"You're getting a new little brother!" Nick said proudly: "Just earlier, Graey and I found an abandoned baby. Just like you, we've decided to adopt him!"
"OOOH!!!" The kids' reaction was explosive. Boys and girls alike jumped up in excitement!
--------------------------------------
"Great!"
"I'm finally not the youngest kid anymore!"
A freckled boy with a runny nose said excitedly: "I'll prepare a gift for my dear little brother."
"Hey, Kahn!"
"Don't you dare give our dear little brother any of your weird collections!"
A big-sister-like figure crossed her arms and warned.
Her name was Luna, the first child adopted by Graey and Nick.
Aside from the two of them, the rest were also excitedly discussing, eager with joy.
They were all talking about what kind of gift they should give to this new member of the family.
"Alright, alright, I know you're all excited."
"But… Boothill is still just a baby, we'll talk about gifts when he's old enough to remember."
Nick calmed the excited children, then announced the name he and Graey had decided upon.
Boothill.
In the ancient language of Aeragan-Epharshel, it meant a loaded gun.
Graey smiled warmly at the side.
They were proud to have such a united and loving group of children.
...
: Boothill's childhood family environment seems pretty nice.
: Everyone is such a good person, and when these little ones heard they had a new brother, they were so excited they almost exploded!
: Growing up in such an environment, Boothill must've developed deep bonds.
: Such a heartwarming scene, I hope Boothill grows up well.
: Seeing the blue skies, white clouds, and the family farm instantly lifts the mood.
...
The gentle, solemn narration and imagery, quietly drew the audience in without them realizing it.
Watching Boothill's past unfold.
As time passed, this farm, said to be a ranch, was really more like a multifunctional camp.
Some of the kids herded and raised cattle and sheep.
Others… carried guns, joining Graey and Nick in fending off outside threats.
Boothill was no different.
As soon as he grew old enough, Nick and Graey took him along.
Graey taught him to recognize plants, birds, and rivers.
Nick taught him to tame horses and herd cattle.
Little Boothill rode a foal across streams, in the morning sun, following everyone to graze in lush valleys.
Under brilliant evening clouds, Nick would always sing at the top of his lungs.
And Boothill, on his pony, would follow behind, whistling bright, cheerful notes.
Time flew quickly in these scenes.
The audience quietly watched the warm moments.
They saw Nick and Graey gradually grow old, hunched day by day.
Though Boothill's beginning was lonely,
At least in his growth, family and love never left him.
[Aeragan-Epharshel]
The screen suddenly went black, big characters appeared, like in an old cowboy movie.
This film used such an old-fashioned way to divide chapters.
[The Best World]
The theme of the second chapter appeared right after.
Amid swirling yellow sand, eight men and women, scarves over their faces, hid behind a large rock.
The revolvers in their hands were already fully loaded.
"I can't wait any longer!"
"Hold on, Boothill."
"You're the best hunter, you should know, we need patience."
"I know!"
Though masked, the audience could still recognize who was who from their hairstyles.
The three speaking were Boothill, Luna, and Kahn.
"These damned bandits, finally about to pay for oppressing us."
"Heh."
"We've waited far too long for this moment."
Kahn, once the snot-nosed little brat, had grown into a strong young man.
But his words were still as flippant as ever.
From their conversation, the audience learned the background.
Because of ancient traditions, human connections weren't as close as in big cities.
One family and another might be separated by dozens of miles.
What linked everyone together were the railways and trading posts.
They'd prepare hunted game and butchered livestock, trading with caravans for the supplies they needed.
And in such an environment, of course, many desperate bandits and gangs arose.
Some were practically family-run workshops.
If they found someone easy to rob, they became bandits. If they couldn't win, they went back to being civilians.
And today, Boothill and the others were lying in ambush for one such rival gang.
This gang had been frequently robbing their goods, intimidating traders into only doing business with them, seriously threatening the survival of their camp.
Before long, shadows of riders on horses appeared in the yellow sand.
"They're here!"
Big sister Luna, staring at them, was just about to signal her siblings to open fire when,
A sharp whistle pierced the air.
Boothill ripped off his scarf, his lips curled in a wild grin of vengeance, and he raised his gun.
"Die!"
"Bastards!"
Bang!
A gunshot rang out. A figure toppled from horseback.
"Ambush!"
"Enemy attack!"
The rival gang fell into chaos.
Luna and the others had no time for words, hiding behind the boulders as they fired back with Boothill.
Bang, bang, bang!
Gunfire roared endlessly. Bodies kept falling.
But the enemies were no amateurs. Their leader quickly restored order, using dead horses as cover, and started firing back.
In the chaos, an enraged voice roared:
"Boothill! Are you fucking insane?"
"Do you even know the consequences of daring to attack us?!"
From behind the rock, Boothill burst into loud laughter:
"Insane? I'm not insane, you rat-faced morons! Hiding in the sands every day, robbing, stealing, you're nothing but filthy trash!"
Simple trash talk, absolute ecstasy.
At this moment, Boothill revealed the raw, brutal side he had never shown in the main story.
Echoing his voice, were the curses of his brothers and sisters.
Especially Luna and Kahn, their insults were even filthier than Boothill's.
Now, the audience finally understood where Boothill's foul-mouthed tradition came from.
As the gunfire grew more mocking, the enemy's end also arrived.
Although they resisted for a while, Boothill and his group had long been prepared, holding the advantage in terrain and supplies.
As the last enemy fell, the crowd emerged from behind the rocks and walked to the center of the battlefield littered with corpses.
The enemy leader had not yet breathed his last. With eyes full of anger and fear, he glared at Boothill, panting heavily:
"We were on the same path. We could have cooperated!"
"Bullshit!"
Boothill's lips curled into a grin as he said:
"Can't figure out why we wouldn't wear the same pair of pants with you, walk the same road till the end, huh?"
He came up to the leader, pressed the revolver to his forehead:
"Because Graey and Nick, and my brothers and sisters taught me one thing: right is right, wrong is wrong. The reason you are the bad guys and we are not is because we have boundaries."
"If you want to tell good people from bad, it's even simpler. I knew from childhood that bad people are bad people, the ones who kill for no reason, rob others, bully others, they're bad people. I didn't even need anyone to teach me that."
"So, die, dumbass."
"Who the hell is on the same path as you?"
Bang!
Boothill blew this dumbass's head apart like a rotten watermelon.
Then, together with his brothers and sisters, he began dividing the spoils of war.
They returned to camp with the loot, receiving a warm welcome. As the one with the best marksmanship, Boothill was praised by Graey and Nick, as well as the others.
Boothill felt very proud.
Not just because of his shooting, but because he was part of this family.
And days like this had already become the norm here.
Those gangs and bandits were like grass that could never be cut clean. Kill a batch, and soon another would sprout.
Kahn died during one enemy raid.
Shot straight in the head.
Not even leaving a last word.
Boothill, burning with rage, led others into revenge after the burial.
This was the first time he tasted the feeling of vengeance.
They began traveling to wider lands, following the tracks between the desert cities and camps.
Friends and siblings left one after another.
Some died, while others found their own path in life.
Some became respectable people, some became gun shop owners, some fell in love and had children.
The only thing that didn't change was their bond and affection.
They no longer returned to camp, and Graey and Nick respected that deeply, even felt happy about it.
The two elders had only one wish for the children: To live well according to their own will.
As Boothill's feats grew ever more impressive, his reputation spread, and he became someone countless people both respected and feared.
He also became the pillar of the camp.
Though there were fewer brothers and sisters by his side, Boothill didn't care.
To protect family, to fight for them, to walk through bullets and flames, to savor the insights of life and death, Boothill loved this kind of life.
Here there wasn't much law. People survived by relying on trust, boundaries, and mutual understanding.
The scene froze in the night.
Under the starry sky, Boothill was imagining worlds beyond the heavens.
At that moment, a baby's cry rang out.
Following the sound, he found a red-faced infant, crying endlessly.
Boothill froze. A man who had killed countless people was suddenly at a loss.
The mouth that so often hurled insults at enemies could not think of a word to comfort a baby.
"Uh, don't cry, it's okay."
Nervously, Boothill approached, trying to pick the baby up.
But the baby cried even louder.
The ruthless, brash Boothill showing such awkwardness was an extreme contrast.
In the end, Boothill still picked up the baby in his own way and carried her back to camp.
Just like Graey once carried him back.
The camera widened.
Two-thirds of the screen filled with endless starlight, the remaining third turned into a straight line of prairie.
On the prairie, Boothill galloped wildly, tightly holding the baby in his arms.
Beneath the breathtaking scene, Boothill's unusual thoughts became narration.
"Nick always sings, the water here is pure as fine wine."
"The snow here is cold as a knife's edge."
"This place is…"
"The most beautiful world."
He lowered his head and gently pinched the baby's cheek with his finger.
The little one slept soundly in his arms.
Boothill smiled, wholeheartedly agreeing with Nick's words.
To him, Aeragan-Epharshel was the most beautiful world.
And the silent audience, started to send comments.
...
: The filming is so solid, I was immersed the whole time, didn't even want to type.
: There weren't even any special effects, yet it drew me in completely.
: Though Boothill's homeland is full of vendettas and death, I can feel that Boothill and his siblings accept these rules.
: Their bonds and growth are so enviable! With a family like this, no wonder Boothill, despite seeming frivolous, actually has firm and upright values!
: Now that Boothill picked up this child, it's simply a cycle repeating.
: Suddenly realized, that handsome Boothill, strictly speaking, seems to have already become a father?
: Setting aside this planet's laws and rules, at least from Boothill's perspective, his childhood and life were quite perfect: revenge for grudges, payback for hatred, no real regrets. How did he end up as a sea ranger…
: Huh? Oh right…
: I was so immersed in the heartwarming coming-of-age story, I totally forgot this was made by MiHoYo!
: Damn, I got tricked by MiHoYo again…
: Oh no, is it too late to stop watching now…
: I want to stop watching but can't seem to...
...
The more beautiful the story, the heavier the unease in the audience's hearts grew.
But the progress bar was already past halfway.
There was absolutely no way they could bear to quit now.
On screen, the second chapter had ended.
[The Silence of Gunfire]
The title of the third chapter had already appeared.