The Younger Shen

Chapter 5 - 愚蠢的城市

The night was cold and dark. Soldiers kept patrolling non-stop, leaving Shen Yuan no chance to find food or water.

A sigh left his lip as he stared into the starry night sky, it always fascinated the young Shen how the sky was always pretty, even during a storm. He had just always liked the look of the sky.

Slowly standing up, Shen Yuan decides to go for a small walk around the city. Just to cure his never-ending boredom. So he shakily stands up and begins to wonder around, being extremely careful to avoid the guards at all cost.

A soft meow sound is heard from inside and alleyway, catching the transmigrators attention. His footsteps are quiet and soft as he creeps towards the sound. Laying there was a brown box with four words on it.

Love them. We don't.

An unusual feeling began to bubble up inside the confused boy, curiosity took over and Shen Yuan walked over to the box and peered inside.

One kitten layed inside, another one was next to it, unmoving and making no noise. Shen Yuan's heart broke at this sight. How could a world be so cruel to these kitten? The young Shen softly picked up the remaining kitten and looked at it's strangely purple eyes. It was a brown tabby cat with purple eyes and what looked like random patches of Gray on it's fur.

This obviously Intrigued Shen Yuan as he had never seen anything like this cat. It was extremely friendly as well and kept nuzzling the young boy's hand. Heart trembling, Shen Yuan picked up the kitten and began walking back to his usual hiding spot when he heard the sound of clanking and hooves.

Someone was coming.

A panicked breath escaped Shen Yuan's dry throat, he began to run but tripped over his own foot.

Fuck!

He held the kitten close and watched as two men in soldier uniforms trudged over to him. Along with another on a horse.

The transmigrator gulped.

Where the fuck is the system when I need it!?

[System is currently out of power until connected to power source.]

YOU USELESS SYSTEM!

Only panicked and uneven breaths could escape the young boys mouth, the soldiers sneered at him, just like everyone else did. "Ugh, It's a stray brat." The man's voice was gruff and his teeth grinded together like nails scraping on a chalkboard. A man younger than the others stepped forwards, he looked to be in his early 20's. His expression was filled with disgust and hatred.

Rolling his eyes, the man grabbed Shen Yuan by the back of his shirt and held him up in the air. "We'll take this one to the second slave business," at this the other two men's faces became filled to the brim with a clear expression of confusion, "But ain't that the brothel?" Gruff voice man said. Heart filled with panic, Shen Yuan held the kitten tighter and hoped to the Crown Prince of Xianle that he wasn't going to a brothel.

The youngest man appeared to have a strange habit of rolling his eyes every five seconds, he nodded at Gruff voice man's question.

The young Shen's eyes widened in horror and shock, he was going to a brothel. And he was still a child. He was 11 for crying out loud. He shouldn't be going to a brothel.

Shen Yuan was thrown into some sort of cage on the back of the horse and he held the kitten close as tears slowly dripped down his pale face.

The whole way to the brothel Shen Yuan could hear the men arguing and the faint trotting of hooves. He took a shaky breath and tried to calm down, panicking would help no one.

Eventually the group arrived at the brothel and Shen Yuan was taken out of the cage, but still held by the back of his shirt. As soon as the men brought the panicking Shen Yuan inside the brothel, the ladies onside gasped and rushed towards the small boy. Shen Yuan was still holding the kitten.

Suddenly being hugged by random people confused the transmigrator, what was happening? The young Shen was rushed into a bath and scrubbed until his skin became irritated and red. His clothes were changed into more suitable ones.

They were white and pale yellow.

The kitten was also scrubbed and checked for fleas.

Shen Yuan and the kitten were both rushed into a room to get some rest as it was late at night, however the young Shen couldn't sleep and stayed up thinking about how his life is rather strange, and how he never stayed in one place for too long.

After laying in bed and thinking for an hour, Shen Yuan finally succumbed to a slumber.
_____________________

A loud crash rang through the brothel and Shen Yuan woke up with a shock. Just then, a woman came in and yelled at Shen Yuan to get the hell up.

"Hurry up brat! Don't keep Mr. Jiyuan waiting!"

Her voice was sweet and melodic but her words and expression were far from it. She had a nasty glare on her face, and horribly done makeup.

I just got here and I already hate someone, and I have made enemies apparently.

Slowly getting up, the young Shen grudgingly walked out the door and to wherever the lady took him to.

He was brought to a large room where all the workers in the brothel were kneeling for a man in some sort of throne. The man was sneering at everyone of them, his eyes filled with disgust. Shen Yuan thought the situation was strange. A brothel shouldn't be like this.

An uneasy feeling made it's way to Shen Yuan, he kept feeling as if something was going to happen, something bad.

The lady took Shen Yuan over to the throne and forced him to kneel for Mr. Jiyuan. The man smirked when he saw the young boy before him. "Get the metal out, now!" He began barking orders left and right, the brothel workers did as they were told. A hot metal rod with the characters for 'Brothel Worker' were attached to one end, they looked as if it was just shoved into a forge with how hot it was.

The ladies took off Shen Yuan's outer robes and made sure his back was exposed, Mr. Jiyuan pressed the hot metal onto the young boys back. Shen Yuan tried to not scream or shed tears.

After holding it there for a while, Mr. Jiyuan removed the metal rod, and the characters were engraved onto Shen Yuan's skin. His skin was bubbling and blistering, the sight was quite ugly and hideous.

Grabbing his wrist, some of the brothel ladies began to drag Shen Yuan back to his room. They threw the young boy onto the floor and left him there, giving him pitiful looks.

Once the woman were gone, Shen Yuan let the tears flow freely, they began to fall faster than a waterfall. His breath became quicker, and the pain became unbearable. To try and relieve the pain on his back, Shen Yuan began to desperately scratch it. He was clawing his skin off.

The young Shen couldn't bare the pain, he began to quietly sob and scratch at his back.

Why does it hurt so much?

Help me.

Help.

It hurts.

HELP.

H̴̜͎͓͚͕͍͙͓͈̼̱̟͔͓̄̄͑̕ͅE̸̮̥̳̜̲̳̭̱̪̱͛́̓̀̓͐͝ͅL̶̬͖̫͚̣͈̱̣̰̤̄̍͊͝P̸̡̭͕̜̠̳͙̹̞̳̦̹̗͗͊̓͐͂̕ͅ

The sobs became louder, and so did the ringing in Shen Yuan's head. He wanted to rip off his skin, maybe then it wouldn't hurt so much.

His breath hitched and he crawled up into a ball, sobbing. Shen Yuan couldn't stop the pain, tears dripped down his pale face.

Shen Yuan spent the entire night crying, eventually he fell asleep, but it still hurt.

Why did it still hurt?