Because of curiosity, Mu found himself sneaking into the tunnel, even though he'd been warned not to. He moved quietly, step by step, down the dark path, the air thick with ancient silence. At the end of the tunnel, he arrived at an ancient hall—the Whispering Jade Pavilion. Because he carried the blood of the Chen ancestry, the sealed entrance opened for him once again.
Lying in the middle of the hall was a massive twelve-eyed spider, sound asleep.
Not wanting to draw its attention, Mu slipped off his shoes and crept toward it. He had to get past the beast to reach a stone pavement where a large ancient book was laid.
With a silent breath, Mu leapt—landing softly on his toes beyond the spider. He stepped forward and flipped open the ancient tome, scanning the pages for a name he had memorized—"Concept of Manhuman."
"Whoa... this book is packed with secret techniques," he whispered. "How the hell am I supposed to find anything on Manhuman in here?"
Page by page, Mu flipped carefully through the massive volume, but nothing stood out. Then, as if guided by instinct, he turned to the back cover. There, hidden along a thin, nearly invisible cut on the inside, a folded sheet was tucked.
He didn't hesitate. He carefully removed the page.
Inside was a map, marked with faint, ancient ink, and a set of instructions:
"Manhuman: A power unlike any other. Strong—dangerous—but with a price. Once awakened, it never leaves. To fully master the Manhuman, journey to the forsaken northern realm of Arctic Mist Valley. There, you must find the man named Hei Zhao. Only he can show you the path forward."
Mu immediately took out his phone and snapped a photo of the map. Then he folded the paper back into place, restoring it exactly as it was.
He jumped down quietly from the pavement, ready to leave but as he turned, his legs moved on their own. Something was guiding him toward a distant shelf of scrolls.
"What the hell is going on with me...?"
He suddenly regained control but found himself standing between towering shelves.
"Hmph... might as well check here too."
He scanned every scroll along the rows, eyes darting from title to title. Nothing related to Manhuman.
He grew more anxious but pressed on.
At last, in the farthest corner, he saw a shelf encased in thick, dusty glass. It was impossible to see through.
Mu stepped up and used his elbow to wipe the grime away. Inside, tightly packed scrolls gleamed faintly. And among them, he saw the Manhuman. Alongside four others:
Heaven's Forbidden Pulse
Shadow Vein Scripture
Demonbone Bloom Technique
Voidstep Lotus Manual
Mu carefully opened the glass case and pulled out the Manhuman scroll. It was wrapped in a greenish lace, almost like it had a glassy sheen.
He shut the case and turned to leave—but as he walked away, something stirred.
The Manhuman within him raised its hand, reaching back toward the shelf.
Without warning, it pulled another scroll free.
Crash!
The entire shelf collapsed, hitting the ground with a thunderous noise.
The spider's eyes snapped open.
"How—"
The spider rose to its feet and let out a deafening roar. "Arrhhh!"
Mu panicked. There was nowhere to hide—only one option left: run. He bolted from the hall as the spider lumbered toward the shelves. Without hesitating, Mu dashed past the shelves, heading straight for the exit. But just as he neared the door, the spider launched a sticky web in his direction.
Out of nowhere, the Manhuman emerged from Mu's body, stepping in front of him. The web hit his chest but disintegrated on contact. The spider froze, completely still. Mu and the Manhuman took that chance and escaped.
"Did I just... see a Manhuman?" the spider muttered, stunned.
"Whoa... The Chen ancestry has awakened again. And that boy... he's the heir of the Forgotten Bloodline."
The spider chuckled darkly. "Hahaha, finally... The Chens are stirring. I can rest now."
Outside the Whispering Jade Pavilion Hall, Mu stood bent over, gasping for air, nearly throwing up.
"What the hell was that?" he yelled.
Then the Manhuman emerged again from Mu's spirit seal.
Mu stumbled back, shocked to see him right there. The Manhuman's expression mirrored Mu's, syncing with his mood.
Mu straightened, eyes locked onto the figure.
"Can you talk?" he asked.
The Manhuman just stared.
"What's your name?"
Still nothing. Instead, he crossed his legs while standing, as if pulling something from his mouth. Mu dropped to the floor, frustrated.
"What is wrong with you?" Mu snapped.
"What's wrong with you?" the Manhuman replied calmly, in the exact tone Mu had used.
Mu jumped to his feet and stepped closer.
"Wait—you just spoke?" he asked.
The Manhuman stayed quiet. Mu groaned and slammed his palm against the wall. A jolt of pain hit him—and then the Manhuman winced.
"Ow!" the Manhuman hissed.
"Fine. I can speak," he muttered.
Mu stared at him, then at his own hand, confused. He hit the wall again. The Manhuman flinched.
"Alright, alright, stop! I felt that! Seriously, stop," the Manhuman said sharply.
Mu grinned and stepped closer.
"So tell me—who are you really?"
The Manhuman sighed. "Hmph."
"Really?"
Mu raised his hand again and moved toward the wall.
"Okay, okay! I'm Mu. I'm the image of the Chen family's heir, which is you. Passed down through the bloodline that vanished long ago."
Mu squinted. "You're me, I get that. But you want to steal my name too?"
"Mhm."
"Right. That's enough for today. I'm out." Mu turned to leave, then paused, as if to say something else. But when he turned back, the Manhuman was gone.
Only his voice echoed in Mu's mind.
"What are you waiting for? Let's go."
Mu's mouth parted. He clenched his fist and walked off.
Down the hallway, he ran into Grandpa Lu.
"Hey Mu, you alright?" Lu asked.
Mu froze, unsure what to say. He had just ditched school.
"Did Grandpa forget I'm supposed to be in class?" he wondered.
With a forced smile, he said, "Yeah, I'm good. Just came from the washroom."
"Oh, alright then. I'll be off," Lu said, walking away.
Mu rushed to his room and slammed the door behind him.
"Phew... almost got caught," he whispered, leaning on the door before flopping onto the bed.
Outside, Lu paused mid-step, furrowing his brow.
"Wait... isn't Mu supposed to be in school? That little rascal tricked me," he muttered, turning back toward Mu's room.
Mu sat quietly on the edge of his bed, the Manhuman scroll resting in his palm.
"How am I even supposed to open this thing...?"
He stared at it, unsure. Before he could try anything else, the Manhuman silently emerged from within him and took a seat by his side. Without saying a word, it picked up Mu's phone, scanned the rough map Mu had copied from the paper, and stored every detail within itself.
Mu still wasn't sure what to do with the scroll. His hands moved on instinct. Carefully, he untied the thin lace that held it shut.
The moment the last thread came undone, a glass layer appeared, sealing the inner script. Etched above it was a riddle—one he had to solve before the glass would shatter and reveal the contents.
> "I am not born, but made by trust.
I carry burdens, yet walk ahead.
The first to fall, the last to eat.
Without me, kin lose their thread.
What am I?"
Mu and the Manhuman locked eyes. Neither spoke. The room grew heavy with thought.
Then—bang! bang! bang!
The door shook under the weight of angry fists.
A voice shouted from the other side, sharp and furious.
"Mu! Open this door. Right now!"