Shrouded Seascape

Hearing Li Long's response, Wang Sheng shifted slightly and turned his back to the former.

With a hint of disdain, he said, "Whatever. I've seen through your true colors now. You are just greedy and spineless. You jump at opportunities when they look easy but shrink away the moment things get tough. No wonder the High Priestess sees no value in you."

"Don't change the subject," Li Long refused to back down. "Your family business is huge; it's not hard for you to find me a job. Don't forget who looked after you when you were suffering from drug withdrawal symptoms back in the desert! HEY! Don't play dead, do you hear what I'm saying! You promised me back then!"

A wave of bitterness rose in Wang Sheng's chest. His mind wasn't on Li Long's request but the fact that he was about to see his father soon.

He must surely be fuming mad now. Wang Sheng thought. Forget about getting Li Long a job, he might even be grounded at home for the next few years. It was as if he'd just escaped one prison, only to step into another.

Am I really useless without him? Am I truly nothing without that old fogey? The thought gnawed at Wang Sheng, filling him with a heavy sense of defeat.

The plane's tires screeched against the runway and gradually came to a stop. They had arrived at their destination.

Following Wang Jianshe's arrangements, they bypassed the customs entirely and boarded a sky-blue bus waiting outside the terminal.

Since the group was able to skip security, the firearms the Fhtagnists had raided from Site 66 were brought onto the bus as well.

As the bus trundled away from the bustling airport and into increasingly desolate terrain, the Fhtagnists couldn't help but reach into their clothes and placed their fingers on the cold metal triggers.

"Relax," Anna softly spoke, her voice cutting through the palpable tension hanging in the air. As she rolled the crystal-clear die in her fingers, she continued, "He's not going to pull anything."

The men and women wearing Fhtagn's silver pendants over their chests nodded in unison. In one fluid motion, they drew their hands from the bulging folds of their clothes.

The command of the High Priestess was everything to them. Only by listening to her orders could they revive their God Fhtagn.

Seated nearby, Wang Sheng clenched his teeth. With a mix of desperation and resolve, he pleaded, "High Priestess, please let me stay by your side. Compared to them, I'm far more useful!"

Even up till now, he couldn't understand why Anna insisted on sending him back without any good reasons. She'd offered no explanation and only told him to ask his father after he went back.

The Fhtagnists exchanged glances and scoffed in unison upon hearing Wang Sheng belittle them.

"Kiddo, who do you think you're looking down on? Look at that frail, drug-riddled body of yours, what makes you think you're better than us?"

"You haven't even been acknowledged by the Great One. What right do you have to say that?" another spat.

Anna turned to look at Wang Sheng, her eyes studying the appearance of the young man. The golden dye in his hair had faded to faint streaks at the tips, and the hardship of Site 66 had left his cheeks hollow and his body thinner.

Yet, compared to their first meeting, his eyes were more clear than before.

"Didn't you say that you would follow my orders unconditionally?" Anna tossed out the question casually as she slipped the translucent die into the pocket of a discarded coat nearby.

"Yes!" Wang Sheng responded immediately.

"Good. Then listen to me and return to your father. If I ever need you, I'll go find you."

"But—"

"No buts." Anna cut Wang Sheng off sharply. "I don't have the time to deal with you. Look—we've arrived."

Wang Sheng lifted his gaze and looked out through the front windshield of the bus. He could see his father standing right in front of their vehicle, his face ashen with fury as he leaned heavily on a cane.

Wang Jianshe had come alone without any guards. Behind him was just a single car. He seemed to have realized by now that no matter how much he prepared, it would be meaningless before someone like Anna. So, he might as well save himself some time and effort.

Bang!

The bus door hissed shut. Gripping Wang Sheng by the shoulder, Anna nudged him forward as her entourage of Fhtagnists trailed behind her.

When the distance between Wang Sheng and Wang Jianshe closed to ten meters, Anna gave Wang Sheng a firm shove on his back.

Wang Sheng stumbled forward before he glanced back at the companions he had fought and suffered alongside with a hint of reluctance on his face. He then slowly turned around and dragged his feet forward to his father.

Each step felt as though it carried the weight of a thousand regrets and was agonizing. But even the slowest journey had its end.

Smack!

A slap rang out as Wang Jianshe's hand landed on Wang Sheng's face, the stinging imprint blooming red-hot across his right cheek.

Smack!

Another followed immediately and Wang Sheng's left cheek swelled as well.

Trembling with fury, Wang Jianshe raised his cane and brought it crashing down on Wang Sheng.

The strikes fell hard and fast. Wang Sheng hunched down with his arms raised protectively over his head, but it was useless. It didn't take long before he was bruised and bleeding.

"You idiot!" Wang Jianshe roared as he kicked Wang Sheng, sending the latter sprawling onto the ground. He raised his cane once again and without another vicious swing, he continued, "You actually fell from some cult's nonsense! If they told you to eat shit, would you do it too?!

"Do you really think you're that important to her? Why do you think she's willing to save you? You're nothing but a pawn—a disposable pawn she'll throw away the moment you're no longer useful! What were you thinking?!"

"Answer me!" Wang Jianshe raised the cane again, poised to strike. "Have you turned mute! How did I end up with trash for a son?!"

Meanwhile, Anna wasn't in a hurry. She stood by the side with the others and watched the scene before her like an amused audience at a theater. Nearby, Tobba was muttering something to the clown.

The cane swung relentlessly, reducing Wang Sheng to a battered, bleeding mess. His head throbbed and bruises blossomed across his body. Yet, he clenched down tight on his jaw, refusing to let out a single sound of protest. He had decided to go by his usual response in this well-rehearsed playbook.

Huff…Huff…

Clearly, Wang Jianshe hadn't engaged in such physical activities in years. Sweat trickled down his temples as he stood with one hand on his hip; his breaths were ragged and his shoulders heaving.

Once his breathing had steadied, he grabbed Wang Sheng by an already bruised ear and yanked him upright. With surprising strength, he shoved his son toward the waiting car. "Get in! And don't you dare think about leaving the house again!"

As soon as the car door slammed shut, the engine roared to life and the vehicle sped away.

Anna finally broke the silence in a calm voice, "Your son's back. Now, where's what I asked for?"

Taking out a crisp white handkerchief from his pocket, Wang Jianshe dabbed away the sweat on his brow as she walked toward Anna.

He pulled out a handphone and the dark screen lit up after a brief delay, displaying a single address.

It wasn't a residential location, but a set of coordinates for a railway track. Charles wasn't far after all—he was in this very city.

"The person you're looking for is living here together with some homeless folk," Wang Jianshe explained. "We couldn't track him down before because the boy doesn't officially exist. He's off the grid, no records, no ID. A complete ghost."

Anna took the phone and scanned the coordinates, committing them to memory. A faint smile tugged at her lips as her gaze flicked up to meet Wang Jianshe's eyes.

Despite having flawlessly delicate features, the smile that spread across Anna's face was anything but comforting. Looking at her smile, Wang Jianshe felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

Slowly, Anna raised her right hand, where the eerie green of the corrosive flames were licking faintly along her forearm. Instantly, everyone's attention was drawn to Anna's next move.

Seemingly knowing what Anna planned to do, Wang Jianshe's breathing hitched. However, his eyes betrayed no fear.

So, this is it? She's going to silence me? Good thing I made preparations. If Wang Sheng learns this woman killed me, maybe he'll finally grow up?

But instead of unleashing the roiling flames, Anna merely placed it lightly on Wang Jianshe's shoulder and gave him an assuring pat. With an almost sympathetic undertone, she said, "Having a son like him must be exhausting. I can understand your frustration."

With that, Anna then turned on her heel and led the others onto the waiting bus. Her action left Wang Jianshe frozen in his spot, his thoughts tangling with confusion and disbelief.

As she stepped onto the bus steps, Anna turned back to Wang Jianshe and held up the phone in her hand. "Don't think this is over. If the location turns out to be fake, you'll learn what it means to lie to me."

The driver was unceremoniously hauled out of the bus and the clown had taken over the steering wheel. The engine roared to life, and the bus began its steady journey toward the coordinates on the handphone's screen.

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