Time Travel? Rebirth? I Win This Time!

Chapter Excerpt: The Rescue

A young hunter pushed his small cart down a rural path, humming a cheerful tune to himself. Though the road was flanked by dense forests, to him, who had grown up here, the dark woods were as familiar as home itself.

Moreover, the creatures of the forest provided a livelihood, much like a mother nurturing her child.

"Thank God, and thank the forest," the hunter thought joyfully. The deer he'd caught had sold for 150 copper coins today, bringing him a step closer to his dreams.

His eyes casually swept over the distant beach, but then he froze, startled. It looked like there were people there.

Worried that it might be the lord's tax collectors, the hunter was ready to flee with his cart. But after watching for a while, seeing no movement, his curiosity got the better of him, and he cautiously approached.

A battered piece of wood had washed up on the shore, and upon it lay two unconscious young figures. They seemed to have fainted from dehydration.

"There's still hope!" The hunter checked their breathing, then quickly gave them some water. Despite being unconscious, they instinctively swallowed the fresh water.

Noticing their fine clothing, the hunter decided to place them in his cart and push them back toward his cabin deep in the forest.

Mike Bai felt as though he were dreaming. In the dream, there was an endless expanse of darkness, with only a single star shining in the distance. He ran through the black void, but gravity seemed to lose all meaning as he floated and spun in every direction.

How much time had passed, he couldn't tell, but eventually, he slowly opened his eyes. His body felt as though he had been gravely ill—weak and exhausted.

"You're awake."

Mike Bai turned his head with all his strength, his eyes falling on a young man dressed in animal skins, cooking something over a fire.

The delicious scent of food made Mike Bai's mouth water, but his body was so weak that even moving a finger seemed impossible.

"Come, come, I'll feed you." The young man noticed Mike Bai's struggle and brought over a bowl of porridge.

"Feed her first!" Mike Bai's stomach protested, but he still managed to rasp out the words, urging the young man to give some to Anna first.

"Don't worry," the young man said kindly with a smile. "She woke up before you and has already eaten and gone back to sleep." Seeing Anna's peaceful breathing and calm expression, Mike Bai relaxed.

Finally, facing the steaming bowl of porridge, Mike Bai could no longer hold back and ate with ravenous hunger.

After two days adrift at sea, the warmth of the food brought him back to life. Once the small bowl of porridge was finished, exhaustion took over, and Mike Bai fell back into a deep sleep.

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight slipped through the cracks in the door, they fell gently across a soft, pink face. Mike Bai stirred slightly, his eyelids fluttering open.

He found himself in a dimly lit room, with no windows—only faint light filtering through the door and a small fire in the center. The room was sparse; the only furniture was a simple straw mattress where he and Anna lay. A bow and a bag of arrows hung on the wall, and in one corner, piles of animal pelts and clay jars were stacked. There were no possessions that could be called wealth.

Mike Bai glanced at Anna, still fast asleep, then quietly rose. Though his body remained weak, he could still move enough to get around.

He opened the wooden door, and the fresh, earthy scent of the forest immediately filled his senses. In the small clearing ahead, a young man in animal skins was chopping wood.

"You're up, huh?" The young man put down his axe and smiled brightly at Mike Bai.

The young man had soft, golden hair, delicate features, red lips, white teeth, and sparkling green eyes like two shining stars. If not for his flat chest, Mike Bai might have mistaken him for a woman.

"Yeah. Thank you again for saving us," Mike Bai said, bowing his head in gratitude.

"I'm Jin En, a hunter," the young man introduced himself with confidence. Then, with curiosity, he asked, "Did you two get caught in a shipwreck?"

"Yeah," Mike Bai nodded. But then a thought struck him. The Venetian warship hadn't been a random pirate raid; otherwise, they wouldn't have ignored the cargo and just sunk the merchant ship. It was clear that they had been targeting him.

"I'm Enno, an apprentice merchant from Genova, and this is my sister, Naan," Mike Bai quickly fabricated an identity. Concerned that Venetians might still be after them, he kept the truth hidden.

"We were caught in a storm while returning from Levant to Genova. Our ship struck a reef, and we were forced to wash ashore here." Mike Bai continued weaving his story. "I was hoping you could help us get back to Genova. My family will reward you handsomely when we arrive."

Mike Bai calculated that once they reached Genova, he could contact Otto and his other allies through the merchant guild or the Knights Templar, and they wouldn't be so helpless anymore.

"Genova, huh? I've heard the innkeeper talk about it. It's a big city!" Jin En's eyes lit up with interest. But then, a frown crossed his face as he continued, "But it's so far away."

Mike Bai, puzzled by this, looked at him expectantly.

"Here, in the province of Provence, near the town of Miramas. The merchant caravans from Marseille only come once a week. They're the only ones who can take you to Genova," Jin En explained.

Mike Bai was stunned. He had drifted so far off course that he had ended up near Marseille.

"Wait!" Jin En's voice broke into Mike Bai's troubled thoughts. He turned to see Jin En's eager face, his eyes practically glowing.

"Would you take me with you to Genova?" Jin En asked, his voice filled with hope.

"Sure, I can do that," Mike Bai replied, considering that Jin En had saved their lives. This request didn't seem too much to ask. "But why do you want to go to Genova?"

"Because big cities offer opportunities!" Jin En said with excitement, speaking before he could stop himself.

"Opportunities? To make money?" Mike Bai asked curiously.

"No... nothing like that. I just want to see the big city," Jin En said suddenly, his enthusiasm fading, replaced by a shadow of sadness.

Mike Bai was suspicious but saw the sadness in his eyes. Finally, he offered an encouraging smile. "Tell me. My family has connections in Genova. Perhaps we can help."

Jin En's expression shifted—confusion, doubt, and hesitation crossed his face before it was replaced with a glimmer of hope for his dreams.

After a long pause, Jin En slowly spoke, "I want to become a knight. A real knight."

Mike Bai stared at the determined young man, sensing that this would be the start of yet another story.