Mr. King was, of course, fearless, swishing his tail as he walked over. Edward Carter could tell at a glance that the old fellow was here to collect protection fees. After all, he’d been relying on the herd’s protection lately. As a little brother, he had to act like one—once the wild vegetables had cooled, he quickly placed them on a big tree leaf and offered them to Mr. King. The boss was not someone to mess with.

Mr. King sniffed at them, apparently quite satisfied with the taste of salt, and ate them in just two bites. Edward Carter wondered if he was seeing things, because the horse’s eyes actually showed an expression of enjoyment. After finishing, it stared at Edward Carter again. With no other choice, Edward Carter continued roasting wild vegetables. After four rounds, Mr. King seemed to think it was nothing special, snorted, and returned to the herd to continue being king.

Carefully, Edward Carter parted the ashes to reveal potatoes that were roasted to perfection—fragrant and soft. Breaking one open and taking a big bite, the piping hot, sweet flavor nearly brought tears of happiness to Edward Carter’s eyes.

Lying in his sleeping bag, with soft river sand beneath him, the gently flowing river not far to his right, and—well, never mind the left—a herd of horses taking turns letting out stinky farts, their faces wearing an innocent, unconcerned look. Gazing at the star-filled sky, the Milky Way stretched across the heavens like a black curtain studded with dazzling diamonds, twinkling as if winking at him.

His wife had always longed for a diamond, and he’d promised to give her one if he ever made it big. Now, that was impossible. Edward Carter took a rhinestone hairpin from his pocket, its orange-yellow light scattering in the firelight. It was specially designed for his wife by a friend who made jewelry: silver as the base, topaz as the setting, rhinestones forming a lotus flower. It wasn’t worth much, but it was unique. Originally meant as a birthday gift for his wife, it could never be given now because he had to rescue two missing foreigners. Edward Carter gripped the hairpin tightly, his heart aching in waves. Heaven, you’ve finally taken everything from me, Edward Carter murmured to himself...

Section Three: The Human World

The riverbank was strewn with rocks, but Edward Carter walked steadily. Just last night, he had sworn never to be weak again, carrying his wife and child in his heart, their warmth filling his chest. He was determined to lead his family through this unknown world. He believed that as long as he wasn’t in a savage land, with his skillful hands, building a home here wouldn’t be hard. He no longer feared wild beasts; no matter how bad things got, it was just like this. Leaving the herd and surviving alone on the steppe, Edward Carter saw this as the first step to living here.

His feet left deep prints in the yellow sand, and behind him, a lame foal hobbled closely. This was an injured horse abandoned by the herd; wolves had torn the skin of its hind leg, and under the scorching sun, it had quickly begun to rot. At dawn, the herd had gone to graze, leaving it by the river to die.

Edward Carter cleaned its wound and applied precious white medicine, believing it would heal in a few days. He saw this as his final repayment to the herd. Then, waving goodbye, he set off to find other people.

For some reason, the foal struggled to its feet, glanced at the departing herd, and then trudged after Edward Carter. Edward Carter heard the foal’s footsteps but didn’t look back, only slowed his pace. When Edward Carter stopped, the foal stopped; when Edward Carter walked, the foal walked. Stopping and starting, man and horse walked along the riverbank, a bond forming between them.

By noon, the sun was blazing, and sweat soaked his clothes. Edward Carter found a patch of shade beneath a huge locust tree, its twisted branches covering half an acre. Only short grass grew beneath it—a perfect place to rest.

Edward Carter sat heavily on a protruding root, loosened his clothes, and took a big, satisfying gulp of water, the heat vanishing from his body. Just as he was about to nap, the foal came over, gently nudging him with its head, clearly wanting water. Edward Carter took out his frying pan, filled it with water, and the foal drank heartily without hesitation.

Edward Carter set down his backpack and checked the foal’s wound. Thankfully, it hadn’t reopened. Whether it was the medicine’s magic or the foal’s constitution, a membrane had already formed over the wound—no wonder it could keep up for so long. Edward Carter rested his head on his backpack, chewing on leftover wolf meat. Food was running low, so he had to save what he could. The foal lay beside him, lazily chewing the grass Edward Carter had cut.

“So you’re just going to follow me? I don’t even know where I’m going. Guess you’re just unlucky.”

“You know, following a boss with no prospects—let’s be clear, once you’re with me, there’s no turning back.”

“That damned heaven dumped me on this steppe to fend for myself. Fine, I accept it. The two of us will live a brilliant life in this world. Someday, when we’re living the good life, you’ll get to enjoy it too.”

“From now on, your name is Buddy. You’ll bring us endless good fortune, how about that?”

“That name is so flashy—only someone with real taste could come up with it.”

“Don’t spit! Anyway, I love this name. Look at you, covered in mud. If you didn’t have this name, it’d be a shame.”

Edward Carter rambled on, while Buddy listened with eyes closed. Before long, Edward Carter’s voice grew softer and softer, until it faded away...

A sudden burst of hoofbeats startled Edward Carter awake. He jumped up, startled, and looked toward the dense forest on his right—the sound was coming from there. Buddy also stood up, obediently standing by his side, swishing his tail, silent and still.