Chapter 44: Ke Lai

Don't let me catch that little thief who stole my vegetables and ruined my field!

Otherwise I'll definitely hang her on the village entrance's Seven-Day God Statue to feed the vultures!!!

This is Luo De's anguished declaration after discovering his experimental field had been destroyed.

However, after the true culprit was caught.

But he was stunned.

He didn't know whether he should harshly punish this little thief according to the harsh words he'd uttered.

"Luo De, bro, this is that little brat."

"When we caught her, she was burning those wheat stalks from your field."

"Oh, right, where she sleeps there are fallen vegetable leaves, and you can also find them on her mouth and clothes."

"It's definitely her."

"Little brat, you can really run."

"We only found her in a place three kilometers away from your experimental field."

"If Xishamu hadn't said he saw the firelight, we still wouldn't have found her."

"Oh dear, this little brat is fierce—look at the tooth mark he gave me."

The one spitting saliva at Luo De was Halun of the Blazing Light Beast Hunters, the same unlucky guy who got a panda eye from Luo De's punch earlier.

Just as he said.

On his right arm there is a very deep tooth mark, bitten very hard, and even now there is still a large patch of bruising.

And the vegetable thief, trussed up fivefold by the Blazing Light Beast Hunters' mercenaries,

was a young little girl.

She had shoulder-length grass-green short hair, and on her face tightly wrapped in bandages appeared a pair of beautiful light-purple eyes that mismatched her disheveled appearance.

She wore a cloth hat similar to a wind-snow hat, her exposed skin mostly wrapped in bandages, barefoot with bandages wrapped around her feet, and Luo De, keen-eyed, saw that the soles of her feet had been ground by gravel into fine blood traces.

Moving a little closer, one could smell an indescribable stench, somewhat like the smell of rotting animal carcasses in the desert, which Luo De had smelled many times while wandering the desert.

"Right, Luo De bro, be careful—this little brat seems to have some kind of plague."

Seeing Luo De approach the vegetable thief, Halun quickly reminded him again.

"Demonscale Disease."

Dixiya, watching from the side, sighed.

"What?"

Halun and the mercenaries who had gone together to catch the thief all turned their heads and asked.

"Exactly, it's Demonscale Disease."

"Same symptoms as the diseased people in the village."

Kantisi also confirmed Dixiya's judgment.

Demonscale Disease.

This is a disease unique to Sumeru, named because patients develop gray-black scale-like tissue on their bodies.

In the early stage of the disease, patients merely feel numbness in the areas of skin that are changing; as the disease progresses, they experience weakened strength, occasional loss of sensation in fingers and toes, and eventually they become unable to control their bodies, completely losing mobility.

Even in medically advanced Sumeru.

This disease is also an incurable fatal illness; once contracted, death is certain.

Upon realizing that the vegetable thief actually had Demonscale Disease, Halun, who had just been chattering, immediately shut his mouth, and his gaze toward her gained a hint of pity.

The others were the same.

A child who looked about ten years old actually had this fatal illness.

"Sigh——"

Luo De also sighed, then stepped closer until he stood before the vegetable thief, squatting to be at eye level with her.

Even though she was bound.

But the vegetable thief was still struggling fiercely; seeing Luo De approach, she lunged even more violently, biting fiercely at him.

"Luo De bro, be careful."

Halun hurriedly gave a warning.

Luo De waved his hand, indicating it was fine.

Looking again at this little girl who had almost bitten him, his feelings were extremely complicated.

Ke Lai

Although her appearance differed greatly from the game's version and her build was even thinner and shorter, Luo De still recognized the vegetable thief's identity.

That junior forest ranger tormented by Demonscale Disease.

"Luo De, what should we do?"

The speaker was Kantisi.

The vegetable thief before us is indeed pitiful.

But having Demonscale Disease is not her justification for breaking A Ru Cun's rules; as a keeper of the rules, Kantisi needs to ask Luo De's opinion.

Stealing within the village.

This is punishable by flogging.

Moreover, she destroyed Luo De's painstakingly cultivated experimental field to that extent.

Since Luo De's residence is still within the village's bounds, according to the rules those few lashes are something the vegetable thief must endure.

"Forget it, I'll take care of it."

Luo De shook his head and asked Dixiya: "Any food?"

Ah?

Oh, yes, and more.

Dixiya was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly took out several pieces of date coconut honey candy from her waist pouch.

The date coconut honey candy in her pocket were all square pieces resembling sesame brittle, which could be eaten as a meal or as a snack.

As for the other white milk candies,

These were given by Luo De; there weren't many to begin with, and she had already eaten quite a few yesterday.

She couldn't bear to give away such good candy.

After taking the date coconut honey candy, Luo De first untied the ropes binding Ke Lai, then handed over those few pieces of candy.

Come, eat something; you won't be hungry after you finish.

He responded.

Then she bit down hard on his hand.

Luo De!

Luo De!

Luo De, little brother!

That bite really frightened everyone present.

In the desert, there are various rumors about how the scale plague is transmitted; one rumor says the plague spreads through the patient's saliva, sweat, and other bodily fluids.

Earlier, Halun was also bitten.

Fortunately, his skin is thick and tough, so Ke Lai didn't break the skin; a wash was enough.

But now Luo De's hand has been bitten open by Ke Lai, and bright red blood is flowing down from the corner of her mouth.

Out of concern, someone immediately stepped forward to try to pull Ke Lai away.

Don't worry, this disease isn't contagious.

Luo De waved his hand again to stop them, then forced out a gentle smile and said, Don't be afraid, I'm not here to arrest you.

That sentence I'm not here to arrest you seemed to have some kind of magic.

As soon as Luo De finished speaking, Ke Lai slightly loosened her grip, doubtfully raising her head to meet his gaze.

Rest assured, I'm not one of those people who inject you with medicine, nor am I here to take you back.

This is A Ru Cun.

No one can take you away from here.

Luo De ignored the blood flowing from his hand and continued to soothe the frenzied Ke Lai.

I don't know whether it was the effect of his words just now or the sweet aroma of the date coconut honey candy that was simply too tempting.

In short.

After hesitating for a good while.

Ke Lai finally loosened her mouth, then tentatively took a piece of candy from Luo De's hand; after the first bite, her eyes flashed with excitement, and she began to devour it in big mouthfuls; in no time, the date coconut honey candy that Dixiya had brought was completely eaten by her.

Any more? Give me some more.

Seeing Ke Lai still licking the crumbs off her hand, Luo De asked Dixiya for a few more pieces of candy.

This time.

Ke Lai didn't bite people as she had before; instead, upon seeing the candy, she grabbed it and wolfed it down.

After eating a dozen or so pieces in a row, she finally patted her stomach in satisfaction and no longer wanted candy.

What's your name?

Only then did Luo De speak to her again.

I, I, I am called, Ke Lai.

It seemed she hadn't spoken to anyone in a long time; suddenly needing to speak, Ke Lai thought for a while before managing to say her name clearly.

Ke Lai.

After repeating Ke Lai's name, Luo De said, Your body isn't suited for running around in the desert; stay here for a few days, and I'll find the village's best doctor to prescribe you some medicine.

No, no, I don't want to see a doctor! I don't want to see a doctor!!!

The two words doctor seemed to be Ke Lai's biggest taboo; she reacted as if startled, jumping and shrinking into the corner, frantically waving her hands, her face full of fear.

Alright, alright, I won't look for a doctor; you just rest here for a few days.

Luo De hurriedly comforted her again, and also said, That kind of candy just now, I still have plenty here; if you stay here, you can eat it every day.

He promised many benefits of staying in one breath.

Only then did Ke Lai stop trembling, and she asked timidly.

Really, really?

The temptation of candy is still great for a little girl who has wandered for a long time; even though her face looks like that of a startled kitten, her eyes show a bit more longing.

Hmm.

Luo De nodded, and also secretly made a gesture to Dixiya.

Dixiya understood, and quickly handed over all the date coconut honey candy from her pocket to him.

Here, look, these are all yours.

I still have more here; if you want to eat, you can always have your fill.

Luo De held the candy in his left hand, while his right hand kept waving at Ke Lai.

This feeling is just like a bad old man using a lollipop to lure a little girl.

It's a very low-class trick.

Yet the effect is surprisingly good.

Ke Lai really, under the temptation of date and coconut honey, slowly moved out from the corner of the wall; seeing no one coming to catch her, she lunged forward and tightly hugged those date and coconut honey in her arms, her eyes warily scanning back and forth around.

Luo De reached out and touched her messy, chicken‑nest‑like hair, saying: "It's okay, it's okay, don't be afraid, don't be afraid."

Just as contact.

Luo De clearly felt Ke Lai's body tense.

Fortunately.

This time she did not resist anymore, standing there honestly, not moving at all, only gripping the date and coconut honey tighter.

(End of chapter)