Shen Lu waved her sign to drive away the rats, then checked Fu Cheng's breathing. Thankfully, he was still alive.
Huh?
'Isn't it perfectly normal for him to be breathing?'
'He's the great villain of the future. In the original story, the previous owner of this body abandoned him, and he still lived just fine. A few measly rats aren't going to kill him.'
Shen Lu shifted her position and carefully patted around Fu Cheng's waist.
The collapsible medical kit was tiny, just a thumb-sized metal button. It was supposedly given to him by the military when he was sent back to the Fu Family.
This sort of thing wasn't rare in the Fu Family, so they hadn't bothered to take it, sending it along to the Shen Family with him.
"Found it," Shen Lu chirped. She didn't rush to open the kit. Instead, she tucked it into her pocket first. 'There are people on the street. It's safer to go somewhere secluded.'
After a moment's thought, Shen Lu used the Ice Ice Cup to scoop out a cup of mint water.
The Ice Ice Cup had the texture of semi-transparent glass and was slightly cool to the touch. The mint provided by her system was of excellent quality, making for a strongly fragrant mint water. The water was even tinged a faint green, looking cool and refreshing at a glance.
"Buddy, I'll trade you this mint water for some of your saline and a piece of gauze. I'll even throw in feeding services. I'll return the medical kit as soon as I've taken what I need. I swear I won't take a single extra needle or thread."
Shen Lu muttered to herself as she lifted Fu Cheng's head.
Fu Cheng's head had been wrapped so tightly that only one eye was visible. Now, the gauze had been torn away, revealing the crisscrossing scars on the lower half of his face. The shape of his mouth was actually quite nice, but it was pale as paper, completely bloodless.
She pressed the rim of the cup to Fu Cheng's lower lip and slowly tilted it, letting the mint water trickle between his lips.
The cold, refreshing mint water was like a shot of adrenaline. Fu Cheng's fingers twitched, and his eyelashes trembled.
'So... comfortable...'
Fu Cheng, who had been tormented by spiritual toxins, sighed in his heart.
Ever since his injury, he had been corroded by spiritual toxins day and night. This was especially true after he was sent back to the Imperial City, where no one cared for him properly, causing his condition to deteriorate daily.
On the very first day the Fu Family sent him to the Shen Family, Fu Cheng fell into a deep coma, completely unaware of the world around him.
It wasn't until now, awakened by a cup of mint water, that a sliver of consciousness returned to him.
She quickly finished feeding him the water, gently laid him back down, then took her things to an empty spot. There, she opened the medical kit, took out a piece of gauze and some saline, and carefully cleaned her own face and hands.
When she went back to return the collapsible medical kit, Shen Lu discovered that the rats—the ones that seemed keen on making sashimi out of human flesh—had returned. This time, they'd brought friends; there were at least ten of them.
Shen Lu quickly shooed the rats away, lest Fu Cheng be gnawed to nothing.
But the rats didn't run far. They just hid in a nearby hole, their scarlet eyes glinting. They were just waiting for Shen Lu to leave so they could pounce and devour Fu Cheng's flesh.
Shen Lu snarled at the rats, but found they weren't the least bit afraid. They even squeaked back at her defiantly.
Shen Lu's stubborn streak flared. 'There's no way I'm letting these rats get the best of me!'
'Hmph. Worst case, I'll just take Fu Cheng with me. I'll stick right by him and see if you still dare to try and take a bite.'
Shen Lu rummaged around and found an old flatbed cart. The wooden planks were gone, leaving only a metal frame that had been carelessly tossed by the roadside. It looked like it was abandoned.
It took all her strength, but Shen Lu managed to haul Fu Cheng onto the frame. She then placed her bucket and sign on it as well. The Ice Ice Cup was her treasure, so she put it straight into her pocket to keep it clean and safe.
Fortunately, Gold Street was only a dozen or so meters away. She reached her destination just before her strength gave out completely.
Shen Lu wiped the sweat from her brow, leaned the cart frame against a wall, and quickly took her bucket and sign off to set up shop.
Whether it was because she had cleaned her face or not, she soon had a customer.
A pair of black leather boots stopped in front of her little stall. Shen Lu, who had been leaning against the cart frame to rest, immediately looked up at the sight of the boots and flashed a perfect, eight-toothed smile.
"Hello, would you like a nice, cool glass of mint water? It's delicious, and only 20 Star Coins!"
Xue Can looked down at her, his gaze imperious. The girl's fair, delicate face and her dirty but obviously expensive lace dress made it clear she wasn't a lower-class citizen. He just couldn't figure out why she was selling things on the street.
Behind her lay a grievously injured man, his limbs broken and his wounds sloppily bandaged. He looked like he was at death's door.
For some reason, Xue Can was reminded of himself ten years ago.
He, too, had been covered in wounds just like this man, with only his little sister to care for him.
To scrape together money for his medical fees, his sister had to find a way to earn money, even picking through the junkyards for things to sell on the street.
Only, it wasn't this street. It was the Fifteenth District.
Later, he was fortunate enough to awaken a Fire Ability and their lives improved. But then his sister was struck by a sudden, terrible illness and died in the prime of her life.
The face of his deceased sister gradually superimposed itself onto the girl before him. Xue Can's gaze deepened, a subtle, almost imperceptible nostalgia in his eyes.
"I'll have a cup," he said coldly.
Shen Lu was so excited she nearly jumped for joy.
'Yes! I'm finally making my first sale!'
Shen Lu used the Ice Ice Cup to ladle out a full cup of mint water and offered it with both hands. "Here you go, sir. Please enjoy."
Xue Can extended his right hand and took it with a show of indifference.
Hmm?
'It's... cool to the touch?' A fresh minty aroma wafted to his nose, and the perpetually turbulent storm in his Spiritual Sea quieted down a fraction.
'There's more to this mint water than meets the eye, isn't there?'
Shedding his earlier nonchalance, Xue Can took a sip.
The cool mint flavor instantly exploded in his mouth. It was like a tsunami washing over his entire Spiritual Sea, bringing with it a delightful coolness.
'How is this possible?!'
Xue Can was stunned.
Ever since he'd awakened his superpower, his Spiritual Sea had never known a moment of peace. It was like a volcano on the verge of erupting at any moment, granting him immense power but also condemning him to perpetual, agonizing torment.
For the first time in ten years, his Spiritual Sea felt... at ease.
Shen Lu saw the expression on Xue Can's face change, and her heart skipped a beat. 'Don't tell me there's something wrong with the mint water?'
Just as she was about to ask, the customer tilted his head back and drained the cup in one go.
"Another cup."
Seeing the offered cup, Shen Lu's eyes curved into crescents as she happily agreed.
Xue Can's eyes were fixed on Shen Lu as she ladled another cup of mint water from the unremarkable iron bucket. The moment the cup was back in his hand, he lost all patience for observation and chugged it down. GULP. GULP. GULP.
Ahhh!
So damn refreshing!
'A calm Spiritual Sea... it feels so good.'
Xue Can glanced at Shen Lu's innocent, harmless-looking face, and a malicious thought sparked within him.
'This little bit of mint water is nowhere near enough. I need an endless supply. Not only can I drink it myself, but I could sell it for a fortune in Star Coins.'
'I don't know how this girl dares to sell something so precious at a stall on Gold Street. Is she some rich young lady out for a taste of the common life, or does she simply have no idea what it's worth?'
Whatever the reason, Xue Can didn't care.
A mercenary who lives by licking blood from a blade only cares about immediate profit; future consequences are not a concern.
'I have to get my hands on this mint water!'
Xue Can suddenly seized Shen Lu by the collar, lifting her off her feet with ease.
"Talk. Where did you get this mint water?"
"You'd better answer honestly, or I'll slaughter you!"
A sharp pain suddenly pricked her neck. Out of the corner of her eye, Shen Lu saw a fiery spike materialize from thin air, pressed brazenly against her throat. It waited only for its master's command to end her life.
Shen Lu's eyes widened in terror. She had no idea why Xue Can had suddenly turned on her.
'Is he trying to get it for free?!'