Chapter 3: Mysterious Space

Chapter 3: Mysterious Space

"Am I dead?"

"Where is this?"

"Is this how it looks when people die?"

Wang Hong was currently floating in the air. Except for the black earth below, all other directions were shrouded in a hazy white. He reached out, attempting to pinch his thigh to prove he was not dead, only to find his hand passing through it. Trying the same with his chest and even his head, he discovered that he could pass through his own body, and upon withdrawal, everything returned to normal.

"It seems I really died, not bitten by wolves but played to death by myself." A bit uncomfortable but also a sense of relief filled his heart.

Day in and day out, toiling away just for that bowl of thin porridge mixed with wild vegetables at night. Twelve years of life, and he had hardly eaten a proper meal. Struggling every day to earn some food, all for the sake of having the strength to find food the next day. Such a life, even if lived for decades more, what meaning did it hold? If there was another chance, he would definitely explore the outside world, experience it, but alas, there was no 'if.'

"But if I'm dead, what about my little brother? Can he survive alone? Even if I'm dead, is there anything I can do? Forget it, forget it! Let life and death follow their natural course. I can't do anything about it."

"So, this is what it looks like when you die. It's completely different from the legendary underworld. Besides my own ghostly shadow, there's nothing else here."

Wang Hong discovered that within this space, his thoughts could control his flight, and he could even teleport. After flying around for a while in the space, he landed on the black earth. "The land is quite fertile, just a bit small, only one acre (one acre equals 66 square meters). It should be enough to grow crops, but I'm already dead, and there are no seeds here. Alas, all things come to an end!"

He stayed there for who knows how long, perhaps a day, perhaps three or five days, perhaps even longer. The initial novelty faded, and boredom took over.

Except for the black earth, there was nothing insideno other life, no sound. The white misty surroundings were like an impenetrable wall, unmoved by any effort to push through.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

Continuing like this felt maddening; it was worse than being in prison. At least in prison, you could see other people, even if you were beaten every day. It was better than being stuck in this lifeless place. He didn't know how much longer he had to stay there.

"Is anyone there? Can we chat for a bit?"

"Once there was a wealthy man who bought a fine horse that could travel eight hundred miles a day. The rich man thought the horse was good, but it had to eat fifty pounds of fodder every day, not very cost-effective. The rich man had a brilliant idea. The next day, he only fed it forty-eight pounds, the third day forty-six, decreasing every day. A month later, the horse died. The rich man sighed: Alas! Bad luck, the horse learned to live without eating grass just as it died."

"Hahaha! Let me tell you another one. Once there was a monkey..."

Wang Hong told stories to himself, chatted, and even sang loudly.

On the way home, he didn't encounter any more danger. However, the wounds on his body were still causing him considerable pain. When he was close to home, he went back into the space and carried the wolf in his backpack.

"Hey! Er Gou Zi, why are you back all covered in blood?"

"Did you encounter a wild beast? Well, as long as you're back, that's good." Wang Da Zhu from the village was returning from the fields, carrying a hoe. Seeing Er Gou Zi covered in blood startled him.

"At such a young age, escaping from the clutches of wild beasts is like having the ancestors watching over you. When you go back, burn some incense and thank the ancestors properly."

With his shout, people around gathered. It was only now, getting closer, that they noticed the wolf head protruding from the backpack. Jaws dropped in shock. Even adults might not be able to hunt down a wild wolf one-on-one. Some women even grabbed their sons' ears, saying, "Look at Er Gou Zi, just twelve years old, he can fight wolves on the mountain and catch fish in the water. He can support himself and his brother. Look at you, always eating, when asked to pick some wild vegetables, you play in the river. Yesterday, told to gather firewood, you climbed a tree to rob bird nests, tore your clothes, and found nothing."

Onlookers began to discuss, usually, when they went into the mountains to hunt, several people would go together, hunting wild goats, deer, and wild rabbits. Seeing a wild wolf was not something they dared to provoke.

Wang Da Zhu, seeing the wounds on him and his pale face, didn't say much. He took the backpack and helped him carry it home.

...

After two days of rest and using some herbs, the wounds from the wolf claws were starting to heal. However, the chunk of flesh bitten off his left arm would take at least ten more days to recover.

During these two days, Wang entered the space several times, transplanting the Astragalus plants with only three to five years of medicinal age to a corner in the space.

After repeated attempts, he found that, except for plants, other living things couldn't be brought into the space, not even a hopping toad.

Moreover, the time passing inside and outside the space was indeed different. Using two incense sticks with the same markings, he lit them simultaneously. When the one inside burned out, the one outside had only consumed a small portion of the incense. The time inside the space seemed to pass at a rate of twenty to thirty times faster than the outside.

"It seems I need to get some seeds quickly and plant the land. One day here is equivalent to almost a month outside; it's too wasteful."

"This time, although going into the mountains was dangerous, the harvest was not small. Over a dozen Astragalus plants, several dozen pounds of Kudzu Root, and a wolf. I'll sell them in town later and use the money to buy some seeds."

Wang didn't tell his little brother about the space. Firstly, it was too bizarre a matter, and secondly, he dared not let others know. If anyone found out, Wang was certain someone would come with a knife to split open his head, searching for the mysterious gem. As for whether they could find the gem from his head, that was not even in the realm of consideration. After all, who would care about the death of a background-less, powerless poor boy?

It wasn't that he didn't trust his little brother; it was just the best way to keep a secret. Let it rot in your stomach, never let a second person know. Suppose his little brother knew. In the future, should his wife also know? Then her family, parents, and siblings? Everyone has someone close and trustworthy. In the end, it might become a widely known secret.

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