Chapter 1, Ancient Accidents
This person is definitely not oneself, but...! ... yet it truly is oneself!
Fortunately, I survived, and I feel as if I am not missing any limbs, truly a great fortune amidst misfortune
I never expected that a seemingly ordinary trip would bring about such calamity—truly, it was a disaster that fell from the "sky." The aviation accident, which is claimed to be the safest mode of transportation in the world, with a probability of occurrence of only one in a million, would actually happen to me!
Control, control, do not panic, take a deep breath, maintain a steady heartbeat, and try to clear the mind of distractions, eliminating all negative associations, and completely emptying oneself
Confirming that his condition has stabilized considerably, Zhang propped himself up with the sword sheath, intending to examine the surroundings for any clues. As he moved his body, he realized that this physique had sustained significant injuries: a large bump had formed on the back of his head, fortunately without any bleeding. The eighth rib on the left side was noticeably painful when pressed, likely indicating a fracture; however, there was no apparent movement, suggesting it was a greenstick fracture, which is the mildest type. As long as he refrained from vigorous activities, it could heal naturally without the need for realignment. Aside from these two more obvious injuries, the rest were minor wounds such as slight abrasions on his palms and bruises from bumps on his shoulders and hips.
Zhang Fang had seen many corpses soaked in the difficult-to-smell formalin solution, and during his internship at the hospital, he had also carried the recently deceased to the morgue. As for the various internal organs and blood on the operating table, he had seen more than enough. However, witnessing wolves frantically gnawing on human corpses, tearing apart limbs, devouring internal organs, and dragging intestines several meters away was an experience he had never encountered before.
This is a relatively smooth winding mountain path, with steep and towering peaks on one side, seemingly having just experienced a landslide, with fallen rocks scattered everywhere, the largest piece comparable to a grinding stone. This grinding stone is embedded in a thick vehicle plank. More alarming than the landslide are the scattered fragments of a dismantled cart on the ground, broken sections of the double yoke, shattered wheel rims, horses crushed beyond recognition, and two bodies that are unrecognizable!
Zhang Fang swayed his head from side to side, his gaze shifting, yet he surprisingly did not discover any aircraft wreckage, nor did he catch a whiff of the acrid smell of burning fuel. Could it be that his luck was so good, having been cast far away from the crash site?
The slanting sun elongated the silhouette of the youth, while the pack of wolves, occasionally raising their heads to howl and at times lowering them to gnaw, gradually transformed from clarity to obscurity, fading away from the pupils and disappearing...
The appearance of Zhang Fang immediately alerted the several jackals, whose four pairs of yellow-green eyes swept over, cold and eerie, sending chills down one's spine. Their furry heads were smeared with clotted blood, their nostrils flaring as they exhaled a foul stench, and their gaping mouths dripped with a viscous liquid that mixed blood and saliva, with remnants of flesh clearly visible between their teeth.
Juxin tightened his grip on the sword hilt and glared fiercely at the short and stout leader: "Jiao Meng, I have given you the weapons, and I have also given you the money and grain. I only ask that you handle this matter properly—this is what you call being clean and efficient?"
While these men were searching around, only two men, one tall and one short, stood still. The short and stout man, with a body like a barrel, a neck that was thick and short, and a belly that bulged like a drum, was looking up and grinning at the tall and thin man beside him, saying: "Brother Ju Xin, I am not mistaken, right? This small matter is nothing to us brothers, I guarantee it will be done cleanly and efficiently"
Prepared and ready, continue the ascent
Zhang Fang walked while carefully observing, and along the way, he could see stones of various sizes, the larger ones as big as a basin, and the smaller ones like fists. The surface of the stones was fresh, as if they had just rolled down from the mountain top. He also picked up quite a few threads and scraps, confirming they were items he had lost by comparing them to the clothes he was wearing. As he approached the top of the slope, he unexpectedly found a square carved jade, pure white and about the size of half a palm, as well as a heavy brocade pouch. Upon opening it, he discovered it was filled with copper coins and flat, disc-shaped pieces of gold, each about the size of a finger. As he approached the top of the slope, he unexpectedly found a square carved jade, pure white and about the size of half a palm, as well as a heavy brocade pouch. Upon opening it, he discovered it was filled with copper coins and flat, disc-shaped pieces of gold, each about the size of a finger.
Zhang Fang let out a long sigh, as if awakening from a thousand-year-long dream. When all the sensations returned to his body, he felt a heavy head, aching limbs, and pain everywhere, yet he was very happy—indeed, no matter who it is, after miraculously surviving a plane crash, one would feel this way
Zhang Fang stuffed all these items into his bosom; this garment has a "pocket" that is just right for holding valuable items
Zhang Fang felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, and a wave of fear washed over him—he was certain that "he" had fallen from this shattered ancient vehicle, and he was extremely fortunate to have only sustained minor injuries, narrowly escaping the fate of being crushed to pieces and the misfortune of being torn apart by wolves
Zhang Fang, with the unique calmness of a psychologist, controlled the immense turmoil within his heart. He moved the sword sheath from his waist to his chest, where three gemstones were embedded on either side of the spring position. Although he was not particularly knowledgeable about gemstones, these three were easily recognizable: turquoise, Hetian jade, and yellow jade. The sword sheath was lacquered in red, the sword guard was gilded, and the green, yellow, and white gemstones showcased the exceptional quality of the sword itself
It is imperative to leave, regardless of the circumstances, one must leave
The sword is three fingers wide, with a blood groove in the center. The blade gleams like frost, exuding a chilling aura. Near the guard, there are two inscribed seal characters, yet they are unrecognizable. The sword body shines like a mirror, reflecting the face of a youthful boy.
This will not do, Zhang's gaze fell upon the long belt with red and black knots at his waist
Zhang Fang used his sword as a staff, bending down to climb upwards along the indentation. After climbing just a few steps, he realized that his wide sleeves made the ascent nearly disastrous; not only were his long sleeves snagged by the weeds, but the hem of his flowing robe, trailing on the ground, almost caused him to trip and roll back to his original position
What surprised Zhang Fang even more was that the sleeves had also changed; they were no longer the sleeves of a suit, but rather wide ochre-colored sleeves resembling ancient attire. Zhang Fang's gaze fell, and he indeed wore an ochre silk Hanfu: with a cross-collar, right lapel, hidden buttons, and layers of draping, cinched at the waist with a red and black cord. Moreover, there was also a long sword in its scabbard, exuding an air of antiquity.
What truly sent chills down Zhang Fang's spine were the four animals, resembling wolves and dogs, that were frantically tearing at the corpse of the horse. These creatures, larger than dogs yet smaller than wolves, had reddish-brown fur, short tails, fox-like faces, sharp teeth, and emitted a hissing sound, presenting a menacing appearance
The person referred to as "Ju Xin" is a middle-aged man with sunken cheeks, a handlebar mustache, and a gloomy expression. Among this group of people, he is the only one wearing a cap and dressed in a long robe, with a sword at his waist, his demeanor starkly contrasting with that of the rough men around him. He gazes up at the steep and perilous mountain peaks beside him, and as his gaze falls, he sweeps a glance at the scattered rocks on the ground. A hint of a smile appears on his somber face as he nods and says: "Using the loose stones to ambush the carriages, creating the appearance of an accident, is flawless. Only someone familiar with the terrain here, like Xian Zhongkun, could accomplish this. Ju Xin has not chosen the wrong person this time." He gazes up at the steep and perilous mountain peaks beside him, and as his gaze falls, he sweeps a glance at the scattered rocks on the ground. A hint of a smile appears on his somber face as he nods and says: "Using the loose stones to ambush the carriages, creating the appearance of an accident, is flawless. Only someone familiar with the terrain here, like Xian Zhongkun, could accomplish this. Ju Xin has not chosen the wrong person this time."
Ten minutes later, Zhang Fang's appearance underwent a transformation: a red and black rope crossed over her chest, her wide sleeves were tied at her sides, revealing two slender white arms; the hem of her skirt was also lifted and tucked at her waist, but it seemed she was not wearing any pants, ... her lower body felt a bit chilly ...
Most people would likely feel weak in the legs, vomit, collapse, or even faint upon witnessing such a bloody scene. Fortunately, Zhang Fang's profession endows him with a psychological resilience and endurance that is difficult for ordinary individuals to match. Even so, his nerves are highly tense, his pupils constricted, and the knuckles gripping the sword hilt are turning white. At present, the wolves have food, perhaps too preoccupied with their meal to care for themselves, but at this frenzied rate of consumption, how long can these remains of horses and men last? ... If they are not yet satiated ...
The stout man could not help but smile with satisfaction, just as he was about to speak, when he saw a man with a tuft of black hair on his right cheek hurriedly approaching, his expression grim as he reported: "The imperial guards and attendants are all present, but one person is missing. There are footprints indicating that he went north... The main person has escaped"
The ones who drove away the jackal were more than ten men, their heads wrapped in black cloth, dressed in brown garments, and wearing narrow trousers and hemp shoes. This group of individuals was armed with long and short swords, and one of them held a horn bow; the jackal's corpse on the ground was his handiwork
... ...
Zhang slowly opened his eyes and first surveyed his surroundings. The sky was very blue, the vegetation lush, and the rich scent of earth indicated to him that he was in a remote wilderness. Well, this was quite normal; in the event of a plane crash, it would either fall into the sea or land in the wilderness. At least so far, he had not heard of a crash occurring in a densely populated city.
Zhang opened his eyes wide, and the pair of eyes reflected in the sword blade were equally wide open
This is not an air disaster; it is clearly the scene of a car accident. Moreover, it is an accident from ancient times
Nearly half an hour after Zhang Fang's figure disappeared, several jackals were feasting happily when suddenly, a series of sharp howls pierced the air, and an arrow, as thick as a finger, shot through the sky. With a thud, beast blood splattered, and after a mournful howl, a jackal corpse lay on the ground.
Witnessing the horrific scene, more than ten men did not furrow their brows even slightly, and they dispersed with remarkable tacit understanding, searching the area. Some inspected the vehicles, some examined the bodies, some picked up scattered items, and several others meticulously searched along the traces left by the rolling objects that had previously tumbled down the slope.
From the location where Zhang Fang is situated, there appears a steep slope greater than 40 degrees and over 30 meters in length, with a very distinct long rolling mark extending from the top of the slope down to the position where he is standing. It is evident that he rolled down from above
Since it is safe now, let's make a phone call to report our safety. Zhang Fang tried to lift his arm, and his heart sank—his arm was actually shorter! Had it been severed? But why was there no sensation of pain? ... Upon closer inspection, it was not severed, but rather ...! ... it was shorter! It was as if an adult's arm had transformed into that of a teenager.
The remaining few jackals howled furiously, but the animals' inherent sense of danger ultimately compelled them to abandon their food and flee in panic, their short tails tucked between their legs
Any animal, including wolves, will not risk wasting energy to hunt another seemingly larger "animal" as long as it has food in its mouth. Therefore, the four wolves merely bared their teeth at Zhang Fang, threatening with a hoarse, vibrating sound from their throats, warning the other party not to step into their hunting grounds and seize the food that belongs to them
The short and stout leader panted heavily, his face ashen, his eyes bulging as he roared at more than ten subordinates: "Search for me! Find it for me! Even if it means scouring the Gyro Mountain, you must dig it out for me—"
Zhang Fang's hand holding the sword trembled, and his reflection in the "mirror" became momentarily blurred... In that instant, Zhang Fang realized a terrifying truth: in this bizarre air disaster, he was not a fortunate survivor; his physical body had perished, yet his soul traversed a thousand years of time and space, finding a host!
Zhang Fang gripped the hilt of the sword with his right hand, pressed the latch with his left hand, and with a clang, drew the sword halfway out of its sheath
This situation is too bizarre, so bizarre that even Zhang Fang, who has undergone special psychological training, finds his mind in complete disarray at this moment
Zhang slowly drew half of the sword, his eyes fixed on the pack of wolves, retreating step by step. Regardless of what dangers lay behind him, distancing himself from these wolves was the only chance to see the sun of tomorrow.
It is a jackal! Zhang's hair stood on end, and he gripped the hilt of his sword tightly
When Zhang Fang finally reached the top of the slope, the scene before him nearly froze his blood
The stout man’s smile froze.
With a clang, Zhang Fang forcefully sheathed the sword, causing that unfamiliar face to vanish.
Wuzhu coins! The standard currency of the Han Dynasty, could it be that the era in which one finds oneself is indeed that of the illustrious Han? However, relying solely on a single coin does not provide conclusive evidence, as Wuzhu coins were also in use during the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties. Moreover, it should be noted that the Han Dynasty is divided into the Western Han and Eastern Han, and the differences between them are significant
What attracts Zhang's attention is not the gold ingots, but rather the copper coins. He reaches out and picks one up, and under the gentle sunlight, the two easily recognizable inscriptions "Five Zhu" are clearly visible.