Chapter 1: Father and Son |
Year 350 of the Anping Calendar.
Nanyuan City, Great Xia Prefecture.
Su Family.
The moment Su Yu stepped through the door into his home, he was assaulted by the aroma coming from the dishes on the dining table. Quickly tossing his school bag aside, he walked up to the dining table and picked up a piece of red braised pork before throwing it into his mouth.
While chewing, he looked at the indistinct figure in the kitchen and said, “Dad, maybe prepare a soup tomorrow? It’s getting tiring eating meat every day.”
“Stop being picky. You should be happy to have something to eat.” Su Long’s grumbling voice came from the kitchen, “Also, you’re already eighteen this year. When are you going to learn to take care of yourself? I have been taking on the roles of both father and mother for you all these years. I’m finally going to get my freedom.”
Still busy chewing the piece of red braised pork in his mouth, Su Yu smiled and praised, “Dad, your culinary skills are good enough that you’re almost a professional chef. I wish I could help in the kitchen as well, but unfortunately all the food I make is inedible!”
“Heh,” Su Long merely smirked at the reply. Su Yu was all talk and no action. After all, he had never even tried cooking. With a height of 1.9 meters and a sturdy physique, Su Long looked rather comical dressed in a tiny apron that did not fit the image his powerful body projected. That had always been a point of contention for Su Yu, and it was the same today.
Shaking his head, Su Yu complained, “Dad, can’t you get a bigger apron? It’s not like we can’t afford it.”
“Dad, you’ve been saying that for the past three years.”
Su Yu rolled his eyes. Sure, it was understandable for his father to claim that the apron was new three years ago. But it was rather shameless of his father to still claim the same three years later. Su Long did not care about his son’s remarks. He started gorging on the food on the table.
Su Yu was already used to his father’s antics. He sat down and started eating as well. While eating, he sighed and said, “Dad, is the battle picking up at the front line again? On my way back, I saw the military recruitment truck downstairs. They must be here recruiting in our neighborhood. I wonder who’s going to sign up—”
At that, Su Long stopped eating. He placed his bowl and chopsticks down before solemnly saying, “It is everyone’s duty to protect one’s home and defend one’s country. Just listen to yourself. Are you trying to say that it’s bad to be a soldier?”
“Not at all!” Su Yu hurriedly explained himself. His father was a retired soldier. He definitely had to watch his mouth around this topic. After all, it wouldn’t be fun to be at the receiving end of his father’s palm that was the size of a bear’s paw. Su Long snorted before returning to his meal.
Suddenly, Su Long spoke again. His tone shifted into a gloomy one as he said, “Yu, the front line is in turmoil. The various armies have been recruiting repeatedly. New soldiers are constantly being recruited while veterans are being recalled.”
Su Yu was in the midst of eating when he paused and looked up at his father. His attitude changed completely as he frowned and asked, “Dad, that has nothing to do with us, right? You have been retired for eighteen years and I’ve just reached adulthood. Also, I’m applying for the high academies. The recruiters won’t come to us.”
“It has been eighteen years…” Su Long sighed. Yes, it had been eighteen years. “During the past eighteen years, the Devil Subduing Army has recalled retired veterans five times. After reaching fifty years old, I won’t be fit to be recalled any longer. During the previous four recalls, you were too young. I was worried about you so I did not answer the recalls.”
Su Yu’s expression changed rapidly as he said, “Dad, our family can be exempted from joining the army! The policy allows this!”
“Yes, the policy allows this!” Su Long grinned. He raised his head and gazed at his son before saying, “Therefore, I’ve not been answering the recalls. In the past eighteen years, there have been four recalls apart from the current recall! I’ve not answered any of them! But now, my son has finally reached adulthood! He is now eighteen!”
“Dad!” Su Yu had an ugly expression. “What are you trying to say?”
“You know what I’m trying to say.” Su Long gazed at his son with a gratified and satisfied expression. He smiled and said, “Your dad might be useless, but eighteen years ago, he was a platoon leader in command of thirty soldiers. At the time, your mom was on the verge of giving birth, so I requested for a leave of absence and returned. Who would have guessed that your mom would leave this world just like that. You were a newborn and we didn’t have anyone else in the family to take care of you. I couldn’t leave, so I was forced to retire from the army.”
Su Long had a bitter smile on his face. “When I left, not a single one of my comrades saw me off. No, it wasn’t that they wanted me gone, but they were afraid that I wouldn’t be able to leave after seeing them. It has been eighteen years. Not one of them has tried contacting me. They’re all afraid that I wouldn’t be able to resist returning. Even in my dreams I can see them shouting at me to return home and take care of my baby. Of my thirty brothers, nine were killed on the battlefield the first year after I left. Not one of the surviving members has left the army. Do you know what the remaining twenty-one of them are doing? They’re all still on the battlefield right now!”
Tears started welling in Su Long’s eyes. “I was selfish, so I didn’t dare to ask about them. I had not responded to the previous four recalls. But this time…Yu, if your dad has to die, he would rather die a soldier on the battlefield. Your dad does not wish to die behind the front line!”
Su Yu sank into silence. He was aware that his father had never forgotten the front line and the old comrades there. If his mother had not passed away during childbirth back then, his father would never have retired from the Devil Subduing Army. He had always thought that eighteen years would be enough for his father to forget and let go of the past. Today, he learned that his father had not forgotten about the past after all.
“Dad…” Su Yu paled as he persuaded, “The front line is in turmoil. The number of casualties among our soldiers are only getting higher and higher. In the past eighteen years alone, the army had recalled retired veterans five times. In short, a recall was made once every three to four years. You used to be a soldier. You know very well what that means. I’m still single. I still haven’t entered a high academy. I still haven’t gotten you a grandchild…”
Su Long grinned, “It’s fine. I’ll be waiting for all that! What? You think I’m going to be throwing my life away on the battlefield? No! I’m there to win the war!”
“Dad!”
“Cut the crap, kid! Eat your meal!” Su Long cut his son off. While eating, he mumbled, “After this meal, you’ll have to start preparing your own meals. If you can’t cook, go eat outside. Use the money in my card. You know the password. They’re still waiting for me downstairs. I need to make this quick. Remember to mail me a letter after passing your academy entrance exam. I’ll be reading your letters during my free time. You’ll be getting into a cultural research academy. Your old man is very proud of you, you know that? You’re practically guaranteed a spot in a cultural research academy already. Your teacher told me that barring anything unexpected happening, you’ll definitely be able to join one. A talent is finally going to emerge from our Su family! I do wonder sometimes. How exactly have you grown that brain of yours? You’re way too smart. I used to wonder if you’re actually my son. Fortunately, you greatly resemble my younger self in appearance.”
Su Yu had a pale complexion at the realization that his father was about to step into the battlefield. Nevertheless, he still couldn’t stop himself from challenging that claim, “Dad, are you sure I look like your younger self?”
“What bullshit question is that? That’s the truth!” Su Long looked up, revealing his rough face and grinned, “Feel free to ask our neighbor if you doubt me!”
Su Yu was speechless. He knew that his father was trying to shift the topic, so he returned to the previous topic, “Dad, must you go? It’s not that I’m looking down on you, but it has been eighteen years since you left the battlefield. You haven’t been cultivating much either. Even now, you’re still at the ninth-stage Great Strength Realm. Will you even be helpful on the battlefield?”
“Who are you looking down on?” Su Long said furiously, “So what if I’m only at the ninth-stage Great Strength Realm? Strength is not the only thing that matters on the battlefield. Otherwise, wars would be pointless. Everything is possible on the battlefield. I’ll have you know that I once killed an Infinite Strength Realm expert when I was only a seventh-stage Great Strength cultivator.”
Su Yu was still very distressed. He had no idea if that story was true, but his father had repeated the story for many years. It was highly probable that his father was telling the truth. However, he did not want his father to go to war. The front line was very chaotic. Every single year, a large number of soldiers would die there. The situation there was only getting more and more dangerous. His father was nearly fifty years old. Su Yu didn’t even dare to imagine what it would be like for someone like that to return to the battlefield.
“Dad—”
“Shut up!” Su Long interrupted his son. He stood up and put the dishes away before saying with a solemn expression, “I’ve signed myself up. If I don’t show up, I’ll be considered a deserter. It’s fine if I don’t show up before signing up, but you know the consequences for not showing up now. A deserter will be executed!”
“Dad, couldn’t you have waited for me to come back and talk about this before signing up?”
Just thinking about it made Su Yu furious. He knew that there was nothing he could do to change this. His father was right. It didn’t matter before signing up. The recall order was not compulsory. All these veterans who had retired alive were people who had contributed to the army during their time on the battlefield. But upon signing up, one would be considered a soldier yet again. Not showing up after that would cause one to be labeled a deserter.
“What is there to talk about?” Su Long said dismissively, “Don’t worry. I won’t die. Even if I do end up dying, you will be eligible for a nice compensation. Don’t forget to claim it if I end up dying. That will be enough money for you to get a wife and raise a child. See, your old man has everything planned for you!”
Then, Su Long removed the apron from his body and picked up the backpack that he had packed earlier, behaving as casually as someone leaving for a short trip. “Do well in your exam. People like you who are supporting humanity behind the front line are just as important. Perform well in the cultural research academy and bring glory to our Su family. Cultural research academy…yes, I’ll need to tell everyone about that after returning to the army. I have a son that has managed to enter a cultural research academy. That’s far more incredible than their children. It’s a pity that I won’t be here to see your acceptance letter. Remember to snap a picture of the letter and mail it to me. I need proof or those fellows will think that I’m merely bragging.”
“Dad!” Su Yu stood up and ran after his departing father in panic. His father was really going to leave. He had been used to living with his father for the past eighteen years. He was not mentally prepared for this sudden departure.
“You’re all grown up now. Don’t cry like a little boy.” Su Long grinned. “If you’re still a child, I won’t leave. But now that you’re an adult, I must go. When I left eighteen years ago, there were several kids as old as you currently are in the platoon. Yu, do you know? I dreamed of them. They were crying in pain in the dream, telling me to kill all those animals. I regret my decision to not send you to the Military House of Dependents back then. After all, there would still be someone looking after you while I’m in the army if I did.”
Su Long teared up. “This is the fifth recall. During the previous four recalls, I had my luggage packed up every single time. But every time I laid my eyes on you, I selfishly stayed behind. I couldn’t bring myself to leave. This is the fifth time! Will there be a next time for me? I’ll probably be over fifty by then and the Devil Subduing Army will no longer accept me! It is time for me to go. The Allheaven Battlefield is waiting for me. Just you watch. I’ll kill a few Infinite Strength Realm experts this time and keep the evidence. You won’t be able to doubt me anymore after that.”
Then, Su Long waved his hand and walked away. This was the very first time Su Yu had seen his father this carefree and heroic in his eighteen years of life. However, this wasn’t something he wanted to see.
“Dad…”
“I told you to cut the crap.”
Standing before the door, Su Yu clenched his teeth and shouted, “If you fail to return, I’ll become a live-in son-in-law! I’ll change my surname and sever the inheritance of your Su family! If you really don’t care, trust that I’ll really dare to do so as well!”
“I—” Su Long staggered and nearly turned around to unleash profanities at his son. He suddenly had the urge to stay behind and beat up his son. He knew that his son would really be capable of doing something like that. It hadn’t been easy for the Su family to finally give birth to a talented individual like Su Yu. He definitely wouldn’t be able to accept such a talent marrying into someone else’s family.
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