Chapter 1: The Last Birthday Gift

Surrounded by the mountains, there is a small village in a flat place in the middle. Very hidden. To the west of the village is a small bamboo forest. The stream is gurgling and reflects the green bamboo forest, which looks so comfortable, as if it were a paradise.

"Haha, Ling Yuan, what's wrong? The body is ruined, and the head is also ruined? I dare not go into the water.

In the bamboo forest, a group of children were playing. A child led by him shouted and poured out a sitting teenager on the bank with a fish basket. Although these people are not too young, they are all about 14 or 15 years old. However, in such a village surrounded by mountains, there is no teacher willing to come. Therefore, children without homework are left only to play and learn hunting skills.

Previously, the man who was playing with other children in the water was called Ling Yuan's child, and now he was sitting on a stone by the stream. His hands support his head, as if he were thinking about something. At this time, he heard the child laugh at himself so much, and then looked down at the wet body. Ling Yuan's face was slightly discolored, but he immediately recovered. He thought that he didn't have to be angry with these children, but he also forgot that he was just a child under 15 years old.

"Hmm, Zhang Ergou, shut your dog's mouth. It's true that the dog can't spit ivory in his mouth.

"Yo, Ling Yuan, still have a hard mouth. It's really useless. Do you think you are still a genius like five years ago? Bullshit, a waste. Xiaobao, let's clean him up and let him dare to talk back to us again.

After saying that, Zhang Ergou took the lead and led the children to come to Ling Yuan. Just as everyone was about to take action, they stopped immediately. Because everyone saw that outside the bamboo forest, a village woman slowly came in.

"Yuan'er, you are so naughty. How old are you? You are still playing with water here. My body was soaked. Come on, go home with your mother. It's time for dinner. Guo Xiaobao and Ergou, don't play. It's time for lunch. Go home quickly and don't let your mother worry.

When she came to the bamboo forest, the village woman came behind the sitting boy and patted him on the shoulder. When he stood up, she looked at his soaked clothes and couldn't help frowning slightly. But immediately he laughed and didn't scold too much. He just scolded him a little and led the boy to the village.

Although Ling Yuan knew in his heart that his mother had succumbed to him, he did not defend himself. Follow your mother. After Ling Yuan left, Zhang Ergou, who was in place, spat in the direction of Ling Yuan's distant direction with a hateful face, making the rest of the children scared for a while.

"Dad, you're back. Have you brought me anything fun? Hee, let me have a look."

As soon as he walked into his room, Ling Yuan looked up and saw a middle-aged man sitting at the dining table in the room, placing bowls and chopsticks. Ling Yuan immediately ran to the bedside and opened a package of **. While tossing the items inside, he opened his mouth.

"Yuan'er, don't worry, I'll tell you after washing your hands and eating. Don't flip, hehe, there is nothing in the bag. This time, your father has prepared something special for you for your birthday gift. It's not here.

Ling Yuan, who was churning, heard his father say that there was nothing in the bag, and he turned it over again. Sure enough, there was nothing in the package except some daily necessities. At present, I am slightly disappointed. But when he heard his father's next words, Ling Yuan's eyes suddenly shone and quickly ran to the yard. After washing his hands, he quickly came to the dinner table.

"Oh, mother, the food you cooked is still so delicious."

While eating wolfing, Ling Yuan sobbed. Seeing Ling Yuan like this, the middle-aged man looked at the village woman and smiled. The village woman exchanged eyes with the man and turned her eyes to Ling Yuan. In her eyes, there was a burst of love and doting.

"Yuan'er, eat slowly, don't chop."

Although he said so, the village woman did not stop and couldn't help putting some delicious meat and vegetables into Lingyuan's bowl. A meal was quickly eaten under the leadership of Ling Yuan's windy eating method. After dinner, Ling Yuan was still thinking about his birthday gift.

It turns out that tomorrow will be Ling Yuan's birthday. In the past days, in Ling Yuan's memory, in the five years since he came here, every year, the strange and familiar father in front of him would bring himself some strange things from outside as a birthday gift. But this year, it's not. Obviously, my parents have been prepared for a long time. Maybe it's a better surprise for themselves. After all, I'm 15 years old.

After eating, Ling Yuan couldn't help asking his father where his gift was. Seeing that Ling Yuan was so excited, his father was not in a hurry. He just sat there, shook his head and pretended to be unpredictable.

"Yuan'er, hehe, can't say, can't say. Stop playing today and go to bed early at night. Tomorrow morning, my father will tell you where your gift is.

After saying that, no matter how entangled Ling Yuan was, his father didn't spit out a word. Seeing his father's appearance, Ling Yuan was depressed for a while. But he also knew his father's temper from the years of integration. As long as he said, he couldn't pull nine cows. So, I was depressed for a while, so I stopped thinking about it. Anyway, I can see it tomorrow. Thinking of this, Ling Yuan happily went outside and played with Ergou and the others.

"Brother Yu, do you feel that since the serious illness was cured five years ago, every time you encounter something and make him think about it, Yuaner'er's face will always show that kind of dullness that is not suitable for his age. That kind of melancholy look seems to be found by people who have experienced big setbacks. This is not like the expression he should have at his age.

Looking at Ling Yuan's disappearance at the door of the courtyard, Ling Yuan's mother, the village woman, turned her head and put down the washed dishes and chopsticks and said softly. Hearing his wife's words, Ling Yu also frowned slightly.

"Yes, Lingmei, I think so too. Since that time, I always feel that Yuaner seems to have changed. Apart from that melancholy, Yuan'er gave me a strange feeling. If Yuan'er hadn't changed much, I'm afraid I would have doubted whether Yuan'er was possessed by some evil spirit.

Speaking of this, Ling Yu's face showed a trace of condensation. But it is fleeting.

"Forget it, Lingmei, don't say that. Anyway, Yuan'er hasn't changed, and it's still our child. However, when I went out today, I did not walk on the right road of Nanshan, but took a detour from Beishan. Guess what I saw?"

"What? Is it possible, those people?"

Hearing Ling Yu's words, the village woman known as Lingmei couldn't help but raise her eyebrows. In an eye, there was a momentum on her body. If there were ordinary people here, I'm afraid they would be scared by this momentum on the spot. This momentum is obviously not what ordinary people should have, and even in that momentum, there is a hint of murder, which cannot be formed without killing many strangers with their own hands. It's strange that such a scene appeared on a village woman.

"Yes, Lingmei. Not only that, I saw a lot of monsters killed by those people along the way. And including the mountains in the east, they have been almost cleaned up. It seems that this group of people regard us as a place of experience. Except for hundreds of mountains in the west, powerful monsters emerge one after another, which do not seem to have been shocked. I'm afraid the other three sides are already surrounded.

Speaking of this, Ling Yu's face showed a haggard look. He took a sip of water and continued to say.

"That doesn't count. I inquired about it in Zhendian. It is said that in recent days, there have been several groups of people, about 100 people, one after another. It seems that we were soon found here. Fortunately, we made preparations early. Now, I hope God can help us. Our husband and wife are dead and fine, but don't let anything happen to Yuaner, let alone let that thing be discovered by that group of people.

After saying this, Ling Yuan raised his head, looked up at the sky, put his hands together, and prayed to heaven very devoutly. The 'Lingmei' beside her also followed a lonely look on her face, as if a person knew the deadline.

That night, when Ling Yuan was about to go to bed, his father Ling Yu gently came to Ling Yuan's room.

"Yuan'er, haven't you slept yet?"

"Oh, it's my father. I didn't sleep, hehe, what can I do for you? Do you want to tell me where my birthday gift is?

"Hehe, hehe."

Seeing that Ling Yuan was so happy, Ling Yu squeezed out a smile on his face. Although it seems that ordinary people will not find anything, because Ling Yu's smile is very realistic under his strong performance. But Ling Yuan still saw something wrong. You know, he is not just a 15-year-old child, although he looks like this on the surface.

"Yuan'er, your father said something to you today, you must remember. Tomorrow, when you get your birthday gift, no matter what you see or find, remember not to come back to the village. First go to the mountains in the west and enter the West Pass. There is a small hut where you can live for a while. There are all the rice noodles and daily necessities in it. After a while, your mother and I will come to look for you.

"But, father, why is this? Why did you let Yuaner go to Xishan to live alone for a period of time? Yuaner, don't, Yuaner doesn't want to leave you.

Although he doesn't know what it is, Ling Yuan still feels that his father's words are by no means as simple as on the surface. But he didn't want to ask, because he knew that he would not tell himself if he asked his father, so he could only try his best to keep his father behind.

Seeing Ling Yuan's appearance, his father's face was unhappy for a while.

"Source, don't make trouble. Your mother and I have been thinking about it for a long time. Parents don't want you to go, but you should know that our village has its own rules. Boys must grow up alone for a period of time and go to the deep mountains to learn survival skills by themselves. Your mother and I don't want to do this, but if you don't do this, you will never grow up and will never learn hunting skills.

Hearing his father's words, Ling Yuan suddenly realized. It turned out that my father was a little worried for this reason. It seems that I misunderstood.

How does Ling Yuan know that there is another deep meaning in the middle. However, after several years of understanding, he also knew that there was indeed such a rule in the village, so he did not doubt it.

The next morning, early in the morning, Ling Yuan came out of the house. Because he knew that his father would give himself his birthday gift this morning. Therefore, when he was young and frivolous and liked to play, he naturally got up early and looked forward to the mysterious gift. But when he walked out of the room and came to the living room, he was slightly disappointed.

In the living room, my parents sat in chairs, but the table in front of my parents was empty and there was nothing. Ling Yu and Xiao Ling were sitting in the room. It seemed that when they got up early in the morning, they made friends again, so there was a trace of less obvious sadness on their faces. Hearing the movement behind, the two turned around and saw Ling Yuan standing at the door, and also saw Ling Yuan's face with a trace of loss. At this moment, Ling Yu smiled slightly, and the sad face disappeared at the moment he saw Ling Yuan.

"Ha ha, Yuaner, are you a little unhappy?"

"No."

I didn't want my father to see it, so Ling Yuanqiang was energetic, but Ling Yu didn't know what Ling Yuan was thinking. Now, stand up and walk to Ling Yuan. He took Ling Yuan's little hand, gently pulled him into the yard outside, and pointed to a mountain in the west.

"Yuan'er, have you seen the halfway of Xishan Pass? Look, there is a hole in the poplar tree. Inside the cave is your birthday gift. Ha ha, your father and I have prepared something good for you this year. You can't just get it easily. Well, go ahead. Remember, it's the cave under the poplar tree where you often go up to dig birds. Don't go wrong.

After saying that, Ling Yu waved his hand and sent Ling Yuan out of the hospital. Hearing his father's words, Ling Yuan ran over quickly without Ling Yu's delivery. Attracted by the gift, he didn't find it at all. When he turned to the mountain, Xiao Ling walked behind Ling Yu and two lines of tears flowed down his face.

A mountain in the east is called Dawang Mountain. There are immortals on the Great King's Mountain. There is a mountain in the north, and it is difficult to climb rocks on high roads. There is a mountain in the south, although the mountain road is wide and wide to Tongzhou County. In the west mountain, don't lean forward, and enter the mountains and forests. In a flick of your fingers, you will finish playing.

Ling Yuan ran quickly to the Xishan Pass while humming their village. He didn't know the songs made up by the old generation. Ling Yuan came to the poplar tree and entered the cave. Sure enough, although there is a little empty in the cave, there is a stone bed. On the stone ** face, there is a dark iron box. It seems that it should be a birthday gift from my father.

"Oh, that's not right. West Mountain, don't lean forward. Why did my father ask me to come to Xishan?

With this, Ling Yuan was puzzled and stopped thinking about it. He stood by the bed, reached out and opened the iron box. At the moment of opening the iron box, Ling Yuan did not notice that the poplar tree outside the cave behind him fell down slowly. And at the mouth of the cave, a milky gas slowly shrouded, and slowly, milky gas emitted colorful light. But Ling Yuan concentrated on the iron box at this time and didn't pay attention. But when he opened the iron box, he immediately sat down on the stone**, looked straight at the items in the iron box, and was stunned there.