Is he really a Hero? He doesn’t look any different from us…
It was confirmed by the Apostle himself.
How could it be fake? Even the Holy Light Crystal glowed!
But… he refused to become a Hero.
If the Church blames us, will our village get dragged into it too?
And that prophecy, saying Darkness is about to descend…
Could it be that because he’s in our village, Darkness will come for us?
Keep your voice down! Don’t let him hear! He’s a Hero…
These whispers pierced Luo Ling’s ears like needles.
He knew the villagers’ worries weren’t baseless.
Samuel’s arrival had connected Falling Wind Village to dangerous words like “Hero,” “Darkness,” and “Prophecy.”
Their peaceful life was shattered, and an unknown fear began to spread.
The small house of Luo Ling and Eve had once been one of the warmest corners of the village.
Children loved to come and listen to Eve’s stories, and adults often visited to ask about herbs.
But now, it had become deserted.
Except for a few elderly people who truly cared about them, almost no one came near anymore.
People watched the little house from afar, their eyes complicated.
They revered Luo Ling’s “Hero” identity, but feared being drawn into the “Darkness” and “danger” that might come with it.
Luo Ling’s life was completely shrouded in shadow.
He still went hunting and tended the herb garden every day, but everything felt different.
He always felt countless eyes watching him from behind, making him uneasy all over.
He became more silent, his brow constantly furrowed.
The only thing that brought him any comfort was Eve.
No matter how the outside world changed, Eve’s attitude toward him never did.
She still cared for his daily needs with gentle hands, comforted him softly when he was down, and quietly stayed by his side when he was angry.
Don’t mind other people’s opinions too much, Luo Ling.
Eve gently stroked his cheek, her eyes full of pain.
You’re still you—the Luo Ling I know.
Whether you’re a Hero or not, I’ll stay by your side.
Luo Ling held Eve tightly, as if trying to melt her into his bones.
Only in Eve’s arms could he feel a trace of real warmth and safety.
Eve…
His voice choked.
If… If one day, just like that Apostle said, Darkness really does descend and threatens you…
I…
He couldn’t imagine such a scene.
If that day truly came, could he still guard this peace with a clear conscience?
Samuel’s words spun in his mind like a curse.
It won’t happen, Luo Ling.
Eve cut him off, her tone firm.
We’ll always be together, just like before.
Those prophecies, that Darkness, they won’t find us.
She said this, but the hint of worry in her eyes did not escape Luo Ling.
Luo Ling knew Eve was comforting him.
What Apostle Samuel brought was not just the title of “Hero,” but a heavy future, a shadow full of the unknown and danger.
He gazed at the distant mountains, at the peaceful village beneath the sunset, his heart tangled with conflict and struggle.
He longed to protect this peace and the people by his side forever.
But the “Mark of the Hero” was like a ticking time bomb, reminding him that this peace might only be temporary.
The shadow had already quietly spread over Luo Ling’s life.
He didn’t know what the future held, nor whether he would truly walk the thorny “Hero’s path” as the prophecy foretold.
He only knew that he had to protect Eve, and everything he had now.