Chapter 1 Mountain Elves_1

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"Sigh," in the midst of a dense and lush jungle with no visible end, a delicate little girl carved from ivory was sitting and sighing. The child, clearly five or six years old, bore an expression too mature for her age.

A chubby little face, with a delicate and fair complexion visibly contorted in thought, fine eyebrows twitching non-stop. Her small lips moved incessantly, muttering something under her breath. Black hair, shoulder length and flowing with the breeze, sparkled in her dark eyes. The lovely, pure, and crystal-clear sight of her tiny, chubby hands propping her chin made her look like a sprite from afar, beautiful and pure.

Unfortunately, looking further down left one wondering if thousands of years of evolution had somehow regressed; the little one was clad in garments made from leaves.

The softest branches were woven into a small bolero using special techniques, with her plump little arms exposed to the air, and a Wolf Tooth Necklace hanging from her neck on a string made from the sinew of an unknown animal, tough and not easily broken. The stark white, somewhat eerie, and sharp wolf teeth seemed out of place with her sweet appearance.

The bottom was a little skirt likewise fashioned from leaves, revealing her pale and chubby little legs which swayed slightly as she shook her head.

"Sigh," another sigh escaped, and the sight of this adorable child sighing should have been pitiable, but the comedic aspect of it was instead amusing.

What was truly shocking was not her attire nor her incongruous actions, but the seven wolves, each bigger than her, surrounding her in a circle.

The wolves stood two meters tall, covered in fur as white as snow and as smooth as silk. Upon closer examination, one could spot a glint of silver shining within the snowy fur. Unlike ordinary wolves, whose eyes emanated a frightening green glint, these possessed mystical, heart-stopping, deep green eyes that exuded nobility.

Several wolves stood or lay on the green grass, and some showed their sinister teeth to the little girl as they approached her with heavy breaths, which seemed truly horrifying to any onlooker.

Yet the child showed no trace of fear, swatting away the gaping maw of the wolf that drew near her, her hand absentmindedly stroking the fur of the Little Snow Wolf in her arms, her thoughts already far away.

Her name was Qinghe, and she lived in the technologically advanced year of 2020. Her parents were in the clothing business; it was a small enterprise, but the family lived happily, wanting for nothing and content with their life.

There was a lovable and clever little brother in the family, and the four of them lived harmoniously together. However, one incident shattered this happy home.

At the age of ten, Qinghe inexplicably developed a special ability; a withered flower would come to life at her touch, visibly regaining its fresh appearance.

As she grew older, by the age of twelve, this ability became increasingly strong; with just a thought, plants within two kilometers would burst with vitality.

At twelve, she understood that she was different, that not everyone had this ability. When she was younger, she hadn't realized this, so she hadn't told her parents, finding the ability merely amusing.

So when she demonstrated her power before her parents, she saw their eyes fill with shock and worry. They also constantly warned her to never use this power again and threatened to disown her, keeping only her brother, if she used it in secret.

Frightened, Xiaoqing hurriedly agreed and promised to never use it again. Qinghe's parents, weighing their concerns, thought long and hard; for her safety, they decided to send Qinghe to her grandmother's in the countryside.

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The children were too young to understand, but as adults, they knew all too well that if this ability were known to others, it would be an utter disaster for their family.

In the year 2020, an era of high technology, such a person with special abilities would certainly catch the attention of scientists.

As Qinghe had described, she could revive a withered flower to vibrant life by the age of ten, and reflecting on some other issues they hadn't taken seriously before, they now realized the truth.

Qinghe's ability wasn't something that just appeared when she was ten. When Qinghe was younger, the plants in her room would grow unusually lush. They had to work and didn't have time to tend to plants and flowers; they only occasionally watered them.

So the houseplants were changed frequently due to their neglect, as they would wither quickly. But Qinghe's mother felt that a home without plants and flowers lacked warmth and vitality, and the types of plants that only needed watering once a month, she found unattractive. Therefore, she would replace them every month.

However, the plants in Qinghe's room were completely different. Every time her mother cleaned her room, she would find that the air was fresh and the plants thrived, so there was no need to replace them.

Seeing the plants in her daughter's room grow so well, Qinghe's mother moved them to the living room and replaced Qinghe's room with other flowers.

But each time after moving the plants to the living room, they would wither before long, while the newly bought plants in her daughter's room remained full of life.

Qinghe's mother simply thought her daughter's room had better orientation and sunlight, which made the plants grow better, and did not think much of it.

But now it was clear that this was not the case. Her daughter must have had this ability from a young age. They never imagined their daughter, who was pure, kind-hearted, and like a little fairy, would have such a special ability to control the growth of plants.

Their family might not have been high society, but connections were crucial in business, and they had some friends from the upper echelons. They were aware that if their daughter's ability were exposed and discovered by the state or some illegal organizations, it would lead to their doom.

They were no fools and naturally understood that the world had a dark side; the glamorous façade was often built on darkness and blood. If Qinghe's abilities were discovered, she would undoubtedly become a sacrificial lamb underneath that shine.

The couple immediately packed their things and sent their daughter to the countryside, which was somewhat remote. Living in a densely populated city, the chances of being discovered were just too great.

Qinghe had always been sensible. Although she was a bit sad, she followed her parents' arrangement. Once at her grandmother's, Qinghe's parents, worried she would not adjust, stayed with her for half a month. The business in the city could not be delayed any longer, and so they had to return.

Since Qinghe's brother had not started school yet and they feared Qinghe might feel lonely without her parents, they left the brother with her as well, to the great delight of their grandparents.

It must be said that Qinghe's parents did their duty well. They were undoubtedly responsible and good parents.

Time passed slowly, and Qinghe gradually returned to her true self, cheerful and optimistic. She went to school every day, and after school, her brother would come to pick her up with the neighbor's Gouzi. The walk from her grandparents' house to school was only ten minutes, passing through a neighborhood that was quite safe, so Qinghe did not stop her brother from doing so.

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