Granny Wang gazed at the growing figure of the ‘Kid,’ her heart filled with a hundred emotions.
Once upon a time, he had been just a tiny thing wrapped in swaddling cloth, able to express his needs only through crying.
Now, his features had become clear and distinct.
Though his frame was still a bit thin, those eyes shone like morning dew—clear and bright—holding a maturity and obedience beyond his years.
At such moments, the furrows on Granny Wang’s face would relax with relief, blossoming into a warm, loving smile.
‘Kid, you must grow up well. If you achieve something in the future, don’t forget to repay the villagers.’
She always said this, gently stroking Luo Ling’s head with her calloused yet warm hand, her words heavy with earnestness.
Luo Ling would nod vigorously, his little head bobbing like a rattle-drum.
With a voice still childish and unsteady, but full of resolve, he’d answer,
‘Qiao! Kid will be good and help Grandma with work! When I grow up, I’ll protect everyone too!’
The evening sun bathed the village in gentle orange light, painting everything in a warm hue.
A small figure ran happily across the fields, with curling cooking smoke rising from the rooftops behind, mingling with the silhouettes of villagers swinging hoes or leading cattle and sheep home—together forming a peaceful pastoral scene.
The evening breeze carried the scent of earth, the tempting aroma of food, and the crisp laughter of children playing in the distance, all into Luo Ling’s nose and ears.
He stopped running, turning back in curiosity to look at the little village filled with warmth and humanity beneath the drifting smoke, a pure, heartfelt smile unconsciously blooming on his face.
There was no so-called System blessing, no Heaven-Defying Golden Finger.
The beginning of his journey in this world was Infernal Difficulty—a Abandoned Infant left weak and alone in the wild.
Yet it was in such a seemingly hopeless place that he felt warmth he had never known before.
And a sense called ‘Home,’ a solid belonging he had never experienced even in the blurry memories of his previous life.
He thought quietly to himself, perhaps being sent here by fate wasn’t entirely a bad thing after all.
At the very least, he now possessed hope to live on, people who truly cared for and loved him.
He had a ‘Home’—even if humble and simple, it was real and filled with love.
As for what the distant future held? Who could predict it.
At this moment, all he wanted was to cherish the hard-won peace and warmth before him,
To live well, to work hard, not to let down Grandma’s nurturing nor the kindness of the villagers.
That evening, with the sky full of rosy clouds, Luo Ling didn’t go home early to help Granny Wang with chores as usual.
Instead, he squatted under the lush Old Locust Tree at the village entrance, intently watching the apprentices in the Smithy forge farming tools with ‘ding ding dang dang’ sounds.
The roaring furnace painted the Smithy in crimson light, the glowing iron being struck again and again by a great hammer on the solid anvil, scattering countless golden sparks like stars in the night sky.
The old blacksmith’s powerful, rhythmic shouts echoed with the clashing of hammer and anvil, heavy and strong, as if even the air trembled in response.
Curiosity and longing were written all over Luo Ling’s young face.
Suddenly, a burst of urgent hoofbeats thundered closer in a cloud of dust.
A group of Knights clad in leather armor reined in their horses at the village gate. The leader displayed an emblem:
‘By order of the Lord, this year’s Winter Grain is to be collected.’
The villagers’ faces turned pale in an instant.
Last winter’s snow disaster had already cut the harvest sharply, and the Grain Storage was barely enough.
Luo Ling saw Village Chief step forward with a stooped back to negotiate, only to be impatiently shoved aside by a Knight.
Old Ha quietly gripped his Hunting Knife, but was held back firmly by Madam Ma, the Bakery owner.
When the Knights herded cattle and sheep away and swept up grain sacks, the setting sun dyed the sky blood-red.
Luo Ling clenched his tiny fists, nails digging deep into his palms—this world not only lacked a System, it was also filled with raw plunder.
But when he turned and saw Granny Wang trembling as she brought a bowl of wild vegetable soup, with two golden fried eggs floating in it, his eyes suddenly turned red.
Those were eggs Madam Ma had secretly saved, ones she hadn’t even given her own children.
Luo Ling stared at the receding backs of the Knights, anger burning in his heart, his fists remaining tightly clenched for a long time.
Such barefaced plunder made him keenly feel the cruelty of this world.
Yet the acts of mutual care among the villagers shone like beacons in the darkness, lighting the path ahead of him.
At night, a suffocating atmosphere hung over the Village.
Granny Wang sat on a small bench in her house, staring at the empty Grain Storage with worry in her eyes.
Luo Ling walked to her side and softly spoke:
‘Grandma, don’t worry. When the Kid grows up, I’ll make sure our Village never suffers such bullying again.’
Granny Wang stroked his head, a faintly relieved smile on her face:
‘Good Kid, your heart alone is enough.’
The next day, before dawn, Luo Ling followed Old Ha into the mountain forest outside the Village.
Old Ha was the best hunter in the Village, and Luo Ling wanted to learn hunting skills from him to protect the Village in the future.
In the forest, Old Ha patiently taught Luo Ling how to track prey and set traps.
Luo Ling studied earnestly, practicing every move over and over.
As days passed, Luo Ling’s hunting skills steadily improved.
He often caught wild rabbits, pheasants, and other game on his own, adding greatly to the Village’s food stores.
However, peaceful days did not last long…
One day, a group of uninvited guests arrived in the Village—Bandits.
They were fierce and menacing, brandishing sharp blades, shouting for the villagers to hand over all valuables.
The villagers panicked, fleeing into their homes.
Luo Ling gripped his Hunting Knife tightly, standing at the very front.
He shouted:
‘You Bandits, don’t even think about bullying our Village!’
The Bandits burst into laughter. Their leader said:
‘Just a brat like you? If you know what’s good for you, hand everything over now, or don’t blame us for being rough!’
As the two sides faced off, Old Ha led the Village men out.
Though their weapons were simple, their eyes burned with determination and courage.
The Bandits saw the unity of the villagers and hesitated.
After a fierce standoff, the Bandits finally slunk away in defeat.
This experience made Luo Ling understand the power of unity even more.
He realized that to truly protect the Village, it wasn’t just personal strength that mattered, but the combined efforts of everyone.