Dawn of a New Life - Chapter 1

  Twelve years had passed in the blink of an eye.

  Lin Guanglin stared at his reflection in the still water of a pond near the farm fields. He had never been frail—not even as a child. From the moment he could chew solid food, he had refined his body, using The Gift that The Stranger provided within him not only to enhance his body but to govern every aspect of his physical being. His body responded like a well-trained soldier to the commands of his will—his digestive tract squeezing every drop of energy from food, his bones denser than adults, his muscles layering with tougher, tighter fibers. Even his senses had sharpened, his vision clearer, his hearing more acute, his sense of smell more nuanced than any normal human, as that of animals. His nervous system responded faster, his brain housing an ever-growing network of neurons that accelerated thought and reaction alike. At twelve, he stood like a young beast in human form—broad-shouldered, thick-limbed, and towering over most grown men. His strength wasn’t just the result of hard labor but something far deeper, orchestrated from within, in ways few could comprehend.

  His hands, calloused from years of work, clenched slightly as he examined his reflection. A gust of wind rippled across the pond’s surface, distorting his image, and he sighed. He had grown used to his own unnatural physique, but even now, there were moments when he wondered—was this truly his body, or someone else?

  His musings were cut short by the sharp voice of his elder sister.

  "Guanglin! Stop staring at yourself and come help with the Load!" Lin Xinglan called out. At eighteen, she had grown into a strong young woman, sharp of wit and quicker with her hands than even their mother when it came to household chores.

  Their father, Lin Zhiqiang, had just returned from the market, his cart stacked high with supplies. Firewood, sacks of grain, bundles of cloth, and even a small barrel of pickled vegetables jostled in the cart as he guided it toward the house. The ox pulling the cart let out a heavy breath, clearly exhausted from the trip.

  Lin Guanglin stretched and turned, his movements slow and deliberate. "Coming."

  As he moved toward his father, his elder brother, Lin Jiehao, arrived from the fields, wiping sweat from his brow. "Father, you're back early today. The trip must’ve been smooth."

  Lin Zhiqiang chuckled, stepping down from the cart. "Smooth? Hah! If only. The market's a madhouse—prices climbing, merchants practically clawing each other over some exquisite mortal-grade honey the next village managed to harvest. It's drawn everyone's attention—merchants, thugs, even The Clan. Yes, that Clan," he added, voice lowering a touch, eyes scanning as if the very name might carry weight. "When they take an interest... it means something big is brewing. Power, gold, blood—it all follows where they tread."

  Lin Jiehao clicked his tongue, his brows furrowing as he glanced at their father. "Just what we needed—more trouble," he muttered, the frustration in his tone mingling with the naive confidence of someone who had only recently begun to understand the weight of adult concerns. "Things like this always spiral."

  "More money too," Lin Zhiqiang pointed out, though his voice held a wary edge. "But it comes with dangers—roads crawling with desperate men and beasts driven mad by something in the wilds. The clan says they'll handle it." He spat to the side, half in respect, half in frustration. "They don’t make empty promises. When they move, villages rise or fall in their shadow. We’ll see roads cleared, trade flourish—but the cost won’t just be coin. There’s always something they take in return. Maybe not from us directly, but it trickles down. It always does.""

  Lin Guanglin reached for the firewood, hefting an entire bundle over his shoulder with the nonchalance of someone brushing aside a twig. "I’ve got this," he said, tone casual, almost bored. "No point in all of us breaking our backs."

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Lin Jiehao scoffed. "You think you're the only strong one here?"

  "No, but I'm the stronger one here, aren't I," Guanglin teased, grinning. His elder brother only rolled his eyes.

  Together, they made their way home, each carrying their share of supplies. Their mother, Lin Meiyun, and their little sister, Lin Meirong, were already preparing dinner, their hands moving swiftly as they tended to the kitchen. The aroma of freshly cooked rice and simmering stew filled the air.

  At the dinner table, their father set down his chopsticks with a thoughtful expression, then paused as if something important had just struck him. "Almost forgot—the assessment, of The Clan. That is usually hold at the end of winter, but this time. It’s been moved up—end of this month, less than three weeks from now."

  He let the words settle, his tone carrying the weight of what he was about to say. "It’s not just some formality. The clan’s looking to recruit martial artists—and not just anyone. If you pass, they’ll check your spirit roots. Might even grant resources for cultivation. It’s... significant. For a family like ours, this kind of recognition can change standing. Status, opportunity, maybe even a better life."

  There was a flicker in his eyes—somewhere between reverence and fear, the way a commoner might speak of nobles or powerful sects. "It’s the clan, after all. When they move, the rest of us feel it—one way or another. Good or bad, it all trickles down," muttered Jiehao.

  Lin Guanglin swallowed his food, his expression unreadable. "You really think I’ll pass?"

  "Boy, you can crush a grown man’s bones if you aren’t careful," Lin Jiehao muttered between bites. "You throw pigs around like they’re sacks of flour. If you don’t pass, no one will."

  Guanglin sighed, a trace of disinterest clouding his expression. "Honestly, I’d rather spend the day carving wood than throwing his hands."

  He stood, walking toward his room before returning with two small wooden sculptures—a rabbit and a bird—as if to prove that this, not fighting or cultivating, was what truly interested him. The rabbit, soft-furred with delicate ears, had real fur attached from a previous hunting trip, and the bird had been meticulously adorned with tiny feathers and a polished beak, each detail carved with a craftsman’s pride rather than a warrior’s ambition.

  He handed the rabbit to Meirong and the bird to Xinglan. "Here, made these for you."

  His little sister’s eyes sparkled as she hugged the rabbit close. "It’s so cute! Thank you, big brother!"

  His elder sister examined the bird with a warm smile. "You’re getting better. The details are amazing."

  Lin Jiehao frowned. "And where’s mine?"

  Guanglin smirked. "It’s a surprise. Just wait."

  "Hah! I’m not a child," Jiehao scoffed, puffing up slightly, as if his pride had been challenged. "Seriously though, I don’t get why you waste that monster physique on carving wood. If I had your build, I’d be lifting boulders in the square just to impress the girls. Hell, I’d toss that village bully Zhang Baolin into the pigsty like a hero. You’re living every boy’s fantasy and choosing... woodworking?""

  Guanglin shrugged, his expression unreadable. "That kind of attention only brings mess I don’t need. People start watching, whispering, expecting things." He glanced at his hands, flexing them . "There are martial artists who spend years for this kind of strength. If I started tossing people around, it wouldn’t just be Zhang Baolin crawling away—it’d be half the village staring. And I’m not interested in putting on a show."

  Guanglin leaned back, a teasing grin playing at his lips. "Honestly, Jiehao, if you spent half as much time working on your strength as you do loafing around with your friends, you might actually pass the assessment. But at this rate? You’re barely going to scrape by. Not that I’m worried, of course. I’d be surprised if you even get close to my level."

  Jiehao scoffed, leaning back with a smirk. "I’m still better than most boys in the village. I don’t have to compare myself to a bull of a human like you."

  Jiehao rolled his eyes, but before he could retort, their little sister marched over and pinched both of their arms. "You two talk too much. Let me check your muscles!" She grinned as she flexed her tiny arms. "I’ll train too, so I can bully the neighbor’s kids!"

  The family laughed, the warm glow of the lanterns casting soft shadows around them. As the evening wound down.

  Their mother exclaimed "Oh, and… You should know, someone’s been asking about Xinglan."as if suddenly remembering it.

  Xinglan groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Not again…"

  Guanglin’s grin widened. "Oh? Who is it this time?"

  Their father chuckled. "A young man from the next village—Chen Wei. Seems he’s been making excuses to visit."

  Lin Jiehao snorted. "Should I go have a chat with him?"

  "No, I’ll handle it," Guanglin said, smirking as his sister threw a spoon at him. "What? I just want to meet the guy."

  Their father waved his hand dismissively. "You should all get some rest. The assessment will be in a few days, and I want you all to be ready."

  The night passed with the easy laughter of family.