Xiao Feng turned his attention back to the Blind Girl, who was still sitting on the floor, her head tilted slightly toward him. Her fingers lingered on the edge of the tin can as if trying to gather enough courage to move.
Thanks to Xiao Feng covering her with his soul power, she didn't know what was happening outside.
"Are you alright?" Xiao Feng asked gently, kneeling down in front of her.
The Blind Girl didn't answer immediately. Instead, she slowly reached up, her trembling fingers seeking his face.
She touched his cheek, then ran her fingers over his jawline, her touch delicate and tentative, as though she was afraid of disturbing something fragile.
"You... you're kind, Onii-chan," She said softly, her voice shaking. "I'm sorry. I... I can't see."
Xiao Feng remained still, letting her touch him. He could feel the depth of her loneliness in the way she moved, in the careful, hesitant touch of her hands.
Despite everything she'd been through, despite the cruelty she'd faced, she was still trying to find something human in the world around her.
Kisara watched the whole process, and she felt mixed emotions. The cruelty he showed to evil was real, and his gentleness was real as well. This kind of person will probably make many girls cry.
Xiao Feng: "Don't worry. No one can bully you with me here! But you can't stay here like this. Not with people like them around."
The Blind Girl hesitated, her hands clutching the edges of her sign and her tin can, "But I, I have a sister, I need money to save her... I can't just leave her behind. She needs me."
Watching her smile even though she had suffered so much, Xiao Feng felt his chest was blocked by something, but he couldn't release it.
"I can save your sister. How about coming with me!" Xiao Feng said and looked at her hesitant face.
"Onii-chan, you are kind, but I can't trouble you! This is okay!" The blind girl smiled. She didn't want to trouble Xiao Feng.
"What trouble? It's not troublesome at all. Whether you want it out or not, I am taking you with me!"
Xiao Feng directly hugged her without waiting for her to react.
She felt her body floating up and being held in a pair of warm hands; she struggled subconsciously.
"Don't move, stay still, I will take you to your new home and I will bring your sister as well, don't worry!" Xiao Feng said suddenly.
For a long time, the Blind Girl hesitated. The world had always been cruel to her, and she wasn't used to sudden warmth.
After a while, she stopped struggling and let him lead her.
Kisara, on the side, chuckled as she watched this scene.
Her laughter attracted the blind girl, and she looked toward her, "Is there a big sister with you, kind Onii-chan!"
"Hm, her name is Kisara Tendo. You can call her whatever you like!" Xiao Feng nodded.
"Did I ruin your date? I am sorry!"
Hearing her words, both Xiao Feng and Kisara similarly choked in their saliva.
What nonsense are you talking about, kid?
Xiao Feng wondered whether the girl was naturally black.
"I am not this guy's girlfriend, I just took him to see the city!" Kisara tried to clear up the misunderstanding.
"Onee-chan, your voice is so nice. You and Onii-chan are a good match!"
"You..." Kisara blushed, but when she thought she was just a kid, she shook her head, not bothering to care.
Xiao Feng's expression was wonderful: "Your Onee-chan isn't my girlfriend."
The blind girl nodded, seemingly accepting Xiao Feng's words, but her next words stunned him, "If so, then how about dating me, Onii-chan? Your voice tells me you're my type."
"Puff- cough, cough!" Kisara choked and looked at Xiao Feng with shocked eyes.
How long has it been? This loli has been conquered.
Xiao Feng was also shocked like Kisara, but he remembered she said similar words to Rentaro in the anime when he helped her.
"Okay, but you have to grow up to be healthy. I will consider being your boyfriend!" He chuckled and rubbed her small head.
"Grow up..." She chewed the word hard and didn't speak.
She had no hope for growing up.
"Can you tell me your name, now? I can't keep calling you, you!" Xiao Feng said in a playful voice.
The blind girl snapped back to her senses and nodded. then she said, "My name is Suzu Hasegawa. Onii-chan and Onee-chan can call me Suzu."
"Suzu, that's a good name. I am Xiao Feng, and she is Kisara. Let's go and see your sister. Can you point the way?" Xiao Feng's tone was very soft, and he brushed off her somewhat dirty silver hair.
"Hm," Feeling the warmth from Xiao Feng, Suzu's face cracked a smile, "I know the way, I will help you!"
'What a cute child!' Kisara thought.
She had been treated so badly by the world, but she still believed them after some persuasion and showed them the way to her home.
What if someone had bad intentions?
Kisara glanced at Xiao Feng and shook her head.
Fortunately, it was him. This guy will protect her at all costs. If someone wants to kill her, he will probably kill him first.
Suzu couldn't see, but she had her own unique way of identifying the road.
With her pointing the direction, Xiao Feng and Kisara returned to the Outer Edge of the Tokyo Area, then, following a deep alley, they arrived at an old, cramped house.
When they walked in, their footsteps alarmed Suzu's sister lying in bed.
As Xiao Feng and Kisara entered the dimly lit, cramped house at the edge of the Tokyo Area, Suzu's voice cut through the silence.
"Miori! I'm back!"
From the corner of the room, a soft, weak voice responded. "Sister? You're early today. Are you okay?"
Miori, Suzu's younger sister, sat up slightly, her thin body trembling from the effort. Her big, worried eyes searched the space despite the dim light.
When she noticed Xiao Feng and Kisara, her expression immediately shifted to one of fear and suspicion.
"Who are they, Sister?" Miori's voice was small and shaky, but her eyes carried suspicion and doubt.
Although she is young, her mind is precocious. She knows what kind of people are out there like. If they saw her and her sister, they would probably beat or rape them to death.
Suzu hurried to her sister's side and said while taking her hand gently. "It's okay, Miori! Onii-chan and Onee-chan saved me. They're kind people."
Miori's eyes narrowed slightly. "Saved you? Why would they help us? What do they want?"
She felt her sister must have been deceived.
Xiao Feng crouched down near the bed and said in a gentle voice. "We mean no harm. We saw Suzu being mistreated and stepped in to help. That's all."
"You and your sister have been through enough. I just want to help you. You deserve better than this."
Miori clutched Suzu's hand tightly, and her small body tensed up. "Nobody helps for free. I don't trust them, sister. What if they hurt us or take you away?"
Xiao Feng looked at her with a gentle gaze and met her wide eyes, and he said in a soothing voice, "Miori, I don't need anything from you or your sister. I hate seeing people like you, who've done nothing wrong, being treated so cruelly by the world. You don't have to trust me now, but I swear on my life, I'll never hurt you or Suzu."
In his past life, he was helpless and didn't have the strength to help people. It was already difficult to make a living.
In this life, he has both the strength and ability to reduce tragedies and save people. So he will follow his heart and do whatever he wants.
Although he is lazy, he also has his own sense of justice. And facing these children, he can't let go of them.
Kisara curled up her legs and watched him comfort Miori, trying to convince her.
After a long time, Miori said with a heavy sigh. "Alright... but only if you promise me something."
Xiao Feng tilted his head. "What is it?"
"You have to promise you'll never hurt us," Miori said firmly, her small hands trembling as they clutched her sister's hand, "Sister is all I have. If you hurt her, I—"
"You don't need to finish that sentence," Xiao Feng interrupted gently. "I promise. Neither of you will ever be harmed while I'm around. I'll protect you both, no matter what."
"I will also give you the ability to protect yourself. So no need to be too worried."
Kisara added, "Although this guy is sometimes cold and sometimes warm, it is true that he is a good guy. If you follow him, it will only be a good thing, not a bad thing."
Miori hesitated a moment longer before finally nodding. "Okay. But I'll hold you to that promise."
---
The journey back to Xiao Feng's base was quiet, apart from Suzu softly humming the song she had performed inside the mall.
Xiao Feng carried Miori carefully in his arms. Her body was so thin and light that he barely felt anything while carrying her.
Suzu walked beside Kisara, holding her hand tightly with one hand while the other still carried her small metal container.
She had refused to abandon it. Even though she no longer needed to beg, it represented the effort she had made to keep Miori alive.
Before long, the reinforced underground facility that had once belonged to the Tokyo branch of the IISO appeared ahead of them.
The damaged areas had already been cleaned, and the children had transformed much of the cold compound into a surprisingly welcoming home.
The base contained medical rooms, bedrooms, bathing areas, storage facilities and enough space for many more residents. Xiao Feng had specifically laid down several formation for protection and comfort.
When Xiao Feng carried Miori into one of the clean medical rooms and placed her gently on a soft bed, she stared around in disbelief.
The clean blankets alone were better than anything she and Suzu had possessed in years.
"This..." Miori touched the mattress beneath her, then she looked at Xiao Feng, "This doesn't feel real. Why would you do so much for us?"
Xiao Feng crouched beside the bed, "Consider it something I'm doing to satisfy myself."
Miori looked confused.
Looking at the cute little girl who looked similar to Suzu, Xiao Feng smiled faintly.
"I don't believe children should suffer simply because they were born with the Gastrea Virus. You haven't done anything wrong. You aren't monsters, and you deserve the opportunity to live normally."
Miori looked toward her sister, who smiled brightly despite her dirtied silver hair and worn-out clothes.
Suzu reached out and held Xiao Feng's sleeve.
"Onii-chan..."
"Yes?"
"Is this really our home now?"
Xiao Feng gently moved a strand of silver hair away from her face, "Yes, Suzu. This is your home now.".
"I'll introduce both of you to the other girls once Miori has been examined and you've had a chance to wash and eat. I'm certain you'll become good friends."
Suzu's grip tightened around his sleeve and said,
"Onii-chan, Onee-chan, you're so kind."
Kisara chuckled and waved a hand. "Well, you've got a good eye, Suzu. But you'd better not give this guy all the credit!"
Miori clutched Suzu's hand and whispered, "Thank you… for everything."
Xiao Feng's gaze softened as he nodded. "You're welcome. Rest now, both of you. You're safe here."
For the first time in years, Suzu and Miori felt a sense of security.
....