Kong Hou was startled and immediately wanted to hide.
But she forgot that she was now like a five-year-old human child and couldn’t run fast at all.
As Kong Hou was about to be buried by the trash, a pair of warm hands suddenly embraced her, and then that person rolled with her on the ground, avoiding the falling trash.
"Don’t be afraid, it’s okay now." A gentle voice reached Kong Hou’s ears.
Kong Hou looked up and saw a human woman smiling at her. As her gaze moved slightly downward, she noticed the wound on the woman’s shoulder. Was this from rescuing her just now?
"Why are you here alone? Where are your family?" The woman picked up Kong Hou, kicked away the trash underfoot, and asked softly.
"I..." Kong Hou looked at the human woman in front of her. She seemed to be in her thirties, dressed simply, with a few strands of white hair mixed in her black hair, especially noticeable. So young and already has white hair?
"So where do you live? I’ll take you home." The woman’s voice was so gentle that Kong Hou felt like squinting her eyes.
"I don’t know." Kong Hou suddenly felt a bit aggrieved. Where is the owner, where could they be? Why haven’t they come to find her yet? Wuwu, Kong Hou felt a little scared. Wait, could the owner be in trouble too? Kong Hou remembered once when the owner was trapped in a game world and encountered danger. Could it be that this world has issues too? Thinking of this, Kong Hou no longer felt aggrieved or scared, just deeply worried.
"Then, come with me first. It’s very dangerous for you to be here alone. What’s your name?" The woman looked at the fair and chubby little Kong Hou, speaking gently. Such a small child, it’s too dangerous to leave them here. But such a fair and chubby, well-behaved child doesn’t look like they’re from the Swamp District. Could she be from above? Better take her back first, someone should come looking for her.
"My name is Kong Hou." Kong Hou was held in the woman’s arms, heading out of the trash site. Kong Hou lay on the woman’s shoulder, curiously scrutinizing her surroundings. "Where is this? Why is there so much trash?"
"Your name is very nice. My name is Li Jiali. This is the edge of the Swamp District. All the trash from the Swamp District and the Empire is dumped here. People from the Swamp District often come here to look for useful things," Li Jiali explained to Kong Hou as she walked, "This place is very dangerous. Sometimes when garbage is dumped from above, you must avoid it. Also, many people come here to search for things, and disputes may arise. In short, this is a place of trouble, and you must never come here again. Understood?" Even though outwardly Kong Hou appeared to be a child, Li Jiali earnestly advised her on these matters.
Kong Hou nodded, somewhat surprised in her heart. She raised her little head to look at the sky. Above them, a huge structure loomed, supported by countless massive columns.
"That is the Empire," Li Jiali said softly, "We all live dependent on the Empire."
Kong Hou was puzzled, "The Empire? Swamp District? What are those?" Is this still the previous world? But why has it changed so much? Back then, didn’t Qu Fengbai and Zhou Chaoyang change this world? Why does it seem a bit different from what she imagined?
"You don’t know anything, where did you come from then..." Li Jiali gently patted Kong Hou’s back and whispered, "I will tell you everything. For now, rest well. I will protect you." This chubby and adorable little child reminded her of her own child.