- Two Days Later -
Two more days had passed.
The air was different now. No longer the knife-edged cold of the first ten days.
The wind still bit at his face, but it no longer carried the same lethal chill.
Above, the clouds had thinned, letting more sunlight spill over the mountainside and the snow beneath his boots was softening.
Erik moved along the eastern slopes, his eyes scanning the terrain for the first thing he'd been sent to find: The Paifang.
For most of the journey, following any kind of path had been nearly impossible. The snow had buried everything—roads, tracks, even the subtle lines of the land itself.
But now, as the ice receded and the snow melted away, the mountain began to reveal its bones. Rock faces jutted out from beneath the thawing drifts, and narrow game trails began to take shape again.
His pace quickened.
Step by step, the white world gave way to patches of jagged stone. The ground under his feet grew firmer, the crunch of snow gradually replaced by the solid scrape of rock.
The air smelled cleaner here, sharper, as if the mountain itself was opening up to him.
And then he saw it.
A massive stone structure rose before him.
The ancient Chinese paifang he had been searching for..
It was a traditional gate intricately carved from stone. Its ornate details weathered but still standing tall against the harsh elements.
Beyond the gate lay several trees, their branches heavy with small golden-yellow fruits.
The sight was almost surreal. These trees, standing in stark contrast to the barren, icy world behind him.
Their golden fruit glowed faintly in the pale light, like beacons of hope.
Erik stood for a moment, letting the sight sink in. His journey had led him here, through snow and ice and now he was on the verge of something new..
The weight of his exhaustion lifted slightly as he took a step toward the gate.
Erik eyed the golden fruit hanging from the trees with a determined grin.
He felt a surge of excitement rise within him as he approached the nearest tree.
Without hesitation, he crouched low, gathering strenght in his legs.
He sprang inhumanly into the air, his hands instinctively reaching out to grasp the bark of the tree.
His fingers clung effortlessly to the rough surface, thanks to his wallcrawling ability.
Eric then, quickly scaled the tree with a fluidity that felt natural to him.
The height barely fazed him as he ascended, his movements as light and agile as a spider.
He reached the first cluster of golden fruit, hanging low from the branches and began picking them one by one dropping them into the makeshift sack he had slung across his shoulder.
As he moved higher up the tree, Erik filled his sack with as many fruits as it could hold, his body shifting gracefully through the branches.
He plucked the last golden fruit within reach and dropped it into the bag before looking down at the ground far below him.
Without hesitation, he pushed off the branch and flipped through the air, landing perfectly on his feet.
Erik took a moment to adjust the strap of the sack, feeling the bulge of the fruit press against his back.
A small smile tugged at his lips as he gazed back up at the trees. He had completed the first part of his task, but the real challenge still lay ahead..
With renewed determination, he set off toward the mountain, the cold biting into his skin once more as he ascended.
He didn't follow the normal road, and decided to climb the mountain directly.
His spider-powers made scaling the rocky terrain easier than it would have been for anyone else, allowing him to find purchase on even the smallest of outcroppings.
His hands and feet seemed to cling to the jagged surface with ease, his body moving swiftly and efficiently upward.
He climbed relentlessly, his thoughts focused on reaching the top.
- Two Days Later - Ten Rings Headquarter - Xu Wenwu Office -
"The Wild Tiger mob are reportedly attempting to create a new drug." Chancelor Hui reported, his voice steady. "They call it the 'Wild Tiger'."
Xu Wenwu, still engrossed in the book he was reading, barely raised an eyebrow. "Not very original" He muttered, his tone dismissive.
"It's a type of methamphetamine" Hui continued. "Supposedly more addictive than morphine and deadlier than heroin."
Wenwu paused, finally looking up from his book. "Have they been successful?"
"No, not yet" Hui replied, shaking his head.
"Good..." Wenwu responded, his expression unreadable as he returned to his book.
Hui stood silently, unsure of how to interpret Wenwu's response, but wisely chose not to probe further.
"The Iron Gang" Hui shifted the subject "They've been causing quite a stir in the underworld lately. But we've managed to subdue them. They now work under us."
"Hhnn" Wenwu muttered with a slight nod as if acknowledging the news without much concern.
"What about the boy?" Xu Wenwu asked with a flicker of curiosity.
Hui hesitated, unsure how to answer.
"Still no news sir." He responded bowing his head slightly. "If he had followed the road.. He should have passed through the nomad settlements at the foot of the mountain. But no one saw him there."
It had been fourteen days since the boy was freed. And the weather had been brutal.
Icy winds, Snow storm, and punishing cold..
"If he had been advised by the nomade to wait for the weather to settle.. Perhaps he would arrive within a week." Said Hui, the Chancellor. "But if he climbed right away…"
How could a nine-year-old possibly survive such harsh conditions?
Hui's furrowed his brows. "I fear that—" He began, but was abruptly cut off by a firm knock on the door.
Xu Wenwu raised an eyebrow, slightly annoyed by the intrusion. "Come in!" He commanded, his voice steady but sharp.
The door creaked open, revealing a man who immediately bowed low his expression serious yet tinged with urgency. "Forgive the interruption, Master Wenwu" The man said, his voice cautious. "But... there's someone at the gate... A kid!"
Hui's eyes widened in disbelief, and even Xu Wenwu's expression shifted subtly—a mix of surprise and intrigue crossing his face.
"A kid? Impossible!" Hui echoed in shock, already knowing who it had to be.
"Yes!" The man confirmed. "He's asking to be let in."
Xu Wenwu stood in silence for a moment, his gaze turning thoughtful.
A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, amused at the boy's resilience. "Well.." He said, his voice as cold and steady as the mountain itself "Let him in."