Despite his age, Muchen possessed an acute awareness of danger, honed by challenging experiences, particularly these ten days spent surviving in a forest alone. This instilled in him a cautious nature, preventing him from falling into deep sleep even at night.
On this particular night, the unusual silence – the complete absence of insect sounds – immediately alerted Muchen that something was amiss. He quietly exited his small tent and detected a faint, unsettling scent in the air. A quick glance around revealed that only four night watchmen were awake in the caravan, and they appeared listless and prone to yawning, suggesting they were affected by something. Muchen's small face tightened; despite his lack of medical expertise, he instinctively knew the pervasive scent was wrong.
