It was a sunny day with a vast blue sky without a single cloud in sight, on this sunny day there were two men chatting casually on the courtyard terrace. "Xiao Ling, I have good news for you," one of them said with a smile.

Xiao Ling, who heard this, became curious about what this person would say.

"Zhongzhi, what news do you want to tell me with that face of yours?"

"Hmmm... Did you know that Linsu is about to give birth? And I decided to give a gift to my newborn child." said a man named Zhongzhi.

Mo Zhongzhi or simply called Zhongzhi is Xiao Ling's best friend, they have been friends since childhood and grew up together until now.

"Really? I think it's a good idea."

Xiao Ling, who heard the news, was happy for his friend.

"So, have you decided on a gift yet?" he was curious about what gift his best friend would give him.

"Not yet... I can't find any good gifts around the village." Mo Zhongzhi replied.

Xiao Ling, knowing that his best friend still hadn't found a good gift, thought of a suitable idea for him.

"What about the gifts that come from the city? We can go and look for them there?" Xiao Ling brought up an idea he had come up with.

"Yes. That's a good idea, but didn't we already leave a few months ago? and I don't think there will be enough time if we have to go back and forth to the city." Mo Zhongzhi replied after calculating the time needed to travel.

The distance from the village to the nearest city would take about a week and if added with the return time, it would take about two weeks.

Xiao Ling, who also knew the time it would take to travel, asked, "When exactly will your child be born?"

"It is estimated to be in less than a week."

"What! Why are you only telling me now?!"

Xiao Ling was surprised to learn that there was only about less than a week left when Mo Zhongzhi told him.

"Well... That's because I only decided now."

Xiao Ling made an unusual expression that made his eyes widen in disbelief at what he heard. "If you're only deciding now... Why bother telling me, huh?" Xiao Ling said it in exasperation.

"No... What I mean is, I just decided to make a gift now, not the other way around and you are now the first person to know about it." Mo Zhongzhi retorted, trying to avoid any misunderstanding between the two of them.

Xiao Ling knew that Mo Linsu was entering her last month of pregnancy, but he still didn't know when exactly. He finally understood what Mo Zhongzhi wanted to say.

"Ah... I see, then how about a gift from me? You can think of it as a gift for your child," Xiao Ling offered a proposal to Mo Zhongzhi.

"No... I can't accept it, and I think it would be better if I earned it with my own efforts." Mo Zhongzhi rejected the offer from Xiao Ling solemnly.

"Haaah... Don't you think you're too stiff?" Xiao Ling could only sigh at Mo Zhongzhi's rejection. "We promised about that anyway."

"I know... But I still intend to look for it myself." Mo Zhongzhi replied by looking directly into Xiao Ling's eyes, showing his determination.

Xiao Ling, who understood his best friend's nature could only resign himself, knowing that what he was about to say would not be able to change his intentions.

"Good grief... then, do you have any other clues as to where you're going to look?" he asked in a resigned tone.

"I don't have any other clues, but there is one place that comes to my mind right now." Mo Zhongzhi replied with a smile, as his friend could understand him.

"Oh? What is that place?" Xiao Ling asked curiously.

"Misty Mountain." Mo Zhongzhi replied directly.

Xiao Ling, who knew what kind of place Misty Mountain was— very surprised to hear that Mo Zhongzhi was even thinking of making such a place his choice.

"Are you kidding me?! You know that it's a dangerous place, right?" Xiao Ling vehemently refused.

"Of course I know, I'm just using it as an option, okay?" Mo Zhongzhi replied while trying to calm his friend down.

"It's good that you understand... Since that place is so dangerous even for you, there's no point in going there just for a gift." Xiao Ling reassured his friend again.

Xiao Ling knew exactly Mo Zhongzhi's strength, he knew that Mo Zhongzhi was the strongest person in this village. But even so, he still insisted on forbidding him to go to Misty Mountain.

Although he had never been there in person, he knew what dangers lay there based on his father's words that had been passed down since the village was founded.

Misty Mountain had been a forbidden place for Xiao villagers since the village was founded, and even that prohibition had never been broken by a single person until now.

"If you still can't find a good gift, how about something else? I'm sure giving your child a good name is also a gift, right?"

Xiao Ling gave Mo Zhongzhi another suggestion that he thought was also a gift.

"For that unfortunately, I have already prepared it."

Xiao Ling's plan to turn the gift suggestion into a good name didn't work, but he was instead tempted to find out about the name Mo Zhongzhi had prepared.

"Oh yeah? May I know it?" Xiao Ling curioused, asked his best friend to tell him.

But on the other hand Mo Zhongzhi seemed not to answer immediately, but rather pondered for a moment before answering, "Hmm... since you are my best friend, then I will make a special exception for you, you are the first person to know about it besides my wife."

Xiao Ling who was given special treatment by Mo Zhongzhi asked back about his decision, "Wait a minute... are you sure about this? Is it okay to tell me?" Xiao Ling said with a face full of curiosity.

"Yes... after all, according to our promise, you will be the father-in-law of my child in the future, right? So I thought it would be okay to tell you in advance."

"What? I'm not even a father myself yet. But yes... you are right about this, we have agreed on this."

"Oh well... then let's put this joke aside for the future..." Mo Zhongzhi said as if changing the subject

You're the only one I know who can make jokes with such a flat face, Xiao Ling sighed.

"Alright... I'll say it just once, so listen carefully," Mo Zhongzhi said. "The name is..."

Xiao Ling, who was trying to listen intently—suddenly distracted by the sound of the strong wind—so he lost focus on what he was hearing. The wind disguised Mo Zhongzhi's words.

"Wait, wait... can you repeat it one more time...? I couldn't hear it clearly because your voice was covered by the wind." Asked Xiao Ling.

"I already told you, didn't I? That I would say it just once. But unfortunately, it looks like you will only find out when my child is born." Mo Zhongzhi said with a smile as if to tease him.

"What? What do you mean by that? You just wanted to mess with me, don't you? You bastard!" Xiao Ling snapped.

"I didn't mean it... But, if you got snapped, then I think I did well, didn't I?" Mo Zhongzhi said as he burst out laughing.

Xiao Ling also knew that Mo Zhongzhi didn't mean it, but when he began to realize that he was taking it well, he also burst out laughing.

Although this conversation seemed meaningless, for Xiao Ling this was his daily life, and he always enjoyed relaxing and chatting with his best friend with a glass of tea accompanying the two of them. Under this vast blue sky and beautiful weather, he always cherished these moments in his heart—peaceful moments that he hoped would last as long as possible.

It had been several hours since they started talking, and the sun, which had been high up, was now beginning to set in the western sky.

"It seems like the day is getting late, I think it's time for me to leave." Mo Zhongzhi said, a gust of wind gently caressed past him.

Lately, the wind has started to blow stronger than usual, signaling that summer will soon pass and fall will take its place.

But still, even though the wind is blowing stronger than usual, the air still feels warm against the skin, signaling that summer isn't really over yet.

Mo Zhongzhi got up from his seat preparing to leave, "Alright... then see you later, Xiao Ling." He said with a smile while basking in the rays of the setting sun from behind him.

Xiao Ling, who could only look at the scene, was stunned into silence for a while and burned the image unconsciously deep into his memory.

***

Two days after Xiao Ling spoke with Mo Zhongzhi, Xiao Ling decided to walk towards his friend's house.

"Village chief, are you heading to Captain Zhongzhi's house?" There was a voice from behind him.

Looking back, there was a youngster who was also part of the hunting group.

"Oh Nansu... Is it possible that you're also heading to the same place?" Xiao Ling replied with a question.

"Yes, I'm currently heading to Captain Zhongzhi's house to take him on a patrol around the village."

"Oh that guy, is he always like this?"

There was a hint of irritation in his voice.

"Ah no. This is actually the first time because yesterday Captain Zhongzhi did not join the patrol."

Xiao Ling who heard this became curious, "Hmmm... is there a problem?"

Xiao Ling saw Yan Nansu furrow his eyebrows with a face that looked slightly troubled.

"...Actually since yesterday, not only has he not come on patrol, but also no one has seen him around the village either." Yan Nansu said in a worried tone.

"Really...?" Xiao Ling, who had just learned the news, immediately moved faster than before. "We have to check it out immediately."

It was no wonder that Xiao Ling didn't know, as it was only the day before yesterday that he last spoke to Mo Zhongzhi, and yesterday he was busy checking the mining section to inspect the spirit stones.

Even though Xiao's village is not a large one and has less than a hundred residents, for Xiao Ling, who is the village chief, it is part of his duty to check on every activity carried out by his citizens, and it just so happens that yesterday he spent almost the entire day checking on the results of the spirit stones.

As they were on their way, Xiao Ling suddenly remembered their conversation two days earlier, the memory subconsciously made him uneasy and quickened his pace.

After they arrived at Mo Zhongzhi's house, Xiao Ling immediately knocked on the door, it didn't take long before the door opened. There appeared a very beautiful young woman with long black hair braided over one shoulder, wearing a loose light blue dress with several sunflower prints and a growing belly, indicating that she was pregnant. This woman was unmistakably Mo Linsu, the wife of Mo Zhongzhi.

"Oh, Xiao Ling, are you here to meet Zhongzhi?" Mo Linsu asked in a slightly surprised tone. "However, he is not at home at the moment."

Xiao Ling, who was expecting this information, asked, "Do you know where he's going?"

"No, he didn't say anything about where he was going."

"If I may know, when exactly he left?"

"He left yesterday morning... and he said, he'd be back today," Mo Linsu said, her face hopeful.

He left yesterday? Not two days ago? Did he return home first after meeting me and then leave the next morning? Xiao Ling pondered.

According to the information he knew beforehand, he was the last person to see Mo Zhongzhi's whereabouts, but this information was refuted by Mo Linsu, who said that she saw Mo Zhongzhi until yesterday morning.

Yes, I guess that's the only reasonable explanation, Xiao Ling concluded.

After parting ways with Xiao Ling, Mo Zhongzhi went home to make preparations. Then he decided to leave in the morning, and Mo Linsu who was his wife and also lived with him must have known about it.

But this information did not put him at ease, instead making him even more worried.

Because he knew, that he returned home to make whatever preparations were necessary before leaving and disappearing until now.

Suddenly, memories of two days ago flashed through Xiao Ling's mind, and a momentary look of worry flashed across his face.

"Ling, is there something going on?" Mo Linsu said, didn't miss the change on Xiao Ling's face even for a moment.

Damn it, he even made his own wife worried. Xiao Ling cursed inwardly.

Although it was Xiao Ling's momentary carelessness in letting what he felt show on his face, but the root of all this was Mo Zhongzhi who had everyone worried.

"No. There's something important I want to talk to him about," Xiao Ling said, he smiled to brighten the mood. "Alright, since he's not here, I'll come back later."

Alright, I promise, I will beat him up to my heart's content for making everyone worried, Xiao Ling vowed in his heart.

"If it's something important, why not just wait until he returns?"

"Unfortunately, right now I still have things to do." Xiao Ling replied while looking at Yan Nansu who had been silent all along. "I will accept it next time."

That fool. So he really meant it, even after everything I said, he thought.

"Don't worry, I'll send Xiao Ning to accompany you," he said as he began to walk away.

He would feel at ease if there was at least someone looking after her, and the most appropriate person, in his opinion, was his own wife. Just as he and Mo Zhongzhi were childhood friends, Mo Linsu and Xiao Ning are the same.

You better prepare yourself well, because I will definitely find you. Xiao Ling braced himself.

There was no turning back for Xiao Ling, he had already prepared himself to find Mo Zhongzhi at any cost.

He walked home quickly and steadily.

When Xiao Ling returned to his home, he saw a woman with brown hair and hazel eyes wearing a loose white dress sitting on a chair while weaving.

He immediately approached her, "Ning, can you accompany Linsu, I'm worried because Zhongzhi hasn't returned since yesterday." He said with a slight urgency in his tone.

Xiao Ning looked surprised when she saw the hurriedly returning Xiao Ling. "Is there a problem?"

"I still don't know for sure, but like I said, Zhongzhi hasn't returned from yesterday, and I have a bad feeling about this."

What Xiao Ning was asking was a natural thing, considering the person in question was Mo Zhongzhi, the leader of the hunting group and also the strongest person in the village at the moment. It was not unusual for Mo Zhongzhi not to return in just one day due to his duties, after all this was not the first time this had happened and this also included several members of their group. But Xiao Ling's urgent tone concluded that this was not one of those occurrences.

Which means there were special circumstances or problems that made Xiao Ling return in a hurry.

Of course, Xiao Ling had a strong feeling that he knew what Mo Zhongzhi was up to, as he was probably the only person Mo Zhongzhi told based on the conversation he had earlier.

The reason why he said that he didn't know for sure was because he still couldn't be sure what he suspected was true, even though there was a high probability that it was the case.

But that's because Xiao Ling himself hasn't done anything to prove it, so whatever he's saying right now is still unclear and is just his guess.

Xiao Ling decided not to say anything for now that might cause unnecessary worry, until he could confirm it for sure or when circumstances no longer allowed him to do so.

From the look on her face, Xiao Ning seemed to understand. "Alright... but before that, may I know what you're going to do?"

"For now, I'll try searching around the village area with members of the hunting group."

I'd better hurry. The sooner, the better.