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Innocent Yin Mo watched as Auntie sat on the living room sofa, devouring a large plate of food with both rice and vegetables. A warm feeling suddenly surged within him.
All this time, the only person who had tasted his cooking was his father, and occasionally he would send some to Grandpa Zhao, which did not satisfy the boy's longing for familial affection. But now, seeing this recently recognized Auntie eat without hesitation, he truly felt a sense of belonging.
However, not everyone could get used to Chuyang's familiarity.
Politeness leaned against the window, basking in the sunlight that streamed into the room after he had drawn back the curtains. With a hint of disdain, he remarked, "That girl from who knows where really doesn’t see herself as an outsider. Did Yin Mo even invite you to eat? We were here first, and the food Yin Mo made was prepared for us. You’re being quite rude. It’s only been a year since we last met; your chest hasn’t grown much, but your face has certainly gotten bigger. Tsk tsk..."
After Politeness finished speaking, Flower Snow Moon shot him a glare but didn’t offer any words of consolation, seemingly accustomed to such behavior.
Sure enough, Chuyang showed no anger towards Politeness’s sharp remarks. Instead, he continued eating loudly and snorted dismissively, "Hmph! Yin Mo is my little brother; what are you? There’s someone in this room with a face as big as the sky, but I wonder who that is? Completely unaware."
Politeness crossed his arms and retorted sarcastically, "You have no nurturing at all!"
Chuyang finished chewing and said, "Your disciple does have nurturing; it’s just that he still has to bow down to my pomegranate skirt."
Upon hearing this, Liu Xing's face turned awkward. Politeness turned his gaze to Liu Xing with disappointment and said, "What a useless thing!"
Liu Xing felt innocent; this had nothing to do with him. However, having grown up, Liu Xing had learned how to hit Politeness where it hurt and muttered, "Aren't you still listening to your wife?"
"What did you say?" Politeness threatened with an unfriendly tone.
Flower Snow Moon chimed in from the side, her voice slightly raised, "Didn’t you hear what Star said?"
Seeing Flower Snow Moon speak up, Politeness immediately fell silent with a grin on his face. He merely looked at Liu Xing with eyes full of threats.
Liu Xing sighed helplessly, thinking how unfair it was that he always ended up being bullied in situations like this. It would be better to let Chuyang and his master meet less often in the future.
Yin Mo stood in the center of the living room watching this scene unfold. Rather than feeling awkward, he keenly sensed the strong familial bond flowing through the room.
His youthful face slowly relaxed into a smile, thinking how wonderful it would be to immerse himself in this atmosphere with his father.
"After being away for so long, don't you want to go home with Yin Mo and let him experience the warmth of family?"
In the desolate outskirts of the Northwest District, a few wild corn stalks swayed in the wind. Three figures stood between the fields, where a young man spoke to a disheveled figure whose age was hard to discern.
"The past is gone. I know that no matter what I do, it cannot replace your own journey out of that dark place. I just want you to understand that the child is innocent; he has already been innocent for eight years and cannot remain so for a lifetime."
Old grudges and past sorrows should not be passed down to the next generation, especially not to Yin Mo, who had been born into this world completely unaware.
Wu looked at Jufeng, waiting for his response.
Time is a relentless force that no one can escape or hide from. Zhu Yao gazed at Jufeng's darkened face, feeling a deep sense of melancholy.
Because time had been particularly cruel to this single man.
Jufeng never expected that after eight years, they would still find themselves here. He also never anticipated that despite the passage of time, everything felt as if it had happened just yesterday.
"Why bother looking for me? What use is there in finding a useless person like me? You should spend more time on your own matters; aren't you still aiming to conquer the assassin world?"
Jufeng's eyes were dull and lifeless, his expression bleak like the dry corn stalks around him. His words came out softly, as if his thick beard prevented his mouth from fully opening.
Wu suddenly laughed and shook his head. "It's been eight years; time has passed. Don't you realize that the outside world has changed completely? My goals were achieved long ago. I've traveled among the stars and met your fellow disciples; they all miss you and hope you'll return when you have time. I spent three years in the Large Magellanic Cloud; it was too mechanized there, lacking pure martial arts and true masters. So I came back to find you."
Wu truly was a king in the assassin world, skilled in both killing and locating people. It took him only two months to track down Jufeng in the vast expanse of Huaguo.
"There’s really no need for this. No matter how much time passes outside, it’s still humans who are in control. Ultimately, humanity remains the master; what do I have to worry about?"
Jufeng had grown accustomed to the days that felt like an endless night, and he felt a sense of relief watching Yin Mo make progress.
However, the next words from Wu took him by surprise.
"Did you know? The United Nations is on the verge of collapse. Huankezhao started a rebellion against the United Nations last year; they want to rule the universe. Now, the entire Cosmic Police in the Large Magellanic Cloud is in disarray."
The United Nations was a coalition of countries with supreme authority, naturally overseeing Huankezhao. But the fact that Huankezhao had begun a rebellion and aimed to overthrow the United Nations to establish their own rule over the universe was shocking.
Listening to this news, Jufeng felt bewildered and asked, "Where did Huankezhao get an army to fight against the Cosmic Police?"
Wu hadn't expected Jufeng to hit upon such a crucial point immediately. He replied, "Actually, I don't know much about cosmic affairs, but Huankezhao's army is the United Peace Army, which has now been renamed the Suihuan Army, tasked with pacifying the Cosmos."
Jufeng found the name United Peace Army somewhat familiar. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly recalled.
The United Peace Army was formed by a cosmic consortium led by Huankezhao to maintain some semblance of peace. It had previously been ineffective, but its far-reaching impact was now becoming apparent.
Yet after a brief moment of surprise, Jufeng returned to his indifferent demeanor.
"What does it matter who rules? The lives of ordinary people won't be affected. If Huankezhao can provide a better life for everyone, it might even win them more support."
Just then, images of Dragon Elder and Gong Changsheng flashed through Jufeng's mind. He imagined they were fiercely defending the dignity of the Cosmic Police and were likely engaged in battle at that very moment.
Wu seemed to anticipate Jufeng's response and quickly dropped another bombshell.
"When I was in the Large Magellanic Cloud, I met Chen Tan Hua. He told me some news and entrusted me to find you as soon as I returned, which is why I rushed back to look for you."
Chen Tan Hua? Jufeng certainly remembered his companion. Before Jia'er’s incident, he had already left Earth to seek out the mastermind behind Azure Dragon Monk in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The urgency in seeking him out now must mean he had uncovered something significant.
It has been Eight Years; is he still searching?
Jufeng looked at Five, waiting for him to continue.
"Chen Tan Hua, the matter you asked him to investigate has yielded some results. It’s related to Huankezhao."
Upon hearing this, Jufeng froze for a moment, his mind racing with various possibilities.
If the mastermind truly is Huankezhao, then their conspiracy has been long in the making. They have even allied with the Terrorists, willing to pay such a high price and let so many innocent lives be lost, all for the sake of their own rule.
This struggle is fundamentally different from a simple conflict with the Universal Police.
This is malignant greed, not righteous resistance.
A different emotion flickered in Jufeng's eyes.
Five observed all of this and felt slightly reassured as he continued, "Before I came to find you, I already informed Washing City. Soon, many people will arrive at your home. Don’t look at me like that; I just don’t want to live like we did during Yin Mo's time. Even if you are his father, you have no right to do this."
Zhu Yao thought for a moment and added from the side, "For these Eight Years, Claudia has been waiting for you at Azure Waterside. Although Ikeda Masahiro has returned to Yingguo, she flies to the capital every year during Ming and stays with Claudia for a while. They both... You visit every year because the flowers at the grave are always fresh."
Jufeng recalled those two pitiful women, feeling a deep ache in his heart.
No one was wrong, yet everyone was punished.
Over these Eight Years, he had become almost numb; aside from sleeping, all he thought about were the moments shared with Lu Qijia. Her voice and smile seemed so close, yet whenever Jufeng tried to grasp them, he found they were merely illusions beyond his reach.
Listening to Yin Mo speak and watching him diligently study, revealing his loneliness and sorrow, Jufeng felt no better inside.
"Is it really time?" Jia'er, should we go back?
Jufeng lifted his head, gazing at the desolate azure sky, where a few white clouds drifted and a couple of birds flew by.
"The wind is leaving. One should not exist merely as a shell; those who have gone do not wish for you to remain here as just a body."
Feeling the autumn breeze brushing against him, sensing the bond in the fleeting moments, Jufeng murmured to himself, "Jia'er, can you feel my heartbeat?"
"Whoosh!"
Jufeng let out a long sigh, murmuring, "It is time to go back."
In the blink of an eye, eight years had passed. Though the past could not be erased, it could be stacked away and kept deep in his heart.
(To be continued)
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