Chapter Fifteen: Clara

Hook glanced at the medicine.

“Is that so? Hook will help you look for it!”

Seeing this, Clara quickly stopped him—she didn’t want to trouble others.

“No need, no need! Clara can manage on her own!”

Hook wiped his nose.

“It’s nothing! You’re an honored member of the Mole Party; if there’s a task, we do it together!”

With that, Hook dove into the pile of clutter to help Clara search for the medicine.

Kids who grew up in the Lower District might lack in some areas, but their ability to find things was undoubtedly strong.

A few minutes later.

Rios glanced toward the dining hall.

“Hook, let’s eat first. We can look afterward.”

At the sound of this, Hook peeked out from inside a box in the clutter.

“Have you eaten?”

Rios nodded slightly.

“Yes, and this little girl should join us too.”

Saying that, Rios approached the pile and gently picked Hook up with his mouth.

Clara shook her head.

“I don’t need to—I'll go back to the settlement to eat later.”

Rios placed Hook on his back.

“Come on, let’s eat together.”

With that, Rios stepped forward, scooped Clara up, set her on his back alongside Hook, and headed toward the dining hall.

Several mecha soldiers were still carrying out Clara’s orders, searching for medicine.

Rios entered the dining hall carrying the two little ones just as Ye Yun came out holding a large pot of chicken soup.

“Well, your noses sure are sharp. I just finished this, and you happen to arrive now.”

Noticing Clara among the group, Ye Yun added,

“Oh? Whose child is this? Have you eaten yet? Come join us; the chicken soup is fresh out of the pot.”

Clara inhaled the fragrant aroma wafting through the air, her mouth watering uncontrollably.

What is this? Why does it smell so delicious? Even the roasted rock crab, her favorite snack, isn’t this fragrant!

Rios set the two little ones down and crouched to rest nearby.

Hook led the bashful Clara to the table and sat down.

Hook stood on a small stool, eagerly peering into the pot.

Ye Yun gently pressed him down.

“Sit properly. I’ll serve the soup for you. Don’t fall.”

Ye Yun took out three small bowls and ladled soup for himself and the two little ones.

The only two chicken legs were divided between Hook and Clara, one each.

As for why there were three bowls, well, Rios didn’t eat meat! Despite his strength, he was still a deer.

Hook, holding his bowl of chicken soup, couldn’t resist and took a big spoonful.

The moment the soup touched his lips, his eyes lit up.

“Wow! What is this? It tastes amazing!”

After his exclamation, Hook kept drinking spoonful after spoonful until he suddenly choked and started coughing wildly.

Ye Yun patted Hook’s back to soothe him.

“Slow down. Don’t just drink the soup—eat some meat. Here, eat this chicken leg.”

After recovering from coughing, Hook bit into the chicken leg, devouring it ravenously.

Ye Yun understood this well.

In the Lower District, Hook was relatively lucky; he had successfully embarked on his destined path.

By following this path and gaining great strength, Hook could return safely from Rivet Town time and again.

But many ordinary children risked their lives venturing into monster-occupied rift zones searching for supplies, all for a morsel to eat.

A single misfortune could mean they never came back.

Ye Yun looked at Clara, who sat anxiously on the bench, hesitant.

“Little girl, what’s your name?”

Hearing Ye Yun’s question, Clara introduced herself.

“Hello, big brother. My name is Clara. I come from the Mechanical Settlement and am Hook’s good friend.”

Ye Yun smiled.

“Clara, don’t be so nervous. Look at Hook; since you’re friends, just call me Brother Ye Yun. No need to be so formal.”

Clara smiled and nodded.

“Okay... okay, Brother Ye Yun...”

Hearing Clara call him brother, Ye Yun felt very pleased.

“Well then, Clara, finish your soup. You’ve called me brother, so no need to be so polite.”

Still a bit hesitant, Clara said,

“Thank you for your kindness, Brother Ye Yun. This bowl of soup must be very expensive. Clara can’t drink it.”

Ye Yun smiled.

“It’s alright. I have plenty of this chicken soup. What I have most of is supplies.”

Clara shook her head.

“Brother Ye Yun, Clara isn’t a child anymore. We know how scarce supplies are in the Lower District.”

Ye Yun explained,

“Clara, you’ve got that wrong. Brother Ye Yun isn’t from the Lower District.

Don’t believe me? You can ask Hook.”

Clara looked at Hook.

Hook, with a large chicken leg stuffed in his mouth, nodded in agreement with Ye Yun.

Clara then said,

“So you’re from the Upper District? But Mr. Swaro said there aren’t many supplies there either.”

Ye Yun chuckled heartily.

“Clara, I’m not from the Upper District either. I come from beyond this planet.”

Clara’s little head was a bit dazed.

Beyond this planet? She recalled Mr. Swaro mentioning that long ago, visitors came from the heavens.

Ye Yun nudged the bowl of chicken soup toward Clara.

“Alright, drink up first. Afterward, I’ll take you to play something fun.”

Seeing this, Clara finally drank the chicken soup.

Like Hook, once the soup touched her lips, she couldn’t stop.

However, Clara’s eating was much more graceful, unlike Hook’s wild enthusiasm.

At this moment,

Hook was hugging his bowl of chicken soup with noodles added, not lifting his head.

More than half an hour later.

The two little ones, Hook and Clara, lay contentedly on Rios’s back, digesting.

Hook’s small hand gently rubbed his belly.

“Ah~ I’m so full~ Hook has never eaten this much before~”

Clara nodded in agreement.

“Mm, Clara really likes this meal too. Thank you, Brother Ye Yun.”

Ye Yun, sitting by the door scrolling through the system store, smiled at their words.

“No problem. If you want to eat something in the future, just come find Brother Ye Yun.

By the way, I have something good for both of you.”

Ye Yun bought two long-lasting phones from the system store.

He brought the two devices over and half-lay beside the little ones.

“Here, take these. They’re called phones. You can use them to...”

And so, Ye Yun taught the two how to use the phones.

Clara, having some mechanical experience, picked it up quickly.

Hook struggled more; having never encountered such devices, he quickly forgot how to make calls within five minutes.

The three of them nestled on Rios’s back, playing with the phones and chatting.

Rios glanced at the trio resting on him, then raised his head slightly.

A flame rose outside the door, cutting off the biting cold beyond.