It felt like the end of the world... Arnold Ray didn't know how he left the small hill and returned to the prosperous city. Except, he must be at the edge of it, as it was deep into the night and the main road had become sparse with people. He wandered aimlessly like a walking corpse.

Previously, his actions were driven by faith, but now he had lost the only faith and home. Hunger and fatigue took their toll on his petite body. His mother's punch, her words, her indifference and abandonment had shattered his heart and filled him with despair.

Arnold Ray held a few crumpled bills and a piece of white paper in his hand, but he didn't look at them, or perhaps he didn't have the strength to do so anymore. "Plop", he fell down on the roadside, leaning against a wall, and passed out from hunger.

...

"Hey kid! Get up!"

"Bastard, dare to sleep here?"

He didn't know how much time had passed before Arnold Ray slowly regained consciousness. It was already light outside.

"Stinky kid, the officer is talking to you!"

Half awake, vague, Arnold Ray sensed a rough manly shout. Then he was pulled up abruptly and pressed against the cold wall.

It was daylight, the street was bustling, and the ones who had caught him were two... they looked like policemen.

The one who hoisted him up and pressed him was a strapping young officer, and there was also a potbellied middle-aged balding officer behind him, pulling at his pants belt and glaring at him angrily.

The strong young officer looked at Arnold Ray with a face full of disgust, thinking to himself, what a filthy child, soiling his uniform.

"Boy, whip out your ID! Do you know where you are? This is no place for people like you, get back to your slums!" The bald officer pointed at Arnold's face and asked coldly.

"I... don't have an ID..." Startled, Arnold woke fully, his eyes wide with surprise, and weakly replied.

"Those eyes!" The bald officer suddenly had a look of fear and shouted, "Xiao Wu, hold him down! He's a Child of War!"

Upon hearing that, the onlookers gasped in surprise, their faces showing varies expressions.

The young officer, Xiao Wu, looked startled, quickly twisting Arnold Ray's wrist and pressing him heavily against the wall.

Curious onlookers had stopped to watch the spectacle unfold.

"I... haven't committed a crime..." Arnold's face was pressed against the cold wall, and he was too weak from hunger to resist.

Or rather, how could a child compete with an adult's strength...

"Shut it! Executioners of war!" The bald officer drew out his baton from his waist and harshly struck it against the back of Arnold Ray's head, demanding, "Where did you come from? What are you planning to do? Want to disrupt the peace of this city again?"

"I... I had just retired from the frontline. Don't you know? I have the veteran's certification... let me show you..." Arnold was at a loss for words, struggling to free himself and show his certification.

"Don't move! Xiao Wu, don't let him move!" The bald officer shouted coldly, striking Arnold's head with his baton.

"Don't move!" The young officer, Xiao Wu, strengthened his hold, not allowing Arnold any chance to break free.

"Bastards, you war-mongers are all crazy. I don't know why the state doesn't lock you all up, yet allows you to return to the country? Haven't the right-wing disappeared? Because of you people, how many families have been broken? Despicable scum!"

The bald officer's face contorted with anger, and he bellowed loudly as he squat down and dragged Arnold Ray's bag roughly, emptying its content on to the street.

...

Arnold Ray instantly froze at his words, ceasing all struggle and fell silent.

Unbeknownst to him, his fists were unknowingly clenched tight. The pain from the fingernails digging into his palms were unnoticed by him."Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The obese police officer dumped out everything inside the shabby bundle, which turned out to be a bunch of worn-out clothes and two faded metal boxes. His face was full of disgust as he used his baton to push aside the tattered clothes, checking if there were other things mixed inside.

Clothes were scattered all over the ground...

It was a blatant disrespect and humiliation to the individual.

"What's in here?"

Finally, the obese officer picked up the two metal boxes, stood up, and roared at Arnold Ray with rage.

"Just some letters... nothing else," answered Arnold Ray coldly.

"Letters only? Don't lie! Are there any illegal items inside? Confessing will get you leniency!" The officer pressed.

He opened one of the metal boxes, spilling all the slightly yellowed letters inside onto the ground and spreading them out with his baton.

"..." Arnold Ray remained silent.

"What's inside this one? Answer me!" The officer pointed to the other box and shouted angrily.

"Dog tags," Arnold Ray replied succinctly.

"What?" However, the obese officer didn't understand.