It took a long time for Xiao Feng to convince the group of cursed children in the alley. After sending them back to the former IISO branch where Rem and Ram were protecting the safety of the children, he return with Kisara, intending to explore more of the city.
As they approached a busy shopping district, the polished glass storefronts and vibrant signs contrasted starkly with the struggling Cursed Children they had just passed.
Xiao Feng continued observing every alley and street corner, marking the cursed children he saw so that he could come back and take them away.
Kisara noticed his subtle glances as well as the anger steadily rising within him.
When they entered a large shopping mall, the atmosphere changed completely.
People moved through the building in large numbers. Families wandered between stores while children accompanied their parents, laughing and pointing excitedly at the displayed merchandise.
However, to Xiao Feng, the cheerful atmosphere felt strangely superficial.
Everyone continued living normally while countless Cursed Children starved only a few streets away.
A commotion near one of the escalators suddenly attracted his attention.
Several people had gathered around a young girl sitting on the floor.
Long silver hair fell over her shoulders, while a cloth blindfold covered her eyes. She held a small cardboard sign against her chest. Beside her rested a metal container with only a few coins scattered inside.
The girl's soft singing voice echoed through the mall.
Her song was beautiful yet filled with melancholy, as though every note carried a fragment of her sorrow.
Her voice occasionally trembled, but she continued singing with quiet determination, hoping that someone passing by would show her even the smallest amount of kindness.
"Another victim," Kisara murmured as her eyes narrowed.
The girl turned her blindfolded face slightly toward the gathered crowd and her delicate fingers tightly gripped the cardboard sign.
Xiao Feng stepped closer and read the words written across it in shaky handwriting and his footsteps paused.
[ I am a Cursed Child. Please don't hurt me ]
He hadn't expected to encounter this girl here.
Xiao Feng remembered her from the anime. Rentaro and Tina had encountered the same blind girl, but her story had ended in tragedy.
She had done nothing wrong, yet hatred toward the Cursed Children had ultimately destroyed her.
Xiao Feng's eyes became cold. Since he had arrived before that tragedy occurred, he would naturally change her fate.
However, she wouldn't be the only one.
Xiao Feng slowly looked around the mall before turning his gaze toward the city beyond its glass walls.
For now, he would gather every abandoned Cursed Child he could find and take them away.
...
(PS: the author couldn't find the exact name of the blind girl. So he used a custom name. If anyone knows her name, do tell in the comments.)
When Xiao Feng was thinking, two men, one team, one short approached the blind girl.
The taller man, with a cruel grin on his face, leaned down to the Blind Girl. "Well, well, what do we have here? A poor little girl singing for some spare change?"
His companion was shorter but equally smug, "How about we help her out? Maybe teach her a lesson while we're at it."
Without a word, the taller man snatched the cardboard sign from the girl's hands, holding it up for the crowd to see. "Look at this. A Cursed Child begging for scraps. What a pathetic sight."
The Blind Girl's fingers trembled as she reached for the sign, but she couldn't retrieve it. She could hear the mocking laughter around her, but she continued to sing, her voice steady despite the cruel interruption.
The men laughed even harder, one of them tossing a few coins into her tin can, only to grab them back quickly and throw them on the floor in front of her.
"Oops, dropped something," He said, his grin widening as he waited for her to scramble for the money.
The Blind Girl's heart sank, but she didn't stop singing. She had learned long ago to hide her pain behind a smile. Her song grew softer, but her spirit began to waver.
Xiao Feng noticed this scene, his fist clenched, then he stepped forward and said in extremely cold voice, "That's enough."
The two men were startled by the sudden intrusion and they turned to look at Xiao Feng.
The taller one frowned after seeing that the person interrupting them was merely a young boy.
"What did you say?"
"I said that's enough."
Xiao Feng's voice was calm, but the coldness inside it caused Kisara, who stood behind him, to narrow her eyes.
The shorter man looked Xiao Feng up and down before sneering, "This has nothing to do with you, brat. Get lost."
Xiao Feng didn't respond. In the next instant, he appeared directly in front of the taller man..
Before anyone could react, Xiao Feng caught the man's wrist and twisted his arm behind his back. At the same time, he struck the back of the man's knee with his foot.
Bang!
The taller man collapsed onto both knees.
Xiao Feng pressed one hand against his shoulder, forcing him downward despite the enormous difference in their size.
The man struggled desperately, but Xiao Feng's hand felt like an entire mountain pressing upon him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't rise even an inch.
"Le-let me go!" The man said in pain.
A sharp cracking sound came from the man's wrist, causing his face to turn pale.
"Hehe, let go!" Xiao Feng sneered, "Why should I lot go of you who enjoy bullying children?"
It was then that the shorter man reacted. His bravado instantly evaporated and said. "Hey, we're just messing around! No need to get all worked up."
But Xiao Feng didn't let go and stared coldly at the short man, "Messing around? You think it's funny to bully a helpless girl?".
For a brief moment, both the tall man and the short man believed he had been spared. He immediately tried to stand, but before he could rise fully, Xiao Feng kicked him lightly in the chest.
Bang!
The taller man's body flew backward and crashed into a nearby display rack. Clothes, hangers and pieces of metal scattered across the floor.
The man groaned and curled up while clutching his chest. Although the kick appeared casual, several of his ribs had already cracked.
His companion hurried toward him.
"Let's get out of here!"
The two men struggled to retreat.
Xiao Feng watched them without expression but didn't immediately make a move. He sneered.
"You think you can escape!"
"Prayer Mark"
Soul power surged out of his body, and a part of it was imprinted on the body of the tall and short men.
Though it was called a Prayer Mark, it was more like a Hunter's mark on a prey. It's a special Profound grade Fighting Skill that can be used to mark enemies with Soul Power.
Now no matter how far these two men ran, Xiao Feng could find them and deal with them later.
For now, the child was more important.
...