Sin City(zhiezhicheng)

Hello guys, here is the first chapter. OK, so there is actually a prologue before it but is so long and complicated, it gave me a real scare. So i decided i will translate it slowly alongside with chapters. So by the time it might have relation to story I would have translated it.....hopefully.

Other thing is that I am a complete noob in this so bear with me for a while and i will definitely improve.

Chapter 1


Spring


People love spring. Passing of winter, beginning of a new year, no harsh cold, food can be acquired more easily and presence of more resources. Therefore the time at which winter ends and spring begin is the time for year's biggest celebration. Not just for humans, it is also dwarfs, beast people, elfes, and even ogre's biggest
celebration. However the world is complex, so there are always exceptions, for example underground world's residents, for them spring doesn't hold any meaning.


Exceptions are also in extreme ways like snow demons, this race detest spring the most. Regardless, for majority of humankind spring brings happiness. A warm and moist breeze crossing over coastal mountain range and entering Lu se Lan village marked as beginning of spring for villagers.


Lu se lan village is situated at coast of mountain range. In this ten thousand li mountain range, this village is nothing but an small insignificant place among st other countless habitats of humanity. It is under tucker baron's rule, belonging to divine alliance empire's territory. However, even if straight line distance is measured from here to tucker baron castle, it will still turn out to be more than three thousand kilometer. Every year at autumn's harvest time, villagers will see baron tax officer, also only at this time would lord show a little bit of mercy by relaxing Baron taxes by a wide margin, only collecting a few local items that are easily available on mountains which have insignificant effect on a villager's livelihood, however if production is limited then it might become a question of survival.


Life in mountains is actually not considered to be hard as long as they work hard all year.


With the arrival of spring, soil outside the village will be dug out to plant seeds. Hunters will begin to enter the forest. At this time, magical beasts hungry through entire winter, residing deep in forest gradually wake up to search for food. These beasts are very dangerous and have very aggressive nature. Some magical beasts body will have unique body-parts which can be used for different purposes for example, some might serve as precious medical ingredients or some may be used as delicious foods. It's quality and selling price is also best at this time.


Every year at this time, many hunters will die but still like every other year, hunters will once again enter the mountains. As a result of this, people in this village mostly worships forest goddess and hunting goddess. It must be known that in this world, apart from eternal dragons, religions and gods are in excess like stars above head.


Nuo Lan De continent is a land of rich natural resources and a land where strength matters.


Even though Lu Se Lan is a kind of remote and quiet village, it still left a deep mark on history's page. Villagers are simple and sincere but they worships strong and look down on weak. It is a small village having a few tens of households but it's relative grade is still better.


Outside of the village appeared a very small figure. It is a boy, carrying a basket which is bigger than himself on his back. Basket is filled with jack fruit. At the time of spring, when winter savings are almost finished and time to harvest new crops has yet to come then these kind of common ration are very important. They are easy to obtain just by going into woods at village's side.


Behind small boy appeared 3 youngsters taller than him by a full head. They were carrying a small hunting bow in their hands and a hunting knife sticking out from their waist. They were carrying deer, rabbits and other small preys on their backs. Not even ten yet they are hunting in woods. Their prey is obviously not a magical beast rather is harmless animals. Hunting method also to rely primarily on traps, however it is already considered to be very difficult. In cities and towns, children of commoners and nobility would be studying and cultivating under their parents at this age.


First youngster loudly said: "Hey ! Li Cha say, your father didn't teach you how to hunt? At your age, I already entered mountains to set up traps for catching rabbits."


Youngster beside him smiled and in a similar manner said " No father's child can only pick fruits."


Third big youngster laughingly walked past the small boy towards the village entrance, walking very leisurely. One cannot tell that he is carrying a ten kg heavy prey. Small boy without paying any attention to mockery, indifferently continued to walk towards the village. A robust middle age man sitting near village entrance was
watching this. He waved towards little boy to come over. Afterwards, the man stuffed a piece of dried magical beast's meat into small boy's hand and lovingly rubbing his head said " Pi Lu group, they bully you like this, dont you get angry? Later uncle will tell them to stop. They should not be like this just because you are small."


Unexpectedly, small boy shake his head and said "No need, i am not angry."


"But...." man scratching his head with rough dark hands was somewhat baffled, believing that small child is afraid of those big youngsters, couldn't help but to say a few things about how mountain children must not lack courage.


Who would have imagined that small boy will laughingly say" I may not have a father, but I have the best mother."


Man hearing this couldn't help but continuing to scratch his head, with a foolish laugh said "of course....of course."


Small boy humming, carrying basket while jumping and bouncing walked inside village.This moment, gloomy feeling in his heart is already gone instead he his happy because his mother told him that no matter the circumstances one must be happy.


This year xiao Li cha is six years old. At six years age, he has learned "to be happy".


The middle-aged man is called Bao Bi. He is village blacksmith. Boy's mother is believed to be a magician. When she arrived all alone in the village, that time Xio Li Cha was still an infant inside her bosom. Even though she is no extraordinary beauty but she is as gentle as water.
Her arrival at this insignificant village produced a completely different atmosphere. This was the first time that village has a doctor present. No need to run several ten kilometers just for a minor illness or a small pain or just endure it slowly waiting to recover naturally. She is called Yi Lian. She opened a very small medical
shop at the side of village. Even though she only provide most basic medicines, she still saved more than one villager's life during the her first year in village.


Therefore, village chief and elders decided to give her a block of land. Hence, she officially became the member of village. In this small Lu Se Lan village, most villagers are hunters, only three people are of other profession. They are the blacksmith, current doctor Yi lian and the retired military officer and also the village-chief. Entire village matters are combinedly supported by these three individuals.


Lu Se Lan village daily life is tranquil and unhurried. Time passes in a flash and it's spring once again.


Xioa Li Cha has grown up to a few dozen centimeters, he looks like a eight-nine year old child. According to village traditions, he should be already learning to make and lay traps, hunting rabbits as well as hunting grass eaters a small magical beast. These kind of small animals can be easily found in the woods just a little bit far from village. Large magical beasts rarely appear there. Naturally, children were trained inside the village to hunt. Hunters also never hunt these small beasts, however they regularly patrol there once in a while to dispose of large dangerous magical beasts which occasionally find their way from deeper parts. In every short interval of a few days, Xioa Li Cha could be seen carrying that big basket, that basket bigger than him doesn't seem to be out of proportion at all. However he is carrying jack fruit, which is to say not tasty at all. Everywhere on mountain and even more so in village, people like to eat tasty meat of magical beasts, even if taste is not considered, eating meat is considered beneficial to increase strength.


Only Li Cha, who is at the beginning of hunting age is still as before picking fruits. This is his mother's request. So, he continue to easily collect the medical herbs. Every season has four types. Afterwards, according to already established complicated procedures, medicinal herbs are refined. Half of procedures should be carried out while picking herbs and other half after returning to home. He just couldn't understand, jack fruit should also be similarly dealt with, however it's procedures are much more in quantity and much more time consuming, no family in village do it like this. Jack fruit is most easily available, it automatically falls of when it is ripe and can be directly collected at entrance. However, his mother tells him that jack fruit must not be collected from ground rather should be directly plucked from tree. Size, color and everything else already fixed by his mother. Plucking method is also unique. Li Cha just cannot understand why, he can't even figure out the difference in the taste of jack fruit plucked by unusual methods. If he doesn't follow instructions then he would be surely scolded by his mother. After several scoldings, he stopped treating it like a game and started doing it seriously, remembering to do every single process. Continuing this up to whole winter, afterwards when jack fruit became sparse, his mother told him that this was in order to let him have perseverance.


This year Xiao Li Cha is seven years old. At seven years age, he learned that to succedd one must have perseverance. If someone were to ask what is unpleasant in his seven years of memory then it would definitely be jackfruit. Every dinner would always have jackfruit. This small matter, finally turned into one of his nightmares, seemingly impossible to get rid off.


New spring arrived, Lu Se Lan village is nevertheless the same. Blacksmith Bao bi is still single, Yi lian's tiny shop is still not having much luck and village-chief is still healthy. Time at which troublesome magical beasts appears is also up ahead.


Li Cha is finally learning to set traps. At this time, Pi Lu group has already started to carry a small bow following village hunters into mountains. Already over ten years, they can already be called as teens. If seen in city, people can easily mistake them to be fifteen-sixteen years old.


Laying trap is an art. It needs plenty of experience, a pair of observant eyes, a pair of nimble hands and of course luck Even by just using simple and crude tools, apart from very experienced people, new hands at the time of making traps can easily hurt themselves. Xiao Li Cha is god gifted in making traps. At very first time, he showed overwhelming dominance over other similar village kids and moreover caught a big prey on the very first day of laying traps. He was praised by all adults of the village. Blacksmith Bao Bi if by chance were to meet other villagers, he would talk so happily as if Li Cha was his own son. Almost every single person in the village knew what was on his mind, if Li Cha was willing to call him father then he might even willingly close his blacksmith shop.


Several days passed by, Li Cha already remembered quite a few traps by heart. He was begining to enter deeper parts to set up large and complex traps. It is possible for a large magic beast to come here occasionally. He wanted to try out his luck which seems to be pretty good because a kamchatka wild boar appeared in the field of his vision and moreover it stepped on a trap. From the tree, rattans and iron nails simultaneously shot out to firmly lock onto boar's foreleg. Even though boar can be considered very strong, Li Cha's workmanship of trap is also very fine. Every side's strength balance is hundred percent perfect. After a short time of frenzied shaking, it unexpectedly haven't freed itself. Li Cha hiding at a corner is nervously watching while sweat is coming off smoothly from the palm of his hand, also holding a hunting knife for the first time in his life doesn't looks too reliable. Injured boar is still totally dangerous.Eventhough kamchatka boar is a small body type and cowardly, he is also just a small child.


Just when Li Cha was sure that prey is incapable of struggling for a period of time and was preparing to go out, suddenly a powerful force came from behind. He was ruthlessly pushed forward, Li Cha heavily fell on the ground. Only feeling earth and sky spinning and a fishy smell inside his nose. He heard a sound of bowstring
afterwards, that wild boar's blood curling scream and then a few sounds of cheering. These sounds were too familiar.

Li Cha slowly climbed up, looking at Pi Lu leading three youngsters unknowingly when, has shown up. Among these was the youngster that ruthlessly pushed him. Pi Lu was holding a hunting bow in his hands, looking at that pathetic wild boar, very pleased with himself. An arrow standing erect and piercing straight through the vital point at neck's side. Shooting straight at this vital point can be done but it is definitely not easy. Even if wildboar was restricted by trap, it was still
shaking crazily in confusion.


"You snatched my prey!" Li Cha suddenly realized what they were doing and angrily shouted.


" All here can testify that this wild boar died from my shoot. Why are you shouting? just because you made the trap? A good hunter can easily tell that this kind of trap can only be used for catching small rabbits." Pi Lu slowly said disdainfully looking at Li Cha.


Pi Lu is taller than Li Cha approximately one head and also clearly is more robust. He is too strong when compared with youngsters of same stage actually close to strength of adults. This is because Pi Lu is village chief's son. As a retired military officer he can hunt a lot of formidable beasts from mountains. These kind of formidable magical beasts meat is considered pretty beneficial to increase body's strength.


"Then how can you shoot wild boar here?" Li Cha's rhetorical question made Pi Lu speechless. They look down on Li Cha's week and frail body but they can't help but to admit that Li Cha is very intelligent. It was known that he can write a lot of characters. However, Pi Lu group despise him even more due to it, writing characters cant help in hunting, so what if he knows a few characters??


Lu Cha's rhetorical question made Pi Lu very angry. He fiercely waved down his hand, from his body's side a youngster moved around Li Cha's back and fiercely pushed him on ground. Li Cha standing up, small face swelling red and hands tightly gripping on hunting knife, that moment bursted forth an imposing aura making several youngsters to feel indescribably deep chinless. Finally, hunting knife didn't get pulled out. As he was hesitating, Pi Lu already kicked him in stomach, immediately afterwards they rushed to snatch the hunting knife. Afterwards they started beating him with punches and kicks. Pi Lu moreover stamped his foot on Li Cha's head to push his head inside the ground!!


Youngsters in mountain have a lot of strength in their bones, so this beating was in no way considered to be light. Li Cha neither resisted nor begged for forgiveness, only silently enduring. More times Pi Lu strike more angry he became, putting more and more strength into hands, from Li Cha's silent behavior he only felt disdain.


"Still not convinced? not convinced?" Other youngsters also tired themselves more and more. Li Cha also as if body is not of his own, let them do as they please. Not after too long, Pi Lu became scared to seriously injure Li Cha, after going home he would definitely take a beating from his father because village-chief is both strong, fierce as well as a person of high Morales. Yi lian's public reputation also has always been very good.


Other youngsters also stopped hitting him. Li Cha for a good while just slowly crawling, stood up. Pi Lu fiercely spouted some sentences and then left carrying the dead boar. After waiting for them to walk far away, Xiao Li Cha staggeringly sat down under a tree. He rested down for a long period of time before struggling to stand up and then walking towards home.


At evening, Yi Lian looking at traces of dirt on his whole body was trying hard to stop tears coming out from her eyes, instead it was boy who consoled nothing to worry about, only a little pain. After (taking?) good medicine, boy looking upto his mother asked "still should not hit back?"


"en.." Yi lian bitting her tooth made herself to nod.


"ok then.. I may not fight back but I will also not surrender."


Next following days Pi Lu gang tried to find Li Cha to create trouble several times and the outcome was as expected brutal beatings, however the most serious beating was one when they contiguously strike him until every one them was tired, Li Cha was already crawling not being able to stand and by the time that boy should have surrendered, begging for forgiveness, not even a sound came out from him. Every time they were preparing to leave tired, he would crawl back up looking at them calmly. That calm determined gaze made Pi Lu to feel dread from the depth's of his heart, those eyes were like looking at a dead man.


From this year's beginning, Pi Lu started to have nightmares. Every time after beating Li Cha, he will have several days of nightmares. Even though he is sturdier than him and difference between them is only getting bigger, everytime he look into those water like calm eyes of his, he will have nightmares for continuously several days.


He is also a bit unclear about why Li Cha hadn't complained up to father, if Li cha was to do that then he would definitely suffer several lashes. But from the beginning till the end Li Cha hasn't told anyone inside village about the beating matter.


Them trying to look for Li Cha also gradually became less and less. There was one time when there was blood dripping from his lips, contrary to expectations he was


looking at them smilingly. Looking at that scene, they quickly dispersed in confusion. It was also the last time they tried to find Xiao Li Cha for trouble.


At eight years of age, Xiao Li Cha learned "tough and tenacious".




So it was my first try. Let me know about errors and any suggestions and if someone can help me with translating names that would be so much appreciated. I will post 'raws' of names of characters and other stuff later.

thanks for the new series

nice
keep it up

My first post was so bad. It was pretty rough to read so i decided to edit it. i will create a word-press and posted edited version there. I will post links up to tomorrow i think and the next chapter as well.

Here is second chapter and link to edited 1st chapter https://weletranslation.wordpress.co...sin-city-ch-1/



Ch - 2 Ceremony

As the new spring arrived, childish nature of Xiao Li Cha also started to dissipate. Hunting knife on his waist is no longer visible. He also started to go with village hunters into the mountains to hunt, although it would still not be possible for him to venture too deep inside the forest and also, while confronting magical beasts it would be unlikely for him to stand at front lines. His work is much more of a supporting role, like setting up traps and collecting prey, still it could be said that he is already a hunter. Blacksmith Bao Bi is also exceptionally happy because he spent several nights forging Li Cha's hunting knife while using several precious alloys. Every time Xiao Li Cha uses his hunting knife to kill a magical beast, Bao Bi will be happy for a long time.

Hunting will always have many dangers. No one knows how many beasts might be hiding in vast sea-coast mountain ranges, it is also possible that occasionally from deep mountains a lost magical beast find its way to Lu Se Lan village. Xiao Li Cha similarly by chance encountered an ash grey magic wolf. This is a genuine class two magic beast. Even village chief has to be serious while dealing with it. At the time of encounter, there were only a few village hunters present with Xiao Li Cha. Naturally, it was a difficult fight, three people even suffered heavy injuries but they were finally able to return with the dead corpse of the wolf to the village, earning praises from villagers. In that life and death struggle, Xiao Li Cha was exceptionally calm, not making any mistakes, even the best hunter might not have done better than him. Moreover, if it were not for Xiao Li Cha's knife to chop off wolf's rear claw's muscle, then there would have been certainly a different outcome.

No matter what anyone say, this year Xiao Li Cha had come across several dangers and he always calmly responded with the right way, never once did he cowered away.

At nine years of age, Xiao Li Cha learned "courage". This year was supposedly the most relaxed year because mountain kids never lacked courage. However regarding his courage, mother's thoghts were a bit different, Li Cha is so good, therefore from now on mother will no longer call him Xiao Li Cha rather she will call "My Li Cha"

"My Li Cha has already become a true man!" every time Yi Lian look at Li Cha she would be like this, beaming with smiles.

However one day Li Cha swelling his chest unexpectedly answered " True man also requires wisdom."

Yi lian was eating, she suddenly became alarmed, eagerly looking at Xiao Li Cha asked " Tell mother, who told you this? "

" Written in a book! "

" well, which book? " Yi Lian patiently asked, 'please don't say magician...'

A magic practitioner's knowledge is also pretty good, so Li Cha took after his mother to study various kinds of languages, even learning extremely hard and unfathomable ancient times languages. Reading was a not a problem for Li Cha from a long time, he was finished reading several introductory books of magic during dull and boring winter,
however Yi Lian cannot remember which book has this line written in it.

" That one! on shelf, it has many interesting things inside it, I for the first time recognised how big this world is " Li Cha excitedly said

" That book? " Yi lian started to recall, afterwards also smilingly said " Yes, that book is very intresting. My Li Cha, a true man obviously must not lack wisdom but perseverance, strength and courage are even more rare. My Li Cha is so clever, after growing up will definitely not lack wisdom. Therefore mother has already taught these traits to you. Got it? "

" Also happiness! " Li Cha argued.

Yi lian smilingly touched Li Cha's head and said " That's right, also happiness, My Li Cha these years has been happy?"

Li Cha unenthusiastically said " Not always. Pi Lu bullied me, I also dont like jackfruit and also, mother, finally what kind of person is father."

Yi Lian's complexion changed suddenly. She gently said " Your father is a true man. "

Li Cha catching on to it immediately said " I know he is the worst man, mother's most disliked person. "

Yi Lian just continued to smile, Every time Li Cha will ask these kind of questions, she would always respond like this.
For now, Li Cha backed down, however he is a very bright kid, he can realize the bitterness of Yi Lian at every mention of his father. So, he also similarly hate his father.

Because many times, waking up in the middle of night he can hear her soft weeping.

A child's mentality is originally very simple, mother loves him the most and also his favorite person. Mother's dislike is his dislike. Every now and then Li Cha would ask about his father's affairs, one reason is due to curiosity, as long as he grows up by a bit his mother would talk a little bit more about his father and the other reason is that he wants to know much more about his father, as long as he grows up he will take revenge for his mother. As for how to take revenge, present him is only a child, he doesn't know the details but this matter is already been deeply engraved in his heart.

Only this time Yi Lian hasn't told him anymore about his father. She said that his father and her were together for a very brief period of time, she herself doesn't know that much.

"In future, there will be a day when you will find a lot about your father. " Unknowingly why, Yi Lian suddenly said this line. As soon as this sentence came out, her complexion changed right away like her mind caught on to something. Yi Lian also herself doesn't know why she would say those words.

Li Cha sharply perceived the sudden worsening of her mother's mood, he clicked his tongue and said " I will go to read ." then ran inside the rear room. That room is Yi Lian's study room and on other side is her medical laboratory. Inside the study room books are not at all much in quantity, just a few basic magic, introductory medical and continent's history, geography etc knowledge related books. Very fitting with Yi Lian's identity as a magic practitioner. Li Cha is very fond of reading books here at night. Study room has a magic lamp, it's light not at all bright. Filling the lamp with Yi Lian's magic one time is enough to let it shine for a eveningSince oil is very expensive, aside from village-chief, blacksmith and most formidable hunters inside the village only Yi Lian can light the lamp for a long period of time at night

Just at this simple and not so good-looking yet comfortable small room, Li Cha spent his entire childhood.

In those thick books, he looked at a different world, a world that is bigger, complex and much more magnificent than Lu se Lan village. Young Li Cha has always been secretly thinking that when he grows into the best hunter inside the village, he will take his mother leaving Lu Se Lan to go look at the world outside the mountains.

Yi Lian was sitting alone in the living room. A sound of flipping of pages brushed through her ear. Xiao Li Cha is again heartily reading a book . His basic magic foundation is already extremely strong however he still haven't genuinely studied magic. Yi Lian don't even allow him to meditate. In continent, personnel aspiring to become a good magician generally start primary meditation at age of four-five years. From here on, ten years of age should be enough to accumulate sufficient spiritual force to start studying magic and cultivate mage force. Still, Xiao Li Cha don't feel anything wrong with this, the reason being he doesn't understand much and at the same time he feels whatever mother says is right.

Yi Lian is sitting quietly, precisely due to the words of the line that she said, memory's door suddenly opened, allowing many past events which were lying in dust to appear before eyes one by one, now unrestrained.

Head beginning to somewhat hurt, Yi Lian slightly massaged her forehead, a tiny inaudible sigh escaped her mouth. Her vision fell upon calendar on top of the desk, suddenly looking at an eye grabbing symbol(bookmark). In a few ten days is Li cha's tenth birthday. Ten years is the dividing threshold between a boy and a teen, similarly thirteen - fourteen years is barely enough to be called as an adult.

'Unknowingly ten years have passed?'

Yi Lian was blankly looking at the dancing light rays inside the lamp, she cleaned the body of brass lamp which was reflecting her facial features. She definitely can't be considered as beautiful, only can be said as pretty, however at Lu Se Lan village she is the most beautiful woman. Ten years passed by, however time was not able to leave a single trace on her face. If not for her dressing style being close to that of a middle aged woman, almost no one can guess her age. If someone unacquainted were to see her, can easily believe her to be barely over twenty.

Facial features reflected in lamp actually feels very unfamiliar and too ordinary to Yi Lian. When she was born, her face was completely different.

(Tl : ya well that's obvious, author might be pointing towards changing her appearance)

Long ago she never even thought that it would be possible for her to live this kind of normal, simple and hard life, moreover for entire ten years. However, looking at Li Cha growing up day by day she feels rich from the bottom of her heart.

Yi Lian entered the study room, looking at Li Cha who was holding a thick magical beasts illustrated handbook and looking at it with keen interest and pleasure, she smilingly said "My Li Cha will be ten years old very soon, mother will prepare a special ceremony for you, celebrating My Li Cha's growth. "

"Ye! there are presents?" Li cha excitedly jumped up, showing that he is still a boy at this moment.

"There are, a present that will follow for a lifetime but you should rest well for these few days, you know it's quite late, why don't you go to sleep"