Chapter 3

The little boy was dragged out of his small nest without any hesitation, and the remaining half of the bread did not escape either, now being handed over to the strongest of the big kids. These big kids were all over ten years old, and the leader was already twelve.

The leader of the big kids took a deep breath of the bread's aroma, then without hesitation, tore off a large piece and stuffed it into his mouth, swallowing it in one gulp. The other big kids watched, their mouths watering.

One bite of the bread did not quell the big kid's anger; instead, it made his eyes turn red. "How dare you hide food! Where's the other half? Where did you hide it? Not talking? Beat him!!"

The little boy was kicked to the ground on the spot, and a group of big kids surrounded him, punching and kicking with all their might. The little boy was tossed around like a rag doll.

The little girl's face showed panic, and she quietly took two steps back. She knew that if the little boy revealed that he had given the other half of the bread to her, she would most likely be beaten to death on the spot.

But the little boy's mouth was sealed as if it were sealed with molten iron, not uttering a single word, not even a groan, silently enduring the beating.

Finally, the big kids grew tired and slowly stopped. They also searched the little boy's nest but found nothing.

"It looks like he ate the other half!" one of the big kids said, filled with jealousy and hatred.

"Cut open his stomach! Maybe we can still find it!" another thin, dark-skinned big kid shouted fiercely.

The leader of the big kids kicked the little boy hard and shouted, "Where's the other half?! If you ate it, then go to hell!"

The little girl's face turned pale instantly.

But contrary to what she expected, the little boy did not speak; instead, he struggled to stand up.

The little boy's mouth moved as if he was saying something, but no one could hear clearly. The big kids involuntarily leaned in to listen.

Suddenly, the little boy's right fist flew up and struck the big kid's face with a fierce blow!

The big kid let out a惨叫, clutching his face and staggering backward. Blood streamed down his face, and the little boy had secretly grabbed a piece of metal during the beating, the sharp edge now protruding from his fingers, cutting deep into the big kid's face.

"Beat him! Beat him to death!" the injured big kid, clutching his face, screamed like a madman.

The little boy fought for his life but was quickly knocked down again. He clenched his teeth, curling up to protect his vital areas, neither begging for mercy nor groaning.

The big kids grew tired again, and their hands slowed. The injured big kid, however, was not satisfied. He grabbed the little boy from the ground, about to say something, but unexpectedly, the little boy, with a sudden burst of strength, leaped up and headbutted the big kid's injured face!

The big kid's nose instantly collapsed.

He clutched his face and screamed, and the other big kids, seeing the little boy, felt a genuine fear from the bottom of their hearts. Such an injury, they knew, they could not endure, and they wondered what kind of strength kept the little boy standing, facing them!

This time, without any command, the big kids rushed forward, knocked the little boy down again, and gave him another brutal beating. When they grew tired, the little boy moved, and despite the beating, he staggered to his feet again.

This was an incredibly stubborn child, determined to stand even in death.

"Kill... kill him!" one of the big kids suggested, his voice trembling. If he didn't kill the little boy, he felt he wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully.

No one agreed with his suggestion, but the little boy was knocked down again. This time, the big kids hit him much lighter, both out of instinctive fear and sheer exhaustion. Today, their harvest was meager, and their strength was limited. If not for the frenzy brought by the crimson moon, they might have taken the bread and left.

Just as the big kids, exhausted, stopped, a small figure suddenly appeared beside them.

It was the little girl, struggling to carry a large stone, which was quite heavy for her, and she pushed her way forward.

The big kids looked at her in surprise. Her beautiful little face was filled with determination and madness. She wobbled, lifted the stone high above her head, and then forcefully smashed it onto the little boy's head!

With a thud, the little boy finally stopped moving, a pool of blood forming and quickly spreading beneath his head.

The surrounding area was filled with gasps, and the big kids instinctively took two steps back, away from the small girl who could be easily kicked over.

The little girl ran to the stone that had rolled to the side, struggling to pick it up. The stone was already stained with blood, which smeared onto her body and face. As the small figure staggered toward the little boy, even the leader of the big kids felt a chill.

At this moment, a gentle breeze swept through the garbage dump, lifting some paper scraps. The already cool night suddenly became abnormally cold, and everyone searching for food in the garbage dump shivered.

They did not know that an invisible force field had quietly covered the entire garbage dump.

Most people were oblivious and immediately resumed their search in the garbage after the brief chill. A few felt a slight internal tremor, but it was so faint that they dismissed it as an illusion and continued their search for food.

A few, however, stood still, staring at their hands in shock. Their hands were glowing faintly, standing out in the night. Not only their hands, but their entire bodies were glowing, and a mysterious new power had emerged within them.

If viewed from a high altitude, one could see many light points shining in the vast airship graveyard, like a river of stars falling to the earth.

The little girl's body also glowed, and her strength suddenly increased. The sudden change did not affect her actions; instead, she quickened her steps to the little boy and forcefully smashed the stone onto his head!

All the big kids were waiting for the moment when the little boy would be a bloody mess. Some felt uncomfortable and looked away, unwilling to watch.

At this moment, the little boy's body suddenly burst into bright light, and a red light column appeared, shooting up to over ten meters high, standing out in the night! Around the light column, several halos appeared, moving along mysterious trajectories.

The heavy stone hit the light and seemed to be blocked by an invisible force, bouncing back. This sudden change shocked all the big kids. Some jumped up, but were at a loss.

In the night sky, the lower half of a huge crimson moon, a several dozen-meter-long floating boat was gliding through the air.

It was made in the style of an old-fashioned light boat, with masts, cabins, and decks. It was painted a uniform dark gray, and the bow was adorned with a bronze sculpture of a fierce Vajra, with a powerful face and holding a club in both hands.

The floating boat had wings on both sides, equipped with propellers. The propellers rotated at varying speeds, adjusting the boat's direction. It had no floating air sacs or visible power source, and it was unclear how it stayed afloat.

The floating boat had smooth and elegant lines, not overly ornate, but every detail, from the mast and sail to the railings, was exquisitely crafted, a subtle luxury.

At this moment, a silver-haired man stood by the window, looking down at the airship graveyard below.

His face was not old, and he was in his prime, with deep and clear eyes and a chin that formed a firm and elegant curve. He wore a standing-collar black uniform, the standard style of the imperial military, but without any rank insignia. Only two rows of silver buttons and the pattern of a flaming sword on the buttons highlighted his extraordinary status.

The silver-haired man stood there, naturally exuding a sharp aura, like a drawn sword.

In the room, a man in his fifties, with a square head and large ears, a kind and friendly face, and a somewhat plump figure, was staring at the chessboard in front of him, unable to place a white piece made of the finest warm jade.

The chess game was almost in the endgame stage, with a large white dragon struggling to survive.

After much thought, he sighed deeply, placed the white piece on the board, and conceded.

"Xitang, it's been seven years, and your chess skills are still as formidable as ever!" The fat middle-aged man stood up, walked to the window, and stood beside the silver-haired man, looking down.

Through the window, they could see the vast airship graveyard, covering nearly a hundred square kilometers, with faint lights flickering everywhere, like scattered stars.

Seeing this scene, the fat middle-aged man said with a dismissive look, "Xitang, you really need to change this habit. The Great Derivation Heavenly Mechanism Formula is indeed unique in stimulating and guiding the potential of primal energy, but there's no need to release it over the entire airship graveyard. Unless your primal energy is so abundant that you don't know what to do with it? Why not give me a transmission and let me enjoy your benefits?"

Lin Xitang smiled and said, "Tuo Hai, you're still as straightforward as ever. Look, the people below all have the potential to cultivate primal energy."

Gu Tuo Hai was unconvinced, "So what? There are many people with potential. You came all the way to this cursed place to find me, and instead of going straight back to the capital, you made a big detour here. You can't just want me to see your mastery of the Great Derivation Heavenly Mechanism Formula, can you?"

Lin Xitang laughed and pointed out the window, "I'm not that boring. Look, if we consider the proportion of people with cultivation potential, the people in this airship graveyard are not lower than the commoners in the empire. You know, when the empire moved to the upper continent, only families with cultivation potential went along. Now, after more than eight hundred years, the proportion of people with cultivation potential among the empire's commoners is still not as high as in this graveyard. It seems the good life in the empire has lasted too long."

"Not necessarily!" Gu Tuo Hai shook his head and said, "Having potential is one thing, but being able to cultivate to a certain level is another. The families that followed the empire to the upper continent had special talents in some areas. Once they activated their cultivation potential, they could at least reach the third or fourth level. The people below, however, are inherently deficient and have twisted minds. Most of them can only reach the first or second level at best."

Lin Xitang said calmly, "But it is a fact that in dire straits, potential is more easily stimulated, and more people with potential will appear."

Gu Tuo Hai snorted, "That's your theory of natural selection! You've never seen through it in all these years!"

"Since I'm right, why should I see through it? Look at the scattered starlight below; it is the light of our empire's legacy and the hope of the human race. My ancestors started from such a place, slaying countless dark races, establishing great achievements, and rising from the lowest level of the abandoned land to being ennobled. In my generation, with the trust of His Majesty, I have been given the heavy responsibility. I will serve the empire with all my heart and soul, and I will not care about a little criticism."

Gu Tuo Hai stomped his foot and said angrily, "Is that a little criticism? You stubborn fool! I, Gu Tuo Hai, was momentarily confused to agree to serve the empire for another ten years. I'll just do my part and won't take on any major tasks. And I won't do without good wine and beautiful women!"

Seeing that Lin Xitang only smiled and said nothing, Gu Tuo Hai became slightly angry and pointed out the window, raising his voice, "You see scattered starlight, but I see a land of suffering! If the empire hadn't abandoned the Eternal Night Continent, this place wouldn't have become the abandoned land. Look, in such a cursed place, how could there be anyone with real potential? If there were, it would be a damn miracle!"

But just as he pointed, a thin red light column suddenly appeared!

The light column, though weak, was incredibly prominent among the many star-like lights, even the blood-red moon's glow could not overshadow it.

Gu Tuo Hai was stunned, muttering, "This... this is really a damn miracle?"

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