Volume 1, Chapter 56 – For My Father

“Yeah, because of your damn son, we had to trek through mountains to this godforsaken place! What if we ran into ghosts along the way? Get him out here now!”

“Hurry up! Piss me off, and I’ll send him straight to the underworld to enlist!”

The other two officers cursed furiously.

“Officers, it’s not that we’re defying the law—it’s just that my son really is missing. We’ve been searching everywhere for him.”

Huang Kairong tried his best to explain sincerely.

“You old bastard, think you can fool me? I’ve heard every excuse in the book for draft dodging. Get him out here now, or when we find him, your whole family will be executed!”

The middle-aged officer in charge panted like an enraged bull, barely holding back his fury.

“But I’m telling the truth!”

Huang Kairong repeated helplessly.

“You’re asking for death!”

One of the younger officers couldn’t hold back any longer. He drew his blade and swung at Huang Kairong.

Huang Kairong paled in terror, but as a commoner, he couldn’t fight back. He could only close his eyes and await death.

“Hold it! His future daughter-in-law is someone you don’t want to mess with!”

Surprisingly, the middle-aged officer stopped him—clearly aware of Huang Qi’s earlier confrontation at the county office.

The young officer gritted his teeth but reluctantly stepped back.

“Officers, we truly can’t reach our son. If you must take someone back, take me. I’ll enlist in his place.”

Not wanting to drag his family into further trouble, Huang Kairong made his decision.

“Enlist in his place? What use is an old man like you on the battlefield? Don’t think I don’t see your game—sacrifice yourself to keep your bloodline alive, right?”

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The middle-aged officer saw right through him.

“But we really don’t know where our son is!”

Li Fen sobbed.

“Fine. You come with us and let the higher-ups decide. Don’t think replacing your son will be that easy.”

The officer reluctantly compromised.

“Thank you, officers!”

Huang Kairong quickly expressed his gratitude.

And so, Huang Kairong was shackled and prepared to leave with the three officers.

“Constable Yu, shouldn’t we search the house? Huang Qi might be hiding inside.”

Just as they were about to leave, the youngest officer spoke up.

“Search my ass! Let’s go!”

Constable Yu snapped angrily.

The young officer flinched. Though he didn’t understand why, he didn’t dare bring it up again.

“Wife, if our son returns… tell him not to blame himself. This was my choice. Let him live well with Qi Huang. Even if I die, I’ll rest in peace… And take care of Father… I’ll repay you in the next life… Oh, and… don’t forget to harvest the crops… Otherwise, how will we afford the dowry?”

As Huang Kairong followed the officers, he suddenly realized he might never return. There were so many things left unsaid. He turned back, giving his wife one last set of tearful instructions.

Li Fen covered her mouth, weeping silently as she helplessly watched her husband leave.

“What’s going on? Didn’t Huang Qi already find a fiancée? Why was his father taken away?”

“Yeah, everyone saw them go to the county office to register that day!”

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“Did the girl change her mind?”

“Could be. Girls these days are picky—one wrong move and they’re gone. Especially a wealthy, high-born young lady like her.”

“Honestly, the moment I saw her, I knew this match wouldn’t last. Huang Qi isn’t good enough for her.”

The nearby villagers, having been drawn by the commotion, buzzed with gossip.

Back at the county inn, Huang Qi was still racking his brain for a solution when he noticed the three officers returning—this time with a gray-haired middle-aged man in tow.

Huang Qi’s gaze locked onto the man.

It was his father, Huang Kairong.

Though escorted by the officers, Huang Kairong walked with his head held high, striding resolutely toward the county office without a trace of fear.

“Why has Father been arrested? Is it because of my enlistment?”

Huang Qi immediately extended his spiritual senses to eavesdrop.

“Constable Yu, why didn’t we even search the house before leaving?”

The youngest officer couldn’t resist asking.

“Search? You wanna linger in that haunted hellhole? You got a death wish? We get two taels a month—why risk our necks?”

Constable Yu scoffed.

“Yeah, the place is crawling with ghosts. I wouldn’t stay a second longer than necessary.”

The portly officer at the back chimed in.

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“Ah Feng, if you’re so worried, why don’t you go back and search? Find him, and it’s all your credit.”

Constable Yu stopped walking, smirking.

“N-No! I didn’t mean that! I’m just worried the magistrate might charge us with negligence.”

The officer named Ah Feng quickly backpedaled.

“Who’s gonna tell him if we don’t?”

Constable Yu shot back.

Ah Feng hesitated, then glanced meaningfully at Huang Kairong.

After a moment’s thought, Constable Yu nodded. He turned to Huang Kairong.

“Huang Kairong, when we get to the office, you know what to say and what not to say, right?”

“Of course! If the magistrate asks, I’ll say you searched all of Huatian Village and couldn’t find my son.”

Huang Kairong nodded eagerly.

“Good. I don’t know if your son’s hiding at home, but you’d better make sure the magistrate believes he’s truly missing. Otherwise, you can forget about replacing him.”

Constable Yu warned.

“I understand! But I really must explain—my son is missing. He’s not hiding at home. I wouldn’t dare lie to you!”

Huang Kairong insisted earnestly.

“Enough talk. Move.”

Constable Yu waved him off impatiently.

Reassured, the group continued onward.

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“Father… I’m sorry. This is all my fault!”

Huang Qi withdrew his senses, shutting his eyes in anguish. He felt like an utter fool. His father was a simple, honest man—there was no reason for his arrest other than being dragged into his son’s mess.

“The only way to save him now is to register as soon as possible. But with these damn feet, how do I even get into the county office? Is the only way forward to fully feminize myself? But if I do that… I’ll lose my identity as a man forever!”

Huang Qi nearly tore at his hair, the pain barely grounding his frantic thoughts. Meanwhile, his father had already entered the county office—his lonely figure stabbing at Huang Qi’s heart like needles.

“If I can’t even save my own father, what kind of man am I?”

At this moment, Huang Qi finally understood what it truly meant to be a man.

And so, he made his final decision.

“For my father… let me be a real man, just this once!”

He poured a bowl of water and sat quietly, engraving this feeling deep into his memory. Then, he took out the item he had bought at the prefecture and measured out one-fifth of it.

“Goodbye… to the me of now.”

With a solemn farewell, he swallowed the dose.

Why only one-fifth?

Because one unconscious session wouldn’t be enough for the Human Skin Mask to spread to his feet.

And Huang Qi couldn’t guarantee he would dream every time. He had to be prepared for multiple attempts.

Lying back on the bed, fully clothed, his heart was a storm of emotions.

After about fifteen minutes, drowsiness finally overtook him.

The chaos in his mind dissolved into nothingness.