NOVEL NEXT Chapter 50
Chapter 3: The Spark of Hope
“That’s more chaotic than I imagined.”
I thought being a Clan Head meant a respectable status and considerable fortune, but that was purely my misunderstanding.
“I don’t want to eat this!”
“Aida, there are many people outside who are starving because they have even less than this. You shouldn’t whine.”
Aida, my younger sister, threw the bread aside and burst into tears, while our father, Peng Clan Head, sternly chastised her.
I glanced at the food placed before me, thinking that the dining scene in a noble household might resemble that of an ordinary family.
On the table lay a thin, unidentifiable soup and bread that resembled rocks in hardness.
Certainly, these were not appetizing dishes for even a child.
Resolving to eat, I attempted to dip the bread into the soup, but just as I broke it apart—
Crack!
Did I just hear the sound of wood splintering?
—
Chapter 4: Troubles with the Venomous Insect
“Ugh, this isn’t going to work!”
The scales of chaos had tipped once more, as I found myself in yet another troublesome situation with the fiery little creature from earlier.
“You’re just misunderstanding everything!” I yelled, but the little lizard wasn’t having it.
The creature emitted a screech and lunged at me like a shooting star. It resembled a blue comet I had seen when I was young, heading straight for me with a vengeance.
“Wei So-ryong! Watch out!”
Just as my older sister shouted, I was shoved to the side, tumbling as the lizard zipped past me—just narrowly missing my head.
-Wham!
A loud crash echoed as the creature smashed against the rock—its head shaking dazedly.
My heart raced—had it collided directly with the stone?
As the small stones rained down upon me from the impact, my wide eyes followed their trajectory.
The little reptile shook off its daze and prepared to lunge at me once more.
“Hold on! I’m truly not a bad guy! Just let me explain!”
I shouted desperately but it was clear this feisty lizard wanted none of it.
-Thunk…
A cute, yet suspiciously intimidating sound emanated from its chest, almost like it was an adorable warning to back off.
Peering down at it, I noticed the scaly little menace coiling up again, ready for another strike.
“Whoa, whoa! Wait just a minute!”
But the creature was undeterred, its powerful back legs coiling like a spring, preparing to launch.
-Jump!
It pounced, but not at me—at the sound of footsteps approaching.
“Are you alright?! That little rascal is incredibly quick and ferocious!”
“Are you okay, Wei So-ryong?!”
As the Peng Clan Head and the Venomous Insect Team rushed to my side, the lizard hissed at them like a furious cat, clearly displeased with the sudden intrusion.
“Please back up, everyone! It’s feeling anxious!” I pleaded.
The last thing I needed was for this creature to snap back into its furious state again.
“I’m confident it’ll understand me. Just give me a moment, I’ve got this!”
As I cautiously approached, the little reptile fixed me with piercing eyes—it paused, appearing both curious and confused.
“Little one, can you help me out? I need you to calm down and listen to me, okay?”
It hesitated, shifting back and forth, before railing against the idea—its eyes narrowing at the sight of everyone else.
I turned to my sister, “Can you grab some dried grass?”
She nodded, striding off while I kept my focus on the restless creature.
“Just stay still! I need to make things right for all of us.”
Fingers crossed, I took a deep breath and positioned my hands to settle the little one down.
“Look, it’ll be okay! I’m here to help you!”
It hesitated, its fierce demeanor wavering momentarily as I carefully offered it the comfort of my presence.
“Should just let this moment pass…” I mumbled, hoping it would help diffuse the tension.
The creature seemed to think about it, cocking its head as I reassured it further.
And from behind me, my sister returned with the dried grass, carefully laying it out for the little scaled hero.
“See? This is all for you!”
The lizard’s eyes brightened and it darted towards the grass, quickly getting to work licking its wounds.
“Your wounds will heal soon… but there’s more to do.”
I knelt to check on it, the slight glow of its energy swirling in the air around us.
“Now I need some help with that tail of yours!”
—
And just like that, amidst all the chaos, I felt a spark of hope igniting—a signal that perhaps, just perhaps, we could overcome this together.