River-Flower City, Outer Region, slum area,
Inside a small, rundown hut was a broken stove, and beside it were two clean clay bowls, with clay spoons inside them.
Other than that, some ragged clothes were neatly arranged in one corner of the hut.
In a different corner of the hut, the sound of small whimpers could be heard.
There lay a little girl in a cocoon of blankets on the uneven floor, and despite being tightly wrapped in two blankets, she was still shivering as if she lay on a block of ice. It seemed like she had a terrible cold or fever.
Since her face wasn't covered by the blankets, one could see her adorable features. She looked only seven or eight, with pale white skin.
Despite being ill, her face was a feast for the eyes. It was oval, with a little nose, hollow cheeks, and cherry-like, perfect lips, just like a porcelain doll. Her tightly shut eyes and eyebrows were knitted together at this moment, trembling.
Likewise, her complexion was so pale that there seemed to be no trace of blood in her cute little face, just like a ghost. She was extremely frail.
Suddenly, the almost-broken door of the hut creaked open, and a little boy about 1.7 meters tall entered with rapid steps. He was relatively thin and looked extremely weak.
Despite his pale, skinny complexion, he looked handsome—especially his dark blue eyes, like a dark, starry sky. He'd have been a charmer if not for his tattered clothes and skinny physique!
He quickly approached the frail little girl and crouched beside her on his knees, anxiously examining her condition with his skinny, pale hands.
After checking on her, his eyebrows knitted, forming dark lines on his pale forehead. He seemed quite apprehensive at this moment.
He gently lifted the little girl into his embrace and softly whispered in her ear, "Little sis, how are you feeling? Look, big bro's come back with medicine for your cold. The cold will go away this time as soon as little Alina takes the pill!" His voice was feeble, but filled with trepidation and love.
As he said that, he hurriedly took the medicine out of his pocket. It was wrapped in rough paper packing. As he opened the pack, two small black pills came into view. These pills looked just like black pepper.
Little Alina, who appeared almost lifeless, had her eyelids tremble slightly after hearing her big bro's voice, and she slowly opened her eyes with extreme difficulty. A pair of beautiful, blue, watery eyes was revealed, but alas, they were dull and blurry because of her weak condition.
Alina spoke in a shaky and feeble voice, "B-b-big B-bro Ace!" Her voice was weak, but there was a hint of love and happiness in it.
It thrilled Alina to see her big bro holding her in his embrace, but she was so weak that she could barely express herself.
Seeing her like this, Ace felt extremely heartbroken and sighed in indignation.
Ace gently stroked her black hair and smiled faintly, though it was clearly forced. He didn't want to show Alina his pained expression. Instead, he took one of the small black pills and fed it to her with extreme care.
After making sure she swallowed the pill, he said faintly, with a forced smile, "Little Alina is going to be fine in no time with this alchemy medicine. Just rest and let big bro take care of you until you're healthy again, okay?"
Ace was reassuring her — or maybe himself. It didn't matter, since he was anxious about her either way. She was his only family in this vast world, and he was determined to protect her for as long as he lived!
---
[A Couple of Years in the Past]
His parents named him "Ace White" because they thought the name sounded good, was easy for others to remember, and its meaning matched their wishes for him.
Unfortunately, his parents went missing in the wastelands when he was only four years old.
They were only low-level cultivators who hunted beasts in the wasteland for a living. Since they hadn't returned for almost a year, the city officials declared them dead.
Little Ace was very intelligent and sensible from a young age, as he had lived with his grandparents whenever his parents went hunting.
But when he heard the news of his parents' death, it was as if the world had turned upside down. He grieved for months after learning this heart-shattering news. Seeing him like this, his grandparents were also heartbroken.
The shock of his parents' death eventually settled. He slowly accepted that his mom and dad were never coming back, and his grandparents became everything to him; he cherished them dearly.
However, their living conditions began to decline a year after his parents' death. They hadn't needed to worry about food or clothing when his parents were still around, but now that they were gone, things changed quickly.
Three years after his parents' death, little Ace turned eight when another tragedy occurred: his grandma passed away from a severe fever. He mourned with his old grandpa beside him.
After losing his grandma, his grandpa couldn't bear the misery of her departure with his old heart. He fell ill and passed away four months after her.
Now little Ace was alone in this heartless world.
He worked as a dishwasher at the same restaurant where his grandma used to work before her death. The owner took pity on the poor, lonely little boy.
The trauma of his grandparents' deaths hit him hard; he became a silent child and rarely spoke to anyone. He had no friends.
When he watched other children with their parents, he would silently cry alone in his house at night, where no one could hear or comfort him.
Two years passed in a flash.
In these two years, little Ace grew somewhat taller, but his frame remained very skinny. He still worked as a dishwasher for a few copper coins at the same restaurant, earning his meals.
His deadpan eyes made him seem mature despite his young and tender age. Time had left a deep scar on his little heart. He'd even forgotten the last time he had smiled.
On one freezing winter night, he was walking home after work when he heard someone sobbing from a dark alley. From the sound of the voice, he could tell it was probably a child.
Ace grimaced, put his guard up, and vigilantly looked around. He knew this area was not law-abiding, as criminals roamed here. He first wanted to ignore the weeping voice, since it had nothing to do with him, and even took a few steps forward.
But he eventually stopped and, with gritted teeth, took small steps toward the alley!