"Go say hello," said the female Player traveling with them, gesturing toward the big man.
The big man nodded, picked up a small bag of fruit, and walked toward Xu Huo with a smile. He called out to him from more than ten meters away.
Xu Huo let the boy accept the fruit—one didn't hit a smiling face—and asked the big man whether he had any candy for sale.
"Sugar's a rare commodity." The big man took a small bag of dark, sticky candy out of his Storage Compartment. "It's not much to look at, I'm afraid."
Xu Huo asked the price, bought two bags from him, and said, "I'll be visiting Rain City in a few days. I hope none of you will take offense."
The big man's expression shifted slightly, though he kept smiling. "Rain City welcomes all friends."
The children were already captivated by the two bags of candy. Xu Huo told the boy to return to the inn first and dissolve the candy in hot water for them.
The frail-looking boy and the children, who usually kept their heads down and dared not speak freely in front of Players and adults, formed a long line and headed back. The children's laughter was something that had never been heard in the slum before.
Children wouldn't dare walk the streets alone without an adult's company even in a relatively poor city, let alone somewhere as chaotic as this. If one or two went missing, no one would even notice.
The big man gave Xu Huo a thumbs-up.
The convoy soon left, carrying word that an Outer District Player had appeared in the slum and would be visiting Rain City in the coming days. In truth, Xu Huo's arrival wasn't a secret. At the very least, the owner of