The dawn had not yet fully broken when Li Yuan was awakened by an unusual sound—the rhythmic, disciplined thudding of horse hooves. It wasn't the sound of ordinary traders or travelers' horses, but the sound of military cavalry moving in formation.
Li Yuan got out of bed and rushed to the window. In the distance, he could see a cloud of dust indicating the arrival of a large party. It was too early for Baron Harwick's scheduled visit—and there were too many horses for just a routine inspection.
An urgent knock on his door sent him hurrying downstairs. Sarah Miller was already standing at the main door with a pale face, David beside her with eyes full of worry.
"Yuan," Sarah said with a trembling voice, "there are soldiers heading for the village. So many of them."
Li Yuan felt a cold feeling spread in his chest. "How many?"
"At least fifty horses," David replied. "And they're not carrying a flag of trade or diplomacy. It's a war flag."
Li Yuan ran out of the inn, followed by Sarah and David. The villagers had already begun to gather on the main road with anxious faces. Thomas Aldrich stood in front of his house with a grim expression, while Marcus, Robert, and James gathered with their simple weapons—bows, a spear, and knives.
"Yuan!" Marcus called out when he saw him approaching. "This isn't an inspection visit. This is something else."
The group of soldiers finally appeared at the end of the main road. Li Yuan's breath caught in his throat when he saw the approaching formation—fifty mounted knights in full armor, followed by twenty foot soldiers, and in the middle of them, a luxurious carriage with the emblem of Baron Harwick.
But what worried Li Yuan was not the number of soldiers or the grandeur of the carriage.
It was the second flag flying next to the Baron's emblem—a black flag with a red dragon symbol that Li Yuan recognized as the emblem of the Kingdom of Drakemoor, a neighboring country that had a long-standing feud with the Kingdom of Astoria.
This is not an inspection, Li Yuan thought with growing horror. This is an invasion.
The group stopped in the center of the village in a perfect formation. The carriage door opened, and a tall man in black armor stepped out—not Baron Harwick, but someone Li Yuan didn't know. His face was hard with a scar on his left cheek, his eyes as cold as steel, and the aura of a military commander experienced in war.
"People of Millbrook village," the man's voice boomed with absolute authority, "I am Colonel Aldric Blackthorne of the Kingdom of Drakemoor. I hereby declare this village to be under military occupation."
Thomas Aldrich took a step forward with a commendable bravery, though Li Yuan could see his hand trembling. "Colonel, this is the territory of the Kingdom of Astoria. You have no authority—"
"Baron Harwick is no longer in power," Colonel Blackthorne cut in with a cold voice. "He has ceded his territory to the Kingdom of Drakemoor in exchange for protection from... a certain threat."
Li Yuan felt a burning rage. Betrayal. The Baron sold out his own people.
"What do you want from us?" Thomas asked in a voice he forced to remain calm.
The Colonel smiled—a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "First, all men aged 16-40 will join our forces. Second, half of your annual harvest will be handed over as a war tax. Third..." his eyes searched among the crowd and stopped on Li Yuan, "there is someone who has been specifically requested to join us."
Li Yuan felt the danger approaching. "Who?"
"A man named Yuan. We received reports of your... special abilities in handling conflicts and solving problems." The Colonel walked closer with a threatening stride. "Such abilities are very valuable in a military campaign."
"And if I refuse?" Li Yuan asked.
The Colonel raised his hand, and a dozen archers from his troops immediately aimed their bows at the unarmed villagers.
"Then for every day you refuse, one family in this village will be executed. Starting with the family that seems to be the most... close to you."
The Colonel's cold eyes shifted to the Brennan family with a look full of menace.
Li Yuan felt something break in his chest—a mixture of rage and fear. He saw Marcus trying to shield Anna and Lila, his friend's eyes meeting his with an expression that said: No matter what happens, protect my family.
"How long do I have to decide?" Li Yuan asked, trying to buy time.
"Until sunset today," the Colonel replied. "After that, the executions begin."
Li Yuan looked at the village that had become his home, the people who had become his family. Every face showed the same fear—not for themselves, but for the people they loved.
"In the meantime," the Colonel continued, "to ensure no one tries to escape or rebel, we will take a few... guarantees."
He signaled to his soldiers. A dozen soldiers stepped forward and began to separate children from their parents. Lila screamed when a soldier tried to pull her from Anna's arms.
"DON'T TOUCH HER!" Marcus yelled, drawing his hunting knife.
Before Li Yuan could move, three soldiers had already surrounded Marcus. He fought with the bravery of a father defending his family, but against three experienced soldiers in full armor, the outcome was inevitable.
Marcus fell with blood flowing from a wound on his head.
"PAPA!" Lila shrieked.
Anna knelt beside her unconscious husband, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Li Yuan observed the situation with a calmness born from thousands of years of experience facing crises. He had witnessed the rise and fall of kingdoms, the cruelty of rulers, and the suffering of innocent people countless times throughout history.
In the depths of his being, he felt the resonance of the Daojing tremble gently—offering a peace that could calm this entire situation. But the wisdom accumulated over millennia made him understand the broader consequences.
Using his power would reveal his true identity, and while that resonance would bring temporary peace, after its effect wore off, these soldiers would return with dangerous questions. Moreover, such a profound peace from an unexplainable source would attract unwanted attention.
"You seem very... calm for a situation like this," Colonel Blackthorne said, observing Li Yuan with sharp eyes. "Most people would panic, get angry, or at least show more... human emotion."
Li Yuan looked at the Colonel with the calmness of one who has seen too much to be shaken by a single threat, but also wise enough not to underestimate the real danger. "Panic rarely solves problems, Colonel. And anger often makes them worse."
Li Yuan looked at the Colonel with eyes full of hidden rage. How could they know?
"Until sunset," the Colonel repeated. "Choose wisely."
As the Drakemoor troops set up camp around the village and placed guards at every exit, Li Yuan knelt beside the still-unconscious Marcus.
Anna looked at him with eyes full of tears and despair. "Yuan, what's going to happen to us?"
Li Yuan looked at Lila's terrified face, the wounded Marcus, the devastated Anna, and then at the entire village that had become his home.
For the first time in eleven thousand years, Li Yuan faced a situation where there was no right choice—only a choice about who would suffer, and how much.
And the sun continued to move toward the western horizon, counting down to a decision that would change everything.