c1 - Are Women a Burden on the Escape from Famine? Give Them to Me

Chapter 1: Cannibalism (Note: The following content involves elements such as violence, destruction, and lack of responsibility covering mental, emotional, and physical harm.) Summary: Treasure each moment; moments of respite are invaluable. When missteps occur, take steps towards redemption. Encountering kindness, don't hesitate to show gratitude. Ready to begin? Let's ignite the spark... “Brother, am I going to die...” Curled up like a withering leaf, Lu Xiaoxiao lay weakly in Lu Wei's arms, her chest barely rising and falling with her shallow breaths, as if each one could be her last. Her bony face, pallid and distressed, was streaked with tears, bearing no trace of plea, just a quiet resignation, as if awaiting release. Lu Wei tightened his grip, suppressing a cocktail of distress and helplessness. Her frail voice uttered "end" with a trembling unfamiliar to her, piercing him with cold dread. Straining against the lump in his throat, his eyes tinged with red, Lu Wei gently caressed Lu Xiaoxiao's withered, yellowish hair, resting on her gaunt cheek. He managed a weak smile: "Silly girl, don't dwell on nonsense. Get some sleep, when you awake, I'll have caught some fish for you." Although Lu Xiaoxiao was only seven or eight years old, the hardship they faced aged her beyond her years, now clinging to the promise of non-existent fish in a harsh winter when even tree bark and grass roots had been scoured clean. "Brother, if... if I really did die, promise me you'll live on, and if possible, remember me forever," she whispered, her voice nearly lost to the wind. Lu Wei, suppressing a pained shiver, felt as though a knife stabbed into his heart, each glance at his sister casting a shadow of pain and affection. Quietly, he swore: Don’t worry, brother will find a way, no matter the cost. Regardless of the absurdity of having transmigrated, he found himself destitute and hungry. Yet now, he saw no way out but to delve into what seemed insurmountably cruel – sustaining his sister at any cost. With a deep breath, he tucked his sister carefully onto a mound of dry grass, then began boiling a crude pottery jar over the fire to purify some water for her parched lips. Ripping a strip of cloth, he used it to handle the hot jar without getting burned. Holding his sister tenderly once more, he wielded a fire-heated hunting knife, once valuable but now their sole means of protection. It remained intact through their turmoil, a safeguard against any who dared steal from him. Even if it meant being pushed into desperation, Lu Wei stayed resolute with his simple blade, necessary for their survival. With determination, Lu Wei pressed the cool, quivering edge of the knife against the pale skin of his wrist. One second passed, teeth clenched in resolve, the knife sliced cleanly into his flesh. Instantly, blood surged, vibrant crimson dripping into Lu Xiaoxiao's mouth... In her dreams, Lu Xiaoxiao was a baby again, nursed gently in a warm embrace, each sip of milk extinguishing the gnawing hunger, quenching her thirst like sweet nectar from heaven. Even though he'd lost a considerable amount of blood, Lu Wei felt an overpowering wave of dizziness, driving him to lean against the pit wall to rest. Days of hunger had drained him utterly; the fresh blood loss seemed to empty him of everything else. A soft dreamlike haze enveloped him – strange, inexplicable sights danced before his eyes. "Di-ding, host meets criteria, system activated..." "Di-ding, system successfully initiated..." … "Ma, brother Ma?" Impatiently, someone nudged him; the proximity jolted, momentarily braving a delicate equilibrium in their dangerous, precarious world. Er Lai spoke up: "Brother Ma, did you see? He cut himself to feed his sister, so maybe they won't make it. Want us to do something?" Yes, we're certain about that blade. Even with bare bones, they might have hidden something or planned escape. We shouldn’t rush actions." Hidden under a cloak of night, they stealthily moved through the shadows. The dark of night blanketed their pitiful camp; each step brimming with intent, eyes gleaming predatorily. A notorious cutthroat, each crime etched in his very being, no move left uncalculated, every scrap of reason pushed him to extract the tiniest slivers of sustenance from hapless wanderers... Mutters under his breath hinted at more victims, wished luck, unknowingly watched, as night fell and whispered its secrets to comrades already cast and shaped by cruelty, embraced by losses, drowned out by the depths of desperation. Perhaps one day they'd struggle against gods for even a breath, endlessly scheming for another dawn. And so, a night prowler fertilizes malicious delight, loyal only to evil, never to be satiated without the agony of others, a cursed existence marked by a promise to repay even bitterer suffering upon another’s life. Their shadows faded into darkness, leaving no trace…