Book 4, Chapter 81: Past

Chen Chuan’s gaze stilled. A child born from the union between a human and an existence from the other world?

It became obvious right away how complicated this matter was.

He had never heard of any human siring children with an existence from the other world. Not even the World Ring Defense System and the Resolution Department had such records.

He wondered whether the higher-ups knew about this, but after a moment’s thought, he figured that they would never tell. If the information spread, it would cause a massive stir, and it would have a huge impact on those in the know.

Just then, he remembered Chang Dong only telling him that the target had broken the purity faction’s beliefs and rules but never told him the specifics, because he himself didn’t know them.

If this were indeed the reason, it made sense that the higher-ups of the faction hid it from all the other members. This was indeed a necessity.

He stared at Tian Rui.

Chen Chuan: How did you learn about this? How did you get confirmation?

A nostalgic look appeared on Tian Rui’s face.

Tian Rui: The captain and vice captain were in charge of the branch. The captain had been really young back then, about the same age as I was, but he was the strongest among us in the branch, so we listened to him. Vice Captain Gui was the oldest and had the most experience. He was always able to give us logical suggestions, so we cooperated with him too. Back then, the branch was thriving, and everyone worked enthusiastically. Even though we often clashed with the fusion faction, the refined training faction, and other organizations while carrying out our missions, all of us were certain that we could overcome any challenge with our two captains. The head of Jibei Road had even said that he wanted the captain to take over his position in the future, and everyone supported the idea.

Tian Rui was smiling, as if he was immersed in a good memory. At that moment, though, unease rose on his face.

Tian Rui: Then, we completed a rather important mission. When we came back, the captain brought back a young woman. We didn’t care about the members’ personal lives, so no one said anything about it, but I remember that half a year after the woman appeared, she got pregnant with the captain’s child. We didn’t pay attention to it in the beginning, so we were all caught by surprise.

He gripped his knees tightly, and his breathing grew labored.

Tian Rui: One time, Vice Captain Gui discovered by pure coincidence that an existence from the other world had possessed the woman.

Chen Chuan read the messages calmly, but his gaze grew still at the last one. This would have dealt a huge blow to the branch members, because it was unacceptable to the purity faction, whose mission was getting rid of the existences from the other world. If a respected superior who spent all his time with them were to make such a mistake, it would shake them to their soul.

Tian Rui bent his back and clenched his fists tightly.

Tian Rui: I can still remember it clearly. It was the fifth of August that night, and it was pouring. The thunder was really loud. Vice Captain Gui called all of us to gather together and told us that the captain broke the rules. He had concrete proof that the captain was in cahoots with an existence from the other world and told us about the child. Back then, aside from some important members of the faction, only I and a few other members heard it. We couldn’t believe that the captain would do something like this, so we asked whether Vice Captain Gui was mistaken. Besides, we had seen the child before. He looked no different from a normal child. But Vice Captain Gui insisted that he had concrete proof and had reported it to the headquarters. He showed us the reply from the headquarters. After repeated confirmation, we became certain of the truth.

He looked even more depressed.

Tian Rui: We felt really down, but Vice Captain Gui said that this couldn’t be tolerated, and we had to correct this mistake. In order to uphold the purity faction’s beliefs, he had decided to carry out the headquarters’ orders to capture the captain and get rid of the existence... as well as the child.

At this point, he seemed to have been drawn back into that particular point in time. Even after a long time passed, he didn’t send a new message to Chen Chuan as his body trembled minutely.

Chen Chuan watched him for a bit, then decided to coax the answers out.

Chen Chuan: What happened next, Mr. Tian? Please give me the details.

Tian Rui snapped out of his daze.

Tian Rui: Right. Of course. In order to prevent the captain from escaping after learning about what we’ve decided to do, Vice Captain Gui decided to immediately take action. He ordered most of the combatants in the branch to join the operation and told us that the higher-ups would send reinforcements to help us. They were expected to arrive soon. Since I was the weakest, Vice Captain Gui didn’t include me in the main part of the operation. Instead, he asked me to kill the child. At that time, he was under his nanny’s care.

He ducked his head.

Tian Rui: When I arrived and saw the child, I couldn’t do it. He was just a normal kid. He shouldn’t have been involved in it. I didn’t have the courage and couldn’t steel my heart to go through with my mission. That’s why I decided to take the child with me and hide him. I was going to tell the branch about it later and accept whatever punishment they gave me, but after I got the child settled in a safe place and rushed back, I saw... everyone dead.

He gripped his head, as if he was swallowed up by immense guilt. He gulped in great pain.

Tian Rui: I got them all killed. If I had arrived sooner, perhaps things could have been different.

Chen Chuan considered it and comforted him.

Chen Chuan: I don’t know the details, but based on the strength the target displayed back then, I don’t think you could have changed anything even if you had been there.

Tian Rui whipped his head up.

Tian Rui: That’s not true. I could have told him that I dealt with the child. Perhaps that could have shaken the captain’s spirit, and maybe things would have turned out differently.

Chen Chuan didn’t think that a martial artist’s spirit could be shaken that easily, but he wasn’t involved back then, so he couldn’t say anything about this. He asked something else instead.

Chen Chuan: You mentioned that you hid the child. I don’t think you killed him later either. Where is he right now?

Tian Rui: He’s... Well...

Tian Rui hesitated.

Chen Chuan continued.

Chen Chuan: Since this happened fifteen years ago, based on your words, the child should be around sixteen to seventeen right now. It’s Tian Wo, isn’t it?

Tian Rui stared at him in shock.

Chen Chuan nodded.

Chen Chuan: Thank you for the confirmation.

Tian Rui’s jaw fell slack, and he became depressed. He hung his head and started pleading, “I know that I always mess things up, but Mr. Chen, the boy is innocent. He’s just like any other person. He has never stepped out of line. It’s been years, and he has never—I—He’s not...”

When Chen Chuan saw how worked up he was and how incoherent he was becoming, he went back to messaging Tian Rui.

Chen Chuan: Let’s set aside what is to be done to him for now. Did you go into hiding for fifteen years because of the boy?

While trembling, Tian Rui texted back.

Tian Rui: Honestly, when I saw that everyone in the branch was dead, I was furious and wanted to kill the boy, but when I went back to the hiding place and brought him out, the boy smiled at me. Back then, I was thinking, he’s so young. What does this thing have to do with the captain? He knows nothing. I couldn’t do it, but I couldn’t face my dead comrades. I didn’t want others to come for the boy’s life later for revenge or to settle things once and for all, so I could only leave and go into hiding.

He slumped in the armchair.

Chen Chuan stared at him.

Chen Chuan: Looks like the target approached you after that.

Tian Rui trembled and gritted his teeth.

Tian Rui: Yes. The captain came to me. Since I saved his son, he didn’t do anything to me and even thanked me. He said that he’d remember this favor forever.

Suddenly, he started seething, like he was about to erupt.

Tian Rui: But I don’t want his pity! To hell with him owing me! Can he resurrect my fallen comrades?! I cursed at him with the vilest swears I knew, but he never got angry. I rushed at him to fight him so that he could kill me and I could join the others, but it was useless. Everything I did was for nothing.

He grabbed his hair and started laughing at how powerless he was. His face became wet with tears.

Tian Rui: I was no match for him. Even after summoning my courage, I couldn’t even take my own life.

He gasped for breath and fell back against his armchair. His eyes turned blank.

Tian Rui: Later on, I stopped wanting to kill him or myself. I didn’t want to think about these things anymore. I didn’t have the courage for it, so I pretended that it was all just a nightmare. I went under the knife to change my face and pretended that I was an entirely different person.

Chen Chuan watched Tian Rui’s limp form. After some consideration, he asked another question.

Chen Chuan: Why didn’t he take his son with him?

Tian Rui shook his head.

Tian Rui: He seems to have forgotten about him, and I never mentioned anything about it. In the years after the incident, he came to my place to talk about the training camp from time to time. He even tried to recruit me, but I didn’t want to talk to him. Once Xiao Wo grew older, he started dropping by to teach him some martial arts techniques. After a while, though, he came less and less until he stopped entirely. I haven’t seen him in years now. Instead, the instructors from the training camp come occasionally to give us some things.

Chen Chuan: When was the last time he came?

Tian Rui: Five years ago. I remember it very clearly, because my youngest was just born.

Based on what had happened, the target once visited frequently, which meant that he treasured his son a lot.

Even after he stopped coming, he sent instructors from the training camp. Chen Chuan doubted that the target had decided to stop coming for years because something came up and he couldn’t get away. If that had truly happened, he could have still shown up once or twice. Hence, it was highly likely that he stopped coming because of some other reason.

Chen Chuan theorized that it was because the target had become a martial arts master.

After all, the moment martial arts masters came to Central City, they stirred up the place. Perhaps it was because of this that he was unable to show up as he wished anymore.

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