Long stepped off the pier, carrying a worn burlap bag. A week adrift at sea with Dreamy left him looking both exhausted and famished. But before him, the city of Puresight appeared so dazzling that he forgot his hunger.
Driverless cars sped down the roads, weaving around obstacles as if dancing. In the sky, delivery bats flew everywhere, busily carrying sparkling packages, rushing to deliver them to their recipients. Long's mouth hung open, his eyes shining brightly as he saw rich young ladies accompanied by all kinds of AI Witches: a fiery phoenix, a talkative three-colored cat, and even a pink bow that never stopped chattering. The modern skyscrapers were mostly made of automatic glass, allowing the sunlight inside to be adjusted at will. Oh my, it was truly a modern and magical world.
But then hunger dragged Long back to reality. He stopped at a nearby bakery.
"Hello, sir, please buy some bread!" – the door opened, and the LED lights flashed into a friendly smile.
Inside, a middle-aged owner stood next to an AI Witch shaped like an adorable donut. It raised its small, colorful hands toward the sky, and immediately dozens of images of delicious bread appeared, spinning like a magic show.
"Please make your selection," the shop owner said, his voice brimming with confidence.
Long swallowed hard. His hands clenched the worn canvas bag. Inside were only a few lonely blue ENs, lying still as if mocking him. Would it be enough to buy a loaf of bread...?
He pointed to the cheapest one, his eyes fixed on the image of the warm, steaming loaf of bread floating in mid-air.
Suddenly—whoosh!
A tiny figure darted past, snatched the bread, and dashed out of the shop like a gust of wind.
"Hey!" Long shouted, then dashed after it with Dreamy, leaving the bewildered shop owner with the AI donut still spinning.
The little thief was a child, probably around eight or nine years old. He ran so fast that Long could only catch a glimpse of his tattered shirt fluttering behind him.
He weaved through the narrow alleys as if he had lived there for a long time. But Long wasn't one to be outdone.
"Dreamy, create a shield to block the path!"
Dreamy's eyes flashed gold. A blue shield appeared in the alley, shimmering like water.
The child couldn't stop in time. Thud!
He fell, rolled over once, and lay still. A red bump appeared on his forehead. And then... he burst into tears.
Long hesitated for a moment and wondered, "Why is it crying?" He exclaimed, "Hey kid, stealing is bad, you know that! Whose child are you, why are you stealing from others?"
The child looked at Long, his face panicked, then cried even louder. The crying made Long pause, unable to understand where this kid came from and why he was acting so strangely.
But suddenly, it fell silent. Its mischievous eyes glanced sideways at Long, a cunning look flashing in them. Before Long could react, the boy lunged forward and kicked him hard in the ankle. The sharp pain sent Long tumbling to the ground.
"Ouch! What the hell are you doing, kid!" Long shouted, grimacing in pain.
The boy turned around, grinned mischievously, then clutched the pastry and continued running frantically. Long was furious, jumped up, and gave chase. The chase was far from over.
He whistled loudly, signaling to Dreamy.
"Dreamy!" Long shouted.
Dreamy ran alongside him, her dark eyes still shining brightly, her voice calmly unbelievable:
"I'm sorry, but my magical energy is depleted. I need to recharge with more EN to continue."
Long clenched his teeth, breathing heavily:
"But we're out of EN!"
Dreamy replied succinctly:
"If that's the case, please continue running."
Long was furious, but he kept running. Not just for the bread, but for something else. He didn't know what it was. It was just that when he looked into the boy's eyes, Long saw something familiar—a strange sense of empathy. And Long knew that somehow, he had to talk to him.
Finally, the boy was exhausted. His steps slowed, his breathing became labored, then suddenly he clutched his head and collapsed onto the ground. Long rushed over and finally caught him.
He gasped for breath, bending over, his hands braced on his knees to regain his strength.
"You sure can run fast!" Long blurted out, his voice both tired and surprised.
But the boy didn't respond. He stared at Long, his eyes panicked, then suddenly pressed both hands tightly against his ears, as if in intense pain. He staggered to his feet, but his legs trembled, unable to support him.
Just then, a shout rang out from the distance:
"What are you doing to that child?"
Long and Dreamy turned around simultaneously. Before them stood a girl around Long's age, with long, slightly curly blonde hair, exuding an aristocratic air. She wore a vest coat and held a modern sword that looked like an antenna, her eyes cold and sharp, ready to pounce at any moment.
"Leave the child alone." Her voice was firm as she took steps toward Long, her eyes filled with indignation.
Then she turned to the boy, her voice softening:
"Kiet, are you okay?"
She gestured with her hands, her movements quick and clear, as if communicating in some unseen language. Long froze.
Oh my God… the boy is deaf.