That night, Mo Chen sat across from his mother during dinner. The lantern light was soft.
His mother placed a bowl in front of him and glanced at his face.
"You seem a little tired."
Mo Chen picked up the chopsticks.
"I've been studying a lot."
She smiled gently.
"That is good. But don't force yourself too much."
He gave a small nod.
Then, after a brief pause, he spoke with a calm voice.
"Mom, I may need to stay away from school for a little while."
She stopped eating.
"Stay away?"
"Yes. There is a school-related field activity coming up. I may need to focus on it fully."
She frowned slightly.agin "For how long?"
"Not long."
He answered without hesitation.
"I'll return once the matter is finished."
The answer was not a full lie.It was only not the full truth.
His mother looked at him for a while, then sighed softly."You've grown more independent than I expected."
Mo Chen lowered his eyes.
"I'll be careful."
She reached out and touched his head lightly.
"That is all I ask."
He did not mention the spirit hunting forest.He did not mention the warrant.He did not mention the first spirit ring hunt.Not yet.That truth was too dangerous for her to carry tonight.
So he let her believe it was only a school arrangement, a field study, a temporary leave.And when the time came to leave, he carried only the necessary things. The warrant.The healing syrup.The herbal paste.The matel sword.The darts.
A small bag of dry food.His diary.
Before stepping out, he looked back once at the small house.
His mother was inside, unaware of the full truth.
Mo Chen exhaled quietly.
This time, he would not ask anyone to protect him.This time, he was going to step into the forest himself.
And find his first spirit ring by his own strength.The Black Outfit
The morning before departure, Mo Chen left the house before his mother fully woke.
He did not carry much.A small bundle.And the last thing he needed for the forest—
a disguise.
He moved through the market without drawing attention and stopped at a small clothing shop on one of the quieter streets.
The shopkeeper, an older man with sharp eyes, looked him up and down.
"You want something special?"
Mo Chen did not hesitate."Black clothes. Simple. Light. Easy to move in."
The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow.
"Planning to sneak around?"
Mo Chen answered calmly."For hunting."
That was enough of an answer.
The man turned and brought out a set of dark clothes. The fabric was not luxurious, but it was strong and flexible. The sleeves were narrow enough not
to interfere with the hands, and the lower hem would not be dragged too much while running through the forest.
Mo Chen tried it on behind the curtain
The black outfit fit well.
Not loose.Not tight.
Just enough to allow movement without making noise.
He looked at himself in the mirror and nodded.
This would help.
A hunter should not make himself easy to see.
He bought it without bargaining.Then his gaze shifted to a shelf near the side wall.
Masks.Simple ones.Some were white.Some were half-covered.Some had plain animal shapes.
He chose a dark, smooth mask with a narrow eye line
Not decorative.Not flashy.
Useful.
He put it on for a moment and looked at his reflection again.
The face in the mirror looked smaller now.
Harder to read.
That was the point.
If he met someone in the forest, he did not want them to know who he was.
Not the academy students.
Not the teachers.
Not anyone else.
He removed the mask and packed it carefully.
By the time he stepped out of the shop, he looked less like a child going on an errand and more like a small hunter preparing for a serious task.