Chapter 11
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The old village chief rarely left his house and struggled to walk.
For him to make a special trip, leaning on his cane, to my parents‘ graves just to speak to me, it was clear this matter was anything but ordinary.
I immediately tensed up, stood, and asked, “What is it?“.
The village chief gazed into the distance, his expression filled with
reminiscence.
“You might not know this, but your grandfather was once a renowned
seer.”
“Throughout his life, he never made a single miscalculation.”
“Countless people traveled from far and wide just to have him read their
fortunes.”
“When you were born, it was a bright summer day in June, but suddenly, thunder roared, lightning flashed, and strong winds howled.”
“I was outside, bringing in the laundry, when I accidentally overheard your grandfather performing a reading for you.”
“After finishing the reading, the usually calm and composed man suddenly went mad, insisting that he had to kill you.”
“At that time, your mother held you tightly in her arms, refusing to let go, while your father desperately stopped your grandfather and asked him why.”
“Your grandfather only said one thing: you were a harbinger of misfortune, and you could not be allowed to live.”
“But your parents refused to accept it and swore to protect you no matter what.”
“Your grandfather ran out of the house like a madman and never returned.”
“I knew this was your family’s private matter and had no right to interfere, so I never spoke about it to anyone. But now, with your parents and your fiancé all dying under mysterious circumstances, I think this might be connected to that incident. I saw your grandfather in the mountains behind our village a few years ago. He seems to have been living in seclusion there ever since.”
“If you want answers, try finding and asking him yourself.”
Hearing the village chief’s words, my heart, which had been drifting aimlessly in confusion, suddenly found a direction.
Chapter 10
No wonder my parents had never mentioned my grandfather to me since childhood.
I had never even seen him before.
I never expected there to be such a shocking past behind it.
After processing everything, I curiously asked, “Chief, isn’t the mountain. behind our village said to be filled with wild beasts all year round?
“Even the strongest young men in our village don’t dare to venture up there recklessly. Are you sure my grandfather has been living alone on that mountain?”
Since childhood, I had always heard villagers say the mountain was terrifying.
Many who went up never came back, and those who did either returned crippled or dead.
I simply couldn’t fathom how my grandfather had survived there alone.
The village chief’s expression turned solemn with reverence.
“Your grandfather is no ordinary man. Even the fiercest beasts wouldn’t dare provoke him.”
“Back then, I went up the mountain because my mischievous son had gone exploring and gotten trapped.”
“I lost this leg in the process, bitten off by a wild beast while searching for him. I truly thought I was going to die there.”
“But your grandfather appeared just in time, saving my life and helping me find my son.”
“So I believe that if anyone can give you answers about your family’s strange misfortunes, it would be your grandfather.”
I nodded in understanding and sincerely thanked the village chief.
Then, without hesitation, I set off alone into the mountains, beginning my journey to find my grandfather.
