Faraway Wanderers - V1C1
Volume One:
Freely Travelling the World with Wine Abundance
Chapter 1
Sunbathing
Zhou Zishu alone knew the secret about the Nails. From that point, it seemed best to keep it buried with him and a few others, if all seven nails had been driven in while the person was unwell. Even someone as strong as Zhou Zishu would have had only a moment to leave the palace, likely turning into lifeless flesh before reaching the gate.
If someone experienced this every three months, allowing his body time to adjust to the nails until they were almost invisible on his skin—despite knowing that death was still certain in three years and that he would endure eighteen months of severe pain—he would retain at least half of your core strength and function normally.
The method was said to cause extreme agony and drive people crazy; however, Zhou Zishu happily discovered that the rumor was false. Not only was he still sane, but he also felt more joyful and at peace than ever before.
Those fleeing from Tian Chuang were still closely watched, with their identities, departure times, and death locations all documented. The organization formed a sprawling spider web, making escape impossible until the very last moment.
Fortunately for him, after years of sacrifice, he had built up a sizable group of loyal followers.
Zhou Zishu, groomed by the Emperor to be a versatile leader for Tian Chuang, was an expert in martial arts and disguise, making him unrecognizable in a crowd.
The once most terrifying person in the palace disappeared, replaced by a free-spirited but miserable-looking wanderer riding a thin horse, chewing on a straw, and humming folk tunes.
He was the first to break free from the web on his own successfully.
He wore a mask that covered his face, and no one could tell whether it was real or fake. Sickly-colored blotches made him look almost deathly at a glance. After inspecting himself while drinking water at the riverbank, he felt this appearance suited his situation perfectly. The more he looked at the disguise, the more pleased he was with it. He then stole a simple set of clothes from a nearby farmer’s house, burned his robes, and tied an old flask of unfiltered rice wine around his waist.
Zhou Zishu, upon realizing his name had never once been mentioned during all those years spent hidden in the palace's dark corners, happily abandoned any plans to use an alias and immediately set out on his journey.
He didn’t care much about his destination. Jiangnan seemed a suitable place, so he chose to go there, committing robberies along the way to aid the poor and survive. He traveled past Kaifeng and Penglai, and after three relaxed months, he finally saw the vibrant scenery of Jiangnan with his own eyes.
He snuck into the most famous tavern’s wine cellar immediately, sampling all the sweet cassia wine and immersing himself in drunken bliss. He felt elated and lighthearted, as if there was no greater happiness in life than this.
Ten days later, after nearly getting caught, he decided that although the wine was good, its flavor had become dull and somewhat unremarkable; he then departed the place leaving some silver crumbs behind.
After ten days, he appeared even worse, with a wretched look and obviously unwell face. The emaciation, wine-stained clothes, and unkempt hair completed his appearance as a beggar.
While he was sitting by the roadside sunbathing, a young, chubby girl skipped around him, holding a copper coin in her palm but unsure where to drop it. After a quick look, she asked, “Hey, Uncle, where’s your bowl?”
An adult relative quickly took her away, leaving him uncertain whether to laugh or cry.
Years have gone by, most of his friends were no longer around—some worryingly, some deceased, others exiled from home. Zhou Zishu leaned against a wall, stretching his arms and legs, contentedly enjoying the warm sunlight, a faint smile playing at the corner of his lips. He began to reflect on what he truly wanted after all this time.
When he was still inexperienced, he often saw himself as superior, eagerly accepting praise for his intelligence, cunning, martial arts skills, and knowledge—acting as if failing to achieve something in his life would be humanity's greatest waste. Now, though, he wondered: what is it that he truly wanted? And what had he lost?
He sacrificed his freedom to serve the royalty covertly, with all his possessions representing repayment for his past deeds. However, he was merely a loner with nothing, dedicating his mental effort to risky escape plans that could have endangered his life. He even believed he was clever for managing to pull it off.
He suddenly felt a wave of self-pity, thinking he was the most foolish man in an already foolish world.
How long had it been since he simply basked in the sun by the road like this? It was quite amusing that the pedestrians rushing by seemed to be in an even greater hurry than he was – a nearly dead person.
In a nearby tavern, a bright young female voice exclaimed, “Master, look at that man! If he’s a beggar, why doesn’t he own a simple broken bowl? If he’s not, then why does he sit there all morning, doing nothing and smiling foolishly? He must be an idiot, don’t you think?”
Although Zhou Zishu only retained half of his martial arts skills, his hearing was as sharp as ever. The girl was a noisy mile away, speaking at a moderate volume, yet he still caught every word.
Before he could silently mock himself, he heard a male voice say, “He’s just sunbathing.”
The voice was deep and soothing, with each word spoken slowly and clearly, making it very pleasant to listen to.
Zhou Zishu instinctively looked up and saw a stunning young woman in purple leaning over the balcony on the second floor of the tavern opposite him. Sitting beside her was a man dressed in gray, with a pale complexion, dark eyes that seemed to absorb all light, and sharply defined features; he appeared almost inhuman. Their eyes met as soon as Zhou Zishu raised his gaze.
The man in gray briefly looked at him before turning his head away, maintaining a blank expression and returning his attention to the food.
Zhou Zishu burst into laughter, amused that in this sea of strangers, he still managed to find someone who understood him.
The girl in purple continued to observe him intently with her bright eyes. Eventually, her curiosity got the better of her, and she informed the man with her about something before excitedly running down the stairs and approaching Zhou Zishu. “Hey, mister beggar, how about I treat you to a meal?”
Zhou Zishu looked at her lazily and shook his head, saying, "I’d prefer it if you bought me some wine, charitable young miss.”
The girl laughed gracefully and turned to her master to exclaim, “Master, this fool called me a charitable person!”
Unfortunately, he didn’t seem to listen, paying her no attention. The sky could collapse right then, and he would still be more concerned about his meal.
She asked again, “Everyone else would have asked for food, what’s so good about wine that makes you crave it this much? Will drinking make you full?”
Noticing her beauty, he couldn’t resist joking, “Wine can attract beautiful ladies, don’t you know?”
The girl was surprised by the answer and then giggled uncontrollably, her body trembling with laughter. Zhou Zishu felt as if luck was on his side and appreciated Jiangnan's beauty. He sighed and said, “Dear, most beautiful one, have mercy on this poor old man. It’s unkind to laugh at others' misfortune[1], young miss.”
Once again, she was surprised. “Aiyo, now you’re acting so scholarly?" She knelt down, swiftly untying the wine flask from his waist, then ran back to the tavern and returned in just minutes.
Zhou Zishu tried to take it back, but she quickly withdrew, smiling. “I’m going to ask you something. If you get it right, I’ll return this to you and invite you for more; if you get it wrong, I’ll poison it and let your stomach rot.”
Zhou Zishu chuckled helplessly; such a troublesome soul beneath that pretty face. He said, “I won that flask from another old beggar, who probably has countless lice inside. Feel free to take it; I'd be happier if you did."
She rolled her eyes with a giggle and said, “So all this wine I brought you is for nothing? You’re making me very upset now; I might have to kill you.”
This little devil,he thought, what a waste of beauty. He complied, “Go on, ask me then.”
“Why are you out here begging if you don’t even have a bowl?”
Zhou Zishu looked at her. “Who claimed I’m pleading for anything? I’m just sunbathing here in this corner.”
The girl was startled and instinctively glanced back at the man on the tavern’s second floor. It was evident that he had keen hearing as well, but his movements only paused for a brief moment after their conversation. Maintaining a neutral expression, he resumed eating without concern.
“I don’t see why it’s worth it," she said, gazing up at the sun with a hint of confusion.
Zhou Zishu shook his head and quickly grabbed the flask when the girl relaxed, causing her to gasp and look at him in surprise. The man, resembling a beggar, said to her, “You’re still young, miss. You’ve got many things you want to do, so it’s natural to use your time to eat well and enjoy life. As for me? I’m already on the verge of death, so all I have left is drinking and basking in the sun while I await my fate.”
He finished the flask in a single gulp, smacking his lips. “Such good wine! Many thanks, young miss!”
The girl, acting on instinct, reached out to grab Zhou Zishu as he walked away. Believing her martial arts were good enough, she was surprised when she couldn't even make contact, even though he seemed just an arm’s length away. Quickly, the beggar vanished into the crowd and was gone from sight.
She was about to pursue him when the man upstairs softly said, “Ah-Xiang, even if you lack ability, I didn’t realize your vision was that poor. Stop making a fool of yourself.”
His voice was barely above a whisper, lacking strength, yet it carried from the second floor across the busy street directly to the girl’s ears. She appeared crestfallen, no longer willing to make any rash choices in front of her master. After glancing at the pedestrians for a moment, she turned back towards the tavern.
If someone experienced this every three months, allowing his body time to adjust to the nails until they were almost invisible on his skin—despite knowing that death was still certain in three years and that he would endure eighteen months of severe pain—he would retain at least half of your core strength and function normally.
The method was said to cause extreme agony and drive people crazy; however, Zhou Zishu happily discovered that the rumor was false. Not only was he still sane, but he also felt more joyful and at peace than ever before.
Those fleeing from Tian Chuang were still closely watched, with their identities, departure times, and death locations all documented. The organization formed a sprawling spider web, making escape impossible until the very last moment.
Fortunately for him, after years of sacrifice, he had built up a sizable group of loyal followers.
Zhou Zishu, groomed by the Emperor to be a versatile leader for Tian Chuang, was an expert in martial arts and disguise, making him unrecognizable in a crowd.
The once most terrifying person in the palace disappeared, replaced by a free-spirited but miserable-looking wanderer riding a thin horse, chewing on a straw, and humming folk tunes.
He was the first to break free from the web on his own successfully.
He wore a mask that covered his face, and no one could tell whether it was real or fake. Sickly-colored blotches made him look almost deathly at a glance. After inspecting himself while drinking water at the riverbank, he felt this appearance suited his situation perfectly. The more he looked at the disguise, the more pleased he was with it. He then stole a simple set of clothes from a nearby farmer’s house, burned his robes, and tied an old flask of unfiltered rice wine around his waist.
Zhou Zishu, upon realizing his name had never once been mentioned during all those years spent hidden in the palace's dark corners, happily abandoned any plans to use an alias and immediately set out on his journey.
He didn’t care much about his destination. Jiangnan seemed a suitable place, so he chose to go there, committing robberies along the way to aid the poor and survive. He traveled past Kaifeng and Penglai, and after three relaxed months, he finally saw the vibrant scenery of Jiangnan with his own eyes.
He snuck into the most famous tavern’s wine cellar immediately, sampling all the sweet cassia wine and immersing himself in drunken bliss. He felt elated and lighthearted, as if there was no greater happiness in life than this.
Ten days later, after nearly getting caught, he decided that although the wine was good, its flavor had become dull and somewhat unremarkable; he then departed the place leaving some silver crumbs behind.
After ten days, he appeared even worse, with a wretched look and obviously unwell face. The emaciation, wine-stained clothes, and unkempt hair completed his appearance as a beggar.
While he was sitting by the roadside sunbathing, a young, chubby girl skipped around him, holding a copper coin in her palm but unsure where to drop it. After a quick look, she asked, “Hey, Uncle, where’s your bowl?”
An adult relative quickly took her away, leaving him uncertain whether to laugh or cry.
Years have gone by, most of his friends were no longer around—some worryingly, some deceased, others exiled from home. Zhou Zishu leaned against a wall, stretching his arms and legs, contentedly enjoying the warm sunlight, a faint smile playing at the corner of his lips. He began to reflect on what he truly wanted after all this time.
When he was still inexperienced, he often saw himself as superior, eagerly accepting praise for his intelligence, cunning, martial arts skills, and knowledge—acting as if failing to achieve something in his life would be humanity's greatest waste. Now, though, he wondered: what is it that he truly wanted? And what had he lost?
He sacrificed his freedom to serve the royalty covertly, with all his possessions representing repayment for his past deeds. However, he was merely a loner with nothing, dedicating his mental effort to risky escape plans that could have endangered his life. He even believed he was clever for managing to pull it off.
He suddenly felt a wave of self-pity, thinking he was the most foolish man in an already foolish world.
How long had it been since he simply basked in the sun by the road like this? It was quite amusing that the pedestrians rushing by seemed to be in an even greater hurry than he was – a nearly dead person.
In a nearby tavern, a bright young female voice exclaimed, “Master, look at that man! If he’s a beggar, why doesn’t he own a simple broken bowl? If he’s not, then why does he sit there all morning, doing nothing and smiling foolishly? He must be an idiot, don’t you think?”
Although Zhou Zishu only retained half of his martial arts skills, his hearing was as sharp as ever. The girl was a noisy mile away, speaking at a moderate volume, yet he still caught every word.
Before he could silently mock himself, he heard a male voice say, “He’s just sunbathing.”
The voice was deep and soothing, with each word spoken slowly and clearly, making it very pleasant to listen to.
Zhou Zishu instinctively looked up and saw a stunning young woman in purple leaning over the balcony on the second floor of the tavern opposite him. Sitting beside her was a man dressed in gray, with a pale complexion, dark eyes that seemed to absorb all light, and sharply defined features; he appeared almost inhuman. Their eyes met as soon as Zhou Zishu raised his gaze.
The man in gray briefly looked at him before turning his head away, maintaining a blank expression and returning his attention to the food.
Zhou Zishu burst into laughter, amused that in this sea of strangers, he still managed to find someone who understood him.
The girl in purple continued to observe him intently with her bright eyes. Eventually, her curiosity got the better of her, and she informed the man with her about something before excitedly running down the stairs and approaching Zhou Zishu. “Hey, mister beggar, how about I treat you to a meal?”
Zhou Zishu looked at her lazily and shook his head, saying, "I’d prefer it if you bought me some wine, charitable young miss.”
The girl laughed gracefully and turned to her master to exclaim, “Master, this fool called me a charitable person!”
Unfortunately, he didn’t seem to listen, paying her no attention. The sky could collapse right then, and he would still be more concerned about his meal.
She asked again, “Everyone else would have asked for food, what’s so good about wine that makes you crave it this much? Will drinking make you full?”
Noticing her beauty, he couldn’t resist joking, “Wine can attract beautiful ladies, don’t you know?”
The girl was surprised by the answer and then giggled uncontrollably, her body trembling with laughter. Zhou Zishu felt as if luck was on his side and appreciated Jiangnan's beauty. He sighed and said, “Dear, most beautiful one, have mercy on this poor old man. It’s unkind to laugh at others' misfortune[1], young miss.”
Once again, she was surprised. “Aiyo, now you’re acting so scholarly?" She knelt down, swiftly untying the wine flask from his waist, then ran back to the tavern and returned in just minutes.
Zhou Zishu tried to take it back, but she quickly withdrew, smiling. “I’m going to ask you something. If you get it right, I’ll return this to you and invite you for more; if you get it wrong, I’ll poison it and let your stomach rot.”
Zhou Zishu chuckled helplessly; such a troublesome soul beneath that pretty face. He said, “I won that flask from another old beggar, who probably has countless lice inside. Feel free to take it; I'd be happier if you did."
She rolled her eyes with a giggle and said, “So all this wine I brought you is for nothing? You’re making me very upset now; I might have to kill you.”
This little devil,he thought, what a waste of beauty. He complied, “Go on, ask me then.”
“Why are you out here begging if you don’t even have a bowl?”
Zhou Zishu looked at her. “Who claimed I’m pleading for anything? I’m just sunbathing here in this corner.”
The girl was startled and instinctively glanced back at the man on the tavern’s second floor. It was evident that he had keen hearing as well, but his movements only paused for a brief moment after their conversation. Maintaining a neutral expression, he resumed eating without concern.
“I don’t see why it’s worth it," she said, gazing up at the sun with a hint of confusion.
Zhou Zishu shook his head and quickly grabbed the flask when the girl relaxed, causing her to gasp and look at him in surprise. The man, resembling a beggar, said to her, “You’re still young, miss. You’ve got many things you want to do, so it’s natural to use your time to eat well and enjoy life. As for me? I’m already on the verge of death, so all I have left is drinking and basking in the sun while I await my fate.”
He finished the flask in a single gulp, smacking his lips. “Such good wine! Many thanks, young miss!”
The girl, acting on instinct, reached out to grab Zhou Zishu as he walked away. Believing her martial arts were good enough, she was surprised when she couldn't even make contact, even though he seemed just an arm’s length away. Quickly, the beggar vanished into the crowd and was gone from sight.
She was about to pursue him when the man upstairs softly said, “Ah-Xiang, even if you lack ability, I didn’t realize your vision was that poor. Stop making a fool of yourself.”
His voice was barely above a whisper, lacking strength, yet it carried from the second floor across the busy street directly to the girl’s ears. She appeared crestfallen, no longer willing to make any rash choices in front of her master. After glancing at the pedestrians for a moment, she turned back towards the tavern.
