Chapter 453: I Won’t Die!
[Some moments Back - The Bridge]
??After begging the men in the alley for food and being violently chased away, Regina had run aimlessly until she reached the ornate stone bridge separating the slums from the Inner City. Her small, fragile body simply gave out. Due to crippling hunger and sheer exhaustion, she fell hard onto the freezing cobblestones, curling into a tight ball and finally giving in to the tears.
??"Why do you cry, child?"
??A gentle, resonant voice sounded above her. She slowly raised her head, blinking through the falling snow and her own tears, seeing two piercing golden eyes staring down at her from the shadows.
??She blinked, her breath catching in her throat.
??Sunny stepped out of the gloom, a warm, reassuring smile on his face. He stretched forth his hand towards her. "Come on."
??Regina blinked again, terrified but mesmerized by his calm aura. She tentatively raised her trembling, bruised hand and took his.
??Instantly, a surge of pure, warm energy rushed through her veins. All her bone-deep exhaustion vanished in a heartbeat, and the painful, blackened frostbite on her fingers and toes was quickly healed, leaving behind healthy, flushed skin.
??"Huh?"
??She looked at her hands, flexing her fingers, then down at her bare feet in absolute surprise, before finally looking back up at Sunny.
??"Sir, are you a warrior?" she asked, her voice filled with awe, having only heard tales of the powerful beings who commanded Life Force.
??"Not really, but you can just go with that," Sunny answered smoothly. He crouched down slightly, staring intently at her.
??"Tell me, why were you on the floor? Don’t you know it’s cold?" Sunny’s gaze drifted over the pathetic, soaking wet rags she was wearing, and he exhaled a soft sigh of pity.
??"I... I am hungry. I haven’t eaten for three days now," Regina said in a low, shameful voice, looking up at him with hollow eyes.
??"Really? I kind of have something in my storage."
??Sunny snapped his fingers. Out of thin air, a large, steaming loaf of warm bread appeared before him. He smiled warmly and handed it to her.
??Regina stared at the bread in sheer surprise, the rich, buttery smell overwhelming her senses. She swallowed hard, her mouth watering.
??"Come on. Eat," Sunny smiled softly, encouraging her.
??Regina looked up at him, then back at the bread. She had just met this stranger, a man who appeared out of the shadows, but she wholeheartedly trusted him. Maybe because he was the only one in this frozen hell who had actually stopped to help her.
??"Thank you," she said in a low, trembling voice. She took a massive, desperate bite of the bread, and her eyes widened in pure shock.
??"So delicious," she mumbled through a full mouth, tears of relief pricking her eyes.
??"Hahaha... Yeah, this is the most expensive bread in the wealthy district," Sunny said with a light, easy laugh.
??"Most expensive?" Regina was shocked. Even as a street rat, she knew the value of money; she would rather spend a copper on stale crusts to survive longer than waste it on something luxurious.
??Sunny sensed her sudden anxiety and gently placed his hand on her matted red hair, his touch radiating warmth.
??"When you’re with me, you don’t have to worry about money." He squatted down fully, resting his arms on his knees to stay face-to-face with her.
??"Ok, I gave you food, what about you help me out too?" he asked casually.
??"Help you out? With what?" Regina slowed her chewing, swallowing the rich bread before speaking, her survival instincts momentarily flaring up.
??"Those four men you met in the alley... they are kidnappers. I want you to help me locate their hideout," he said, his golden eyes turning serious.
??"Really? But, what can I do? I am just a kid," she asked, gesturing to her small, frail frame.
??"That is exactly why I need your help... Just watch, they will come over and ask you to follow them. Whatever happens, follow them. I will be right behind you," he promised, his smile returning. He opened his palm, and a small, glowing glass bottle of thick, purple juice appeared.
??Regina blinked, staring at the strange liquid. She took the juice, clutching it tightly, and then firmly nodded her head.
??"Ok. You helped me, it’s only natural for me to help you... I promise to complete this," she said with a brave, determined smile.
??"Good girl, you’re so smart..." Sunny stood upright, towering over her once more.
??"Just sit here, and they’ll come to you." With that said, he seemed to fold into the shadows and vanished completely.
??"Huh?"
??Regina was stunned. She moved her gaze around the empty, snowy bridge, completely dumbfounded by the display of power. After a few seconds of silence, she lowered her gaze to the mysterious juice. Trusting him completely, she popped the cork and poured everything into her mouth. It tasted like starlight.
??"Thank you, Sir."
??She walked towards the low stone wall of the bridge and sat down, carefully eating her bread, waiting for the men.
??High above, Sunny hovered in the air, his presence entirely hidden within the darkness of the night sky. He watched patiently as the four men eventually found Regina. After a short, manipulative conversation, she agreed and followed them into the depths of the slums.
??’Hmm... I already know the exact location of their hideout. Not only that, I know their Leader in person... But you,’ he thought, fixing his piercing golden gaze solely on the small figure of Regina.
??"You are a talent that only appears once in a million years... I need such people behind me. From now onward, I will personally train you to be the strongest Warrior in this realm," he chuckled softly to himself, the sound lost in the wind.
??"Who would have thought Ezekiel would leave this corrupted realm to me. It’s so decayed... I must clear all this out, and maybe introduce some higher-tier energies here," he muttered, his mind already formulating grand designs as the group disappeared into the labyrinth of the slums.
??"Don’t worry, Regina. The juice will take effect soon and completely activate your dormant abilities," he added, a proud smirk on his face.
____
??[Present]
??[Inside The Warehouse.]
??"Now."
??Aurora, the woman who had faked being a prisoner, walked slowly towards Regina. A wicked, rusted dagger gleamed in her hand, catching the dim candlelight.
??"No! I can’t die here. Not now," Regina muttered frantically, scrambling backward across the filthy concrete floor in pure terror, her back hitting a stack of wooden crates.
??"Stop running and get here!!" the woman yelled, lunging forward and throwing her hand violently towards Regina to grab her hair.
??"No!!!"
??Regina screamed, her voice tearing through the cavernous warehouse.
??Triggered by her absolute terror and fueled by the mysterious juice Sunny had given her, a massive, dormant well of power finally cracked open within her soul. A terrifying, concussive wave of raw Life Force burst out from her small body like a physical explosion.
??The invisible shockwave smashed directly into Aurora, lifting the grown woman off her feet and throwing her violently backward through the air. She smashed hard into the heavy wooden crates, splintering them on impact.
??"I won’t die!!!" Regina screamed, her eyes glowing with a terrifying, untamed energy.
??BOOOOM!!!!
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