Chapter 119: A Kind Father, A Filial Son |
Shi Rang scrutinized the magnificent Estate before him.
It was hard to imagine that someone could build such a massive architectural complex in the suburbs of the Capital, living the life of a nobleman or royalty. However, considering the sheer scale of the Charity Foundation, it made perfect sense.
Two security guards opened the main gates for their approaching vehicle. Looking past the exquisite hedges and flower beds, he could see someone waiting respectfully at the entrance of the main building in the distance, seemingly a butler or a similar figure.
What an extravagant lifestyle.
"This is the place, right?" "Yes, I will drive you right in..."
"I will get out here."
Without leaving room for argument, Shi Rang pulled the car door open. Brother Li, who had just started the engine, hurriedly slammed on the brakes. Before he could even turn his head, he heard the door shut.
Shi Rang walked over to the driver's side window.
"Please leave, both of you. I have something to discuss with him in private."
The wrought-iron gates closed behind Shi Rang, leaving only a small side door open for foot traffic.
Shi Rang pondered for a moment. Gripping the Tracker in his pocket, he walked up the driveway and arrived at the entrance of the Villa. He repeated the same words to the butler and the servants, and they departed as well. Judging from their routes, it seemed these people had been prepared to clock out for the day anyway.
The wide-open doors of the Villa were right in front of him. Shi Rang did not spot anyone else in the foyer, yet he still paused at the threshold and expanded his Perception.
Immediately after, his eyes widened slightly.
A void had appeared within the range of his Anomaly Perception.
It was a Reality Anchor.
In order to deal with anomalies, the Bureau had developed numerous supernatural devices to assist in containment and operations. The Reality Anchor could be considered the most crucial piece of equipment among them. It frequently appeared in the corners of various Records and operational logs, and it had even played a massive role during the N4 Squad's operation to contain the Divine Body.
As for its function, it was incredibly simple: it created a stable Reality Field within a specific area, interfering with or even achieving the Neutralization of any Anomalous Effect.
Shi Rang carefully scanned the perimeter of the Villa, confirming there were no other discoveries.
However, within this fog of Perception outlined by the Reality Anchor, there were definitely people from the Bureau.
Once he stepped inside, he had no idea if his Rapid Regeneration would still be effective...
Right at that moment, a vibration came from Shi Rang's pocket. It was not his Mobile Phone; it was that Tracker.
Using his thumb, he felt a grain-sized protrusion on the surface of the Tracker. With a slight flick, he snapped it off.
Faint voices could be heard from within.
He pretended to scratch his ear, fixing a nonexistent hairstyle to cover up his nervousness, and took the opportunity to slip it into his ear canal.
The tickling sensation in his ear felt rather nostalgic, as if the Mini-Humans he hadn't seen in days were speaking to him.
Jing Zi's voice rang out.
"We can see you, Shi Rang. We are on the hill to the left of the Villa's main entrance. Once you get inside, find a way to the Reception Room on the second floor's west side, or any other west-facing room with open curtains. I can get in."
Shi Rang whispered, "Will there be guards inside? The Bureau seems to have some kind of equipment, some sort of anchor..."
"A Reality Anchor. There probably is one. They wouldn't just let other factions target the executives of their Veil Company..." Jing Zi let out a low mutter on the other end, speaking to someone else. "Here is the plan: try to find a room with open curtains. First, confirm the number of people inside, then find a way to signal me. We will wait for an opportunity to strike, just in case."
Despite those words, Shi Rang knew that Jing Zi and the other members of the Ascension Society had to be far away.
Far enough to monitor him, but not close enough to be discovered.
Shi Rang seemingly had many opportunities to act freely, as if he could just walk away from this conspiracy-filled situation. But ever since his real identity was exposed, as long as the Ascension Society still existed, it would be impossible for him to escape.
There were good and bad people in this group. Their slogans were righteous and bright, but that did not mean they were innocent people.
One wrong step, and he would become an enemy they would kill on sight.
Fantasizing about leaving the stage simply by handing over the intelligence was pure naivety. That would only strip him of his final bargaining chip, leaving behind only a sliver of exploitable value before he was discarded—leaving him to helplessly pray that the Ascension Society would not silence him.
Rather than passively awaiting judgment, it was better to take the initiative and secure more cards for himself.
Shi Rang reminded them, "I haven't given you the intelligence yet."
"I know," another stranger's voice replied through the Comms Device.
Hearing this, Shi Rang let out a sigh.
The challenge before him was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
He hated Shi Shixin, and he knew the other man viewed him as a thorn in his side. Yet, perhaps due to blood ties, or perhaps some other connection, it was difficult for him to face this upcoming challenge with the same attitude he used against anomalies and criminals.
He simply did not want to face the man he had feared for so many years this quickly.
"Shi Tiantian."
An elegantly dressed old man appeared at the top of the stairs leading from the Main Hall to the second floor, looking down at Shi Rang from a commanding height.
The old man's hair was dyed black, but it could not hide the traces of time left on his body. His face, covered in wrinkles, resembled a shriveled apple, withered and frail. Even though his expression was stern and carried an arrogant authority, he still looked like nothing more than a shriveled apple that vaguely resembled a human face.
It took Shi Rang a few seconds to realize that this person was Shi Shixin.
Strange, this man did not look terrifying at all.
Compared to the Stitched Walkers and gang assassins, he looked practically harmless.
Yet, in the very next moment, Shi Rang's stomach churned with discomfort.
"Come inside to talk."
With his hands clasped behind his back, Shi Shixin walked deeper into the second floor. Giving Shi Rang no chance to choose the meeting spot, he made the decision for him, just like he always did.
Shi Rang stood outside the Villa for a few seconds. Adopting the light, cautious footsteps one takes when entering an unfamiliar, luxurious place, he carefully tread across the carpet, climbed the stairs, and passed through the crowded Corridors lined with paintings and artifacts.
Fortunately, the Reception Room at the end of the corridor faced west.
Shi Shixin was already sitting on one of the Sofas, waiting for him.
As if squeezing through a highly resilient curtain of water, Shi Rang's Perception and connection abilities slipped away from him, and his body grew notably weaker.
He had entered the effective range of the Reality Anchor.
In those brief tens of seconds, Shi Rang steadied his heart and mentally reviewed his Mental Draft again. However, when he sat down across from Shi Shixin, he could not bring himself to speak. He tried his utmost to remain calm, adopting the steady and mature demeanor of a weather-beaten adult...
"You've had a hard time these past few years, haven't you? A place like the Tenth District isn't suitable for you. If you were struggling with your livelihood, why didn't you contact me?"
These words carried no sarcasm or mockery; they were merely an expression of concern, yet they struck Shi Rang's chest like a bullet.
For a split second, his eyes reflexively grew hot, and he reverted to that little boy who would burst into tears whenever someone mentioned a father's or mother's love.
A part of his mind belatedly issued a warning, telling him that these were not words Shi Shixin would ever say. It urged him to recall that phone call from the afternoon.
Yet, another immature train of thought yelled out in Leader Jack's voice, arguing that the coldness was only because he had interrupted Shi Shixin's meeting.
Opposite Shi Rang, Shi Shixin picked up a teacup that was already set on the table and took a sip. It seemed he had given up drinking alcohol. Looking at the Medicine Bottle placed on the side table and the white roots of his hair, he really had grown old.
"I can understand why you wouldn't want to see me, and I don't expect you to forgive me—you even changed your name, so how could I not see your stance? I wasn't a good father. I will give you twenty million. Go live the life you want, go live the days you desire."
The mention of money sent a jolt through Shi Rang.
The cold, hard voice from the phone call that afternoon had indeed come from the man sitting right in front of him.
Shi Shixin had intended to use his assistant to buy him off with money back then, and in reality, this moment was no different.
But Shi Rang could not clearly articulate what exactly he needed. He lived in poverty, but he did not have much desire for material wealth. Mimicking Shi Shixin, he picked up the teacup set out for him, brought it to his lips, and then stopped.
He remembered an old debt.
"I don't want your money. I came back to ask for your help."
"Speak."
"Help me find my wife. She has gone missing."
"...Not only did you sneak away, but you also got married illegally in the Tenth District?"
That sentence was a bit colder, but it still hadn't reached the level he remembered.
Shi Rang slowly lowered his teacup, deliberately tossing out topics that would have enraged the Shi Shixin of the past. "Have you forgotten? You were the one who canceled my student visa, almost getting me deported during my senior year. It was also you who halted my residency application, turning me into an undocumented person. I couldn't even apply for a mortgage. I had to let her handle it and have the payments deducted from her card.
"We couldn't get a marriage certificate, and to this day, we haven't officially registered. It's all because of you."
Shi Rang waited for a furious roar, a shout of "useless trash," a face bulging with wrinkles from rage. He waited for the other man's reaction so his struggling heart could finally pass judgment.
But there was nothing.
Shi Shixin lowered his gaze and took another sip of tea. After setting it down, he let out a long sigh.
"...I thought doing that would make you come back. I underestimated your resolve."
Were these words really spoken by the same father who had furiously rebuked him on the phone that afternoon?
Shi Rang waited once more for a turning point. One second, five seconds, ten seconds passed. Shi Shixin did not turn hostile.
The inner child within Shi Rang won a complete victory.
All sorts of details from the past surfaced in Shi Rang's mind.
Shi Shixin's actions had actually, by some twist of fate, allowed Shi Rang to avoid certain things.
If he hadn't been an undocumented person, the Bureau would have discovered he was Ying Shang's relative and performed Memory Erasure on him. He might never have remembered her existence again, living a lonely and miserable life.
True, he had endured a lot of pain and torment because of it, but at least he still had a goal, and he was gradually tracking her down.
Thinking of this outcome, even though it was impossible for him to be grateful for Shi Shixin's actions, he had no regrets.
He would not pray to return to those days and start over, to make different choices.
The prelude to crying appeared on Shi Rang's face once more. His mouth felt dry, and he could feel his eyes turning red. He hurriedly raised his cup in an attempt to hide it.
Right at the moment he brought the rim of the cup to his lips, the door to the Reception Room was suddenly thrust open.
The door slammed against the wall with a dull thud.
Standing outside was a stranger in a tailored suit. The man stood tall and straight, his hands behind his back and his legs spread apart, with a Gun holstered at his waist.
Shi Shixin's expression stiffened for a moment before he immediately barked at the man, "Who allowed you in?"
Now this was the tone Shi Rang was familiar with.
"You..."
Shi Rang was halfway through his sentence when the man revealed a bizarre smile. The stranger brought a tripod-like Reality Anchor from behind his back and snapped it in half. The Reality Field receded from the Villa, and the invisible force oppressing Shi Rang's heart dissipated.
"You really can't sit in a high position without some acting skills. You are indeed a very good actor, Mr. Shi Shixin."
The man then immediately looked at Shi Rang.
"Don't drink that tea, Shi Rang. It's been spiked."