Chapter 414: Tears

Yan Jing had not expected Boss Rat to stay behind.

But he could not say anything else.

Otherwise, given Boss Rat's shrewdness, the man would definitely see right through him.

"Do we fight?" asked the Magician, who was currently "holding" Yan Jing hostage. He had no autonomy right now and could only follow Yan Jing's lead.

"We fight. Win, and you leave. Lose, and you die."

Yan Jing spoke in a low voice, using the unique power of the Fifth Rite so his words only reached the ears of the Magician and the Ancient Cultivator.

Hearing Yan Jing's words, the Magician instantly perked up.

They might not have been able to beat the son, but surely they could beat the father?

He exchanged a glance with the Ancient Cultivator beside him. Sharing a tacit understanding, the two surged with weird energy the next instant, sweeping it toward Boss Rat.

Bouquets of roses bloomed in the Magician's hands, their scattered petals spiraling outward to engulf Boss Rat.

The Ancient Cultivator tapped his toes against the ground. His figure blurred, appearing right beside Boss Rat to deliver a heavy punch.

Desperate to win, the two pushed their weird energy to the absolute limit. The terrifying power raged like a stormy sea, warping the surrounding space.

But Yan Jing's voice chimed in again. "If he dies, both of you will be buried with him."

The warning made both men stumble and nearly trip.

What kind of rules were these? Die if they lost, and die if they killed their opponent...

They had no other choice. No matter how stifled they felt, they could only obey.

Just as they prepared to dial back their weird energy, Boss Rat gently waved his claws. The barrage of roses and the forceful punch vanished without a trace.

Boss Rat waved his claws a second time, and the clothes on both men instantly disappeared.

The Magician was left wearing only white pajamas, while the Ancient Cultivator fared even worse, stripped down to a solitary pair of underwear.

Next, Boss Rat swung his claws a third time.

This time, the Magician's eyes went wide. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

A dark red heart throbbed in Boss Rat's hand. Its hideous blood vessels visibly began to wither and decay.

It was the Magician's heart.

A moment later, the Magician pitched forward and crashed to the ground, dead.

Giving the Ancient Cultivator no time to react, Boss Rat Blinked to Yan Jing's side. He grabbed Yan Jing with his two small claws and sprinted into the distance.

Yan Jing was a little dazed.

Wasn't his foster father a bit too strong?

He hadn't even fully processed what was happening before the battle was over.

In his bewildered state, Papa Rat had already carried him dozens of li away.

Only after confirming the Ancient Cultivator was completely out of sight did Papa Rat finally set Yan Jing down.

"Pops, you're way too strong."

Yan Jing gave a thumbs up, but Papa Rat didn't react.

He stood with his back to Yan Jing, completely still.

It wasn't until Yan Jing hesitantly patted his shoulder that Papa Rat turned around. He offered a nonchalant smile. "Of course. Your Pops was just faking it before. Otherwise, how do you think I managed to raise you three brats?"

"Alright, you head on first, kid. I need to go deal with that guy."

He gave Yan Jing a light shove and began walking back the way they came.

Yan Jing instinctively felt something was wrong. He was just about to chase after him when Papa Rat spoke in a low voice. "That's enough. Don't follow me."

"Don't drag your Pops down, kid."

After saying that, Papa Rat took a few steps forward before suddenly stopping again. "Mao Si, I failed you boys in the past. I didn't raise you right."

"It was my first time being a dad, so I wasn't very good at it... Just work hard under that Mr. Luo from now on..."

"But keep your wits about you. Don't just blindly do whatever he tells you."

"The path ahead is bound to be dangerous, but then again, is anything in this world one hundred percent safe?"

"If you want to achieve anything, you have to gamble. You have to take risks and endure ridicule. I never told you boys this before because I felt I'd already been through so much, and there was no need to force you to experience it too."

"But I overestimated myself."

"It's not too late, though. Si, if you're tired, take a rest. If you're not, keep moving forward. A lifetime is only a few decades. Everyone's just looking for a little sweetness amidst the suffering. Endure it long enough, and it'll eventually pass."

"It's the same for everyone."

"Alright, go back and wait. I'll be back in a bit."

With that, Papa Rat dropped to all fours.

He sprinted forward, vanishing from sight.

Watching Papa Rat's lonely retreating figure, Yan Jing's mind suddenly flashed back to the moments right before the original Mao Si died.

Back then, after Chen Xiaojing's Fifth Tier bodyguard had killed Mao Si, they lit a fire in that building and threw Mao Si's "corpse" into the flames.

But halfway through burning, Mao Si had woken up. He dragged himself out of the fire and lay on the ground, clinging to his last breath. After a few seconds of thought, he reached out his claws again, using his final ounce of strength to slowly crawl back into the flames.

At the time, Yan Jing had not understood why he did that, but now, he felt like he understood just a little bit.

In his daze, a familiar, heart-wrenching voice rang in Yan Jing's ears.

"Bufan!!!!!"

"Dad, Dad, I came back to life..."

"I saw, I saw."

"Dad, you're hurt too badly..."

"I'm fine... Bufan, listen to me. There are two train tickets in my room. Later, you and the Advisor take them and go to the train station together..."

"Listen to the Advisor. I've told him everything. Take this time to have a good talk with him. The Advisor is a capable man, so learn from him. Bufan, I'm sorry..."

"If I had known it would turn out like this, I never would have become the county magistrate. I couldn't find the people who killed you..."

"Bufan! Bufan!!!"

"Advisor, I, Wei Nantian, can no longer be this county magistrate. Whoever you see fit, let them take the position. As for your matters, Advisor, I'll have to owe you. Advisor, those three things I taught you last time apply everywhere. First, you must be ruthless! Nothing can be achieved without ruthlessness. When it's time to sever ties, you sever them..."

"I'm sorry." "I failed you boys." Amid the countless fragments of sound, Wei Nantian's voice suddenly merged with Papa Rat's. Yan Jing stared blankly ahead, his gaze unfocused and his thoughts racing.

He was the possessor of a golden finger, a Sixth Tier with limitless potential, a human being.

This was the Inner World, and Mao Si was nothing more than a role he was playing.

None of these things had anything to do with him.

His real body was currently on a plane, due to land in an hour or two. Once he got off that plane, he would still be Yan Jing.

He still had a mountain of things to do, and this ugly, gray, dusty rat wasn't his real Pops.

His father in his previous life had dumped him at an orphanage, and his father in this life wished he would just die in the Inner World.

From beginning to end, the only one that rat cared about was that cat—the cat that was already dead.

As he thought this, a single tear suddenly slipped from the corner of his eye.

Why was a person's life so bitter?

Perhaps this was an opportunity. With that thought, he Blinked forward.

"Sir... Sir..."

The Ancient Cultivator, having narrowly escaped death, shouted into the information component on his wrist.

On the other end, Che Taizai's voice transmitted over. "Is it taken care of?"

"N-no."

The Ancient Cultivator gave Che Taizai a rough summary of what had happened. After a few seconds of silence, Che Taizai spoke. "Wait a moment. I need to ask the President for instructions."

What followed was several minutes of agonizing waiting.

The Ancient Cultivator anxiously waited while continuing to flee into the distance.

Finally, Che Taizai's somber voice rang out from the information component. "The President has ordered that the mission must continue. Find that rat."

The Ancient Cultivator was dumbfounded. "But, Sir..."

"That is an order!"

Che Taizai's tone was resolute, brooking absolutely no hesitation. "We are the Presidential Security Department! Remember your duty!"

"But Sir, the enemy is too strong! We can't possibly win!"

"That is an order!!!"

Che Taizai's voice boomed from the other end again, filling the Ancient Cultivator's heart with bitterness.

One of his opponents was at least an Eighth Tier in strength, and the other had killed the Magician with just two waves of his claws. Wasn't this just sending him to his death?

Just as he was about to outright refuse the order, Che Taizai's tone suddenly softened. "Little Gu, do you really think the President would send you to your death?"

"Then what..."

The Ancient Cultivator froze.

Che Taizai explained slowly, "Of course this is a trap. The President already arranged for people to film from a distance. We've even captured evidence of that cat's crimes. However, that rat moved a bit too fast just now, and the Video Camera didn't catch it. You need to make them film it again, do you understand?"

"As long as we capture evidence of both their crimes, we can deploy the Heavenly Kingdom Weapon. Do you get it?"

Che Taizai's voice seemed to carry an indescribable power, gentle as flowing water, causing the Ancient Cultivator to nod subconsciously. "But... but what if another accident happens?"

"The President said that rat's trick can be used at most twice, and the second time will absolutely not be as strong as the first. Do you think the President would lie to you?!"

Che Taizai snapped.

"N-no, of course not."

The Ancient Cultivator immediately denied it. Then, before he could say another word, Che Taizai spoke up again. "The President also said you are permitted to reveal that someone is filming. As long as the other side knows, they will naturally back down."

Pausing for a moment, Che Taizai stressed once more, "This is an order!!!"

"Yes, Sir."

The call ended.

The Ancient Cultivator stared at his information component, let out a long sigh, and started walking back.

The enemy's methods were truly terrifying. Che Taizai had claimed this would deter them, but who knew what the reality was?

He made up his mind: the moment things looked bad, he would prioritize running away.

He could worry about everything else later. At worst, he would just flee to the Wasteland and become a scavenger.

As a Seventh Rank, couldn't he go anywhere he wanted?

Soon, the two crossed paths once again.

"Were you just on your information component?"

Papa Rat looked at the Ancient Cultivator, his expression grave.

The Ancient Cultivator forced a smile, pretending everything was fine. "What exactly are you trying to do? I'm warning you, you just assaulted an officer! An officer of the Presidential Security Department, no less!!!"

While saying this, he kept looking out of the corner of his eye for the so-called "filming." He hoped to bait Papa Rat into admitting to assaulting an officer, which would at least complete part of his mission.

But Papa Rat didn't fall for it at all. He said softly, "I don't know what you're talking about, officer. Is there someone else here?"

Was he exposed?

The Ancient Cultivator's heart sank. This rat was simply too sharp; just one extra sentence had made him suspicious.

He felt his palms sweating, worried that the so-called "filming" was just a lie Che Taizai had spun, and that no one was actually recording them at all.

But Papa Rat took a step forward and said, "I'm asking you, is there someone else around?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," the Ancient Cultivator replied in a heavy voice.

He could tell that this rat really cared about the "filming." Che Taizai likely hadn't lied to him.

"In today's Media Department, besides the Minister on the surface, there's a second one. A Seventh Rank. Rumor has it that the Heavenly Kingdom's entire media network is in her hands, and she holds dirt on more than half the officials in the Heavenly Kingdom Federation. Her cloaking ability is supposedly so good that even an Eighth Tier would struggle to spot her. I wonder if it's true."

Papa Rat took another step forward as he spoke softly.

"Heh..."

Reminded by Papa Rat, the Ancient Cultivator finally realized who was conducting the so-called filming.

He secretly released his weird energy to probe for the "Media Department Minister's" location, but watching Papa Rat take yet another step forward, he finally realized something was wrong.

Suddenly, he burst into laughter. "I get it now. The range of your ability the second time around is shorter than the first!"

With that, he retreated a few steps.

Just as he suspected, Papa Rat's face darkened, and he immediately lunged forward.

The Ancient Cultivator sneered and backed up a few more steps.

"Come on! If you have the guts, step a little closer!! I'll directly charge you with assaulting an officer!!!"

"Boss Rat, was it? I'm warning you—not just you, but your son too, are now at risk of being charged with assaulting an officer!!!"

The Ancient Cultivator was arrogant to the extreme, feeling as though he was exhaling all the pent-up frustration in his chest. "Boss Rat, hahaha! And here I thought you actually had some real ability. Let me tell you, even if your actions don't constitute assaulting an officer yet, your son's actions are set in stone!!! Mao Si assaulted the Presidential Security Department! He defied the laws of the Heavenly Kingdom!! The moment I get back, I'm reporting this to the President!!!"

Papa Rat's face grew increasingly dark. Weird energy surged secretly around him, and terrifying amounts of blood began to seep from his gray fur. As the Ancient Cultivator laughed maniacally, Papa Rat's sharp claws had already locked onto his target.

In truth, he wasn't afraid of being wanted by the Security Department. He didn't even care if he was wanted by the entire Heavenly Kingdom.

He wasn't afraid at all.

According to his original plan, he was supposed to become a wanted criminal, even meant to be captured and thrown into the legendary Great Prison.

Only then could Crocodile use that merit to potentially compete against Quan Qiaozhong for the position of President.

But the time wasn't right yet.

First, he hadn't yet stirred up the public outrage of the entire Heavenly Kingdom. Second, Crocodile hadn't yet been elected as a Heavenly Kingdom senator.

Without inciting public outrage across the Heavenly Kingdom, the impact of Crocodile catching him would be minimal.

And if Crocodile hadn't yet become a Heavenly Kingdom senator, his chances of winning wouldn't be great either.

So this was not the optimal time.

He knew. He knew all of this.

Just as he had told Crocodile, he was very calm right now. Absurdly calm.

But that didn't mean he would stay his hand.

Someone had to fail.

But Mao Si couldn't die.

At the very least, Mao Si couldn't die just because he had refused to act.

So now, he was prepared to shoulder everything himself.

Yet before he could strike, the sound of a piano—clear as a mountain spring—suddenly echoed through the air. In the next instant, the entire world seemed to freeze.

Yan Jing leaped down from the Piano conjured by the Painting Spirit. Blinking to the Ancient Cultivator's side, he immediately unleashed several Fear Thorns.

Immediately after, he appeared in a nearby corner. Countless threads surged from his eyes, impaling a figure hiding within the shadows.

Gurgling blood flowed out like a fountain.