THE SYSTEM IS NOT MINE

The forest grew denser the farther they walked.

The roots twisted across the ground like old bones, and patches of grass spread across softer soil, bending underfoot. The lush leaves above swallowed most of the light, leaving the forest floor dim and uneven.

Yan moved steadily between the trees.

Behind him, the trembling cultivator followed.

“Where… where are we going?”

After a while, the trembling cultivator finally spoke.

“To gather everyone,” Yan said.

“…Gather?” the trembling cultivator said.

Yan glanced briefly at the forest around them.

“Since you want to follow me, why can’t others as well ?”

The cultivator hesitated.

“But Jia Jain said to scatter, and... it was you who suggested it.”

Yan continued walking.

“If the enemy is really here, scattered groups will be hunted one by one,” Yan said.

Then he paused. “It was my mistake for suggesting it.”

“I realized it late.”

The trembling cultivator stared at Yan with an open mouth.

He watched Yan’s back as they moved through the trees, and for the first time, a quiet thought formed in his mind.

Did he really realize it late?

They found the first group soon after.

Three soldiers stood between fallen trunks, blades drawn and pointed at the grass.

When they saw Yan emerge from the grass, relief flooded their faces.

“Did you notice any enemies?” Yan asked.

“No.” They shook their heads.

“Either you can follow me or leave. That’s up to you,” Yan said and moved forward.

The three people looked at each other, then followed behind and the second group was hiding behind low bushes. They came out on their own and followed without any questions.

The third group had nearly fled the forest entirely, and the man who had nearly been stabbed was present in it.

He looked at Yan. “Didn’t you say we had to scatter for a better search? Why are you gathering people?”

“I never forced them to follow me, they did on their own, also It’s up to you whether you want to join us,” Yan said.

Then he moved forward without another glance at the third group.

One by one, people started following Yan by themselves. No explanation was required.

By the time they finished, nearly everyone had returned.

Except one.

Yan led them to a narrow clearing surrounded by trees, and giant roots and fallen logs

“This place is safer,” he said.

“Stay here.”

Uneasy glances passed between the soldiers.

“Where are you going?” someone asked.

Yan turned.

“To find the leader.”

Silence followed.

The trembling cultivator stepped forward.

“I… I’ll come.”

Yan studied him briefly.

“Up to you.”

The deeper forest was quieter. A few birds were visible.Grass spread across damp soil between the trees.

Yan walked without hesitation.

The trembling cultivator followed, trying to steady his breathing.

Then, all of a sudden, Yan halted.

The cultivator behind him halted as well.

Footsteps were heard, followed by voices.

“Why did we have to come here?” one voice said.

“Don’t complain. It’s our mission,” the other voice replied.

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“Enemy...”

One of them noticed Yan and rushed forward.

He raised his sword, and his foot struck the ground.

Then his eyes widened as the grass bent beneath his feet.

The thin layer of soil shifted.

His balance faltered. Right then, Yan’s sword moved.

All it took was a single strike.

And the man collapsed.

Another soldier lunged from the side, and the ground betrayed him.

His footing slipped.

Yan’s blade cut across his throat at the right moment.

Two bodies fell.

Yan kept walking.

More soldiers appeared between the trees.

And every time they stepped forward,

The grass bent.

The soil shifted.

Their balance broke.

Yan struck once.

Never twice.

“Run!”

Five soldiers tried to flee but Yan arrived in front of them.

Their footing betrayed them as well.

Yan walked slowly, and wherever he stepped, the grass beneath him turned red. The leaves and surrounding trees were no longer purely green but stained with patches of red.

Behind him, the trembling cultivator watched in silence.

He had seen men fight before.

But this was something else.

It felt as if the forest itself had chosen a side.

Then Yan stopped.

Ahead stood a single figure.

A cultivator.

Mid Foundation.

In his hand, he held a head.

The trembling cultivator recognized it immediately.

Jia Jain.

The man tossed it forward.

The head rolled across the grass and stopped near Yan’s feet.

“Your leader ran,” the cultivator said.

Yan did not look down. He stared at the man and said, “I killed your troops. You are alone now.”

“Are you joking?... Ha... ha.”

The man laughed but suddenly stopped.

The sound of laughter faded quickly as his gaze drifted past Yan and landed behind him.

A line of bodies lay scattered across the forest floor. Seeing them, the cultivator’s smile disappeared.

He gulped as a chill ran down his back and unknowingly took a step backward.

Something felt wrong.

The ground beneath him felt too soft.

Too loose.

The grass bent under his heel.

The soil shifted.

For a brief moment, his balance faltered.

Behind Yan, the trembling cultivator saw it clearly.

That single mistake.

Yan moved immediately.

The sword flashed.

By the time the cultivator realized what had happened, the blade had already crossed his throat.

Blood spilled into the grass, and his body collapsed.

Silence returned to the forest.

The trembling cultivator stared at Yan, unable to fully understand what he had just witnessed.

It had been so simple.

Just a step.

Just a strike.

Yet somehow, the ground itself had turned against the enemy.

Yan wiped the blade against the fallen man’s sleeve and sheathed it.

Then he turned.

“What’s your name?” Yan asked.

The trembling cultivator swallowed.

“…Chen Yu.”

Yan nodded and said, “My name is Yan.”

He paused briefly.

“I look forward to working with you.”

Chen Yu stood there silently.

The name settled into his mind.

And he knew, somehow, that he would never forget it.

The forest grew quiet again.

Wind moved faintly through the tall grass. The bodies of enemy soldiers lay scattered between the trees, their armor dark against the soil.

Chen Yu still stared at the fallen cultivator.

The leader’s severed head lay nearby, and the cultivator’s throat had been cut in a single strike.

Chen Yu exhaled slowly.

“Let’s go,” Yan said.

Chen Yu nodded.

As they walked through the bodies, they arrived at the place where the others were hidden.

“It’s safe now. We can move,” Chen Yu said.

“Where is the leader?” one of them asked.

“...He is dead,” Chen Yu said.

The man did not ask anything further, but Chen Yu added, “Killed by the enemy.”.

“What do you mean by safe now, then?” another man questioned.

“Well, all the enemy soldiers are dead. Someone killed them,” Chen Yu said.

The men narrowed their eyes.

“We will be going out now,” Yan declared beside them.

Yan and Chen Yu moved towards the exit, in the same direction they had come from.

Behind them, the surviving soldiers emerged cautiously from the trees where they had been hiding.

The group moved together toward the forest entrance, but three people from the group did not follow them back to the entrance. They went deeper into the forest.

Light grew brighter ahead.

When they stepped out of the trees, Han Defu’s forces were still waiting outside the forest.

The carriage stood exactly where it had been before.

Luma came forward and stared at the approaching people in shock. Nearly the entire scouting party had returned.

“Were there no enemies inside?” Luma asked.

No one answered immediately. They all looked at Yan and Chen Yu.

Then Chen Yu stepped forward.

“We were ambushed inside the forest.”

Luma looked at Chen Yu and said, “Liar,” as he moved forward.

Chen Yu took a step backward.

“I... am not... lying.”

“Then why do none of you even have dirt on you?” Luma questioned as he unsheathed his sword and pointed it at everyone.

“About that...” Chen Yu trembled. He glanced at Yan and then at Luma.

“A mysterious senior cultivator appeared and saved us all,” Chen Yu said.

Luma looked at Chen Yu.

“Do you take me for a three-year-old?”

Chen Yu trembled more.

“No... I am not lying... There are bodies of enemies inside... You can verify.”

Luma looked at Chen Yu and then at the other people. For a moment, no one answered.

“Don’t you dare lie!” Luma stepped forward as Chen Yu backed away.

“He is not lying! There are bodies!”

A voice interrupted Luma. He lifted his head toward the source of the voice.

The three who had gone deeper inside rushed back, panting.

Right then, the door of the carriage opened, and Han Defu stepped out and watched everyone quietly, his eyes lingered briefly on Chen Yu.

Then on Yan.

Yan stood calmly among the soldiers.

Han Defu raised a hand. Two cavalrymen responded and came forward.

“Check the forest.”

They immediately disappeared between the trees.

After some time, Wind moved across the open field.

Eventually, the cavalrymen returned, their expressions serious.

They dismounted, bowed slightly toward Han Defu, and said,

“The forest is full of bodies.”

“Luma,” Han Defu said.

Luma moved inside the forest as well, and after a few minutes, he came back with a head.

“My Lord, they did indeed encounter an expert.”

Chen Yu breathed a sigh of relief. The others relaxed as well.

Han Defu looked back at the surviving group and said, “Seems like luck is on your side.”

His gaze passed across them once more.

For a moment, his eyes rested on Yan, but his expression revealed nothing.

Han Defu turned toward the road ahead.

“Mount up.”

The cavalry mounted their horses, as did Luma.

Han Defu stepped back into his carriage and

the column began moving again.

“We have done work of merit.”

On the way, a voice carried across the formation. The special unit behind them smiled.

Luma was riding beside the carriage. The window of the carriage was open, and Han Defu glanced outside.

“Luma, is that expert strong?” Han Defu asked.

“Based on the wounds...” Luma inspected the head and remembered the bodies he had witnessed.

“I don’t think he is much stronger. I doubt he is at Core Formation, but he is precise. His strength is still weak,” Luma replied.

A faint smile crossed his face.

“So, just an ant.”

Luma nodded.

“But a stronger ant. Could it be any of the recruits?” Han Defu asked.

“I don’t think so. They are so weak,” Luma replied.

“Forget it, then.”

“It’s time for the real battlefield.”

Behind them, the unit walked.