The sky was overcast, and a biting cold wind howled through the streets of the Winter Capital.
A black-haired youth in thin clothing stood all alone before the main gate of the House of the Hearth.
The bone-piercing cold made him shiver uncontrollably, yet his spine remained straight, like a slender bamboo stalk that refused to bend.
Before long, a tall woman stepped toward him.
Her posture was upright, her aura majestic, and her face was cold as frost, with a dangerous yet alluring atmosphere clinging to her.
Her elegant high heels tapped against the icy stone surface, the crisp “clack-clack” sound approaching from afar, each step imposing.
Just as she was about to draw near, the youth suddenly took a few steps forward, his legs gave way, and he actually knelt down before her.
Within his line of sight, only that pair of sharp, high-heeled shoes remained, along with the slender, pointed toes wrapped in black tights.
“Lord Arlecchino, I want to support you in your old age!” He lowered his head and shouted loudly, his tone sincere.
Arlecchino stopped, lowered his eyes to gaze at him, and said nothing.
After a long while, he spoke indifferently: “The House of the Hearth will not accept you.” As the words fell, the youth clenched his frozen, stiff fingers.
He opened his mouth slightly, but said nothing more, remaining kneeling on the ground.
Arlecchino paid him no further mind and turned to walk toward the House of the Hearth.
Until his figure disappeared behind the door, the youth had still not stood up from the ground.
At some point, the sky began to drift with pure white snowflakes, swirling down and slowly covering his shoulders and hair tips.
His consciousness gradually blurred…
Just then, a proud and indifferent female voice came from in front of him: “What a fool!
Come with me!” The youth raised his head with difficulty.
What came into view was a mature woman wearing a half-mask.
Her long golden hair was like a beam of warm, soft sunlight amidst the snow-filled sky.
However, the youth did not get up.
“Are you stupid?” The woman frowned slightly, “The House of the Hearth will never accept you!” “Lord Rosalyne, I am not stupid.” A helpless smile appeared on the youth’s blue, frozen face, “It’s just that…
my legs are numb.” …
“Alex, do you know?
Three years ago, some fool actually knelt at the gate of the House of the Hearth, begging to join.” On the streets of the Winter Capital, the young Fatui patroller Kalsky was walking while gleefully bringing up this old story to his colleague beside him.
Alex looked indifferent and asked in return: “Is there something wrong with the House of the Hearth?” “Hey!
You aren’t pretending not to know, are you!” Kalsky slowed his pace and looked at him in astonishment, “Do you really not know the fate of those rejected children?” “Of course I do.” Alex’s lips curled slightly upward, “But aren’t you afraid that the Harbinger will invite you for ‘tea’ for badmouthing the House of the Hearth like this?” Kalsky shuddered immediately, fell silent at once, and dared not say another word.
The two continued forward, carrying out their routine patrol mission.
It was early summer, and the honeysuckle trees on both sides of the street were lush and green, adding a rare touch of vitality to this city that was usually solemn.
Just as they were about to pass a Medical Experimental Center, a commotion suddenly came from ahead, mixed with the sounds of crying and struggling.
“Father…
don’t send me in…
wuu!!!” A scruffy middle-aged man was forcibly dragging a little girl of about ten years old, walking toward a Fatui member with a sinister expression.
The girl struggled and cried desperately, but could never break free from those rough and resolute hands.
“Alex, let’s go!” Kalsky lowered his voice and turned to leave.
However, Alex stood where he was, not moving an inch.
“That experimental center is a base for the [Doctor]’s human enhancement project.” Kalsky’s heart tightened, and he quickly said: “People who can’t pay back their Northland Bank loans will send their children to do paid experiments.” Alex was silent for a moment, his tone calm: “Kalsky, you go back first!” “Why?
Are you crazy?” Kalsky couldn’t help raising his voice, his eyes full of anxiety.
He really didn’t want to see this colleague who was always gentle with others seek his own death for a child he didn’t know at all.
“I’m not crazy, I just don’t like what I’m seeing.” Alex smiled calmly and walked with steady steps toward the sound of crying.
At this moment, the little girl had already been handed over to the Fatui by her own father.
That small, sallow face, caused by long-term malnutrition, was full of despair and sadness.
She had experienced an experiment once and had felt that extreme pain.
And what was even more terrifying was that among the children who participated in the experiment together, she was the only one who walked out alive.
She really didn’t want to die!
But…
who could come to save her?
Just when she had almost given up hope, a gentle voice suddenly rang out, like a sharp blade cutting through the heavy darkness: “Someone has reported that this place is suspected of illegal child trafficking.” As the words fell, the scene instantly fell into dead silence.
The three people present all turned their gazes toward Alex, who was walking over slowly.
“Officer,” the middle-aged man saw he was wearing a Fatui uniform and explained with a slightly fawning tone, “She is my biological daughter, it is not trafficking at all.” “Did I ask you?” Alex just glanced at him indifferently, then squatted down, facing the girl, his voice as soft as the breeze of early spring, “Tell me, is that man your father?” The little girl didn’t hesitate at all and blurted out: “No!” “You little bastard, how dare you talk nonsense!” The man was instantly furious, raised his foot, and was about to kick the girl.
However, before his leg was even halfway up, Alex had already risen abruptly, and a hard, iron-like elbow strike slammed fiercely into his chest.
The next instant, the man went flying into the air, tracing a graceful arc in the sky before landing heavily on the ground.
Alex retracted his elbow, turned his head to look at the Fatui member, “Brother, you saw it too, he is actually just a human trafficker.” As he spoke, he intentionally or unintentionally revealed the Delusion worn at his waist.
Not all Fatui have a Delusion; only high-ranking members or those with connections have one.
That person’s eyes changed slightly, hesitated for a moment, and ultimately released the hand gripping the girl.
Alex took the little girl’s hand and immediately walked forward quickly, leaving this place of trouble.
However, just as they were about to walk away, that Fatui member suddenly spoke, his voice low and vigilant: “Wait a moment!”