Hunter Carter frowned as he watched the figure in the courtyard performing strange movements, shook his head, and sighed. Ever since the child fell into the well a year ago and nearly lost his life, he had changed completely. Whether it was from fright or, as Carter the Seer claimed, being possessed by a ghost, no one could say, but the child was nothing like before. He barely spoke a word all day and had grown distant from the family. Yet this wasn’t even Samuel Carter’s greatest worry—so long as the child was unharmed, that was all that mattered, wasn’t it? But ever since Carter the Seer was scared off, a whole year had passed. During this year, the child’s body had grown sturdier and his height had shot up; at eleven years old, he was already nearly as tall as the fifteen-year-old boys in the village. This should have been a good thing—after all, Samuel Carter himself was exceptionally burly, and years of hunting fierce beasts in the mountains had made him even stronger. Naturally, his son should take after his father.

But the boy’s behavior had become increasingly odd. He made some bags himself and filled them with stones from the riverbank, tying them to his body twice a day, morning and evening, and running around the village until he was utterly exhausted. And that wasn’t all—just like now, he punched and kicked, the wind whistling with each move. Though his techniques were messy, the force behind them seemed as if he truly meant to kill. Samuel Carter certainly hadn’t taught his son these deadly skills. Now, rumors were already spreading in the village that the boy from Hunter Carter’s family had gone mad. How could things go on like this?

It seemed it was time to arrange a marriage for the boy, to ward off bad luck, wasn’t it? Samuel Carter pondered to himself...

...

“Shitou, eat slower, don’t choke...” Shitou’s mother gently patted David Carter’s back, her doting affection plain to see.

David Carter remained silent, but his wolfing down of food did slow a bit. Over the past year, though it had been difficult, he had more or less adapted to his role in this family. Still, habits formed over many years weren’t so easily changed. He remained taciturn and certainly didn’t act like an eleven-year-old child. Pretend to be an innocent kid? That was something he truly couldn’t do. The two little girls in the house had grown somewhat fearful of this changed brother (or older brother), and always looked at him with timid eyes. Only Mrs. Carter, his mother, continued to dote on him as always, which brought a touch of warmth to David Carter’s heart, who hadn’t felt such affection in a long time.

“Shitou, I have something to tell you.” Samuel Carter looked steadily at his son as he spoke.

David Carter silently put down his chopsticks. The indifference and coldness he showed so casually made Samuel Carter feel as if a heavy stone was lodged in his chest, yet he couldn’t get angry. Facing this son who seemed like a completely different person from before, Samuel Carter was unwilling to admit it, but he simply couldn’t treat him as he used to—scolding or beating him at will—just as it was impossible for David Carter to pretend to be a child. Now, being stared at by those cold eyes, as if filled with ice and snow or some other frigid, lifeless thing, even if he was full of anger, it was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, leaving him chilled to the bone. There was no way he could utter any words of reproach.

“Ahem...” Samuel Carter coughed twice, swallowed back all he wanted to say, and looked away. As the head of the household in his prime, Hunter Carter secretly sighed that sons grow up beyond their fathers’ control, finding a decent excuse for his own moment of weakness. Yet, without realizing it, his tone took on a hint of negotiation. “Shitou, tomorrow come with me to town to see your third brother. It’s about time to arrange for you...”

Before he could finish, the courtyard gate banged open, and a loud voice called out, “Aunt and uncle, are you home? Little Third is here to see you both...”

Chapter 0005: Relatives

Mark, son of the Zhang family, courtesy name Frank Bell, elder brother of the general. He first served as a minor tax official. When the general was young, he and Mark were close friends. Mark did not look down on the general’s poverty and even married his wife’s younger sister to him. All their relatives and friends thought this strange, but only Mark was pleased with himself. When asked, he would only smile and not answer. Later, the general rose up, achieved great feats, and reached the highest ranks. The general did not forget old favors, and the entire Zhang family became prominent. Others all sighed at how easily the Zhangs gained their glory, not knowing of Mark’s keen insight—truly laughable.

—“Biographies of the Great Clans of Qin”

The one who entered was a burly man in his twenties, his sweaty face shining with grease, carrying a jumble of odds and ends in his hands. This was Mark Bolton, courtesy name Frank Bell. Though his name sounded refined, he looked much more like a butcher carrying a cleaver.