Chapter 383: Good Work (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 383: Good Work (4)
Whose hand is this?
Is it really my father’s?
Then why is it on my head?
My thoughts were a tangled mess, as if my very mind had short-circuited.
This situation was completely beyond anything I had anticipated. And I was acutely, painfully aware of what I had just done with my own two hands.
That knowledge made it hard to breathe, my head spinning as reality began to sink its cold, heavy claws into me.
Just as my heart was plummeting into an icy abyss…
-I thought about my response.
Father spoke.
-I thought about it continuously, but I couldn’t arrive at a different answer.
-…What do you mean, all of a sudden…
-You are my son.
My eyes widened at his words.
-You asked me what you are to me. This is the only answer I could think of.
I had asked him that question before. And he was answering it now…?
-Stay still. First, let me—
-I’ll forgive you.
I froze at his statement. Forgive me? For what…?
-I’ll forgive you for trying to make your father kill his own son.
-…
I bit my lip.
When had he figured out my plan? When had he noticed?
As I struggled to keep my eyes from trembling, Father continued.
-I forgive you. However, you shouldn’t forgive me.
-Why… are you saying all of this now?
His large, rough hand stroked my hair. The motion was awkward, the touch coarse.
I wanted to shove it away immediately, but strangely, I couldn’t.
-Good work. You did well.
His voice, as rough as his hand, stabbed into my ears.
-Third child.
-…Yes…?
-I’ll ask you one last question. Did the first child leave with a smile?
-…
My mouth clamped shut at the mention of Gu Huibi.
-…I… I don’t know.
I wasn’t evading the question. I genuinely couldn’t remember.
I couldn’t recall Gu Huibi’s final expression. What had he looked like in that last moment…?
-I see.
Father nodded at my response.
-Then, remember this.
Father’s crimson pupils slowly reverted to black.
His red hair didn’t return to its original color, but turned white instead.
It was proof that his vitality was fading away.
I wanted to do something—anything—upon seeing that, but I already knew it was far too late.
-Continue to live.
-…!
My heart sank at his words.
-Fathe—
I hurriedly tried to call out to him…
-…
But Father was already dead.
He had died standing on his own two feet, without his knees buckling even slightly.
I was the one who fell to my knees.
-Ah…
This was wrong.
This wasn’t what I wanted.
I wanted to explode my heart on the spot and die, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
-Continue to live.
Father’s final words lodged themselves in my heart like a shackle.
Why had he said them? Was he telling me to live so I could atone for my sins?
If that wasn’t the reason… then why?
I crouched down and covered my face with my hands.
I didn’t scream. I didn’t cry out loud.
I just breathed, in and out, quietly.
How long did I sit there?
Tap-
I felt a presence behind me.
-…This is…
After taking in the scene, the person spoke, voice thick with shock.
It was the Demonic Sword.
She seemed to have run here; she asked her question between heavy breaths.
-Are you… okay?
I wasn’t okay.
I wasn’t okay at all.
-But… the Leader definitely told you… not to go…
She was right.
The Heavenly Demon had explicitly ordered me not to go to the Gu Clan. Yet I had come alone and created this catastrophe.
When I remained silent, the Demonic Sword looked around and spoke with urgency.
-We… need to get out of here… Soon… others will come.
The Demonic Sword grabbed my shoulder.
I wanted to stay, but my body, exhausted from the previous battle, refused to obey my will.
-Let go… Just leave me…
Despite my weary protest, the Demonic Sword used her Qi to suppress me.
-…!
-Sorry… but I can’t do that.
With my body weakened, I couldn’t break free. She dragged me away from that place.
I kept staring at the spot where Father had died.
I stared until I could see it no more.
I killed my father.
The memory of that moment remained vivid to this day.
…Dammit.
That was why, in this life, I couldn’t bring myself to resent him. It was why I felt both fear and guilt every time I met his eyes.
How could I possibly forget?
I could still feel the sensation of his hand on my head that day.
My breathing grew heavy as the memories resurfaced.
I even circulated my Qi to calm myself, but it was no easy task.
Father noticed what I was doing and stared at me strangely.
His current appearance overlapped with how he had looked back then. I was reminded of his hair turning white, his eyes shifting from red back to black.
“Is something wrong?”
“It’s… nothing.”
Because of that memory, it was difficult to look him in the eye. I shook my head, trying to clear it.
“…I understand your response, but I still need to know.”
It was hard to think straight after his sudden story and apology, but I still had to achieve my original goal for coming here.
“Please… is it truly impossible for you to tell me?”
“…”
Father stood silently, lost in thought. Then, after a moment, he gave his answer.
“Fine. I’ll tell you.”
“…!”
As my expression brightened…
“But I have a condition.”
“A condition?”
I paused. But it was fine. In the end, he would tell me what I wanted to know.
“No matter what it is, I’ll— “
“Beat me in a fight.”
“Pardon?”
Had I misheard him…?
I studied Father’s face carefully, searching for any hint of a joke, but he seemed as serious as ever.
“You… want me to fight you and win?”
“Yes.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
I asked again, but Father’s expression didn’t change. I was speechless.
“You should have just said you aren’t going to tell me.”
“I said that from the beginning.”
“…”
He had a point.
Shit, I’d almost been swept away by his words.
“Still, you should have made a condition that is, at the very least, possible. How could you— “
“So you expect to be defeated without even trying. I am disappoint— “
“Yes, you are well aware that I can’t win against you, which is precisely why you said it. How unfair.”
“…”
“…”
Annoyed, I’d accidentally slipped into my usual tone with him.
Am I fucked?
I’d never spoken to Father like that before.
As a result, Father’s eyebrow twitched. He seemed genuinely irritated.
At this rate, I doubted he would listen to anything else I had to say.
“I’m sorry. I let myself— “
“I will change the condition, since you hate it that much.”
Just as I was about to apologize, Father surprisingly agreed to modify the terms.
Why…? Not that I was complaining about avoiding a scolding, but…
“Just one.”
“…!”
“If you can land just one attack on me, then I’ll tell you.”
“One… you say.”
“That’s right. Just one. If you can’t even do that, then I won’t tell you anything. Even if you somehow figure it out on your own, I will stop you from going to her, no matter the cost.”
“Not telling me is one thing, but isn’t it a bit too unfair to stop me from going if I find her location myself?”
When I spoke with a frown, he cut me off, his tone firm and final.
“If you can’t even accomplish this much, then you will die over there.”
“…”
“I won’t change the condition any further. If you don’t like it, then leave.”
I didn’t know what kind of dangerous place my mother was in for Father to go to such lengths to stop me, but he had clearly created this condition out of concern for me.
Was it because of the conversation we’d just had?
A strange emotion began to stir within me. I felt an odd, creeping sensation in the pit of my stomach, but I didn’t hate it.
I steadied myself and asked, “So, you’re challenging me to a fight? Right here?”
Father nodded. Seeing this, I asked another question, my tone laced with confusion.
“But I just fought the White Heavenly Sword. I don’t have much strength left.”
“I know.”
“And you’re saying that despite knowing?”
“Do you not like it?”
“…Well, obviously— “
Just as I was about to respond, I remembered Father’s earlier words.
-I won’t change the condition any further. If you don’t like it, then leave.
“…”
Basically, he was telling me to leave if I had any complaints, since he had no obligation to do this in the first place.
Hah.
I was truly left speechless.
Father… he’s more of a dick than I thought, huh?
I wasn’t satisfied with his condition in the slightest.
He had set a term knowing I wouldn’t back down, and he’d made it practically impossible.
I couldn’t even gauge my father’s true power. That fact alone was significant. It meant he was so strong that I couldn’t read him even at my current level.
Just where did he stand? I had reached the Fusion Realm, yet I couldn’t perceive his cultivation at all.
And he wants me to land one attack on him?
It was a joke. An absurd one.
When I stared at him, utterly speechless, he spoke again.
“Are you not going to accept? Then, we shall return.”
He was taunting me now. I was starting to think he simply wanted to spar with me.
“…No.”
If he was going to act like this, I wouldn’t run away.
“I accept. Right here, right now.”