Malzahar couldn't help but think of the rich man who left the big bone stick and poisonous buns on the third floor of the hotel. If he had money, would life be easier?
"Dad, I'm sorry, I can't take you home..."
Malzahar found one of the roads of despair, not the most desperate.
In the bustling crowd, no one helped, and no one came up to ask what was wrong.
It was obvious that they owed their father, but at the moment it seemed as if his father owed a foreign debt. It was probably because they knew that his father was going to seek medical treatment from an old witch doctor who had cheated him out of money, and he was afraid that his father would borrow money.
Just like the female stall owner who made the suggestion, she wanted her father to give all the money to the old witch doctor, so that no one would compete with her family for business.
What did Dad get in exchange for his honesty and kindness...
At this moment, all Malzahar could recall was the happy laughter that echoed over the streets.
The small body tried its best to support his father's cold body. Malzahar took his father to a remote place. Facing the night, he started digging a hole with a stolen shovel. I don't know when a cripple staggered away. He came over, knelt down on the ground and kowtowed three times to the boy, then took the bloody shovel from the boy's bloody hands, and started digging the hole lamely.
Although they don't have enough to eat, adults are still stronger than children.
After the old lame man and his son bid farewell, Birrell hugged the air, and the man lay down in the yellow sand with a gentle expression.
…
It was late at night when he returned the shovel. Malzahar carefully opened the door, only to see his mother sitting on the bench made by his father, lighting an oil lamp, knitting straw sandals.
There was cold risotto on the table, and the largest bowl looked a bit garish.
"Malzahar, why are you crying? Where is your father? I thought you would come back together. Is he still setting up a stall? Did he hit you again?"
In the dilapidated tiled cabin, Lydia looked at her hands wrapped in cloth in confusion, her eyes red, like her son who had just cried loudly.
She didn't know yet that her son was racking his brains to try to deceive her.
"Dad...he went out with Uncle Duncan. Uncle Duncan said that he found an ancient tomb that had not been dug outside. In order not to be taken advantage of by others, Dad asked me to come back and take care of the stall. He decided to go with Uncle Duncan tries his luck."
"Duncan? Huh, I didn't expect that stingy guy to be so generous one day... Maybe he can really dig out some treasures this time. Then we will have a good meal of meat and grow your body."
The woman's mood improved a lot in an instant. The desperate illusion finally faded from her mind, and Malzahar had a forced smile on her face.
"Mom, your illness will get better soon."
"Silly boy, mommy believes in you. I'll go and heat up the rice for you. Since your daddy won't be back today, just eat your daddy's share. I know you, the silly boy, are very good at eating. But usually we The whole family depends on your father setting up a stall to support the family, so your father must be fed first..."
Watching his nagging mother leave with the bowl in hand, Malzahar just sat on the edge of the bed and was about to take a breath. The next moment, he suddenly burst into tears and ran towards the kitchen without even putting on his shoes.
The bowl had been smashed to pieces, and the thin woman lay on the ground and stopped breathing.
Malzahar knelt on the ground, knowing that he would never hear the worried and nagging woman speak again.
"Why! Why do you want me to see this! I don't want to see this!
! I just want my parents to be healthy. Why can't such a simple wish come true? Why!
! "
The cripple who was guarding the door heard the boy's loud cry. He hesitated for a moment, then opened the ajar door and walked into the home. He soon saw the completely collapsed child kneeling in the kitchen.
The cold risotto spilled on the ground made the lame man's stomach growl. This time, the lame man didn't pick up anything from the ground to eat. Instead, he limped to the boy's side and knelt down on the ground, and spoke in a confused voice.
"You are a prophet, you are a great prophet, you can see the future, you can see the future, I know, I know, you can see everyone's future, tell me, tell me, my future What is it, what is your future? Tell me, tell me..."
Malzahar bit his lip, knowing that even if he cried, no one in the world would feel sad for his tears. The boy stopped crying and looked at the lame uncle beside him with red eyes.
He saw three ferocious domestic hunting dogs pounce on the lame man from behind. The hunting dogs tore out the lame uncle's throat with their fangs, devoured the lame uncle's body, and tore the lame uncle into pieces of meat until the hounds' The owner laughed and opened the curtain, and when he poked his head out of the carriage, the hunting dog regained its ferocity and turned into a wagging tail.
Malzahar recognized the familiar agate ring from that hand.
In the slums of Amakhara, no one could find any fatter, more delicious, white and tender fingers than these. However, the dog only ate the lame uncle and not this finger, because the finger was the dog's owner.
If you can't kill the lame uncle today, the lame uncle will die in that person's hands tomorrow.
The lame uncle will die like his parents, worthless.
Just like his parents, they died worthless...
I can't do anything, I can't change anything, I can only watch the established facts happen before my eyes.
"You will die under the bite of hounds. The person who released the dogs is the one who threw the poisonous buns to you today. He sat in the carriage and watched helplessly as you were killed by his dogs."
Malzahar's voice was very hoarse, not at all like a voice that a five-year-old boy could make. However, the somewhat crazy lame man believed it, and knelt on the ground tremblingly, kowtowing to the little boy again and again.
"Save me, please save me. You are a great prophet. You can definitely save me. You saved my life today, and you can save my life tomorrow. I listen to you, and I will listen to you in everything." , please save me, Prophet, please save me..."
The boy moved his empty eyes away from his mother and recalled what his father had said to him before he was alive.
"Did I save you?"
"Yes, Prophet, you saved me."
Standing up from the ground, Malzahar whispered to the lame man.
"Go get the shovel from the house. At least in the end, I want my mom and dad to sleep together."
…
"Have you heard? The only one who died in the Biler family is Biler's son Malzaha. I have seen since I was a child that the kid with a brain problem is a broomstick, and sooner or later he will kill Biler and his wife. Damn it, I’m not telling you, you really have to stay away from that disaster star in the future.”
"It's a pity that such an honest man like Bilor died so early. I was still thinking about asking Bilor to build me two sets of chairs when my daughter gets married. I only have so little money. If he dies, I Who should I call?"
"Go find Marilyn? Isn't her stall right next to Birrell's stall? Her husband is also very good at craftsmanship."
"But forget it, Marilyn raised the price of things the day after she found out that Birrell was dead. Her carpentry charges were higher than Birrell's before. Now it's even more outrageous. A chair actually costs one silver coin. , It’s simply crazy! Alas, I still owe Birrell a silver coin and I haven’t paid him. If I had known that Marilyn, a money-minded woman, was so annoying, I might as well have given Birrell more business..."
"Well, Mr. and Mrs. Birrell are not in good health. Don't bury that child Malzahar. What can a five-year-old child know? Maybe he will understand when he grows up..."
"Yes, it's too bitter, too bitter..."
The slums of Amakra have not changed much from usual. Most people are looking sad and worried about their livelihood today. Only a few people can sit at a high place safely and look down at the living beings that are running around blindly like ants. If there has been a change, it would be that many people found that Birrell, who set up a stall, had turned into his five-year-old child. The lame man who used to beg in hotels and stalls no longer begged, but followed the five-year-old child. The boy sets up a stall.
"Malzahar... This is the money I owe your father. I was too tight to pay it back before, but now... Well, I'm sorry about your father. If you have any difficulties in the future, you can come to me and I can help. I will definitely help, after all, your father helped our family a lot when he was alive."
Taking the twenty copper coins handed over by the man, Malzahar nodded calmly.
"Thanks."
Looking at the boy who was becoming more and more stunned, the man sighed and asked again.
"Malzahar, are you planning to take over your father's grocery stall? Do you want me to help you organize it?"
Finally taking a look at the man, Malzahar had a grateful smile on his face.
"Uncle, no need. I plan to close the stall after selling my dad's things, and I won't open a grocery stall in the future."
"Then how are you going to live?"
"Prophet! He is a prophet!"
The lame man who suddenly spoke startled the man. Malzaha pulled the lame man's hand and calmed the limp man down.
"I'm currently learning the art of divination on my own. Maybe I can become a fortune teller and earn some Hukou money."
"This... ugh!"
More certain that there was something wrong with Malzahar's mind, the man sighed and left.
Malzahar no longer cared about other people's opinions of him. The boy just sat silently on the bench waiting for the next customer. With the products sold at low prices, he believed that he would soon sell out all the items on the stall.
The rich businessman who drove the dog the day before yesterday had no choice but to give up because he couldn't find the lame Stone. Today, he saw the vision of the lame being taken away by Amakra's sergeants in the evening and put into a dungeon to be killed. He attacked the lame three times in a row. As if he would not give up until the cripple was killed, Malzahar knew that this matter could not be avoided, and he needed to understand it no matter what.
It was impossible for him to escape from Amakra with the lame man and head to the Kosai Desert in the west. Going east into Ikasia, which made the Shurima people change their minds, was even seeking death. The world was so big that he couldn't find it. A place to stay.
After all, he was still a child. After thinking for a while, Malzahar couldn't think of a way out and looked at the lame man a little irritably. The lame man, who had been paying attention to Malzahar, opened his mouth and asked.
"Prophet, what do you see?"
"I'm not a prophet, don't call me a prophet, just call me a grasshopper. People living in the Akmala slums have a low life. Maybe they are not as good as grasshoppers. At least the grasshoppers on the grassland have Eat grass.”
After first refuting the lame man's name for himself, Malzahar explained.
"Uncle Cripple, if you are destined to die today, this is an unchangeable fact. Will you accept it calmly?"
"If my death is the will of the prophet, I will accept it."
"Why? Aren't you very afraid of death and don't want to die? Why are you willing to accept death now?"
"Everyone will die one day. If I can die in the promise of the prophet, my life will be meaningful."
I don't know when Malzahar started to understand the lame man's words.
Unknowingly, it was already afternoon, and the items on the grocery stalls were getting less and less. After learning that Bilor’s stupid son had been deceived by a low-priced seller, the people in the entire Amakra slum took action, even if they didn’t want to buy. Let's take a look. Finally, when the sun began to disappear, the fool who bought out the grocery store at a low price with the arrogant attitude of taking care of his children had left. Malzahar patted his butt and stood up with his bulging money bag. .
The money was enough for him to leave Amakra and not go to the Xiaosai Desert or the terrible Ikasia. He believed that as long as he moved forward, he would always be able to find a place to stand.
As for that shabby but cozy little house, it was no longer home after mom and dad left.
"We have to leave. If we don't leave, you will die."
"Prophet, will I die?"
"I saw your death, but I didn't want you to die."
"Then I won't die."
The crazy lame man became more coherent in his speech at this moment, which made Malzahar suddenly become curious about the origin of the lame man's uncle, because many of the things the lame man said did not look like things that a beggar could say.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because you are a prophet."
The lame man's extremely certain look made Malzahar remember the somewhat awkward Shurima term 'prophet' in his mind. He didn't know whether it was the word prophet that made the lame man choose to believe in him, or whether it was the result of saving the lame man that made the lame man choose. trust yourself.
There are still many questions to think about, but no matter what, we have to go now.
He could even hear the rustling of armor and spears vibrating the ground, causing burrowing gerbils to flee in all directions.
Reading with rice balls
The two of them didn't even collect the stalls, and walked towards the northeast gate of Amakra together. At the same time, a group of soldiers who had accepted bribes were divided into two waves to block the grocery stalls and Bilor's house. The soldiers' marching routes happened to be staggered. It blocked the path of Malzahar and Cripple, so that the two groups did not meet at all.
Malzahar and the two left the city smoothly, avoiding the killing blow of the wealthy businessman.
