Chen Xiaolian headed to the street to flag down a cab and had it move toward the designated location.
He even had the cab driver circle around through some other roads to head toward the spot where the earlier incident had occurred.
The spot where the incident occurred was extremely quiet. There was no burning sedan, ruins, blood or charred areas…
Under the illumination provided by the two street lamps, everything appeared normal and the spot was still.
The scene caused Chen Xiaolian to become shocked. However, he soon realized that this was to be expected.
He recalled the incident with the train and how the system had refreshed everything, erasing all traces of the incident… [1]
Chen Xiaolian sighed and said to the cab driver. “Mr, head to this address, XXXX.
…
The location of the new address was at the edge of Qianjiang.
Beside an artificial pier were two rows of outdoor barbeque restaurants. Naturally, since it was presently winter, the barbeque restaurants’ business were conducted indoors.
A ship was docked in the pier. It was the type meant for inland rivers and not the type for travelling through the seas.
Chen Xiaolian carried Yu Jiajia up to the pier and saw the man in black standing in front of the pier. His pair of eyes shone through the darkness like two clumps of flames.
When Chen Xiaolian walked over, the man in black gave him a nod before retrieving Yu Jiajia from him.
“The boss is waiting for you inside.”
Chen Xiaolian inhaled a breath and slowly walked into the ship.
…
A cabin door was pushed open.
It was apparent that the cabin had been modified. The interior of the cabin was very big and a thick carpet covered the floor. The walls were outfitted with a layer of wood and a strong scent of smoke could be made out.
Qiao Qiao’s father was sitting on a sofa while puffing on a cigar – his bearing was similar to when they had met each other for the first time two hours earlier.
This time though, Qiao Qiao’s father was not fully clothed. He was only wearing a trench coat over his body; a thick layer of bandage had been applied over his chest and shoulders.
Chen Xiaolian entered and the two of them stared at each other for a full five seconds. Qiao Qiao’s father suddenly let out a sigh before pointing at a nearby sofa. “Come on over and sit.”
His face was pale and his expression revealed exhaustion.
Chen Xiaolian silently moved over and sat down. Then, he looked at Qiao Qiao’s father.
Qiao Qiao’s father smiled wryly. “It would appear that we will need to discuss things through once more. Hmm… or more accurately, we will need to get to know each other once more.”
After saying that, he suddenly stood up and extended his right hand. “Qiao Yifeng.”
Chen Xiaolian quickly stood up and used both hands to accept Qiao Yifeng’s extended right hand.
After shaking his hand, Qiao Yifeng waved his hand and said. “Be seated.”
The both of them sat down once more and Qiao Yifeng placed a complicated gaze upon Chen Xiaolian. “Truth be told, I need to thank you for earlier. You saved me once.”
“That is not quite true,” Chen Xiaolian shook his head. He understood that he had only rendered a minor help back then. In the end, Qiao Yifeng ‘died’ due to the car explosion. When that happened, he was unable to help at all.
“The fact that you stepped forward for my sake meant that you have helped me out,” Qiao Yifeng shook his head. “I can distinguish kindness and enmity.”
He then turned his gaze onto Chen Xiaolian again. “You are an Awakened?”
Chen Xiaolian did not say anything. He simply nodded his head – naturally, he would never volunteer to say that he was not an Awakened and was instead, an Irregularity… that was something that needed to be kept a secret.
“When did you become an Awakened?”
“Not too long ago. I have only participated in a few instance dungeons,” Chen Xiaolian did not lie. He also did not try to show off. He simply stated the truth.
“I have two questions I need to ask you. I hope that you can answer those questions honestly,” Qiao Yifeng’s gaze was like a bolt of electricity as he kept them directed at Chen Xiaolian.
“… all right, I will do my best to answer them,” Chen Xiaolian had no desire to die.
“The first question: back then, why did you follow my car?”
Chen Xiaolian smiled. “When I got out of the hotel earlier, I bumped into an acquaintance of mine. Then, I saw your car leaving. However, I discovered the Volkswagen tailing you. I felt that something might not be right and I decided to follow just in case – at any rate, you are Qiao Qiao’s father. If there was any problem, I might be able to help out. That was my line of thought back then.”
“Very well,” Qiao Yifeng nodded his head.
Then, his expression suddenly turned grim as he stared at Chen Xiaolian. The gaze contained a profound sense of pressure and momentum. However, Chen Xiaolian noticed that within those eyes was a trace of… fear?
“The second question: you being an Awakened… all those things… does Qiao Qiao know?”
After putting forward the question, Qiao Yifeng stared firmly into Chen Xiaolian’s eyes, as if he was hoping for a certain answer.
Chen Xiaolian sighed. “Considering your intellect, you should already have guessed it, haven’t you?”
Qiao Yifeng’s body trembled!
He suddenly appeared much older, as though he had suddenly aged a few more years. A dazed look appeared on his face. “That is right, that is right… Qiao Qiao’s standards have always been high. She would not possibly like someone casually… for her to notice you and be together with you, it must mean that you are different. You are someone who possesses a power that surpasses the norm… perhaps, because there is a common ground between you two…”
At the end of his words, Qiao Yifeng whispered. “She… is also an Awakened?”
Chen Xiaolian simply sighed. “Not just her… Soo Soo as well.”
The old man’s body trembled yet again.
His demeanour collapsed. “So it is… so it is… it seems, this is Heaven’s will… Heaven’s will!”
“More accurately, there is no Heaven’s will,” Chen Xiaolian gave a bitter smile. “Perhaps this is simply how the setting is.”
“Qiao Qiao… when did she get sucked into it?”
Chen Xiaolian did not hide much of what happened and retold what happened to Soo Soo and Qiao Qiao and how they were sucked into this world. He selected the parts that he could talk about and narrated them.
The old man’s eyes gradually grew dark.
Chen Xiaolian observed his face and slowly asked. “So, about your identity… are you also an Awakened?”
“Awakened?” Qiao Yifeng smiled bitterly and answered. “Let me show you something.”
“Eh?”
Qiao Yifeng produced a mobile phone and slowly opened up a video.
…
The video was very short and was only around three minutes.
Within the video was Qiao Yifeng himself – however, it appeared that he was at least 30 years younger or more…
He appeared to be a man in his youth and was wearing a peculiar looking vest.
Chen Xiaolian recognized the vest. It was a protective suit.
In Qiao Yifeng’s hand was a rifle that screamed sci-fi and he bit onto a cigar. He looked at the screen and spoke loudly. “What are you filming? There is nothing to film here!”
A voice came over from the side of the screen, likely belonging to the person filming this video. “Bro Qiao, congratulations on completing your first instance dungeon. You have now officially graduated from the rookie stage! Ha ha ha ha… next up is our coming of age gift to you!”
Qiao Yifeng retorted. “Nonsense! I came of age a long time ago!”
“Ha ha ha ha, this is to congratulate you on becoming a true Awakened who have graduated from the rookie stage!” The voice coming over from the screen was very rough. “Guild Leader knows that you like beauties, so he personally selected a high-class beauty for you! Ha ha ha ha! You can slowly enjoy it!”
From the side of the screen, a hand was stretched out. Chen Xiaolian noted that it was the left hand. Additionally, the ring finger on the hand was missing one section.
The hand passed a key over to the young Qiao Yifeng. “It is the XXX hotel, room XXXX! Hurry over! Guild Leader is being extremely generous. He found you an American movie star. It was no cheap matter, ha ha ha ha ha…”
The young Qiao Yifeng accepted the key and appeared embarrassed. However, the hand quickly grabbed onto a bottle of champagne and poured its contents down young Qiao Yifeng’s head. Instantly, a string of curses and a riot of lively sounds broke out from the video…
The video came to an end.
…
Chen Xiaolian looked at Qiao Yifeng’s face and looked back at the mobile phone. “I… don’t think I understand.”
“I have several more videos that are quite similar,” Qiao Yifeng softly said. “Those were all taken back when I was young.”
“So… you really are an Awakened,” Chen Xiaolian slowly spoke up.
“Not exactly,” Qiao Yifeng laughed. It was an odd laugh. “Do you know… many years ago… one day, someone appeared before me and showed me these videos. He told me that I used to me one of them…
“Yet, the most ridiculous part of it all…
“The man inside the video is obviously me. However, back then, I had absolutely no memories of those things! None at all! Not a single scrap!”
Chen Xiaolian became shocked.
“Inside those videos, I would be laughing, throwing a ruckus, making jokes with others, fooling around and even messing about with females… but when I saw those videos, I felt as though I had seen a ghost! I could not remember doing those things at all!” Qiao Yifeng’s eyes became slightly hazy.
Chen Xiaolian was speechless. Then, he uttered. “I get it! You were once an Awakened… however, you died in battle and was refreshed back to become an ordinary person.”
Qiao Yifeng looked sadly at Chen Xiaolian. Then, he exhaled softly. “You are correct… the person who showed me these videos had said the same thing.”
Next, Qiao Yifeng narrated a story for Chen Xiaolian.
…
There was once a young man called Qiao Yifeng, In his younger years, a man suddenly came to meet him and told him that part of his memories has been erased or rather, replaced.
A former Awakened who died in battle, he was refreshed back into a normal human.
Later on, his former comrades went to find him and informed him of these memories.
The Awakened Qiao Yifeng had once joined a guild.
Back then, the guild was not too big. However, the guild’s battle strength was clearly extraordinary. Additionally, it was a guild with an extreme level of solidarity. The members were like brothers through life and death.
More accurately, they were indeed brothers through life and death.