"Uh..."
Even though Qin Linhai was a War God-level martial artist, a general, the head of the Martial Department's East Sea office, and possessed an exceptionally strong heart, Jiang Wuming's words still startled him.
For all these years, including himself, no member of the Qin family had been willing to mention Qin Xiaozhi's past, even considering Qin Xiaozhi's affairs the greatest shame of the Qin family!
"Wu... Wuming, tell me everything you know!"
After the shock, Qin Linhai urged him with some excitement.
Every father's wish is for their son to soar.
Didn't Qin Linhai want this?
More than once, he had thought how wonderful it would be if his son, like himself, could inherit the Qin family's martial arts, achieve merit on the battlefield, and protect the country.
"Uncle Qin, as I said, Xiaozhi is very outstanding. His emotional and intellectual intelligence is exceptionally high, and he is extremely calm when facing matters!"
Jiang Wuming nodded, then revealed the secret to Qin Linhai: "When he joined the Martial Department, or more accurately, during missions, he began to exhibit these abilities. Even during his second mission, the team leader had him command the battle.
In that battle, they completed the mission with zero casualties!
As for your third mission...
The enemy in that mission surpassed the imagination of his team, and even the imagination of the entire Western Theater Command and the Dragon Country's Martial Department!
What do you think Xiaozhi's outcome would have been given the enemy's strength in that mission?"
Qin Linhai fell silent.
"Death. If he had stayed, he would have undoubtedly died! He knew this, and his comrades knew it!"
Jiang Wuming suddenly raised his voice, "However, his comrades, after losing their combat effectiveness, clung to the enemy, using their flesh and blood to hold them back, and shouted to stop him from rushing forward to fight and die!
That day, he used the time bought by his comrades' sacrifice to escape, and reported to the Western Theater Command. The Western Theater Command promptly dispatched strong individuals who killed the enemy!"
"Wh... What? You're saying that the Western Theater Command knew the intel that day because Xiaozhi reported it?"
Qin Linhai's expression suddenly changed. He didn't know this, nor did Qin Yuanzheng, and in fact, no one in the entire Dragon Country's Martial Department knew!
"Yes, Uncle Qin. At that time, Xiaozhi and his team were on a mission in the desert with no signal. He reported the information after leaving the desert," Jiang Wuming nodded.
"Then... then why didn't he return to the Western Theater Command, nor explain the situation to me and his grandfather?" Qin Linhai asked, his expression blank.
"Xiaozhi said that during that mission, he watched his comrades, his brothers, being killed one by one, and even his comrades gave their lives to create an escape opportunity for him, leaving no remains! He felt like a failure and was ashamed to face his fallen brothers!
He also said, to put it mildly, even if he had returned and continued to stay in the Martial Department, his martial arts talent was average, and he couldn't become a strong person. What would happen if he encountered a similar situation next time? Would he still witness his brothers die while he alone survived??"
Jiang Wuming said in a low voice, "Uncle Qin, Xiaozhi told me all this when he was drunk. His eyes were red, and he was holding his head, muttering and in great pain as he spoke!"
*Thump!*
Hearing Jiang Wuming's words again, Qin Linhai could almost imagine the scene of Qin Xiaozhi on the mission and speaking his heart out after drinking, and his heart trembled!
"Uncle Qin, you should know that even though Xiaozhi's comrades bought him time to escape, how difficult it was for Xiaozhi to escape the enemy's pursuit in that desert!
Moreover, after reporting the situation to the Western Theater Command, he returned to the desert to contain the enemy and stall them until the strong individuals from the Western Theater Command arrived to kill the enemy!
Therefore, I say he is not a deserter, but a hero!!"
"Xia... Xiaozhi..."
Qin Linhai trembled, uttering these two words in a murmur.
He could imagine that if Qin Xiaozhi hadn't risked his life to hold back the enemy that day, the enemy would have left the desert, leading to unimaginable consequences!
"Gulp... Haa..."
Immediately, Qin Linhai's throat bobbed, and he took a deep breath to calm his emotions. He then asked, "How... how did he stall the enemy?"
"I don't know, he didn't tell me," Jiang Wuming shook his head.
"Then, you said that when he returned to Jinling and injured that young man, it wasn't because of a love triangle or a dispute between rivals, what was it about?" Qin Linhai asked again.
"After Xiaozhi returned to Jinling, he originally intended to see that girl, then return to the Qin family to tell you the truth, and finally find his brothers on the road to the Yellow Springs."
Jiang Wuming also lit a cigarette, took a couple of puffs, and then continued in a low voice, "When he saw the girl, the young man named Yuan Hao was about to force himself upon her.
Because Xiaozhi had beaten Yuan Hao when he was in school, Yuan Hao wanted revenge.
Xiaozhi stepped in to save the girl, and from her mouth, he learned that Yuan Hao had called him a deserter and a wanted criminal, intending to change her impression of him and break them up, but the girl didn't believe Yuan Hao.
In his rage, Yuan Hao hit the girl and was about to harm her.
Upon learning all this, Xiaozhi beat Yuan Hao severely.
But Yuan Hao was also ruthless and not intimidated. Instead, he believed that Xiaozhi wouldn't dare kill him and provocatively challenged Xiaozhi to prove he wasn't a deserter to the girl.
Then, Xiaozhi stopped attacking, and Yuan Hao took the opportunity to call his family.
You know the rest of the story; the Yuan family sent people to apprehend Xiaozhi, but Xiaozhi escaped."
"Why didn't he explain the real situation to that girl? Why didn't he go back and explain it to me and his grandfather?"
Qin Linhai asked with confusion and heartache.
If Qin Xiaozhi had explained the truth back then, how could he have become the shame of the Qin family?!
"In front of those fallen comrades, I am a deserter—these were Xiaozhi's exact words."
Jiang Wuming sighed softly.
Sometimes, living requires more courage than dying!
Qin Xiaozhi was like that back then!
"Alas... we all wronged him!"
Qin Linhai's eyes had become a little red at some point, his expression filled with self-blame and guilt, and even his voice trembled slightly.
As a War God-level martial artist and the head of the Martial Department's East Sea office, he knew the brutality of missions and battles, and he understood the meaning of Qin Xiaozhi's words.
This time, Jiang Wuming remained silent.
Seeing Qin Linhai like this, he inexplicably thought of his own father, Jiang Zhan, and couldn't help but ask himself: If his father were still alive, what would the scene be like when he saw me?
There was no answer.
This question had appeared in his mind many times, but he knew that there were no "ifs" in this world.
"Wuming, help me contact Xiaozhi. I want to clear Xiaozhi's name and have him return to the Qin family!"
After his self-blame, Qin Linhai made a decision.
"Uncle Qin, don't worry about this matter. Let me ask Xiaozhi for his opinion first," Jiang Wuming said after some thought.
"Doesn't Xiaozhi want to return to the Qin family?" Qin Linhai was startled.
"Uncle Qin, Xiaozhi's martial arts talent is not high. This was the reason he didn't decide to stay in the Martial Department back then. Otherwise, he would have stayed in the Martial Department and lived in a different way, avenging his fallen brothers!"
Jiang Wuming sighed softly, "And with his lack of martial arts talent, he might give up on returning to the Qin family. Because he cannot meet your and Grandpa Qin's expectations, he cannot do as you wish!
He is currently only a five-star martial artist. Even if the truth of what happened back then is revealed, he still won't be able to shake off the title of the Qin family's failure, will he?"
"But... but if he doesn't come back, it will be difficult to clear his name from the past, won't it?" Qin Linhai understood what Jiang Wuming meant but raised his doubts.
"Uncle Qin, I believe that Xiaozhi being able to 'die and come back to life' is more important than clearing his name from the past! If he returns to the Qin family and cannot shed the title of the Qin family's failure, and is still sent to the Martial Department by Grandpa Qin, he will live a very painful life."
Jiang Wuming stated his opinion, then added, "Of course, I will convey your wishes to Xiaozhi, and he will make the final decision himself."
"Alright."
Qin Linhai nodded slightly, "No matter what choice he makes, I want to see him—where is he now?"
"Uncle Qin, Xiaozhi is in Sujiang. When I return, I will have him come to Donghai to find you."
Jiang Wuming replied. He was worried that the mastermind behind the attack on the Su family would resort to desperate measures and endanger Su Shiyun, so he specifically asked Qin Xiaozhi to stay in Sujiang to protect Su Shiyun.
His precautions were taken, and his worries came true.
The mastermind revealed himself this day!