Chapter 1485: It Will Be Better When You Grow Up
Expanding the scope of the spiritual realm couldn't be accomplished overnight. Over the next three days, aside from eating and sleeping, Xu Huo spent almost all his time on this. The excessive consumption of spiritual power left him in worse condition than when he first arrived, with dark circles under his eyes. So after making some progress, he decided to stop and rest for half a day.
Over the past few days, many people had come and gone around the inn. Aside from the group that had fought with him, most of the others who approached were just scouting the situation before leaving. Among them were also people looking for the young man.
The innkeeper didn't concern himself with the "Underground Palace" matter and simply passed the message on to the young man.
That young man had been wrapped in a bedsheet these past few days. He had no money, so every day he ate Xu Huo's leftovers. Since most of the water here was contaminated, the water used by people living in the slums, though treated, didn't meet general hygiene standards—it was barely enough to keep them alive.
The young man didn't think eating leftovers was a bad thing. He licked every plate clean before putting it away.
Because Xu Huo had paid, the innkeeper didn't bother him. But the good days didn't last long. People from the Underground Palace soon came looking for him. They didn't make a move directly but had the innkeeper tell him to return on his own, or else there would be consequences.
The pain that had just begun to ease came rushing back. Years of beatings had ingrained the sensation of pain into his memory. Even though his body was recovering, this conditioned reflex had become a shadow he couldn't shake.
After a brief period of despair, anger, and hatred, the young man's expression turned resolute. He said to the innkeeper, "Tell them I'd rather die than go back!"
The innkeeper's wrinkled face showed no extra emotion. He turned and went to relay the message.
From the time the innkeeper left, to when he delivered the words to the Underground Palace's thugs, to when the thugs left, the young man trembled so much he could barely stand. He pricked up his ears to listen for sounds outside, only relaxing when he confirmed the thugs had gone. But his eyes were filled with deep confusion.
"Creak..." The door across from him opened. The young man quickly scrambled up and saw Xu Huo walking out with his umbrella.
He hurriedly threw off the bedsheet and followed.
"Going out?" the innkeeper said from his small stool, greeting Xu Huo.
"Taking a walk," Xu Huo nodded.
The innkeeper's gaze shifted from him to the young man, and he casually tossed him a tattered thin shirt. The young man thanked him gratefully, quickly put it on, and walked out of the shop.
Compared to most people living here, Xu Huo's clean clothes could be described as "bright and flashy." Many were curious about him and also found it strange—why would someone like him stay in the slums? There wasn't even clean food or water here. Just a short walk ahead was the "big city."
From the conversations of these people, Xu Huo had learned what the "big city" they longed for was like. In short, it was a small city controlled by player forces. It had a small population but was extremely exclusionary. The reason some players in the slums still stayed here was simply that they couldn't get into those cities. Those cities were so divided that every street and alley had its own territorial claims. Even one extra fly would be immediately noticed by the locals, let alone players trying to snatch food from their bowls.
Of course, the entire 026th District wasn't in great shape, but the number of players here was considerable.
When people gained power, they naturally gravitated toward better environments. In a place like this, especially the slums, there was no such thing as attachment to one's homeland. The players were reluctant to leave, probably because they enjoyed the thrill of oppressing their fellow countrymen. If they went to a better district, they might not have as much freedom.
Moreover, if players didn't think about leveling up and getting stronger, but only settled for the status quo, doing one instance a month through strategy wasn't too risky. Of course, failing or getting a low rating meant they couldn't level up for a long time. But for those content to bully others in the slums, leveling up or not no longer mattered much.
During the day, the light in the slums was still dim and gloomy. Compared to others who habitually moved and breathed lightly, Xu Huo's footsteps were especially noticeable on the street. Not long after leaving the inn, a clearly malnourished child stood by a pile of garbage, tightly clutching a piece of moldy fruit peel he had found. He cautiously asked Xu Huo, "Uncle, can you give me something to eat?"
As soon as he finished, he knelt down first, his body trembling violently.
The umbrella moved to the entrance of the alley.
Xu Huo bent down and handed him a piece of biscuit.
The child looked up fearfully, testing twice before daring to take the biscuit. He took a small bite, then grinned and said, "It smells so good!"
After one bite, he couldn't bear to take another. Instead, he nervously asked if he could give the biscuit to his brother. "My brother got hurt and can't move. He hasn't eaten anything for days."
Before Xu Huo could say anything, a child only half a head taller than the first but much thinner crawled out from the side. When he saw the younger child, a mix of joy and fear appeared on his face, and he hurriedly called for him to come back.
The younger child stopped kneeling and happily ran over to feed the biscuit to his brother. But the older child not only refused to eat but also knocked the biscuit away. His nerves taut, he said, "I've told you so many times! Don't eat things from strangers! Come back with me now!"
The younger child didn't understand and desperately explained that he had tasted it—it was the best thing he had ever eaten.
But to the older child, survival was everything. He didn't care about the tempting biscuit in front of him. He grabbed the younger child and wouldn't let him pick it up. The next second, a figure rushed out from the side and snatched the biscuit away. Neither child even saw who it was before the person disappeared.
The younger child turned back to look at the alley entrance, only to find that Xu Huo had already left. He immediately opened his mouth and started crying.
The older child struggled to prop himself up and hugged him. "It's okay, it's okay. When I grow up, it'll be better..."
The younger child's cries came through but quickly faded, once again swallowed by the silence beneath the acid rain.
Perhaps realizing that Xu Huo was easy to talk to, children gradually came out from the alleys to beg for food.
Regardless of their age, Xu Huo gave each one a piece of biscuit. The children behaved themselves in front of him, eating their own and not daring to snatch from others. After finishing, they still followed behind him, watching him distribute biscuits to other children and watching them eat.
Some children were bold enough to ask for a second piece, but Xu Huo didn't give it.
Reading people's expressions was a basic survival skill for these children. Those who didn't get a second piece automatically stepped aside, though they were reluctant to leave.
After walking for a while, Xu Huo turned around and beckoned the first child who had asked for food to come forward. The child still had two obvious tear streaks on his face. He choked out, "Someone stole my biscuit..."
Xu Huo gave him two more. "Everyone gets some."
The child excitedly took them and ran off.
"They're going to die," the young man following behind finally spoke hesitantly.
(End of Chapter)