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墨書 Inktalez
A desolate path stretched deep into the heart of the desert. On either side of the road were low Dryland Weeds, their deep roots burrowing hundreds of meters into the ground, merely to provide a trickle of moisture for the few centimeters high trunks above. Additionally, gentle hills began to appear along the sides of the road, where a thin figure stood atop a small mound, gazing down the path.
Suddenly, he smiled and returned to the road, continuing onward.
He was a child who had grown up in an unknown forest within the desert, living alongside wild beasts. However, he realized that he was different from those strong creatures; he spoke another language and engaged in different activities. Ultimately, he decided to leave behind his animal friends with whom he had lived for several years, setting out to find his own people.
"Fat Brother, do you think we’ll get caught stealing the reserve food?"
Four children stood on one of the hills, one of them dressed as The Child in Blue Pants timidly asked.
"Don’t worry! Don’t worry! My dad will protect us!"
Saying this, a Fat Kid began to dig at the soil on top of the hill, opening a small hatch that stored food supplies. In this fractured era on Earth, nutrient liquid was the staple food, while grains were considered a luxury item and also served as the primary economic source for Earth's inhabitants. These children were from a small town in the Southeastern United States' Peace Zone, and the Fat Kid's father was indeed one of the wealthiest residents in that area—Fat Brother. He had made his fortune through food sales and was the main distributor for all of Peace Zone.
"Does your dad know?"
Another girl in a red dress asked skeptically.
"It’s fine; my dad has always been very fond of me. Besides, all the food here is managed by him. If anything goes wrong, I’ll just go straight to him."
"Really? Then let’s have a big feast today! A huge feast!"
A sturdy child cheered; he was usually Fat Brother's bodyguard and enforcer.
"Alright! Let's get started!" With that, the other children also crouched down on the ground, beginning their search for food.
"Huh?"
The delicate voice of the girl in the red dress immediately caught the attention of the three boys.
"What is it, Lily?"
Fat Brother was the first to ask. Here, everyone referred to him as the leader, mainly because his home had many fun things and delicious snacks. In this era of limited food options, whoever controlled the appetites of thousands could make a fortune.
"There's someone coming over from a distance!"
"Ah? Could it be someone here to catch us?" The boy in Blue Pants quickly pulled his hand back, as if afraid of being discovered as part of their group.
"No, no! Look at that figure; it's just a kid!"
Strong Child immediately countered. He did this not only to calm everyone down but also to showcase his own abilities and solidify his position as second-in-command.
"That's right!" Fat Brother chimed in.
"So what should we do? Are we going to get reported?"
"What are you afraid of? Didn't I say my dad has our backs? What can a kid do? When he gets here, we'll teach him a lesson and see if he dares to say anything!"
"Yeah! Let's give him a beating!"
The sturdy boy moved his wrist! It seemed he was ready to jump into action, but his hand was grabbed by Fat Brother.
"Let me handle this!"
At that moment, Skinny Kid had reached the area at the foot of the hill. He had been so focused on moving forward that he hadn’t noticed the three pairs of predatory eyes watching him from above.
"Hey, you don’t seem to be from our town. Quick, tell us where you’re from!"
Hearing a voice from someone like him made him excited. However, the others didn’t seem very friendly; he could see the fierce glint in their eyes. So, he chose not to answer and continued walking.
"Hey! Looks like you won’t behave until you learn a lesson!"
As he spoke, Fat Brother charged down the slope holding two Corn Cobs. But then, an unexpected scene unfolded. Fat Brother slipped and fell onto the slope, rolling down until he stopped at Skinny Kid's feet.
"Haha???" This drew laughter from the other three kids, but one of them muttered something under his breath, and they all ran off in the distance.
"Hey, remember this! Just wait until I punish you!" But suddenly he turned around and saw a strange light flashing in his enemy's eyes. Remembering what had just happened, he shuddered. "Could he use magic?" In this era, ancient superstitions were still popular among many children.
Thus, without needing to think too hard, he realized that this was a standoff between two kids in this desolate place.
To them, it felt like a battle between men.
"Hey, kid, can’t you at least tell me your name?" Fat Kid was thoroughly defeated by this silent opponent. "I give up! Just say something! You’ve completely embarrassed me!"
However, the Skinny Kid still remained silent, and Fat Brother lifted his head to see something swirling in the depths of his eyes.
"Could he really be a monster? How can his pupils spin like that?" The boy's imagination ran wild again; he felt utterly helpless against this unbeatable guy.
"I have no name!" the Skinny Kid murmured softly.
"What? Are you an orphan?" Fat Kid, who wasn't actually bad-hearted but enjoyed flaunting his father's authority, was taken aback.
At that moment, Fat Kid began to scrutinize the other child properly.
The Skinny Kid's clothes were quite clean, albeit a bit old. In contrast, Fat Kid's outfit was undoubtedly high-end children's wear, but it was so dirty that it was hard to distinguish between the collar and the pockets. The Skinny Kid wore shorts that were only half-length, while Fat Kid also wore shorts, but his were designed that way from the start. The boy's shorts appeared to have been cut off with something sharp, not with scissors or any more sophisticated tool, as the edges weren't neat. Furthermore, Fat Kid couldn't quite make out what kind of shoes the other was wearing; it was strange, as they seemed to be made of genuine leather. Additionally, the Skinny Kid carried a backpack made from animal hide. This surprised Fat Kid considerably; genuine leather goods were rare in this era. Even if they existed, one would have to pay a high price on the black market to acquire them. Yet, no matter how he looked at it, the Skinny Kid didn't seem like someone who could afford such things. The only possibility was that he was a poacher!
This thought sent a shiver down Fat Kid's spine; if he really was a poacher, that would be a crime punishable by a long stay in prison! With this realization, Fat Kid decided to walk away. He didn't want to get involved with that kid.
However, before he could run off, the Skinny Kid suddenly grabbed him.
"Let go!" Fat Kid nearly screamed, fearing that his cleverness had been seen through and that he was about to be silenced for good.
But the Skinny Kid turned and began to sprint away, dragging Fat Kid along with him.
Fat Kid had intended to shout out loud but was stunned into silence when he turned around and saw what was happening behind him.
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