The click of the shoe heels to the floor echoed in the silent pale blue cabin as a man with silver hair and pink eyes walked in holding a Fold device. He wore a steel blue suit and pale pink tie, making his entire demeanour scream power.
A man with salt and pepper hair sat on a throne-like chair, bent over a bundle of papers.
"Chairman Xiu."
The old man hummed, straightening out his tie.
"There is a troubling request from home."
The man stopped moving. He stared at the young man in front of him.
"What?" he asked.
The young man fidgeted. "That...mother wants...see...your daughter-"
A crystal ashtray was thrown at the young man's head.
The man let it hit him, cringing at the sting it left behind as it shattered to pieces.
"I have no daughter!" the man hissed.
He waved his hand and created another ashtray beside his Hologram screen made of ice.
The young man's hand tightened into a fist. "But father, sh-"
"I have told you many times not to call me that in the office!"
The young man nodded. "You are right, sir. I'm sorry."
"Now is there anything else you want to talk about that does not involve that disgraceful woman?"
The young man pursed his lips stubbornly. "Mo-mother wants to see Rui before she dies!"
The old man collapses, a despondent look flitting through his face. "Why?"
"She believes her time is near."
The old man snorted. "So that's why. That Madam Xiu, she knows how to use her illness as a weapon!"
The young man sighed. "It's been 19 years. We don't even know if she is doing okay."
The old man sighed. "What is the use of knowing when she abandoned us! That stupid girl!"
He looked at the young face of his son. "Fine! Go check, and see if she wants to meet with her dear mother before she passes on. It has been so many years and she hasn't even tried to reach out to us!"
The young man smiled. "I've already asked Si Fei to check it. He said he has news."
Another crystal ashtray came towards his face, but the man caught it quickly.
The old man huffed in anger and pointed a finger at him. "Xiu Ru! You brat! Going behind my back! You!"
Xiu Ru sweatdropped. "Father, please calm down. I didn't mean to let you know I did this behind your….I mean, I didn't mean to deceive you!"
The old man gaped at him. "You! Do you think I didn't hear the first part of your sentence!"
"Can't you pretend you didn't?"
"You!"
Another ashtray flew to his face. He caught that as well. "Rui must have a child now, right?"
The old man stilled. He huffed and muttered.
"I didn't hear you father, and I'm said to have good hearing."
The old man glared. "Who knows if that D-Rank was capable enough! I hope he wasn't!"
"Father!"
"You keep quiet!"
Someone knocked on the cabin door.
"Come in," the old man said.
"Chairman Xiu," a young man with brown hair said and came in. His face was twisted in a grimace.
"Have you found big sister?" Xiu Ru asked in excitement.
The old chairman leaned in as well.
The young man fidgeted.
"Si Fei! Don't make me take out the cane!" the old man said to him.
Si Fei sighed. "I traced many terminals and pinpointed Young Miss's whereabouts."
"And?" Xiu Ru asked with a grin.
" They had eloped to Earth."
The old man hit the table with his fist. "That's why! That's why I couldn't find them! It didn't occur to me that this Cheng was resourceful enough to travel to Earth!"
"So you found sister then?" Xiu Ru asked.
Si Fei cringed. "Xiu Rui changed her name to Cheng Rui."
Xiu Ru frowned. "Why are you saying things in such a roundabout way? Just tell us!"
"Cheng Rui gave birth to a female child."
Chairman Xiu hummed. "I see. Tell her to bring the child as well when she comes, Xiu Ru. I'm sure the Mrs would be more than happy to see the hellspawn."
"Yes, Chairman Xiu," Xiu Ru said with a grin.
Chairman Xiu got up to leave.
"She is dead."
The old man whirled towards the young man. "What did you say?"
Xiu Ru grabbed the younger man by the collar and plastered him to the wall. He grabbed Si Fei by the throat.
Frost began to coat Si Fei's skin, burning it. "I dare you to say that again!"
Si Fei gritted his teeth at the pain. "Cheng Rui died three years ago in a terror attack in Australia. There was a Fire Manifestation user who tried to kill off children in a local school and Ms Xi- Mrs Cheng was in the area as a tourist and tried to help the police force. The fire user was A-Ranked and she held on for three hours before her heart gave out."
The old man collapsed to the floor.
Tears flowing down his face, Xiu Ru ran to his father's prone form. "Father! Father!"
The ambulance was called and Chairman Xiu was taken away.
Xiu Ru's face was blank as he looked at the profile of the Cheng Family.
"What about my niece?" Xiu Ru asked with a frown. "Why isn't her file here?"
Si Fei sighed. "I tried to retrieve it but the file is under DNA Registration."
Xiu Ru raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. We will be leaving for Earth as soon as father has recovered then."
Si Fei frowned. "We are?"
"I'm bringing my big sister's child back. Mother will want to meet her...and father as well, I guess."
"But...what about Cheng Lan?"
"What about him?"
"I see."
Si Fei watched the cold face of his boss in trepidation. This was not going to end well.
In The Other World, Long City.
Gu Shu looked at her player interface with a frown.
"What's wrong?"
Gu Shu shook her head. "Nothing. Just my father saying some big shot is coming to Earth and is going to stay as a guest in our home. Shouldn't have activated the chat function."
"Who is the big shot?"
"Don't know."
"Sister Xiu is amazing, isn't she?" Chu Ying asked in a whisper.
Rin and Fin had gone off to buy food, while the rest had gone to place bets.
Almost all the Arenas of towns and cities in The Other World had betting chambers and were always full.
The newest bet was on the Grandmasters Arena though.
Many still believed that the experts would win the next round and bet on them while 10% bet on Cheng Xiu just to be contrary. There were less than 2% who believed she had a chance.
"Who do you think will win?" Chu Ying asked.
Gu Shu gave her a deprecated smile. "I want A'Xiu to win but that might be too much huh?"
Chu Ying shrugged. "I don't know."
"She is good at it," Gu Shu said, a mellow look on her face. "She is good at everything. It comes with being a hyper-genius, I guess. She is good at all the artsy stuff too. Drawing, dancing...except singing. She is tone deaf. And she is only that much better than me at cooking! Boiling eggs is not cooking."
Chu Ying smiled.
Gu Shu looked at the empty space where the virtual screen was. "But she was the best at gaming. It used to be her passion."
"What hap-"
"Here you are!" Fin said, handing Chu Ying a plate of burgers and fries.
The girl took it with an awkward look.
Gu Shu's eyes were still on the Arena display, her mind elsewhere.
Rin raised her hand to call her but was stopped by Chu Ying.
"She seems to be in deep thought. Let's wait for her to return from it! There are times when people get enlightened while doing nothing!"
Rin gave her a sceptical look but shrugged.
"Whatever," she muttered and bit into the burger.
The others returned shortly after and they are their meal in silence.