Deep in the Alley

The nights of the Elven race are quite different from those of the Human Race.

Here, one doesn’t need to carry oil lamps when venturing out. The streets are lined with unassuming blue flowers that emit a soft fluorescent glow at night, illuminating the path ahead.

These luminescent plants… are a specialty cultivated by the elves. However, due to their demanding growth conditions and the need for specialized elven nature magic to tend to them, they wither quickly once transported to the Human Race. Thus, the elven nightscape remains a unique spectacle.

"It’s so beautiful," Aina murmured as she and Xia Lun wandered aimlessly down the street.

This wasn’t their first time witnessing such a sight… Xia Lun had grown up among the elves, and after their marriage, they had returned here to live for a while.

But even the same scenery, viewed by the same people at different times, could evoke entirely different emotions.

"It is beautiful," Xia Lun coughed lightly.

In the past, his mind had been preoccupied with hurrying back so he could sleep with Aina… Now, things were different. They had already slept before coming out, allowing him to appreciate the view with a calm heart.

Their concealed auras made them inconspicuous… Unless they initiated conversation, most people would glance at them and unconsciously overlook their presence.

The streets of the elven city weren’t populated solely by elves—in fact, the Human Race made up the majority. After all, as a long-lived species, elves had rather poor reproductive capabilities.

Occasionally, one could spot members of the Beast Race or other races passing by. Dwarves and giants were nearly absent—most dwarves suffered from acrophobia, making life here a torment for them, while certain areas of Kalanthis, built among the trees, couldn’t support the weight of giants.

From a nearby tavern came the clinking of cups and the boisterous laughter of adventurers.

Xia Lun’s lips curled instinctively, but mindful of Aina beside him, he dismissed any thought of going in for a drink.

Did he have a death wish, carousing in front of Aina?

Besides, Aina preferred tranquility—and it suited her. Sitting by the window with a book spread across her lap, her hair gently tousled by the breeze outside, she was a vision of serene beauty.

Xia Lun tightened his arm around Aina’s shoulders and quickened his pace.

Due to the sparse population, elven houses were spread out, each separated by some distance, resulting in a labyrinth of winding alleys.

The glow of the luminescent plants couldn’t penetrate the darkness of these deep lanes.

"No money? Then get lost! Don’t block the way!"

"Just a little more, please… Just a little, and I’ll leave! I can’t take it anymore!"

"How many times do I have to say it? If you want the drug, pay for it—or bring something else of value to trade."

"I’ve sold everything in my house… All my money’s gone, spent on the drug. Please, just a little more… I’ll owe you, I swear I’ll pay you back later…"

"Stop whining and scram!"

From the depths of the alley came the sounds of kicks and punches, followed by a man’s agonized wails—Xia Lun heard it all.

"Pathetic wretch… Not worth our attention," Aina said disdainfully. "Xia Lun, even you can’t save someone like that."

"You’re right, Aina," Xia Lun nodded and turned to leave.

Then, clear voices echoed from the alley again.

"I have a daughter! She’s only fifteen… My wife divorced me over the drugs, but she left the brat with me. I can sell her to you as a slave—then I’ll have money for the drug!" the wailing male elf cried desperately. "She’s a pure-blooded elf, and pretty too. At her age, she’ll fetch a high price, I swear…"

"Then what are you waiting for? Go get her!"

"Yes, sir! Wait for me—just wait! Prepare the drug, I’ll be right back…"

The elf scrambled out of the alley in frenzied excitement.

"Move! Out of my way!"

The man snarled at Xia Lun, who stood unmoving at the alley’s entrance. Aina shrank behind him, feigning fragility, as if frightened.

The elf, running too fast to stop, crashed into Xia Lun—only to recoil as if he’d hit a stone wall, landing hard on his backside.

"You bastard… Are you deaf? You—"

Xia Lun’s icy glare silenced him mid-sentence. The man’s blood ran cold, goosebumps rising across his skin. Clamping a hand over his mouth, he said nothing more, scrambling past Xia Lun and fleeing.

"Tsk." Aina sighed dramatically behind Xia Lun. "A fifteen-year-old elven maiden… The great Hero is off to save another damsel in distress."

"She’s just a child," Xia Lun replied with a helpless smile. "She’s innocent in all this. I should help her."

"Sigh… I wish the Hero would rescue me too," Aina dabbed at nonexistent tears in the corners of her eyes. "After all, I’m just a delicate little girl myself."

Xia Lun: "…"

"Father… Where are you taking me? You’re hurting me—let go!"

"Shut up and come with me!"

True to his word, the man returned swiftly, dragging a slender elven girl in a faded gray dress by the wrist.

The frantic pace forced upon her left beads of sweat on her forehead, trickling down her cheeks and into the frayed edges of her collar. The girl’s wrists were so thin that her veins showed through, red marks blooming where her father gripped her. Though her features should have been lovely, malnutrition had drained her face of color.

Her patched skirt hung loosely on her frail frame, and her golden hair, which should have flowed like moonlight, was braided into a lifeless, straw-like plait.

Perched among the trees, the city’s night winds were bitingly cold. The girl shivered like a leaf clinging to a branch, moments from being torn away.

Lian Na stared at her father in despair. Ever since he’d fallen prey to that wretched drug, he’d become a stranger.

Spotting Xia Lun still standing at the alley’s mouth, the man hesitated briefly but ignored him, pulling his daughter into the shadows.

"Sir…"

Lian Na cast a helpless glance at the stranger, as if grasping at her last hope.

Xia Lun remained still for now.

The elven girl vanished into the darkness.

"Tch. This is the ‘pretty daughter’ you bragged about? She’s practically skin and bones."

"Sir, just feed her properly for a few days—she’ll gain weight fast, I swear…"

"She won’t fetch much like this."

"Th-that’s fine! She’s yours—just give me the drug. However much she’s worth, I’ll take it all…"