“A newborn abandoned by their parents…”
Xu Xi continued to move forward, closely following the line of starving refugees.
He was well aware.
In this era of turmoil, it was only natural for infants to be abandoned, as parents struggled to survive themselves, let alone care for a baby.
In times of famine, the best course of action was to pretend nothing had happened.
Thinking this, Xu Xi silently lowered his eyes.
He decided to turn a deaf ear.
To look the other way.
Those around him did the same, including Aunt Wang and her family, who had previously offered him water.
It wasn’t that they lacked kindness or compassion. In such a time of famine, raising a newborn meant reducing the food for their own families, diminishing their own chances of survival.
Compared to that, everyone chose to prioritize their own loved ones.
*Thud—*
*Thud—*
Each heavy step seemed like a moral condemnation, striking at the hearts of those present.
Suddenly, Xu Xi stopped. He looked up at the sun in the sky, as if making a decision. In the stunned and bewildered gazes of the others, he quickly broke away from the line of refugees and sprinted toward the direction where he had heard the sound.
“Even though this is just a simulated world, it feels so real… I can’t just let it go…”
“In this era of food scarcity.”
“If I leave her alone, that child’s fate would be—”
Xu Xi sped up.
He searched through the wild grass, ran over sharp stones.
Gradually, the height of the grass reached above his knees, and every step required him to push through the tough branches. The hot wind howled in his ears, accompanied by the rustling of the grass.
He cut through the thorns.
He pressed forward without hesitation.
Much like the countless fairy tales described.
With tiny arms pushing through obstacles and tender feet conquering difficulties, the fearless hero finally reached his destination. Beneath a withered tree, he found a baby girl wrapped in cloth.
Sunlight descended from the sky, fragmented by the barren branches of the tree, scattering in dappled patterns.
Xu Xi crouched down.
He picked up the clearly newborn infant, shielding her from the scorching sun.
“Finally found you,” he murmured softly.
The baby’s skin was fair and delicate, like a newly blossomed petal, tinged with a faint pink hue. Her eyes blinked curiously, gazing at Xu Xi’s flushed and exhausted face.
Her small nose twitched slightly, and her body curled up in Xu Xi’s arms, becoming unusually quiet.
It seemed she felt safe in his embrace.
“Looks like she’s fine.”
Seeing the baby sleeping soundly, Xu Xi breathed a sigh of relief. Then, as gently as possible, he cradled the infant and began to head back to the original group.
It was a bit difficult.
But Xu Xi didn’t want to give up on this child.
At the very least, he wanted to try and give her a chance to survive this famine.
…
**Suffering Breeds Heroes**
**You ignored the astonishment of others, becoming a hero for one when everyone else chose to abandon her. You brought the baby girl back from the brink of danger, treating her as your own sister.**
**You traded your last bit of food for some breast milk, ensuring your sister wouldn’t suffer from hunger.**
**In return, you, having lost your final sustenance, could only endure the cramps in your stomach, feeling the weakness and exhaustion in your body day and night.**
**Fortunately, your luck held out.**
**Before you starved to death, you and your sister, following the refugee group, successfully reached a mortal city. From the porridge stall, you received the life-saving hot porridge.**
**You survived, and so did your sister.**
**After making inquiries, you learned that the city was called Blackstone City, belonging to a mortal kingdom. Every five years, immortals would come to test people’s talents and take disciples.**
**Your luck seemed to falter again, as the last recruitment had just passed. You would have to wait for a new five years.**
**You decided to stay in Blackstone City, aiming to participate in the five-year disciple recruitment. To this end, you began to find ways to make money, striving to support yourself and your sister.**
**You named your sister Xu Moli.**
…
Time flew by, as if guided by the hands of fate.
Perhaps due to the influence of the simulator.
Xu Xi often felt that time passed too quickly, as if pressing a skip button in a game, jumping through several years in an instant.
However.
Xu Xi still retained the memories.
He remembered how he survived in Blackstone City, the moments he spent with his sister Moli, and the interactions with the neighbors and townsfolk.
“Let’s see, there’s only one year left until the disciple recruitment.”
In the narrow wooden house.
The furniture was sparse, but the floor was clean.
Xu Xi pondered, drawing a deep mark on the wall with charcoal. Such marks now numbered four, symbolizing the fourth year.
Xu Xi was nearly eleven years old this year.
With the mind of a transmigrator and a mature disposition, he appeared more reliable than his peers.
“Brother!”
A soft, innocent voice called from behind.
Almost simultaneously, a small figure leaped onto Xu Xi’s back, affectionately clinging, revealing a face of childish contentment.
“You, you’re always so mischievous.”
Xu Xi spoke with a tone of helplessness.
He skillfully lifted the girl by the back of her neck.
Gently placing her on the ground.
“No I’m not, Brother is wrong to blame Moli,” the girl retorted, tugging at Xu Xi’s robe to smooth out the wrinkles caused by her earlier antics.
Her expression was serious, her movements meticulous, as if handling something of great importance.
Only after everything was done did she reveal a satisfied expression.
Her smile was pure, her eyes lively and adorable. At four years old, she was like the most flawless porcelain doll, making Xu Xi want to ruffle her hair.
“No rubbing Moli’s head!”
Hearing the girl’s adorable protest, Xu Xi chuckled, “Why not?”
The girl counted on her fingers with great seriousness, “Neighbor Grandma said that if you rub a child’s head, they won’t grow tall. Brother has done it so many times, what if Moli doesn’t grow tall?”
Xu Xi was curious, “And what does little Moli plan to do after growing tall?”
Without hesitation, the girl replied, “Help Brother earn lots and lots of money!”
“Hahaha, is that so? That’s something to look forward to.”
Xu Xi laughed heartily.
In the face of the girl’s pouting expression, he once again ruffled her glossy black hair. Then, before the adorable sister could get angry, he quickly produced a round, large watermelon.
“Wow, it’s a huge water melon!”
Xu Moli let out an amazed “Wow.”
Her eyes sparkled with joy and excitement.
She hugged Xu Xi’s leg, cheering, “I want to eat, I want to eat! Brother, cut it for Moli!”
“Alright, alright, I’m coming,” the boy responded indulgently, moving his sister aside. He took out the kitchen knife and sliced the watermelon into even pieces.