Demon Progenitor Development Project

Chapter 116 The Blood Selling Story of the Immortal River (Part 2)

Sanemi's family was very poor, so naturally their living conditions were not very good.

Houses, hastily erected here and there, stand haphazardly without any order, cutting the originally wide road into a complex and fragmented network of narrow paths, much like a spider web.

For those who are not permanent residents, navigating through this area and finding the right path is virtually impossible.

Some roads are piled high with all sorts of debris, making the already narrow passages even narrower and more cramped, barely wide enough for a slender person to squeeze through sideways.

The ground beneath our feet was entirely made of mud, uneven and full of pits and bumps of all sizes.

A few days ago, a heavy rain fell, and the rainwater accumulated in low-lying areas, forming murky puddles. If you're not careful, you might step into one and get splashed with dirty water.

Moreover, occasionally small creatures such as rats and cockroaches, which are used to living in dark corners, will suddenly dart out from the cracks or holes by the roadside and then quickly disappear, making it impossible to guard against them.

Here, people seem to care nothing for hygiene and cleanliness, allowing filth to spread unchecked and moss to climb recklessly onto the mottled walls. A strong, putrid stench permeates the air, as if the entire area is shrouded in this stench, which lingers for a long time.

Between those simple, dilapidated sheds, figures would occasionally dart out, furtively spying on passersby.

Sanemi felt a little ashamed, his face burning, and he had no choice but to keep his face straight.

"If only I had brought my mother with me," the precocious boy thought to himself.

After walking for quite a while, we finally arrived at Sanemi's house. Upon entering, we were surprised to find it surprisingly tidy.

You can tell from the Shinazugawa family's attitude towards life.

Following the direction Sanemi pointed, the old doctor, supporting his aching back, walked in step by step.

Sanemi stood outside the door, anxiously awaiting his trial.

"Brother, you're back?" A boy with a rooster-like hairstyle walked in carrying a child, and looked surprised when he saw Sanemi.

Sanemi nodded, looking wearily and silently at his younger brother, Genya, and then at the younger brother in Genya's hands, Hiroshi Shinazugawa.

"What's wrong with Hiro again?" Sanemi frowned. Genya wouldn't treat his younger brother like this for no reason.

"This guy, he's hanging out with those thieves again!" Xuanmi said with considerable dissatisfaction.

Despite their poverty, their mother, Shizu, always taught them not to do anything dishonest or despicable, but to live with integrity.

"I want to make money!" Hong said defiantly, then paused.

"Mother……"

Sanemi's expression turned serious.

"This is none of your business. Making money is an adult's business. Children should do children's business. I have already called a doctor for Mom."

Hong's eyes lit up; he thought it was wonderful.

Sanemi remained burdened. As the eldest son in his family, with his father unreliable and his mother ill, he was the only one left to support the family.

Xuanmi is the second oldest, and his birthday is coming soon. After his birthday, Xuanmi will be fourteen years old.

At fourteen years old, he met the minimum requirements for selling blood at the hospital.

Sanemi harbored a secret worry: what if Genya and his younger siblings all had rare blood types? (The Shinazugawa family has seven siblings.)

He had become that man's blood bank, no, his wallet.

He didn't want his younger siblings to end up like that, with a future they could see the end of the road from the start.

The old doctor came out and said to Sanemi tactfully, "Be prepared."

Sanemi's face suddenly turned pale.

Shizu Shinazugawa's injuries had damaged his internal organs, rendering him unable to do heavy work. He needed to be carefully nursed back to health with the best medicine, but the Shinazugawa family could not afford such treatment.

At that moment, the man—Kyogo Shinazugawa—returned.

Gong Wu glanced at the doctor, understanding dawned on him, and said fiercely, "Get lost, you old bastard! I'm not going to spend money on that bitch!"

While speaking, he even shoved the old doctor.

The old doctor had no choice but to leave.

After chasing the people away, Gongwu scolded, "Always doing unnecessary things! I think you haven't had enough of beating people!"

After saying that, Gongwu opened the door and pulled his youngest daughter, Shinazugawa Sumi, out amidst her cries, slapping her across the cheek.

The girl's cheeks were swollen and red, blood was flowing from the corner of her mouth, and her cries grew increasingly shrill.

Disturbed by the noise, Gong Wu became even more ruthless, delivering several heavier slaps in the following slaps.

The girl was too sobbing to make a sound; her face was covered in saliva, tears, and snot.

Bored, Gongwu disdainfully abandoned the girl and looked defiantly at his eldest son.

Sanemi clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms, the pain making him even more alert.

He was acutely aware that as long as this man was around, there would never be peace in this home.

Seeing this, Shinazugawa Kyōgo felt much better. He vented his frustration from losing the bet by hitting someone, went straight inside, locked the door, and went to sleep.

Sanemi stared intently at the door, his mind filled with only one thought.

—As long as this man dies, we can live a good life!

"Brother..." Shinazugawa Sumi called out incoherently, spitting out a few teeth.

Sanemi suppressed the surging thoughts in his heart, stepped forward and silently picked up Sumi, and used a simple folk remedy to reduce the swelling and bandage his sister's wounds.

Throughout the entire process, Sumi kept crying.

Sanemi suppressed his frustration and desperately wanted to abandon everything and run away while shouting.

In the end he endured it.

After offering a few words of comfort, Sanemi sent Sumi home and then went to discuss it with his mother.

Shizu Shinazugawa leaned against the wall, his face revealing a deathly calm.

Sanemi sat down to one side, and the two remained silent, neither of them speaking first.

"Sanemi, please don't sell your blood to pay for my treatment anymore," Shizu said weakly.

"Tomorrow, you can take Genya, Shuya, Hiro, Koto, Sadako, and Kotobuki out."

Shizu stared blankly at Sanemi.

Upon hearing this, Sanemi's heart skipped a beat, and he abruptly looked up at his mother.

"Mother……"

"Stop talking, go cook. You should eat more too. You've worked hard all these years." Shizu interrupted his son, forced a smile, and patted Sanemi's head.

Everything began with her, and it will end with her.

Sanemi opened his mouth, his eyes filled with struggle, but in the end, under the intimidation of his mother's gaze, he closed his mouth.

Dinner hasn't been served yet, so he has to go to the kitchen to cook.

Life must go on, no matter what.

*

One month later, at Changqing Hospital.

"Sanemi, are you here to sell your blood?" The old nurse looked at the white-haired boy in surprise.

Sanemi shook his head, took out his money pouch, and handed it to the old nurse.

The old nurse was surprised, then realized what she meant, and asked after a moment of silence.

"solved?"

Sanemi nodded. The old nurse had taken good care of him; he had come to repay a debt of gratitude.