The boy's eyes held a deep sadness as he spoke. Nina could feel the pain in his heart. The village had been peaceful, and now, in an instant, everyone was dead, leaving him alone.Nina bit her lip and stepped forward to help the boy gather the bodies. As they worked, she asked, "I saw what happened. Weren't those people soldiers? Did your village do something to provoke them?"A flash of anger crossed the boy's eyes. "Do you think the elderly and children could have done anything? Those weren't soldiers, they were Pharaoh's men!" His voice was filled with rage, words squeezed out between gritted teeth. The able-bodied men of the village had left to earn money or had been drafted, leaving only the vulnerable behind. They just wanted to live in peace. What had they done to deserve this?"I'm sorry," Nina said, at a loss for words. In her understanding, soldiers were supposed to be honorable and disciplined, but the boy's words shattered that belief.And he had mentioned Pharaoh
Nina saw the boy fiercely tearing at the flag with the ominous symbol.She walked over and said, "Your hand is seriously injured. I couldn't find effective medicine, but I can disinfect it with iodine for now. Otherwise, you might lose your hand. And taking your anger out on the flag won't help."It's just a piece of cloth."The boy's eyes flashed with a fierce determination. "One day, I will cut off Pharaoh's head!"His grandmother, younger siblings had been killed by Pharaoh's men. His father had been taken by them and was still missing. He hated Pharaoh with every fiber of his being."I don't like him much either, but you need to get better first," Nina told him.The boy looked at her, puzzled. "Did Pharaoh's men kill your friends and loved ones too?""No," Nina replied. "But he has done some terrible things that have affected my life."The boy scoffed, "They have no humanity."Nina had already witnessed it, shattering her previous understanding of the world. Until Pharaoh
The boy said, "Follow me and keep up. There are venomous snakes in this forest.""Okay." Nina didn't dare to relax. They walked for over an hour before the boy finally led her out of the forest. Just as he had said, there was a village not far from the forest's edge.Unlike the previous village she had seen, this one, although also made of mud houses, had chickens, ducks, and vegetable gardens around it. There were even people selling goods from their cars at the entrance. The boy led her over.The boy spoke with the villagers in a language she didn't understand. After a while, he turned to her and said, "We can stay here for now, but I don't have any money. My hand is injured, so you'll have to work with the villagers to gather medicinal herbs to earn our keep.""I have money." Nina hadn't expected to be sold out by the boy, but she had come to the Yaren territory well-prepared. She had asked Scarlet to exchange some local currency for her to carry."That's even better." The bo
Nina remained silent, deep in thought. The contrast was stark. The northern part of the Yaren tribe had been decimated by Pharaoh's men, while this area received assistance. Her instincts told her something wasn't right.She glanced at the boy, and he followed her. Nina walked to the center of the yard, approaching the old woman and the little girl. She didn't recognize the herbs on the ground, but their roots were long."How do I do this?"The boy, quick on the uptake, translated Nina's question.The old woman, upon hearing the voices, looked up at Nina and the boy. To her, they seemed like a young woman in her twenties and a teenage boy."Snap off the roots, shake off the soil, and bundle them into groups of twenty."The boy translated the old woman's instructions.The old woman then asked them, "How did you end up here?"They were in the central region of the Yaren tribe. Though they were part of the same tribe, the country was in turmoil, and the Yaren were heavily divided.
Girls received hair ties and clips, while boys got knee pads, soccer balls, and textbooks. The older girls were given lipsticks and skincare products. These older girls had never seen such items before and were curious, with their brown eyes filled with confusion. "Mr. Micah, what is this?" one of them asked."Lipstick can enhance your skin tone," Mr. Micah patiently explained. "In other countries, people use it to make themselves look better. This process is called makeup. This is foundation. If you don’t know how to use it, I can find a video for you to watch and learn from."Mr. Micah spoke in a mix of English and Yaren language, and Nina could mostly understand him."Thank you, Mr. Micah!" The girl didn’t fully understand but clutched the lipstick and skincare products like treasures. The desire to look beautiful is a natural human trait.The children were thrilled with their gifts. "Mr. Micah, please come to my house for dinner tonight! My mom sold some herbs and bought chicke
Nina grabbed the boy's arm. His entire village had been slaughtered by Pharaoh's men, and this Mr. Micah seemed to have some connection to Pharaoh. She feared the boy's simmering hatred might lead him to expose them prematurely.Feeling the pressure on his arm, the boy came to his senses. Nina said, "If there's nothing else, we'll take our leave now."To Mr. Micah, they were outsiders. He was likely scrutinizing them closely. Initially, they had just wanted to catch a glimpse of Mr. Micah, but since he had already noticed them, they needed to return and devise a strategy.Mr. Micah smiled but said nothing, implicitly agreeing to let them go. After they left, Mr. Micah called over two men and instructed them in the Yaren language, "Keep a close eye on those two."Nina and the boy returned to the man's yard and went into the designated room. "We've been marked," Nina said.She had noticed Mr. Micah's scrutinizing gaze and probing questions during their conversation. It was clear
"Alright, I'll take you to meet Mr. Micah tomorrow," the man said.He didn't overthink it. Mainly, he noticed Nina's statement about being from Birkham. Mr. Micah also spoke English and had a similar appearance to Nina. If Nina could cook meals that Mr. Micah enjoyed, it would be a way of showing their gratitude."Thank you," Nina replied.Although she wasn't used to Yaren food, she managed to eat half a bowl of mashed potatoes. In an unfamiliar environment, she needed to maintain her strength.After dinner, Nina returned to the small room. There was no bed, so the man had brought them two pieces of cardboard to sleep on. Lying on the cardboard, Nina's thoughts drifted to Scarlett and the others. She wondered how they were doing.The boy whispered in her ear, "I need to go with you tomorrow."Although Nina hadn't mentioned him in her plan while talking to the man, he insisted on going. He had to keep an eye on Mr. Micah, ready to act at the slightest hint of trouble."Your hand
One of the children noticed Mr. Micah and immediately beamed, waving enthusiastically. "Mr. Micah!"Nina turned her head at the sound. Mr. Micah was wearing a black shirt today, with the top two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. He stood in the sunlight, one hand in his pocket and the other holding a few books. His black eyes were inscrutable behind his gold-rimmed glasses, but his mouth curved into a deep smile.The next moment, the children around Nina swarmed toward Mr. Micah."Mr. Micah, she said that it should be 'perfect' instead of 'prefect'!""Mr. Micah, didn't you tell us last time that it's the 'prefect'?""Mr. Micah, we only trust you!""Mr. Micah, we don't know her. Who is she?"Voices clamored all at once, and a few children even glared at Nina. Suddenly, a little boy picked up a stone and hurled it at her. Nina quickly dodged, but Mr. Micah rushed over, taking the hit on his thigh.Mr. Micah's expression turned stern. "Sean, what have I