Night Without Bounds | Chapter 2: The Fire Spring

Chinese Name:  夜无疆

English Name: Night Without Bounds

Type: Web Novel

Country: Mainland China
Author: Chen Dong

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The fire spring, encircled by rocks, emitted a radiant glow. In this world, shrouded in eternal night, its brilliance was even more striking, with swirling clouds of mist and light.

Qin Ming squatted by the edge, retrieving a glowing stone from the pool. It was smoother than red coral, radiating a gentle light in all directions.

All the sunstones used by the villagers came from this fire spring. Once they dimmed, they could be returned here to regain their glow after a period of time.

The pool shimmered with a bright red light, resembling molten lava, though it was nowhere near as hot as one might expect. Its surface rippled with light and heat, yet it was neither true fire nor ordinary water, but rather a mysterious, unique substance.

In this age where day no longer existed and night was eternal, people distinguished only between shallow night and deep night. The fire spring had become essential in this dark world.

From the rare mutated crops like silver wheat to the common ground potatoes, all the plants relied on the fire spring’s nourishment to grow. Even humans, deprived of its warmth for too long, would become unwell.

In short, the fire spring was the foundation of survival for humanity.

Despite the absence of daylight, the world still experienced seasonal changes. During spring and summer, the fire spring was most active, its waters bubbling and flowing, providing enough energy for farming. In winter, however, it became almost dry, and in places like Twin Tree Village, the fire spring’s glow, though still present, could only be used to recharge the sunstones for light.

In these times, people lived by chasing the fire.

Naturally, the fire spring’s radiant presence in the perpetual darkness attracted the attention of creatures lurking in the shadows. But fortunately, most kept to their own territories, maintaining a fragile balance.

Twin Tree Village had suffered from a shortage of food, primarily because a flock of strange birds had attacked during the harvest season. Their sharp beaks sliced through the wheat stalks like scythes, leaving bare clusters in their wake.

There had also been plagues of ants and some human-related issues, all contributing to the fact that this winter, many were on the brink of starvation.

Now it was a shallow night, with the sky not completely dark yet. In the distance, faint “earth lights” occasionally flickered, revealing the faint silhouette of a dense forest. But when deep night arrived, everything would disappear into a terrifying, pitch-black silence.

Qin Ming pondered when he might be able to venture out to solve the pressing food crisis. He stared into the wild expanse, but the snow had long piled up to chest height, making the landscape a desolate and hostile place for survival.

The fire spring at the village’s entrance illuminated a small area. The cold wind swept past, and the fire pool, about ten feet wide, shimmered with flickering waves of light. The black and white twin trees near the pool rustled as snow fell from their branches, glittering in the fiery glow.

The trees’ leaves had a jade-like texture, impervious to the biting cold. While they provided some relief from insects in the summer, they had little use beyond that.

Qin Ming felt the chill of snowflakes slipping down the back of his neck, snapping him out of his thoughts. He shook his head—no matter how pressing the need to solve their food crisis, he first needed to rest and recover his strength. The outside world was far too dangerous.

He retraced his steps back to the village, passing by homes where faint lights glimmered. Behind him, the wilderness was pitch dark, the world beyond falling into decay, like a giant beast ready to devour everything.

Standing in his courtyard, Qin Ming performed a series of specific movements. His actions were fluid and practiced, born of years of routine until they had become instinct.

After a long time, his forehead glistened with sweat, warmth spreading through his body. Only then did he stop.

Inside, he retrieved a small crystal bottle no longer than his thumb. It was intricately carved, transparent and delicate, containing a blue liquid with ice crystals suspended within.

Qin Ming carefully examined it under the glow of a sunstone. The bottle bore two engraved characters: “Mineral Essence.”

The blue liquid within was mesmerizing. When gently shaken, a mist of blue swirled inside, giving it an almost dreamlike quality.

Qin Ming resisted the urge to open the bottle. His body had not yet fully recovered from a severe illness, and using the mineral essence now would do more harm than good.

He had stumbled upon it in a dangerous part of the mountains. Before then, he had only ever heard of “mineral essence,” a rare and valuable substance far beyond his reach.

When one’s body was in its peak state, consuming this essence could enhance one’s constitution and strengthen the spirit.

After escaping from the mountains, he had fallen gravely ill and had not yet had the chance to use it.

“Maybe in a few days, I’ll be able to,” he muttered, carefully putting the exquisite crystal bottle away.

The cold wind howled as small snowflakes drifted down. Qin Ming lived alone, and his quiet courtyard felt desolate, but he had grown accustomed to the solitude.

As time passed, the night deepened, and shallow night was about to end.

Just then, Lu Ze arrived, bringing with him a boy about five years old. Despite being bundled up tightly, the boy’s cheeks were red from the cold.

“Wen Rui has grown taller,” Qin Ming said, measuring the boy’s height with a hand.

“Uncle, are you feeling better?” Wen Rui asked, looking up with concern in his large, innocent eyes.

Qin Ming smiled warmly. “I’m fine now. In a few days, I’ll catch you that ‘talking sparrow’ you’ve been asking for.”

“A talking sparrow? Really? That’s amazing!” Wen Rui’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

Lu Ze handed Qin Ming a food box and said, “Don’t rush to go out yet. Something’s off outside lately.”

Though the rock millet was coarse and hard, Qin Ming’s mouth watered. He had only two meals a day and was genuinely hungry. To his surprise, there were even a few red dates in the millet, soft, sweet, and fragrant.

Qin Ming noticed Wen Rui staring at the dates, swallowing hungrily.

“Are you still hungry, Wen Rui?” Qin Ming asked gently, squatting down to meet the boy’s gaze.

Lu Ze quickly shook his head. “No, he’s just eyeing the dates.”

Without hesitation, Qin Ming picked out the dates and offered them to the child.

Lu Ze stopped him. “Your sister-in-law put those in to help replenish your strength. Don’t give them to him.”

Just then, Liang Wanqing arrived, scolding Wen Rui gently. “Your Uncle Qin is still weak. With no meat or medicine, you can’t be greedy for his food.”

She wasn’t unkind, though she had once thought Qin Ming wouldn’t survive, and it would be pointless to help him. But seeing him recover, even though her family’s food reserves were nearly depleted, she wanted to offer what she could.

Wen Rui, ever obedient, nodded and said, “Uncle, you eat. I’m not hungry.”

But Qin Ming couldn’t bear it and insisted on feeding the dates to Wen Rui. He felt a growing sense of urgency. He would have to venture into the forest soon.

Grateful to the couple but unwilling to be a burden, Qin Ming changed the subject, asking about the current situation outside.

Liang Wanqing stayed for a brief chat before leaving to care for her two-year-old child at home.

Lu Ze warned him about the dangers lurking in the forest. “Something large is out there, killing people. It’s not safe to go alone.”

Qin Ming listened carefully. Recently, there had been strange movements outside, and many had died, their bodies found with deep wounds. It was unclear if the snowstorm had forced wild beasts to search for food or if something more sinister was at play.

Qin Ming’s thoughts drifted back to his near-death experience a month earlier. He had been trekking through the dark mountains with three companions when they had suddenly fallen into a deep crevice.

What he found there still haunted him: blinding light, silver webs that seemed to tangle his mind and distort space. His heart had pounded uncontrollably as if it would burst.

Now, remembering the strange blue liquid he had found, Qin Ming still shuddered. That mysterious crystal bottle had been his only solace amid the chaos.

His companions had not been so lucky. Of the three, all had died shortly after returning to the village, their bodies blackened by some unknown affliction. Only Qin Ming had survived, though he had been bedridden for a month.

After finishing his rough meal, Qin Ming and Lu Ze continued their conversation for a long while, with little Wen Rui sitting quietly by, listening.

As the mood lightened, Qin Ming playfully promised the boy, “Once I’m better, I’ll find you all the dates ¹and hazelnuts you can eat.”

Wen Rui’s eyes sparkled again. “Will there be meat, too? I haven’t had any in so long.”

“There will be, I promise!” Qin Ming smiled, tousling the boy’s hair affectionately.

As the night deepened, Lu Ze took his leave, bringing Wen Rui with him.

Inside, the sunstone in the copper basin began to dim. Qin Ming sat in quiet meditation, focusing on a series of mental exercises that had become second nature to him over the years. As he relaxed, he briefly glimpsed a flash of silver light on his skin.

“Was that just my imagination?” he wondered, startled.

Though fleeting, Qin Ming was certain he had seen it: a faint ripple of silver light, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.

This training method, something he had practiced for years, had never shown any results before. But tonight, something had finally changed!

His body was covered in a fine layer of sweat as if he had just finished an intense workout. But despite the exertion, he felt invigorated.

He stepped outside, his eyes gleaming, and began to move through the familiar set of exercises, feeling his body heat up with an unprecedented vitality. It was like rain falling on a long-parched desert.

By the time he finished, he was drenched in sweat, steam rising from his body. It felt as though the last traces of his illness had been purged from him.

As he stopped to rest, he saw it again: a faint silver glow rippling across his skin before disappearing.

“Something has definitely changed,” he murmured, excitement building inside him.

Qin Ming felt a surge of energy flowing through his body, a warmth that slowly nourished him from within, making him feel stronger and more alert than ever.

But as his stomach growled, he had to stop. He couldn’t afford to push himself too far, especially with so little food left.

His clothes were soaked, so he set about heating some water to wash up. Staring at his reflection in the water basin, he saw a face no longer pale but healthy, with a flush of color.

“I’ve recovered enough,” he said to himself. “Tomorrow, I’ll set out.”

He didn’t want to burden others any longer. Now that he could move freely again, he was determined to find food and solve their current crisis.

After returning the dimmed sunstone to the fire spring, he took only a small piece for light on his journey.

As each house’s lights faded, the entire village was swallowed by darkness.

The cold winter wind howled through the night, blowing snow into the village and burying many courtyards under white drifts.

“I’m so hungry,” Qin Ming muttered to himself. It wasn’t even bedtime yet, but his stomach was on fire. He felt so famished that he imagined even a field rat would make a decent meal right now.

But in this barren season, even the rats had abandoned their holes.

Trying to lull himself to sleep, he couldn’t stop thinking about food. His mind wandered to the faces of people he cared about, fuzzy memories that brought him some comfort.

Then his thoughts drifted to the forest, where he could imagine sweet berries buried under the snow, and lamb roasting to a golden crisp over a crackling fire.

“Stop it!” he chastised himself, pinching his arm to snap out of it.

He resolved to set out as soon as shallow night returned. Everything he did was to fulfill little Wen Rui’s wish. Just thinking about it made him swallow hungrily.

Finally, with thoughts of food swirling in his mind, Qin Ming slowly drifted into sleep.

(Continue…)

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1. Dates refer to the edible fruit of the date palm tree. They are typically brown and sweet. ↩︎