At night, a gentle breeze drifted across the vast desert, weaving its way between the endless grains of sand that stretched far into the horizon. It brushed softly against the small bodies of the children who were fast asleep beneath the night sky. They had journeyed across the desert for many hours before finally finding a place to rest in the calm of the evening.
Their small figures lay down upon the warm sand, now cooled from the sun's daytime heat. Their eyes closed peacefully as exhaustion slowly washed away with the passage of time. The night wind whispered across their skin and hair, making it gently sway. Some of the children curled up on their sides as if to retain warmth, while others lay stretched out, facing the sky to feel the cool air around them.
Above their heads, twinkling stars dotted the heavens, filling the sky with a soft, glowing light. That light shone down on the sleeping children, casting their faint shadows under the gentle moonlight. The sound of the wind whistled quietly, echoing like a lullaby of the night, serenading them into a deep and peaceful slumber.
Though the desert could be a harsh and unforgiving place by day, it was astonishing how tranquil and warm the night felt. The wind didn't howl but carried a tender touch, like an invisible hand comforting them. The children slept soundly; some stirred slightly in their dreams, while others murmured softly as if speaking to someone within their dreams.
The long night continued to unfold slowly. The wind still blew gently, the sand stretched endlessly toward the horizon, and the children continued to sleep beneath the starlit sky peaceful and without worry, as if the desert itself was cradling them in a gentle embrace.
The quiet night carried on, and the desert wind brought a soft chill to every grain of sand. Xin Tingting lay beside a fair-skinned infant. It seemed she wasn't fully asleep her eyes occasionally glanced at the baby. She was well aware that the desert was not safe, especially at night when wild creatures and strange things could appear at any moment. She couldn't let her guard down or allow drowsiness to overtake her entirely.
The flames of the nearby campfire flickered and danced with the wind, casting her long shadow on the sand. Her bright, clear eyes opened again after being shut for just a short while. Her gaze trembled slightly as she noticed something out of place a strange insect was crawling over the infant's tiny body. In the dim light, its looming black silhouette gave off an ominous feeling.
Xin Tingting's heart tightened in an instant. She didn't hesitate for even a second. Swiftly, she brushed the insect away and gently lifted the infant into her arms. She stood up quickly, her slender figure turning slightly before stomping firmly on the strange creature that had dared to come close. Its body was crushed beyond recognition.
She let out a quiet sigh, though she felt no relief. Her eyes still scanned the surroundings cautiously, worried that more dangers might be lurking in the shadows. The baby in her arms stirred slightly and murmured softly, still asleep and unaware of anything.
Xin Tingting tightened her hold and gently touched the infant's smooth cheek to ensure he was safe. Then she slowly sat back down, ready to face any danger that might arise. She knew it was her duty to keep watch. As long as she was breathing, she would not let any harm come to this child.
"This kind of insect mustn't be left alone. Good thing I saw it in time," Xin Tingting muttered while staring at the mangled remains beneath her feet.
Then she used her foot to nudge the creature far away before gently laying the baby back down on the sand. But suddenly, the infant let out a sharp cry "Wah! Wah!" startling her. Xin Tingting's eyes widened. She didn't know what was wrong, but it was the first time she had heard him cry aloud. She quickly lifted his tiny body again.
"You must be hungry… wanting your mother's milk," she murmured. "But in a place like this, where could I possibly find milk for you? Even plain water is scarce…"
"I'll take you somewhere quieter. If you keep crying like this, it'll disturb the others."
She carried him over to a sand dune not far from where her companions were resting. The night sky was silent. Only the soft sound of the desert wind moving over the vast dunes could be heard. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a cool, silver glow that shimmered across the sand like scattered crystals.
When she was certain they were far enough, she slowly extended one hand. Her slender fingertips began to glow softly with golden light, radiating from her palm and swirling peacefully in the air. Countless tiny star-like lights began to appear, twinkling like fallen stardust from the heavens.
The starry lights slowly floated toward the baby, surrounding his small body. Bathed in the golden glow, he was gently lifted from the ground, floating steadily in the air as if held in the arms of the night itself. Xin Tingting watched, her eyes reflecting the starlight, then slowly lowered her hand, letting the spell do its work in the silence of the night.
Yet the baby continued to cry "Wah! Wah!" with no sign of stopping. He was clearly hungry, as she had suspected, craving his mother's milk. Xin Tingting's expression turned thoughtful as she tried to figure out how to provide for him. But every idea seemed impossible at the moment.
She sighed quietly and looked down at the baby, whose cries still echoed in the air. A sense of helplessness began to creep into her heart. She couldn't give him what he needed right away. But then… a thought occurred to her.
'There's only one way,' she decided after pondering for a moment. Xin Tingting turned her back on the infant and walked toward a nearby cactus. Her heart was filled with hesitation, but she had no other choice. She stepped quickly toward the cactus, her face revealing clear worry and unease.
Once she reached it, she stood still for a moment, then clenched her teeth tightly. Her face twisted slightly in anticipation of pain. Without looking back, she stretched out her arm toward the sharp cactus needles. When the thorns pierced her skin, her body flinched slightly from the pain. A long, deep gash appeared on her arm.
Before long, blood began to seep out slowly. Xin Tingting immediately pulled her arm back and used her other hand to release a gentle yellow light, carefully surrounding the wound to prevent even a single drop of blood from falling. Her movements were precise and swift, even as the pain shot through her.
"Sss…" she hissed softly, the sting of the cut burning like a blade. Pain spread through her body, but the yellow light began to do its work. Part of the light began to transform her blood into pure, white milk glowing with such purity that it was almost unbelievable.
The milk that formed was gentle and flawless, as if nature had crafted it for this very moment. Xin Tingting took a deep breath and tried to regulate the flow, channeling her power to bring forth the milk.
Once her blood had been transformed, Xin Tingting quickly turned back to the still-crying baby. His high-pitched wails filled the night air. She hurried toward him and lifted her hand, guiding the glowing milk gently through the air. Slowly, it trickled into the infant's mouth.
The moment the baby saw the milk, he immediately stopped crying. His expression softened. He eagerly opened his mouth and drank hungrily, a tiny smile appearing on his face as he drank to his heart's content until the milk was all gone.
Soon after, the baby visibly calmed. He closed his eyes in peace, drifting off to sleep in her arms. Xin Tingting gazed down at him with tenderness, her face relaxing now that her mission had succeeded.
"Luckily, I trained in the art of transforming blood into milk. Otherwise, you wouldn't have anything to drink… I really am incredible ouch…!" Xin Tingting hadn't even finished praising herself when a sharp pain surged through her. Her eyes widened as her arm, where the cactus had wounded her, began to feel numb and weak. It seemed she had lost more blood than she realized.
She quickly placed her other hand over the wound, channeling her healing powers into it. She tried to keep her breathing steady while her energy slowly spread, working to heal her injured arm. Even so, the pain lingered, and a frown formed on her face. The exhaustion from using her powers was now clearly visible in her eyes.
She was the Goddess of Restoration, capable of healing wounds both internal and external with remarkable speed but only at certain times could she summon her healing powers at will. She breathed softly, still feeling the pain in her arm. Gritting her teeth, she waited until the injury had completely healed, then finally sighed in relief. Her body swayed slightly as she pulled out a transparent vial containing red pills from a storage hidden within her energy.
Carefully, she retrieved one pill with her other hand and quickly swallowed it. Then she gently hid the vial back inside her body.
'The symptoms haven't returned yet, but I need to take precautions so they won't flare up later,' she thought.
Xin Tingting turned and gently picked up the baby again. Then she slowly walked back to where they had been. Once there, she softly laid the infant down and finally let herself drift into a deep sleep beneath the starlit sky.