't fully trust them, but their advice made sense.

He stood, securing the rations in his belt. "Thank you."

Shen smirked. "Don't thank us yet. You still have to survive the night."

Snow turned and disappeared into the darkness, leaving the firelight behind.