Jin was stunned and completely lost. Adrian's overreaction to his simple question left him on edge.
It just didn't make any sense.
He had never seen him this furious and terrified at the same time.
Adrian let out a heavy, sad sigh and slowly pulled his hand off Jin's shoulder.
His voice came out low, almost like he couldn't finish what he wanted to say.
"I'm sorry… it's just…"
Then his tone suddenly turned sharp.
"We'll talk about this later. Right now go to bed and get some rest."
"Why won't you tell me now?"
Adrian shouted at Jin angrily.
"I said go to sleep. Now!"
Jin left feeling annoyed and don't say another word. He threw himself onto the bed as his whole body is hurt from the beating from the merchant.
"What's wrong with this old man? Why's he acting like he saw a ghost?" Jin muttered.
He stayed awake for a while, lost in his thoughts, until he finally fell asleep.
The next morning Jin woke up cursing his wrecked mattress again.
"Agh, this fucking bed."
He sat up and rubbed his aching back.
"I should buy a new one by the end of the day."
Jin stepped out of his room looking for his grandpa, but he wasn't there.
"Where the hell is he?" Jin grumbled while scratching his head.
He was used to seeing him already cooking at this hour.
Adrian always woke up early, made breakfast first, then headed out to work on the farms.
Jin scratched his head again and looked around the kitchen.
"Looks like I've got no choice."
What he found was just some bread, so he sighed.
"Better than nothing, I guess."
Jin ate a little, then sat by the front door thinking to himself.
"Why isn't that old man here? Did I bother him so much that he just… left me?"
That thought scared him for a moment, but the worry disappeared the moment he saw his grandpa walking up the path with some stuff wrapped in cloth hanging over his back.
Jin smiled and stood up to greet him.
"Morning Grandpa, where—"
But before he could finish, his grandpa cut him off with a serious voice.
"Pack a few things and follow me."
"Huh?"
Jin felt annoyed, but he didn't argue. He was afraid the old man might really leave him...
-----------------------------
Meanwhile rumors were spreading all over the city. Some were shocking, some were clearly exaggerated, and the whole place was starting to feel uneasy.
Inside a big military fortress in the center of the city, an officer named Sai walked toward Commander Morgan's door.
Sai knocked on the door.
"Commander, I have the report you asked for."
"come in."
When Officer Sai entered the room, Commander Morgan was sitting at his desk holding a cigarette.
He had a stern face, black hair, tight muscles, a noticeable scar over one eye, and a strong presence.
Commander Morgan looked at the report with annoyance.
"These bastards always find a way to ruin my time," he muttered.
Then he looked at Sai.
"So you're saying these rumors are spreading fast in the city?"
"Yes sir," Sai confirmed with a sigh. "Our soldiers have already confirmed the rumors."
Then he added.
"The village mentioned in the report Avaghida, has already been wiped out."
Commander Morgan took a long puff from his cigarette and slowly blew the smoke out while thinking.
"Avaghida village… what a damn tragedy," he said quietly.
After blowing out more smoke, Morgan continued.
"We need to act fast before panic spreads even more in the city."
"But first go to Elena and tell her to gather a team to investigate the village."
"Understood. I'll inform her right away."
Sai saluted before leaving the office.
After the door closed, Commander Morgan leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.
"Fuck… I was about to travel this week," he muttered.
A few hours later Officer Sai hurried to meet Commander Elena.
"Commander Elina, we need to talk," Sai said as he arrived near her quarters.
He knocked on the door and waited.
The door opened and revealed Commander Elina with her long beautiful red hair and blue eyes.
Her body looked mature and attractive, and she wore a long yellow dress that made her look even more elegant.
"Oh, Sai? What's going on?" Elina asked.
Sai quickly told her about what happened in Avaghida and that Commander Morgan wanted her to gather a team to investigate.
"Hmm i see, I'll gather a team and we will go in the next two weeks" she replied.
Sai nodded and looked at her with a bit of concern.
"Thank you, Please be careful and stay safe."
-----------------------------
Meanwhile Jin was panting from exhaustion while walking with his grandfather.
"Grandpa, where the hell are we going?" he asked.
Adrian answered calmly.
"We're going to Deepwood Forest."
Jin stared at him with wide blank eyes like a confused fish.
"Huh ? why are we going there? I'm fucking hungry and I'm already tired."
Adrian ignored him and kept walking.
Jin muttered under his breath.
"Fuck, what's wrong with him today."
After almost two hours they finally reached a small hut in the middle of the forest.
The hut looked old and half broken, giving off a strange feeling.
About two meters away a river flowed quietly.
Birds could be heard nearby and the wind rustled through the trees, but none of it helped calm Jin's anxiety.
Adrian put down his belongings.
"Wait here."
Jin sat down on a rock in front of the hut while panting.
"Ah damn it… I'm dying."
A moment later Adrian came out holding a rusty golden sword and tossed it in front of him.
"Take this sword and chop a hundred tree trunks every day."
"You'll stay here for a few months."
Jin stared at him like he had just heard something insane.
"Huh...?"
"Why !? Do you seriously think I can handle this? I can barely move, and how the hell am I supposed to use this rusty sword to chop tree trunks? Are you crazy?"
"And what about the merchants and the herbs I have to collect in the next few days?"
Adrian looked at him with clear annoyance.
"Do as I say and stop talking so much."
Then he added.
"You'll probably have to escape the city soon anyway, so work hard during these days."
"Escape? Why?" Jin thought in shock.
"Are you scared because of what I said yesterday? Haha don't worry Grandpa. I'm sure it's just a pack of wolves. Nothing crazy."
Adrian sat calmly in front of him and sighed.
"Listen. There's a lot you don't know. Have I ever told you what really happened to your parents?"
Jin froze.
"What— what do you mean?"
Adrian looked at him with pity and sadness.
"Your parents died because of those Chaos Creatures... "
Jin pressed his chest tightly "What is the Chaos?"
"I will explain that to you later"
Adrian sighed and stood up.
"I'll let you train your body a bit first so you at least have a small chance to run."
"I'll be back tomorrow. I expect those hundred trunks to be ready."
He pointed toward the east.
"There's food in that bag and a river nearby for water so yeah good luck."
Adrian gave him a small smile, then turned and left without saying anything else.
Jin sat there alone in the dark, shocked, staring at his grandfather's back as he walked away.
He didn't know what to think anymore...