Chapter 169 - The Ark Of The Sewer Rats (1/2)

”I'm back.”

”Any luck on getting food?” asked a dark-skinned woman, who was busy washing a small boy.

The boy was about eight years old while he had the stature of a five-year-old. The woman looked well into her forties but her eyes looked younger.

The boy winced as the mucky water mixed with the lice in his hair. The woman kept scrubbing the poor boy's hair, finally clearing it out by dumping another bucket of dirty water. She proceeded to dry off the young child.

”Got some bread. And an apple,” replied the man, sitting down on the concrete pavement.

The man broke the large bread into small pieces.

”And you've got yourself another bruise. Got hit again?”

”The bread was stolen but the apple was given.”

He gave the apple to the young boy.

”Eat up, Yan. You won't be eating for the next few days.”

The child nodded and took a small bite.

”We've got to move, the one that had been sheltering us has a new tenant. The new tenant is a nobleman. We can't afford to stay here any longer. The others are hunting down us thieves.”

The man gave them a Wanted Poster to look at. It demanded to clear out the Teuton domain of filthy rats like them. To give a fresh start on the entire domain, the authorities were determined to flush away the poor and dying. Every captured rat, dead or alive, could provide the captor 20 silver coins.

”Then we have to get a move on.”

”I'll find a night, most likely it'll tonight. Our district is the only one that hasn't been checked. I'll go and secure a place that has been raided. You two stay here first,” instructed the man.

The mother and child could only nod in agreement. As the family tried to sleep, Yan could not help but stay wide awake. He could only blankly stare into space as he thought about the past years. When was the last time they had a shelter? Clearwater to bathe?