Chapter 1, The Prelude of Ice and Cold

Eat it, feed him milk

The little beggar suddenly stood up and rushed to the side of the woman with a speed swifter than ever before in his thievery! He leaned over to look into the woman's arms and saw that the small infant lying there had already turned pale, with closed eyes, no longer crying. The little beggar was taken aback, and an inexplicable sense of guilt immediately ignited in his chest. Subsequently, without a moment's hesitation, he extended the remaining piece of bread in his hand towards the woman.

A customer walked out of the bakery, his paper bag filled with bread. The shop owner, with a beaming smile, saw him off, his plump hands constantly rubbing against his apron.

... ...

In that moment, he moved

Saenag, a small border town, seems to be a microcosm of the world. Those who possess wealth and power enjoy luxurious residences, surrounded by attendants, delectable food, and warm beds to rest in at night. However, without money and power, one is reduced to the status of a dog or a worm. At times, one may even find oneself in a position worse than that of a worm or a dog, indistinguishable from garbage. Such individuals are often dismissed by the affluent as mere poor people, or...

The little beggar squeezed the knife in his arms, having long been prepared to risk everything for survival. He had already made ample psychological preparations for "killing." As long as he could fill his stomach, he would be willing to do anything!

Calm, patient, meticulous, and ruthless. These are the insights he has gained from the bloody lessons learned from his "companions"

The little beggar suddenly raised his head! He quickly turned around, looking in the direction of the woman with disbelief! The woman had already turned into a tearful figure, her withered fingers extending from under the cloak trembling as they caressed the infant's cheek. The falling snowflakes had already turned her black cloak white.

Cold and hunger are the prelude to death. The little beggar has witnessed too many people, paralyzed by the threat of these two forces, no longer able to move.

The little beggar turned his head fiercely, resolutely ignoring everything as he squatted there, continuing to hold onto this small piece of bread. He constantly reminded himself that there is no warmth in this world. Everything must rely on oneself! If he were to starve to death, he absolutely could not blame others for not giving him alms, but should blame himself for lacking the ability to rob, to steal, or to deceive! When he was suffering from hunger and cold, who had ever given him a piece of bread, a morsel of food? If he were to starve to death, he absolutely could not blame others for not giving him alms, but should blame himself for lacking the ability to rob, to steal, or to deceive! When he was suffering from hunger and cold, who had ever given him a piece of bread, a morsel of food? No, no one! Ever since he became aware of the world, he has lived this way, and this is how he has seen it! He has seen this world very clearly; it is definitely not a world where one can survive by relying on the charity of others!

The passersby around turned their heads in unison, and a patrolling soldier, along with a military officer, quickly zeroed in on the little beggar, stepping forward to grab him. The soldier let out a sinister chuckle and, with a hand as large as a fan, struck the little beggar's face, instantly reddening and swelling half of it.

That is ... ... the despairing white

a baby

Upon hearing the cries of the infant, the person in the black cloak immediately appeared somewhat tense. From the continuous humming of a lullaby, it seemed to be a woman. Moreover, she appeared to be a relatively young woman. The woman kept soothing the crying child in her arms, her voice sounding somewhat anxious. Through the black cloak, the little beggar could vaguely see a small figure emerging from within the cloak.

The dark city, the filthy city

This piece of bread is really small... almost the size of his palm when he was ten years old... If eaten whole, it might not leave one hungry... But if shared with others...

The little beggar shook his head vigorously, simply turning his back to the woman and the infant. With a determined heart, he put the bread into his mouth and took a big bite.

Ah, welcome back!

Criminal

Gulu ... ...

The little beggar remained silent, his eyes, concealed beneath layers of long hair, not showing the slightest hint of fear, but instead radiating a layer of hatred. Without hesitation, he drew a small knife from his bosom and thrust it towards the soldier's thigh. The soldier felt a chill in his leg and hurriedly released the little beggar, stepping back! When he touched his leg, his hand was immediately covered in blood, causing his eyes to turn crimson! But when he looked up again, where was the shadow of that little beggar?

There are not many people left on the street, even the patrolling soldiers have taken refuge in the camp under the threat of the heavy snow, afraid to come out. In the blink of an eye, a thin white carpet has covered the street... A little beggar rubs his hands together, stepping in a pair of worn-out cloth shoes that can no longer be repaired, walking towards the other side of the road

... ...

He is a beggar. A little beggar, tattered and filthy, with his hands covered in black dust. On his face, which still bears signs of youth, there exists an experience and weariness that is unmatched by ordinary boys of his age. Especially in his eyes, these eyes that have prematurely lost their innocence, are now filled with desire and ruthlessness. These eyes fixate intently on every passerby, watching their wallets, the pocket watch on the man, and the jewelry on the woman. Everything of value becomes the target of his gaze.

The little beggar silently watched the woman, remaining vigilant. The bread in his arms was his food; if anyone dared to snatch it away, he would not hesitate to use the small knife in his hand! Even if the opponent was a woman, it would be the same!

Time passes, second by second. As the sun gradually descends into dusk, the little beggar still has not found a suitable prey again. The number of soldiers patrolling the streets gradually increases, and some beggars, like him, who recklessly steal and rob to survive, are caught by the soldiers. The soldiers' most straightforward punishment for thieves is to draw their swords and sever their hands on the spot. The scenes of blood gushing forth are ones that the little beggar has witnessed countless times since childhood. The soldiers' most straightforward punishment for thieves is to draw their swords and sever their hands on the spot. The scenes of blood gushing forth are ones that the little beggar has witnessed countless times since childhood.

He opened his wallet with excitement, only to find a magic crystal card inside. In response, the little beggar gritted his teeth in frustration and snapped the card in half with his hands. Without the owner's identity verification, even if the magic crystal card contained one million Sula, not a single cent could be withdrawn

The little beggar turned his head to look at the bread in his hand. Subsequently, he turned back again to look at the woman over there and the baby in her arms

The baby's cries gradually faded away. The little beggar revealed a cruel smile at the corner of his mouth, as if in revenge, and took another bite of the bread

The sun has become more slanted. Moreover, the patrolling soldiers on the road have increased in number. If this continues, it is likely that there will be no harvest today. And without a harvest, it means one will have to endure hunger, suffering from the cold and starvation, as the night gradually descends.

The little beggar looked at the piece of bread in his hand with a sense of confusion. There was still more than half left. ... At that moment, the cries of the little girl behind him finally ceased ...

This is a boy of approximately ten years old, with long black hair that almost covers his face, revealing only a pair of eyes beneath the hair that make everyone who sees them shudder

Oh...! Oh wow...!

The most dangerous time has already passed. The night will provide him with the best refuge. The little beggar walked deep into the alley and sat down behind a pile of garbage. It is dirty and messy here. But the dirtier and messier it is, the more it ensures that no one will come here to disturb his meal

One must possess the ruthless determination to be ready to kill at any moment

After a prolonged stalemate, the little beggar discovered that the woman did not seem to have any intention of coming over to snatch his bread. She was merely soothing the baby in her arms, but her voice grew increasingly choked, as if she harbored some sorrowful matter deep within her heart that she could not let go of

The little beggar shivered slightly, as hunger was gradually stripping away his remaining strength. He looked up at the sky, rubbed his hands together, and stealthily slipped out of the alley under the cover of night.

And today, there is also a small figure hiding in a certain dark alley. A pair of cold and merciless eyes gazes indifferently at the bustling crowd outside. In his arms, he holds a sharp knife.

Suddenly! A burst of a baby's cry jolted the little beggar's spirit! He instinctively clutched the bread to his chest like a wild dog guarding its food, his alert ears and eyes fixed straight in the direction of the sound. In the dim light of the falling snow, he could vaguely see a figure cloaked entirely in black sitting deeper in the alley. The sound of the baby's cries seemed to be emanating from that person's embrace. In the dim light of the falling snow, he could vaguely see a figure cloaked entirely in black sitting deeper in the alley. The sound of the baby's cries seemed to be emanating from that person's embrace

The bread is fragrant, and although it has completely cooled down and is frozen hard, it tastes so sweet in the mouth. However, after just this one bite, the little beggar realizes that the sound of the baby crying behind him is gradually weakening. At the same time, there is also the increasingly anxious tone of the woman.

This town has nothing else, but the dark alleys are forever its main theme. A small beggar is panting heavily, hiding in the alley, vigilantly observing the situation outside. After confirming that no one is pursuing him, he casually wipes the blood-stained knife on his filthy clothes and puts it into his bosom

The small piece of bread had become frozen and stiff, and the little beggar, whose fingers had gone numb, could no longer feel the softness of the bread. However, none of this mattered. ... He gazed at the prey in his hand, swallowed hard, and with a joyful expression, opened his mouth, ready to take a bite ...

My stomach is even hungrier

Like a flash of lightning, the little beggar lunged at the fat woman like a wolf ready to attack! Taking advantage of the moment when the fat woman had not yet reacted, he snatched the wallet from her hand and attempted to flee! The fat woman was initially startled, and then immediately realized that her wallet had been stolen, beginning to shout loudly!

Gulu ... ...

A faint sound was heard as the knife plunged deep into the handle. A glimmer of joy flashed in the eyes of the little beggar. However, before he could fully rejoice, the man suddenly shouted and jumped forward, causing all the bread in his hands to scatter on the ground! He turned around, looking at the little beggar holding the knife blade with terror, and reached to touch his waist. When he felt the blood, his eyes immediately filled with hatred and curses! He casually picked up a stick from the roadside and swung it towards the little beggar!

The little beggar looked at the woman, then at the baby in her arms. Finally, his gaze focused on the piece of bread in his hand

The baby's cries grew louder than before! This cry caused the little beggar's hand, which was about to reach his mouth, to come to an abrupt halt! He turned his head and looked at the woman over there. He saw her face becoming increasingly anxious as she tried to soothe the baby in her arms, seemingly making every effort to prevent it from crying! However, the baby continued to cry louder and showed no signs of stopping.

The fragrant bakery contains the food he needs to get through tonight

It turned out that the coat this person was wearing was very thick. However, the little beggar's knife was indeed too dull. This stab only injured the opponent's flesh but did not take him down completely! The little beggar was startled; facing the incoming wooden stick, he hurriedly rolled on the ground to evade it. Looking at the person in front of him who was swinging the wooden stick, he knew that if he were caught, he would definitely be beaten to death immediately

Oh...! Oh... Oh...!

The knife was dug out by him from a trash can, and to date, it has been stained with the blood of countless individuals. There is the blood of other beggars who fought with him for food, as well as the blood of those who lost their wallets. Of course, there is also the blood of soldiers. Due to his small stature and limited strength, the young beggar has not yet been able to kill anyone with this dull little knife. However, that day may come soon. As he grows older and his strength increases, the moment of truly "killing" will likely not be far off.

The little beggar clutched the piece of bread covered in accumulated snow, panting as he hid in the dark alleys. At this moment, the sky had completely darkened, and the snowflakes were growing larger. He held his breath, listening for any sounds from outside, and only after confirming that the person was not pursuing him did he truly relax, collapsing onto the snow-covered ground

In that moment, the little beggar first thought of escaping. However, his steps came to an immediate halt after taking a single step. His gaze fell upon the pieces of bread scattered all over the ground; without them, even if he managed to escape, he was destined to die tonight! After a fleeting consideration, the little beggar turned around and rushed over, defiantly picking up a piece of bread from the ground despite the person's pursuit, and fled away as if flying, treading on the accumulated snow.

The bread... is still as fragrant as ever. Its crust remains so crisp, and the texture is still so rich. But why does this bite lack the satisfaction that the previous one brought?

The little beggar casually discarded his wallet, and after resting for a moment, he began to search for new targets once again. Orphaned and alone, he had understood since he was old enough to comprehend that in this world, without money, one cannot fill their stomach. To survive here, in addition to being quick in action, one must also possess a ruthless heart.

The little beggar swallowed the bread in his mouth, yet he felt even hungrier in his stomach. However, before continuing to bite, he turned around to look at the woman behind him. ... He could see that her expression had clearly turned to one of panic, and the infant in her arms was becoming increasingly quiet, growing weaker and weaker ...

Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhh!

The little beggar followed closely behind the man, walking slowly. The snow in the sky fell heavier, almost freezing a person completely. The man tightened his leather coat, reached into his paper bag, and pulled out a round loaf of bread, taking a blissful bite. Watching him eat the bread, the little beggar's eyes grew colder, and his grip on the small knife tightened. Finally, when the two reached a little alley with few people, the little beggar suddenly accelerated, brandishing the small knife in his hand, and aimed a stab at the man's back

The stomach of the little beggar is growling. Yet the feeling of hunger makes his eyes even colder and sharper. He is no longer a mere ten-year-old child, but a hungry wolf. What laws, what morals, are now completely cast aside by him. Those things are merely the fallacies used by the powerful to suppress him, yet they cannot fill his stomach at all

You little rascal, stealing things? Have you lost your mind!

At last, the little beggar's prey has appeared. His target is a well-dressed, overweight woman in her thirties. At this moment, the woman is stopping in front of a grocery store, leisurely selecting items. ... Once she has chosen the items to her satisfaction, the plump woman pulls out her wallet from her bosom and opens it ...

Pfft

The woman raised her tear-filled eyes, and when she clearly saw that standing before her was a beggar about ten years old, the slight wariness in her eyes completely dissipated. She looked at the bread in the little beggar's hands but shook her head instead. On the contrary, she slightly lifted the baby in her arms and said anxiously: "Child, could you soften the bread and feed it to my daughter? She... she is about to perish!"

The little beggar let out a sigh of relief and no longer paid attention to that woman. In this world, countless people die of hunger on the streets. As long as one takes care of oneself, what does it matter whether others live or die?

The little beggar rubbed his hands together, hiding in the corner of the wall. His calm eyes, devoid of any emotional fluctuations, were fixed intently on the bakery. The freshly baked bread displayed in the glass window was emanating an enticing aroma, making his stomach growl even louder

In the sky, heavy snow slowly drifts down. The snowflakes in the darkness always carry a sense of hazy beauty. A beauty that is deadly.

The little beggar snorted, casually pulling out a small knife from his pocket, and followed behind the guest. His eyes were fixed on the person walking with a paper bag full of bread, glancing at the bag from time to time and then at the guest's waist. He was small in stature, while the guest appeared tall and robust. To successfully snatch the bread, he would need to take the opponent down in one swift move.

He took out the piece of bread from his bosom once again, gazing at the still-oily crust with greed as he swallowed hard. This piece of bread was not large; he intended to savor it slowly, absolutely refusing to waste any detail worth tasting. ... After enjoying it thoroughly, he opened his mouth again, ready to take a bite ...