Light Fortress
Chapter 288 - 264 Parting Joy (2)

Chapter 288: Chapter 264 Parting Joy (2)

Mr. Cui Zhongcheng stood on the layer upon layer of withered leaves, gazing at the distant, slender mountain path, and knocked on the car window next to him.

There was still someone sitting in the car.

"Mr. Xiao Cui..."

Zhao Qi was on pins and needles. He dared not get out of the car, looking through the car window towards the direction from which Lu Nanzhi was coming. He knew more than anyone what this conversation meant... his father intended to confess openly what he had done at the Freedom Hall.

The people under Lu Nanzhi were not to be trifled with!

However... it seemed there was some good news.

This time Lu Nanzhi had arrived, apparently without many people.

At least for now, he hadn’t seen the calamity he feared the most...

"Where did Crow go? Did he come?" Zhao Qi shrank in the back seat, carefully observing around, fearful of being noticed by the other side, but after a long look, he realized Lu Nanzhi seemed to have brought only two people.

One he had met before at the Freedom Dance.

Seemed to be from the Judgement Institute?

The other... was dressed rather oddly, draped in a round-shouldered cloak, probably not a Transcendent of the East Continent. However, given his attire, he didn’t look like any master.

Zhao Qi’s vision was limited, afraid he might have misjudged.

"Song Ci didn’t come." Mr. Cui Zhongcheng spoke calmly, "Why, afraid of being beaten by him?"

"Not exactly..."

Zhao Qi swallowed, his voice tiny and lacking confidence as he corrected, "...afraid of being killed by him."

Song Ci was notoriously insane.

He had been caught red-handed at the dance before, nearly getting skinned.

If Song Ci had been present today, he wouldn’t dare to leave the car no matter what.

Mr. Cui Zhongcheng adjusted his glasses and said softly, "I might as well tell you the truth, Song Ci was injured in a battle against the ’Angel Envoy’ and is currently healing."

Hearing this, Zhao Qi breathed a sigh of relief.

"However... you can escape for a day, but can you escape for a year?" Mr. Xiao Cui continued, "After the battle with the Angel Envoy, Song Ci’s status is nothing like before. Now, he is an important figure in the East Continent Council, absolutely central, carrying the will of the Divine Throne. Once his injuries heal, if he wants to catch you, it won’t matter if you’re in Da Du; there’s nowhere to hide."

Hearing this, Zhao Qi was stunned.

He was somewhat dazed, and unconsciously said, "But my father..."

He stopped mid-sentence.

Lu Nanzhi pushing his wheelchair, rolling over the layers of withered leaves, entered into the evening on the desolate mountain; he also saw this from inside the car.

His father was once like a towering mountain, formidable and unapproachable...

Now, he could only reside in a chair, aged, withered, like a piece of dead leaf.

"Think about it... You may resist the old master’s arrangement from before, but if you insist on staying in Da Du, no one can assure what your tomorrow will be like. Perhaps someday, an enraged Song Ci could smash your head with a single punch, it’s not impossible," Mr. Cui Zhongcheng said calmly. "Of course... these are under the premise that the lady forgives you. If she chooses not to forgive today, even going to the North Continent... is but a far-fetched hope."

Zhao Qi opened his mouth, wanting to speak but then hesitated.

He wanted to ask Mr. Xiao Cui to save him... but he remembered, a long time ago, this assistant to a councilor, who managed the keys for the "Zhao Family," had already denied his request.

He had thought he could live his entire life as carefree and joyful as a mud puddle.

Who could deny his requests?

Who dared to deny his requests?

It wasn’t until the mountain he loathed most was about to collapse that Zhao Qi realized his foolishness.

Mud relies on walls, unrelated to mud, related to walls.

Once the wall falls... the mud can only live in a pit.

...

...

Zhao Qi hung his head, seemingly in deep contemplation... but in reality, his mind was a blank, the choices for the future, the encounters, all muddled together at this moment.

On the day of the alternate councilor ceremony, Lu Nanzhi stood up to sing the dissenting vote, positioning himself against his father, against the flower banner... At that time, he thought that this woman would lose terribly.

But now, it seemed he was wrong.

His father had chosen this day to talk with Lu Nanzhi here, which was already a form of compromise.

When had his father ever compromised before?

The legislative struggle in Da Du... would probably come to an end soon.

So, what should he choose?

Really... should he go to North Continent?

"Knock, knock, knock."

As Zhao Qi was lost in his tangled thoughts, a gentle knocking sound came from outside the car window. Young Master Zhao, looking perplexed, lifted his head and saw a familiar face.

This youth... was the security personnel responsible for checking the guests at the Freedom Dance.

In the past, this was a minor character he wouldn’t have glanced at twice.

But now it was different... this was a close servant brought by Lu Nanzhi, and he might have to deal with him in the future.

Zhao Qi rolled down the window, making an effort to muster a hint of a smile.

"Judgement Institute, Gu Shen." Cui Zhongcheng briefly introduced Gu Shen, saying, "Mr. Shu’s closed-door disciple, the new S-rank."

"I’ve heard a lot about you..." Zhao Qi, sitting in the car, did not want to move, more precisely, he dared not move.

Hiding in this corner, with trouble coming to him, could it be good news?

"You’re too kind... Mr. Zhao, we’re old acquaintances." Gu Shen asked with a smile, "Mr. Xiao Cui, may I have a word with him alone?"

When had Gu Shen and Zhao Qi become old acquaintances?

Cui Zhongcheng slightly raised an eyebrow.

He saw Zhao Qi’s coiled position inside the car and the look of resistance written all over his face...That expression was nearly spelling out "we are not close" on his forehead.

Zhao Qi cast a pleading look at Cui Zhongcheng.

Was he hoping that he would decline politely on his behalf?

Mr. Xiao Cui spoke softly, "Since you’re old acquaintances, I won’t disturb you two from catching up."

He did not speak for Zhao Qi, choosing instead to leave.

The whole world seemed to quiet down.

Gu Shen gently pressed a hand against the rolled-down car window, not exerting much force, but the car’s connection to Deep Sea’s main control system suddenly failed, no matter how hard the composed Zhao Qi frantically pressed the remote control, he could not roll up the window again.

"Mr. Zhao?"

Gu Shen slightly furrowed his brow and smiled, "It seems you are not welcoming me?"

"Not at all..." Zhao Qi smiled weakly, "It’s just that we’ve only met once, which hardly makes us old acquaintances... There probably isn’t much to talk about, right?"

"Oh... is that so?"

Gu Shen said softly, "Think about it carefully, have we really only met once?"

Zhao Qi was stunned.

A flame flickered between Gu Shen’s brows, carrying with it a trace of memory from the old town deep into the night, crashing into Zhao Qi’s mind.

Night wind. Streetlight. Motorcycle. Alcohol.

And... a heavy punch.

Countless fragments flashed back, finally igniting like a firing pin, and Zhao Qi instantly awakened from his memories, gasping heavily, unsettled as he looked out at the youth outside the car window.

"Was it you that night?!"

Gu Shen chuckled softly, "So, as I said... we are old acquaintances."

He pointed inside the car, asking, "I want to talk to you... should you come out, or should I go in?"