Beyond the Timescape

Chapter 19: Hearth Smoke of the Mortal World

In the Scavenger Camp, meat was the most abundant commodity after basic survival necessities. With the restricted zone so close, scavengers hauled back edible mutated beasts daily, filling the camp’s stalls with fresh flesh.

When Xu Qing mentioned he wanted to eat snake, Captain Lei’s deeply wrinkled face broke into a hearty smile. The old man realized the boy had committed his offhand promise to memory.

He waved off Xu Qing’s attempt to go buy the meat himself.

“Those scavengers are a cunning bunch,” Captain Lei said, standing up. “You don’t know the mutated beasts well enough. It’s too easy to get scammed or forced into a bad trade. I’ll go.”

At the mention of being forced into a trade, Xu Qing’s hand instinctively drifted to the black iron skewer hidden in his furs. He considered the prospect for a moment, his eyes cold.

“They wouldn’t.”

Captain Lei glanced at the iron skewer, chuckled without a word, and walked straight out of the courtyard.

Watching the old man leave, Xu Qing headed to the side room. He carefully scrubbed the pots and bowls, wiped down the table, and set out three pairs of bowls and chopsticks. He stared at the extra set.

*A person who will never arrive.*

The captain’s old words echoed in his mind. In silence, he aligned the third set next to Captain Lei’s. He pulled up a third chair to match.

Outside, dusk settled over the courtyard. A biting wind howled through the camp, carrying faint traces of snow.

It was late March in the eastern reaches of the South Phoenix Continent. The earth was supposed to be warming, but winter clung on with a stubborn, freezing grip, scattering snowflakes as if to remind the world it hadn’t left yet.

The snow drifted from the gray sky, touching the mortal world only to be instantly devoured by the earth’s residual warmth. All that remained was mud. No matter how pure the snow was when it fell from the heavens, once it touched this mortal world, it had no choice but to mix with the filth.

It was unclear if the wind carried the snow, making it colder, or if the snow tainted the wind, making it more frigid. As the chill swept across the camp and seeped through the bamboo walls, Xu Qing shivered.

Even as a cultivator, the deep-seated fear of the cold—a trauma accumulated over years of starving in the slums—still made him instinctively tense.

Through the freezing wind, a staggering figure pushed toward the courtyard. Captain Lei kicked the gate open, his laughter cutting through the chill the moment he stepped inside.

“Kid, you’re in for a treat today! Look what I found. A Red Flower Snake. The meat on this bastard is top-tier. Watch and learn.”

Captain Lei strode into the side room, a massive snake carcass slung over his shoulder.

He paused, noticing the spotless room, the wiped table, and the three sets of bowls. His eyes lingered on the two sets placed side by side. A soft smile touched his wrinkled face as he looked deeply at Xu Qing.

“Want to learn how to cook snake?” Captain Lei asked.

“Yes.” Xu Qing’s eyes lit up. He was a sponge for any knowledge he lacked, and more importantly, Captain Lei’s cooking was delicious.

Captain Lei laughed, beckoning the boy over. He began preparing the carcass, explaining every step.

“Most people think you just chop off the head and tail. They’re half right. You have to remove the tail because of the excretory glands. But the head? As long as you purge the venom properly, tossing the head into the pot enhances the flavor of the entire dish.”

The old man was in his element, his weariness fading as he spoke.

Xu Qing watched with hyper-vigilant focus. He tracked Captain Lei’s knife as it cleaned the scales, stripped the skin, gutted the organs, and chopped the meat into thick sections.

“Remember, kid. Whether the meat leaves a good aftertaste all comes down to the broth.”

Captain Lei set a clay pot over the fire, tossing in a handful of medicinal herbs to simmer. Finally, he threw in the purged snake head.

As a rich, savory fragrance filled the room, Xu Qing swallowed hard. Seeing the boy’s intense stare, Captain Lei laughed heartily. He grabbed a clean iron wok, threw in some fat, and began stir-frying the snake meat.

*Sizzle!*

The crackling of hot oil echoed through the room. Waves of rich aroma and heat rolled over them, driving back the biting cold. Xu Qing’s stomach let out an uncontrollable growl. His eyes were glued to the tumbling chunks of meat.

Once the meat was seared, Captain Lei dumped it into the simmering clay pot and slammed the lid shut. He looked at Xu Qing.

“Did you catch all that?”

Xu Qing nodded vigorously, his eyes never leaving the pot. He had memorized every motion.

Captain Lei smiled. He stepped out of the room and returned a moment later holding two small flasks. He tossed one to Xu Qing and popped the cork on his own, taking a deep swig and sighing in satisfaction.

“The camp has plenty of meat, but this? This is a rare commodity.”

Xu Qing inspected the flask, staring at the cloudy liquid inside. He had never tasted alcohol. Just as Captain Lei said, it was a luxury. Slums didn’t have wine; only the big shots in the citadels drank it.

Seeing the old man’s look of pure enjoyment, Xu Qing hesitantly raised the flask and took a sip.

He immediately frowned. It was sharp and pungent, but he forced himself to swallow. A line of liquid fire seared down his throat, hit his stomach, and violently exploded outward. The heat rushed through his veins, surging back up into his mouth. He exhaled a harsh breath of alcohol fumes.

“It tastes awful,” Xu Qing stated.

Captain Lei burst into laughter, pointing a calloused finger at him. “You’re still too young to appreciate it! When you grow up, you’ll love the burn.”

He reached out to take the flask back, but Xu Qing smoothly dodged his hand.

“I’ll try again,” Xu Qing said seriously. He took another sip. His brow furrowed again, but his body was already adapting to the strange, burning sensation.

Not long after, amidst Captain Lei’s good-natured teasing, the snake was ready.

The moment the lid was lifted, the aroma exploded into the room. Xu Qing’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He set his flask down, waited for Captain Lei to take the first piece, and then instantly speared a massive chunk with his chopsticks, shoving it into his mouth.

He still couldn’t shake the feral habit of wolfing down his food as if it might be stolen at any second.

And so, while the wind and snow raged outside, the old man and the young boy sat in the warm glow of the hearth, eating meat and drinking wine.

Watching Xu Qing awkwardly but forcefully grip his chopsticks, a deep softness flickered in Captain Lei’s eyes.

*He’s just a child,* the old man murmured in his heart. *It’s a pity… he has to live in this cruel world.*

A gust of freezing wind whistled through the cracks in the bamboo walls, biting at Xu Qing’s sweat-dampened skin. He instinctively hunched his shoulders against the chill.

Captain Lei noticed the subtle flinch but remained silent.

A while later, Xu Qing mimicked the old man, taking a large gulp of wine. He exhaled the fumes, looking at the man who had pulled him from the ruins of the dead city and given him a place by the fire.

“Your injuries…” Xu Qing started.

“I’m fine,” Captain Lei waved a hand dismissively. “I’ve survived this long, haven’t I? Takes more than that to kill me. It’s nothing.”

Xu Qing fell silent. He had wanted to ask about the captain’s crippled cultivation base, but remembering the brutal reality of the restricted zone, he swallowed the words.

The meal lasted a long time. When Captain Lei finally emptied his flask, he stood up. His eyes were clouded, his steps heavy as he retreated to his room.

Watching his back, Xu Qing’s eyes narrowed. The imposing, dangerous aura that had always surrounded the captain of the Thunder Squad was gone. It had bled out of him in the restricted zone, leaving only a tired old man.

Xu Qing remained silent. He stood, cleared the table, scrubbed the pots spotless, and neatly arranged them before returning to his own room.

Sitting cross-legged on his hard wooden bed, he listened to the howling wind. He pulled his furs tighter around himself and emptied the leather pouch he had looted from the Blood Shadow Captain.

There were no Pills inside, but it held a hefty sum of spirit coins and several miscellaneous tools.

He pulled out a single black glove. It didn’t feel like leather; the material had a cold, metallic texture. Slipping it onto his hand, Xu Qing found it incredibly resilient and flexible. He threw a few test punches into the air, satisfied with the heavy, protective force it provided.

He took it off, closed his eyes, and began to cycle his cultivation technique.

***

Dawn broke.

The snowfall had eased, but the night’s freezing temperatures had allowed the snow to finally stick, painting the muddy camp in a layer of white.

Xu Qing stepped out of his room, his boots crunching on the fresh snow. He tightened his coat, glanced at Captain Lei’s closed door, and walked out of the courtyard. He needed to buy some White Pills for the old man.

As he passed Master Bai’s convoy, the faint, rhythmic sound of a boy and girl reciting texts drifted from the main tent. Xu Qing’s footsteps faltered. He stared at the thick canvas for a moment, a flicker of longing in his cold eyes, before he buried the emotion and walked on.

Approaching the sundry shop, he spotted the scarred little girl outside. She was vigorously sweeping the snow from the storefront. Her clothes were far too thin for the weather, her small hands raw and red, her breath pluming in the freezing air.

She had clearly adapted to the harsh camp life over the past few days. Despite her exhaustion, she swept with meticulous care. In the morning light, the jagged scar ruining her face was starkly visible.

Hearing his footsteps, she looked up. Her eyes instantly brightened, and a warm smile broke across her face.

“Good morning!”

“Morning,” Xu Qing replied, his voice stiff. He wasn’t used to pleasantries. He glanced past her into the shop. It was empty. The shopkeeper was nowhere to be seen.

“What do you need? I’ll grab it for you,” she offered cheerfully.

“White Pills.”

She propped her broom against the wall and led him inside. Ducking behind the counter, she rummaged through several leather pouches, inspecting their contents before tossing them aside. Finally, she pulled one out and handed it to him.

“The boss only lets me sell five a day, so I can’t give you more,” she said, looking slightly apologetic.

Xu Qing nodded in understanding. He opened the pouch and glanced inside. His pupils contracted slightly.

The White Pills in this pouch were of a vastly superior quality to anything he had bought before. Three of the pills were completely devoid of the toxic green hue, emitting a faint, pure medicinal fragrance.

He remembered how she had deliberately searched through the stock. He looked up at her.

“It’s nothing,” she winked, a playful smile on her lips. “Just working within my authority.”

Xu Qing looked at her deeply. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me for something so small! I’m the one who should be thanking you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have survived this long.” Her smile was brilliant, her eyes shining with genuine gratitude.

Then, she leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.

“I heard the boss talking yesterday. A lot of young scavengers have been vanishing in the restricted zone lately. From the way he looked, he didn’t think it was the beasts or the mutagen. He thinks it’s people… Watch your back.”

Her eyes were filled with genuine concern. The raw warmth of it made Xu Qing’s skin prickle. He took a half-step back, nodded curtly, and turned to leave.

As he walked away, he glanced back over his shoulder. The girl had resumed sweeping, her scarred face illuminated by the pale morning sun.

Captain Lei had once mentioned that deep within the restricted zone’s temple ruins, there was a type of stone that could erase scars.

*If the opportunity arises, I will find one for her,* Xu Qing decided.

The youth walked on, leaving a trail of deep footprints in the snow as the wind howled at his back, growing stronger with every step.