Li Yun's eyes widen in surprise as a sense of small appreciation drifted through her momentarily as she nodded her head, "Thank you."
Willow sighed as she wondered the reason why Li Yun didn't just called her crazy or anything yet and nodded back briefly, "However, what confirmed it was what happened yesterday evening."
Yes, yesterday because it was currently three in the morning of the next day.
"You should know that, since her mother is a goddess, there are other celestials." Willow responded, "One of them is Hades who is ordering his demichildren to create these havoc to release him from the underworld. That's why we're in this big mess and Li Yan lost her father."
Li Yun stared at her in shock, "Hades was sealed in the underworld? I've heard bits and pieces of mythology, but I never knew it was really like that."
Willow nodded, "To give you a better idea of what his children has done, Elijah is his demigod son."
Hearing his name, Li Yun shuddered in bewilderment. She knew of what the man had done and that he vanished during the UN conference where he failed to win the leading position. If such a man creating the chaos he did back in America and the rest of the countries was the son of Hades, then parts of it made sense. He was taking lives for his father while trying to become the most wealthiest and powerful man in the world.
"Such a man was a demigod?" Li Yun muttered in a daze.
Willow nodded, "Those two women and three men were the ones who killed him. He's not missing. He's dead."
Hearing this, Li Yun let out another breath in relief, "Then, the one creating this mess is..."
"One of his siblings." Willow responded, "I was told that he has a few according to my father."
"Your father?" Li Yun raised a brow.
Willow sighed with a nod, "Yup. I was dying at one point when he and the Jade emperor went to randomly find a representative to help stop this mess. In the end, they randomly picked me when I was dying just so they could blackmail me. As long as I help them knock down those kids, I get to keep my life."
"How could they-?!" Li Yun gasped in bewilderment having her this side to a diety of the Chinese culture.
Willow shrugged, "It's already happened and it'd benefit me too. More importantly, those children are the ones responsible for the outbreak in China and the zombies. They've gone around creating chaos and took control of some demigods unwilling to pick their side. That group back there was saved from their side. However, it was during that rescue that confirmed my suspicions."
"Huh?" Li Yun raised a brow, "How did that happen?"
"There is a girl by the English name of Serah. She tamed a hell hound of the Celtic culture called a Black Dog or Church Grim." Willow quickly explained the identity of the black dogs before continuing, "When her dog tried to attack me, she stopped, cowered, and ran back to her owner."
"And this has to do with Little Li?"
Willow nodded, "Hecate once saved a queen of a fallen kingdom by changing her into a black dog. Out of gratitude, that black female dog has forever remained loyal towards Li Yan's mother and became her familiar. With such a bond, Serah's black dog wouldn't dare to jump at me because I smelled like Li Yan whom you know have been staying in my room for the nights since you were recuperating."
Willow smiled, "They would not dare to harm a child of Hecate out of fear and loyalty. So, why would they harm me who has Li Yan's scent?"
"Then, it won't harm her." Li Yun breathed.
Willow found the mother to be very kind and caring towards a child whom she discovered isn't entirely human. If it had been Li Fei's mother, Willow knew she wouldn't think twice to keep her at a distance out of fear towards her and her father. After all, she seduced a god.
Speaking of which, she should really investigate how she was capable of doing that. She doubted it was by normal means. Willow continued, "Now, the problem is that those children are trying to capture demigods for their own uses and brainwash them. They'll definitely try to come after Li Yan to see if she can create an army of undead. I'll tell you this. I doubt she has enough power at her age to do such a task and she doesn't have the mentality for it either."
"Then, how can I keep her safe?" Li Yun asked, "She's too young for all of this."
"Most demigods rarely have the chance for a normal life." Willow responded, "Right now, she can learn from me what I'm learning until she can leave my side to protect you or they will try to target you and your son too. You don't plan to leave her side, do you?"
"Of course not!" The mother said firmly, "She's my daughter."
Willow smiled, "I see. The reason why they were able to find the Li family was because there was another demigod within the family."
"Another demigod?! There was another demigod in my cousin's house?"
Li Yun looked to Willow in bewilderment, "But how did you-"
"I lived in that town." Willow smirked, "Of course I knew. I just never heard of the eldest son having a child."
"Such a thing..." Li Yun stared at her in confusion.
Willow smiled, "I was wondering if it was the same Li family we were talking about but turns out it was. I just never knew they were gone by the time I was away from the town."
"But," Li Yun frowned, "Besides Li Yan, who else could be a demigod? First Cousin, Second Cousin and Third Cousin are Eldest Uncle's and Aunt's children."
"You haven't heard?" Willow raised a brow when she heard this, "There's a true rumor going around the town when the third son was just a toddler."
"A toddler?" Li Yun raised a brow recalling her third cousin, "But it must've been a long time ago..."
"It was still alive when I was there." Willow shrugged, "That the wife of the Li family once cheated on her husband."
"What?!" Li Yun looked like as if a bomb had just fell on top of her when she looked to Willow in shock, "My Aunt? That can't be?!"
Willow shrugged, "It doesn't matter if you believed it or not, but that event led to a daughter in the family. I don't know why she gave birth to the child, but she did and that girl was said to have been kicked out of the family not long after the wife passed away. Before then, she was spotted often walking to school by herself. It's said that the husband took pity on the child and took her in knowing that she wasn't his child."
"But, my aunt has always been with my uncle whenever I seen them." There was a sudden pause before Li Yun continued in thought, "Wait..."
She sucked in a cold breath as she continued, "There was a time when first cousin's personality suddenly took a change around aunty. But, I thought it was due to his growth?"
Li Yun turned to her, "But, I've never seen the child."
Willow shrugged, "Of course, you haven't. Even if the whole town was to know, why would the family want to show a child not related to the family to the other branches? Not even the mother wanted anything to do with her after her birth. Yet, it was a mystery why she decided to give birth to her in the first place."
"Such a thing..."
Seeing her disbelief, Willow sighed, "Well, as you can guess, that girl was also a demigod. Somehow, the wife ended up catching a celestial figure. Very confusing since that figure is a god. How could he be tricked by a human or did he do it intentionally?"
Hearing this, Li Yun was speechless. Willow continued, "Either way, those children of Hades have a demigod that could help them detect when a demigod uses their ability like a cellphone and a satellite. Because both, Li Yan and this girl, never had full control of their ability. They ended up catching those kids' attention, especially when there are two of them under one household. However, when they came, they only thought there was just one child, but, by then, that girl had already been kicked out of the house and nobody has found her."
With a nod, Willow continued, "I bet the reason your father took Li Yan out was because they felt that there was another child in the house and tried to take her away. I'm pretty sure he must've had a good idea on what was going on by then, which was why he took action before they found out. Of course, when they did realize Li Yan was gone, they started to attack the family for hiding another child from them."
"Father figured it all out." Li Yun muttered in bewilderment, "He must've known because Aunty's daughter and Li Yan both don't have the other parent known. Then, what happened to her daughter? Is she still around?"
"Her daughter?" Willow raised a brow, "I've heard from Serah's own mouth earlier. They caught her, manipulated her, and disposed of her to a mountain side when she failed her first mission. Meaning the worst."
Li Yun didn't know what to say. She had never known her cousin's family had such a dark secret when compare to their outside appearance. Knowing that there had been another child birthed from her aunt's affair, it was no wonder her cousin's attitude took such a change.
She also knew that her uncle took great care of his public appearance, so she can assume why they took in the child if even Willow knew of the existence of the girl.
Knowing her uncle, she can guess why he didn't divorce her.
Yet, she can't help but pity the girl who perished in all of this. Li Yun recalled that there had been a time when she couldn't visit certain parts of the house her uncle and grandparent's lived. Perhaps that was where the girl lived at? But, why did her aunt do such a thing?
In her mind, her aunt was kind and always tried to be virtuous in her own sense. Why this sudden change?
She didn't want to believe it, but she can't explain for the sudden change in her first cousin's attitude. He had been confident and reckless when they were children and often got into mischief with his own sense of justice but later became overly cautious of everyone and a bit more demanding than usual. Such a thing can only be explained by Willow's words.
As the eldest of their generation, Li Yun thought that it was because he was growing into a teenage phase, but it wasn't the case at all. Realizing pains Li Yun deeply when she thought of the situation her cousin was in. He had his faults, yes. But, he always had the best intentions, yet what about now?
Suddenly, the thought of such an event made her realize that she no longer knew the cousin she had once spent so much time with when they were young. Now the boy was long gone leaving behind a seven year old child whom he never cared for. How was that such a good thing?
Though Li Yun felt pity towards the daughter of her aunt, she decided to place higher priority towards her children. They were the only thing she now have left of her family. She can't lose them too!
"Will you be taking Li Yan away from me?" Li Yun questioned nervously.
"Not right now." Willow sighed and leaned back, "Li Yan's too young to leave your side, but when she's a little older. If we don't do it by then, the chances of others finding her will increase. You can't continue to confine her in our sights after all. She'll have to leave the nest one day. Better that she becomes strong enough to protect herself than to stay with important people around her."
Li Yun disliked the idea very much. In her heart, Li Yan was not very different from her son. They are both her children!
Thinking of parting with Li Yan before adulthood was already unbearable to her.
Willow was no idiot to have seen the reluctance in the mother's eyes. She had seen her own parent's devotion towards her family in her previous life. They'd jump into a lake to save her and her siblings even if they didn't know how to swim.