Li Xian stood still, the symbol drawn carefully in his hand.
His eyes lingered on it.
"…I've seen this before. remember... remember ...remember....."
The words came out quietly.
But this time—
He didn't look away.
Instead, he closed his eyes.
And forced himself to remember.
At first, there was nothing.
Just fragments. Shadows.
Then slowly…
The past began to form.
Like a painting.
Like a memory he had buried too deep.
He was five.
The palace was silent, wrapped in the stillness of night. Everyone was asleep — they had to be. His father was strict. No one was allowed to stay awake past ten.
But Li Xian…
He had never liked rules.
Especially not ones that kept him from the stars.
So like always, he slipped out quietly, small feet careful against the cold stone, sneaking outside just to look up at the sky.
The stars were beautiful that night.
He remembered that clearly.
But then—
Something else caught his attention.
A shadow.
Someone… leaving the palace.
At that hour?
Little Li Xian's curiosity sparked instantly.
Who is that…?
Without thinking, he followed.
The man moved quickly, silently, heading straight toward the forest.
Li Xian's heart began to pound.
He knew that path.
Everyone did.
That side of the forest was forbidden.
No one was allowed to go there.
Ever.
But still—
He followed.
Step by step.
Breath held.
Fear rising… but curiosity stronger.
Deep inside the forest—
There it was.
A wooden house.
Old. Hidden.
And wrong.
The man entered without hesitation.
Li Xian crept closer, small hands trembling as he lifted himself on his toes, peeking through a narrow window.
Inside…
People.
Several of them.
All wearing masks.
No faces.
No voices.
Just silence.
And then—
He saw it.
That symbol.
On a sword.
Clear. Sharp.
Unmistakable.
His breath hitched.
Everything froze.
And in the next second—
Darkness swallowed him.
Li Xian's eyes snapped open.
His breathing was uneven.
"I… fainted…" he whispered.
And then—
The rest came rushing back.
He had woken up in his bed.
As if nothing had happened.
But it had.
Because his father was there.
Waiting.
"Do you know what you've done?"
The king's voice had been cold. Sharp.
No concern.
No relief.
Only anger.
Li Xian clenched his fists tightly now, remembering.
"I tried to tell him…" he murmured.
He had wanted to explain. To tell what he saw.
But his father didn't ask.
Didn't listen.
Didn't care.
Instead—
He was punished.
Harshly.
For leaving his room.
For breaking the rules.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
"And then…"
Li Xian's voice dropped.
"A villager brought me back…"
That meant—
His father hadn't found him.
Someone else had.
But the worst part—
"…He forbade me."
His eyes darkened.
"He told me never to speak about that night to anyone."
Silence filled the room.
Heavy. Suffocating.
Li Xian stared down at the symbol in his hand again.
Now… everything made sense.
Or maybe—
Nothing did.
"That wasn't just some memory…"
His voice was low.
"That was real."
The symbol.
The gang.
The secrecy.
His father's reaction.
The punishment.
The silence.
"…Dad knew."
And if he knew back then—
Then what was he doing now?
Li Xian's grip tightened around the paper.
His heart wasn't just uneasy anymore.
It was certain.
Something had started long ago.
And now—
It was coming back.