Seeing Ryan’s pale, dirty, and disheveled appearance, Derek immediately felt disgusted. He coldly sneered,
"Hmph. This time, you lowly brat got lucky! Next time you walk, remember to keep your eyes open. If you scratch the armor of my battle mount, I’ll chop off your limbs!"
Ryan listened to those condescending words while watching the pedestrians along the street frantically scrambling out of the way. In the distance, Derek’s figure rapidly disappeared as the Golden Fang Tiger Mount sped farther and farther away.
Ryan had barely managed to steady himself, but his face had already turned grim.
He stared into the distance, watching the other party disappear from sight. Then, he suddenly clenched his fists.
He gripped them so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Ryan had long understood that this world, where martial might was revered above all else, was simply this cruel.
Strong fists were reason.
But just now, it had clearly been Derek who had arbitrarily left the main road, charged onto the sidewalk, and recklessly endangered innocent pedestrians, showing complete disregard for the city’s laws.
Yet, in the end, he had not only acted as though he were in the right, but had also casually threatened to chop off someone’s limbs, speaking with an air of entitlement and superiority.
This made Ryan extremely angry.
Scavengers only wear worn-out clothes, so why are they beggars?
They don’t steal or rob. They earn their money through their own hard work!
Just because you have money, power, and martial strength, does that mean you can disregard human lives?!
No matter how furious Ryan was inside, the truth remained unchanged.
In this world that revered martial might above all else, those with power truly could disregard the lives of others.
And that was one of the greatest sources of Ryan’s constant vexation.
Beyond his anger toward those arrogant and condescending individuals, there was also a deep hatred for his own weakness.
Because he had been naturally frail and sickly since childhood, Ryan had endured ridicule and bullying for as long as he could remember.
He couldn’t stand watching others bully the weak and take advantage of those who couldn’t fight back.
That was precisely why, at the age of sixteen, still unable to awaken his Bloodline, Ryan had fallen into such despair.
Because he had always yearned for change.
Yearned to become stronger.
Yearned to flatten every injustice and grievance in his heart.
"Hoo..."
After a long while, Ryan slowly exhaled a turbid breath.
For the first time, his gaze became sharp and resolute.
He slowly unclenched his fists, then turned around and quickly walked toward home.
Ryan returned to the slum area not long after, as it wasn’t far from the garbage disposal site.
The entire slum was vast, housing at least several thousand families. Dilapidated shacks were scattered everywhere, with hardly a decent house to be found.
Most of the structures were crude and crooked, broken and tattered, looking messy and unbearable from a distance, like ruins left behind after a disaster.
These shacks could barely keep out the wind, but they were certainly incapable of keeping out the rain. Whenever a downpour came, the rainwater would practically flow straight through them.
Land in Ashfall City was expensive, forcing the shacks in the slum to be built densely together. As a result, air circulation was extremely poor.
During summer or the rainy season, the entire area would be permeated by a strong, musty dampness. After staying there for any length of time, one’s body would feel sticky and uncomfortable.
As Ryan walked along the familiar paths, he caught the faint, musty scent of dampness and expertly navigated between the various dilapidated shacks.
Along the way, he encountered several familiar neighbors and exchanged a few pleasantries with each of them. After a while, he finally arrived at his own home.
The Cole family’s house was located in the heart of the slum. Among the countless shacks surrounding it, their home was considered one of the better ones in terms of both appearance and sturdiness.
His father, Daniel, had some skill in repairing houses, so he often took Ryan’s mother, Sarah, to the wealthy districts of Ashfall City, where they worked as construction helpers for the rich.
Their own home was still technically a shack, but it had been carefully maintained and neatly arranged. It was also sturdy enough to properly keep out the wind and rain.
~Creak~~~~
Ryan pushed open the wooden door and quickly stepped inside.
The interior wasn’t large. It consisted of two small side rooms, a modest hall, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Although cramped, it had everything the family needed.
Compared to the unpleasant environment outside, the Cole family’s home appeared remarkably clean and tidy. A faint, refreshing scent of oranges lingered in the air.
Sarah was a meticulous woman who was skilled at keeping things in order. Under her care, the small home had a warmth and comfort that belied its humble appearance.
There weren’t enough rooms for everyone. One of the side rooms was shared by Ryan’s two younger brothers.
As for the other room, his parents always insisted on saying things like, "Children must gradually learn to become independent as they grow up," and had always made Ryan sleep there alone.
Meanwhile, the two of them squeezed themselves together on wooden chairs in the hall every night.
Thinking about this always made Ryan’s heart ache.
Perhaps this was simply the heart of a parent—always willing to endure hardship so their children could have something better.
At this moment, in the small hall, a slender young man dressed in simple clothes sat in a wooden wheelchair, staring blankly out the window.
When he saw Ryan push open the door and enter, he visibly froze before speaking in surprise.
"Brother, you’re back so early today?"
It was Ethan. He had yet to awaken his Bloodline. The Welfare Institute had one day off each week, so he occasionally stayed at home during the day.
Much like Ryan’s own situation, Ethan had been born with a congenital deficiency. After living in the musty and damp environment of the slums for years, he suddenly developed a strange illness in his legs at the age of ten.
His legs had first become weak and numb, gradually losing all sensation. Then, his meridians began to deteriorate until they were effectively severed, leaving him completely unable to move his lower body.
At the time, their parents had exhausted what little wealth the family possessed, searching everywhere for physicians and barefoot doctors who might be able to treat him.
In the end, however, they could do nothing.