70: The Goddess of Love Descends

Aphrodite looked up at him, her lips trembling slightly.

Shen Xiaochuan stood at the entrance of the cellar, the wind catching the hem of his jacket. He did not respond to her words; his hand reached into his pocket, his fingertips brushing against the outline of the silver Gear Pendant.

"I said I wouldn't leave," his voice was very soft. "I have been here the whole time."

The Little Girl kept her head down, staring at her toes, her fingers unconsciously picking at the hole in her doll. She had just finished the biscuit, and her stomach was no longer as hungry, but her heart was still racing with anxiety. People had died in this place; the fire had just gone out, and bloodstains still remained on the ground. She dared not close her eyes, for as soon as she did, she would see the scene of her mother collapsing.

Shen Xiaochuan crouched down, bringing his gaze level with hers.

"Do you remember this taste?" He took a compressed biscuit from his backpack and handed it to her.

She looked at the biscuit and nodded slowly.

He placed the biscuit in her palm, then took off his dark blue work jacket and gently draped it over her shoulders. The garment still held his body heat, and the heavy weight settling on her made her feel a little more secure, and a little warmer.

"You are safe now," he said.

Just then, a voice that only he could hear rang out:

【S-Rank Special Mission 【Protect the Young Deity】 Completed】

【Reward: Bound Divine Servant Aphrodite (Un-Awakened)】

His expression did not change; he simply looked down at the Little Girl curled up in a ball.

Suddenly, a roar came from the house in the northwest corner.

"Someone! There are people hiding in the cellar!"

The hoarse shout pierced the silence, followed immediately by a loud crash against the door. The wooden door was kicked open, sending dust flying into the air. A man with a bloated, fleshy face rushed in, holding a blood-stained dagger in his hand. He caught sight of Aphrodite, and his eyes lit up instantly.

"Heh heh, the Little Girl looks pretty good," he grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. "Just right to warm the bed for the brothers."

He reached out to grab her, his movements vicious.

Shen Xiaochuan stepped forward, as fast as a phantom. He drew the sky-rending blade from his waist and struck the back of the man's neck hard with the flat of the blade.

"Bang!"

The man didn't even grunt; he fell face-first onto the ground, his face buried in the mud, twitched twice, and then went still.

The surrounding bandits were all stunned. They had originally intended to intervene, but that strike just now was too fast and too precise; no one dared to step forward again.

Shen Xiaochuan sheathed his blade and, without even glancing at the corpse on the ground, said coldly, "Whoever approaches her again, I guarantee, next time I won't use the flat of the blade."

The bandits looked at each other and slowly retreated. Some dropped their weapons and turned to run, while the rest dared not make any rash moves.

He walked back to Aphrodite and found her trembling slightly.

"It's okay now," he said in a low voice. "He is knocked out and won't be waking up anytime soon."

She raised her damp eyes to look at him, opened her mouth, but could not speak.

He didn't say anything more, just stood firmly in front of her, back turned to her, like a wall.

The soldiers outside gathered around one after another, the Azure Dragon Legion quickly securing the scene and subduing and tying up the remaining bandits. A soldier reported that three villager corpses had been found behind the house, all beaten to death.

Shen Xiaochuan listened, his brows furrowing slightly, but he said nothing more.

He turned to ask the Little Girl, "Where is your mother?"

Her body stiffened abruptly, tears instantly welling up, and her trembling finger pointed toward the deepest part of the room.

There lay a woman, her clothes torn, her face pale, her breathing shallow.

He immediately stepped forward to check. The woman's chest was still rising and falling, but her injuries were extremely severe; there was a long wound on her back, the blood already dried. She was still alive, just unconscious.

"Medical Team!" he shouted.

Within ten seconds, two soldiers carrying medical kits rushed in. They quickly opened their toolkits, cleaned the wound, injected painkillers, and hooked up an IV drip.

"Can she be saved?" he asked.

"There is hope," the medic replied, "but she has lost too much blood. She must receive a blood transfusion and continuous treatment as soon as possible."

Shen Xiaochuan nodded, "Make sure to save her life."

At this moment, Aphrodite slowly crawled to her mother's side, knelt on the ground, and held her hand tightly.

"Mommy..." she sobbed softly, "don't leave me behind..."

The woman's fingers moved slightly.

Everyone fell silent.

The medic sped up his movements and adjusted the IV drip to a faster rate.

He touched the Gear Pendant on his chest, as if drawing a sliver of strength from it, then opened his communicator and pulled up the supply list.

"Open the supply crates," he ordered his adjutant. "Move all the food, water, and blankets out and place them in the open area."

The order was executed quickly. The soldiers carried out a dozen large crates and opened them in front of everyone. Inside, compressed biscuits, canned goods, water purification tablets, first-aid kits, and military blankets were neatly stacked. Sunlight spilled onto the packaging, casting a faint glow.

He walked to the center of the open area. His voice was not loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly:

"All survivors, listen—"

"You do not need to kneel, you do not need to pledge allegiance, and you do not need to sign any documents."

"As long as you are alive, you will receive these supplies."

"Three meals a day, clean drinking water, someone to treat your injuries, and a place to sleep at night."

"If you are willing, you can come with me; if not, we will escort you to the safe zone."

After finishing, he picked up Aphrodite and placed her gently on a collapsed stone platform.

She was startled and instinctively grabbed his arm tightly.

"Tell them," he said softly, "who you trust."

She looked down at the crowd. Those hiding in the ruins were cautiously peeking out. Their faces were covered in dust and ash, and their eyes held both fear and suspicion.

She took a deep breath, raised her little hand, and though her voice was soft, it was clear and firm:

"He is a good person."

"He said he wouldn't leave, and he didn't."

"He saved me, and he saved my mom."

"You... can trust him."

The crowd fell silent for a few seconds.

Then, a white-haired old man leaning on a cane slowly walked out. He went to the pile of supplies, looked at the rows of neatly arranged food, and tears slid silently down his face.

"Three years..." he choked out, "the first time someone has given us food."

He knelt down—not in worship, but because his legs could no longer support him.

This kneeling seemed to open some kind of floodgate.

More and more people emerged from their hiding spots. Some carried children, some supported the wounded; their steps were slow, but they walked toward this side, one step at a time.

The soldiers began distributing supplies: one biscuit, one bottle of water, and one blanket for each person. The Medical Team also quickly set up a temporary treatment point to tend to the wounds of the injured.

Shen Xiaochuan carried Aphrodite down from the stone platform. She buried her face deep into his chest, her hands clutching him tightly, refusing to let go.

He knew that she would not let go again.

He also knew that from this moment on, this village was already different.

A gap tore open in the clouds on the horizon, and sunlight poured down, illuminating the ruins and falling upon the people's faces.

A soldier ran over to report that the search and rescue team had found seven more survivors, all of whom had been trapped beneath the collapsed houses on the east side.

He nodded, and just as he was about to issue further instructions, Aphrodite suddenly raised her head and asked in a low voice:

"Uncle..."

He looked down at her.

"Can I... call you Big Brother?"