Karni was speed walking through the hallway until he reached the room labelled with Shi Ying. He took a small breath and entered.
He could immediately notice the gloom in the room - the source of it being Shi Ying herself. She looked older than usual today.
He was only gone for a single weekend yet her demeanour changed so much. Just what happened?
She noticed Karni entered and her face lit up for a moment before a bittersweet smile permanently put itself on her face.
"Is everything okay? I heard the police visited during the weekend." Karni had to wonder just what kinds of things the police told her for her to turn this way. Was there a break in the case? But then why would they bother this old lady so?
Grandma Ying nodded. "They did. They… told me some things…" She averted her eyes.
Karni was shaken up a bit. Did they tell her about what happened? But why? The police told him everything would be kept under wraps due to the delicate nature of the case. Two children were involved, and the police didn't want such news to spread much, especially since they were under the protection of Soul Sages.
From what he could tell, Grandma Ying was deeply hurt by whatever she heard.
Karni sat down on the chair and waited for Grandma Ying to tell everything at her own pace. This was something that made her uncomfortable, so Karni didn't wish to actually push it out of her.
"They told me some unsavoury things about my son."
Karni raised an eyebrow. Unsavoury things? That was a bit weirdly worded.
Grandma Ying sighed to herself. Was it ok to tell this to a ten year old child? He had nothing to do with this. He has been extremely kind to her throughout everything. And the people she faced… They were dangerous, they knew way too much about everything and their position gave them concrete power over this whole situation.
Then she paused for a second and remembered. 'We heard he almost killed a kid, and another one bashed his skull in.' She could still remember the loathsome laugh.
She looked at Karni for a second. Realising something she didn't even think about previously. But… would it be alright to question him? What if he had nothing to do with it? If she was just pulling an innocent child into this whole situation. It would endanger him needlessly.
She gathered her mind. She had to be delicate with her questions. She had to ask him. For her own piece of mind.
"They told me a bit about the events when he… almost killed a child. I didn't even know. I knew he endangered people but… to go after a child." Her hands started shaking just at the thought of it.
"The… police said that?" Karni was now getting nervous. For multitudes of reasons. First, Shi Ying knowing this, but also, why would the police tell her something like this? It wasn't just for them that this was kept under wraps, but also for the sake of the lady and her health by the request of the hospital. When one finds out such things about their child, it would shake them to their core. She already had to live in a hospital, this really wasn't healthy for her. It was cruel, but something deemed necessary by the staff in the hospital.
"Mm. They also said another child put my son… into this… state."
Shit. Karni thought to himself. If the first piece of info was bad, then this was even worse. No, it couldn't even compare, not to him, since that was him. He was that child.
The old lady turned towards him with questions in her eyes. "Please, Karni. Can you tell me what exactly happened that day? What did my son do? What exactly did he look like, you said you were there right?"
Karni swallowed his saliva. His hands were slightly shaking, then he noticed Grandma Ying's were too. Of course. She was scared as well. Her mind was currently in loop. There were two conflicting thoughts. She wished Karni was the one who almost died by her son's hands. She wished this, and she hated herself for it.
She knew on an instinctive level, she wouldn't be able to forgive anyone who put her son into such a state, no matter the reasons. She understood it wasn't actually wrong, but she raised that boy up herself. She could still remember everything vividly. She truly hoped Karni wouldn't have anything to do with this.
Karni could somehow tell. Her state of mind was a mess, he could tell such things by now. He resolved himself. If he told her everything now. He was sure there would be nothing more after this. Not only between them, but… he was scared about what she would do. With herself.
He could tell that part of it was his own guilt, the other was his cowardness. He was scared to lose this kind old lady. He'll tell her part of it. But he'll tell her the truth some other day. When he's ready, when she knows more, and when she can think about everything more clearly. When he can… Even though it wasn't right. These feelings are within him. He wanted to do both, but they were contradictory.
To protect a person can be out of goodness, but if that comes at the cost of the agency of that person? Was it right? He didn't think so. He didn't, yet… Didn't he also have the agency to choose when he can face such topics. He watched his hands, they were so tightly clasped together that they were white.
She might not forgive him for hiding the truth. No. She might be right not to. But he wasn't ready to face this. And he hated that fact.
His mind forcibly removed the flashing memories of blood and gore from that day and his hands stopped shaking.
"The friend I mentioned before. The one I got into a fight with. Well, she was quite hurt… by him. She almost died. He hit her near her heart. Usually, she'd have the skills to dodge, but she was rescuing someone else…" Karni stopped for a second, still remembering the visual like it was yesterday.
"Before we knew it, your son was already neutralised. And we were too late to actually stop everything from happening. It was panic all round, I could barely realise what was happening due to worry."
"The friend who attacked couldn't control himself. And he regrets it. It's why we all fought."
"The one who almost died claimed he deserved it." Grandma Ying physically flinched when hearing that, because she knew that, if anyone had the right to say such a thing, it was that person.
"I claimed we could've done better. And the friend who did everything felt extremely guilty about everything. He doesn't remember most of the event. The last thing he remembers is being pulled out of the trance after everything by the friend who was shot."
Grandma Ying's hands were shaking a little. She… Had trouble believing this. But she knew she couldn't push this much farther, she shouldn't be asking the child about this anyway. Especially because she was going to ask him some other things as well. There were also no actual faults with his story and what she heard either. But the fact he appeared back then was suspicious on its own. It's just… She wanted to believe him. For her own sake.
"Thank you for telling me." It was all she could say.
Karni noticed she didn't completely believe him either. But if she wasn't going to push the subject he wasn't either. She wasn't ready to hear it and he wasn't ready to say it.
They sat there in silence for some time, before Grandma Ying gulped and sighed.
"I need to ask of you something, a favour. I hope you don't ask too many questions about it." She had a shameful look on her. She felt so powerless that she had to ask a child something like this. Especially considering her previous thoughts.
"I… I need money, Karni. If you could give some to me, I would greatly appreciate it."
Karni frowned. That… Was something he didn't see coming at all. She needed money? What for exactly? He was covering her bills, and her son's bills, he didn't have that much saved up either.
Then it suddenly clicked. "Those guys weren't the police were they?"
Grandma Ying trembled a little bit, but shook her head. "They were."
"That makes no sense. You said they told you all of that info, now you suddenly ask for money, they knew some weird things about your son as well."
"Of course they told me all of that, I'm his mother after all."
Karni shook his head and sighed. He had to reveal some more things. "I was there as a witness. The police ruled it better for all the information to be kept a secret, because children were involved. It was also considered delicate information for you, who is his mother, considering his situation would already affect your health."
Grandma Ying was quiet for a second. "Please. I don't want you to become involved with this."
Karni shook his head. "We need to report this. We were all strictly told to stay quiet about everything, yet information was leaked. The police would want to hear this. These might also be the guys who gave your son the illegal railgun."
"No!" She shouted for a second. "You can't. It was the police. I told you it was the police."
Karni now had a weird look on his face.
"Please, Karni. You can't tell a soul. These people are dangerous. They are corrupt police. It's… It's… They are the reason I need the money. The police, it's so corrupt my son was in their debt."
Karni was now angry. Frustrated. Corrupt police? Was it really corrupt police?
"Are you sure they weren't faking it?"
Grandma Ying nodded. "The hospital let them in without question. And… They aren't just any police. They're soul masters. Please, Karni. You said they gave him some railgun? Think about it. If they can supply such things…"
Karni understood her worries, but he was so angry. If not for these bastards, none of this would've happened.
He wanted to give the detective a call, but now he wasn't so sure anymore. Even he knew some basics about how the police worked in this world. Soul Master police wasn't just any police. If these guys were the real deal. They were in trouble.
He'll have to ask Teacher Ye about this. She might know how to actually help. He really wished Mo Qing wouldn't have left this very day. With his power, everything would've been easier.
"Please, Karni. Promise me you won't tell anyone about this. Promise me you'll forget about this." Grandma Ying was currently crying. She shouldn't have told this child anything. She regretted that her own actions exposed him to such danger. She shouldn't have questioned him. She should've just asked the staff to turn him away.
Karni sighed and apologised to her in his mind. He had to lie again. There's no way he's letting this go. "I… I promise. I'll give you the money next time."
"Thank you." Grandma Ying almost whispered. Her mind was truly a mess right now.
"Can you tell me how they looked? If I'm in the hospital, then I can avoid them."
Grandma Ying didn't think anything of it right now. She was already a bundle of emotions due to all this. "I mostly remember their leader. He was big, and strong. He was a Soul Elder. Brown hair, tan skin, dark eyes. Wore a leather jacket. That's all I can remember. For the other two, there were three total, one was very small, while the other was quite pale. If you see a group of three, big, small and pale, that should be enough to know to avoid them. Maybe stop visiting during the weekends all together."
Karni nodded. "Let's change the topic. It isn't good to keep on thinking about all this. And I think you need something to cheer you up."
Grandma Ying giggled, for a change. "No worries, I still have my strength in me, how else would I be able to handle those bullies." She pulled up her sleeves and showed her muscles. Or lack there off.
Karni laughed but also felt sad, seeing those thin arms that clearly lacked energy. At least he managed to mask his worry.
"I went to my friend's house this week. I research soul tools, and the friend invited me to maybe offer me a partnership deal. It was quite exciting."
"Oho? You must be quite talented. What sort of soul tools do you research?"
Karni thought for a bit. "Until now, I didn't have a particular direction, just researched them in general, but there, I met my friend's sister."
"Oho?" The grandma made a teasing look. "Didn't you have a little girlfriend already?"
Karni laughed a bit. He was glad that he got her in better spirits. "No, it's not anything like that, and I don't have a girlfriend."
"If you say so. So what did this sister tell you?"
"She's much older than me, Grandma Ying." Karni sighed.
"So what, age is but a number."
Karni coughed a bit. He most definitely didn't agree with that at the moment, especially considering his situation as a reincarnated person.
"She… is in a wheelchair. She suffered an accident and now doesn't have upper limbs, while her lower ones don't work anymore."
"Oh… I'm sorry."
"It's okay. She's surprisingly positive about everything. Thinking about her situation and the fact their family is a medicinal one, I'm thinking of researching medicinal soul tools. Like prosthetics and augmentations." Karni looked at the Grandma who he's never seen move from the bed before. He might be able to help her as well someday.
"That is quite a noble goal for one so small." She was proud of this little child. It reminded her of how her own son wanted to be a hero and change the world when he was but a kid.
Ah, there she went again. Thinking about her own son.
Karni caught this. He was used to it by now.
He quickly started speaking again. Describing what a nice backyard the Tie family had, and how they made a lot of things for their daughter.
… … …
Karni left the hospital very late that day. He managed to avoid trouble, yet guilt gnawed at him for still keeping secrets from Grandma Ying.
He'll tell her everything someday. But for now, he had more urgent matters to do. He had to make things right with her son as well. Those soul masters who caused everything. He had to investigate more.
He picked up his soul communicator and dialled a number.
"Hey Sisi. Yeah, I'm returning right now. Listen. There's some new information. I think it'd be good if we ask Teacher Ye about her opinion tomorrow and then go to the restaurant as soon as possible. I'll tell you everything when I get back."
He put down the communicator. His eyes determined. He had to make this right. And when he gets to the bottom and gets those responsible, then, then he'll be able to tell the truth. Then he'll be able to take some responsibility.
… … …
Grandma Ying stared into the dark ceiling. She was supposed to be sleeping, but she just couldn't. Karni did get her in a better mood today, but at the same time some questions kept on rising up in her head.
The main one was the fact that his answers about what happened that day were vague. She remembered his trembling hands, the guilt in his eyes. He… She felt like crying.
"It was him, wasn't it." She said to herself. And yet she couldn't hate him for hiding the truth, even though it was such a deep breach of trust. The feelings felt so hollow, because it all made too much sense. And beside it all, she then asked him for money, because she was desperate. She was using that very guilt against him knowingly.
"The audacity of me." She put her hands on her forehead, feeling a headache. He approached her first, and she wanted answers. He approached her first, because of guilt, guilt of… of killing. Most likely. He approached her first, and yet now she begged him for money, and he gave, only wanting some information. Those people were revealed to the one that should have been the last person to find out about them.
Now she approached him first. With questions. And now… now it was dangerous. Not just for her, but for that child. Now it was just a mess.
Yet in that dark room, the image of that bright smile that the kid wore sometimes appeared in her mind. It put her at ease. It made her relax. It made her feel that maybe, just maybe, everything might still end up alright.