Chapter 1015: The Scrawny Youth
Just as Yang Haoran's voice faded, a figure suddenly appeared before the three of them, drawing their gaze.
It was a scrawny youth, his somewhat childish face not only grimy but also revealing a deep weariness. A hemp rope hung over his shoulder, one end clutched in his hand, the other extending behind him, firmly tied to a wooden board.
The scrawny youth was dragging the wooden board behind him with the hemp rope in his hand, but due to his extreme thinness and limited strength, dragging the board proved to be a considerable struggle. He slung the rope over his shoulder, leaned forward, and pulled forcefully with both hands, each step he took seeming exceptionally arduous.
If he were merely dragging the wooden board, it would naturally have been much easier for the youth, but lying on the board behind him was a middle-aged man. The combined weight of the board and the man pressed down entirely on the youth's frail frame, and it was precisely for this reason that every step he took was extraordinarily difficult.
The middle-aged man was as scrawny as the youth, his clothes tattered and far from as clean as the youth's. His eyes were tightly shut, his face contorted in pain, his breath a mere thread – the very picture of someone whose life was hanging by a thread.
When Yang Haoran and the two others turned their gaze towards the youth, the youth also spotted them. However, what appeared on the youth's grimy face was not confusion, nor curiosity, nor even surprise, but terror.
With a face full of terror, the youth hastily turned to leave, but seeing the Ancient City shrouded in dark clouds ahead, he hesitated.
Gritting his teeth, the youth slowly turned back, then, dragging the wooden board, began to walk towards Yang Haoran and the others.
If the youth hadn't been dragging a person behind him, he could have easily bypassed Yang Haoran and the others by going along either side of the road. Though the paths on either side were uneven and overgrown with weeds, he could have managed to pass with a bit of caution.
However, dragging a person, especially an unconscious adult, with his small frame, it was certainly impossible for him to pass through the sides of the road. Already struggling immensely to walk on the main road while dragging the middle-aged man, how could he possibly have the strength to navigate the rough terrain on either side?
Thus, even though he was terrified, he ultimately suppressed his inner fear, forcefully tugging the wooden board, and gradually approached the location where Yang Haoran and the two others stood. Yet, to avoid a direct encounter with them, he dragged the board as close to the very edge of the road as possible.
"Heh heh, what's with this kid? We've just arrived, haven't done anything wicked here, and we don't even know him, so why does he seem so afraid of us?"
Xiang Chuan grinned, his voice betraying a hint of confusion.
"He's just an ordinary person, but he seems to have noticed that the three of us are not simple. Perhaps the source of his fear lies in this."
Huang Sha pondered for a moment, then offered his opinion.
"He's just an ordinary youth, how could he tell that the three of us aren't simple?"
Xiang Chuan looked at Huang Sha with a puzzled expression, asking in confusion.
"Heh heh, it's simple. In this Ancient City, the lives of ordinary people are not easy. For the vast majority of them, simply having enough to eat and warm clothes is a luxury. Many are like this youth, barely clothed and covered in grime. The three of us, on the other hand, are the complete opposite: not only are we dressed in fine, bright clothes, but we show no signs of malnutrition whatsoever. So, it's perfectly normal for this youth to notice that we're not simple."
With Huang Sha's reminder, Xiang Chuan immediately understood, but a hint of confusion still lingered in his mind.
"Even if he sees that the three of us aren't simple, he shouldn't be so afraid of us. Is he afraid we'll eat him?"
This was originally just a joke from Xiang Chuan, but to his surprise, Huang Sha nodded slightly.
"He really is afraid we might eat them. After all, in this Ancient City, it's not just demons who eat people; there are many other monsters who do. Moreover, even some who don't 'eat' people do things to ordinary folk that are no different from consuming them alive. Living in such an environment for so long naturally fills one's heart with fear. When they encounter people who aren't like themselves, there's no reason for them not to be afraid."
After Huang Sha's explanation, he continued, his gaze fixed on the youth.
"This human boy likely couldn't find protection within the city, or perhaps he simply didn't want to continue living in this terrifying environment, and thus wished to leave the Ancient City. However, for an ordinary person with no abilities whatsoever, how easy could it be to escape to a safe place? Nine times out of ten, he'd be brutally killed by demons or monsters before even leaving the Ancient City's territory. And given that he's dragging a dying person with him, successfully escaping the Ancient City's borders becomes even more difficult."
Upon hearing Huang Sha's words, Xiang Chuan couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.
"In these chaotic times, there is no truly safe place, only relatively safer ones. Even if this youth manages to escape the Ancient City's territory, he will most likely still become a casualty of this tumultuous era. Ah, what a pity, he's so young."
As Xiang Chuan's words faded, the youth, filled with inner dread, had already dragged the wooden board and arrived before Yang Haoran and the two others.
His face was filled with trepidation, his head lowered, not daring to look at Yang Haoran and the two others. With his strength nearly depleted, he now gritted his teeth and forced himself to quicken his pace. From his demeanor, it was clear he intended to pass before Yang Haoran and the others at his fastest possible speed.
His hands and bare feet were already chafed and raw. Though it was painful, he paid it no mind for now. He had only one thought: to quickly pass Yang Haoran and the two others. Every extra second he lingered near them would increase his danger tenfold.
However, just as he was about to brush past Yang Haoran and the two others, a voice called out to him.
"Heh heh, young brother, please wait."
The one who had suddenly spoken was none other than Yang Haoran. Both Huang Sha and Xiang Chuan looked at Yang Haoran with puzzled expressions, wondering what Yang Haoran suddenly wanted with this youth.
The youth, called to a halt by Yang Haoran, trembled slightly in his scrawny frame, freezing in place as if under a paralysis spell. His face was entirely filled with terror; he was clearly severely frightened.
Although the youth had stopped, he remained silent. At that moment, his mind was utterly consumed by fear, to the point where he had even forgotten how to speak.
Yang Haoran turned slightly, his gaze settling on the youth. He saw that the youth's heart was filled with terror, and so he smiled reassuringly.
"You don't need to be afraid. I mean no harm."
Although Yang Haoran's words didn't immediately lessen the fear in the youth's heart, they at least prevented it from increasing further.
"Does anyone else have food?"
Yang Haoran looked at Xiang Chuan and Huang Sha, then asked.
Ever since he became an Emissary of Death, he had no real need for food. Occasionally eating something was merely to savor the taste or indulge a craving, not to satisfy his body's needs. Because of this, he had no food stored in his independent space.
"I have plenty of edible things here, but they're all medicines and herbs. Heh heh, Big Brother, do you want some?"
Xiang Chuan chuckled. Yang Haoran didn't respond to Xiang Chuan, instead smiling as he looked at Huang Sha.
"What about you?"
Huang Sha gave an awkward laugh, then spoke.
"I do have food here, but it's all jerky. As for the meat. . ."
Although Huang Sha didn't explicitly state it, both Yang Haoran and Xiang Chuan understood his implication.
"Aside from jerky, you don't have anything else more. . . normal?"
Yang Haoran asked Huang Sha with a smile. Huang Sha thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered something, and immediately asked Yang Haoran in an uncertain tone.
"Instant noodles, would that work?"
Huang Sha's words not only made Xiang Chuan pause, but even a hint of surprise couldn't help but appear on Yang Haoran's face.
"You still have something like that?"
Yang Haoran asked with a surprised chuckle, while Huang Sha nodded awkwardly.
"The first time I ate this stuff, it left a deep impression on me. I thought the taste was quite good, so I developed a habit of occasionally eating instant noodles. Because of that, I've never run out of instant noodles in my independent space. However, instant noodles aren't very nutritious, so I'm not sure if something like this meets your requirements, Boss?"
Comments