“Originally, I wasn’t very convinced by what she said, but most of her words could be verified.” Gazing distantly at the night sky outside the hut, Kasan murmured, “We once asked her why she knew so many things we didn’t understand. She explained, but unfortunately, back then, many people didn’t grasp it. Later, she simply said that everything she knew fell under the category of ‘witchcraft.’”
At this point, even if Sha Yi still had many unanswered questions, she now understood everything.
The so-called “witchcraft” was, in fact, modern scientific knowledge. At this time, even superstition hadn’t yet taken root, and superstition could never achieve the precision of modern scientific explanations.
From this perspective, it seemed that before her, someone else had also traveled to this place. Based on Kasan’s description, it must have been several decades earlier.
That woman had relied on her modern knowledge to live quite well in this world. However, Kasan mentioned she eventually disappeared—likely returning to the modern era.
If that was the case, did it mean Sha Yi could also return to the modern world?
Long ago, just before the recent rainy season, she had desperately wanted to return. This place lacked modern comforts and the presence of her loved ones. Though life in the modern world had been tough, it was far more comfortable than struggling every moment here just to survive.
But now, she had Xi Yi and their child. Though she still missed modern life, she also had a firm resolve to stay.
Leaving Xi Yi would be unbearable for her, and without her, Xi Yi likely wouldn’t survive even a moment.
This extraordinary bond, spanning millennia, had become an unbreakable tie between them.
Initially, she thought that after all this time, returning was impossible. But Kasan’s words now filled her with unease.
Unaware of her troubled expression, Kasan sighed twice before continuing slowly, “She taught me many things. Thanks to her, our small group thrived. After she disappeared, I became the ‘witch’ of our tribe. I wasn’t as skilled as her, but it was enough.”
“However, after the disaster, only a handful of our already small group survived. Later, during our migration north, we encountered Yeli. He scattered the other small groups from our area, and many who resisted were eliminated. I was one of the dissenters, but he spared our group because he’d heard I had ‘witchcraft’ abilities. He tested me repeatedly, moving from disbelief to belief. I never expected that the woman who taught me so much would also end up saving my life.”
“That first ‘witch’—when did she appear among you? How long was she there, and when did she disappear? Did anything unusual happen when she vanished?” Given Kasan’s earlier words, Sha Yi was particularly interested in the details of her arrival and disappearance. “Also, did she take everything she brought with her?”
“Hmm… let me think…” Kasan lowered his head, pondering for a long while. “I was very young then, so my memories aren’t clear. She arrived at the end of the rainy season, though the rains hadn’t stopped. A strong young man from our group, named Ta Ta, brought her back. She’d apparently been bitten by a venomous snake…”
Pausing to recall events from decades ago, Kasan elaborated, “Ta Ta braved the heavy rain, carrying her through the night to seek help. At first, she was unconscious, unaware of the long, treacherous journey—scaling mountains, facing wild beasts—nor the hardship of bringing her back in the storm. She didn’t know any of this, so she tried to escape. But she encountered danger again and was eventually found and brought back.”
“That person who saved her… was it Tu Ge?” Kasan’s words reminded Sha Yi of Tu Ge, along with his expression and actions when he first saw her after she was kidnapped by Jialuo.
At the time, she hadn’t understood why Tu Ge acted that way. Later, learning he lacked salt, she assumed his vision was poor. Now, she suspected otherwise.
At first glance, despite his poor eyesight, Tu Ge had leaned in close to examine her, then shook his head repeatedly.
Recalling this, she realized Tu Ge must have thought she resembled the woman he’d saved years ago—but only in skin tone. Up close, seeing she wasn’t her, he shook his head.
Earlier, Tu Ge had also hinted that he and Kasan seemed familiar.
Sha Yi’s interruption didn’t faze Kasan, who nodded seriously. “If I’m not mistaken, it was him. But I can’t be certain—it was so long ago, and we’d only met a few times as children since our groups lived far apart. After the disaster, he disappeared. Besides, people change greatly from youth to old age.”
Sha Yi nodded in understanding but felt even more convinced.
It had to be Tu Ge who saved that woman. Not only had he and Kasan met before, but no one else in this era or region possessed such skills. His peculiar behavior was the final clue.
Prompting Kasan to continue, the old man obliged: “After we brought her back, we persuaded her to stay. Conditions were harsh then, and women were scarce. Ta Ta, who’d rescued her, seemed fond of her, and many hoped they’d unite. But Ta Ta wasn’t talkative, so others broached the subject with her. She was grateful, though initially reluctant. Over time, she gave up escaping and eventually accepted Ta Ta.”
“What happened next?” Sha Yi couldn’t help asking.
“Later, she and Ta Ta had a child—a beautiful, lovely girl like her. But for some reason, the child died before three rainy seasons passed. Both were heartbroken. Two seasons later, disaster struck. Ta Ta went missing during a hunt with other men.” Kasan’s voice grew hoarse with emotion. “The remaining women, including her, knew they were dead. Around then, she discovered she was pregnant again with Ta Ta’s child, but…”
Wiping his eyes, Kasan wept openly. “But Ta Ta was gone. She grieved deeply before eventually resuming her old ways, teaching us new things. Then one day, she vanished without warning. After her disappearance, we began migrating. Thinking back, she must have spent five rainy seasons with us.”
“What about the child?” Sha Yi asked instinctively. “And her belongings?”
“Her second child wasn’t due yet—it must have disappeared with her.” Sniffling, Kasan added tearfully, “All her things vanished with her, except one.”
“What was it?”
After fumbling at his waist, Kasan produced an object. “Here, this.”
In the dim firelight, resting on Kasan’s wrinkled palm, was an old dagger, its blade tarnished with patina. Unlike her modern fruit knife, it looked ancient—heavy and archaic.
Though she’d suspected as much, seeing the dagger made her heart pound violently.
Especially the two characters engraved on its hilt: “Ta Ta.” Written in modern Chinese, though faded and uneven from years of wear, she recognized them instantly.
This was likely carved by the woman for the man whose name it bore.
Perhaps their story had been one of bittersweet romance.
Yet one question nagged at her: Why, when the woman disappeared, did everything vanish except this dagger?
Did objects marked by ancient ties get abandoned by time?
If so, why was the woman—carrying the child of an ancient man—still taken back?
Unless… once the man connected to her died, she had to return?
The thought filled Sha Yi with dread.
Even so, some pieces didn’t fit. She couldn’t make sense of it.
And she feared… could this happen to her too?
Now, more than ever, she refused to leave this place—or Xi Yi. She couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to him. She wouldn’t let such tragedy befall them.
Back then, Jialuo’s bone spear had nearly shattered her heart. Now, she’d do anything to prevent such pain again.
Meanwhile, Kasan remained slumped against the wall, silent for a long while before speaking somberly: “I told you all this because when I first saw you, I thought you resembled her. Though I couldn’t be sure, my suspicions remained. From that moment, I intended to ask Jialuo about you and seek an alliance with your group.”
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