***** Even in the West End… where every day was soaked in bloodshed, unrest, war, and death, living conditions had never been this miserable. At the very least, the residents there always had proper food, clothes that actually covered their bodies, and their tents… While they certainly weren’t luxurious homes, they were still far better than most of the collapsing structures surrounding Zach now. This place was far worse. Different thoughts flickered rapidly through Zach’s mind, wondering how such a place could exist in a second-ranked city… a city whose annual GDP supposedly reached into the trillions. He couldn’t help but wonder whether such a place had always been there, if it had always looked like this, or if it had slowly decayed into this state while the rest of the city pretended not to notice. And perhaps the most immediate question… What exactly were they doing here? However, despite the storm of thoughts running through his mind, Zach said nothing. His fa

***** The reason Patricia hadn’t realized that Zach was piggybacking someone earlier was simple… She had been far too consumed by her rage and hostility. But now… She froze for a second, and then… she turned, her gaze moving in the direction the voice had come. In the next second, her expression cracked. “Jacob?” she blurted out, her voice carrying unmistakable shock. For a brief moment, she simply stared at him as if her brain had abruptly stopped working. Her eyes scanned him… his pale complexion, sweaty face, trembling limbs, and most of all… The streak of blood staining the corner of his lips. The shock in her gaze lingered for exactly two seconds, then it vanished, and just like that… What replaced it was something far uglier. Her finger shot out, stabbing toward Jacob like a spear. “You!” She spat. “So now we’ve graduated to the stage where you can’t even stumble home on your own again?” The sarcasm and harshness in her voice were intense. “You actually ha

***** Anita looked utterly pitiful… her eyes red, her posture slumped, and the slight sway in her stance made it seem like a single nudge could send her collapsing into sleep mid-conversation. Hearing her, Patricia froze for a moment, unable to react, then ultimately… she grew anxious, her expression softening into panic. “Daughter… I was just…” Patricia looked genuinely flustered, having no idea how to respond, then: “I’m sorry.” She stepped forward quickly, pulling the exhausted woman into her arms in an apologetic embrace. At the same time… While the emotional reunion was unfolding, Jacob quietly tapped Zach’s shoulder. “Young master,” he said awkwardly, his voice carrying deep embarrassment. Zach glanced sideways at him, and instantly… Jacob swallowed nervously. “I… I apologize that you had to witness all of this,” he muttered. His expression was extremely apologetic, as though he had somehow committed a crime against Zach’s dignity. Hearing him, Zach blink

***** Inside a living room, or… wait. Calling it a living room felt like an exaggeration. At first glance, it looked tidy, but the longer one looked at it… the more unsettling the sight became. The walls were bare, the plaster peeled away to reveal rough red bricks, with thin cracks stretching like spiderwebs across the surface. The windows didn’t inspire much confidence either. Several of them had been patched with pieces of cardboard, carefully taped into place in an attempt to block out the wind, rain, and pollution. The effort had clearly been made with patience, but even a child could tell that those makeshift repairs wouldn’t survive a slightly strong breeze, let alone rain. The floor, as well wasn't in any better condition. It was bare cement, worn down by years of use, with shallow pits exposing rough sand beneath. In several places, the surface had eroded so badly that shallow potholes had formed, exposing patches of rough sand beneath. And finally, there was

***** Jacob’s eyes gleamed as though he had just discovered buried treasure. Hearing him, Patricia frowned, her gaze sharpening. For a moment, she stared at Jacob, then lifted her chin in contempt. “You?” she said with visible disbelief. “An extremely important guest?” Her tone made it sound like she had just heard the most ridiculous joke imaginable. She chuckled in the following second, the sound full of contempt. “What kind of important guest would follow you into this barn?” she continued mercilessly, her hand gesturing lazily toward the room. With that said, her eyes shifted toward Zach. She examined him briefly… his calm, unreadable expression, and quiet composure. However, instead of getting impressed, it only reinforced her conclusion. In Patricia’s mind, any truly important person would have shown at least some hint of discomfort and disgust at the miserable condition of the house, but Zach showed none of those. Just then, however… “Mother!!!” Anita’s v