Would You Correct This World?
By the time Long set off to return to his residence, it was already dark.
He returned to the slums, where the streets were even more crowded at night than during the day.
A motley crew of all sorts of people appeared one after another.
Several men acted with impunity, pushing open doors from house to house and abducting young boys and girls... In this chaotic world, people are also money, especially children, even those of lowly birth.
These people specialize in human trafficking.
Girls could be sold to brothels or nobles, while boys could be sent to organizations or portals to be trained as assassins from a young age.
Their parents were watching from the side.
People passing by were used to this scene.
Not far away, a drunkard was violently beating and cursing his woman, using extremely cruel methods.
Chiyoko and Rina, standing next to Oboro, had complicated expressions... as if these people were more terrifying than ghosts.
Ignoring his surroundings, Long stepped forward.
Upon seeing this, the people on both sides bowed and stopped what they were doing.
The appearance of a big shot like Long in Entertainment District is big news.
Nobles of any standing would avoid areas like Entertainment District, considering them dirty.
Six months ago, when Oboro Entertainment District, it had already caused a small sensation.
People nearby watched Long's figure and whispered among themselves.
This time he did not ride in a sedan chair, but walked.
A moment later, after leaving the street corner, the surroundings became quiet. Apart from the scattered candlelight and rows of low houses, there was only pitch-black darkness.
Due to the limitations of the times and the hardships of the people living here, apart from the main street of the slum, which is quite lively at night, the rest of the area is deathly silent.
The people in the slums live in simple wooden houses.
The building is very thin; two or three adults with a little strength can easily push it over.
Ordinary people live in small courtyards, which are not large but at least surrounded by walls... So the best way to tell if it is a slum is to look at the roads you are walking on and see if there are continuous walls on both sides. Anyone with a certain status, who is considered an aristocrat by ordinary people, lives in the mansions of grand and wealthy families.
Important figures like Long disdain staying in the city center. Their mansions are usually located in areas with beautiful scenery and environment, and there are no other buildings around them except for their mansion.
It occupies an entire area by itself.
In places like slums, under the cover of darkness, the more unseen the location, the more likely 'dirty' things are to happen.
It was far more sinful than the scenes on the main street that were too gruesome to look at.
"Um?"
Longcai stopped at a small intersection.
He smelled blood.
There are people injured...
A few people walked out from the narrow intersection.
One of them was carrying a dog, which, judging from its size, was probably less than a year old, skin and bones, and very thin.
Furthermore, the puppy had multiple bleeding wounds on its body, clearly indicating that it had been attacked.
"Hahaha... we're in for a treat tonight."
"I haven't eaten meat in ages..."
The group said happily.
"Please... please... let it go... I'll... give you money..."
At this moment, a figure covered in wounds staggered out of the path following the group. However, due to the severity of his injuries, he collapsed to the ground after taking only a few steps, crawling with difficulty and pleading with the people in front of him in a tearful voice.
"Get out of my way!"
The man carrying the dog, seeing that the dog was still alive, seemed somewhat annoyed and immediately picked up a stone and smashed it on the dog's forehead.
After observing that the person on the ground remained motionless, he snorted coldly and quickly fled with his accomplices.
"Who?"
However, the three of them immediately spotted Oboro and two maids.
I was startled.
Long's gaze skipped over the three people and landed on the boy lying at the intersection, slumped in a pool of blood.
He remembered this boy... He came to this street half a year ago and gave the other person paper money. I think his name was Zekawa.
At that time, he also told the boy the principle that "a common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime."
Dog? Then Oboro glanced at the puppy in the man's hand.
In this era, dogs aren't something just anyone can keep. Even normal families might struggle to afford them, finding it difficult to spare the necessary funds. They're pets only the wealthy and powerful can afford. Long didn't even need to think to know what had happened... a dog appearing in a chaotic, low-class neighborhood like Entertainment District —its only fate was to become food.
Because most people here can't even afford to eat...
The boy was targeted because of a dog.
It was quite dark, and the three couldn't see Long's clothes or appearance, but they could vaguely make out that there were two women with good figures nearby...
Just as he was harboring malicious intentions, Oboro approached them.
Upon seeing Oboro's magnificent attire, they were immediately terrified, mainly because they noticed the unique clothing worn by the Magistrate's Office beneath the black haori.
"Grown ups..."
The three of them were sweating profusely and even started to stammer when they spoke.
He had just committed the crime when he turned around and ran into the magistrate's office.
How can I not be afraid?
Bang! Long didn't bother with any words and walked right past the three kneeling men.
Three bodies were thrown into the air, followed by the clear sound of bones breaking.
Long picked up the dead puppy from the ground and walked over to the boy.
"It's dead."
Long placed the puppy's body in front of the boy.
Upon hearing the sound, the boy's seemingly unconscious body trembled slightly, then his fingers twitched, and he regained some consciousness, opening his eyes.
"It's... you..."
"Thanks."
The boy laboriously raised his hand to stroke the puppy's cold fur, his eyes brimming with tears.
Then, he raised his head, looked at Long, and murmured Exhaust.
Clearly, he still remembered the adult who had given him the money.
"Why... why..."
He muttered to himself.
"Is it... a relative of yours?"
"Long asked."
"Um."
Zekawa responded listlessly.
"You're going to die too..."
"Long reminded me."
The boy didn't say anything, he just kept stroking the puppy's body.
"Don't you feel very resentful?"
"..."
Why is this world filled with inequality? Why can human nature be so selfish and ugly?
Long squatted down.
"If you weren't born here, if you had enough money and status, it wouldn't have been killed...you could have stayed together forever."
"But not everyone can have status and money."
"People... there are good and bad, but you have suffered the most malice."
The boy listened to the words, his stiff eyes shifting as he looked up at Long.
"They are all sick...and the world is sick too. Every life, every feeling deserves to be respected and treated with care...but all you've seen from childhood to adulthood is 'trampling'. Humans are clearly emotional beings, so why have they all become so cold-blooded in the end?"
"These people...this world needs to be 'saved'."
"Being born in Entertainment District is not something you could choose, nor is it your fault... Your feelings are genuine, and that's not wrong either... The fault lies with them, with this world."
"They... don't understand, the world doesn't understand..."
"Since this world is wrong, then break it, create a New World as you envision, and establish a new order."
"I can save it and you, but to protect your relationship... you must reshape the world and eliminate these terminally ill people. Because... as long as they exist, this world will remain ugly..."
"You are not wrong, and it is not wrong either."
After saying that, Long smiled and extended his palm to the boy.
Would you... come and correct this world?