Chapter 2: Standing in Silence

The little boy was dragged out of his small nest without a moment’s delay, and the remaining half of the bread did not escape either, now delivered into the hands of the strongest of the older children. These older children were all over ten years old, with the leader already at the ripe age of twelve.

The lead older child took a deep breath of the aroma from the bread, snatched a large chunk without hesitation, and swallowed it in one go, causing the others to salivate enviously.

A single bite of the bread, however, failed to quench the anger of the older child; instead, his eyes turned red with fury. “How dare you hide food! And where’s the other half? Where did you stash it? Speak up, or I’ll beat you to a pulp!”

The little boy was immediately kicked to the ground, and the swarm of older children pounced on him, punching and kicking with all their might, sending him tumbling around like a rag doll.

The little girl’s face paled with panic as she slowly backed away. She knew that if the little boy revealed that he had given her the other half of the bread, she too would be beaten to death on the spot.

But the little boy’s mouth was sealed shut as if by molten iron; he uttered not a word, not even a groan, silently enduring the relentless beating.

Finally, the older children grew weary and gradually stopped. They had also searched the little boy’s nest but found nothing.

“It looks like he ate the other half!” one of the older children seethed with envy and rage.

“Cut open his stomach! Maybe we can still find it!” another gaunt, dark-skinned older child roared savagely.

The lead older child delivered a fierce kick to the little boy and barked, “Where is the other half?! If you ate it, then you might as well die!”

The little girl’s face turned ashen.

But contrary to her fears, the little boy remained silent and struggled to stand.

His lips moved, as though trying to speak, but no one could hear what he said. The older children instinctively leaned in closer, eager to hear.

Suddenly, the little boy’s right fist flew up, smashing directly into the face of the lead older child!

With a cry of pain, the older child clutched his bleeding face and staggered backward. During the thrashing, the little boy had managed to grab a sharp piece of metal, which he now used to slash across the older child’s face.

“Beat him! Beat him to death!” the injured older child screamed, clutching his face in a fit of madness.

The little boy fought back with all his might, only to be quickly overwhelmed once more. He gritted his teeth, curling into a protective ball, neither pleading for mercy nor moaning in pain.

The older children, growing tired again, slowed down. But the injured older child, driven by a desire for revenge, grabbed the little boy off the ground, about to speak when suddenly the little boy leaped up, headbutting the older child’s wounded face!

The older child’s nose crumpled instantly.

Screaming and holding his broken face, the older child recoiled, while the other older children looked on at the little boy with a genuine sense of dread. Such injuries, they thought, would break them, yet the little boy, supported by some unknown force, stood defiantly before them.

Without further instruction, the older children surged forward, beating the little boy to the ground again. Yet, as soon as they ceased, the little boy stirred and somehow managed to stand once more.

This was an unbearably stubborn child, one who would die standing rather than kneeling.

“Kill… kill him!” one of the older children suggested, his voice trembling. The idea of the little boy haunting his sleep made him uneasy.

No one echoed his suggestion, but the little boy was knocked down once more. This time, the older children struck with less ferocity, instinctively fearful and thoroughly exhausted. Their day had been unproductive, and their strength was limited. Had it not been for the maddening influence of the Crimson Moon, they might have taken the bread and left.

As the older children, worn out and limping, finally stopped, a small figure appeared among them.

It was the little girl, struggling to carry a massive rock much larger than herself, shoving her way forward.

The older children stared in shock as the beautiful little face showed a mixture of resolve and madness. With a wobble, she lifted the rock high above her head and brought it crashing down onto the little boy.

A thud, and the little boy lay still, a pool of blood rapidly spreading beneath his head.

Gasps filled the air, and the older children unconsciously stepped back, distancing themselves from the tiny girl who had just felled their victim with a single blow.

The little girl ran to pick up the rock, now smeared with blood, which stained her clothes and face. As the tiny figure staggered toward the little boy, even the lead older child felt a chill run down his spine.

Just then, a gentle breeze swept through the dump, carrying bits of paper and debris. The already cool night became chillingly cold, causing everyone scavenging for food to shiver.

Unbeknownst to them, an invisible force field had enveloped the entire area.

Most people, oblivious, continued rummaging after the initial chill. A few felt a strange flutter within, but dismissed it as mere imagination.

However, a very few stood rooted to the spot, gazing at their hands, which now glowed faintly in the night, their entire bodies emitting a mysterious new power.

From a high vantage, one would see the sprawling wreckage of airships dotted with points of light, like a fallen galaxy.

The little girl, too, began to glow, her strength suddenly increased. Ignoring the strange phenomenon, she hurried to the little boy and raised the rock again, intending to strike!

All the older children awaited the gruesome sight, some averting their eyes, unwilling to witness it.

At that moment, the little boy burst into a bright light, a red beam shooting upwards, reaching tens of meters into the sky, clearly visible against the night. Around the beam, ethereal rings of light circled in arcane patterns.

The heavy rock, colliding with the light, was repelled as if by an invisible barrier, stunning the older children. Some jumped back, bewildered and unsure of what to do.

In the sky, beneath the giant crimson moon, a long floating boat, resembling an old-fashioned vessel, glided through the air.

Mast, cabin, and deck were all present, painted in a matte gray with a copper forging of a fierce warrior at the bow, brandishing a mace. The sides extended into wings with propellers, adjusting the craft’s direction by varying speeds. There were no flotation bladders, and no visible propulsion, yet it floated effortlessly.

The design was sleek and elegant, understated luxury in every detail, from the mast and sails to the intricate railings.

Within, a silver-haired man stood by the window, overlooking the graveyard of airships.

His face, not showing the signs of age, radiated a deep, clear gaze, and his chin carried a resolute yet graceful line. Dressed in a high-collared black uniform, standard issue for the Imperial military but without rank, his identity was marked by two rows of silver buttons and a sword and flame emblem.

He stood there, naturally exuding a sharp, almost sword-like presence.

In the room, another man, nearing fifty, with a kind, somewhat corpulent face, sat staring intently at a chessboard, unable to place his fine warm jade white piece.

The game was near its end, the white pieces’ great dragon desperately seeking life.

After a long pause, he sighed and resigned the game, placing the piece on the board.

“Linxichang, seven years have passed, and your chess skills remain formidable,” the plump man said, rising to join the silver-haired man at the window, gazing down at the sprawling graveyard.

Below, weak glows twinkled like tiny stars.

The plump man, unimpressed, commented, “Linxichang, you really need to change this habit. While the Great Derivation Celestial Technique is unique in stimulating and guiding primal force potential, there’s no need to use it on the entire graveyard. Unless your primal force is so abundant that you don’t know what to do with it, in which case, how about transferring some to me so I can share in your bounty!”

Linxichang smiled, “Gu Tuohai, you’re still as blunt as ever. Look, these people below all have the potential to cultivate primal force.”

Gu Tuohai waved dismissively, “So what? Many people have potential. You didn’t come all the way to this godforsaken place just to show off your technique, did you?”

Linxichang chuckled, pointing out the window, “I’m not that bored. You see, the proportion of people here with cultivation potential is no lower than the average imperial citizen. You know that when the Empire moved to the upper continent, only families with cultivation potential went along. Eight hundred years later, the proportion of potential cultivators among commoners is still lower than in this graveyard. It seems the Empire has grown too complacent.”

Gu Tuohai shook his head, “Potential is one thing, but the ability to cultivate to higher levels is another. Those families had special talents, advancing to at least level three or four. The people down there, born in adversity, rarely advance beyond the first level.”

Linxichang countered, “But it’s true that adversity often brings out more potential, creating more people with cultivation potential.”

Gu Tuohai huffed, “Your survival of the fittest theory again! You’ve never seen through it!”

“If I’m right, why look through it?” Linxichang gestured to the twinkling lights below, “These are the sparks of our Empire’s heritage, the future hope of humanity. Our ancestors started from such places, cutting down countless dark races and rising from the bottom to nobility. Now, entrusted by the Emperor, I must dedicate myself fully to the Empire. Anything beneficial to the Empire, I will do, regardless of minor criticisms.”

Gu Tuohai stamped his foot, indignant, “Minor criticisms? You and your stubborn ways! I agreed to serve the Empire for another decade, but I won’t take on major responsibilities. And don’t forget, good wine and beautiful women are a must!”

Linxichang’s smile remained, and Gu Tuohai, irked, pointed out the window, raising his voice, “You see stars, but I see suffering. If the Empire hadn’t abandoned the Eternal Night, this wouldn’t be a wasteland. What qualified individuals could emerge from such a miserable place? If any, that would truly be a miracle!”

But in the direction he pointed, a thin, red beam of light suddenly appeared!

Though faint, it stood out among the star-like glows, not even obscured by the bloody moon.

Gu Tuohai, dumbfounded, murmured, “This… Could it really be a miracle?”