He lowered his head, his hands resting on the long saber. One hand held the hilt, the other caressed the scabbard, his movements gentle, his gaze downcast, as if looking at an old friend.
After a long silence, he spoke softly:
“Actually, children always have their own thoughts, but adults in the family always make decisions for them, and they always have a catchphrase: ‘We’re doing this for your own good.’ With this phrase, they are always right and can disregard the child’s feelings or state of mind.
As long as the final outcome is good, then the adults are right.
How could they possibly consider the suffering, the grievances the child endured in the process, unable to speak, unable to rage, unable to resist? If they showed even the slightest hint of rebellion,
What they received was not suppression, but a phrase: ‘We’re doing this for your own good.’
In reality, only the child knows if it’s good or not.
As the child grows older, they become more fearful. The sensible and filial children fear disappointing their parents. The disobedient children will rebel, and then drift further and further away from their parents, ceasing communication, not speaking, some even becoming enemies.”
Yan Ping said, “Everything has two sides, doesn’t it?”
He Li nodded and said, “Yes, everything has two sides.”
“Khalil Gibran said: A man has two selves, one awake in darkness, and one asleep in light. I am the fire, and I am also the dry branch. One part of me consumes the other part of me.”
“When I think from a negative perspective, my thoughts slowly erode the good part, creating internal friction. Although I understand, and I don’t want to, I can only think this way.”
He Li looked up, turned slightly, and looked back towards the window behind him. Xiao Yue was standing by the window, still and quiet, listening.
He Li smiled and said, “Right, Xiao Yue? Because of some things that happened before, I was angry with you, disliked you, hated you, and even feared you. Although I knew you were doing it for my own good,
A thorn had lodged itself in my heart. Even if it was pulled out, it would leave a wound.
If a nail is pulled from wood, the wood won’t heal on its own, but its wound will be filled with dust, it will decay, turn to ash, and mingle with the dust.
In this world, there are no incurable pains, no inescapable depths. All that is lost, all that pains the heart, will return in another form. Time will eventually smooth over everything.
Then what will fill the wound in my heart? It will follow me my entire life. I will forever be indebted to that man. He used his death to pry open the shackles binding my divine power, and at the same time, left a wound that will never heal.”
He Li’s voice was very soft, but incredibly clear. His voice seemed more like an accusation, a roar, a scream.
He had been an outcast since childhood. His only friend in the orphanage was swept away by the waves when they secretly went to the seaside to watch the ocean, dying in the sea. From then on, he feared the sea, hated the sea. In fact, he hated himself. If he hadn’t wanted to see the sea…
Another friend who genuinely cared for him had appeared, and also died for him.
He then remembered the book he saw while working at the bookstore, titled “What If…”
If he had listened to Jin Fang and not gone to the Spirit Management Association, things would have turned out differently.
From going to the Spirit Management Association to the Canghaiwan Building, everything was a setup by Xiao Yue, solely to enrage He Li, to make him lose his reason, to make him break through the gene lock and unleash his divine power.
Therefore, He Li hated Xiao Yue and, at the same time, feared him.
Facing He Li’s accusations, Xiao Yue remained silent, but his gaze was open and without any trace of unease. He believed he had done the right thing, that he had to do it. If he hadn’t, how would He Li face those terrifying beings in the future?
The two looked at each other calmly. In the end, He Li conceded, lowering his head, clutching the scabbard in his hand.
“I’m sorry,” He Li said.
“What?” Xiao Yue asked, confused.
“Just as Yan Ping said, everything has two sides. I shouldn’t resent or hate you. Without you, I would have no capital to confront those guys. I might have died long ago.”
He Li said, “You won’t scheme against my other friends anymore, will you? Like Kuer and Willow.”
“No,” Xiao Yue nodded in agreement, his response swift and decisive.
Faced with a reality he could not resist or struggle against, He Li chose reconciliation, reconciling with Xiao Yue, and reconciling with himself.
He Li let out a soft hum, pondered for a moment, and then asked, “You know everything now. What do we do next?”
Xiao Yue didn’t hesitate and replied directly, “First, we get information on the Hunter Squad. Who are the people in Wulin, how many ‘Killing Weapons’ have they brought, and do they have ‘God-Slaying Nuclear Bombs’? After obtaining this information, we’ll see which gods come over.
Or…”
Xiao Yue looked at He Li and said gravely, “Or… Susan has already betrayed you, and their target is you. Don’t forget, you were the one who facilitated the Hunter Squad’s ‘Killing Weapons.’
You want to use them to hunt down gods, to create favorable conditions for yourself in the war of gods.
Then they can also play along, not hunt down other gods, but set a deadly trap here to lure you in.”
He Li was stunned for a moment, then his heart trembled. Yes, it was not impossible. Although he had considered it before, he had been gambling. He had naturally substituted the premise that “Susan wouldn’t betray him because of private messages.”
But what if Susan *did* “betray” him?
Wouldn’t he then become the fish caught on the hook?
He Li’s thoughts sank, and he said, “You’re right, there’s a high probability. We need to prepare for both scenarios. If their target isn’t me, then I’ll prepare to launch a sneak attack during their major battle, then pick up the spoils and run.
If their target is me, then we’ll have to operate carefully, to see which unlucky god we can drag down with us.”
After the initial decision was made,
He Li asked again, “How do we get intel on the Hunter Squad? We have no channels.”
Xiao Yue pointed to the courtyard and said, “Rely on her.”
He Li followed Xiao Yue’s pointing finger and saw Xu Shuya walking in from the courtyard gate, carrying a saber. As she walked, she glanced around furtively, like a thief.
He Li’s mouth twisted in bitterness, and he said to Xiao Yue, “You just promised not to scheme against me.”
Xiao Yue asked, confused, “Is she your friend?”
He Li froze for two seconds, then put his saber aside, quickly got up, passed Yan Ping, who was sitting on the railing, and leaped down from the third floor. Standing firm, he grinned widely, his smile bright, and walked towards Xu Shuya.
“Oh my, you’re here! I was just thinking of looking for you. I’ve been thinking, there’s no reason to make a girl pay. It was my fault. How about this, I’ll treat this meal. We’re all good friends, good colleagues.”
Xu Shuya looked at He Li, not understanding what was happening to him. His smile was so creepy.
“Little Xu, how much was this meal? I’ll pay, I’ll pay…”
Xu Shuya subconsciously replied, “1160 yuan.”
He Li: “…”
“Oh, oh, my phone is dead. Never mind, I’ll treat you to breakfast tomorrow. I know a place that has delicious breakfast, believe me. I’ve been in Wulin for two days now, I’m practically a local. I know which place is good.
Come on, hurry upstairs, let’s talk inside.”
…