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【ding dong】

[Host Su Ning has been detected to meet the requirements for traveling to the new instance world]

[Current Dungeon World: The Year of Peace]

[Current Identity: Guo Xin, the third son of Guo Wei]

[Time: 950 AD, the third year of the Qianyou era of the Later Han Dynasty]

[Background: Suspecting Guo Wei's growing power and potential rebellion, Emperor Yin of the Later Han Dynasty, Liu Chengyou, ordered the execution of all of Guo Wei's family members in Dongjing (Kaifeng). Guo Wei's wife, Zhang, foresaw the danger and drugged their young son, Guo Xin, hiding him in a hole in the wall of a dry well in the backyard of their residence.]

Main Quest: Survive and build your own power in this chaotic world.

[Mission Time Limit: Fifty Years]

[Missing Memory Reward: 1% Recovery]

[Restriction: Advanced weapons from the outer space world cannot be used; materials must also be used with caution]

Su Ning woke up from a severe headache as the cold system notification sounded in his mind.

The moment consciousness returned, the biting cold and damp musty smell were the first things to hit the senses.

He found himself curled up in an extremely narrow, dark space, his back pressed against the rough, cold stone wall, with slippery moss and mud beneath him.

All around was deathly silent, with only the faint sound of water, seemingly coming from a great distance, and his own suppressed breathing and heartbeat.

"Where...is this?" He instinctively tried to move.

But he found his body unusually heavy, his throat dry and sore, and his mind a jumbled mess, like a lump of paste.

A few seconds later, fragments of Guo Xin's memories, along with information from the system, forcibly flooded into his consciousness.

Guo Xin, aged fourteen, was the third son of Guo Wei, the Privy Councilor, Governor of Yedu, and Military Governor of Tianxiong Army during the Later Han Dynasty. His mother was Zhang.

His father, Guo Wei, was stationed in Yedu (present-day Daming, Hebei) for many years. He was a highly decorated general and his reputation was known far and wide. However, this also aroused the deep suspicion of the young emperor Liu Chengyou.

Just yesterday, the Guo residence in Kaifeng, Tokyo, was suddenly surrounded by the Imperial Guards.

The leading eunuch brought not rewards, but a cold execution order.

The charge was that Guo Wei colluded with people from other towns and had ulterior motives.

Chaos, cries, clashing swords, death screams...

The last fragment of his memory was of his mother, Zhang, with tears streaming down her face, forcing a small, cold porcelain bottle into his mouth. The bitter liquid slid down his throat, followed by endless darkness.

"Drugs... well..."

Su Ning struggled to turn his stiff neck, his fingers groping along the surrounding stone walls.

It was cold and slippery to the touch, with obvious signs of artificial excavation.

A faint ray of light shone through from ahead, outlining the irregular shape of the cave entrance.

The cave he was in seemed to be a hidden space formed by an inward indentation in one side of the well wall. It was only big enough for one person to curl up, and the entrance was barely covered by a few loose stones.

There is a well outside.

His mother, Zhang, hid him in a hole in the wall of a dry well in the backyard of the mansion.

So... how is the Guo family doing now?

Where is Mother? Where is Eldest Brother Guo Tong? There are hundreds of people in the household...

A chilling fear, mixed with the lingering grief of the original owner, instantly gripped his heart.

He forced himself to calm down, and Su Ning's rationality gradually overwhelmed Guo Xin's panic.

"System, the copy of 'Peaceful Years'... 950 AD... Later Han Dynasty... Guo Wei..."

Having lived through the information explosion era, he quickly drew upon his limited historical knowledge.

The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period was a chaotic period within a chaotic period.

Guo Wei... if I remember correctly, he should be the founding emperor of the Later Zhou Dynasty!
The year 950 AD was the crucial year in which Guo Wei's family was massacred, he subsequently raised an army, and the following year he was crowned emperor!

According to official historical records, the original owner, Guo Xin, should have been killed along with his entire family.

Now, he had become that boy who should have died.

The system's mission is clear: survive and build its own power within ten years.

But the most pressing task at hand is how to get out of this well without being discovered by the officers and soldiers who may still be searching for any remaining survivors.

Su Ning lay quietly inside the cave, listening intently.

The world above the well was deathly silent.

There were no footsteps, no human voices, not even birdsong or insect chirps.

This silence, however, carried an ominous air.

I don't know how much time passed, maybe a few hours, maybe half a day.

He was tormented by extreme cold, hunger, and thirst.

But he dared not move, dared not make a sound.

Finally, faint voices could be heard from above, growing louder as they approached.

"...Search thoroughly! Leave no one alive! His Majesty has decreed that Guo Wei's entire traitorous family be executed, leaving no one alive!"

"Boss, this well...should we go down and take a look?"

"It's so deep, and it's a dry well. It can't hide anyone, can it? Let's throw a torch down to check."

As soon as he finished speaking, a flickering beam of light fell from the well opening, briefly illuminating the dark well walls and the rubble and weeds at the bottom.

As the firelight swept across the cave wall, Su Ning held his breath and pressed his body tightly against the deepest part of the cave wall.

The torch fell to the bottom of the well, burned for a while, and then gradually went out.

"Look, nobody's here. Let's go! There are still many places to search."

The chaotic footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Su Ning waited for a long time until she was sure there was no more sound outside before carefully moving her stiff body and prying open the rocks at the entrance of the hole.

He peeked out and looked up.

The wellhead was like a small, hazy circle, towering high above.

Looking down, the bottom of the well was about three or four zhang deep, piled with miscellaneous items.

Climb out.

This thought was crystal clear.

He took a deep breath and began to search for gaps or protrusions in the well wall that he could climb, relying on his memory and sense of touch.

The stone wall was slippery and covered with moss, making it extremely difficult to get a foothold.

Several times he slipped and nearly fell, only managing to keep his balance by gripping the cracks in the rocks tightly with his fingers.

The main problem is that this body is too weak and doesn't possess any real strength.

The climb was slow and difficult, and my strength was quickly depleted.

When he finally managed to tremble and place his hand on the edge of the well, his arms were so weak that he could barely feel them.

With his last bit of strength, he climbed out of the well and collapsed onto the cold ground, gasping for breath.

As far as the eye can see, there is the back garden of the Guo family mansion.

But the once lush and beautiful courtyard is now a mess.

The artificial hill collapsed, the flowers and trees were broken, the exquisite pavilions, towers, doors and windows were shattered, and bloodstains left hideous marks on the stone slabs and soil.

The air was filled with a strong smell of blood and burning.

In the distance, black smoke could be faintly seen rising from the front yard.

There was no crying, no sound of living people moving around.

This once magnificent mansion is now dead.

Su Ning lay motionless on the ground, letting the cold earth slightly cool his boiling blood and grief.

You mustn't cry, you mustn't shout.

live.

Only by surviving can other possibilities exist.

He struggled to his feet, enduring the dizziness, and tried to orient himself.

We must leave this place immediately, as government troops may turn back at any time, or rioters may flood in to take advantage of the chaos.

He tore off a relatively clean piece of his undergarment, soaked it in the murky water of the lotus pond in the garden, and haphazardly wiped the dirt off his face.

I found another overturned fish food container, grabbed a handful of the moldy fish food, stuffed it into my mouth, and forced it down to replenish my energy.

Then, taking advantage of the ruins, he stealthily made his way towards a secluded little door in the backyard, just as he remembered it, like a startled cat.

The small door was ajar, the bolt violently broken. He slipped out, and outside lay a quiet, deserted alley.

In 950 AD, the sky over Kaifeng was overcast.

Fourteen-year-old Guo Xin, dressed in rags and covered in mud, turned back for one last look at his former home, then turned and disappeared into the maze-like alleyways without looking back.

Behind him lay a blood feud and the massacre of his entire family.

Ahead lies an unknown chaotic world and a test of life and death.

Meanwhile, Suning's "Peaceful Year" instance officially began amidst this blood-soaked atmosphere.

……

After escaping from the back alley of the Guo residence, Su Ning did not immediately flee.

Because he knew that a teenager, whose clothes were tattered but still of decent quality, and whose face was dirty but still showed signs of being pampered, was running around in the tense city of Kaifeng, which was no different from walking into a trap.

He hid in the shadows and observed for a while, and saw squads of heavily armored Imperial Guards still patrolling the main streets, checking suspicious pedestrians.

The city gates were heavily guarded.

He had to change his image and completely integrate into the lower class.

We ventured deeper into the slums and stopped in a corner piled high with garbage.

Without hesitation, he grabbed the dirtiest and smelliest mud from the ground, mixed with rotten leaves and unidentified filth, and carefully smeared it all over his head, face, neck, and even his tattered brocade undershirt.

The pungent stench made him want to vomit, but he endured it, scrutinizing even the smallest details like his fingernails and behind his ears.

Next, he found a half-broken tile, completely messed up and knotted his still relatively neat hair, and tore off more pieces of clothing to make the damage look more natural, more like the result of long-term homelessness.

Finally, he rubbed his bare feet repeatedly on the rough ground and gravel until his soles were blistered and scratched.

After doing all this, Su Ning glanced at his reflection in the sewage puddle: a disheveled, filthy little beggar with a stench and a numb gaze, no different from the thousands of displaced beggars in Kaifeng.

With his disguise complete, he began to move towards the place where the refugees from the outer city gathered, a place he remembered from his past.

Kaifeng is a large city, and the prosperous inner city and the chaotic outer city are like two different worlds.

Near the outer city wall, abandoned temples, and the Bianhe River wharf, large numbers of refugees who had fled due to war and famine, as well as local poor people who had lost their livelihoods, gathered.

This place is a melting pot of all sorts of people, and the government is weak, making it a good hiding place.

Su Ning infiltrated a refugee camp located next to an abandoned temple.

The camp reeked of foul odors, and there were makeshift shacks everywhere. People, dressed in rags and looking emaciated, sat or lay down, their eyes vacant.

Occasionally, the crying of children and the scolding of adults would break out, but soon silence would return.

He found an inconspicuous corner and curled up, imitating the others by lowering his head and hunching his shoulders, trying to minimize his presence.

Survival immediately became the most pressing issue.

hungry.

The extreme hunger was like a bone-deep infection; he hadn't eaten or drunk anything for over a day.

Even food from the otherworldly realms is forbidden, because one must conform to all the requirements of a little beggar.

After all, the most ingenious scam in the world is one that fools yourself.

At the Guo residence, even the simplest snacks were meticulously prepared.

Now, even a mouthful of stale leftover porridge or a piece of coarse grain cake as hard as a rock are luxuries.

He saw that some of the stronger migrants would work at the docks or do odd jobs in the city in exchange for a little food.

But with his "fourteen-year-old" and malnourished body, nobody wanted him.

Begging is the primary means of transportation.

He followed a few old beggars and learned to squat in the back alleys of restaurants and on the edge of markets, extending his dirty hands and repeating in the most humble and numb tone: "Please have mercy...give me something to eat..."

Most of the time, they were scolded, driven away, or even kicked and beaten.

Occasionally, kind passersby or restaurant staff will pour out some leftover food from the customers.

At these times, he had to be quick and nimble, competing with other equally hungry beggars for the food.

As a result, he endured many punches and kicks, and several new wounds appeared on his arms.

But he had to take it.

If you don't fight for it, you'll starve.

They drank raw water from the Bian River or muddy water that accumulated on rainy days.

They slept in drafty shacks, or even slept directly on the streets, accompanied by mosquitoes, rats and ants.

Layers of grime accumulated on his body, and lice bred in his hair.

Illness began to strike, and a sudden cold rain caused him to have a high fever for two days. He survived thanks to his survival instinct and relatively strong will.

During this process, he deliberately concealed his ability to read and write, and imitated the coarse accent and vocabulary of the refugees.

He silently observed the survival rules in the camp: there were local bullies who preyed on the weak, small groups that huddled together for warmth, and lone wolves like him struggling alone.

They try not to cause trouble, but carefully protect their meager food and shelter.

The days of waiting felt exceptionally long.

He pieced together the situation outside the city by listening to the scattered conversations among the refugees, the news circulating among the beggars, and the occasional snippets of conversations brought back by people returning from the city.

"Have you heard? When Lord Guo learned that his entire family had been killed in Yedu, he vomited blood and fainted. After waking up, he vowed to take revenge!"

"The imperial court sent men to arrest Lord Guo, but the men they sent instead surrendered to Lord Guo!"

"Martial law has been declared in Bianjing, supposedly to prevent General Guo from attacking..."

"General Guo has already raised an army! He claims it's to 'purge the emperor's inner circle,' and he intends to kill the treacherous officials around the emperor!"

The news is a mix of truth and falsehood, but the general direction is clear: Guo Wei has rebelled, and his momentum is unstoppable.

The imperial army suffered repeated defeats, causing widespread panic in Kaifeng, soaring prices, and an even greater number of displaced people.

Su Ning felt a mixture of satisfaction at the prospect of revenge and anxiety.

When will Guo Wei's army arrive in Kaifeng?
Before that, will I be able to survive?
Even if the army arrives, there will be a fierce battle in Kaifeng. How can a little beggar like me, mixed in with the refugees, find my father in the chaos of war?

How can one prove their identity?

These questions had no answers; he could only continue to wait and endure.

To increase his chances of survival, he began to consciously train his frail body.

Every day before dawn, while everyone else was still fast asleep, he would find a secluded spot near the camp to practice the most basic physical exercises...

Squats, push-ups, jogging.

They dared not make any big movements, for fear of attracting attention.

Food shortages limit the effectiveness of exercise, but at least they prevent the body from becoming too weak.

He also took every opportunity to learn and observe the survival wisdom of the lower classes in this era: how to identify who might give alms, how to avoid extortion by thugs, how to find different food sources in different seasons (such as digging for wild vegetables and catching insects), and even how to treat minor wounds with the simplest herbs.

As time went by, Suning had completely embraced the role of the little beggar.

His eyes became as numb and wary as those of the other refugees around him, his movements were agile and restrained, and his tolerance for filth, hunger, and cold greatly increased.

Only occasionally, in the dead of night when no one is around, will a hint of calm and calculation, unbecoming of someone of that age and status, flash deep within those eyes.

The atmosphere in Kaifeng was becoming increasingly tense.

There were more patrolling troops, and the checks were more stringent. Every now and then, carriages carrying officials' families would be hurriedly leaving the city under the escort of the army, sparking various speculations.

Anxiety began to permeate the refugee camp. Some planned to flee to more remote rural areas, while others felt they had nowhere to escape and could only leave it to fate.

That evening, Su Ning had just gotten half a cake from a kind old woman and was carefully tucking it into his pocket when he suddenly heard a muffled, continuous sound coming from afar, like distant summer thunder or the simultaneous beating of countless war drums.

The refugees in the camp were all startled and looked up in the direction from which the sound came—north.

"Is it thundering?" someone asked, puzzled.

"No...no..." A veteran who had served in the border army suddenly changed his expression. "It's the sound of horses' hooves! So many horses' hooves! And footsteps...it's the army! A large army!"

As if to confirm his words, urgent and shrill bugle calls and alarm bells suddenly rang out from all directions of Kaifeng!
Chaos erupted instantly within the city, with cries, shouts, running sounds, and officers' reprimands mingling together.

Su Ning suddenly stood up straight, looked up at the northern sky, and his heart was pounding in his chest.

coming.

finally come.

Suning quickly stuffed the pancake in his arms into his mouth and swallowed it in a few bites.

The first stage of surviving in chaotic times may be coming to an end.

But a more dangerous and complex situation lies ahead.

...(End of this chapter)