Liu Bei POV
She thinks that everyone is one of the bandits huh? No wonder she tried to hide away from everyone. She should be at the brink of collapse by now. I looked about and saw that there was no food or water nearby. She must have ventured out at some point to get some but I wonder just how much courage it must have took.
“Little girl,” I said as I squatted down even further and did my best to look as amicable and harmless as possible and extended a hand to her, “Come.”
I stared at her as she did at me. I did not dare to move as I did not want to scare her with any sudden movements and break any meager trust she had in me. I wanted to tell her that I was not a bad person and not a bandit but I doubt that she would believe my words that easily. The only way for her to come out is if she manages to trust me.
After about a few minutes, just as my knees were beginning to hurt, she finally reacted and cautiously began to crawl out of the cupboard. She slowly moved to the edge of the cupboard and looked at me before putting her legs on the ground. This was the first time I got a good glimpse of her. She was practically a bag of bones at this point and her legs were almost devoid of fat and muscle.
This made my emotions well up again and my hand trembled but I continued to extend it to her. She blinked and slowly got out of the cupboard before looking at me and wondered if she ought to come closer. She then looked closely at me as though she were looking to see if I had any weapons. It was a good thing that I had not brought any weapons with me like the others so there was no blade on me at all. After she confirmed this, she finally pushed herself off the cupboard.
“Haa… Haa…”
I could hear her nervous gasping and her limbs trembled as she struggled to support her weight. Just then, I saw that one of her hands was clutching a toy.
She then began to walk towards me. When I saw this, I felt like I had succeeded.
“Ah.”
As she was walking towards me, her legs gave way and she fell forward but I was quick enough and took a step forward as I caught her in an embrace.
When I embraced her, I could feel her nervous panting. Even though it was winter, she was only wearing a thin layer of clothing and I could not feel any warmth from her at all. I closed my eyes and began to feel overwhelmed with sorrow.
What could I possibly do for her at this time?
“Haa… It’s alright, everything’s fine now.” I said as I patted her back. At this time, all I could do was to give her a reassuring hug, a hug that was warm and devoid of any evil intentions.
“*Shiku*…*Shiku*…”
I could not see her face but I could hear her sobbing sounds. She was not crying but was trembling and sniffling nonetheless as I continued to pat her back.
“It’s alright, it’s alright now.” I consoled her. It would probably be some time until she finally calmed down but at the very least she would be warm in my arms.
“Big brother! How is it?” Just then, Yun Chang’s voice came from behind. Un, about time she started asking.
“It’s fine, I found a child who survived.” I replied in a soft albeit audible voice. It was about time that we left. I am fine with staying here but this child needs food and water as soon as possible.
“Little girl, what’s your name?”
“…”
She did not reply me but it was not a big deal. This was probably too difficult for her right now. I then got up and carried her in my arms. She was really light, to the point where I got up almost effortlessly even while carrying her.
… Ah. I finally got confronted with the reality of the situation. It would not be easy to get out of here. I would need to get the child to crawl through first.
“Yun Chang, get ready to receive this child.”
“Ah, there’s no need to go through that.”
Eh? What does she mean?
“Xuan De, are you inside?” Just then, Feng Xian’s voice came from behind a wall on the other side.
“Ah, I’m here. But why is Feng Xian over there?”
“It’s too troublesome for Xuan De to come back by the same way so I’ll make an exit for you.”
“Eh?”
“Lord Xu Shu, is this place alright?”
“Yes, there will be no problems. This area will not affect the structural integrity of the room.”
“Alright. Xuan De, please move away.”
“W-wait!” I yelled as I hurriedly backed up.
*Bang*!!!
A thunderous sound filled my ears as the very ground shook and a thick cloud of dust came for me.
Wu! I lowered my head and turned around as I hugged the child tightly to protect her. After what seemed to be an endless tide of dust clouds, the room brightened up and debris covered the entire room. My ears were ringing and I had difficulty getting up.
“My lord, are you alright?”
“Un…” I blinked and looked to the side as someone helped me up, “Chen Dao huh…”
“My lord, we can’t stay here for long. Let’s get out as soon as possible.”
“Ah…” I was still a little dazed and looked behind to see that there was a gigantic hole in the wall.
“I agree!” I exclaimed as I understood the situation we were in and hurriedly got up with Chen Dao’s help and began to run out but I was squatting for a rather prolonged period of time and had some difficulty running.
“My lord!” Chen Dao exclaimed and tried to support me but I shook my head.
“Help me support the child’s head.”
“Oh.”
“Wu…” The girl seemed agitated and was about to cry so I rubbed her head.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Everyone here is a good person.”
“Big brother, this is…” Yun Chang asked me as I leapt out of the room.
“Ah, this was the little girl I found in the room.” I replied as I set her down.
“But I searched that room!” Zhou Cang exclaimed nervously.
“She was hiding in the cupboard.” I said in a softer tone, “She should be the sole survivor in this household and must have thought you were part of the bandits.”
“I see…”
I turned back to look at the room and saw that it did not collapse despite the gaping hole made by Feng Xian.
“Xuan De, I felt that it was urgent just now and decided to go ahead and do it.” Feng Xian explained as she came over but I waved at her.
“It’s fine. It was indeed more convenient,” I said and turned to Yuan Zhi, “But you’re really impressive huh? To think you know about construction and architecture.”
“T-that’s nothing…” Yuan Zhi stammered. Looks like she is really bad at handling praise huh?
“Xuan De, I brought a horse.” Yi De said as she brought over her horse by the reins.
“Ah, many thanks, Yi De.”
Liu Bei POV
She thinks that everyone is one of the bandits huh? No wonder she tried to hide away from everyone. She should be at the brink of collapse by now. I looked about and saw that there was no food or water nearby. She must have ventured out at some point to get some but I wonder just how much courage it must have took.
“Little girl,” I said as I squatted down even further and did my best to look as amicable and harmless as possible and extended a hand to her, “Come.”
I stared at her as she did at me. I did not dare to move as I did not want to scare her with any sudden movements and break any meager trust she had in me. I wanted to tell her that I was not a bad person and not a bandit but I doubt that she would believe my words that easily. The only way for her to come out is if she manages to trust me.
After about a few minutes, just as my knees were beginning to hurt, she finally reacted and cautiously began to crawl out of the cupboard. She slowly moved to the edge of the cupboard and looked at me before putting her legs on the ground. This was the first time I got a good glimpse of her. She was practically a bag of bones at this point and her legs were almost devoid of fat and muscle.
This made my emotions well up again and my hand trembled but I continued to extend it to her. She blinked and slowly got out of the cupboard before looking at me and wondered if she ought to come closer. She then looked closely at me as though she were looking to see if I had any weapons. It was a good thing that I had not brought any weapons with me like the others so there was no blade on me at all. After she confirmed this, she finally pushed herself off the cupboard.
“Haa… Haa…”
I could hear her nervous gasping and her limbs trembled as she struggled to support her weight. Just then, I saw that one of her hands was clutching a toy.
She then began to walk towards me. When I saw this, I felt like I had succeeded.
“Ah.”
As she was walking towards me, her legs gave way and she fell forward but I was quick enough and took a step forward as I caught her in an embrace.
When I embraced her, I could feel her nervous panting. Even though it was winter, she was only wearing a thin layer of clothing and I could not feel any warmth from her at all. I closed my eyes and began to feel overwhelmed with sorrow.
What could I possibly do for her at this time?
“Haa… It’s alright, everything’s fine now.” I said as I patted her back. At this time, all I could do was to give her a reassuring hug, a hug that was warm and devoid of any evil intentions.
“*Shiku*…*Shiku*…”
I could not see her face but I could hear her sobbing sounds. She was not crying but was trembling and sniffling nonetheless as I continued to pat her back.
“It’s alright, it’s alright now.” I consoled her. It would probably be some time until she finally calmed down but at the very least she would be warm in my arms.
“Big brother! How is it?” Just then, Yun Chang’s voice came from behind. Un, about time she started asking.
“It’s fine, I found a child who survived.” I replied in a soft albeit audible voice. It was about time that we left. I am fine with staying here but this child needs food and water as soon as possible.
“Little girl, what’s your name?”
“…”
She did not reply me but it was not a big deal. This was probably too difficult for her right now. I then got up and carried her in my arms. She was really light, to the point where I got up almost effortlessly even while carrying her.
… Ah. I finally got confronted with the reality of the situation. It would not be easy to get out of here. I would need to get the child to crawl through first.
“Yun Chang, get ready to receive this child.”
“Ah, there’s no need to go through that.”
Eh? What does she mean?
“Xuan De, are you inside?” Just then, Feng Xian’s voice came from behind a wall on the other side.
“Ah, I’m here. But why is Feng Xian over there?”
“It’s too troublesome for Xuan De to come back by the same way so I’ll make an exit for you.”
“Eh?”
“Lord Xu Shu, is this place alright?”
“Yes, there will be no problems. This area will not affect the structural integrity of the room.”
“Alright. Xuan De, please move away.”
“W-wait!” I yelled as I hurriedly backed up.
*Bang*!!!
A thunderous sound filled my ears as the very ground shook and a thick cloud of dust came for me.
Wu! I lowered my head and turned around as I hugged the child tightly to protect her. After what seemed to be an endless tide of dust clouds, the room brightened up and debris covered the entire room. My ears were ringing and I had difficulty getting up.
“My lord, are you alright?”
“Un…” I blinked and looked to the side as someone helped me up, “Chen Dao huh…”
“My lord, we can’t stay here for long. Let’s get out as soon as possible.”
“Ah…” I was still a little dazed and looked behind to see that there was a gigantic hole in the wall.
“I agree!” I exclaimed as I understood the situation we were in and hurriedly got up with Chen Dao’s help and began to run out but I was squatting for a rather prolonged period of time and had some difficulty running.
“My lord!” Chen Dao exclaimed and tried to support me but I shook my head.
“Help me support the child’s head.”
“Oh.”
“Wu…” The girl seemed agitated and was about to cry so I rubbed her head.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Everyone here is a good person.”
“Big brother, this is…” Yun Chang asked me as I leapt out of the room.
“Ah, this was the little girl I found in the room.” I replied as I set her down.
“But I searched that room!” Zhou Cang exclaimed nervously.
“She was hiding in the cupboard.” I said in a softer tone, “She should be the sole survivor in this household and must have thought you were part of the bandits.”
“I see…”
I turned back to look at the room and saw that it did not collapse despite the gaping hole made by Feng Xian.
“Xuan De, I felt that it was urgent just now and decided to go ahead and do it.” Feng Xian explained as she came over but I waved at her.
“It’s fine. It was indeed more convenient,” I said and turned to Yuan Zhi, “But you’re really impressive huh? To think you know about construction and architecture.”
“T-that’s nothing…” Yuan Zhi stammered. Looks like she is really bad at handling praise huh?
“Xuan De, I brought a horse.” Yi De said as she brought over her horse by the reins.
“Ah, many thanks, Yi De.”
