Lord Protector Novel

She could not accept the harsh reality. She gazed at Zeke, her face filled with anguish as she pleaded earnestly, “I-

Is this the only one? Please, Divine Doctor, I'll sacrifice anything for five pills. I'll even give up my life in exchange for

them!”

Zeke heaved a sigh.

He felt a twinge of sorrow when he noticed the old woman's desolate expression.

She has the heart of all parents. Asking her to pick just one child is probably worse than taking her life.

“Don't worry. I promise that all your children will be fine,” Zeke comforted her.

“This spiritual drug can only help alleviate their pain. None of your children will die even if they don't take it. You can

give it to whichever child you choose.”

Zeke did not have the heart to tell her that it was not a spiritual drug but rather a sugar pill.

He hoped that this would help give them a sliver of hope in their otherwise bleak lives.

The old woman still looked distraught.

Even if it were just to ease their suffering, the act of giving the pill to only one child felt like a betrayal.

At that moment, Mateo, a brute of a man, charged toward them and snatched the sugar pill away. “This is just a

piece of candy. Don't be fooled by him! I'm going to toss this away right now.”

With that, Mateo turned to run away.

The old woman crumpled to her knees as she screeched, “Mateo, you despicable creature! Give the drug back to

me!”

Unfortunately, Mateo had no sympathy for the old woman. The people here were void of all humanity. The primal

need to survive was so intense that morals and ethics paled in comparison, so much so that they eventually faded

into nothingness.

Zeke could not wotch Moteo toke odvontoge of the old lody. In one swift motion, he seized Moteo's wrist ond

gripped it tightly.

Crock!

Moteo's wrist froctured immediotely. The coveted pill slipped from his fingers ond fell onto the ground.

The old womon scrombled to pick it up ond hostily shoved it into her only son's mouth.

Hoving mode her choice, she opologized profusely to her four doughters, “Pleose don't blome me. I hod to do it. I

con't let our bloodline end here.”

Sprowled on the ground, Moteo crodled his broken wrist os he howled, “This is so unfoir! This is so f*cking unfoir!

My children ore olso dying, so why ore you the only one who gets the ontidote? God, ore you f*cking blind? Con't

you hove mercy on me for once?”

It turned out thot Moteo hod tried to snotch the pill for his own children.

At the end of the doy, oll porents were the some.

Ring! Ring!

Just then, the crisp sound of o bell penetroted the oir.

All the villogers foltered upon heoring the sound, their eyes toking on o hungry gleom.

They swormed toword the villoge entronce in o wild stompede, running like they hod been possessed.

The old womon took her ottention off her children. She beckoned ot Zeke os she hobbled outside. “Let's go, Divine

Doctor. Hurry, follow me.”

“Whot is everyone doing?” Zeke inquired curiously.

Zeke could not watch Mateo take advantage of the old lady. In one swift motion, he seized Mateo's wrist and

gripped it tightly.

Crack!

Mateo's wrist fractured immediately. The coveted pill slipped from his fingers and fell onto the ground.

The old woman scrambled to pick it up and hastily shoved it into her only son's mouth.

Having made her choice, she apologized profusely to her four daughters, “Please don't blame me. I had to do it. I

can't let our bloodline end here.”

Sprawled on the ground, Mateo cradled his broken wrist as he howled, “This is so unfair! This is so f*cking unfair!

My children are also dying, so why are you the only one who gets the antidote? God, are you f*cking blind? Can't

you have mercy on me for once?”

It turned out that Mateo had tried to snatch the pill for his own children.

At the end of the day, all parents were the same.

Ring! Ring!

Just then, the crisp sound of a bell penetrated the air.

All the villagers faltered upon hearing the sound, their eyes taking on a hungry gleam.

They swarmed toward the village entrance in a wild stampede, running like they had been possessed.

The old woman took her attention off her children. She beckoned at Zeke as she hobbled outside. “Let's go, Divine

Doctor. Hurry, follow me.”

“What is everyone doing?” Zeke inquired curiously.

However, there was no reply from the old woman. She was already far ahead of him, merging with the horde of

people.

Just then, Ava appeared by Zeke's side.

She grasped his hand and prompted, “Divine Doctor, quick, follow me. It'll be too late if you keep dawdling.”

Before Zeke could reply, Ava broke into a full sprint with his hand in hers.

Although the villagers were weak and malnourished, their frailty did not seem to impede them as they practically

flew toward the source of the ringing.

What is it that has them so tempted?

Zeke saw the mass of people gathering at the village entrance and decided that he would just see for himself

instead of pestering Ava for answers.

As he shuffled closer to the entrance, he realized that the villagers had crowded around two young men with

wheelbarrows.

The young men were well-dressed and spruce—a stark contrast to the villagers' disheveled state.

There was a metal bucket and a rattan basket on each wheelbarrow.

The basket was filled to the brim with buns, but the contents of the bucket remained a mystery.

Zeke figured that the young men were here to provide food.

No wonder none of the villagers own cookware. They must receive food all the time.

The villagers stared at the wheelbarrows, hunger apparent on their faces as they struggled to suppress the urge to

raid the wheelbarrows.

A famished villager finally snapped and lunged for the wheelbarrow. He grabbed a bun and gobbled it up.