Chapter 2

“Abandoned newborn…”

Xu Xi moved forward, step by step, following the ranks of the hungry people.

He understood this situation all too well.

In an era like this, where famine ruled and survival was uncertain, abandoned babies were not unusual. Parents barely had enough to keep themselves alive, so raising an infant was often an impossible task.

In such times, the best choice was to pretend you hadn’t seen anything.

With this thought in mind, Xu Xi lowered his gaze, planning to turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to the cries.

Everyone around him seemed to share the same thought, including Aunt Wang’s family, who had previously shown kindness by offering water.

It wasn’t a lack of compassion—it was the harsh reality of survival.

In this famine, caring for a newborn meant sacrificing your family’s limited resources and lowering everyone’s chances of survival.

Faced with such a grim choice, most people prioritized their own loved ones.

Snap—snap—

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed like moral condemnations, striking at everyone’s conscience.

Suddenly, Xu Xi stopped. He raised his head to look at the blazing sun, as if grappling with an internal decision.

Under the surprised and bewildered gazes of others, he abruptly broke away from the group of hungry people and ran toward the source of the cries.

“Even if this is just a simulated world, it feels so real that I can’t ignore it…”

“In these times, food is scarce. If I don’t act, this child’s fate will surely be—”

Xu Xi quickened his pace, searching through the weeds and stumbling over sharp stones.

The weeds soon reached his knees, and each step required effort to push aside the tough branches. The hot wind whistled past his ears, carrying the rustling of the underbrush.

Despite the obstacles, Xu Xi pressed on with determination, just like the heroes in countless cultivation novels.

Finally, he reached his destination—a dead tree, where the baby lay wrapped in cloth.

The sunlight filtered through the barren branches, casting fragmented patterns of light and shadow.

Xu Xi squatted down and gently picked up the newborn, shielding her from the harsh sun.

“Finally found you,” he said softly.

The baby girl’s skin was delicate and fair, with a faint pink hue, like freshly bloomed petals. She blinked her curious eyes at Xu Xi’s flushed and sweaty face.

Her tiny nose twitched slightly as her body curled up in his arms, becoming quiet and calm. She seemed to sense the safety of his embrace.

“She seems fine,” Xu Xi muttered, relieved to see her sleeping peacefully.

Carefully, he carried the baby girl back to the group.

It wasn’t easy, but Xu Xi had made up his mind. He wouldn’t abandon her. At the very least, he would try to help her survive this famine.

…

[Suffering creates heroes]

[While others hesitated, you chose to be a hero. You saved the abandoned baby girl and treated her as your own sister.]

[You used your remaining food to trade for breast milk, ensuring she wouldn’t go hungry.]

[In exchange, you endured the gnawing pain of hunger, feeling your body weaken day by day.]

[Fortunately, luck was on your side.]

[Before you could succumb to starvation, you and your sister followed the group and reached a mortal city. There, you received life-saving hot porridge from a soup kitchen.]

[You survived. You survived with your sister.]

[After inquiries, you learned the city’s name was Black Rock City, part of a mortal empire. Every five years, immortals arrived to test spiritual roots and recruit disciples.]

[However, luck wasn’t entirely on your side. The last recruitment had just ended, so you would have to wait five more years.]

[Determined, you chose to stay in Black Rock City, working hard to support yourself and your sister while preparing for the next apprenticeship conference.]

[You named your sister Xu Moli.]

…

Time passed quickly.

Perhaps it was the emulator’s effect, but Xu Xi often felt as though time skipped forward, like pressing a story-skip button in a game.

Despite this sensation, he retained clear memories of his survival in Black Rock City, his moments with Mo Li, and his interactions with neighbors.

“By my count, there’s just one year left until the apprenticeship conference,” Xu Xi mused.

Inside a small wooden house with minimal furniture, Xu Xi marked the passage of time by drawing a deep line on the wall with charcoal. There were now four marks, symbolizing the fourth year.

Xu Xi was nearly eleven years old, but his mature mindset, honed by his previous life, made him seem far more reliable than his peers.

“Brother!!”

A soft, cheerful voice rang out, and a small figure leaped onto Xu Xi’s back, clinging affectionately.

“You’re always so naughty,” Xu Xi said with a sigh, gently lifting the girl by the back of her neck and placing her on the ground.

“No way, brother, you’re so mean!” she protested, smoothing the wrinkles in her robe with great care, as though handling something precious.

When she was satisfied, she smiled brightly, her innocent and adorable face resembling a flawless porcelain doll.

Unable to resist, Xu Xi ruffled her hair playfully.

“Don’t mess up Mo Li’s hair!” she pouted.

“Why not?” Xu Xi teased.

The girl counted on her fingers with a serious expression. “The grandma next door said if you touch a child’s head, they won’t grow taller! You’ve done it so many times—what if I stop growing?”

Xu Xi chuckled. “And what will little Mo Li do when she grows taller?”

“Help my brother earn lots of money!” she declared without hesitation.

“Hahaha, is that so? I’ll look forward to it, then.”

Before she could get too annoyed, Xu Xi pulled out a large, round watermelon from behind his back.

“Wow, it’s huge!” Xu Moli exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with joy.

“Let’s eat!” she cheered, clinging to Xu Xi’s leg.

“Alright, alright,” Xu Xi said warmly. After asking her to step back, he took a kitchen knife and began cutting the watermelon into even slices.