Chapter 54: Homecoming

Someone shattered the Sand of Obscuring Dust, and Zhao Zhongmin chose not to go on living.

A plump figure emerged from the darkness, shaking his head.

"This was truly my mistake. I never expected the government to have such talent at their disposal."

As one of the most critical nodes, Zhao Zhongmin had naturally taken precautions, and the Sand of Obscuring Dust was their final line of defense.

With Zhao Zhongguo wrapped in that sand, all traces of him would be concealed. No matter how others searched, they would unconsciously overlook that wall; even they themselves needed written records to pinpoint Zhao Zhongguo’s exact location.

In their original plan, Zhao Zhongmin would spend his life wandering the rest stop, searching for his son’s body, and anyone who tried to enter or destroy the rest stop would be frozen into blocks of ice.

Such an impregnable node would mean the government could not afford to devote too much energy to a static event.

But they never imagined Zhao Zhongguo would, after prolonged exposure to the Sand of Obscuring Dust, become an anomaly himself, leading Mu Yu into the room—and even less did they imagine that Mu Yu would be completely unaffected by the sand.

A cascade of unforeseen events brought twenty years of planning to ruin in a single day.

The young man said nothing, merely continued to watch the chaotic crowd on the dance floor. In their feverish ecstasy, many had cast off their restraints and entwined themselves together in wild abandon.

Some seemed to sense something amiss and tried to slip away quietly, only to be blocked by red-eyed revelers who dragged them into the darkness.

Though the young man made no overt move, an intangible aura of dominance grew heavier and heavier, as though even the air had become solid, leaving the rotund figure struggling to breathe.

"Xuan Gui, how many years have you followed me?"

"Thirty years, seven months, and twenty-three days, my Lord. Since you saved me, I have never forgotten."

Xuan Gui knelt on one knee, his bloated body resembling a mound of flesh, making the young man appear even smaller by comparison.

But no one would ever overlook this young man. If Xuan Gui was a mountain of flesh, then the young man was a dragon resting by the sea—every breath exuding boundless majesty.

"No need to be so formal. We are companions, family. Together, we swore to end this age of chaos."

"Yes. I have always believed you will lead us."

Xuan Gui did not rise, but a rare smile tugged at his solemn face. As the young man had said, they were family. There was no need for apologies among family.

"So stand with me, Xuan Gui—my brother."

The young man walked to him and guided him to the glass window.

Below, the frenzy had reached its peak. Pale bodies writhed like worms, and black blood became the feast’s wine.

Milan looked on numbly at the man ravaging her. Her limbs were pinned fast by the crazed mob, unable to move.

When she saw the red-eyed men gathering around, it was already too late to escape. Her struggles and cries for help only seemed to inflame their lust further.

She had no idea how long the torment had lasted. Her soul felt weightless, as if it had drifted from her body.

Platinum dust fell into her beautiful eyes, melting into tears of regret.

It was a scene of utter depravity and violence, yet in the eyes of the young man and Xuan Gui, there burned a sacred light.

"Then abandon the node in Fengzhou City. Turn this place—"

The young man gestured ahead. "—into the new node."

"Your will be done."

Xuan Gui bent low, fist to chest.

Under the prosperous, resplendent moonlight, the lights of Miligen blazed ever brighter, like a goblet of crimson wine, steeped in endless blood.

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"Mom! I’m home!"

After repeatedly warning Xiaobai not to come out, Mu Yu flung open the front door.

"Meow~"

Instead of his mother’s warm greeting, he was met by a pudgy white blur.

"Fatty, you’ve grown even plumper since I last saw you."

Fatty gave Mu Yu a cold glance and leapt off his shoulder, vanishing in an instant despite being much bigger than a normal cat.

"Mom, how many times have I told you, you can’t feed her like that."

Dragging his suitcase, Mu Yu entered the courtyard, helpless.

Zhuang Haiyan was at that moment pinching open Wangcai’s mouth, cramming a huge spoonful of special dog food inside, then clamping his jaws shut.

Seeing Wangcai’s miserable expression and the way his throat convulsed, Mu Yu could only cast him a sympathetic glance.

"Pah! Didn’t I raise you the same way when you were little? Look at Fatty and Wangcai—haven’t I done a great job?"

Zhuang Haiyan patted Wangcai’s belly with pride. Mu Yu eyed his dog’s shiny coat and could only give her a thumbs-up in the end.

"That’s why I always ran to Aunt Wang’s house for meals…"

Fatty was a ragdoll cat, Wangcai a Labrador, both bought by Mu Weiguo to keep Zhuang Haiyan company. As for whether they’d ever bite anyone over food…

Mu Yu glanced at Fatty, still cowering behind the door, and at Wangcai, whose mouth his mother was prying open for yet another spoonful. He could only shake his head.

With feeding like this, it’s a wonder they aren’t food averse, let alone aggressive.

"Xiaoyu, you’re home?"

A white-haired old woman opened the door, beaming at Mu Yu.

"Grandma, where’s Grandpa?"

"There’s a banquet today. Someone insisted he come drink. Don’t worry about him."

Though nearly seventy, both elders were sprightly—especially Mu Yu’s grandfather, who was still brimming with vitality.

"Your father will be home for lunch. Go put your things away, then offer some incense at the temple."

"Got it, Mom."

As Mu Yu obediently went inside, Zhuang Haiyan picked up a bowl of cat food, tapping it as she advanced on the trembling Fatty.

Wangcai had already collapsed, tongue lolling, not daring to whimper for fear his mother would stuff more food into him.

It was enough to move one to tears.

Offering incense was a little family tradition. Conveniently, there was a small earth god’s temple behind their house, so every time he came home he’d offer some incense in gratitude for safe travels.

Though neither Mu Yu nor Mu Weiguo were particularly superstitious, they saw no harm in such rituals—if nothing else, they brought peace of mind.

"Hey, Xiao Mu, back again?"

"Yeah, just here on some business."

People smiled and greeted Mu Yu along the way. It was nearly noon, and many who’d been working in the fields were heading home for lunch.

There weren’t many young people in the village; most were away at school or working, so the fields were tended by the elderly.

Even though a year’s work in the fields earned less than a month’s wages outside and left them prone to illness, the older generation couldn’t bear to see the land fall to waste.

"Great-uncle, if you keep running to the fields, Uncle Zhuang will start arguing with you again…"

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Mu Yu, clutching a bundle of incense, helplessly stopped an old man in a conical hat.

"Bah! Since when does a son have the right to manage his father? Has he turned the world upside down?"

Old Master Zhuang, knowing he couldn’t escape, huffed as he took off his hat and glared at Mu Yu.

"I know it’s trouble the moment I see you, boy. Even stealing Old Zhao’s hat won’t help."

"Spare me, you old rascal. How dare you steal my hat and act like you’re in the right!" Grandpa Zhao snatched his hat back, bristling with indignation.

"Hmph, I have nothing to say to you two."

Though he knew he was in the wrong, Old Master Zhuang refused to yield, turning to leave.

"Xiao Mu, don’t let your uncle Zhuang know, all right? Come by my place later; I’ve saved a little something good for you."

Remembering something, Old Master Zhuang returned and whispered in Mu Yu’s ear, surreptitiously pointing at Grandpa Zhao.

"That shameless old man’s had his eye on it for ages, but I haven’t given him a taste."

"Understood, understood. But you really should stay out of the fields."

Mu Yu smiled wryly and nodded, but resolved to call Uncle Zhuang later—Old Master Zhuang had suffered from arthritis a few years ago and only recently improved, yet he couldn’t keep still.

"Good lad! Among the young ones, you’re the only one who knows what’s what!"

Old Master Zhuang nodded approvingly, strolling home with Grandpa Zhao, the two of them bickering all the way.

Truly, the older one gets, the more like a child one becomes.

Mu Yu shook his head and made for the earth god’s temple, the incense in his hands already half burnt from all the commotion.

Since it wasn’t a festival, the temple was quiet, save for the dense stubs of spent incense in the offering altar.

It was a tiny shrine; apart from the deity’s statue there was room for little else, and certainly no resident caretaker.

Locals only visited when they needed to, lighting a stick or two and bowing for peace of mind; there were none of the elaborate rituals seen elsewhere. There was even a portrait of the nation’s founding hero hung on the deity’s statue.

Materialism and spiritualism coexisted here, each minding its own business in this modest shrine.

Mu Yu carefully cleared the accumulated ash, then clasped the incense, bowed twice to both the statue and the portrait, and placed the sticks in the altar. Wisps of fragrant smoke curled upward.

"Dad?"

As Mu Yu was about to leave, he bumped into a middle-aged man also holding incense. Their faces, so alike, bore very different expressions.

Mu Yu was surprised, while Mu Weiguo wore a wry, helpless smile.

"Son, you’ve really gotten me into trouble this time."

Once Mu Weiguo had offered his incense, Mu Yu finally learned the reason for that look.

"So, because you stayed away for so long, Mom got jealous when you came home after just one call from me? I didn’t notice anything…"

Mu Yu was bewildered.

"She wouldn’t lose her temper at you…"

Mu Weiguo lit a cigarette, his face showing the subtle expression unique to middle-aged men.

"Being a man… is hard."