Douluo Dalu 2/ Soul Land 2: Wonderland

Huànshēng spent the entire day keeping up his usual act—playing the fool, stirring up trouble, and making sure everyone's eyes were on him for all the wrong reasons. Pao did the same, though his antics were far less theatrical. Together, they ensured that no one would suspect them of planning something beyond their usual mischief.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting an amber glow over the village, the two boys quietly slipped out of their homes. With each step, Huànshēng felt his heart pound harder, excitement and anxiety battling within him. He had never left the village before—not like this, not with the knowledge that he might never return.

The village that had once seemed so mundane now appeared different in the dimming light. Shadows stretched unnaturally long across the ground, the buildings seemed smaller, and the air felt heavier as if weighed down by secrets he had never noticed before.

For the first time, he took a good look at the people around him. They weren't just fellow villagers; they were figures draped in layers of mystery. The kindly old woman who sold steamed buns wore a wary gaze, casting glances over her shoulder as if expecting someone to be watching. The village blacksmith, a burly man with calloused hands, carried a strange insignia hidden beneath his apron—a serpent coiled around a dagger. Huànshēng had never paid attention to these things before, but now that he was about to leave, every detail seemed to scream for his notice.

As they crept through the narrow streets, avoiding the village patrols, Huànshēng finally voiced his thoughts.

"Pao, have you ever thought our village is... weird?" he whispered, careful to keep his voice low.

Pao gave him a sidelong glance before sighing. "Took you long enough to realize," he muttered. "But keep your questions for later. We need to get to the meeting point."

Huànshēng bit back his questions, but his mind raced. If Pao already knew something, why hadn't he said anything before? What was he hiding?

They slipped into the dense forest at the village's edge. The towering trees cast deep shadows, their gnarled branches stretching like skeletal fingers against the twilight sky. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the distant sound of nocturnal creatures stirring to life.

Pao took the lead, moving with practiced steps, avoiding dried leaves and brittle twigs that could give away their position. Huànshēng followed, struggling to match his friend's stealth.

After several tense minutes of silent trekking, Pao suddenly raised a hand, signaling him to stop. Huànshēng obeyed, pressing himself against the rough bark of a tree as Pao whispered, "Wait here." Without another word, he disappeared into the underbrush, leaving Huànshēng alone.

Time passed slowly. The forest seemed to breathe around him, the rustling leaves and distant hoots of owls filling the silence. The longer he stood there, the more his thoughts wandered back to the village, to the strange symbols, to the hidden tension in people's gazes. It felt as though the entire village had been one elaborate stage play, and he had only just realized he was an oblivious audience member.

A faint crunch of leaves snapped him from his thoughts. A figure emerged from the shadows—a boy around their age, his face partially obscured by the dim light.

It was Chen.

Huànshēng recognized him instantly. Chen was another village troublemaker, often seen tagging along with Pao in their misadventures. But tonight, there was something different about him. His usual carefree grin was gone, replaced with an expression of quiet determination.

"Finally," Chen muttered, glancing between Huànshēng and Pao, who had just returned. "I was wondering if you'd actually go through with it."

Huànshēng frowned. "Go through with what?"

Pao crossed his arms. "Leaving. Getting out of that place before it swallows us whole."

Huànshēng blinked, feeling a knot form in his stomach he didn't understand why Pao spoke of their plan, yet he continued with the act. "You're making it sound like we're escaping from something terrible."

Chen scoffed. "That's because we are."

A tense silence fell between them before Pao finally spoke again. "Chen, show him."

Chen hesitated before reaching into his sleeve and pulling out a small metallic device. It was smooth and round, no larger than a coin, with intricate engravings across its surface. As he activated it, a faint shimmer surrounded him before flickering away.

Huànshēng gasped. The presence he had always sensed from Chen—the one he had assumed was nothing special—suddenly shifted. It was stronger, more pronounced, like an unseen weight pressing against his senses.

He quickly opened his Book of Wonders and directed its appraisal function at Chen. The golden glow flickered as lines of information appeared before him.

Name: Chen

Age: 6

Spirit: Golden Emperor's Dagger

Soul Power Level: 9

Next Spirit Ring: Location: Unknown

Huànshēng's eyes widened. "Level nine?" he blurted out, barely keeping his voice down. "That's—"

"Higher than anyone in the village knows," Chen finished. "I've been hiding it with this device." He gestured to the small artifact in his hand. "If they knew, they would've tried to control me. Just like they control everyone else, Pao was about to be but lucky him that he knew me."

Huànshēng was speechless. His head swam with thoughts, questions, and suspicions. If Chen had been hiding his true strength, how many others had secrets buried beneath the surface?

He glanced at his book again, the golden light still flickering softly. He couldn't help but wonder—if Chen had such power, then what was he truly capable of?

And more importantly... what else had the village been hiding from him?

The cold night air wrapped around them as they followed Chen through the narrow, winding paths of the dense forest. Despite his small frame, Chen moved with surprising confidence; his footsteps light against the soft earth. The moon's dim glow barely illuminated their way, but Chen's knowledge of the terrain kept them on course.

As they walked, Huànshēng couldn't help but ask, "Chen, how did you even find out about that scroll? Was it just lying around?"

Chen let out a small chuckle. "If only it were that easy," he said, shaking his head. "I found it by accident... or maybe it was meant for me to find."

He paused for a moment as if gathering his thoughts before continuing. "A few months ago, I was running an errand for one of the village elders. It was supposed to be simple—deliver some herbs and get a few coins in return. But on my way back, I overheard a conversation I wasn't supposed to. They were talking about 'candidates' and 'preparations.' I didn't understand it at first, but when I peeked into the room, I saw the scroll." His voice lowered. "One of the elders was reading from it, speaking about a 'ritual' and 'raising the next generation.' I barely managed to slip away unnoticed. That night, I snuck back and stole the set of scrolls. I had to know what they were hiding."

Huànshēng shuddered at the thought. "And that's how you found out? What did it say?"

"The truth about the village," Chen replied grimly. "It detailed how the elders have been raising us, not just as normal spirit masters, but as tools. They were molding us into something else—something darker. I didn't want to believe it at first, but the more I read, the clearer it became."

Pao clenched his fists. "That's why you decided to run?"

Chen nodded. "But running alone would have been meaningless. I needed to warn someone, and of all the people in the village, I knew Pao had the best chance of surviving outside. His spirit power was high enough to make it on his own, and he had the drive to escape. I had to be careful, though. If I approached him the wrong way, I could have exposed both of us."

Huànshēng turned to Pao. "And you agreed just like that?"

Pao scratched the back of his head. "Not exactly. I thought Chen had gone crazy at first. But when he showed me the scroll and explained everything, I couldn't ignore it. It took some time to sink in, but once it did... well, I knew there was no staying in that village."

Chen continued, "But escaping wasn't going to be easy. The village is protected by barriers—most of them meant to keep things out, but some are there to keep people in. If Pao's spirit power flared up while we left, the elders would have noticed immediately. That's why I got my hands on a concealment talisman."

He reached into his robes and pulled out a small, worn-out piece of parchment. Even in the dim moonlight, Huànshēng could see the faint inscriptions on its surface.

"I used this to suppress Pao's aura just enough so that he wouldn't trigger any alerts. The talisman can't hide someone completely, but it reduces their presence to that of an ordinary person. That way, even if they sensed something, they wouldn't think it was a spirit master sneaking out."

Huànshēng let out a low whistle. "Smart. But where did you even get something like that?"

Chen smirked. "Let's just say I have my ways."

Pao rolled his eyes. "More like he spent weeks trying to trade for it behind the elders' backs. I don't even want to know what favors he had to pull."

Chen waved a hand dismissively. "What matters is that we got out."

They continued walking until Chen suddenly stopped, motioning for them to stay low. Before them, nestled between the trees, was what looked like an abandoned storage shed. The wood was old, the structure leaning slightly to one side, but as they got closer, Huànshēng noticed that the doors had been reinforced.

"This is it," Chen whispered. "The hidden vehicle stand."

Huànshēng raised an eyebrow. "A vehicle stand? In a village like ours?"

Chen smirked. "The elders may keep up the illusion that we're isolated, but they still need ways to travel when necessary. This shed stores one of their transport devices. It's not much, but it's enough to get us far away from here."

Pao stepped forward, inspecting the door. "Can you get it open?"

Chen nodded. "It's locked with a basic spirit seal. Give me a few minutes."

As he worked on the seal, Huànshēng took a final glance in the direction of the village. He had lived there his whole life, but tonight, for the first time, he saw it differently. The warm lights in the distance no longer looked inviting—they looked like the glow of a trap, something meant to lure in unsuspecting prey. The people he had known his entire life, the elders he had once respected, were all part of something much darker than he had ever imagined.

His grip tightened around the Book of Wonders. He didn't know what lay ahead, but he knew one thing for certain—there was no turning back now.