Chereads / The War to Slay the Gods / Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: General Zhao

Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: General Zhao

Lin Qiye furrowed his brows. "What do you mean by this?"

Zhao Kongcheng smiled slightly, unhurriedly pulling out a cigarette from his pocket. "Mind if I smoke?"

"Yes, I do."

Zhao Kongcheng: ...

Zhao Kongcheng helplessly put the cigarette back in his pocket, leaning back in his chair, a hint of reminiscence in his eyes.

"When I was young, I was just like you."

"Honestly, this intro sounds a bit cliché."

"…"

"It's fine, keep going."

"When I was six, my father passed away from illness. My mother worked two jobs to barely raise me," Zhao Kongcheng said, rubbing his cigarette case, his voice calm.

"In those days, life moved slowly. My mother expected me to finish middle school, then come back to become a village official, marry a little wife, have a few kids, and live happily together as a family.

You know, when you're young, you always go through a rebellious phase.

When I graduated from middle school, my grades were good. Returning to be a village official wouldn't have been hard, but I disregarded her objections and resolutely chose to join the army.

In truth, she didn't oppose me, but she seemed somewhat displeased. The day I left home, she stood at the door, silently watching me. As I walked down the path behind the house, she was still watching. By the time I reached the village gate, she was still looking in the direction I was walking, lost in thought.

Honestly, I did think about staying right there and not leaving. But in the end, I steeled my heart and went to join the army."

Zhao Kongcheng sighed deeply, continuing, "Later on, my military rank kept rising, I joined the special forces, and eventually, because I was good at hand-to-hand combat, I was transferred to the Nightwatchers.

Over time, I went back home to visit my mother, only to find…"

Zhao Kongcheng paused abruptly.

Lin Qiye carefully spoke up, "Your mother… passed away?"

"No," Zhao Kongcheng shook his head, "She remarried."

Lin Qiye: ...

"My mother had worked herself to the bone, and in the end, her health failed. She originally wanted me to return and be an official, so I could take care of her. But I didn't think of that at the time when I chose to join the army.

In the end, she couldn't hold up on her own, so she remarried. At least now, she has someone to care for her in her old age.

Honestly, when I heard the news that she had remarried, I was actually relieved."

Lin Qiye pondered for a moment, "So, what's the point of telling me this?"

Zhao Kongcheng slowly stood up, meeting Lin Qiye's gaze. "We all have things we once cherished. But as we grow, we tend to forget their importance and focus all our attention on other things…

I was like that back then, but you're different, Lin Qiye.

You're smarter than I was back then, more mature. You have your own ideas, and you want to stay with your family, to be with them.

That's really good.

Since you've chosen this path, then walk it well.

Leave the task of protecting the world to people like us."

He turned around, picked up the parchment from the table, and handed it to Lin Qiye.

"I just saw your aunt. In this world, people like her are rare. I know your family's situation, so take this money."

Lin Qiye didn't hesitate. "I don't want it."

"I'm a Nightwatcher. I don't need money."

"Then I won't take it."

"This is for your aunt. You must take it!"

"My aunt won't take it."

Zhao Kongcheng's lips twitched. He stared at Lin Qiye for a long time, neither of them yielding.

After a while, Zhao Kongcheng spoke again, "Lin Qiye… I'm getting old. I can't bear to see the regrets from my past happening again, even if it's someone else's."

"Then you can close your eyes and not look," Lin Qiye's attitude was firm. "Though we're poor, we have our bottom line. I won't accept money from a soldier.

Besides, my eyes are healed, and I have the ability. I won't let regrets happen."

Zhao Kongcheng opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he said nothing. Instead, he gave a bitter smile.

"Wouldn't it be better to take this money and give it to your wife and children?" Lin Qiye spoke again.

"I told you, the benefits of being a Nightwatcher are great. Even if I die in battle, my wife and children won't worry about food or clothing, and they'll get into great universities, with a bright future ahead." Zhao Kongcheng realized he couldn't persuade Lin Qiye, so he reluctantly stuffed the parchment back into his pocket.

"Then don't you have any dreams of your own?"

"My dream?" Zhao Kongcheng raised his eyebrows, "I do have one. It's been with me since I was a kid."

"What is it?"

"To become a general in the army! Then wear a uniform, with all the medals on my chest, and return to the village, showing everyone who looked down on my mother that my mother's son… is a general!" Zhao Kongcheng's eyes sparkled with brilliance.

Lin Qiye paused for a moment. For some reason, looking at Zhao Kongcheng, he couldn't help but think of Li Yifei…

They seemed like the same type of person.

"Did you become one?"

"No, not yet. Still far from it." Zhao Kongcheng laughed bitterly, "And as a Nightwatcher, I can't walk around flaunting my medals. This dream… it will always remain just a dream."

Lin Qiye fell silent.

"Alright, since that's the case, I should be leaving." Zhao Kongcheng stood up, walked over to Lin Qiye, and extended his right hand.

"Good luck, Lin Qiye."

Lin Qiye stared blankly at Zhao Kongcheng's face. It seemed less oily now…

He reached out and firmly shook his hand. "I hope that one day, you'll be covered in military honors, General Zhao."

Zhao Kongcheng smiled, turned around, and walked towards the door.

"Wait, your emblem," Lin Qiye called out to him, picking up the emblem from the table and waving it.

Zhao Kongcheng slapped his forehead. "Look at my memory, almost forgot! This is my life!"

Zhao Kongcheng took the emblem, glanced at it, and seemed to remember something. "By the way, did you notice the words on the back?"

"I saw them."

"So, what do you think? Aren't they cool?"

"They're cool. Did you write them?"

"No, it's the oath we took when we joined the Nightwatchers," Zhao Kongcheng said, tossing the emblem in the air like a coin, catching it steadily, and slipping it into his pocket. "But… I really like it."

"Wait."

"What now?"

"It's raining heavily outside. You should take the umbrella."

"Thanks, but this umbrella's mine now."

"Take it. Think of it as… a reward for protecting Earth."

"Interesting. Alright, I'm really leaving now."

"Goodbye."

Zhao Kongcheng grabbed the black umbrella, opened the door, and walked out. Lin Qiye stood by the window, silently watching him leave.

In the rain, Zhao Kongcheng's fingers rubbed the emblem in his pocket as he softly murmured:

"If the dark night falls,

I will stand before the multitude,

My sword pointed toward the abyss,

Blood staining the heavens…"

The rain grew heavier.

Zhao Kongcheng, unfazed, sat into the black sedan, opening the cigarette case from his pocket, ready to enjoy a brief moment of peace.

At that moment, his earpiece suddenly beeped!

A man's voice came through.

His hand holding the cigarette trembled sharply, and his pupils constricted!