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Death
墨書 Inktalez
Survival of the Fittest—the survival of the fittest, an unchangeable fate that has been artificially altered. Time has been pushed to a specific era, where a few figures stealthily tread along a muddy path under the cover of night, each carrying their own weapons. These individuals have escaped from a defeated battlefield and have been running for some distance.
In the darkness, a smaller, indistinct shadow gasped, “I’m not running anymore. If I had known we would lose, I wouldn’t have joined this damn army. I thought I could return home in glory, but look at this mess.” With that, he slumped down beside a tree, as a light drizzle continued to fall.
“Fourth, quit your whining and get up. We need to keep moving,” another voice urged. Fourth stubbornly refused to rise, lying there with his eyes half-closed, humming a crude tune.
The person at the front observed the situation and spoke up, “ Second, do a headcount, then let’s take a short break here.” Second, who had been cursing just moments before, stopped upon hearing the command. After counting quickly, he reported back, “Big brother, all eight of us are here; no one’s missing.” First nodded and said loudly, “Let’s rest for a few minutes. After that, we’ll set off immediately.”
Lying under the tree, Fourth muttered defiantly, “I don’t want to run anymore. I came here to make a fortune and become an official, not to flee for my life.” Hearing this, Second erupted in anger, shouting back, “Fourth, what do you mean by that?” Fourth bit his lip and retorted, “ Second, don’t think too highly of yourself. What I want to do is none of your business.” The newly kindled fire flickered weakly in the dark night, casting eerie shadows on their faces.
One person cursed loudly, “Are you trying to get us killed?” He spoke with a heavy Eastern Pass accent. “Put out that fire quickly!” The one who had started the fire hurriedly extinguished it, causing thick smoke to rise and choke those nearby. One person spat and cursed, “Damn it.”
Second angrily shouted in his local dialect, “Are you out of your mind?” Fourth picked up his weapon and replied defiantly, “What are you afraid of? I’ve faced worse when I was wandering around.”
As it seemed like the two were about to come to blows, the others remained indifferent. Only the one who had started the fire wore a smile and tried to mediate. “Let’s not ruin our camaraderie; we’re all on the same side here. Peace brings prosperity.”
“Shut up and step aside, Eighth. This isn’t your place to speak,” Fourth sneered.
Eighth closed his mouth and stepped back, not daring to say another word.
“ Second, Fourth, both of you need to calm down,” First shouted. “No way! First, this Fourth guy is being completely unreasonable!”
“Silence!” their leader commanded sternly.
In this tranquil night, everyone fell silent once more.
After a few minutes passed, First asked, “Fourth, what do you mean by that? Let’s hear it.”
"First, I don't mean anything else. We joined the army in hopes of rising through the ranks and making a fortune, but look at where we are now..."
First interrupted him, speaking in a low tone, "So you mean I've dragged everyone down with me."
Fourth swallowed the words he had yet to say and changed the subject, "First, in these chaotic times, who doesn't want to get rich? With all the commotion at North Gate and Eastern Pass, South Town is oddly quiet, and we just escaped from Eastern Pass. I can't accept running away like this."
"Fourth, do you really think you can go back and make a fortune off the dead?" Second chimed in. "Be careful or you'll end up with a son without an anus."
Fourth cursed back, "Second, if I get rich, even if I have a monster for a child, I'll accept it."
Second was momentarily speechless, sitting on a dry branch while muttering to himself.
"Second, since you want to get rich, I won't stop you. You can head back now while we go towards South Town."
"Fine, I'm done pretending. Let's go, Fourth. I'm going with you."
"I'm going too. If I don't make a name for myself, escaping like this is just too damn frustrating," said Fifth with a thick Eastern Pass accent.
First looked at the three of them and said three words: "Good, good, good. Fourth, Fifth, Sixth. As First, I won't stop you from seeking your fortunes, but I hope you take care of yourselves." First emphasized his words.
Second gathered their things and called everyone to continue on their way. As their two groups passed each other, Second cursed Fourth again: "You really are heartless."
"You can't blame me for that. When disaster strikes, everyone flies their own way; even couples do that. What more can you expect from us?" Fourth replied with a grin.
The five of them headed south while Fourth and his two companions quickly made their way back towards Eastern Pass.
As they walked along the path, Second continued to curse Fourth. Third said, "Life is precious, Second. Calm your mind and stop worrying so much."
The rain gradually intensified at night, drowning out the voices of the five.
The mountain road was treacherous, littered with dead vines and the bones of wild beasts. Trees grew in a tangled mess, weeds choked every corner, and thorns seemed to grow visibly faster. The ground was strewn with strange rocks, and various man-eating beasts and venomous snakes lurked everywhere, posing constant threats to their lives.
Seven spoke up; he was a local from Beikou City, familiar with the terrain. He said, "Once we get through this forest, we'll be safe."
Before his words could settle, a piercing scream echoed through the night.
First turned around and asked, "What happened to Second?" Second shook his head in confusion. It seemed First realized something; in the pitch-black darkness where nothing was visible, First shouted, "Quickly count off everyone!"
Second called out for Third, who grunted in acknowledgment. Second then called for Seven, who replied, "Don't worry; I'm not dead yet."
Eighth remained silent. Second raised his voice again but still received no response. Suddenly, Second shouted, "This is bad; something's happened to Eighth!"
First called out, "Don't panic! Third, light a torch; let the flames illuminate our surroundings."
They saw that their path led down a steep slope. Third bent down, picked up some dirt, sniffed it, and whispered, "I think Eighth fell from here."
Third stood up and raised the torch to shine down the slope. Seven peered over and said, "It’s likely that he won’t survive. This slope is almost vertical and looks to be over fifty zhang long."
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