The forest thinned out slowly, dense shadows giving way to scattered light, tangled roots softening into worn earth. There were faint traces of smoke, cooked grain, and something unmistakably human.

A village.

Ru Yi almost did not believe it at first.

After hours of narrow trails, uneven ground, and constant vigilance, the sight of slanted rooftops peeking through the trees felt unreal.

"We made it," she breathed, a huge smile that showed relief blooming on her face.

They’d already run through the supplies the triplets had been given. Ru Yi was especially surprised when Lieyin handed her some of her bread after her stomach grumbled.

Ahead, the land opened into a quiet settlement nestled between low hills, its buildings all worn out. Wooden fences leaned at uneven angles, and the dirt paths were carved deep from years of use.

It wasn’t grand. It wasn’t beautiful. But it was alive, and held the long promise of food and shelter which they desperately needed.

Qingyue slowed down, her gaze sweeping the area. "This is Changan village."

Yexue exhaled softly, coming to a stop beside Ru Yi. "It looks remote and poor, easy to overlook."

Qingyue nodded in agreement. "It’ll be a good place to hide for a while until we gather resources."

Lieyin rolled her shoulders, tension still coiled in her body. "I don’t know about the resources part. They don’t look like they have anything to offer us."

But Ru Yi didn’t care.

The village meant rest and shelter. A moment of peace where no one was chasing them. For the first time since the exile began, hope flickered—then it shattered.

A scream tore through the night, raw enough to slice through everything. The small group froze.

Another sound followed, a crash of something heavy hitting the wood, then a child’s voice—

"Please stop! Leave my mama alone!" There was the sound of a little boy crying, it was all coming from the house closest to them. It was already dark out but the faint light of a lantern glowed from inside the house.

"Can we go and find out what’s wrong?" Ru Yi asked, looking at Qingyue who was already shaking her head.

"We can’t interfere in other’s business," Qingyue replied, "it could be a trap for all we know."

Ru Yi looked at the other two who said nothing. "Fine! Then I’ll go help them myself." Without thinking she ran towards the house, her chest constricting painfully when the little boy’s voice cried out again.

"Ru Yi..." Yexue started, but she was already gone. She turned to her sisters. "Are we not going to help her?"

"No," Qingyue answered. "Since she won’t listen to me then she’s better off on her own. We need to go into the village and scout. If the people are welcoming then we can only stay long enough to gather some food and—"

Yexue looked at the direction Ru Yi had gone. Unable to take it any longer, she took off in the direction she had gone."

-

-

The house stood near the edge of the village, its door hanging open. Inside it was pure chaos.

A woman laid crumpled on the ground, blood at the corner of her mouth, barely conscious. The small boy—no older than ten, stood in front of her, arms spread wide as if his thin body could shield her.

Three men loomed over them.

Debt collectors.

Their clothes were rough but well-made, their expressions bored instead of angry in the way of men who had done this too many times to feel anything anymore.

"You think hiding buys you time?" one of them sneered, grabbing the boy by the collar and yanking him forward.

The little boy cried out, kicking his feet weakly.

"Please...I said I’ll pay. Just give me more time," the woman said from the floor.

"You’ve had time."

The man raised his hand at the same time Ru Yi arrived at the doorway, her face flushed a deep red and her breathing a mess.

"Stop!" she yelled, moving closer. "Don’t hit the boy." Her voice rang through the room as she rushed forward, grabbing the man’s arm before he could strike.

The man blinked in surprise before looking at her. "And who are you supposed to be?"

Ru Yi’s chest heaved but her grip on him didn’t loosen. "Let him go."

There was a beat of silence before deep laughter followed. It was not kind or amused, just plain mocking.

"You?" another one said. "You’re the one stopping us?"

Ru Yi swallowed, but she didn’t step back. Maybe she should’ve found a way to convince the triplets to come with her. She was outnumbered and weak.

"He’s just a child."

"And this—" the first man jerked his chin toward the woman on the floor, "is a debtor. She owes us money." His eyes hardened. "Which makes both of them our problem."

Ru Yi tightened her hold. "That doesn’t give you the right—"

The strike came faster than she could get the words out of her mouth. A sharp crack splitting the air as the back of his hand connected with her face.

Pain exploded on Ru Yi’s cheek, snapping her head to the side. Her grip broke instantly, her body staggering as the force sent her crashing to the floor.

Everything blurred in and out of focus. The taste of iron filling her mouth.

"Ru Yi!" Shen Yexue’s voice cut through the haze, sharp and furious as she took in the sight before her.

The air turned cold. Deadly.

Lieyin stepped in next, slower—but far more dangerous. "What’s going on here?"

"And who are you?" the main asked, his eyes lingering on their body more than it should have. "What business do you have here? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around."

Lieyin’s gaze locked onto the man that struck Ru Yi. "Oh," she said softly, almost pleasantly. "You shouldn’t have done that."

On the floor Ru Yi pushed herself up weakly, her vision still swimming. Her cheek burned and a loud sound ricocheted in her head.

But that wasn’t what hurt her the most.

It was the little boy standing there, still protecting someone when he had no power to do so.

This world...

This place beyond the palace walls...

It wasn’t freedom. It was just another kind of cruelty. And for the first time, Ru Yi realized something else.

She hadn’t escaped anything. She had simply stepped into a bigger, harsher world.