《Pay 99 Yuan: Arranging A Mysterious Funeral For You》 Chapter 1 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°I thought this would be one of those silver-spooned kick-starters, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be a lost cause. A funeral company, of all things? The account books are spotless, how am I going to proceed with this?¡± Su Chen looked at the slightly dilapidated funeral company in front of him and could not help but sigh dejectedly. After transmigrating to this world, he soon claimed the inheritance of his cheap father, saying that it was a company. He originally thought that it was a solid listed company, but never had he expected it to be such a shabby shop. It was just a small shop, claiming to be a company! Moreover, it was not of the most auspicious of natures. The word ¡®funeral¡¯ was enough to turn people away. Su Chen felt a headache coming. This shop did not look like it would remain open soon. He did not even know how to pay rent. If he continued to do this, he might even lose his underpants! If he still failed to pay the rent for another month, he would have to close the shop! The image of the landlady¡¯s arrogant smirk flew into his mind. She was extremely oppressive and threw her weight about without holding back. Su Chen felt extremely aggrieved. If not for his good looks, temperament, and sharp fashion, that old woman would have kicked him out long ago! [Ding! Activating the god-tier payment and burial system!] A crisp sound suddenly rang in his ears! System?! Su Chen was stunned for a moment, but he quickly reacted. This should be one of those systems from those web novels! In his previous life, he had read quite a few novels! A standard god-tier artifact for transmigrators. Who would have thought that he would have a system too!? As expected.., [Congratulations, the host has successfully bound to a god-level funeral payment system!] [The system can provide funeral services at all prices. We strive to create the most perfect of mysterious funerals for our customers, services that even dragons would never be found wanting!] [As long as the price is right, we can create funeral arrangements at any level! This will allow our customers to have a mysterious and terrifying past!] [The current price provided by the system has been announced on the corresponding online platforms. Customers can contact you on their own!] [The host will receive an extra reward for completing a funeral service!] ¡­ Upon hearing the system¡¯s voice, a smile appeared on Su Chen¡¯s face. Not bad! This system was related to his current business. Su Chen did not really want to run such a service. After all, it was dark and inauspicious, and he had his share of misfortunes in life. However, since the system had appeared, he had to do it. He quickly looked at the pricing and services provided by the system. [Pay 10,000 yuan, 100 men in black with wireless earphones will appear at your funeral. A Black Maybach will appear at the funeral site. An old man in a Chinese tunic suit will bow deeply to your tombstone, present a bouquet, and leave solemnly!] [For 100,000 yuan, a Rolls Royce will appear at the funeral scene on the day of the funeral. 3,000 men in black with umbrellas will appear at your funeral. Three old men in black Chinese tunic suits and two tearful women will pay their respects to your tombstone!] ¡­ These were all paid actors. Even if it was an ordinary person¡¯s funeral, it would cause everyone to wonder how mysterious and terrifying the person was when they were alive! After all, how else would these mysterious characters and entourage appear at the funeral of an ordinary person? Almost every price corresponding to the arrangement was different. The higher the price, the grander the more extravagant things would get! Out of curiosity, Su Chen scrolled down to the bottom of the list. [For 1,000,000,000 yuan, your funeral will be announced to the heavens in the form of a live broadcast. All sorts of famous people in the current world will come to your grave and prostate themselves before you! Heaven and earth will tremble, lights will go out, nine dragons will act as pallbearers! Heaven and earth will cast omens, the stars in the sky will become your tombstones, the sun and moon will perform for you! The nine dragons will guide your coffin deep into the void, and all living beings will worship and praise you! The Ten Thousand Realm Monarchs will send you off! The temples and Buddha statues in the world will recite the sutras for you! The gods in the sky will weep for you! The women in thousands of worlds will cry for you! Countless treasures will protect your body and be entombed with you! ¡­] Su Chen did not know what to say. He did not dare to continue watching. He only felt his pulse racing. He wished that he could have such a funeral for himself! If such a thing even existed, he could drop dead on the spot! Such an arrangement was ridiculous! Who would even withstand such a thing! What kind of scene would it be when these events, characters, and treasures all appeared together? A moment later¡­ Su Chen pulled his mind out of the clouds. His shop was about to close down in dilapidated condition. Since he had all the necessary arrangements now, the next step was to wait for such a fated customer. Since Su Chen was the only one in the shop, he could only take care of the shop by himself. ¡­ Soon, it was noon. The phone of the funeral company rang! It was a landline phone. Su Chen quickly put down the work in his hands and answered the phone. ¡°Hello! Hello, is this the Su Funeral Company?¡± From the other end of the phone came a hoarse voice of an old man. He sounded old, gravelly, and world-weary. As the Su funeral company had been operating in Qingyang County for a few years, some people knew of its existence. Su Chen replied, ¡°Yes, this is the Su Funeral Company. We specialize in funeral services!¡± ¡°Mm, that¡¯s good! I want to do a funeral service, but it¡¯s not very convenient for me to move right now. Do you think you can send someone over?¡± The old man sounded weak and tired. He was probably bedbound. That did not matter, such an opportunity had already presented itself! Su Chen quickly said enthusiastically, ¡°Okay, no problem! Tell me the address, and I¡¯ll go there myself!¡± The other party gave him the address. Su Chen packed up briefly, put on his rather dashing black leather biker suit, and kicked the motorcycle on the road. The address was 648 Huanhe district in Qingyang County, which was not too far away. At that moment¡­ Huanhe district was actually an old residential area. 648 was a dilapidated old house. The door was tightly shut. The large red word ¡°demolish¡± was painted on the wall, which was particularly glaring. An old man was sitting in the courtyard. His eyes were sunken, his face was pale and gaunt, and his hands were trembling slightly. He wore an old-fashioned military cap, which had been mended many times. It looked heavy and worn. His name was Chu Guozhong, and he was an old soldier. The medal on his chest was shining under the reflection of the sunlight. However, the toil left by the years on his body was too heavy. The wrinkles on his face seemed to be filled with vicissitudes. He no longer had the valiant and heroic fighting aura of the past. Even taking two steps would make him gasp for breath! As he thought back to the past, the rain of bullets and artillery fire did not even make him frown as he charged into battle. How valiant was that? Chu Guozhong was filled with sorrow. Now that he was suffering from a terminal illness, he did not have much time left. The hero was in his twilight years. The sun was setting in the west Just now, he saw the advertisement that popped up on his phone. It was from the Su family¡¯s funeral company. The funeral services in it made him, a veteran, feel an inexplicable excitement! When he was alive, he had kept a low profile. After he died, if he could make people revere him, wouldn¡¯t that be pretty good? When he retired, he had the right to take up a post in the capital. But later, for various reasons, he returned to this small county, got married, had children, and lived a bustling life. In his later years, he should have been happily enjoying the happiness of having his children and grandchildren around him, unexpectedly, not long ago, his house was slated to be demolished, and some hush money was quickly distributed! The money quickly became a curse for his family. His children began to quarrel among themselves, arguing over its claim! His children and their children, who were all filial and beautiful in his eyes, became twisted and mutilated under the temptation of money! The veteran Chu Guozhong, in a fit of anger, donated all the money to charity! Decades ago, he fought bravely for the kingdom under the rain of bullets! Now, he had even selflessly donated this money to the country! It was all for his country! When he saw the advertisement for the Su Family¡¯s Funeral Company, he was a little moved! As he looked at the photo of his wife, Chu Guozhong¡¯s eyes welled up with tears: ¡°Dear, I¡¯ll see you soon. Please allow me to be selfish for one last time!¡± At that moment, there was a knock on the door! Chu Guozhong went to open the door shakily Standing outside the door was Su Chen¡­. Chapter 2 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°648, Huanhe District? This is the place!¡± ¡°Demotion? Wow, what huge fonts!¡± Su Chen came to Huanhe District and stopped at 648, only to find that it was a small lot. On its walls, a huge ¡°demotion¡± was sprayed over it! It was slated for demolition. Some huge corporate had eyes on this land? He heard that the compensation for such a place was already as high as 1,000,000 yuan. Su Chen¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. He had to grasp this opportunity! With three parts anticipation, three parts nervousness, three parts confidence, and one part reverence, Su Chen knocked on the courtyard door! The courtyard door slowly opened. What entered his sight was an old man wearing an old-fashioned military hat. His face was full of wrinkles, and his complexion was not very good. His figure was slightly hunched, but it could not conceal the aura of a veteran. To be honest, when he opened the door and saw the military hat, Su Chen¡¯s heart had suddenly trembled! He could not help but already respect this man. He hurriedly introduced himself. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m from the Su family¡¯s Funeral Company!¡± ¡°Hmm, please come in!¡± Chu Guozhong sized up Su Chen. He seemed capable. He was full of vigor, and he had thick eyebrows and big eyes. He was a rather pleasant-looking youth. He immediately let him into the house. The house was littered with furniture that was about to be moved out. There was also a strange smell mixed in. Su Chen could tell that the smell came from the old man¡¯s body. It was a faint medicinal smell. It spoke of sickness and death. In addition, the old man did not look very well. No matter how blind Su Chen was, he knew that the old man was preparing for his own funeral. This was the first business deal. After Su Chen entered the courtyard, he quickly took out the handwritten price list of the services that he had prepared long ago. On it was a variety of funeral services that corresponded to each price. He handed it to the old man with a warm smile. ¡°Take a look. This is our funeral services price list. On it are the services that correspond to each price. Our specialty is to create a mysterious and terrifying past for you! No trickery, no hidden charges!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Chu Guozhong looked at Su Chen again. This young man seemed rather modest, and he did not look like he was up to no good. However, when he saw the price on the price list, his eyes were filled with shock, and the corners of his mouth twitched a little! !!! Good Lord, this is a robbery, right? 100,000, 1,000,000, even 1,000,000,000? Good lord, this brat really dares to write! What¡¯s the difference between this and robbery? The ridiculous price list immediately made Chu Guozhong doubt the identity and services of the young man in front of him. How could such a service exist? It was too expensive! Upon seeing the hesitation on the old man¡¯s face, Su Chen hurriedly took two steps forward and enthusiastically recommended: ¡°Old Sir, can I recommend a service for you? The 100,000 yuan package is not bad. If you can pay me 100,000 yuan, 3,000 men in black with umbrellas will show up at your funeral. An unlicensed Rolls Royce will open the way. Three old men in black suits and two tearful women will pay their respects to your tombstone and leave solemnly!¡± Upon listening to Su Chen¡¯s introduction, Chu Guozhong coughed dryly. It actually sounded good. But¡­ it was too expensive! At that moment, Chu Guozhong handed the price list back to Su Chen and shook his head. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t afford that much!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Old Sir. I have a more cost-effective service here!¡± Su Chen was a little surprised and quickly continued. However, he fell silent when the brochure was handed back to him wordlessly. This is strange, the old man should have been paid handsomely! Was he just rubbing off the man the wrong way? Did he not trust him? At that moment, Chu Guozhong¡¯s information suddenly appeared in Su Chen¡¯s mind through the system! [Name: Chu Guozhong Identity: retired veteran Remaining lifespan: 19 hours Personal Assets: 3 million (all donated to charity) Recommendation service: 99 Yuan] Su Chen suddenly understood. He could only push the 99 yuan package to him. It was a small pittance, but no matter how small a mosquito was, it was still something! ¡°I really don¡¯t have any money!¡± Chu Guozhong shook his head repeatedly and was about to turn around and leave. He really could not afford such services. As the old man hobbled away, trembling and almost in tears, Su Chen seemed to be able to see his very life slipping away. If he could not complete the deal today, the deal would be completely gone. He hardened his heart and gritted his teeth. ¡°Old Sir, if you are willing to pay me 99 yuan, I will wear a black suit, black sunglasses, complete with a earpiece at your funeral. Regardless of the weather, I will hold up a black umbrella and silently watch the crowd!¡± Su Chen stopped Chu Guozhong and spoke sincerely. There was no other way. He was so poor that he had no choice. If he could make one deal, he would make that one deal! Otherwise, who knew where the money for tomorrow¡¯s meal would be! As Su Chen earnestly peered at him, Chu Guozhong¡¯s heart trembled violently. His old eyes narrowed as he thought about what would happen if such a scene really happened at his funeral. ¡°Old Sir, only 99 Yuan is needed to give you a mysterious and terrifying past!¡± Su Chen said from the bottom of his heart. A moment later¡­ Chu Guozhong looked at Su Chen and sighed deeply. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± Su Chen¡¯s face lit up as he hurriedly nodded and said. Then, he happily took out the payment code that he had long prepared for the old man to scan the code and pay. Chu Guozhong took out a crumpled one hundred yuan from his chest pocket and stuffed it into Su Chen¡¯s hand. He smiled and said, ¡°Child, you look like a good person. I believe you! You don¡¯t need to give me any change for this!¡± ¡°Old Sir, please fill in your information and the location of the funeral!¡± Su Chen spoke without holding back. Those who were able to order funeral services for themselves knew that they did not have much time left and would not take offense at such details. Chu Guozhong filled in his information and the location of the funeral. Finally, he looked deeply at Su Chen. He looked weary and mournful. This was the company¡¯s first customer. Su Chen nodded slightly at the old man: ¡°Old Sir, I wish you a pleasant service!¡± Then, he walked out of the small home. He was a little excited, but also a little sad. He rode his motorcycle back to the shop, At that moment, the system¡¯s voice rang out in his mind! [Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the first funeral mission!] [Service item: 99 Yuan! Automatically converted into 99 points!] [Points can be exchanged for the items needed for the mission in the points store. After the mission is completed, the system will give additional rewards of different levels depending on the level of success!] [Ding! The 99 Yuan Mission Store is now open!] 99 points set (5-piece set) : [Black suit with a mysterious aura] [King-level temperament and eyes with a solemn aura] [Sunglasses as dark as ink] [Black Bluetooth headset] [A black umbrella] ¡­ If this was something the system produced, it had to be very well-made! Without any hesitation, Su Chen directly acquired the set. Now, he only had to wait for Chu Guozhong to pass away and make a grand appearance at the funeral. Su Chen briefly organized Chu Guozhong¡¯s information. In less than a day, he would attend Chu Guozhong¡¯s funeral! Chapter 3 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation In the small house. After Chu Guozhong saw Su Chen off, he received a phone call. ¡°Hello, Chu Guozhong, I heard that you went to the hospital? Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Once your squad leader, always your squad leader!¡± It was an old comrade who called. When he heard that Chu Guozhong was in the hospital, he expressed his worries. Chu Guozhong steeled himself and said calmly, ¡°Sir, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m made of steel! It¡¯s just some minor stuff. I¡¯ll be fine after two days of rest!¡± ¡°Damn, we can¡¯t afford to suffer at our age. Please take care of your body!¡± Soon. One comrade after another called. Without exception, they were all old comrades who had fought by his side in the past! The moment someone found out that he had been in the hospital, the news immediately spread to his old comrades. ¡°Old Chu, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll immediately arrange for the best doctor in the country to treat you!¡± ¡°Old Chu, you scared me. Why did you go to the hospital? If you hadn¡¯t taken that bullet for me back then, I would have lost my old life a long time ago! If there¡¯s anything, just tell me!¡± ¡°Little Chu, let¡¯s meet up later. We haven¡¯t seen each other for many years! When we heard that you were hospitalized, everyone was very worried. Let¡¯s get together and watch our backs like old times!¡± The voices of his old comrades echoed in his ears, like a warm current rippling in his heart. However, at that moment, Chu Guozhong¡¯s heart felt like it was being stabbed by a knife. What he missed the most were these old comrades who had gone through life and death together and fought together on the battlefield. However, he could not tell them that he was sick so that these old fellows would not be sad. Chu Guozhong held back his old tears. ¡°Old Liu, don¡¯t worry. The Doctor said that it¡¯s just a small problem! There¡¯s no need for all the trouble!¡± ¡°Xiao Cheng, it¡¯s been so many years. It was just a bullet. We¡¯re all brothers in the trenches. It¡¯s only right to save your life. Don¡¯t mention such a small thing in the future!¡± ¡°Okay, okay, okay. You have to take care of yourself too. When we gather, I¡¯ll drink with you guys! Let¡¯s talk about our heroic deeds of the past, haha!¡± After hanging up the phone, Chu Guozhong¡¯s face seemed to have turned even more miserable. Heroes do not cry, at the very least not in front of people who looked up to them. Heroes do not die, they only fade into legend. His heart raged against the dying of the night, but his body was not as willing. He stared at the phone for a long time. Many new messages were popping up. When he opened it, Chu Guozhong was so angry that he almost fainted. Eldest son: Dad, I am the eldest son of the family. In the past, I was the one who took care of everything in the family. Moreover, which family did not pass it down to their firstborns?! The money for the demolition should be given to me! Second Son: I am really unlucky. After I dropped out of school, you can see how hard I worked in society after all these years. Now, I have no choice. You are my biological father. You can¡¯t just stand by and watch me die! Give me the 3,000,000, and I will be able to make a comeback. As long as I earn money, don¡¯t worry, I will return it to you immediately! Only three years. After three years, I will return it to you tenfold! Little Daughter: As soon as I was born, my mother died in childbirth. I am the most filial in the family! Think about it. In the past few years, didn¡¯t I take care of you when you went to the hospital? When did those two heartless brothers come to take care of you? If you leave the money to me, I will take care of you until you die! ¡­ Chu Guozhong was absolutely livid! He directly blacklisted them! Before this accursed money fell into his hands, his children fought occasionally, but they always mended up in no time. They were still considered harmonious and filial to him. Now, they were barely recognizable. They were obsessed with money. They bickered all day long and almost escalated matters to outright hostility! However, he had already dispersed the money and donated it to society. Chu Guozhong felt at ease, but what made him feel a little apprehensive was his funeral. His mundane, insignificant life was reaching its end. Chu Guozhong believed it was not too much to ask for a slightly more interesting funeral. Now that he had bought the 99 yuan send-off service, he hoped that his funeral would indeed be carried out with that air of mystery! ¡­ In the evening, Chu Guozhong returned home and lay on his bed, physically and mentally exhausted. It was a little difficult to breathe, and his chest felt as uncomfortable, as if there was a huge rock pressing down on it! He had wanted to sleep well. Unexpectedly.., A bang ruined his night. ¡°D*mn, I¡¯m the eldest son of this family. Logically speaking, I should be the one getting the cash. What right do you have to snatch it from me?¡± A middle-aged man broke into the house and cursed in the living room. There was a man and a woman behind him. The two of them did not give in either. ¡°Brother, you are wrong. The house belongs to dad, so the money belongs to dad too. Why should I give it to you? Among us brothers, I¡¯ve had it the roughest. Of course, this money has to be given to me first!¡± ¡°Get the f*ck out of my way. Did we ask you to take those high-risk investments all those years? If you¡¯re crap at it, you¡¯re just crap at it. Do you expect us to clean up your mess? Dream on! Listen to me. Drop the investment shit, you¡¯re just not built for it!¡± ¡°Big Brother, second brother, what are you arguing about? I¡¯m the youngest in the family and I¡¯m a girl. Just give me this money. You two are always away anyway. Haven¡¯t I been taking care of dad all these years?¡± ¡­ As the three people argued in the living room, Chu Guozhong felt a headache coming on. He shouted angrily in the house, ¡°Enough! All of you, shut up!¡± Hearing this, the three people were stunned. They never expected the old man to be at home. The second son, Chu Anlu, was the smartest. He quickly followed the voice into the house and seemed to be concerned. ¡°Aiya, Dad, you didn¡¯t say anything at home. I thought you hadn¡¯t come back yet!¡± The eldest son, Chu Anfu, walked over quickly and said righteously, ¡°Dad, why did you block my phone? I couldn¡¯t get through to you even when I called you! Even Weixin has been added to the blacklist?¡± Chu Anxin, who was beside him, said, ¡°Dad, I was so worried. I didn¡¯t find anyone at home just now, so I quickly took a leave of absence to look for you all over the world! I¡¯ve searched all over the park! I¡¯m so tired!¡± Chu Guozhong was so angry that he did not want to say anything. He said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not your dad! All of you, get out of Here!¡± His words were firm. ¡°Look at how angry he is!¡± Chu Anfu had a righteous look on his face as he criticized his younger brother and sister. Chu Anlu did not care about his elder brother¡¯s criticism. He quickly went forward and tried to curry favor. ¡°Dad, I heard that you went to the hospital again today. What did the Doctor say? I¡¯ll bring you some supplements some other day so that you can have a good rest!¡± At this time, he had to seize the initiative! He had to be more filial. In any case, he had to keep the money for his own flesh and blood. Maybe if he was more filial, the money would go into his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m in good health. You don¡¯t have to worry about me. Get out, I¡¯m trying to sleep!¡± Chu Guozhong waved his hand with difficulty. He was really tired. His eyelids were quivering against his will. But the argument between his children rang in his ears again. The eldest son: ¡°Dad, what about the money? You can¡¯t keep it forever, right?¡±? When he heard about the money, he instantly became excited. The second son: ¡°Give me one million first. I only want one million. The creditors are already closing in on us. I¡¯ll pay off the debt and my wife will come back. You can¡¯t just watch my wife and family break up! Dad! The younger daughter was a little angry. ¡°Do you two know no shame? I took care of dad when he got sick last year. Where were you guys? How can you come to him only when you need money! What qualifications do you have?!¡± The eldest son was a little speechless. The second son sneered. ¡°Hehe, Chu Anxin, you¡¯re the laziest of the lot. Don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know. Dad has pampered you too much. Isn¡¯t it only a given that you at least take care of him?¡± The younger daughter was stunned for a moment, and then she became angry out of embarrassment, ¡°I don¡¯t care. In any case, I¡¯ve given the most in this family!¡±! As they quarreled endlessly in front of him, Chu Guozhong felt a major headache coming. He wanted to tell them directly that he had given the money away. But a mouthful of phlegm seemed to be stuck in his throat. His face was red from holding it in, but he could not say anything. After arguing for a long time, they still could not come up with a reason. Chu Anfu, who had always had a bad temper, was angry. He punched the cabinet next to him. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about getting a single cent!¡± ¡°On what basis!? Who do you think you are?¡± Chu Anlu was also angry. He cursed loudly! Fists and kicks followed their words. ¡°You dare to hit me?¡± ¡°You dare to kick me?!¡± The two sons were wrestling with each other. The younger daughter stood by the side coldly. She wished that her two brothers would beat each other to death just like that. If they were beaten to death, no one would be able to compete with her for the money. Chu Guozhong¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. He looked at the scene in front of him, but he could not say a word. Anger was burning in his heart! As a stream of blood flowed out from the corner of his mouth, his entire body trembled and he blacked out on the spot! ¡°Dad!¡± Chu Anxin was scared out of her wits and screamed loudly. The two sons also stopped and hurriedly looked at the old man. They immediately panicked. ¡°Quick, call an ambulance!¡± ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t die. You haven¡¯t given me the money for the demolition yet! I¡¯m waiting for help!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of calling an ambulance? Send him to the hospital immediately!¡± ¡­. Chapter 4 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation When Chu Guozhong arrived at the hospital, he was already on the verge of death. The doctors immediately raised the alarm. The patient could die at any time! ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. You made him so angry!¡± Chu Anfu blamed the two of them with a look of righteous indignation. The second son, Chu Anlu, remained silent. He looked at the ward nervously. If the old man was really gone, what would happen to his debt? The youngest daughter¡¯s ten fingers were interlaced together. She looked at the ward with a complicated expression. In the ward, Chu Guozhong, who was lying on the bed, had lost all his consciousness. To him, everything in the outside world seemed to have become illusory and blurred. He squinted his eyes, as if a series of images appeared in his mind. Those were the images of his life. He was born in a remote mountain village. After his parents were killed by the Japanese, he left the village with the villagers who were fleeing. He had been left wandering all the way. His family¡¯s hatred for his country made him resolutely join the team to save his country. In the team, he met his comrades who had gone through life and death together and fought bravely on the front line. It was also in the team where he met her. She was his comrade-in-arms and also his wife! From meeting, to knowing, and then to loving each other. The feelings between the two gradually warmed up, and they even swore together: they would drive all the invaders out, and the two of them would grow old together. They did the former, but the latter, because of the difficult childbirth, cut their dream short. The war was over, and all the comrades who fought for the country, including himself, received generous treatment and rewards! Going to the imperial capital to work was undoubtedly a great opportunity for career development, and the future was boundless. However, the two sons and one daughter who lost their mother still needed to be raised by him! Thus, after a few twists and turns. He gave up the chance to go to the imperial capital and stayed in the county town to raise his three children. He had been selfless all his life. Even after the children grew up, he did not have the thought of finding another wife and chose to die alone. His eldest son, Chu Anfu, was born with courage and intelligence. After graduating from university, he quickly found a job with a stable income. He could be considered to be doing quite well. The second son, Chu Anlu, was very smart, but he was also arrogant. After making many mistakes, he chose to drop out of school to start a business. After being in business for so many years, he could be considered to be heavily in debt. The youngest daughter, Chu Anxin, was much more honest. She married an engineer and gave birth to a boy. After that, she found a factory near her home to work. It was dull but stable. The children had their own lives Every year and festival, they would bring the little children home to visit and reunite. Before the money came into their lives, Chu Guozhong was still enjoying the blessings of his old age. However, after the blood-red words were written, the children transformed before his very eyes! In the face of benefits, even flesh and blood stood no chance. Each of them tried their best to coddle up to Chu Guozhong, wanting to claim the money for themselves. Even if Chu Guozhong wanted to divide it equally with them, they never once agreed. Each actually wanted to take the demolition money for themselves. Facing the selfishness of his children, in the end, Chu Guozhong directly donated it all to charity. It was also his last contribution to the country before he died, and he hoped that this money could be invested in the places that the country truly needed. This was the last contribution of a veteran, giving his all to the country. The long life passed in a hurry along with the flashing images in his mind Chu Guozhong smiled bitterly in his heart and calmly closed his eyes. This life came and went in a hurry. It was as if he had done everything but did not have the time to do anything. On his deathbed, he had spent 99 yuan to buy a funeral service. He could only imagine how it would be like. ¡­ The door of the emergency room opened. A doctor walked out with a heavy expression and said helplessly to the three family members, ¡°We tried our best!¡± His voice echoed in the corridor of the hospital that night. ¡°Dad!!¡± Chu Anxin was the first to react. She rushed to the side of the hospital bed and looked at Chu Guozhong, who was lying on the hospital bed with a pale face. Tears fell one after another. Her two sons also hurried over. They all felt remorse. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done. You angered him to death!¡± Chu Anfu scolded his younger brother and sister angrily. ¡°This¡­ Father is gone. What about the money? Who should get it?¡± Chu Anlu opened his mouth, but he still asked this question. Chu Anxin, who was lying next to the hospital bed, immediately transformed. She stopped crying and said coldly, ¡°I won¡¯t give it to anyone! I¡¯ve taken care of Dad for the longest time, so this money should be given to me!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Chu Anfu snorted coldly and said in a deep voice, ¡°Dad is gone, and I¡¯m the eldest son of the family. Of course, I¡¯ll be in charge of the money!¡± ¡­ As the three siblings argued in front of the old man¡¯s body, the doctors and nurses present shook their heads. How unfilial! The attending doctor could not stand it any longer and interrupted, ¡°Have some decorum! That¡¯s your father! If there¡¯s anything, you can talk about it in the future!¡± The three of them quickly fell silent. After that, the doctor took out a bullet casing and handed it to Chu Anfu. ¡°We extracted this from his body. Other than this bullet, we found many more old wounds and bullet marks. Was he a war hero?¡± When Chu Guozhong was sent here, he was still wearing an old-fashioned tattered military uniform and a military cap on his head. ¡°Not really. My dad did fight the Japanese before. He¡¯s just an ordinary veteran!¡± Chu Anfu took the bullet casing that was wrapped in a sealed bag and said casually. ¡°If he was an old hero, would we still be in such a miserable state?¡± Chu Anlu sighed at the side. He looked at the hospital bed again and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t dad leave any will or belongings?¡± Chu Anxin quickly searched Chu Guozhong¡¯s pockets and found a few pieces of cash. They were not even enough for a hundred yuan. As for bank cards, she came up short. ¡°Those who bled during the war and paid for it with their body, even if they were just ordinary veterans, deserve our respect!¡± All the doctors and nurses in the resuscitation room bowed in silence for Chu Guozhong! In their eyes, every veteran who participated in the shocking history of the past was a well-deserved hero! They were worthy of respect! ¡°Hurry up and inform your relatives and friends!¡± At that moment, the most important thing was to hold a funeral for Chu Guozhong. They should put this man to rest as soon as possible. Then, they would talk about inheritance and such. ¡­ On the other side, Su Chen also received a message from the system. The first mission¡¯s funeral target, Chu Guozhong, had passed away! He quickly donned his black suit with a solemn expression, put on his sunglasses and earpiece, and held a black umbrella in his hand. Even through the sunglasses, that suffocating gaze and pressure still burst out of his visage! An aura burst out from his body, giving him a certain enigmatic, powerful appearance! As he walked on the street, countless passers-by paid attention to him, Whether it was an ordinary pedestrian, an ordinary car, or a million-dollar luxury car, all of them were attracted to him for a moment. The aura he emitted was daunting! Su Chen¡¯s footsteps were steady as he walked towards the funeral. Old Mister Chu, let me send you off! Chapter 5 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The location of the funeral was to be at a cemetery on the outskirts of the county town. Pingzhuang Cemetery. Under the clear sky, the wind blew gently. White wreaths and couplets were placed on both sides of the tombstone. Relatives and friends all observed a moment of silence. Chu Guozhong¡¯s sons and daughters knelt in front of the tombstone. The eyes of the eldest son, Chu Anfu, were already red. He looked at the portrait and wailed in grief: ¡°Father, have a safe journey! You can rest assured that this family and the funds will be handed over to me!¡± ¡°What?¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Anlu could not take it anymore and immediately retorted. ¡°On what basis? Your name is written on paper? You want me to give it to you just because you say so?¡± Chu Anxin, who was at the side, quickly echoed. ¡°That¡¯s right. Father did not make any will and said that he wanted to give this money to you! As long as I¡¯m here, you can forget about getting a single cent!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the eldest son of the Chu family. If you don¡¯t give me this money, do you think I¡¯ll give it to you?¡± Chu Anfu claimed the money as soon as he said he would. At that moment, he glared fiercely at his younger brother and sister. Right in front of the tombstone, the three of them looked at each other as if they were enemies. There was no such thing as flesh and blood! At that moment, Chu Guozhong could no longer hear the argument between his children. One of the elders of the Chu family immediately stopped them. ¡°Enough! Why don¡¯t you look around! The three of you are blood-related siblings. Aren¡¯t you afraid that your father will be disappointed if you do this in front of his grave! ? It does not look good!¡± The three siblings continued to argue until their faces turned red. They could directly fight in front of the cemetery at any time. The surrounding relatives and friends looked at this scene with complicated expressions and sighed endlessly. Occasionally, there would be a few interlopers who wanted to cut in. When the three of them were rich, they could go and borrow their money. After all, the money would sooner or later belong to the three of them. It was inevitable. At that moment, a few cars suddenly drove into the cemetery. ¡°Eh? Didn¡¯t they say that cars were not allowed in?¡± ¡°Yeah, I was also stopped outside. How did this car get in?¡± ¡°They must have some sway over things. Who could it be?¡± The leading car was a Mercedes-Benz. It stopped steadily in front of Chu Guozhong¡¯s grave, ten meters away. The driver got out of the car and opened the door: ¡°Sir, we¡¯re here!¡± A white-haired old man dressed in an old-fashioned military uniform stretched out a trembling hand from the car. The driver hurriedly went forward to help him up, very respectfully. After the old man got off the car, everyone realized that there were a few shining military medals hanging on his chest. He was clearly a veteran who had achieved military merits. When the old man saw Chu Guozhong¡¯s tombstone, tears immediately rolled down from the corners of his eyes. Everyone¡¯s expression immediately changed: ¡°This¡­ This is Guozhong¡¯s comrade-in-arms?¡± ¡°It should be. Judging from his clothes, he was wearing the same military uniform that Guozhong had on him!¡± ¡°I remember that he has a medal on his chest as well!¡± While everyone was shocked, three old men walked out from the other vehicles. They were all wearing the same old military uniform. There were some medals on their chests, and one of them was a medal. It seemed that the three old soldiers were all the same. ¡°These are my father¡¯s comrades. I thought they wouldn¡¯t come.¡± Chu Anfu immediately recognized the veterans and explained to everyone. He had seen it on his father¡¯s phone before. He had heard his father say that these comrades did not seem to have high statuses. They were all ordinary veterans. They did not contact each other much. He had first informed his family and friends about his father¡¯s death before informing the three elders. Originally, he had sent a message out as a symbolic gesture. He had not expected them to come. However, reality proved that he had underestimated his father¡¯s comrade-in-arms. Looking at the stumbling elder, out of courtesy, Chu Anfu quickly went forward to help him up. Unexpectedly¡­ The elder glared at him and pushed him away: ¡°Scram! How could elder brother Chu give birth to unfilial sons and daughters like you? Unfilial things!¡± When the old man was young, he had also been a hot-tempered person. Chu Anfu was stunned as he took the verbal lashing in the face! At the very least, he should have left some face for himself. How could he reject him so mercilessly? Chu Anfu¡¯s expression was ugly as he took a few steps back. Everyone was watching. Based on his status as a veteran, even if the other party beat and scolded him, he could only silently accept it. He did not dare to get angry on the spot. Two other old men also walked forward. One of the old men looked at Chu Anfu and the other two, shook his head and sighed: ¡°Sigh, it¡¯s not easy for Old Chu to raise three children by himself!¡± In front of Chu Guozhong¡¯s grave, ¡°Old Chu, why did you suddenly leave?¡± ¡°You even lied to us, saying that it was only minor, but you left us first!¡± ¡°Old Brother Chu!!¡± The three old men walked forward and wept bitterly. Their shriveled hands touched the portrait as if they were touching an old comrade-in-arms. They had faced a hail of bullets before, the three old men, who had not even frowned for a moment, could not stop crying at this moment. The most conspicuous medal on their chests was exactly the same as the one on Chu¡¯s tombstone. It seemed to be the same medal. The old man in the lead picked up the medal and seemed to recall the experiences of his comrades. He was in excruciating pain and sorrow: ¡°The first medal our class won back then was this military medal. You Old Chu, didn¡¯t even tell us before you left!¡± Upon seeing this.., The onlookers curiously asked Chu Anfu, ¡°We didn¡¯t know of this?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Old Chu an ordinary veteran? How come he knows these people? They don¡¯t seem very ordinary!¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly, that medal doesn¡¯t seem simple!¡± ¡°Hehe, they are all a group of old men, what statuses can they have?¡± Chu Anfu still had an ugly expression on his face having been scolded just now, so he immediately snapped back at them. He knew his father the best. He did not have any special abilities. Other than fighting the Japanese back then, he had not done anything earth-shattering. Moreover, his old comrades were all old men and had no value to be used. When everyone heard this, they soon lost interest in these three veterans. After all, Chu Guozhong usually kept a low profile. Everyone knew that he was an ordinary veteran. At the same time¡­ A relative pointed to a place not far away: ¡°Who is that?¡± Su Chen was wearing a black suit, black sunglasses, and an earpiece. He was particularly eye-catching in the cemetery, and a mysterious aura emanated from his body. He stood there, silently staring at Chu Guozhong¡¯s tombstone. The relatives and friends of the Chu family were all stunned. There did not seem to be any other funerals around, nor were there any tombstones that were being worshipped. Did this mean that the other party was here to attend Chu Guozhong¡¯s funeral? ¡°This person is a relative of the Chu family?¡± ¡°Does anyone know him? Could he be a distant relative?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of him. Could he be a friend of Guozhong?¡± ¡°Such a young friend? Look at his clothes. He¡¯s not an ordinary person!¡± An old friend of Chu Guozhong frowned and analyzed him. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just passing by. Guozhong has an ordinary life. How could he meet a big shot?¡± Even though they were quite a distance away¡­ Su Chen stood there with a calm expression. The aura that he emitted made everyone feel a different kind of power. It was a faint deterrent force that kept strangers away! Under his gaze, Chu Anfu was a little nervous and fell silent. ¡°Why does this person keep staring at us?¡± Under Su Chen¡¯s gaze, everyone did not even dare to breathe loudly. That piercing gaze seemed to be able to penetrate through the black sunglasses and shocked everyone! Chu Anlu broke out in cold sweat and asked quietly, ¡°Was dad hiding something from us? I¡¯ve never been this nervous before when the CEO with a net worth of over a hundred million stood in front of me!¡± ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be. Don¡¯t you know how dad looks like? If he knew a big shot, why would he have to sulk for the rest of his life?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Dad is just an ordinary veteran! With Dad¡¯s status, he¡¯s not worthy of such an existence!¡± ¡°To be able to dress like this and have such a strong aura, he must have a powerful background!¡± ¡­ Chu Anfu, Chu Anlu, and Chu Anxin discussed quietly, not daring to make a sound. Other than the three veterans who were crying in front of the grave, many relatives and friends were guessing Su Chen¡¯s identity, but they could not guess his background. Under the clear sky, it was a beautiful day. However¡­ In the next moment, Su Chen held up the black umbrella in his hand! The black umbrella was completely black, and even the umbrella frame was pitch black. It was so mysterious and terrifying! Seeing this scene, everyone¡¯s hair stood on end! It was not raining, but he was holding a black umbrella, and he was still dressed in such a mysterious manner. What kind of identity did this man have? A relative asked in fear, ¡°Do you think that national loyalty was not as simple as we thought?¡± Chapter 6 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Oh my God, I¡¯ve only seen people dressed like that on TV!¡± ¡°I think he has something in his ear. Could he be reporting the funeral situation here to some Big Boss?¡± ¡°Good God, did you see the suit he¡¯s wearing? It looks even better than our boss¡¯s imported suit that costs 800,000 yuan!¡± ¡°What¡¯s his background?¡± At the funeral, his relatives and friends were discussing. Su Chen stood not far away with a calm expression. He held the black umbrella in his hand and watched the funeral. The funeral should have ended very quickly, but because of the tears and nostalgia of the three veterans, it dragged on for two hours. Chu Anfu remained absent-minded. He looked at Su Chen who had been standing in the distance, then looked at the three veterans who were huddled next to the tombstone, still reminiscing about the past. He sighed. ¡°Sigh, why aren¡¯t you leaving yet!¡± He did not dare to say these words out loud. He only whispered them to himself. What happened next seemed to be in response to him Drip! Raindrops fell on the ground, and the sky became gloomy. Dark clouds began to churn, and a cold wind swept over. The Heavens and Earth also lost their color. In a moment, the weather changed! ¡°Eh? The weather forecast clearly said that it would be sunny. Why Is it raining so heavily!?¡± ¡°It looks like a proper downpour. Quick, take shelter!¡± ¡°It¡¯s raining heavily! It¡¯s raining heavily!¡± The three Chu siblings ran to a big tree to take shelter from the rain. This did not stop them from continuing to fight over the funds. The three of them continued to argue. The relatives and friends around them also hid under the tree. Raindrops fell on the leaves and scattered on the ground and tombstones along with the wind. ¡°Elder Cheng, I¡¯ll get you an umbrella!¡± The driver who had been waiting at the side hurriedly ran to the Mercedes-Benz to get the umbrella. ¡°Elder Liu, please wait a moment. The umbrella will be here soon!¡± On the other side, behind the other two elders, someone also went to get the umbrella. The sound of the rain fell one after another. The sound of the rain was getting louder and louder. ¡°Even the heavens are crying for you, Elder Chu!¡± Old Cheng gritted his teeth and said. The Tears on his face had not dried yet, but his eyes were filled with tears again. During the war, Chu Guozhong had taken a bullet for him and saved his life! He still remembered this firmly in his heart. He did not dare to forget it even for a moment. He only thought that he would have the opportunity to repay this favor. He did not expect that Old Chu, who had just only spoken with him yesterday, would die here. He was already in the ground! For a moment, the feelings of regret, guilt, and missing his comrades surged into his heart. How could a few short sentences be enough to express all his thoughts? The two comrades beside him were the same. They were veterans who stood at the front line to serve their country. They did not dare to retreat even for a moment! They were brave and fearless as they lingered on the line of life and death. They would never fall behind even if they lost their flesh and blood. They would shed blood, sweat, and tears! They stood firm on the front lines and defended their country. They pressed forward with an indomitable will! The sudden departure of their old comrades had opened up the scars of the past. It was the hatred of their country and their family. It was the brotherhood of their comrades who fought bravely. It was the era when countless compatriots had shed blood and sacrificed themselves! The three of them sat in front of the grave. Even when the raindrops fell, they were unwilling to leave. At that moment¡­ A black umbrella was held up above the three of them! The raindrops all hit the surface of the umbrella. Old Cheng looked up and frowned. ¡°You are?¡± Su Chen was wearing a black suit, black sunglasses, and an earpiece. He held a black umbrella in his hand. His unique temperament was emitted from his body, which impressed the three veterans! The three people who rode on the battlefield back then had been bombarded by shells and the flames of war were flying everywhere. They climbed up again and again among the piles of dead people in a river of blood. What great wind and waves had they not seen? Hell itself descended upon them, and they had remained undaunted. However, after seeing Su Chen, their expressions changed. This kind of imposing manner that was emitted was not something that an ordinary person could have. Even his dark sunglasses could not stop the mysterious aura emitting from his entire body. It was hard to see through, and there was also a unique pressure with it! Whoosh The rain poured down like a waterfall! The four of them squeezed under a single black umbrella. They all guarded Chu Guozhong¡¯s photo and Military Medals! As they got closer, the three of them realized that this umbrella¡¯s workmanship was extraordinary, from the fabric, the umbrella frame, to the Umbrella¡¯s structure and threads! It was definitely top-notch workmanship! Also, the suit on Su Chen¡¯s body was not something ordinary fabric could produce. The image of Su Chen in their hearts had grown mysterious at this moment. ¡°Little brother, thank you!¡± Elder Liu¡¯s turbid eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Su Chen. He could feel that the aura that this young man was emitting was actually higher than his own. After going through the tempering of the flames of war and many years of vicissitudes of life, Elder Liu had seen all kinds of people. Naturally, there were people who could possess such an aura. However, they were all important figures with noble statuses. Moreover, most of them were not young. For such a young man to be able to emit this kind of aura, things were not simple! ¡°Elder Liu, the umbrella is here!¡± ¡°Elder Cheng, sorry to have kept you waiting! Sorry!¡± Soon, umbrella after umbrella surrounded Su Chen¡¯s black umbrella and expanded their makeshift shelter by a few meters. The three veterans were still somewhat shocked. After retiring, their comrades went their separate ways and rarely saw each other. Su Chen, who was dressed like an international agent, made the three of them think twice about Chu Guozhong¡¯s past. ¡°Has Old Chu been keeping a low profile and is secretly carrying out more work for the country?¡± Old Cheng could not help but ask. Elder Liu shook his head. ¡°If it¡¯s a secret, how could I not know?¡± He listened in on their conversation. Su Chen looked cold on the surface, but in his heart, he was panicking. Not simple! These two people were definitely not simple! At this moment, another veteran who had been silent all this time raised his head. ¡°Little brother, may I ask what is your relationship with Old Chu?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just here to send off old Mr. Chu!¡± Su Chen said this with a calm expression and did not say anything else. He was frighteningly cold. Having dressed like a special agent, it was difficult for people not to think about the mysterious past of Chu Guozhong. Su Chen¡¯s sending-off service was to create a mysterious past for the client. This mysteriousness naturally included the three people present at the funeral. ¡°Since you¡¯re here to send off Chu Guozhong, you¡¯re also a friend of mine, Liu Hongxuan. If you have any matters in the future, feel free to look for me!¡± As Liu Hongxuan said this, the driver at his side quickly respectfully handed Su Chen a business card. The mysterious outfit and the terrifying aura. Liu Hongxuan was worried that Su Chen would have declined it, but he still accepted it. It was true that he wanted to appear indifferent, but he had to accept the business card. Listening to the conversation of these three people, their identities were definitely not ordinary. It might be helpful to him in the future, so he could not pass on the opportunity! ¡°Sigh, Old Chu is gone, and we¡¯re the only comrades left!¡± Old Cheng sighed. Another elder also sighed. ¡°We were once glorious, but in the end, we¡¯re still a bunch of dirt! When we all get down there, we¡¯ll gather together and have a good drink!¡± ¡°A veteran doesn¡¯t die, his spirit will live forever!¡± Su Chen suddenly said. Liu Hongfei¡¯s eyes lit up.. ¡°Well said!¡± Chapter 7 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Su Chen¡¯s words deeply moved Liu Hongfei. ¡°There are loyal bones buried everywhere in earth. Why do we need to bury our corpses? The will of the veterans get passed down from generation to generation, and their spirit will live forever!¡± Elder Cheng and the other veterans felt a lot more at ease. Su Chen¡¯s words received the unanimous approval of the three of them. The exchange between the three veterans also surprised Su Chen. Whether it was the temperament between their words and deeds, or the deep meaning in their words, Su Chen could feel it ¡ª their identities were far more than what they appeared to be. Perhaps, their true identities were existences that were difficult for him to reach. However, at today¡¯s funeral¡­ Their identities were just three ordinary veterans who were paying tribute to their comrades. Time quickly passed. The clouds dispersed, and the heavy rain also dissipated. The clouds parted to give way to the sun. Chu Guozhong¡¯s funeral came to an end. With the help of the people around them, the three veterans looked at Chu Guozhong¡¯s tombstone with reluctance, then stood up and left one by one. They hunched their bodies. Time had eroded the once high-spirited youth, turning them into frail and sickly old men. They could no longer carry guns, could no longer cross mountains and rivers, and could no longer charge and annihilate the enemy. However, their tenacity and unceasing spirit of pressing forth would last forever! Su Chen once again turned his head to look at Chu Guozhong¡¯s tombstone. This tombstone of an ordinary veteran, at this moment, was like a heavy, bottomless will of faith in his eyes that could not be removed. He took off his earpiece and bowed towards Chu Guozhong¡¯s tombstone. Then, under the gaze of Chu Guozhong¡¯s relatives and friends, he left Pingzhuang Cemetery. The first funeral mission was successfully completed. It was very ordinary, but it was also very profound. After waiting for Su Chen to leave, Chu Guozhong¡¯s relatives and friends finally came back to their senses. The hearts that had been hanging in the air for a long time had finally dropped. The pressure that Su Chen released had been too strong. That suffocating feeling, no one dared to look him in the eye. Moreover, he was dressed like an international agent and did not look like an ordinary person at all. Such a mysterious and terrifying person had appeared at Chu Guozhong¡¯s funeral! ¡°I want to see who dares to say that Guozhong is useless in the future!¡± An elder of the Chu family said loudly. How could a person dressed like this appear at a funeral? How could his past be ordinary? ¡°I¡¯ve only seen such a scene on TV. Dressed in black and has an umbrella. He¡¯s definitely a big shot!¡± ¡°That might not be the case. I saw him reaching for his earpiece from time to time. He might be reporting the funeral to some Big Boss!¡± ¡°Sigh, it seems that Chu Guozhong¡¯s past is really scary. Who would have thought that such an existence would be present? He¡¯s usually so low-key¡­¡± ¡°Terrifying, so terrifying!¡± The relatives and friends around them sighed as they bade farewell to the siblings. What they saw today would undoubtedly become the topic of conversation after dinner. Such a mysterious existence and scene was something that ordinary people would not be able to see even once in their lives. However, the expressions of the siblings did not look too good. Their old comrades from Chu Guozhong had not treated them well in front of everyone and even scolded them. There was no need to say anything else. It was rare for a mysterious existence like that man in black to appear. One look was all it took to tell that he was a big shot! In the end, the three people who wanted to curry favor with him could not even meet him in person. He had completely ignored them! Such an existence was not simple. Instead, he personally opened an umbrella for his three old comrades. In the end, until he left, the other party treated the three siblings as if they were air. He felt extremely aggrieved. ¡°In my opinion, Father¡¯s past is definitely not as simple as he told us!¡± ¡°Father is really too much. He clearly knew such a big shot. Why doesn¡¯t he introduce us to him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It would be great if he could form a relationship with that man in black just now. Such a big shot, what¡¯s a mere three million in front of him? We would get it with the flick of a finger! Why do we have to fight to the death here? It¡¯s all Dad¡¯s fault!¡± ¡°Alright, what¡¯s the use of saying it now? He keeps talking about his old comrades. In the end, did he leave anything behind for us at all?¡± Chu Anfu, Chu Anlu, and Chu Anxin, the siblings, gathered together and complained. The relationship between outsiders could no longer be counted on, and it still depended on whether there was money left to claim or otherwise. ¡°When dad left, I wonder where he put the money?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a full 3,000,000 yuan, it must be at home!¡± ¡°I remember now, Dad has a safe, it must be in there!¡± Soon, they turned their attention back to the 3,000,000 yuan. As for the weeds in front of Chu Guozhong¡¯s tomb, did they even need cleaning up? They could not care less now! For a moment, the three siblings ran toward the relocation house! ¡­ After leaving the cemetery, Su Chen took advantage of his free time on the road to quickly take out the business card that Liu Hongfei had given him earlier. He had not looked at it carefully when he was busy acting cool. But when he looked at it now, he frowned. It was a pitch-black business card. Such high-end texture was enough to be compared to top-grade fabric! The words ¡°Liu Hongfei¡± embossed in silver on it shone brightly. Other than his name and contact information, there was nothing else. What a strange business card. It seemed that these few comrades of Chu Guozhong were not simple men. He searched for Liu Hongfei on the Internet, but did not find any relevant information. Helplessly, he could only put away the business card first. Perhaps he could use it in the future. The first mission was considered to be complete. Su Chen prepared to return to the company first. ¡­ On the other side. In the relocation house, the door was pushed open with a bang! Chu Anfu¡¯s figure was the first to rush in. Chu Anlu and Chu Anxin, who were following closely behind, also charged forward. They rushed straight into Chu Guozhong¡¯s room and rushed towards the same target! Chu Guozhong¡¯s safe! Chu Anfu was the first to rush forward and directly blocked the safe with both hands. His eyes were filled with desire. ¡°Enough, that¡¯s big enough for 3,000,000 in cash!¡± ¡°Big Brother, what are you trying to do? Take all the money for yourself?¡± Looking at the safe that was right in front of him, Chu Anlu¡¯s eyes immediately turned red. He clenched his fists and asked. If he could not get this money, his wife would definitely be lost. With a pile of debts, he would still have to continue fleeing for his life! ¡°I¡¯m your big brother. Since dad is dead, I should be the one to inherit the family business. Therefore, I should be in charge of the money!¡± Chu Anlu tightly blocked the safe, gritted his teeth, and continued: ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for being ungrateful. After all, we¡¯re brothers. I¡¯ll give each of you 30,000 yuan and we¡¯ll disperse in peace!¡± ¡°What did you say? What did you just say?!¡± Chu Anlu¡¯s eyes widened in anger, and his breathing quickened! ¡°30,000 it is! Don¡¯t push your luck. Don¡¯t call me stingy!¡± Chu Anfu gritted his teeth and said. ¡°F*ck!¡± Chu Anlu cursed. He had lost his mind! His breathing quickened. He had to get this money! 30,000 yuan to send him away!? I want 3,000,000 yuan! Bang! Without saying anything else, he suddenly threw a punch at Chu Anfu¡¯s face! ¡°You dare to hit me?¡± The blood from Chu Anfu¡¯s nose flowed down on the spot, and he looked at Chu Anlu with shock and anger! With a fierce expression, he directly pounced on Chu Anlu and tangled with him. He waved his fist crazily, and the two of them fought from the room to the living room, then from the living room to the kitchen, and finally to the bathroom! The house was in a mess. Glass was all over the floor, and pieces of tattered clothing lay on the ground. Even the only photo of Chu Guozhong and his wife had been knocked off the wall! But.., The two of them had no intention of stopping. ¡°Good boy, you have guts. You even hit your big brother, huh?¡± Chu Anfu wiped the blood from his nose. ¡°Okay, whoever survives today will get the money!¡± Chu Anfu picked up a stool next to him. He was so anxious that he directly swung it at Chu Anlu¡¯s face! Crack! Chu Anlu raised his hand to block it. The pain made his face contort! He immediately gritted his teeth and rushed into the kitchen to pick up the kitchen knife! ¡°I¡¯ll chop you to death!¡± ¡°Come on, he who fears death is a sea urchin!¡± At that moment, Chu Anxin suddenly shouted. ¡°Where¡¯s the money? Why is the safe empty?¡± The two of them were shocked and hurriedly ran into the room. * woo * * woo * PS: Kneel and beg for a reward (Dog in cone of shame..JPG) Chapter 8 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation In Chu Guozhong¡¯s room, Chu Anxin was dumbstruck. After spending so much effort to open the safe, there wasn¡¯t even a single strand of hair inside? Where¡¯s the money? Chu Anfu lay on the safe, sweating profusely as he searched for the money. He searched around several times, almost stuffing himself into the safe. On the side, Chu Anlu¡¯s anger did not abate. He only grew more furious. Then, he immediately glared at Chu Anxin. ¡°Chu Anxin, where did you hide it?!¡± Just now, he had been fighting fiercely with his big brother and did not care about this little sister. That was how Chu Anxin opened the safe! There was a place to find the password to the safe. After all, when Chu Guozhong was old, he often forgot things. So, he simply wrote the password on the paper. His children all knew it. It was no secret. ¡°Take it for myself?! Are you stupid, or just delusional? It¡¯s 3,000,000 yuan, where can I hide it?¡± Chu Anxin was also a little angry and retorted. ¡°Who said it¡¯s cash? What if it¡¯s a bank cheque?¡± Chu Anfu also came forward and said. Although she was their only sister, their blood was thicker than water. But, which fool would talk about love in front of 3,000,000? What would this sister of theirs not do for money? It was 3,000,000! What ruse would she not attempt? Chu Anlu was still holding a kitchen knife in his hand. The two brothers were furious and were about to go crazy over 3,000,000. Even if Chu Anxin was a woman, they would not be lenient! Chu Anxin stomped her feet angrily. ¡°When I opened it, it was empty. There was nothing. What now, are you going to search me?¡± ¡°Chu Anxin, don¡¯t force me!¡± Chu Anfu clenched his fists. Veins popped out as he threatened her. Chu Anxin immediately took out everything in her pockets and bags and threw them on the ground! Cell phones, change, bank cards, cosmetics¡­ And so on scattered all over the ground. ¡°You two take a good look. These are all my bank cards!¡± ¡°Dad didn¡¯t hide the demolition money in the safe at all!¡± She was so anxious that her eyes were red. She was so anxious that she almost cried. ¡°You must have stolen it. Take it out for me!¡± Chu Anfu had always had a bad temper. At that moment, he raised his fist and was about to throw a punch! Bang! Bang! Bang! At that moment, there was a series of knocks on the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± Chu Anlu was a little impatient, so he picked up the kitchen knife and went over to open the door. Suddenly¡­ Crack! Crack! The sound of shutters were heard, and there were flashes all over the place. Cameras! Like reporters, men and women had gathered. ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Chu Anlu panicked and asked them fiercely. Among these people, a beautiful woman with a graceful figure walked up: ¡°Excuse me, Chu Guozhong, does old Mister Chu live here?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s dead!¡± Chu Anlu replied casually, not in the mood to be courteous. Everyone was stunned! Seeing that it was a beautiful woman, Chu Anfu wiped the blood from his nose, tidied up his clothes, and went forward to ask her. ¡°We are the children of Chu Guozhong. Why are you looking for my father?¡± ¡°We are staff members of a charity organization. After we learned what Mr. Chu Guozhong did, we especially rushed over to thank him!¡± The woman explained with a smile. More than ten of them had come to thank him. In this small county, it was rare to see people who could donate so much money in one go! ¡°Why are you thanking him?¡± Chu Anlu frowned and asked doubtfully. ¡°My father just passed away and was buried in Pingzhuang Cemetery.¡± Chu Anfu continued. ¡°What? He passed away!¡± Everyone was dumbfounded. A few charity workers started to tear up. The woman¡¯s expression dimmed and she said sadly, ¡°How could this be? When the old man came to donate to us, he looked fine! How could it be gone just like that!¡± ¡°What? What donation did you say?¡± Chu Anlu¡¯s eyes lit up and he quickly asked. Hearing that, everyone¡¯s expression changed again. The woman asked in puzzlement, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Old Man Chu donated 3,000,000 yuan to our charity!¡± ¡°What the f*ck!?¡± ¡°Dad donated all the money?¡± ¡°3,000,000!¡± The three siblings almost fainted from anger on the spot! They had been searching for the money for such a long time, and they had even fought with each other for it. However, it had all been donated by Chu Guozhong a long time ago! Then why fight? What was there to fight about? ¡°So¡­ what Mr. Chu donated was related to this demolition!¡± ¡°What a good man! To be able to have such awareness, he deserves our respect and publicity!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t hold it in any longer! I¡¯m crying. Mr. Chu, have a safe journey. We will always remember you!¡± ¡°I love you so much. Thank you, Mr. Chu, for your selfless dedication! Your charity will support countless poor children, so that they can afford to eat, wear clothes, and go to school!¡± Everyone was instantly moved to tears. Chu Guozhong¡¯s actions were truly touching. It was a pity that good people did not live long! ¡°Oh right, the old sir left in a hurry that day and forgot to take the donation certificate. We found this place based on the address left on it!¡± The woman took out the donation certificate. The Chu siblings read the certificate and wanted to cry but had no tears. At that moment¡­ the man with the camera wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes and said, ¡°What a touching scene. Let me take a picture of you! The sons and daughters of the Old Man!¡± Everyone walked into the house together. Upon looking at the messy house and the objects scattered on the ground, it seemed like they had just experienced a life-and-death battle. Everyone¡¯s expression changed as they looked at the bruised and swollen brothers. Chu Anfu lied and quickly explained., ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, we¡¯re just moving!¡± Only then did everyone suddenly see the light. Those who didn¡¯t know would have thought that they were fighting over the money! The photographer found the location for the photo and gestured for the three siblings to stand in a row. ¡°Hold the donation certificate up!¡± The woman quickly went forward and handed the certificate to Chu Anlu. Chu Anlu put down the kitchen knife and took the certificate. Chu Anfu wiped the sweat from his forehead and quickly explained, ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. My brother was cutting vegetables just now!¡± Then, they watched Chu Anlu take the certificate. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief again. Those who didn¡¯t know would have thought that Chu Anlu was going to chop someone up! Just like that, the three siblings stood in a row. ¡°Smile!¡± The man who took the photo said. The three of them smiled bitterly. Snap! The photo was taken. The staff of the charity organization bade farewell to the three siblings with heavy hearts. After waiting for the staff of the charity organization to leave, Chu Anlu sat down on the ground and said in a daze, ¡°A total of 3,000,000. Dad didn¡¯t even discuss it with us!? He donated all of it!¡± He read the shocking number on the certificate again. He muttered to himself, ¡°Not even a single cent was left!¡± He felt so aggrieved that he wanted to cry. He had never felt so aggrieved before! Chu Anxin stood at the side, silent. She wondered if Chu Guozhong had dementia. 3,000,000 for this certificate? The next moment, she suddenly cried out in anger and said aggrievedly, ¡°I told you I didn¡¯t take it.. You guys still don¡¯t believe me!¡± Chapter 9 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Su Funeral Company. At this time, Su Chen had already returned to the company, and the system¡¯s voice beside his ear began to remind him. [Ding! Host has successfully completed the first funeral mission!] [Mission completion level, Perfect! Obtained 100 times multiplier in earnings!] [Obtained first perfect rating, obtained a chance to draw a lottery!] [The rewards will now be distributed. Please check it carefully!] ¡°The reward is 100 times the reward. You have earned 10,000 yuan this time! It has been deposited into the host¡¯s bank!¡± Su Chen was a little surprised. He had not expected the reward to be so high after completing the mission! It seemed that one would be able to earn 100 times the reward after attaining a perfect rating. He had received 10,000 yuan, which was a 100 times increase! His phone vibrated and the money had already been transferred into his bank card. Since it was the system¡¯s doing, there was no need to worry about the source. It was all legal. Looking at the notification from the text message, Su Chen smiled in satisfaction. It was not easy for the originally shabby bank card to bear witness to such a number in one day! The most important thing was to pay the rent of this shop first! He still owed the rent from last month. If he did not pay it now, the landlady would throw him out. He directly transferred the overdue rent from last month, together with this month¡¯s rent, to the landlady. It was a total of 5,000 yuan. As soon as he sent it, the landlady immediately sent an exclamation mark and a question mark, expressing her shock. Landlady: Yo!? Boss Su, did you hit it? Su Chen: Hehe, big sister, I¡¯ll pay you back the rent together. In the future, I, Su Chen, will never delay your rent again! (man bowing submissively. JPG) Landlady: Brat, looks like you¡¯ve really made some money. Aren¡¯t you going to treat me to a meal? (knife. JPG) Su Chen: It was a small transaction, next time for sure! Landlady:/angry/angry/angry. Okay, then I¡¯ll treat you to tofu tonight Su Chen: I¡¯m allergic to tofu. Landlady:/Get lost ¡­ After chatting with the landlady for a while, Su Chen grew a lot happier. This landlady had come from a wealthy family. She was older than he was, but took good care of herself. She had a very good figure and good looks. She was sexy and charming. But for some reason, she never got married. She owned several houses by herself. She could be considered a relatively wealthy woman. This shop was only one of her many properties. She treated him rather well. She had hinted many times that if not for Su Chen¡¯s strong resolve, the rent would have been waived. He did not want to get into that sort of relationship. He still had to work hard! Now that he had the system, things would be much smoother from now on. While lying on the sofa, Su Chen casually flipped through his phone. At that moment, the system¡¯s voice rang out again: [There is still one more chance for the lucky draw. Please draw within 24 hours! Otherwise, the lucky draw will be canceled!] ¡°Lucky Draw! Can I draw now?¡± Su Chen quickly started the lucky draw! At that moment, with a thought, an illusory turntable appeared in front of him. On it were all sorts of rewards, including real-life assets, status, and power rewards, however, most of them were rewards related to funeral services. [Perfect Roulette] [After reaching the perfect rating, one would be given a chance to spin the perfect turntable. The rewards obtained would be transformed into the host¡¯s body or in reality.] [Current Lucky Draw Chance: 1 Time!] ¡­ Su Chen looked at the turntable carefully for a moment. On it, there was a shocking amount of assets, houses, cars, and even shares! Of course, there was also a chance to draw rewards related to funeral services. There were musical instruments, coffins, burning paper, and so on from the classical funeral services. There were also funeral services from the mysterious world. There were all kinds of rewards. No matter what they were, they were all what Su Chen lacked! He immediately used the lucky draw opportunity to spin the wheel! ¡°Ding! Start the lucky draw!¡± It began to spin. There was a pointer on it that followed the roulette¡¯s constant rotation, moving above the reward! A moment later¡­ It slowed down. Under Su Chen¡¯s nervous gaze, the pointer on the roulette slowly moved away from a seaside villa and landed on vastly different words! ¡°Ding! Congratulations on drawing the reward: Suona funeral!¡± ¡°Ding! Imparting the knowledge of suona, etiquette and music! Host, please concentrate!¡± Su Chen felt his head swell up. He quickly closed his eyes and tried his best to feel the source of that influx. It was as if something was crazily drilling into his mind. ¡­ On Chu Guozhong¡¯s children¡¯s side. In the house. After sending away the charity staff, the three of them sat on the sofa without saying a word. Now that the money had all been taken away by the charity, they had no reason to continue arguing. ¡°Three million, that¡¯s a whole three million!¡± ¡°Dad just gave it all away without saying a word!?¡± Chu Anfu kept complaining, still finding it hard to believe! On the other side, Chu Anlu put a cigarette in his mouth and said coldly, ¡°Ha, dad is a good man. He took three million to save others, but he didn¡¯t come to save me. And I¡¯m his biological son! ¡°I really don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking!¡± As he said that, Chu Anlu took a deep puff of the cigarette. His eyes were full of disappointment. ¡°What¡¯s the use of talking now? Dad has already left. We can¡¯t go to a charity to ask for the money, right?¡± Chu Anxin let out a long sigh. She knew that this money had nothing to do with them anymore. At that moment, Chu Anfu, who had turned on his phone casually, happened to see a piece of news. [The great figure of an ordinary county: Master Chu of Qingyang County donated all 3,000,000 of his assets before death!] The news had only been published for a few minutes, but it had quickly broken through the million likes count! They were steadily advancing towards the ten million mark! However, the photo of the three siblings was discussed repeatedly in the news: ¡°Why are they so beaten up? They don¡¯t even look proud of their old man?¡± ¡°Did he do it behind their backs? I don¡¯t think these three are good people. Could it be that they¡¯re gnawing on their elders and are angry because they didn¡¯t get the money?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious at a glance. It seems like they are all just thinking about the money!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a relative of Master Chu. His three children have been quarreling about the funds since forever. Master Chu might have been angered to death by them!¡± When he saw the last comment, Chu Anfu seemed to have been hit in a sore spot. He kicked the table and said angrily, ¡°Which f*cking relative are you? I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Chu Anlu and Chu Anxin only noticed the news when they saw his intense reaction. They immediately turned on their phones to look at it. When they saw the discussion online and thought about how the three of them had fought so fiercely only to earn absolutely nothing. For a moment, the two of them could not help but have mixed feelings¡­. Chapter 10 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Su¡¯s Funeral Company. As the Suona knowledge and skills continued flowing into him, Su Chen slowly opened his eyes. In just a moment, he had mastered the Suona related skills and knowledge. He had even received a song from the system, ¡°A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix!¡± Perhaps it was because he was estranged from traditional culture before, but now that he had the Suona-related information in his mind, Su Chen finally grasped a concept of the phrase, ¡°A hundred musical instruments, the Suona is the king.¡±. The Suona could be used for weddings, weddings, ceremonies, ceremonies, and many other occasions. What he had received was only a short stroke of the Suona¡¯s cultural long story, the Suona funeral! The song that the system had given him was the extremely famous Suona song, ¡°A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix!¡± The 915 volumes of the imperial view of Taiping quoted the Tang Book: The Haizhou Phoenix was seen in the city, and hundreds of birds followed, flying northeast toward Cangwu Mountain. The song was like a poem. If it were an ordinary person, they would not be worthy of this song. Only those who were respected and revered by the public would be worthy of this song! ¡­ The next day, while Su Chen was sorting out Chu Guozhong¡¯s information at the company, the phone rang again! He was stunned and immediately went forward to pick up the phone. Usually, the people who called the company were customers. He did not dare to be negligent. ¡°Hello, this is Su¡¯s Funeral Company. We specialize in receiving funeral services!¡± He was becoming more and more familiar with the spoken language of the business. On the other end of the phone, a young voice sounded: ¡°Hello, I saw your package online. I want to buy a funeral service!¡± Su Chen was a little surprised. From the sound of the voice, it seemed to be a young girl. She did not seem to be sick. Why would such a young person want to buy a funeral service? However, he quickly suppressed the doubts in his heart. His curiosity could not overcome his professional service, so he immediately responded enthusiastically. ¡°Okay, we have a variety of services at various prices. I wonder which one are you going to buy?¡± The other party paused for a moment before continuing: ¡°It¡¯s not for me. Can you come to the first hospital? I¡¯ll wait for you there!¡± ¡°Of course, please wait a moment!¡± Su Chen did not hesitate and immediately agreed. It was another business deal. He would not let it go so easily. After asking for her specific location, Su Chen tidied up briefly, locked the glass door of the shop again, kicked on the motorcycle, and drove towards the first hospital in the county. At this moment. In the first hospital. In a certain ward, the sound of coughing could be heard continuously. A haggard-looking middle-aged woman was lying on the hospital bed. She quickly stretched out her right hand and covered her mouth with the cloth beside the bed. She forcefully stopped the urge to continue coughing, and casually wiped the dark red blood at the corner of her mouth. The woman put down the blood-stained cloth in her hand and smiled with difficulty. She forced out a kind smile, looked at the girl who was lying on the side of the bed and sobbing, and patted her head with her left hand: ¡°Nian, I am fine. Why are you crying?¡± ¡°Principal Tang! I¡¯m scared!¡± The girl could not stop her tears from falling. She could not bear to continue looking at Principal Tang¡¯s haggard appearance. Tang Ying was just about to comfort the child when she frowned! Her stomach began to throb again. It was a pain that made her convinced she was better off dead! She gritted her teeth and endured the pain as she said to the girl in a trembling voice, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I am fine!¡± Even though she was trying her best to hide it, her body could not stop trembling! It was a pain that went deep into her bones! The passage of time brought wrinkles to her, but it also brought her illness. Her name was Tang Ying. She was the principal of a mountain village school and had been in office for eighteen years. Eighteen years ago, she had been assigned to a remote mountain village as a branch teacher. The environment was poor and harsh, and she had gritted her teeth for eighteen years! In order to educate the children well, she had walked countless rugged mountain paths. In order to keep the school from being canceled, she had overcome countless difficulties. But now, she was confined to this sickbed, plagued by a terrible disease. In these years, she had walked the most rugged mountain roads, and thought the most about how to teach the children in the mountains. However, in her own affairs, she had always been confused. As early as a few years ago, she was told by the doctor that she had stomach cancer and needed good treatment and care, but she did not take it seriously. At that time, in order to get the first batch of children to successfully enter the school and see the world outside the mountains, she exhausted all her energy to prepare funds and exam qualifications for the children. Her efforts paid off, despite all kinds of rolled eyes and misunderstandings. She still successfully let the students walk out of the mountain with confidence and hope. They were admitted to one ideal school after another and saw the world outside the mountain. The child smiled, and she also smiled. But, what will come will come, the stomach cancer finally reached the terminal stage under her tiring work and lack of rest. The one who had always been regarded as indestructible by the children, Principal Tang, could carry on no more. Knowing that Principal Tang had a very serious illness, these students decided to take care of her. In the past, she took care of the children, now it was the children¡¯s turn to take care of her, in order not to delay their studies, the children began to take turns to work in the hospital. As the mountainous region was quite far away, each child would be on duty for a week. This week, it was the little girl¡¯s turn, Bai Xiaonian. Although she was still young, she understood many things. She was able to take care of herself and was even more confident in taking care of Principal Tang, who was lying on the hospital bed. She was also the one who had just contacted the funeral company. It had been Tang Ying¡¯s idea to contact the funeral company. With terminal cancer, she knew that she did not have much time left. Perhaps it was God¡¯s will, but today, she had received a text message from the Su family¡¯s funeral company. There were many services listed on it, one of the words that left the deepest impression on her was: create a mysterious and terrifying past for you! Thinking back to her life, it seemed that the girl who had made up her mind to go out into the world had been completely changed by reality. She had spent her entire life revolving around her children. Although she knew that she could not accompany all of her children through the journey, she did not expect that she would leave them so soon. Create a mysterious and terrifying past? Tang Ying was a little tempted. Hence, she contacted this funeral company. Due to her severe cough, she could only get Xiao Nian to speak on her behalf. Soon.., Su Chen appeared at the door of the ward as promised. Taking in the characteristic smell of medicine in the hospital, Su Chen tidied up his clothes and walked in steadily. In the entire ward, only a thin little girl was in front of Tang Ying¡¯s bed. It was not difficult to recognize them. Su Chen walked forward and greeted politely: ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Su Chen from Su¡¯s Funeral Company!¡± He took the opportunity to look at the middle-aged woman who was wearing glasses on the bed. It seemed like the person who wanted to order the service was this customer. As for that little girl¡­ she did not seem like her child? ¡°Ahem, that¡¯s pretty fast!¡± Tang Ying coughed with a pained expression. As she wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, she replied. Nian looked at Su Chen nervously and did not dare to speak. There was a hint of timidity in her eyes. ¡°This is the price list for our funeral service. Please take a look! I wonder which service caught your eyes. Our different services have different prices. We will not cheat the elderly nor the sickly. We will professionally create a mysterious and terrifying past for you!¡± After the previous mission, Su Chen got straight to the point with even more familiarity. He took out the price list and handed it to Tang Ying who was lying on the bed. She took the price list and looked at it. Immediately, she frowned! She had seen the services on the text message, but they did not have the corresponding prices. Now that she saw the expensive prices, her eyes were filled with hesitation. The anticipation she had for the funeral.., seemed to have been dispelled a lot at that moment. Although the services were really good and unique, the price..! Was too expensive! ¡°Are there any cheaper ones?¡± Tang Ying adjusted her glasses and asked weakly. Su Chen was taken aback. Had he set his expectations too high again? After all, Chu Guozhong had thought so too. At that moment, Tang Ying¡¯s information appeared in his mind. [Name: Tang Ying Identity: Principal Remaining lifespan: 18 hours Personal Assets: 300 Yuan Recommended Service: 99 Yuan set funeral/199 yuan special funeral ] After seeing Tang Ying¡¯s information, Su Chen was very surprised. She had actually triggered the 199 yuan special funeral service, which was the result of the system¡¯s analysis. She was worthy of the song where a hundred birds paid homage to the phoenix! Thinking of the uniqueness of this song, Su Chen immediately felt a deep respect for the middle-aged woman in front of him. He quickly brought up more options. ¡°We now have a rather special funeral service. If you are willing to pay me 199 yuan, I will play a song called ¡®A hundred birds paying tribute to the Phoenix¡¯ on the Suona during your funeral!¡± Actually, when he said the Suona, Su Chen was still a little hesitant. Not everyone understood the Suona as a musical instrument. Those who did not understand the Art of the Suona and the meaning of ¡®A hundred birds paying tribute to the Phoenix¡¯.., none of them knew how profound the meaning behind it was. Just as he said that, Tang Ying¡¯s expression froze. There was a look of surprise in her eyes: ¡°A hundred birds worshipping the Phoenix? !¡± Su Chen was taken aback. was that really the case? At that moment, he could only recommend other packages: ¡°Yes. If you don¡¯t think it¡¯s mysterious enough, you can also choose our 99 yuan package. I will wear a black suit, sunglasses, and headphones at your funeral. Regardless of the weather, I will hold up a black umbrella and silently watch the crowd!¡± Unexpectedly¡­ tang Ying shook her head. Tears rolled down her pale face as her voice trembled: ¡°Is what you said about ¡®A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix¡¯ true?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Su Chen nodded firmly. After receiving the system¡¯s teachings, if he said that he did not know how to play ¡°A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix¡±, then no one in China would! ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take it!¡± There seemed to be some hope on Tang Ying¡¯s pale face. With great difficulty, she took out two 100-yuan bills from under the bedsheet and handed them to Su Chen. Su Chen accepted the 200-yuan bills and quickly took out his phone. He was prepared to give her one-yuan change. ¡°Take it as the money for the cigarettes, tea, and wine!¡± She reached out to reject him and said weakly. Su Chen was stunned and quickly handed over the information form: ¡°Please fill in your information and the location of the funeral!¡± Chapter 11 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Tang Ying quickly filled in her information and the location of the funeral. ¡°I wish you a pleasant service!¡± Su Chen gave Tang Ying a deep gaze and nodded. Every time they signed a contract, the next time they saw each other, it would be at the funeral. The second deal was done! After he left the hospital, he rode his motorcycle back to the shop. The system¡¯s voice then rang out: [ Ding! The host has initiated the first special funeral service! ] [Service items: 199 Yuan! Suona funeral service, A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix!] [Receiving special funeral service. The destination is remote. Please pay attention to arranging the itinerary in advance!] Su Chen began to organize Tang Ying¡¯s information. Only then did he realize that the funeral location she had set seemed to be in a remote town. No wonder even the system had reminded him that the location was remote. It was indeed some distance away. The more small towns that were not affected by the prosperity of the city, the more profound and pure the heritage of this traditional culture was. Thinking back to when Su Chen mentioned the traditional song¡­ it was as if Tang Ying¡¯s eyes had lit up. It was a look of surprise and yearning! It was rare that she clearly understood the significance of the Suona funeral and that particular song. Customers who ordered funeral services did not have much time left. As Su Chen packed his documents, he began to prepare for his journey. ¡­ In the hospital, Su Chen had just left not long ago. A doctor in a white coat walked in with a solemn expression and asked Tang Ying, ¡°Your current condition is not optimistic. You will be in danger at any moment. Are you sure you want to insist on being discharged?¡± ¡°Ahem, I am very well aware of my condition. I won¡¯t waste the country¡¯s medical resources!¡± Tang Ying coughed with a pained expression and forced a smile. Her condition was deteriorating day by day. She knew very well that her body would not be able to hold on for much longer. Staying in the hospital would only be a waste of resources. Xiao Nian, who was at the side, opened her eyes in a daze. When she heard that she was going to be discharged from the hospital, she immediately blinked in anticipation! To the child, she still could not understand the meaning of the conversation between the two of them. She naively thought that being discharged from the hospital meant that her illness was going to be cured. ¡°An illness that could have been cured a long time ago, yet you have been¡­¡± The Doctor had a good understanding of Tang Ying¡¯s illness. It was not something that had happened in a day or two. He had already reminded her to take good care of her illness a few years ago. At that time, she could have turned her situation around, but who knew that she would disregard him completely. She powered through the pain with painkillers. She clearly had a stomach problem, but she often ate irregularly. He could not be bothered to attempt convincing such an irresponsible patient. The illness had developed to such a stage that no one was even interested in seeing the result. It did not matter whether she was hospitalized or not at this point in time. Very soon, after the discharge procedures were completed, Tang Ying was discharged. Bai Xiaonian walked out of the hospital with Tang Ying skipping happily beside her. Her big, watery eyes were filled with curiosity as she looked at the world outside the hospital. Having lived in a remote village since she was young, she rarely came into contact with the environment of the city. ¡°The world outside is very vast. You have to study hard and walk out of the mountains!¡± Sensing the twinkle in Xiaonian¡¯s eyes, Tang Ying patted her little head and said with a kind smile. She had already said this to countless children. The world outside was beautiful. She wanted to use education to let every child in the remote and impoverished areas walk out there with confidence. She could not let the mountains and poverty become an obstacle in the way of children yearning for the world! After a few hours of rough traveling, the two finally returned to the school in the mountain village. This area was very poor. There was only one school in all the villages, and it was the only school in the entire Huayi Town. Xiaonian went back. Tang Ying dragged her exhausted body back to the principal¡¯s office. Her face became even paler. Her coughing also became more intense. On the desk in front of her, there were a few photos. One of the black-and-white photos was particularly obvious. This was a photo of her lover. After her lover passed away, she came here voluntarily. Unexpectedly, she had been here for 18 years. Feeling weak all over, she sat on the chair and took out the painkillers in the drawer. She took two pills. At this time, the voices of two intern teachers came from the street outside the office. The younger female teacher, Xiao Ai. She was holding a slightly yellowed textbook in her hand. As she walked in the corridor, she said dejectedly, ¡°Sigh, the conditions here are far more difficult than I thought. I really don¡¯t know how the principal survived for eighteen years!¡± Behind her was another intern male teacher, Xiao Lin. Xiao Lin was also holding a yellowed textbook, but its condition was slightly better. He comforted her. ¡°I heard that when she first came here, this school didn¡¯t even exist. Every family¡¯s children remained schoolless. It was all because of her that she went to the village to raise funds and managed to pull this school up. Our current conditions are much better than the principal¡¯s back then!¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t want to stay here anymore! The environment is bad, the conditions are harsh, and the facilities are lacking. Even the parents feel that they don¡¯t need us! To be honest, I feel that the principal is just dreaming. What makes me feel the most disappointed are those children who have already left town. Have any of them come back to help?¡± Xiao Ai pursed her lips. She somewhat regretted her decision to come here to support the teachers. The conditions were too harsh. Xiao Lin, who was beside her, was already used to her complaints. The conditions here were very harsh. Many people were unwilling to come here to teach. If she really wanted to leave, she would have left long ago. Even though he knew that it was an unintentional remark, Xiao Lin could not help but remind her: ¡°You¡¯re just being pessimistic. Let the children walk out of the mountain and pursue their own dreams. That¡¯s all we ever wished of them!¡± At that moment, A cough came from the principal¡¯s office. The two of them were shocked. The principal was back? They quickly walked into the principal¡¯s office and found Tang Ying sitting on the office chair. She did not look well. ¡°Principal Tang, why did you suddenly come back? I remember the Doctor said that you had to rest for another half a year. Did you not listen to the doctor again?¡± Xiao Ai asked with a worried face. As she spoke, she poured a cup of hot water for Tang Ying from the Thermos flask at the side. ¡°Principal Tang, you should take good care of your body. Nothing is more important than your body!¡± Xiao Lin also had a worried look on his face. He knew that Principal Tang¡¯s body had always been in poor health. It was very tiring to work hard every day without complaint. As for the matter of the terminal stage of cancer, Tang Ying never once told anyone. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve been in the hospital for half a month. I¡¯ve been worried: How are the children doing recently?¡± When Tang Ying mentioned the children, her gaze turned gentle. Every day that she stayed in the hospital to fight against the illness felt like a year. Forever concerned about the children¡¯s current situation, she could not put her heart at ease. As she spoke, she took something out of her drawer. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. With Xiao Ai and I around, the children are doing well! Also, the issue of the college entrance examination funds for the new batch of children in our school has also been resolved!¡± Xiao Lin said with a smile. He was usually very trustworthy and reliable when it came to handling matters. Beside him, Xiao Ai also nodded happily. When she heard this, Tang Ying¡¯s hand slowed down, but she still took out a stack of money that she had long prepared in the drawer. She quickly asked the two of them, ¡°When you called the day before yesterday, didn¡¯t you tell me that you were still lacking some money? How did you solve it?¡± As the children around them were from poor families, their ages were all different. This resulted in not only them being primary school students, but also middle school and high school students. All along, the college entrance examination could not be carried out in these poor villages and towns. They had to go to the county. The fees for the children¡¯s information and the travel expenses for the registration were all huge expenses that were difficult to handle! Recently, in order to raise this amount of money, Tang Ying and the two teachers had been thinking of various ways. The money in the drawer had been obtained from the liquidation of her lover¡¯s belongings and was prepared to be handed over to the children. Who would have thought that the two of them would suddenly say that it had been settled? Xiao Lin nodded and explained, ¡°Yes. Just yesterday, we suddenly received three million yuan from the county¡¯s charity organization. Not only did it solve the funding problem, but it also relieved a lot of pressure on the school¡¯s various expenses!¡± ¡°Good! Good! That¡¯s good!¡± Upon listening to his explanation, Tang Ying said ¡®good¡¯ three times in a row. Over the past few days, this sum of money had been pressing down on her chest like a huge rock, making it hard for her to breathe. The huge rock in her heart had finally vanished! With that thought in mind, the breath that she had been holding on to finally disappeared. At that moment, she forced herself to stand up, trembling. Unexpectedly.., in the next moment, her vision went black and she collapsed! The two intern teachers beside her immediately panicked! ¡°Principal!¡± ¡°Principal Tang, Wake up!¡± ¡°Quick, send her to the hospital!¡± ¡­. Chapter 12 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation At the town¡¯s poverty alleviation hospital. Tang Ying, who was unconscious, was sent to the emergency room. Two intern teachers stood anxiously in the corridor, waiting. Xiao Lin furrowed his brows tightly. His hands, which were stained with blood, were crossed together. He could not help but feel nervous: ¡°Recently, she has been in and out of the hospital too many times. I think Principal Tang¡¯s body really needs to rest for a period of time!¡± ¡°She just likes to be busy and worried. No one can stop her!¡± Xiao Ai leaned against the hospital wall and said nonchalantly. Only she knew that her legs had gone soft from the fright. On the way here, the unconscious Tang Ying kept bleeding from her mouth. Xiao Ai had never seen such a terrifying scene in her life. What did the principal mean to this school and thousands of children? She was their hope, their pillar of support! If she collapsed now, Xiao Ai did not know who else could shoulder this heavy responsibility. The situation in the small town had just only improved, and the school renovation project had been put on the agenda. However, Principal Tang, who had worked hard for more than ten years, had collapsed. Xiao Ai turned her head, and tears flowed out of her eyes. After a long while¡­ while the two of them were silent, the light in the emergency room suddenly dimmed! A doctor walked out and said with a solemn expression, ¡°You should know the patient¡¯s situation, right? She is already in the advanced stage. In addition to overwork and sudden changes in her mood, the patient has now fallen into a severe coma!¡± ¡°A severe coma!? Can she still wake up?¡± Xiao Lin¡¯s expression changed as he asked. Without waiting for him to finish his question, Xiao Ai, who was beside him, hurriedly walked forward and interrupted him: ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°What did you just say¡­ What terminal stage!?¡± Xiao Ai¡¯s face was filled with surprise as she asked. Looking at the two people in front of him who were in disbelief, the doctor frowned and asked in return, ¡°She¡¯s already in the terminal stage of cancer. Don¡¯t you know that?¡± As soon as he finished speaking.., Both of them were dumbfounded! Tap! Xiao Ai¡¯s tears instantly fell uncontrollably onto the floor of the corridor of the hospital. Her voice was exceptionally dull. Xiao Lin¡¯s eyes were red and his hands were trembling. Seeing this, the doctor finally understood that the patient had been hiding her condition! Xiao Ai wiped away her tears and continued to ask while holding back her tears: ¡°Then how is she now? Can she still wake up?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± The doctor hesitated for a moment before telling the truth: ¡°According to the patient¡¯s condition, there is a high chance that she will not wake up from the coma. Our suggestion is: contact her family and friends in advance!¡± ¡­ In the emergency room. Tang Ying was lying quietly on the bed. She was very quiet and peaceful. Her eyes were closed as if she had fallen asleep. In the entire emergency room, there was only the sound of medical equipment running and her shallow breathing. She was very tired. It had been a long time since she had slept like this. She closed her eyes and her mind seemed to recall the first day she had arrived in the small town eighteen years ago. At that time, the death of her lover had made her heartbroken. She was determined to forget the pain of parting in this remote place. However, she saw the innocent faces of the poor children in the mountain area who yearned for knowledge. The instinct of love allowed her to take root here. Life here was far more difficult than she imagined. Every penny was split into two halves. Sometimes, a single steamed bun would be her food for the entire day. There was not a decent school in all the villages. The children had not even seen the appearance of books, let alone had the opportunity to read. The difficult conditions made many of the teaching staff shy away, but she resolutely persevered. In order to improve the children¡¯s lives and study conditions, she cut back on food and clothing. She saved every day¡¯s living expenses, and every penny she saved was used on the students. Over time, she donated hundreds of thousands of yuan. What made her proud was that none of her students dropped out of school because of poverty. Now that she thought about it, even she did not expect that she would be able to take root for 18 years on Impulse! Over the past 12 years since the school was founded, thousands of children from the mountains had entered the university and completed their studies, making contributions in all walks of life. While the school was producing good results, her body worsened and she suffered from more than 10 diseases. It was really disappointing. In order to not let the students worry, she had been hiding her illness. Her life seemed to have been a little hard, but she never hesitated! If she had another chance, she would still be willing to devote her life to the cause of education. She would lead more children from the mountains to the outside world! The only regret she had was that she did not see her sister one last time? A tear slowly flowed out of her tear and slid down her weathered cheeks. ¡­ In the hospital. The news that Tang Ying had fallen into a serious coma and could be in mortal danger at any moment had spread. The two intern teachers were still unsure of what to do next. They had contacted all of Principal Tang¡¯s relatives and friends, but none of Principal Tang¡¯s family members were present! ¡°Why didn¡¯t you contact the patient¡¯s immediate family?¡± The doctor asked the two of them. Xiao Ai¡¯s eyes were red and she did not say a word. Xiao Lin slowly told them about principal Tang¡¯s situation: ¡°Principal Tang originally had an older sister. Unfortunately, her older sister passed away last year.¡± When Sister Tang Ying was in critical condition, she wanted to see her younger sister whom she had not seen for nearly twenty years. She had specially sent over a sum of money. Unexpectedly, she had met a sick student who could not afford the hospital fees, Principal Tang had paid the hospital fees for this child. No one had expected that when Principal Tang finally returned, she would be faced with her sister¡¯s funeral. Her only family member in the world had left in a hurry. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that this patient has no family and no home?¡± The doctor was very surprised and brought up this cruel question. His voice echoed throughout the entire corridor of the hospital, sounding exceptionally cold. At this moment, an ancient voice suddenly sounded: ¡°Who says there isn¡¯t? I am her family!¡± The three of them quickly looked over and saw an elderly figure appear at the entrance of the stairs, trembling. He was the one who had said the words just now. ¡°Grandpa Bai, why are you here!?¡± The two intern teachers were a little surprised when they saw the old man. Soon, another petite figure appeared at the entrance of the stairs. It was Bai Xiaonian. She walked to her grandfather¡¯s side and said to the doctor seriously with her big watery eyes, ¡°And me! I¡¯m also Principal Tang¡¯s relative!¡± Faced with the sudden scene, Xiao Lin and Xiao Ai¡¯s tears began to flood their eyes. Then, one figure after another appeared from the stairway. Most of them were old people and children. They were all people from Huayi Town. The elder of the Bai family, who was in the lead, took two steps forward. His hoarse voice was a little shaky: ¡°Eighteen years ago, Principal Tang chose to settle here for the children of our Huayi Town. ¡°The children didn¡¯t have the money, so she took it out of her own pocket. Even if she had to knock on every door and beg for money, she would ensure the children went to school! We, the people of Huayi Town, are not ingrates! We are also people of flesh and blood!¡± ¡°Yes, the principal has helped us all these years. We will never forget it!¡± Behind them, someone wiped away his tears and said. The sound of crying also began to spread. Everyone¡¯s feelings for Principal Tang could no longer be described in terms of simple relationships. The elder from the Bai family was also sobbing. His large trembling hand took out a stack of folded money from his waist. He walked forward with great difficulty and stuffed the money into Xiao Ai and Xiao Lin¡¯s hands. ¡°Eighteen years ago, Principal Tang took root here for our Huayi town. ¡°Eighteen years later, our family in Huayi Town will not forget her! ¡°Speaking of family, everyone in our Huayi Town is Principal Tang¡¯s family! ¡°Huayi Town is Principal Tang¡¯s Home! ¡°If she leaves here, we¡­ ¡°will send her off!¡± The old man¡¯s hoarse voice echoed throughout the entire corridor. The children¡¯s words were the most sincere. The tears of the old man touched the hearts of the people the most. Even the doctors who were used to seeing people separated by death could not help but shed tears at that moment¡­. Chapter 13 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Su Funeral Company. [The special funeral mission has been initiated, and the corresponding mission shop is open.] [One could exchange for mission supplies in it.] [A high-quality Suona.] [Special breathing technique.] [National style grandmaster level aura.] [Ancient style men¡¯s plain clothes.] Without a doubt, this was another exclusive mission set. Su Chen immediately claimed all of it. When he had accepted the mission, he was still a little worried about where he could get his hands on a proper Suona. Now, the system¡¯s shop had completely solved his problems. After exchanging for the mission supplies, Su Chen could use them at any time. Next, he had to wait for Principal Tang¡¯s funeral. ¡­ At the hospital. More and more people gathered in the corridor. People from all over the country and even the nearby towns rushed over when they heard about Tang Ying¡¯s incident. Many of the elders were carrying hoes and various tools on their shoulders. Their eyes were filled with nervousness and disbelief. Many of them could not help but wipe away their tears and snot as they thought of Principal Tang, who had been fine just half a month ago. ¡°How did she suddenly become so ill? At the beginning of the month, Principal Tang even came to my house to pay a home visit to my girl. She was still fine at that time!¡± ¡°Yeah, it is too sudden! My legs are going weak. If I didn¡¯t come here, I wouldn¡¯t believe it even if I was beaten to death!¡± ¡°Sigh, good people never live long!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t dare to tell the children. Usually, the two children in my house call her mom¡­ When I think of her suffering now, I want to cry! I can¡¯t take it anymore. At this age, it¡¯s just too easy to get sand in my eyes.¡± The people gathered here were all elderly. After all, this was a poor village. Only the elderly and children remained in the village. The young and able had already gone out to work. At that moment, a few people suddenly walked over from the corridor of the hospital. They were all unfamiliar faces, both male and female. Two intern teachers from the school accompanied these people. From the looks of it, they looked somewhat similar to Principal Tang. When the woman in the lead saw that the corridor was filled with people, she immediately frowned. ¡°Why are there so many people? Where¡¯s my aunt?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in the ICU. She¡¯s in a severe coma and could be in mortal danger at any moment!¡± Xiao Lin explained. At the same time, he motioned for everyone to make way. The woman in the lead was Principal Tang¡¯s sister¡¯s daughter, her only niece. She was also Tang Ying¡¯s only relative. Upon hearing this¡­ The woman and the people behind her changed their expressions: ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you tell me that she was in the ICU? The medical fees must have cost a lot of money, right?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? We don¡¯t have any money!¡± Her man immediately interjected from the side. His harsh and sarcastic look was immediately revealed. He glanced at the people around him. They were all old men and children from the villages and towns. At that moment, everyone¡¯s eyes were already focused on him. ¡°Everyone has already collected the money for Principal Tang¡¯s hospitalization. Don¡¯t worry about spending your money!¡± Hearing their cold words, Xiao Ai immediately said without holding back. She felt very uncomfortable. She did not expect the selfless, kind and loving Principal Tang to have such relatives. From the moment they contacted them, these people had been very impatient and unwilling. It seemed that they did not want to visit Principal Tang. If not for the fact that these people were the only relatives of Principal Tang, Xiao Lin and herself would not have invited them to come. As she sensed the strange gazes from the people around her, the woman quickly laughed awkwardly: ¡°Hehe, don¡¯t misunderstand! It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to give up this money, but I¡¯m mainly worried that my aunt would only suffer. The ICU here is not as good as the one in our city. If I had known this would happen, I would have brought her to the provincial hospital!¡± ¡°Quickly bring us in to see her!¡± Under Xiao Lin¡¯s lead, the few of them walked into the ward. The sound of medical equipment running echoed in the empty ward. There was a special disinfectant smell that filled the air in the ward. It did not smell good. Under normal circumstances, the ICU did not allow easy visits. However, it no longer mattered for Tang Ying. It was past the point of saving, so the doctor allowed them to enter. She looked at Tang Ying, who was lying unconscious on the hospital bed. Her face was pale and haggard. The woman frowned again. She did not look too good. She did not choose to go closer. Instead, she asked the doctor who was accompanying her in the ward. ¡°My heart has been racing ever since I entered the hospital. I¡¯m very nervous. Can you tell me about Auntie¡¯s current condition?¡± She had a son, a daughter, and her husband behind her. The doctor briefly explained Tang Ying¡¯s condition and did not hide anything. Even in the most optimistic scenario, she would probably not be able to live past tomorrow. The woman¡¯s expression immediately changed. She quickly pulled the two children behind her and pounced the side of the hospital bed. She grabbed Tang Ying¡¯s rough hands tightly and wailed: ¡°Your life has been so tough, my aunt!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯ve been too busy to take the time to visit you. You haven¡¯t even met my two kids! You can¡¯t just leave like that!¡± The sudden scene caught the two intern teachers off guard. The woman who had been so sarcastic earlier was actually blaming herself and being sincere? The two of them looked at each other. Xiao Ai was a little regretful. She seemed to have wronged this woman earlier! She had thought that she did not want to come. She had not expected this family to show up in times of adversity. Did her niece also feel her heart ache? Just as she was about to step forward to comfort them, the woman suddenly dragged the two children to kneel on the ground and made them kowtow to Tang Ying. ¡°Come, Ziyou, Zimin, quickly kowtow to old aunt! Who knows, your grandaunt might even wake up when she hears your voices!¡± ¡­ The sounds in the ward attracted the attention of many people in the corridor. As they heard the woman¡¯s wail, many old people also stood outside the ward and secretly wiped their tears. They also could not bear to part with Principal Tang. ¡°It¡¯s been more than ten years, but this is the first time we¡¯ve seen Little Tang¡¯s relatives come to visit her.¡± An old man with white hair said in a sentimental tone. Over the past ten years, Tang Ying had endured with all her might, but she had never had anyone from her family visiting her. She would certainly have never expected to see them by her deathbed. Yet, she was about to die. As soon as she finished speaking, another wave of sighs followed. Perhaps it was because crying was contagious, or perhaps it was because there were too many difficulties in the adult world. As they listened to the wailing in the ward, the corners of everyone¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. The woman pulled the child and kowtowed twice. She called out to her aunt. ¡°Aunt, the child is calling for you. Please wake up! Open your eyes and look at the children!¡± Seeing that Tang Ying did not react, the woman wailed on the spot. The people in the ward were crying, and the people in the corridor were wiping away their tears. Bai Xiaonian, who was standing at the door of the ward with her grandfather, seemed to understand that Principal Tang was about to leave her. She immediately burst into tears: ¡°Principal Tang! Principal Tang!¡± She burst into tears. The children who had come along with their grandparents also burst into tears. For a moment, the entire hospital was filled with cries and wailing. No one noticed that the fingers of Tang Ying, who was lying on the hospital bed, were trembling violently¡­. Chapter 14 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation In her blurry state of mind, Tang Ying seemed to hear the children calling out to her. She felt a warmth her wrecked body had not felt in a long time. Memories of the past also surfaced in her mind. Bai Xiaonian, this child had always been smart since she was young. Unfortunately, her parents could not remain by her side, and there was only one grandfather at home to take care of her. There was one time when she caught a very serious cold. She had carried her to the hospital and oversaw her receiving an IV drip. She was a little worried about her, so she stayed by the hospital bed. She did not expect to be there for ten hours. When she returned, it was already nighttime. At that time, Xiaonian was lying on her back. Her two small arms were wrapped tightly around Tang Ying¡¯s neck as she quietly called out to her mother, that was the first time she heard someone call her mother. It was also the first time she cried during her career as a branch teacher in Huayi Town. Little Hu Zi was a frail, thin boy, but he had a strong nickname. That was when the school had just been built. Tang Ying went to check on the student dormitory. When she saw that Little Hu Zi was only wearing thin sackcloth on his body in the cold winter, her heart became very heavy, with tears in her eyes, she gave Little Hu Zi the only memento of her husband, a woolen coat. She also used her small salary to buy winter-proof clothes and bedding for the children. ¡­ Batch after batch of people came and went. Tang Ying was the only one who stayed. The achievements and accomplishments of the support group had created many opportunities for her to further her studies and advance, but she had given up all of them. She chose to continue staying here. She refused to be persuaded by her family, friends, colleagues, and even her students. She knew that these children could not live without her, and she could not live without these children. Ever since her husband died of cancer, she had understood that everyone should cherish every day that they lived in this world. Seeing the smiling faces of the children was the happiest thing for her. Sending the children away from the mountains to a wider world was the happiest thing for her. It was the happiest thing for her to be able to let the poor children see hope through education and make the best out of their impoverished lives! There were many difficulties and dangers in the process of teaching. But she was never timid because she had full conviction in her cause. All these years, the country¡¯s care and aid for the poor children in the mountain areas and the strong support for the education industry made her feel the deepest love. She loved these children so much and she loved her country. Her life had been so short but eventful. Tang Ying smiled faintly in her heart and calmly accepted the looming darkness. Life comes with hardship! Death comes with smiles! ¡­ The alarm of the equipment suddenly sounded. Everyone present quickly looked at the hospital bed and realized that Tang Ying, who was lying on it, was so calm and peaceful at that moment. The doctor quickly walked forward and examined her carefully. Then, he shook his head with a heavy expression: ¡°The patient is no longer breathing.¡± The sentence was extremely heavy. It struck a chord in everyone¡¯s heart. ¡°Auntie!!¡± The woman lay beside the hospital bed and cried even louder. The two children who were still kneeling beside her were staring at their mother. They did not know why their mother was crying in front of the hospital bed. Furthermore, what puzzled them was why she not really crying? ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss!¡± The doctor was probably aware of Tang Ying¡¯s deeds as he consoled her with a heavy expression. Xiao Lin and Xiao Ai were already in tears. The woman who was lying next to the hospital bed, Juan ¡®er, was the one who cried the loudest. Her husband, on the other hand, stood by the side expressionlessly. As he listened to her crying, he could not help but ask, ¡°Did Auntie leave a will?¡± Juan ¡®er hurriedly searched Tang Ying¡¯s pocket with her hands. Other than a hundred yuan, there was only a bloody handkerchief left. She conveniently stuffed the money into her pocket. As for the handkerchief, although there was blood on it, it could still be used for washing. After the doctor bowed to Tang Ying¡¯s body, he reminded her, ¡°It¡¯s better to prepare for the funeral!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, prepare for the funeral!¡± Juan ¡®er wiped her tears symbolically and turned to look at the two interns: ¡°Auntie has always been alone here. Since Auntie has left and I¡¯m her only relative, I should be the one to take care of her belongings. Please leave the inheritance to me! I remember that my auntie is a Principal, right? Can you bring me to her school to take a look?¡± The woman who was in extreme grief a moment ago was now asking for the inheritance with such a steady, clear voice. Xiao Ai smiled coldly at this. Tears rolled down her face and she did not want to say anything. She had not been wrong about her. Sensing that Xiao Ai was not to be trifled with, the woman looked at Xiao Lin with a smile: ¡°You should be a teacher at my aunt¡¯s school, right? Can you bring me to tidy up my aunt¡¯s belongings?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Xiao Lin nodded in agreement. After all, they were Principal Tang¡¯s only relatives. It was a legal obligation. Soon after, Juan ¡®er brought her husband and left the hospital with Xiao Lin. Xiao Ai stayed in the hospital and helped the others with the matters at the hospital. Preparations for the funeral had also begun. Soon.., Juan ¡®er and the others followed Xiao Lin to the school in Huayi Town. Her gaze swept over the cold school and she frowned: ¡°Is this my aunt¡¯s school?¡± ¡°Yes, Principal Tang¡¯s office is over here.¡± Xiao Lin led them directly to the office. After passing through the cold corridor, they arrived at the office. There were three shabby tables inside. One was Tang Ying¡¯s, and the other two were Xiao Lin¡¯s and Xiao Ai¡¯s. With a single finger pointed at the table in the middle, Xiao Lin spoke in a clipped tone. ¡°That¡¯s Principal Tang¡¯s desk.¡± ¡°Alright, I got it. I¡¯ll pack up Auntie¡¯s belongings. It¡¯ll be done soon!¡± Juan ¡®er said with a grave expression, hinting for him to leave. After Xiao Lin left the office, Juan ¡®er¡¯s husband walked unceremoniously towards Tang Ying¡¯s desk. He pulled open the drawer and was about to rummage through it! The stack of money placed in front of him in the drawer lit up the man¡¯s eyes: ¡°Wow, look at that. 10,000 yuan in cash!¡± ¡°What did I say? My aunt is the principal! How can she not have any money in her hands? You still didn¡¯t want to come. You should be feeling pleased now!¡± Juan ¡®er smiled smugly at this. There was no trace of sadness on her face? She watched as the man took the money and counted it back and forth. She snatched it away and said impatiently, ¡°Alright, look at how wretched you¡¯re being. Hurry up and look for other places. There might be other places to hide the money!¡± ¡­ Su Funeral Company Su Chen, who had long been prepared, also received a notification from the system. The second funeral mission objective, Tang Ying, had already passed away. For some reason, his heart also felt heavy. He wore a traditional outfit that resembled a large coat. Coupled with the aura of a martial arts grandmaster, his entire person¡¯s aura became exceptionally steady and elegant. Every move he made was full of charm. His special breathing technique allowed his breaths to be long and steady. He lifted his Suona and set off for Huayi Town.. Chapter 15 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation At Huayi Town School, in the principal¡¯s office, Juan ¡®er and her husband were rummaging through the drawers, searching for anything valuable. They found nothing except the 10,000 yuan in cash! ¡°Why isn¡¯t there even a bank card? Where did Auntie hide all her money?¡± Juan ¡®er frowned and placed ten thousand dollars in cash into her pocket. Her gaze kept wandering around the office. The man at the side also looked at the shabby office and spoke with some disdain, ¡°Look at this poor place. Even the principal¡¯s office is so shabby. There¡¯s an 80% chance that she, the principal, doesn¡¯t have much money! It¡¯s already not bad to have ten thousand dollars!¡± ¡°What do you know!? She has so many students under her command. Think about it carefully with that pig brain of yours. How can she not have any money!!? I heard from your third aunt¡¯s second daughter that a random tutor with a few hundred people in their cram school can earn quite a decent income. Think about it again. Your aunt has thousands of students under her command. Can¡¯t she get some profit out of anything she buys?¡± Juan ¡®er pointed a finger at the man¡¯s head and said snappily. She seemed to hate him for failing to live up to her expectations. The man was about to flare up, but when he heard her words, he suddenly understood. ¡°Yeah, there must be money! Then I¡¯ll look for it carefully!¡± ¡°Stupid, but you really don¡¯t use your brain? Let¡¯s go. The money is definitely not here. who could put money in a place with so many people? Let¡¯s settle her funeral first. When we return to her place, we¡¯ll look for it carefully! In any case, my aunt doesn¡¯t have any relatives. Her inheritance is mine!¡± Juan ¡®er said with a cold smile. Her eyes were filled with greed. If she had not heard that her aunt had become a principal here and had thousands of students under her command, she would not have bothered to come here to help with the funeral. It was full of dark energy that she did not want to deal with. If not for the money, who would be willing to come to such a poor place? Since she had come, she couldn¡¯t go back empty-handed! ¡­ By the time Juan ¡®er and the man returned to the hospital, Xiao Ai had already taken care of the matters here. The most important thing at the moment was to arrange a funeral. ¡°What do we do now? Are we going to cremate the body?¡± Looking at the crowd, Juan ¡®er asked with tears in her eyes. Her mind suddenly thought of her mother. Back then, when her own mother had left, she had not been so proactive. Beside her, Xiao Ai walked up with red eyes and said to her, ¡°When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Huayi Town is full of burials. The villagers have already gone to help with the coffin. I¡¯ll have to trouble you to hire a Suona craftsman!¡± ¡°Hire a Suona craftsman?!¡± Juan ¡®er frowned. When she heard that they were going to carry the coffin and hire a Suona craftsman, she immediately felt that it was very troublesome. The man behind her immediately walked forward with a cold face. ¡°I remember that it costs a lot of money to hire a Suona craftsman, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Juan ¡®er also took advantage of the situation and said, ¡°In my opinion, we should just hurry up and arrange the funeral! Where did all these rules come from?¡± ¡°You!?¡± Xiao Ai¡¯s expression changed, and she was so angry that she gritted her teeth! How could there still be such a person? She was plain unreasonable and did not want to care about anything! She still had the nerve to call her aunt? When Xiao Ai grew furious, Juan ¡®er quickly added, ¡°People like my aunt usually like to keep a very low profile. It¡¯s already troublesome enough to bury her in the ground, and we¡¯re even thinking to hire a Suona craftsman. It¡¯s going to be so noisy and troublesome! Doesn¡¯t that make me unfilial? I only have one aunt. If you want to treat my aunt badly, I, Juan ¡®er, will be the first to disagree!¡± Between her red lips and white teeth, the words she said were chilling. Xiao Ai suppressed the anger in her heart and felt helpless. She looked at the money in her hands: ¡°Since you are not willing to invite them, I will return the eight sets of Suona money that the villagers gathered together!¡± At that moment, the two of them finally noticed the money in Xiao Ai¡¯s hands. It seemed to be a few thousand yuan! Juan ¡®er¡¯s eyes instantly lit up, and she hurriedly reached out to stop Xiao Ai: ¡°Sigh, forget it, forget it. Since it¡¯s a token of goodwill from the villagers, I¡¯m sure aunt would be willing to accept it. I¡¯ll handle the invitation!¡± As she spoke, her hand quickly snatched the money from Xiao Ai¡¯s hands. Her attitude had turned around so rapidly that it caught people off guard. Xiao Ai¡¯s expression froze, and the money in her hands had already been taken away. It was unknown whether it was because of her filial piety or her greed for money. Looking at their happy expressions, Xiao Ai grew suspicious and quickly reminded them: ¡°This is the price of eight Suona craftsmen. You can¡¯t take advantage of this. Be careful of retribution!¡± ¡°Hey! You little whelp, watch your words!¡± Juan ¡®er¡¯s man was about to fly into a rage when he heard this! He pointed his fingers at Xiao Ai. Juan ¡®er, who had received the money, tugged at her husband and said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Principal Tang is my biological aunt! Leave the Suona business to us!¡± With that, she dragged her husband to the town to hire a Suona craftsman. After leaving the hospital, the two of them muttered on the road. ¡°Eight Suona, that¡¯s a big scene! My mother didn¡¯t even get eight when she left. It¡¯s expensive and troublesome! Isn¡¯t it a waste to spend so much money?¡± Juan ¡®er held the money and was a little reluctant to part with it. It was difficult to put the money in her pocket, but it was easy to get it out. The man beside her also nodded: ¡°Why don¡¯t we give her four sets instead? Don¡¯t waste the rest of the money. Take the change!¡± ¡°Hmph, now you¡¯re using your brains!¡± Juan ¡®er snorted coldly. After hesitating for a moment, she finally put the money in her pocket. She prepared to ask the Suona craftsman about the price first. If eight sets were really too expensive, she would give her aunt four sets of Suona! In the town, there was a relatively famous Li family. They were Suona craftsmen who specialized in their craft. The two of them casually inquired and learned the location of the Li family. They hurriedly went to invite the Suona craftsmen of the Li family. ¡­ It was rare for Huayi Town to divert from their established norm. Regardless of it being a wedding or celebration, the organizer had to invite a Suona craftsman to play two parts before the event officially started. If there was no Suona craftsman, the red and white wedding would appear to be too cold and dreary. The guests would feel as if something was missing Therefore, Suona craftsmen were highly regarded in the community. They required nothing less than a personal visit to their home for an invitation! They commonly asked for four sets of Suona. Those who came from better families asked for eight sets. In addition to the four Suona, one played the erhu, one played the Sheng, one played the flute, and one played the drums. It was a big scene, and the tune was difficult to play, so the price was naturally high. The so-called Suona went as for as high as ten thousand taels of gold, and for good reason! However, some songs had been lost over time. It was said that sixty or seventy years ago, a blind man in the town knew one such song. Not many in town knew of this song. Perhaps not a single person in the country was capable of playing it And that song was called ¡ª A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix! Chapter 16 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation After inquiring about the location of the Suona family, the two of them came to an inconspicuous house. The man did not stand on ceremony and directly pushed open the door that was left ajar. He walked in with Juan ¡®er. There were several musical instruments placed in the courtyard, most of which were Suona. Li Fu Hongzheng, the class head of the Li family, was wiping the musical instrument in his hand with his back to the two of them. Hearing the sound of the door being broken into behind him, he turned around and glanced at the two unfamiliar faces. He immediately turned his gaze back to the musical instrument in his hand and said in a deep voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to knock?¡± ¡°You¡­ You are running a business and you¡¯re bothered about people not knocking? It¡¯s good enough that I¡¯m paying you. Quickly ask your Master Li to come out and make a living!¡± The man frowned slightly and said impatiently. This person did not how to do business. Who would dislike customers who didn¡¯t knock? Were they even interested in earning a living? Juan ¡®er also glanced at the middle-aged man. Who would treat customers like this? ¡°That would be me!¡± Li Hongzheng¡¯s back was still facing the two of them as he replied. The two of them felt as if they were being disregarded, and they grew cross. ¡°We are looking for boss here!¡± Juan ¡®er said impatiently. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me!¡± Li Hongzheng slowly put down the musical instrument in his hand, then turned his head and looked at the two of them. ¡°You are? Well, let me ask you about the price of eight sets.¡± Juan ¡®er was a little surprised, but she still asked him directly. Li Hongzheng shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not taking any more jobs!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Juan ¡®er¡¯s man suddenly sneered and asked. Were they disgruntled about him not knocking? Why were they so petty? Li Hongzheng didn¡¯t express his opinion on this. Juan ¡®er was furious, but she still pulled her man and persuaded him in a low voice. ¡°They have no competitors in this area. Monopolizing the whole thing has gotten them proud and arrogant. Now that we are begging them, just go give it a knock!¡± ¡°Alright, my bad, my bad!¡± The man hesitated for a moment, but he still admitted his mistake. Then, he walked out of the door and knocked on the door. Only then did he walk in. He looked at Li Hongzheng coldly: ¡°I admit my mistake. I also knocked on the door. Can we talk about fees now?¡± Li Hongzheng frowned. He felt that the two of them had misunderstood him, so he replied indifferently, ¡°No!¡± ¡°F*ck!¡± The man was angry and could not help but swear. He pointed at Li Hongzheng and asked him loudly, ¡°Are you f*cking kidding me?¡± ¡°First, I didn¡¯t ask you to apologize, and second, I didn¡¯t agree to any jobs. How did I fool you?¡± Li Hongzheng asked with the same indifferent expression. When he took a look at his indifferent expression, the man felt that the other party was playing him and was not taking him seriously! Pretending to be high and mighty! Gritting his teeth, he wanted to retort, but he did not know what to say. Juan ¡®er, who was beside him, quickly interjected: ¡°After all, we are customers. How could you have such etiquette? Is this the attitude you have when running a business?¡± As the two of them continued acting shamelessly¡­ Li Hongzheng couldn¡¯t be bothered with them. He turned around and continued to wipe his musical instrument. When they looked at how he wiped the musical instrument, it seemed as if he was preparing for work. For some reason, the more he looked at Li Hongzheng¡¯s nonchalant look, the angrier the man became. His heart was burning with anger: ¡°I think you deserve a beating!¡± He clenched his fists and revealed a ruthless expression. He was about to step forward! At that moment¡­ A few burly men suddenly walked out of the room. They were all from the Li family, and they were all very burly. Their gazes were all fixed on the man, immediately scaring him out of his thoughts of making a move. ¡°Don¡¯t be so shameless, scram!¡± Li Hongzheng¡¯s back was facing the two of them, and his voice was frighteningly cold. Seeing this.., The man did not dare to make a move, nor did he dare to retort. His face was flushed red and he could not say a word. There were too many people. If they were to really attack, he would land himself in the hospital. A wise man would not act so recklessly! After consoling himself in his heart, he could only grab Juan ¡®er and flee in a panic. Before he left, he even threw a sentence: ¡°You are all uncivilized savages! Just you wait!¡± ¡­ After Juan ¡®er and the man left, the courtyard of the Li Family became much quieter. A few disciples approached him. Seeing the master personally wiping the musical instrument and then looking at the eight instruments on the table, everyone immediately understood something. Eight sets!? It had been a long time since the town requested for a job with eight sets. This was a big job! While helping to pack up the musical instruments, the eldest disciple asked curiously, ¡°Master, whose job is this? Eight sets?¡± Upon hearing this.., Li Hongzheng seemed to stop in surprise at his own action. In spite of his calm face, his eyes were slightly red. ¡°There¡¯s word from the hospital. Principal Tang is gone!¡± Hearing this, everyone was shocked. It was shocking and sudden. ¡°¡®The¡¯ Principal Tang from our town¡¯s school!?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡­ The second disciple was the most emotional. Her eyes turned red and tears fell on the spot: ¡°Principal Tang was such a good person!¡± The disciples nodded in acknowledgment. They were filled with respect for Tang Ying. Many years ago, the school was originally built halfway up the mountain. There was a small river in the middle. The students had to take a detour to get to school. Principal Tang was still young at the time, and it took her half a year to build a stone bridge by herself. She cared more about the students than her family. Be it organizing the children to study or setting up a school, it was not something that a single person could do easily. Before Principal Tang came, people from all over the country would not even dare think of such a thing. But after she came, everything was eventually realized! Was it through ability? No¡­ It was the power of sheer will, driven by her passion for Huayi town and her heartfelt love for the children! All her efforts in her life had only been for the children. Li Hongzheng may be the patriarch of his family, but he was also a musician, and most of his time was spent teaching his disciples. What Principal Tang had done made Li Hongzheng, who was half an educator himself, respect her deeply. ¡°All eight pieces, all for Principal Tang!¡± Li Hongzheng¡¯s tone was solemn, and there was some regret in his eyes: ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I wasn¡¯t able to learn the Phoenix song back then. If anyone deserves it, it would be Principal Tang!¡± As he thought of Principal Tang¡¯s past, he even felt that eight sets were not actually enough to do her justice. It was a pity that the song had long been lost. Ordinary people were far from being worthy of the song ¡®A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix¡¯. It was rare enough to find someone who deserved it, but even then, he could not play it. For a moment, he felt very uncomfortable. The disciples were also a little sad. Li Hongzheng said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll send Principal Tang off. We¡¯ll play the Sorrowful Mountain Tune! ¡°Everyone, check your equipment and gather at the door at 8:30 tomorrow morning. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, all of you can go back!¡± In the somber atmosphere, everyone nodded in silence. After everyone had dispersed, Li Hongzheng picked up the Suona with a complicated gaze. He recalled Principal Tang asking him half-jokingly back then, ¡°At my funeral, can you play ¡®A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix¡¯?¡± At that moment, that light-hearted joke had turned into a long thorn that stabbed deeply into Li Hongzheng¡¯s heart. However¡­ That couple had ruined his reverie. Respect was mutual. Li Hongzheng absolutely would not serve people who did not respect his profession He was a musician, not a beggar! ¡­. Chapter 17 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The couple went back to the school in a bit of a mess and found the two teachers and the elderly of the town here. They had failed to procure the Suona, so they were told this: Principal Tang¡¯s funeral was scheduled for the next day. Tonight was the last night of the wake, so it was especially important! The two of them were required to keep watch for the entire night. The temporary mourning hall was in the abandoned school halfway up the mountain. ¡°What? The entire night of the funeral?¡± Juan ¡®er¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She was required to keep watch for the entire night? In that dilapidated school? The man beside her also had a reluctant expression. The elder of the Bai family took two steps forward, coughed, and said in a husky voice, ¡°The mourning hall for filial sons and grandchildren is a rule! Those who come to attend the funeral also need someone to serve tea, smoke, and boil water. This is basic etiquette! Since you are the closest people to Principal Tang, you must go to the mourning hall! Unless you are not her family, you can leave now. ¡°We will never stop you!¡± When the surrounding elders heard this, they also nodded in agreement. They did not care about the others, but Principal Tang¡¯s funeral had to follow the rules of Huayi Town! In the face of this, Juan ¡®er smiled bitterly and explained, ¡°Great! You misunderstood, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯ll definitely go. It¡¯s such an important matter. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll wear a mourning robe and attend my aunt¡¯s funeral tonight!¡± ¡°You¡¯re really going?¡± The man was a little surprised and blurted out the question. Hearing this, the expressions of the people who had just eased up immediately changed. When her husband did not see the big picture, Juan ¡®er glared at him fiercely, gritted her teeth, and spoke in a low voice, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a look at the situation? Can I not go?¡± ¡°En, that¡¯s good!¡± The elder of the Bai family nodded and continued, ¡°Keeping vigil is to demonstrate filial piety, and there¡¯s no room for ambiguity! If there¡¯s nothing else, go over early to make preparations!¡± ¡°Sigh, we¡¯ve also informed those kids out of town about Principal Tang¡¯s matter. Hopefully, they¡¯ll be able to make it tomorrow!¡± As they got older, tears became more unsightly. They could not be bothered to watch these old people cry, and they also did not want to hear anything else. Juan ¡®er and the man packed up their things briefly, then brought their two children to the abandoned school halfway up the mountain. The mountain road was not easy to walk on. Juan ¡®er and the man were panting from exhaustion and had to hold onto the two children. The mountain road was in a poor state and it was easy for them to slip and fall. The man was very unhappy. ¡°What kind of lousy road is this? What kind of shit place is this? What kind of shit rules are those? Let me tell you, we are not getting involved in anything like this any longer! I don¡¯t want to come here anymore!¡± ¡°Do you think I wanted to? I didn¡¯t see you so furious when you took the money from them! If you don¡¯t want the money, then get lost! Take the money as compensation for all this. Don¡¯t you act up with me here!¡± Juan ¡®er retorted angrily. If not for the fact that she wanted to inherit her aunt¡¯s property in a reasonable manner, she would have turned around and left when they were informing her about the mourning hall! She did not know that there would be so many rules before the funeral, She sighed and grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s still better in the city. Can¡¯t we just cremate them and bury them? Why do they even have vigils and wakes? It¡¯s so troublesome!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. This mountain is quite remote. How many people will even come for the funeral? There are no relatives or friends here, yet those people still want to make such a big fuss. It¡¯s simply easier said than done!¡± The man quickly chimed in. He was very impatient. His words also made Juan ¡®er fall into deep thought. Her aunt did not have any relatives or friends here either. She did not know how she had managed to persist here for eighteen years. This bumpy mountain road was already torture. She could not imagine crossing it daily. ¡­ The temporary mourning hall was very simple and crude. The old school next to it was also dilapidated. When the two of them arrived, they discovered that there were already quite a number of wreaths piled on the old walls. Since they had come, they should fall in step with the others. Juan ¡®er walked into the mourning hall, put on her hemp clothes, and put on her mourning scarf. No matter what, Principal Tang was her aunt, so she had to put on a white mourning hat for the two children. She inserted incense and kowtowed a few times. She knelt on the straw mat next to the coffin. The sky gradually darkened, and weariness swept through the people in the mourning hall. Looking at the man who was not pleased with himself, Juan ¡®er yawned and said sleepily, ¡°Since no one is coming, I¡¯ll just take it as resting here for the night!¡± Just as she said that.., Suddenly, two figures walked in. It was Xiao Lin and Xiao Ai. They had rushed over to observe the funeral after settling the matters at the school. Soon, a few more figures walked in. Even the elderly from the day had actually walked up the mountain road and entered the funeral hall. Tonight was the last night of the funeral, so everyone paid special attention to it. The funeral hall was soon filled with people. There were even people helping to boil water, pass cigarettes, and receive even more people who came to pay their respects. The night added a mysterious luster to the entire mountain peak, and it also added more risks to the road up the mountain. Even so¡­ The number of people who came to the mourning hall was increasing! Everyone endured their sleepiness and held a vigil for Principal Tang. As they watched the number of people gradually increase in the mourning hall, Juan ¡®er was a little puzzled. As an ordinary principal, it was already rare for her to stay in this poor place for eighteen years. Who would have thought that there would be so many people spontaneously coming this late at night!? Even the older generation had paid no heed to the difficulty of going up the mountain and insisted on coming to the funeral for her aunt, preparing to send her off tomorrow. She turned to Xiao Ai grumpily. Juan ¡®er suppressed her drowsiness and asked, ¡°Why are so many people coming to the funeral? Is this also a rule of your Huayi Town?¡± ¡°Everyone came here on their own accord to send Principal Tang off.¡± Xiao Ai¡¯s voice was a little muffled as she said this, not wanting to pay any attention to Juan ¡®er. How could a selfish person understand Principal Tang¡¯s character? The people who came to the funeral hall were not only the parents of the children, but also many people who had once received the help of the principal. Some of these people were from the nearby villages. Some had rushed over from other cities overnight upon hearing the news of Principal Tang¡¯s death. ¡­ Juan ¡®er felt her legs go numb after staying in this temporary mourning hall. She wanted to go out and get some fresh air. She looked at the person carrying the tea. She would go out from time to time and go outside the mourning hall for a while. She believed that that person must have gone out to get some fresh air as well. She immediately squeezed out of the mourning hall and walked out. She lifted the hanging curtain of the mourning hall and looked up. Immediately, her entire body trembled violently. Her expression was one of shock as she stood rooted to the ground. At that moment.., Other than the dilapidated school halfway up the mountain, in the temporary mourning hall¡­ There were even more people standing outside! There were at least a few hundred people! When he saw Juan ¡®er coming out to get some fresh air, her husband hurriedly followed her out. When he saw the scene before him, his expression was one of shock! Why were there so many people!? What kind of existence was this aunt? ¡­ White Paper Flowers were pinned on the chests of the children. The adults voluntarily stayed behind to help receive the people who were attending the principal¡¯s funeral. They needed people to serve tea, smoke, and boil water. At the foot of the mountain, the principal¡¯s former students were still on their way Unlike normal funerals, many people came to the mourning hall, but it wasn¡¯t very lively. Everyone who came here carried a solemn, sorrowful, and nostalgic feeling! The night was cold and long, but in the end, it welcomed the morning light of the next day. The day of Principal Tang¡¯s funeral arrived with the rising sun¡­. Chapter 18 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation When the sky was just beginning to brighten, Su Chen walked along the mountain path halfway up the mountain and arrived near Principal Tang¡¯s memorial hall. His ancient-style plain clothes attracted many people¡¯s sidelong glances. The Suona in his hand was wrapped up by a special black cloth. It was not exposed, but it emitted an extraordinary aura that ordinary people did not dare to approach. He scanned his surroundings. Principal Tang¡¯s funeral hall was an old school built halfway up the mountain. The ruined walls made it difficult to recognize that this was once a place where people could read. As the sky gradually brightened, more and more people gathered at the foot of the mountain. They slowly walked up the hillside like a stream flowing up against gravity. Among these people, some were former students of Principal Tang, and some were residents of the town. There were also people who rushed over from the surrounding towns. In their hands were some paper money or wreaths. They placed the paper money before the hall. In front of the mourning hall was a pile of flowers surrounded by Tang Ying¡¯s photo. The wreaths were placed on both sides of the mourning hall. If they could not accommodate them, they would move them to the old school wall next to the mourning hall. Following that, Juan ¡®er, who was standing guard at the side, handed them the mourning clothes and mourning hats that she had prepared beforehand. After putting on the mourning clothes and mourning hats, they kowtowed twice to Principal Tang in front of the coffin in the mourning hall. Similarly, Juan ¡®er had to greet the guests and kowtow in return. More and more guests arrived, causing the abandoned school halfway up the mountain to appear white from afar. The white mourning clothes, the white mourning hall, and the white wreath. Before they knew it, it was already eight o¡¯clock in the morning. There were still more and more people coming to the foot of the mountain, other than Principal Tang¡¯s former students and the residents of the town. Su Chen looked around and saw many children, led by adults with white flowers pinned on their chests, walking toward the abandoned school on the hillside. These children were all Principal Tang¡¯s students. The parents had all taken their children to see Principal Tang off. On the way to the mourning hall, Su Chen asked around about Principal Tang and learned more about her. There was not a single school in the whole of Huayi Town, and then there was this village primary school that was temporarily set up. There were only a few students in the small classroom. The children of the right age were busy with farm work and could not get away from their studies, the families were also unwilling to spend extra money; the elders in the family felt that letting the children help with farm work was much more useful than sending them to school. Because of this, the teachers of the support group left one after another, and the education of the students became more difficult. In the face of such a difficult situation, Principal Tang never yielded. On one hand, she visited all the villages in Huayi Town, all the families, and persuaded them to send their children to school to receive education; on the other hand, she went to all the relevant institutions to create better conditions for the children to go to school, and looked for more teachers who were willing to come to support the group. Hard work paid off. Principal Tang persevered for eighteen years and finally succeeded in building a town school so that children of all grades could receive education here! These eighteen years of hard work had resulted in every child being able to hang on to their studies in spite of poverty. In exchange, the place was now teeming with young faces filled with hope and longing! In exchange, not a single person would forget the deeds of this legendary principal! Su Chen stood halfway up the mountain and looked in the direction of the Mountain Road. He imagined how Tang Ying had endured the pain of her illness all these years, sweating profusely as she walked through the various difficult and bumpy mountain roads. It was hard work, but she never once stopped! More and more men, women, and children walked towards the dilapidated school. They lined up in long lines, walked to the mourning hall, and presented wreaths. They knelt on the ground, offered incense, and kowtowed! Upon seeing this scene, many of the villagers in the crowd could not help but squeeze out of the crowd, go to Principal Tang¡¯s mourning hall and kowtow to her! The cries were suppressed. In addition to the vast expanse of whiteness around them, it was as if something else was gripping everyone¡¯s hearts tightly. It made people feel depressed and uncomfortable. Almost the entire Huayi Town had come to attend the funeral. Sometimes they would lower their heads to wipe away their tears, and sometimes they would reminisce about Principal Tang¡¯s life. No one could laugh. In the mourning hall, Xiao Ai looked at Juan ¡®er angrily and gritted her teeth: ¡°Everyone is raising money for you to invite the Suona troupe, and you¡¯re telling me that you couldn¡¯t get it? The funeral is such a big event, do you think it¡¯s a child¡¯s play?!¡± ¡°Do you think that I didn¡¯t want it? You didn¡¯t see that arrogant man, or else you would have¡­¡± Juan ¡®er said with an aggrieved expression. Her heart was already filled with regret. She had not expected so many people to turn up at the funeral. The endless number of young students wearing mourning clothes could actually cover half of the mountain! Her husband stood at the side and did not dare to speak. Xiao Ai was so angry that her eyes were red and her entire body was trembling! At that moment, she suddenly heard a rough voice coming from outside the mourning hall! ¡°The Suona has arrived!¡± The abrupt voice broke the silence! The rough and penetrating voice carried a solemn sense of purpose. The crowd outside the mourning hall was like a receding snow-white tide, slowly moving to both sides. A temporary path about one meter wide was formed. At the end of the path, a middle-aged man holding a Suona with a black handle appeared! ¡°Master Li!¡± ¡°Master Li Is Here!¡± ¡°The class head of the Li Family, Li Hongzheng!¡± The surrounding people whispered among themselves. The Li Family was a famous family among the villages within ten miles. It was not easy for any family to invite them to appear. However, how many of them had been invited this time? Upon hearing the sounds from outside, the people in the mourning hall hurriedly walked out. Juan ¡®er was extremely surprised when she saw Li Hongzheng for the first time. After all, when Li Hongzheng had turned her away yesterday, he had been so decisive. However, at that moment, she did not dare to stir up trouble. She quickly saluted and greeted him respectfully. After saluting, Juan ¡®er looked up at Master Li. Li Hongzheng¡¯s expression did not change. He walked toward the mourning hall with a solemn expression. Behind him, a few disciples followed! Three disciples each held a Suona. Including Li Hongzheng¡¯s. A total of four Suona appeared in front of her. Four Suona! Two big Suona, one medium Suona, and one small Suona! These were the four best Suona players in his troupe. Some young people did not know the rules, so they quickly asked the elders around them, ¡°Uncle, why are there so many Suona?¡± ¡°They come in sets. If they are not four, then they are eight. If a person is alive, then they will carry four or eight large palanquins; if a person is dead, then they will carry four or eight Suona!¡± ¡°I see!¡± ¡°Four? Why four!?¡± ¡°Four cupped their hands and bowed. Eight filial sons knelt down to welcome them. Just now, that woman cupped her hands and bowed. It seems like she had invited four!¡± ¡°Master Li personally brought four. It¡¯s not bad!¡± The crowd was clearly a little disappointed and consoled each other. According to their expectations, with Principal Tang¡¯s status, no matter what, it should have been eight Suona! Looking at the scene in front of them, it was as if there were only four Suona! Outside the mourning hall, Xiao Ai¡¯s tears flowed out. No one knew if she was furious or sad. But very quickly, everyone¡¯s eyes changed! Juan ¡®er¡¯s eyes also narrowed, as if she could not believe what she was seeing! Another three disciples followed, holding all kinds of musical instruments in their hands. It was the erhu, the flute, and the Sheng! The last burly man was carrying a drum! The faces of the eight people were solemn with a hint of sorrow! It was actually eight suona!! Su Chen, who was watching the funeral not far away, nodded his head in satisfaction when he saw this scene. Eight Suona! A worthy farewell! Juan ¡®er¡¯s expression was agitated, and she hurriedly knelt down. Eight Suona, eight Suona, personally led by Master Li! This was the respect that Li Family had for principal Tang. The guests, Principal Tang¡¯s students, and the villagers of Huayi Town were all moved when they saw this scene. Some grew excited, their eyes were red, and they forcefully held back their tears¡­. Chapter 19 Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The Li Family arrived, and the eight Suona opened the way. Juan ¡®er, as the only representative of the younger generation, knelt down to welcome them. The entire funeral hall looked at the Li Family with excited faces. Eight Suona led by Master Li himself! It was a rare sight. Furthermore, everyone felt that Principal Tang¡¯s deeds and conduct truly deserved an Eight-Suona send-off! At that moment.., In the face of Juan ¡®er¡¯s kneeling ceremony, Li Hongzheng went forward with a solemn expression and helped her up. After she got up, Juan ¡®er immediately burst into tears. Master Li¡¯s small gesture immediately caused many people to burst into tears. Following that, Li Hongzheng sighed and walked into the mourning hall. He came to the portrait of Tang Ying. He lit three incense sticks for Tang Ying and bowed three times at the portrait. Then¡­ he brought his seven disciples to a table and chair that had been prepared beforehand. There were chairs in all directions and the eight of them sat down. At that moment, other than these eight people, everyone else was standing at the funeral. However, the people in the town did not find it inappropriate at all. It was a given! Without any delay, Li Hongzheng¡¯s eyes swept over his disciples. He picked up the Suona in his hand, opened his mouth, and shouted loudly, ¡°Sorrowful Mountain Tune!¡± In a normal funeral, the musicians would either play the ¡®Sorrowful Mountain Tune¡¯ or the ¡®Opening¡¯. In comparison. The former was far more mournful and heavy. Dong!! As soon as he finished speaking, a heavy drum sound suddenly exploded in people¡¯s ears! The Suona, flute, erhu, Sheng, a total of eight musical instruments sounded in unison! Among them, the Suona took the lead! A high-pitched Suona sound burst out, and then, very quickly, the tone was withdrawn and lowered bit by bit. Gradually, it merged with the other musical instruments and formed a solemn and sorrowful ensemble! At that moment, the flute was no longer graceful. It was turbulent and harsh. When it was played with other musical instruments, it produced a unique and vigorous aura at that moment! The drumbeat accelerated again, The sound of the Suona once again soared into the sky! The other musical instruments also became sorrowful and powerful! Be it sight or hearing, everyone was greatly moved! Everyone present had sunk into this sorrowful mountain tune, feeling the sorrowful and solemn power within! Even Su Chen, who was already proficient in the art of the Suona, was standing not far away at this moment. He could clearly feel his hair stand on end. This overbearing and sorrowful aura carried a unique penetrating force! Eight Suona opened the way! Even the Xiao Ai was terrified! ¡­ After the ensemble ended, the Suona began to take on a sorrowful and low tone, a sentimental melody. Sobbing, it attracted many deep and painful cries. Everyone only felt that their eyes were extremely sore as they rubbed their eyes. The sorrowful and mournful melody had finally ended. Many people who recalled Principal Tang¡¯s good life before her death were already in tears. Many of them only felt a stifling feeling in their chest, as if there was something that they could not vent out. It was suffocating! The Li Family stopped playing. Master Li gazed upon Principal Tang¡¯s portrait and sighed deeply. He had failed to deliver the song of the birds. It was a heavy regret. At that moment¡­ While everyone was still immersed in the sorrowful and sorrowful lingering sounds of the Sorrowful Mountain Tune, a figure slowly walked out along the path that everyone had just only abandoned! That figure was Su Chen. His expression was solemn, and his face was slightly raised. A dignified aura emanated from his body! The aura of a grandmaster of the national wind made people feel heroic and powerful! The eight Sunoa having opened up the way, it was time for him to fulfill the mission¡¯s requirements. At Principal Tang¡¯s funeral, he had been assigned to play ¡°A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix¡±! The sudden appearance of such a young man walking to the musician¡¯s stage immediately attracted the attention of the people around him. ¡°Who is that? Why is he on that path?¡± ¡°Could it be some ignorant young man?¡± ¡°Hiss, something¡¯s wrong. Look at what he¡¯s holding in his hand.¡± ¡°Black gold Suona! Is that young man also a musician?¡± ¡°Suona only come in groups of four or eight. How could he walk onto the stage alone with a Suona?¡± ¡­ For a moment, the people around them all looked at him in surprise and shock, and they all started discussing. Under everyone¡¯s shocked gazes, Su Chen had already taken out the black gold Suona from his hand. With a solemn expression, he walked along the path toward the direction of the mourning hall! Juan ¡®er, who was at the entrance of the hall, did not recover from her shock for a moment! Who was this young man? Why did he walk over just like that? What did the Suona in his hand mean? This scene also caught Li Hongzheng¡¯s attention in the mourning hall. He immediately frowned. What is this kid trying to do? He actually took the Suona and walked on the path that he had stepped on. Su Chen looked young, but his temperament was extraordinary. He had the aura of a grandmaster. Every move had its charm. But this was Principal Tang¡¯s funeral. The path was not something that just anyone could walk! Without waiting for the others to react, Li Hongzheng walked out of the mourning hall first and asked with a frown, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Su Chen¡¯s next words made his scalp go numb! His mind also went blank! ¡°A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix! It¡¯s a song passed down by the ancestors. Only the dead who are highly respected are worthy to enjoy it!¡± Su Chen¡¯s voice was very magnetic. Perhaps it was because of the effect of his unique breathing technique, it was also very bright and penetrating! It was very quiet around the funeral. Almost everyone at the funeral could hear his voice! In the mourning hall, when the elders heard this, their expressions changed! They staggered out and looked at the young man standing outside the mourning hall. Their eyes were filled with shock and doubt, and their murky old eyes were fixed on Su Chen! A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix! It was a song that had been lost for a long time! Even the patriarch of the Li Family, Fu Li Hongzheng, who had resigned from the National Theater, could not play that song! Now, at Principal Tang¡¯s funeral, such a young man had appeared, saying that a hundred birds came to pay homage to the Phoenix!? How could this not shock everyone!? The shock and doubt in their hearts interweaved. The aura that Su Chen emitted had something unique that belied his age. Even Master Li¡¯s aura seemed to shrink before him! Master Li stood rooted to the ground, staring at him in a daze! He found it very hard to believe. How could such a young man play that song that had been cut off for decades? This was impossible! Su Chen continued. ¡°More than ten years of poverty and more than ten years of teaching by example. Over the years, everyone has seen what Principal Tang has done for Huayi Town! I don¡¯t need to say more about Principal Tang. Everyone must know her more than I do! ¡°I promised her that I would send her off with all the birds paying homage to the Phoenix! ¡°Principal Tang, you deserve this song!¡± As Su Chen¡¯s words fell, the entire funeral fell into dead silence! Everyone felt their scalps go numb! A song that had been lost for decades! Can it really be blown at Principal Tang¡¯s funeral?! Su Chen met Li Hongzheng¡¯s eyes. The next moment, Master Li¡¯s eyes reddened. Under everyone¡¯s surprised and doubtful gazes, he actually moved a step to the side¡­. Chapter 20 - A Hundred Birds Paying Homage To The Phoenix! Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Li Hongzheng moved to the side with a solemn expression! He believed that the dead was all that mattered. No one would dare to joke around in front of the spirits. He was even more willing to believe that the young man in front of him, who had an even more unique aura than himself, could play the long-lost song! Li Hongzheng spoke in a low voice, ¡°Regardless of your identity, since you want to play the song of a Phoenix, I yield the floor to you!¡± Su Chen nodded slightly, and then walked straight towards the direction of the mourning hall! With one step forward, it represented Li Hongzheng¡¯s approval! With two steps forward, all the members of the Li Family in front of the mourning hall stood up! Everyone stared at what was happening in front of them with their mouths agape, unable to react in time. Three steps forward¡­ finally, the elders in the mourning hall were the first to react. They knew what this meant! The elder from the Bai clan hurriedly dragged his trembling body into the mourning hall. With a flushed face, he shouted towards the outside of the mourning hall, ¡°Filial son, filial daughter! Carry out the ceremony to receive the master!¡± His hoarse voice was mixed with an uncontrollable excitement! His hoarse voice was accompanied by a solemn sense of ceremony! Everyone¡¯s expressions changed! Li Hongzheng also clenched his fists and stared at Su Chen, who was walking towards the mourning hall step by step! The last time he witnessed such a scene was decades ago! This song, which had been lost for a long time, had always been a regret in his heart! Eight Suona opened the way and played a song, which was the highest welcoming ceremony! Four Suona bowed to salute, Eight Suona bowed to their relatives, A hundred birds bowed to the Phoenix, and all the guests kowtowed three times! When they heard the greeting, everyone present finally realized something! This young man was going to play the song, which had been lost for a long time! Many old men stood in excitement, their eyes fixed on Su Chen, afraid that they would miss out any moment! This song had been lost for too long. The only people who had witnessed such a performance with their own eyes were the white-haired elders of the Bai family. The young men were even more excited and expectant. They quickly widened their eyes, afraid that they would miss the song that this elder had been talking about all his life! Today, they were finally going to see it! ¡­ In the mourning hall, a few villagers had brought over an armchair from somewhere. This armchair had a large body. Its simple back and two armrests formed a screen around it! It could be considered an antique. It had been placed in the school back then and had never been moved away. Now¡­ it was placed beside the coffin, waiting for Su Chen to take a seat! Su Chen slowly walked forward, took a few sticks of incense, and bowed deeply towards Tang Ying¡¯s portrait! Then, he lit the incense! Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, he sat firmly on the armchair! This was the only piece of furniture that had an official title attached to it. It had an extraordinary meaning and a domineering aura about it. However, after Su Chen sat on it, he did not stand out at all. Instead, he gave off the feeling that the armchair was where he was supposed to sit! His aura spread out, and when paired with the armchair, he gave off the image of a grandmaster! At this moment¡­ standing in the mourning hall, the face of the elder from the Bai family turned even redder. He mustered up all his strength and shouted towards the outside of the mourning hall, ¡°Bow!¡± Plop! Juan ¡®er, who had been in a daze at the entrance of the mourning hall, heard this imposing shout and immediately felt her legs go weak. She knelt down! For some reason, tears started to well up in her eyes. A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix! The guests who had come to welcome them all knelt down! Everyone finally reacted! Outside the mourning hall, on a hillside not too far away, nearly a thousand of Principal Tang¡¯s former students seemed to have realized something. One by one, they knelt down in the direction of the mourning hall! White figures began to quickly kneel down, row after row. The vast white crowd that had appeared a moment ago was actually kneeling down like a wave at this moment! Some young people and children who did not know what was going on were left standing in the crowd. Soon, they were pulled down by the adults who were also wearing mourning clothes. Nearly a thousand people in white mourning clothes and mourning hats knelt down one after another, covering half of the mountain! The grand scene on the mountain caused the elders in the mourning hall to be excited and shed tears! Muddy tears began to flow along the wrinkles! It had been decades! The scene of filial sons and grandsons kneeling all over the mountain was replayed! The scene from that year seemed to be in perfect harmony with the current scene. The rough old hands wiped away their tears and their vision became clear. Everything was the same¡­ Except, they were already different musicians! But¡­ no matter what, it was the same tune, the same craftsmanship. The same birds paying homage to the Phoenix! ¡­ The scene in front of him had a deep impact on Su Chen. The Suona in his hand seemed to become heavier at this moment. Outside the mourning hall, Li Hongzheng, who was standing at the side, stared at Su Chen. He was different from the others who were moved by the meaning of the birds paying homage to the Phoenix! He was more excited and gratified. Excited also were the other musicians. I am glad that there are still people in Huayi Town who are worthy to be worshipped by birds! The anticipation of the song itself! One Suona led them all, a total of eight pieces; A total of eight sections of birds worshipped the Phoenix as it showed its majesty. Dozens of birds chirped, forming eight hymns for the final piece! ¡­ Suddenly, the shrill and sorrowful voice came again from the mourning hall: ¡°All birds paid homage to the Phoenix, to the dead!¡± At the sound of his voice, the whole funeral returned to a dead silence! All those on their knees held their breaths! Master Li perked up, standing with his hands behind his back. Looking at Su Chen¡¯s eyes, he seemed to recall his blind master. ¡°When the Suona rings, the birds are kings¡­¡± He muttered softly to himself. Just as he finished his sentence.., a mournful and deep tone rang from Su Chen¡¯s Suona on the grand teacher¡¯s chair in the mourning hall! Unlike the previous Suona that was high and loud, this time, the tone was exceptionally deep and morose! The subtle voice was as thin as gossamer, but it was precisely the appeal of the Suona! Everyone calmed their hearts and listened to the voice that was as thin as gossamer. The entire world seemed to have quietened down. Outside the mourning hall. Groups of people kneeling on the ground covered the entire mountain like snow! That faint sound was like a melody on the hearts of the people, reminding everyone of Principal Tang¡¯s past. A mournful voice kept flowing out from their hearts. The mountain wind blew, fluttering the spirit flags in the school. Juan ¡®er, who was kneeling at the entrance of the mourning hall, was crying like rain at that moment. There was a mournful melody in the bottom of her heart that kept flowing! It seemed to be the loneliness that her aunt had suffered for eighteen years. It seemed to be a sigh of an unfulfilled wish. It also seemed to be the guilt that she had felt towards her relatives when she was alive¡­ Principal Tang, whom everyone regarded as a person of high moral standing, was an aunt that she had never met before because they were separated by tens of thousands of miles¡­ At that moment, as she listened to this song¡­ she felt as if she had known her entire life. Her tears could not help but fall. Her knees were tightly pressed against the ground. It was as if there was a fishbone stuck in her throat as she suppressed her cries! Beside her, the two children kneeling beside her looked at their mother¡¯s crying face. For a moment, sorrow came to their hearts, and they wept as well In the distance, all the people kneeling on the ground slowly straightened their backs and looked in the direction of the mourning hall. At the end of their gazes, it was unknown whether it was the black-gold suona, or the young man with a serious face. Or perhaps it was Principal Tang, being given the send-off of the ages. ¡­ After decades, A hundred birds once again paid homage to the Phoenix in Huayi Town! Li Hongzheng¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°Whoever who brings forth a hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix at their funeral will bring glory to their ancestors.¡± A song that could not be bought even with thousands of gold coins! This song¡­ really could not be bought¡­ The song seemed soft and gentle, but in fact, it was a torrential storm. The techniques used were complicated and varied. The most important thing was¡­ this melody had moved everyone¡¯s emotions and made them cry for Principal Tang. This was where the magic and subtlety lay! After a moment¡­ the sound of the Suona suddenly changed! The sound became mournful and high-spirited, and in an instant, its momentum soared to the sky! It was extremely piercing and seemed to be able to shake one¡¯s soul! In the mournful and high-pitched melody, there was a new force of life. When the melody gradually calmed down, there was a sound that was similar to the chirping of birds, and the chirping of birds of all sizes was vivid and clear! Sometimes, there was a mournful and sorrowful sound, and sometimes, there was a sound that was slightly more cheerful. In just a few melodies, there were already dozens of chirping birds! This shocked countless elders! Li Hongzheng subconsciously raised his head, even believing that there were birds flying over! His blind master had once said: A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix, in the legends, it is said that blowing the tune to the extreme will attract the birds of the season! He raised his head and looked. In the sky, there were no birds Instantly, he let out a self-mocking sigh. It was already surprising that this young man could play the song. How could he expect the best? The blind master also said that¡­ It was just a legend¡­ It couldn¡¯t be true! The melody beside his ear, the sorrowful thoughts¡­ At that moment, it seemed to become even more solemn. Suddenly¡­ his gaze inadvertently fell on a branch not far away, and his expression froze. Then¡­. his entire face changed, and his pupils were dilated! Chapter 21 - Endless Life Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The sound of the Suona mimicked the sound of the birds. It gained a life of its own, and all kinds of bird calls kept ringing in people¡¯s ears! At the same time. Master Li was standing outside the mourning hall, still thinking about the legend his master spoke of. He looked up by chance. His gaze inadvertently landed on the treetops at the side. His expression changed! He discovered that many birds were already sitting on the treetops not far away. Along with Su Chen¡¯s Suona sound imitating the sound of the birds¡¯ calls, more and more birds in the distance actually began to echo Su Chen¡¯s Suona! He hurriedly looked into the distance and discovered that birds were beginning to land on the hilltops in the forest not far away! More and more came. Groups of birds were attracted by the Suona, and the sky in the distance was filled with darkness¡­ Soon, everyone around also noticed this strange phenomenon! At that moment, Su Chen¡¯s Suona also reached its peak, and more of the sound came from the birds¡¯ calls. Faced with such a strange phenomenon, Master Li was deeply shocked! Even his own master back then could not achieve this! The Suona itself had a high pitch and projected itself through the air like the wail of a siren. It was famous for its high pitch among all kinds of musical instruments. It did not need any electronics to amplify its sound! If the player could imitate the bird¡¯s call perfectly, it was possible to attract these birds. However, rather than calling it a strange phenomenon, it was better to say that the player¡¯s skill was simply legendary! Su Chen held the Suona high and stood in front of the mourning hall! His hands began to shake rapidly, tapping on a sound hole at an extremely high frequency! The tone changed yet again! A crisp and cheerful sound came from the mouth of the Suona! Li Hong knew this technique. It was tongue-shaking! However¡­ he could only understand it, but he could not do it like Su Chen! He did not have the dexterity for that! The most terrifying thing was that Su Chen¡¯s breath lasted for a full 30 seconds! Master Li, a professional Suona player from the national theater, felt his throat smoking at that moment. However, he was the same as everyone present. He did not dare to make a sound. He was afraid of disturbing Su Chen¡¯s rhythm! Towards the end, the crisp sound grew urgent and anxious! The cries of the birds seemed to become more and more mournful! Su Chen covered the Suona hole with both hands and lowered his body slightly. When he suddenly raised his head, this cry actually became as terrifying as a cry of blood! ¡°Phoenix Nirvana, the Cry of a Phoenix?!¡± Li Hongzheng¡¯s forehead began to sweat. This was the most difficult part of the fabled song! When his master played this part back then, he practically transformed into a mad demon! It was difficult to not have gaps in between. After all, a person¡¯s lung capacity was limited. Even if he had played Suona for a lifetime, he had to pause someplace to steal a breath! But now! This young man actually played this part perfectly! How terrifying was his lung capacity!? The rhythm of his breathing seemed to perfectly match the cries of the birds and phoenixes! Su Chen¡¯s nimble fingers never once stopped their rapid dance. All sorts of short and long notes and short and small utterances were switched back and forth, finally pushing the tune to its climax! All the Suona techniques were switched nimbly under Su Chen¡¯s hands, and all of them were used on this part! The most sonorous, and at the same time, the most gorgeous and passionate part of the tune was perfectly played by him! Everyone was completely shocked! Their eyes were attracted to Su Chen, and their hearing was also immersed in this climax! In an instant. Suddenly, a tone that was louder than ever exploded! It shot straight to the clouds! Everyone felt their scalps go numb, and the heat drilled into their heads with a frenzy! Goosebumps appeared on their skin! Li Hongzheng¡¯s eyes had become dull, and he kept sighing with emotion: ¡°A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix¡­ This is the real deal!¡± He was more confused than impressed! As far as he knew, those who could achieve such attainments in the country were all old men! Even those old men might not be able to play this tune! But Su Chen was barely old enough to be a father! Not only was he a complete master of the Suona, but he also knew how to play the long-lost song! This was at a level that only appeared in myths and legends. This young man was a rare genius! Why would someone with such attainments appear at Principal Tang¡¯s funeral!? To be able to play a song that had been lost for decades perfectly, how could he be an ordinary person? But, Principal Tang, who had remained in this poor town for almost her entire life, knew such a person? He recalled Principal Tang asking if she was worthy of the song before she died, and then he looked at the scene in front of him! All doubts vanished! At that moment, Principal Tang seemed more enigmatic than ever! Everyone present began to look up. They would never forget the following scene for the rest of their lives! The birds in the distance seemed to have been summoned! They began to flap their wings and flew up from the treetops almost at the same time. A black mass of birds flew toward the old school in all directions! A few birds that had flown over earlier landed on the broken walls of the school and the temporary mourning hall. Even more birds were still in the air! They blotted out the sky and covered the sun! It was vast and mighty! And there were more than a hundred of them? Li Hongzheng was shocked beyond words. The legend that the blind master spoke of was not a legend! It was true! A stream of hot tears flowed from his eyes, streaked across his face, and fell heavily to the ground. He would never forget this for the rest of his life: On this day, at the funeral of Principal Tang Ying of Huayi Town, a young man with an outstanding temperament, dressed respectfully in traditional garb, had blown into his Suona. A grand melody that could only be enjoyed by those who were highly respected! A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix! ¡­ The second climax of the song came. Even Su Chen, who had a special breathing technique, had turned slightly red at this moment! His fingers were already trembling! The Suona in his mouth became even livelier and high-spirited! Sometimes it was sad, sometimes it was happy, and more bird chirps came into the melody! Finally, with a breath, he blew the last long tune! This long tune seemed to carry the scene for more than ten years! It blew over the mountains one after another! It blew over the difficult mountain road with thousands of ravines! It blew over Principal Tang¡¯s life path that was filled with tens of thousands of miles of twists and turns! There was sorrow, but also contentment! Finally, Su Chen¡¯s toes touched the ground! His body leaned back and he bowed like the crescent moon! He poured all his energy into the Suona in his hands! The Suona rose into the air! The melody followed! The tone of the Suona was overpowered all else! The melody was grand, and the momentum was unparalleled! At that moment, the emotions that had been suppressed in people¡¯s hearts seemed to burst out along with the melody! Sob sob¡­ The sobbing sounds accompanied the Suona! They only grew louder and louder! Everyone¡¯s sorrow for Principal Tang was being heard! The birds in the sky also began to slowly descend! The flock of birds landed in Principal Tang¡¯s mourning hall! On the flags that swayed with the wind, On the school¡¯s dilapidated courtyard wall, On the treetops above everyone¡¯s heads! This final note lasted for nearly thirty seconds, and Su Chen maintained the same posture! He raised his head, raised his waist, and held back his face until it was red! Finally, he gave up his last breath! The high-pitched Suona sound suddenly stopped! A hundred birds paid homage to the Phoenix, and they were no more! The cries of the crowd also came to an end, however, the surrounding birds did not stop! Their cries were incessant throughout the funeral! The birds did not stop chirping! The crowd did not get up, as if they were afraid of disturbing the rhythm of Su Chen¡¯s Suona. At that moment, they were also very careful, afraid of disturbing the birds! They looked at the birds all over the mountains and plains. It was such a strange sight! Everyone¡¯s mind seemed to be filled with the young man holding the Suona, raising his head, and raising his waist. He seemed to be playing the Suona at the top of his voice! How could such an old and powerful tune be played by a young man? ¡°This¡­ is definitely at the level of a Master!¡± ¡°No! Master Li is a master, but this young man¡¯s aura and attainments are far above living men!¡± ¡°Is he¡­ a national-level player!?¡± ¡°Grandmaster level!?¡± This person did not belong here with them. Such a person actually appeared at Principal Tang¡¯s funeral? ¡°Principal Tang was not as simple as she seemed!¡± .. Everyone was shocked beyond words! Not only were they concerned about Su Chen¡¯s identity, but Principal Tang¡¯s mysterious past had also aroused their suspicions and curiosity. After the song ended, the cries of a hundred birds continued! Su Chen slowly put down the Suona in his hand. A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix finally ended. The hope contained within it was endless! Just like Principal Tang¡¯s persistence in this life, she had left big shoes to fill. She was the role model of more than the children and teachers who knew her! Attending Tang Ying¡¯s funeral was also a baptism of fire for Su Chen! Su Chen bowed deeply towards Tang Ying¡¯s posthumous photo. The second special mission was complete. He carried the Suona and walked out of the mourning hall. Under the gazes of countless students who were kneeling outside the mourning hall, he gradually walked further and further away¡­. Chapter 22 - Dripping Sweat! Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation From afar, the entire hillside seemed to be covered in a vast expanse of white. Countless students were wearing white mourning clothes, their knees pressed firmly against the ground! Their gazes were fixed on Su Chen, who had walked out of the mourning hall. This funeral had not just been a memorial for their benefactor. They also had to thank this master for being able to perfectly play ¡°A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix¡± during Principal Tang¡¯s funeral! This was the greatest form of respect and remembrance Principal Tang could ever get! At that moment¡­ everyone knelt on the ground and faced the mourning hall. Under their gazes, Su Chen slowly left the funeral scene and walked down the mountain. ¡­ Li Hongzheng finally regained his senses. He hurriedly chased after Su Chen in the direction he had left! Unlike Su Chen, who had come to send the deceased off, the Li Family could not leave before the funeral was over. Li Hongzheng desperately hurried after him, but he was still one step too slow. Finally, he caught up to Su Chen at the foot of the mountain! Li Hongzheng hurriedly shouted. ¡°Master, please wait!¡± Su Chen, who had just finished playing a song that was almost considered a myth at that point, was now breathing steadily and walking as fast as he could. When he heard the shout coming from behind, he turned around and saw that it was Li Hongzheng. This Suona master from the small town possessed skills comparable to the National Opera. Su Chen turned around and looked at him wordlessly. ¡°I am the Suona craftsman from Huayi Town, Li Hongzheng. May I ask for your name, master?¡± Li Hongzheng felt very uncomfortable when he asked this question. In fact, he was even more curious about Su Chen¡¯s master. He did not know if he would have the chance to learn this song! ¡°I am just someone sending President Tang off!¡± Su Chen did not answer his question. Creating a sense of mystery was one of his services. His eyes were as calm as water, and his temperament was outstanding. Knowing that Su Chen was deliberately avoiding the question, Li Hongzheng¡¯s old face turned red, and the Suona in his hand broke out in sweat. After hesitating for a moment, he took a step back and cupped his hands in salute! He bowed slightly! Finally, he asked that question. ¡°Master, can I learn that song from you?¡± It was straight to the point! Straightforward! It was also sincere! Su Chen looked at him in surprise. This Suona craftsman, who was dozens of years older than him, was now respectfully asking to learn from him! That sincere look in his eyes moved even Su Chen. People learned different things at different points of time, and with the knowledge, became professionals in different fields. Masters were not humble, nor noble. They were neither old nor young. It did not matter. Although Su Chen was his junior, his Suona was superior to his. Thus, a student was simply asking his teacher for lessons in a song! The two were practically strangers, but a single song had connected them at a deeper level that surpassed the passage of time. Su Chen had been at the funeral site the whole time and knew that the people had failed to acquire even a single Suona to play at the send-off. Master Li came to see Principal Tang off on his own accord, and he had opened the way with Eight Suona, which showed the level of his respect for Principal Tang. Even as he tutored others in the way of the Suona, he never once looked down on people because of their age. A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix. It was the ultimate test of the Suona. Whether the dead were worthy or not, it was decided by the Suona! As Li Hongzheng bowed respectfully in front of him with a determined expression, Su Chen could not help but sigh. He thought of Principal Tang, who had been busy all her life. Su Chen did not hesitate. He wrote down the song according to the skills in his mind and handed it over to Li Hongzheng. Once again, he said the first sentence of the meeting between the two: ¡°It takes great sorrow for a hundred birds to pay homage to the Phoenix! Our ancestors left this behind for us, and only those who are joining our ancestors after a truly meaningful life, deserve to enjoy it!¡± Li Hongzheng¡¯s tears fell again. A great ray of hope came upon him again! He did not know if it was the joy of getting the song. Or traveling decades back when he was a young boy watching his blind master play. As Su Chen left, his vision began to blur. The blind master seemed to overlap with the back of the young man ¡­ In the afternoon, Juan ¡®er and her husband personally prepared a meal for the Li Family. The two of them served tea and poured water. They busied themselves in fear of neglecting the Li Family. When it was time for the funeral¡­ The Eight once again played. They bade farewell to Principal Tang. Although the aftershock of the Phoenix had not yet left the scene, the imposing manner of these eight Suonas moved countless people. On the way to the funeral, both sides of the path were packed with people. Many people from the neighboring towns had come to send off Principal Tang! Principal Tang had been highly respected and her deeds were well known in the surrounding towns. She was revered by everyone. News of Su Chen playing ¡°A hundred birds paying homage to the Phoenix¡± for Principal Tang in the morning had spread. Many people regretted not being able to witness the scene with their own eyes. Thus, they all waited on the pathway of the funeral to send off Principal Tang. The funeral procession of over a thousand people was vast and mighty. ¡­ Chalk in hand, sleeves catching the wind, Arms traveling across the blackboard as four seasons came and went. With their blood, sweat, and tears, they educated the future generations! Principal Tang¡¯s grave was not big, and its location was rather remote. However, this did not change the fact that in a few years, or a few decades later, when people from Huayi Town came to pay their respects to their ancestors, they would bring their descendants to this grave. They would then tell their descendants that a hundred birds once paid homage to the Phoenix at this person¡¯s funeral. At the same time, they would also tell their descendants the story of Principal Tang. The younger generation would then visit the older generation¡¯s graves. When a new year came, the younger generation would celebrate a new year and become one year older. When it was time for them to sweep graves, they would pile fresh soil atop the old graves. And as time passed, the younger generation would become old, and the old graves would become relics. But the people buried in the old graves and their stories would be passed down through the ages! ¡­ After the funeral ended, the Li family tactfully turned down the offer of a meal. They were ready to leave. Juan¡¯ er¡¯s eyes were red and swollen as she saw Xiao Lin and Xiao Ai off. Before they left, Juan ¡®er took out the money that the people in the town had collected for the Eight Suona¡¯s and gave it to the Li Family. The Li Family turned down the money. ¡°If you really mean this from the heart, then donate this money to the school! That is Principal Tang¡¯s lifetime of blood, sweat and tears!¡± Li Hongzheng still had a solemn expression as he turned them down. As the eight people left, Juan ¡®er once again kowtowed three times in their direction! Xiao Ai had a complicated expression as she looked at Juan ¡®er. She could not bring herself to trust her actions just yet. The next day. Principal Tang¡¯s funeral had ended. Juan ¡®er and her husband left the school early in the morning and rushed back with the two children. The school days had to go on as usual. Xiao Ai had been a little disinterested since yesterday. ¡°Principal Tang is gone, so we can¡¯t slack off!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s clean up the office together! Just like any other day. I¡¯ll sweep the floor, you wipe the table!¡± After looking at the dusty office, Xiao Lin suggested cleaning the place up. Xiao Ai nodded weakly and agreed. Soon¡­ while wiping Principal Tang¡¯s desk, Xiao Ai¡¯s expression changed as she opened the drawer. The crumpled ten thousand Yuan and the money for the eight sets of Suona lay quietly in the drawer. The sun shone on it, bringing with it warmth. ¡­ On the other side¡­ Su Chen returned to the company. After tidying up his clothes and wrapping up the paperwork for Principal Tang¡­ At that moment, the system spoke up.. Chapter 23 - Visiting Customers? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation [Ding! Host has successfully completed the first special burial service!] [Mission completion: Perfect! 100x multiplier in effect!] [Perfect rating achieved, special lucky draw granted! System support order function activated!] [Starting to distribute rewards now, please check carefully!] Another perfect rating. ¡°The reward is 100 times the income. This time, the income is 20,000 yuan! It has been deposited into the host¡¯s bank card!¡± Such a value was considered quite generous for the current Su Chen. The text message notification sounded again. The money had been received. Following that, the newly activated system¡¯s supplementary drawing function also gave Su Chen a detailed analysis of the function. ¡°The system support order function has been activated. A series of documents such as exclusive contracts for the Funeral Service, legal notarization, and so on have been customized! Moreover, the system¡¯s right to randomly send text messages to the target customers has been changed. The host can choose the target customers by himself and send the text message advertisements!¡± Holy sh*t¡­ even the exclusive custom service contract had been created, and even the legal notarization was created as well. Su Chen rubbed his nose. This was all too much. At least in the first two missions, the service target had chosen to believe in him. The deal was completed with just a verbal agreement. Su Chen did not dwell too much on the contracts. He summoned the special mission¡¯s roulette. [Special Roulette] After the special mission reached the perfect rating, one would get a chance to draw a lottery. The reward would be reflected in reality! ¡­ The special mission¡¯s roulette looked similar to the normal mission¡¯s perfect roulette, but the content of the rewards were vastly different. The rewards were more generous, be it cash or shares of a certain group. The quantity was almost flattering! Some of the rewards were very mysterious! [Forced platform-wide funeral live broadcast once] ; [Sent to any location once!] ; [Receive a promise from a certain industry boss!] ; and other magical rewards. Compared to the ordinary roulette, the special roulette.., Was more than several times more valuable! Unfortunately, he only had one chance to draw! Su Chen secretly prayed in silence, then his gaze fell on the reward of 50% ownership of the Tengxun Group, and he began to draw! The needle on the roulette began to spin rapidly, continuously sweeping over the various astonishing rewards! Su Chen nervously looked on! It eventually slowed. In the end, it stopped! Su Chen felt his heartbeat quicken, and his breathing quickened! It was getting closer and closer to its target reward! Snap! It stopped! It slowly landed on the reward of owning 50% of the Tengxun Group¡¯s shares! ¡°Holy f*ck!¡± Su Chen was stunned! His dream came true, and the surprise had been most abrupt! That was half of the shares of the famous Tengxun Group of the country. Rather than half, just a tiny bit of the shares would be enough for one to live comfortably over several lifetimes! This was half of it! I¡¯m rich! I¡¯m going to be rich! ¡°Ding! Congratulations on drawing a special reward: Forced platform-wide funeral live broadcast once!¡± ¡°Ding! When this reward is used, the funeral would be forcibly broadcasted on all platforms!¡± At that moment, the system¡¯s notification sounded. Su Chen¡¯s expression changed, and he quickly looked at the special reward wheel again! His smile stiffened, and the corner of his mouth twitched! The needle that had just steadily landed on the Tengxun Group¡¯s shares, for some reason, was a millimeter past! It was just a millimeter! A millimeter away from wealth beyond any measure! ¡°You little piece of shit!¡± Su Chen wanted to vomit blood. It had toyed with his feelings like he was no better than bacteria! ¡­ An old man holding a walking stick stumbled down the street with great difficulty. His face was sorrowful, and his hair was white. The stitched clothes on his body were almost see-through, and there was a string of handmade bells tied to his wrist. Along with his every move, there was a crisp tinkling from time to time. On his skin, which was covered with grayish-black age spots, were traces of the vicissitudes of time. His name was Nie Yugang, and he was an ordinary pensioner. When he was young, he had been a model worker. At that time, he was lacking in resources, but he was content as long as he had a meal on his table. However, he came across a child. An abandoned baby in a haystack. The sound of crying had touched the man¡¯s emotions. He could not bear to let him drift into the wilderness, so he carried him home. He surprised himself by refusing to release the child soon after. In that poor era, any man who could raise a family had to be decently well-off. For an abandoned child like this, the heartless parents would never come back to look for him, and no one would be willing to adopt a baby. Nie Yugang could not bear it and adopted the child. However, he never thought that because he adopted the child, he would miss out on several blind dates in succession. There was no other reason. Who would be willing to follow you if you had a child? He had also thought of giving the child to someone else, or even throwing it away! However, due to his conscience, he clung to the child like his life mattered on him. As he remained trapped in this cycle, time went on. Under Nie Yugang¡¯s care, the boy grew up and entered a good university. Now, he was successful in his studies and career. However, he remained an adopted son. He wanted to find his biological parents. Because of this, old Nie had quarreled with him several times and caused quite a commotion. The child had not contacted him for half a month. It was normal for a child to want to find his biological parents. How could Nie Yugang not understand it? But he just could not get past the hurdle in his heart! Was he being selfish to want to raise the child and care for him as his own? Or was he furious at the irresponsible biological parents who abandoned the child in the wild without any conscience? Nie Yugang himself could not tell. Now¡­ he didn¡¯t have to. His wrinkled arm was covered in needle marks of all sizes. It was something he had discovered in the past half month. He had always thought it was a stomach ache, but it turned out to be cancer! He could not afford treatment, and it was practically incurable anyway. Oh well. He gave up on treatment. His time had come. He was ready to accept it. Perhaps after he died, the child would be able to find his biological parents without any hindrance. He looked back on his life with doubt. Had he been a burden to the child? His ordinary life carried too many regrets. The lines on his face deepened. ¡°Su Funeral Company?¡± Unknowingly, Nie Yugang found himself before the doors of a shop. When he looked up, the sign outside caught his eye. Create a mysterious and terrifying past! Chapter 24 - Sudden Passing Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The advertisement on the signboard was very enigmatic and classy. Nie Yugang walked into the funeral company with curiosity. When he walked in, he found that the company was not big, only covering a few dozen square meters. The furnishings inside were shabby, and the environment was not as classy as he had imagined. On the contrary, it was almost shabby. He was a little suspicious of such a company. Was the advertising slogan on the signboard outside a lie? Could his funeral give him a mysterious past? Nie Yugang was silent for a moment. This place did not seem very reliable. He had originally planned to turn around and leave. Just as his walking stick tapped the ground, Su Chen happened to walk out and saw the old man. Su Chen was a little surprised but also a little excited. He quickly asked, ¡°Old Sir, may I help you?¡± His words left room for negotiation, but his hands were not ambiguous. He took his hand enthusiastically and helped him to the sofa at the side. Then, he served tea and poured water! Nie Yugang had originally wanted to leave, but because of Su Chen¡¯s enthusiasm, he could not turn him down. He could only thank him repeatedly. Then, without waiting for him to react, Su Chen took out the price list. He handed it over. On it were the details of the company¡¯s various services and prices. Su Chen began to talk him through. ¡°Old Sir, you can take a look at our company¡¯s professional services first. There are a variety of them, and the prices are affordable. I guarantee that you will be satisfied!¡± Nie Yugang¡¯s gaze remained on the company¡¯s surface. This company seemed a little unreliable. After all, the shop was barely furnished. He doubted it. Was this company reliable? After noticing Nie Yugang¡¯s gaze, Su Chen quickly said, ¡°Old Sir, the place may not seem very accomodating, but the service is absolutely professional, special and mysterious!¡± As he spoke, he pointed at the price list in Nie Yugang¡¯s hand and continued to talk him through. ¡°Old Sir, you can look at the service of this project. If you are willing to pay me 10,000 yuan, I will arrange for a black Maybach and 100 men in black to appear at your funeral! An old man in a suit will step out of the car and bow deeply to your tombstone. He will present a bouquet of flowers and leave solemnly.¡± He listened to Su Chen¡¯s explanation. Nie Yugang grew a little curious. He read the list, his eyes growing wider! Funerals had such services? It was an entertaining thought. The lowest price was 99 yuan, but it went up to 100 million yuan. It basically had packages at all prices! After many years of working, Nie Yugang also had a portion of money in his hands. In addition, his child already had a successful career and never once asked him for money. Therefore, he had quite some savings. Even the 100,000 yuan service was still within his acceptable range. However, the 10,000 yuan service was enough to satisfy him. That boy had argued with him before leaving to find his biological parents. He should at the very least leave this world in a way that left the boy wondering about his own past. He had remained unknown throughout his life, it was time to enjoy some of the spotlight, even if it was from the grave. He had raised a good son, it was time for this father to depart. Perhaps it would not be too much to ask for some recognition as he left! After seeing the various services on the price list, he entertained the thought more. Moreover, Su Chen was a really good salesman. He felt himself getting convinced. If the 10,000 yuan service was carried out in full, people would perhaps question his past. Seeing Nie Yugang¡¯s somewhat hesitant gaze, Su Chen hurriedly continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, we can also sign a contract here!¡± ¡°Haha, signing a contract is meaningless. Come, young man, I¡¯ll transfer the money to you!¡± Nie Yugang took out his phone with a smile. He no longer had any doubts and transferred 10,000 yuan to Su Chen. After receiving the 10,000 yuan, Su Chen smiled. Legal paperwork was not yet necessary! He quickly handed over the information form: ¡°Please fill in your information and the location of the funeral!¡± Nie Yugang picked up the pen and finished filling in the blanks with a few scribbles. Along with his every move, the bell on his wrist let out a crisp and melodious sound. This was the first order that had been completed since Su Chen¡¯s awakening without any prompt from the system. The entire process was exceptionally smooth. After Nie Yugang put down the pen, Su Chen finally heaved a sigh of relief. It wasn¡¯t easy to successfully sell a service worth 10,000 yuan. He hoped to get a perfect rating as well. By then, the 100 multiplier would be amazing. 10,000 yuan would become 1,000,000 yuan! ¡°I wish you a pleasant service!¡± After sending Nie Yugang out of the shop with a respectful expression, Su Chen returned to the shop and wanted to prepare for the order. The landlady took the initiative to call him. A sultry voice came from the phone: ¡°Hey, Brat, where have you been these past two days? Why isn¡¯t the shop open?!¡± ¡°Dear sister, I was busy earning rent for you!¡± Su Chen replied casually. He had not expected the landlady to be so concerned about his small shop. If Su Chen sidled up to her, he might not have to work hard for the rest of his life. However, this was not Su Chen¡¯s style. The landlady chuckled and continued asking, ¡°Hehe, looks like business is good. I wonder if I would have the honor to be invited by you to go to Pingzhuang Cemetery?¡± ¡°Pingzhuang Cemetery?¡± Hearing this, Su Chen was stunned. Wasn¡¯t this where Chu Guozhong was buried? ¡­ On the other side, Nie Yugang, who had left the Su family¡¯s funeral company, was not in a hurry to return. Instead, he leaned on his stick and went to a place. Qingyang development zone. This place was originally a large, abandoned state-owned enterprise factory. Now, it had been invested and rebuilt. Many office buildings rose from the ground. Tall buildings stood there. The roads around the buildings were wide and accessible. Nie Yugang sat on a chair by the road. His turbid gaze swept all over the place. For a moment, he was at a loss and desolate. The shadow of a factory gradually appeared in front of him. The sound of the machinery was so familiar. At that time, the place where he was sitting was still a desolate pile of weeds. One night, when he passed by this pile of weeds on his way home after working overtime, he had heard the faint cry of a baby. At that time, the night was dark and the moonlight was cold. This baby¡¯s cry had pierced through the darkness and silence, almost scaring him out of his wits. This was a period when the government was trying to get rid of superstition among the people, and so he refused to believe that this was a ghost haunting. He mustered up his courage and walked towards the sound. A child had been abandoned on the grassland. The child was small and crying with all his strength. His heart ached terribly. Just like that, he carried the child home in a daze¡­ In the blink of an eye, more than twenty years passed by in a flash. He recalled everything that seemed to have happened yesterday. But here, buildings had covered the sky and tar had blanketed the roads. This street, which he had walked on for decades, was no longer the same as it was before¡­. Chapter 25 - Heroes and Pioneers! Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Su Funeral Company. Su Chen received a call from the landlady. ¡°Why Pingzhuang Cemetery of all places? What happened?¡± Su Chen was a little surprised and asked. On the other end of the phone, the landlady seemed to be a little surprised. ¡°You rascal, are you jinxing me? To think that you¡¯re still a funeral attendant. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t even know about the incident at Pingzhuang Cemetery?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been busy in other places for the past two days. What happened at Pingzhuang Cemetery?¡± Su Chen quickly asked. That was the place where Chu Guozhong had been buried. The country deeply respected the dead. They would not stir up any fuss when it concerned them. What could happen at a cemetery? However, he heard the landlady explain. ¡°No wonder you weren¡¯t around these past two days. It turns out that you were out of town. This matter had already become popular on the internet. It was exposed yesterday. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve seen a popular article on the internet, ¡°The great figure of ordinary county town: Master Chu of Qingyang County donated all three million yuan in demolition funds before his death!¡± ¡°Well, I do know that!¡± Su Chen frowned slightly. He had also read this article. It was written by a reporter about Chu Guozhong. It also mentioned his three filial sons and daughters. It seemed to be quite popular at that time. ¡°It¡¯s that Master Chu. Do you know who he is?¡± ¡°A veteran?¡± ¡°Ah, didn¡¯t you not know?¡± ¡°I guessed.¡± ¡°You guessed right! But you definitely don¡¯t know the story behind him! Yesterday, a reporter from a veteran newspaper reported this. After a few days of investigation, he found out all about this old hero¡¯s past! Back then, during the War of resistance, this old hero had sustained than a hundred injuries all over his body. A few of the injuries had even threatened his life. During the War of resistance that spanned over a decade, he had participated in nearly a thousand battles of all sizes! In the War of resistance, he had even obtained first-class battle merits! More than twenty merit medals, large and small! These merit medals were all hidden in a small box by that low-key old man. His children didn¡¯t even know what a great hero their father was! The old hero had lived a low-key life. Even before he left, he had only selected to be buried at an ordinary cemetery! I cried when I read this. I heard that today, the tomb of this battle hero will be moved to the Martyrs¡¯ Cemetery! Come with me to Pingzhuang Cemetery. Let¡¯s pay tribute to the old hero together!¡± There were no customers to attend to. Su Chen had no reason to refuse, so he agreed. Chu Guozhong was a veteran, he knew that much. But he did not know this. Chu Guozhong had once risked his life for the country on the battlefield and attained outstanding military achievements! He was actually such a low-key hero! ¡­ Soon, the landlady arrived at his company. Lin Yu, who had always been sexy and hot in the past and wore bold clothes, was now dressed more conservatively. She came in her own BMW sports car. ¡°Su Chen, get in!¡± She threw the BMW key to Su Chen and asked him to drive her. Su Chen raised his eyebrows and teased, ¡°So you want me to be the driver?¡± ¡°If you really want to interpret it that way, then I won¡¯t deny it!¡± Lin Yu chuckled. Soon, the two of them drove to Pingzhuang Cemetery. ¡­ Pingzhuang Cemetery. There was a long line of thousands of people! After Chu Guozhong¡¯s past was exposed, his heroic identity could no longer be hidden. More and more people began to come forward to pay their respects to this great hero. Even those who were far away from other provinces and cities also came from thousands of miles away. The two could only get off the car and slowly follow the crowd into Pingzhuang Cemetery. In front of Chu Guozhong¡¯s grave. Three ceremonial soldiers were carrying medals, urns, and certificates of martyrs! The ceremonial soldiers in the middle stepped out from the crowd and handed the urns to Chu Guozhong¡¯s three sons and daughters with a solemn expression! Next to him, the person in charge of handling the relocation of Chu Guozhong¡¯s tomb said loudly to everyone, ¡°After many verifications, we have confirmed that comrade Chu Guozhong, who is buried here, is a war hero! During the War of resistance, he had participated in 1,035 battles, and had one third-class merit medal, and twelve second-class merit medals¡­ ¡­ His military achievements were outstanding! Before the hero passed away, he had donated all of his assets to poor schools, helping countless poor children have the opportunity to go to school! The hero wanted to keep a low profile, but we shouldn¡¯t forget it! Now, we will welcome the hero Chu Guozhong¡¯s tomb back to the Martyrs¡¯Cemetery!¡± As his voice fell, countless people at the scene wept for him. This was especially so for some of Chu Guozhong¡¯s former relatives and friends. At that moment, they were even more moved to tears! Who would have thought that Chu Guozhong, who had once lived by their side, actually had such a glorious past. A war hero had been right beside them! Chu Guozhong¡¯s tomb was about to be welcomed back to the Martyrs¡¯ Cemetery. No one would doubt whether Chu Guozhong had the qualifications. Those 20-plus shining military medals were enough to prove everything! A piece of red silk covered the urn. Chu Anfu personally held it with both hands. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, he walked towards a limousine! Under everyone¡¯s collective gaze, the urn of the hero, the military medals, and the Martyrs¡¯ qualifications were carried onto the limousine one after another. As they watched the back of the limousine gradually disappear into the distance, the atmosphere became solemn. Many people were in tears. Paying tribute to the veteran! Paying tribute to the hero! Su Chen, who was in the crowd, noticed that some residents of Huayi town had also rushed over. Two teachers, Xiao Lin, and Xiao Ai led the children. Each of them wore a small white flower on their chests, and they stood not far away with gratitude and respect! The spirit of Chu Guozhong, the hero of the War of resistance, seemingly spread to these children. How lucky were they to live in this country! To be able to have countless heroes like Chu Guozhong, and to have countless pioneers like Tang Ying, who went to the poor mountain without hesitation and took root! A hopeful nation can not be without heroes A promising country can not do without pioneers! Chapter 26 - Unfilial Son Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Nie Yugang dragged his tired body back to the empty room. In the simple three-room unit, almost every wall had pictures of him and his son, from baby to preschool, from primary school to high school, high school to university, and then pictures of the boy after proudly entering society. Nie Yugang gazed at the pictures of the past decades hanging on the wall. It felt like a huge mountain pressing down on Nie Yugang¡¯s heart. It was heavy and depressing. He sat on the sofa and hesitated for a while before picking up the landline phone next to him and dialing his son¡¯s work number. His son had taken after his temper and was equally stubborn! Previously, because he said that he was going to look for his biological parents, they had gotten into a huge quarrel and his phone number was blacklisted by his son. Even now, it was still on his son¡¯s blacklist! Every time he wanted to make a call, he could only contact him through this unit¡¯s phone. Just like that, it had been tremendously difficult contacting him. ¡°It¡¯s been half a month. Why am I the one reaching out!¡± Old Nie muttered, but the movement of the buttons in his hand seemed to be almost instinctual. Although it was slow, they teemed with a sense of familiarity. The sound of the phone beeping rang, and his mood sunk with it. After a short while¡­ he put down the phone in disappointment. ¡°This unfilial son, he won¡¯t even pick up the phone!¡± When a person was sick, he would naturally feel like the world was against him. He looked at the photo hanging on the wall, and his heart was filled with all kinds of emotions. He had planned to call his son today to tell him that he would not hinder him from finding his biological parents, and he wanted him to come back and see him. After all¡­ He might have to leave soon. If his son was not by his side when he left, he would not dare to imagine the regret that child would carry. Since three years ago, his son had gone on a business trip to the capital. He had said that he was going to be promoted. At that time, after he happily sent his son away, Old Nie did not expect that to be the last farewell. For three years, the father and son would only contact each other by phone. Because he was worried about his son, an illiterate man in his sixties had learned how to use his mobile phone to type and send text messages. As he looked at the pictures of his life that his son sent from time to time, he could feel a little more at ease. Young people had strong career aspirations, and the pressure of work was great. He missed his son very much, but he restrained himself. But over the past six months, his health took a turn for the worst, and carnal desperation seeped into the desire to see his son again! He started learning how to video call, but his son did not have much time for it. At most, he sent a few pictures, and that was it. Once, when he took the pictures that his son sent and showed them to Old Wang next door, Old Wang¡¯s son had blurted out, ¡°What a geeky nerd!¡± This had angered Old Nie! He didn¡¯t care about his long friendship with Old Wang and gave him a beating on the spot. He insulted his precious son? How could he not be angry? Because of this, every time Little Wang saw him, he would lower his head and avoid him. At that moment, the door was pushed open and an old figure walked in. ¡°Haha, isn¡¯t this Old Nie? How was your check-up at the hospital today? Are you interested in having two rounds with me?¡± Old Wang walked into the living room with shaky steps and asked Old Nie, who was sitting on the sofa, with a smile. In his hand was a box of chess. When they were young, they were both in the factory. Old Wang was proud to be a junior high school graduate, and Old Nie hadn¡¯t even graduated from primary school, so he compared everything with Old Nie to gain a sense of superiority. He was usually very smug. He was a good person, but he had his own flaws! However, even though he had studied a few books, Old Nie always destroyed him in chess. He was very frustrated and always looked for Old Nie to play two games whenever he had nothing to do. Today, there was no doubt that he was here for ¡®revenge¡¯. It could also be considered as a way to relieve each other¡¯s boredom. ¡°Alright! Two games!¡± Old Nie collected his complicated emotions and nodded. He was not at his best. Old Wang very naturally pulled a chair over and sat opposite Old Nie. He placed the chess pieces on the coffee table between the two of them! He began to slowly place the chess pieces. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered me yet. How was the examination at the hospital?¡± Old Wang placed the chess pieces in his hand and asked. Old Nie laughed bitterly. He did not try to avoid it. His eyes were filled with gloom as he said, ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s cancer. I won¡¯t be walking away from this one!¡± ¡°You! ¡­¡± Old Wang¡¯s hand that was holding the chess piece trembled. He looked at him in disbelief! He wanted to say something, but it was like a fishbone stuck in his throat. He could not say anything. Previously, he had teased Old Nieand told him to go to the hospital for an examination. If he did not detect his cancer early, he would be done for. He had not expected the joke from before to turn out to be true. Old Wang, who was usually cheerful, couldn¡¯t smile anymore. On the contrary, Old Nie smiled helplessly. ¡°Life and death are fated. Wealth and honor doesn¡¯t care about any of that. Come, come, come. While I can still move, hurry up and play two more games!¡± ¡°Where is he? Why isn¡¯t he back yet?¡± Old Wang¡¯s face darkened, and his hands stopped moving. He knew that Old Nie only wished to see his adopted son once again! He heard that the boy had gone to look for his biological parents recently. This made Old Nie so angry that they had not spoken for half a month. ¡°I haven¡¯t told him about this yet!¡± Old Nie let out a long sigh. The disappointment in his eyes couldn¡¯t be concealed. Right now, he only wanted to see his child once, even if the other party came back in a huff. He even felt a little regretful. Why couldn¡¯t he swallow his anger back then? If the child wanted to find his biological parents, then he should go and find them! For a moment, complicated feelings surged into his heart, and Old Nie felt even worse. Seeing this, Old Wang was a little sad, but also a little angry! He put down chess pieces in his hand and looked at Old Nie with a gloomy expression: ¡°Give that adopted son a call now and tell him the news of your illness! If he doesn¡¯t come back, treat it as if he was never your son! Don¡¯t worry, if he doesn¡¯t come back, I¡¯ll let my son take care of you until you die! I don¡¯t believe that this lousy job is more important than his f*cking father¡¯s life!? ¡°In my opinion, he just wants to fly after leaving you! You¡¯ve been doing this for so many years, why can¡¯t you see it? ¡°I told you long ago that you have to consider marrying, but you didn¡¯t listen! Look, is this adopted son reliable?!¡± Old Wang was really angry. He was furious! After all, what kind of job was he working on that kept him from home for three years in a row? He had only sent photos and never once took a video call. Was he lying about his job? Knowing that old Wang was doing this for his own good, Old Nie could only say helplessly, ¡°I tried, but I couldn¡¯t get through!¡± ¡°Did you call the office again? Call him!¡± Old Wang said anxiously. Old Nie shook his head. ¡°Didn¡¯t we have a fight about meeting his biological parents? I don¡¯t know what happened, but he¡¯s blocked my number!¡± ¡°Hey? This guy is so arrogant. He even blocked your phone number? No, bring it over. I¡¯ll call him! He definitely won¡¯t block me, right? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll call him!¡± Old Wang laughed in anger. He asked Old Nie to hand over the phone number of his adopted son and then made a call! A voice came from the other end of the line. Sorry¡­. Chapter 27 - Success! Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Sorry, the number you have dialed is unavailable! ¡°!?¡± Old Wang was stunned. He stared at the phone with his eyes wide open, then looked at Old Nie, who was also stunned, and muttered in a low voice, ¡°Why is it unavailable? Have you been dialing the wrong number?¡± The first time he called that adopted son, he definitely got through. If one person could not get through, he could have been blocked. If two people could not get through, it was a discontinued number. It was truly unavailable! ¡°No, it definitely isn¡¯t wrong!¡± Old Nie was stunned. He quickly lowered his head to look at the phone number. The unfilial son¡¯s name and contact details were clearly written on it. Contact: Nie Xing Contact number: 158 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * There were even phone records from half a month ago! How did it become unavailable now? Old Wang refused to believe it. He called again and only then did he believe it: it had been discontinued! Had Nie Xing even changed his phone number in order to get away from Old Nie? He had truly cut off all ties. How ruthless! He could have told it to him like a man that he did not want to speak to him anymore! He should not have run like a coward, he should have manned up and conveyed his heartlessness to his face. Old Wang was furious. ¡°What¡¯s the use of raising such a son? A few years ago, I was happy that he went to a scientific research unit. Now, he¡¯s totally forgotten about who got him there in the first place. Look at my junior college son. He didn¡¯t do as well as that boy, that¡¯s right. But he¡¯s my biological son. If I tell him to go east, he wouldn¡¯t dare go west! After dozens of years of beating, smacking, and scolding, my boy didn¡¯t turn out as well as yours. But filial piety has to come from the blood. Look at him being respectful and obedient every day, and look at you¡­¡± As he rambled on, unaware of his own words, Old Wang started comparing sons. When Old Nie remained silent, he could only stop halfway through his sentence and sigh. He stared at the chess pieces on the table, having lost the mood for that game. Old Wang¡¯s eyes gradually darkened, as if he had made a decision. His tone was grave: ¡°Old Nie, is there any way to treat your illness? What did the doctor say?¡± His expression was serious. Old Nie said in a low voice, ¡°Terminal illness. There¡¯s no way out.¡± The topic seemed to be very heavy and suffocating. Old Wang¡¯s voice was a little hoarse. ¡°All these years, you¡¯ve been my only old brother. If you¡¯re sick, We¡¯ll treat you. Don¡¯t be afraid of the money! I still have some savings here. It¡¯s not much. Take it as an emergency!¡± As he spoke, he shakily reached into his shirt and took out a crumpled passbook from his inner pocket. He placed it on the coffee table and handed it to Old Nie. Old Nie was a little surprised. When he saw the passbook, tears immediately flowed out of his eyes: ¡°You stingy bastard, why are you pretending to be rich here!? This is your child¡¯s money. It was meant for a new house. You can¡¯t steal from him, much less me!¡± ¡°Quickly take it back!¡± This was the money that Old Wang had been preparing to buy a new house for his child. He was a stingy person and usually saved a lot of money. He never once lent money to anyone. He could be considered to have gained notoriety concerning it in the entire neighborhood. Recently, he had been preparing to buy a house. He had been bragging about it in the entire neighborhood for a few days. He heard that he had seen the house yesterday and was preparing to buy it! It was a large family with four bedrooms and a living room. It was beautiful! It could be considered as the family property that his son had prepared for his grandson. Based on the current house pricing and real estate, it would definitely be more and more profitable. It was bound to gain value as time went by. He did not expect that this famous miser would actually take out all this money. This was something Old Nie had not expected. It caused tears to flow down both of their faces. ¡°I have a heart too. Don¡¯t tell me I really have to watch you go through this alone?¡± Old Wang¡¯s rough and experienced hand wiped the tears off his face and he spoke with a trembling voice. They had been friends for a lifetime. Now that Old Nie had cancer, he felt even worse than Old Nie! ¡°To think that you graduated from junior high school. You don¡¯t understand what terminal illnesses are. I¡¯ve already said it¡¯s a terminal illness. If money can cure a disease, how can it be called a terminal illness? Take it back quickly. Don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know. This money was saved by your son. Don¡¯t let him lose it!¡± Old Nie said with tears in his eyes. He forcefully pushed the passbook back. He could not take the money, no matter what. It would be useless even if he took it. Without waiting for Old Wang to speak, Old Nie quickly continued: ¡°How many years have we been brothers? In this lifetime, I have no more regrets. The only thing I can¡¯t rest assured about¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s still that brat Nie Xing!¡± Old Wang was about to scold that kid for being unfilial, but he was interrupted by Old Nie¡¯s sobs and reached out to stop him again. ¡°Hear me out! ¡°My will, the House Property Certificate, and all my savings are behind that clock! If I leave before getting to see my boy, remember to help me put it away! ¡­ When he comes back, give it to him!¡± His voice trembled, and it was filled with endless desolation and despair. Old Wang turned his head and wept. ¡°If you want to give it to him, give it to yourself. If I were you, he doesn¡¯t deserve any of it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s my boy you¡¯re talking about!¡± Tears flowed out of Old Nie¡¯s eyes, and he was indignant. Then, he coughed violently, and some blood spurted out. Cough, cough, cough! Old Wang¡¯s expression changed. He quickly staggered forward and patted his back with concern. As Old Nie¡¯s trembling hand pointed at a bottle of medicine on the table, Old Wang quickly took it over, poured out two pills, and handed it to Old Nie. ¡°Eat it quickly!¡± He found another glass of water and gave it to him. After Ole Nie finished taking the medicine, his condition became even worse. His face was pale and powerless, and he could only lie on the sofa in the living room, gasping for breath. ¡­ Boom!! At that moment, in a distant desert, a strong explosion suddenly erupted! The shockwave visible to the naked eye instantly covered thousands of miles, and the terrifying impact shook the entire ground! Thousands of miles away, a group of researchers wearing isolation suits were holding all kinds of equipment as they looked at the explosion in the distance with pleasantly surprised expressions! ¡°The power of the second shockwave has far exceeded our expectations. Looks like the Super dual-wave bullet trajectory is indeed feasible!¡± ¡°The 10250th experiment has finally achieved the desired effect! Immediately inform the higher-ups about the results of the synchronization experiment!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the group of people quickly dispersed. Half an hour later. In the secret research conference room. The researchers were all present. They were holding the latest research data and equipment, waiting for someone to arrive. The door of the conference room slowly opened, and a determined-looking old man walked in. Behind him were a few armed soldiers armed to the teeth and armed to the teeth. It was clear that his status was high and special! He walked to the main seat and gave a military salute to all the researchers present with a solemn expression! ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard!¡± ¡°Elder Liu!¡± Everyone straightened their backs and looked at the old man in unison, returning a military salute! The old man called Elder Liu looked at the man who was the leader of the researchers and spoke with a solemn tone. ¡°Director Nie, I heard that the research was successful?¡± If Su Chen was present, he would definitely recognize this old man as Elder Liu, Liu Hongfei, who had attended Chu Guozhong¡¯s funeral! Chapter 28 - Its For You! Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation In the large conference room, every researcher was delighted. In the face of Elder Liu¡¯s question, Director Nie immediately straightened his back and looked determined: ¡°Reporting, leader. The project on the new sharp-guided FUFFLE Super dual-wave bomb has been successfully developed after 1,250 experiments conducted by our research institute! It can be put into military projects at any time to protect the country!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Elder Liu¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement, and he could not calm down the joy in his heart. ¡°It¡¯s been three years! It has not been easy! Everyone has worked hard. I, Liu, hereby express my high respects to all of you who have worked hard in the front-line secret scientific research. ¡°I know that everyone has put in a lot of effort for this secret research in the past three years! For the confidentiality of the experiment, everyone has been under tremendous pressure and misunderstanding from all sides. They have been working day and night on the front line of the scientific research project. Under the monopoly of the scientific research materials, we have independently developed and researched the Super dual-wave bomb after three whole years! Today will certainly be a day that will go down in history. Your contributions will not be forgotten by the people of the country. ¡°For decades, we have been suppressed by our enemies! Other powerful countries have been in possession of the technology of the super-elemental double-wave bomb for more than ten years, but we have not even come into contact with it yet. When they picked up their weapons and threatened us, the super-elemental double-wave bomb had already been in their hands for decades of research, accumulation, and development. They had fiercely guarded their secrets like national treasures! ¡°Speaking of which, the Super dual-wave bomb was also something that they had developed little by little from scratch. If they could do it, why couldn¡¯t we? ¡°I, Liu, have been looking forward to our country¡¯s super dual-wave bomb day and night! Every time he heard those great powers taking out the super dual-wave bomb, the diplomats cowered before them! Even the stalwart generals wavered. It was just like when we faced the enemy¡¯s elite troops in the War of resistance of old. The enemy had guns on them, but we only had swords in our hands. We did not even have the most basic of rifles! We needed such a bomb the most. With this massive artillery, we could communicate with them on equal ground, and we would¡­ no longer be bullied! If they could develop such a powerful weapon, why couldn¡¯t we? If crooked nuts could do it, couldn¡¯t we, the people, do it? Now, in just three short years, the entire world has a clear answer! We are capable! We are independent! If you can build it, we can too, and we can build them even better than yours! Their decades of research, we caught up in three years! They¡¯ve threatened us for decades, we¡¯ve been fearless for three years!¡± Vigorous and powerful words reverberated throughout the conference room! They spread to the ears of every researcher, bringing forth a loud applause! All over the conference room! Everyone¡¯s eyes twinkled with tears, not aggrievement, but tears of excitement and pride! Three years ago, they had disguised themselves as the most secretive taskforce of the country and come here to carry out secret scientific research! Due to the special nature of their work, they could only hide their identity from everyone and find a suitable excuse to disappear from the public¡¯s sight. They were secretly burning, toiling, and fighting for country! Because of the secret work related to scientific research, these scientists, who were originally first-class scientists in the outside world, chose to contribute silently, willingly choose solitude, and voluntarily fight in the isolated laboratory! Even if their lives were in constant danger, they would still offer their strength and life without any regrets for the cause of the country! Even if many people did not know their names, they would still die without regrets. However, the country would not forget these pioneers who had once made such contributions! This time, the Super dual-wave bomb was a perfect success. It meant that everyone¡¯s three years of hard work and sacrifice had not been in vain! The secret research had finally come to an end. Everyone had been awarded a national award and medal! The meeting ended under everyone¡¯s excited mood. ¡°Chief Nie, come here for a moment!¡± Elder Liu stayed behind Nie Xing. After everyone left, Nie Xing and Elder Liu stood in the meeting hall. Elder Liu handed Nie Xing a list and said in a deep voice, ¡°We have already made a preliminary count of the people who died in the battle this time. Come and check if there are any heroes left out there. We will bury them according to the standard of martyrs! The country will not forget the contributions and sacrifices they made for their country!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Nie Xing checked the list and found that there was nothing missing. The staff members who died in the research had been recorded in the list! After confirming that there were no mistakes, he handed the list back. Elder Liu slowly put away the list and looked at Nie Xing with a sigh. ¡°When I was in the War of resistance, I encountered the terrifying Japanese. The enemy lobbed tiny objects at us, and our entire company was lost. First, they were nauseous and vomiting, then their bodies became swollen and they died. Over a thousand people were lost in front of my eyes just like that. They didn¡¯t even have the ability to fight back! The weak only exist to be bullied! ¡°At that time, only four people escaped! ¡°Later, I learned that thing was called a gas bomb! ¡°Unfortunately, even if we knew how it worked, we didn¡¯t have any protective equipment. ¡°We fell behind, and if we fell behind any further, we would be beaten. If we didn¡¯t want to be beaten, we could only brace ourselves and go forward! ¡°If the country wants to be strong, it can¡¯t do so without the hard work of scientific researchers like you!¡± He had nothing more to say, Under Nie Xing¡¯s gaze, Elder Liu slowly left the meeting venue. At that moment, suddenly, a staff member walked over and hurriedly shouted: ¡°Director Nie, your phone call¡­.¡± Chapter 29 - Where Is Your Conscience? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Nie Xing hurried to the communication station of his unit. For the sake of the confidentiality of the project and his work, their various communication devices had been strictly controlled and managed. Especially half a month ago, when the project was at the most critical moment, the right to talk on their then-closely-monitored mobile phones had been temporarily cut off, completely isolated from the world! Only this communication station could be used for emergency contact, but it could only be answered. It could only be used under the strict monitoring of the soldiers in shifts. Nie Xing looked anxious. He knew that his father was a sharp man. As long as it was something that his father had decided on, he would not easily give up. In order to contact him, the old man had changed from an illiterate to a ¡®trendy old man¡¯ who could even type smoothly and even scan codes to pay. For the past half-year¡­ the old man¡¯s health had not been very good. He had said that he wanted to come to the capital to look for him and wanted to go to Chang ¡®an street to take a look at his work. However, his experiment had also entered a critical stage. The efforts of thousands of people in the entire research institute could not tolerate any slip-ups. He did not dare to cross the line and leak anything that involved state secrets! Helplessly, in order to make the old man give up on the idea of going to the capital to look for him, he had said with tears in his eyes that he was going to look for his biological parents! This was the only disagreement that existed between the old man and himself. Touching it was almost taboo! His biological parents were the people that the old man hated the most. They had abandoned Nie Xing and were not qualified to be called Nie Xing¡¯s parents! When little Nie Xing was picked up, he was not weaned yet. Old Nie was thick-skinned enough to go door to door and beg for women with milk to feed little Nie Xing. Under the dissuasion of everyone, in that poor era, the old man firmly raised Nie Xing to adulthood. When he was poor, he would take on part-time jobs; when he was tired, he would eat more and not dare to delay his work; when he was bitter¡­ he would only feel sorry for Nie Xing! From primary school to high school, and then to the top graduate student in the scientific research of the country at that time, a man who had no relatives was able to raise a child he had picked up to become such a talented person who contributed to the country. How could a few strokes of a pen describe the bitterness and kinship in it? Sure enough, the old man had not called once in half a month. However¡­ why did he take the initiative to contact him again today? If humans had a premonition about what was going to happen, then Nie Xing really felt something now. A few beads of sweat oozed out of his palms. He finally arrived at the communication station. Unfortunately, the call had already been hung up. A soldier at the communication station had an apologetic look on his face: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir!¡± All incoming calls would be recorded in the communication station. They had long made corresponding notes for the incoming calls. Therefore, they knew it was a call to Nie Xing! Each call could only be answered by the person who was being contacted, and they could supervise the entire process. Although the research work had been completed and had achieved complete success, they could not reveal their identity and the project they were working on without the official announcement and news from the country! Nie Xing was stunned and stood in the communication station in a daze. He, who had always been exceptionally talented in logical thinking, felt flustered and confused at this moment. He had burned bridges with the old man in the harshest way possible! The old man would be riled up at the slightest mention of it. In junior high school, because of this matter, the old man had never laid a hand on him. This was the first time the old man, who had always been gentle with him, had struck him! That was also the only time when he had not been able to persuade the old man, he had taken the initiative to apologize and made an oath. Only then was he forgiven. It could be seen just how much the old man hated this subject. He had no choice but to use this to cut ties, even if for a moment. He thought that once the matter of the research was over, he would immediately give him a clear explanation, apologize, and ask for his forgiveness. He had never thought that he would actually take the initiative to call him? What was the reason? What could make him disregard this personal gripe? ¡­ On the other side, Old Nie¡¯s condition had worsened. At night, Old Wang had found him unconscious at home, so he hurriedly sent him to the hospital! The lights in the emergency room lit up. Old Wang and his son stayed in the corridor, speechless. A moment later, Little Wang couldn¡¯t help but ask Old Wang, ¡°Xing isn¡¯t back yet. What if something happens to his father? When he left back then, I even said that I would help him look after Uncle Nie¡­¡± ¡°Hmph! It¡¯s already so f*cking late. What¡¯s the point of mentioning him?¡± It would have been better if he hadn¡¯t said anything. Old Wang was already about to die from anger. This adopted son had abandoned his dying father. He disappeared without a word! As expected, they were not bound by blood. They did not even have such feelings. Old Nie had worked hard all his life to raise him. In the end, he had raised an ingrate! As Old Wang continued fuming, Little Wang fell silent. However, Old Wang only grew more furious. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Finally, he looked at his son beside him and frowned! He immediately smacked Little Wang on the head! ¡°Why did you hit me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t mention him in front of me in the future. If you mention him once, I¡¯ll hit you once!¡± ¡°Then just say it. Why are you hitting me? There are so many people watching!¡± ¡°What, words don¡¯t work anymore, do they? Still talking back!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t hit me! I got it. I won¡¯t mention Nie Xing anymore!¡± Slap! Another slap landed on Little Wang¡¯s head. Little Wang looked at Old Wang angrily and aggrievedly. He wanted to say something, but opened his mouth soundlessly. He did not want to say anything. Thus, the father and son fell into a short period of silence again. After an unknown amount of time. Finally, a doctor walked out with an anxious expression: ¡°The patient¡¯s current condition is very bad. The critical illness notice will definitely be issued soon. Are there any family members present?¡± ¡°Family members? I¡¯m his neighbor. He¡¯s all alone. Other than that adopted wretch, he doesn¡¯t have any family members!¡± Hearing the doctor¡¯s words, Old Wang felt his heart skip a beat as he spoke in a fluster. Beside him, Little Wang managed to remain calm. ¡°Doctor, his family members aren¡¯t by his side!¡± ¡°What kind of people are they? This patient has been in and out of our hospital for an entire year. Why isn¡¯t there even a family member by his side?¡± The doctor was a little angry, but he thought of something and quickly said, ¡°Right, the patient has been chanting a name while he was unconscious. I think his name is¡­ Nie Xing!?¡± ¡­ At the communication station, the phone rang again. Since it was an unknown call, the soldier could only pick up the phone. Old Wang¡¯s anxious voice came from the other end: ¡°Nie Xing, you son of a b*tch, get your ass back here! Your father is already in a critical condition! ¡°You heartless ingrate!¡± The face of the soldier who answered the phone changed! Chapter 30 - Go Home And See Your Father One Last Time! Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation When the other party called out Director Nie¡¯s name, the faces of the few correspondents present changed! One of them pretended to be a colleague of Nie Xing¡¯s unit to calm Old Wang down, asking him not to hang up the phone. On the other side, someone rushed over to call Nie Xing! In the shabby dormitory. A strong wind blew past the window. Even though the window of the dormitory was closed, the dim yellow light still flickered. Nie Xing could not fall asleep with his mind full of things, and he was not in the mood to celebrate with his colleagues. In the dormitory, he continued to check some of the data and numerical reports from the previous projects. His eyes wandered between the precise numbers, and his mind was gradually pulled back into them. His logic was incomparably clear, and he constantly checked the accuracy of the data and analyzed the data split that had evolved from each of them. The dim yellow light flickered, illuminating his table. The table was facing the window, and from time to time, it was hit by the strong wind outside the window. Due to the terrain, the howling of the wind on the desert was a frequent visitor. Bang Bang Bang! Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps came and banged on the door of his room. The voice of a soldier came from outside the door: ¡°Chief Nie, someone is calling you from the hospital!¡± ¡°What?¡± Nie Xing opened the door and stared at the soldier, The soldier said hurriedly, ¡°It¡¯s a call from the hospital. Your father is in critical condition!¡± The voice reached his ears, as if a bomb had gone off in his head. He didn¡¯t react for a moment. Nie Xing was barely dressed. Even so, he ran directly to the Communication Station! The night in the Gobi Desert was extremely cold. When he ran to the communication station, his entire face was red, and cold tears were coming out of his eyes. He reached out with a trembling hand and took the phone. His throat seemed to be blocked as he opened his mouth with difficulty: ¡°I¡¯m Nie Xing!¡± ¡°Alright, you bastard! I thought you didn¡¯t dare to show up! To think that Old Nie raised you up so well, huh? Is this how you repay him? Damn it, Old Nie is such a good person. How did he raise an ingrate like you? When you walked out of there, did you feel that your wings have hardened and you were ready to leave your father behind? Damn it, I¡¯m telling you, I can still throw a punch, I¡¯m not going to hold back when I see you¡­¡± Old Wang¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone. Without any hesitation, he roared at him. Nie Xing felt a phantom fishbone in his throat. With a trembling voice, he asked, ¡°Uncle Wang, my father¡­ how is he now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me uncle, I¡¯m not having any of it! Old Nie had been diagnosed with cancer for a whole year, and it has worsened so much, and he didn¡¯t have anyone by his side! You, on the other hand, are such a filial boy. You actually told him that you were going to find your biological parents! You heartless man, you really had the guts to say that! If I didn¡¯t feel that something was wrong tonight and went over to take a look, Old Nie would have been gone by now! He¡­ Even while unconscious¡­ he never once stopped calling your name!¡± Old Wang could not contain his anger and cursed. But as he spoke, tears began to flow down his face, and he choked on his tears. Nie Xing, who was on the other end of the phone, held back the pain in his heart that felt like it had been stabbed by a knife, and tears began to fall. He could not imagine the life that the old man lived alone on a daily basis. He carried the pain and was still worried about him. Even when he was unconscious, he would call out his name! When Nie Xing didn¡¯t speak for a long time, Old Wang calmed down slightly. ¡°Nie Xing¡­ ¡­ Let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart. Old Nie has nothing more to say to you. Just coming back to see him is all he wants. I¡¯ll even beg for you to do it. Just come back! Come back and see Old Nie one last time. Let him leave with a little peace of mind, okay?¡± ¡°Uncle Wang, I¡­¡± Nie Xing felt as if a fishbone was stuck in his throat, unable to speak. Tears flowed uncontrollably out of his eyes as he tried hard to hold back his sobs. Thousands of workers had come here without any fear of death. They were prepared to sacrifice themselves for the country¡¯s scientific research at any time, and they were also prepared to hide everything forever. Never telling their parents, never telling their wives and children, seeing it in their eyes, remembering it in their hearts, having it rot in their stomachs, and taking it to their graves! They had made a vow! Now, even if the old man was in critical condition, he must not tell the truth! ¡­ After hanging up the phone, he remained expressionless for a long time and did not move. Tears streaked across his determined face and fell heavily on the ground. At the communication station, a few figures walked in. ¡°Go back, see your father one last time!¡± Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded behind Nie Xing! Nie Xing turned around with tears streaming down his face. He immediately wiped away his tears and straightened his back! It was Elder Liu! Elder Liu¡¯s gaze was complicated. He looked at Nie Xing with some heartache and said, ¡°You can go back now, but you also know that our work is special. Even after we go back, we can¡¯t reveal anything! Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Nie Xing¡¯s face changed and he quickly nodded! Then, he added, ¡°We must do things that must remain unsaid. We must hide our identities!¡± ¡°Well said!¡± Elder Liu patted his shoulder and comforted him. ¡°You have contributed to the country and protected us. This is a fact that can never be forgotten and erased!¡± ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m commissioning a special plane to the capital. Pack your things and come with me!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, even the eight-foot-tall man could not help but shed tears. He nodded heavily. ¡­ At the hospital, Old Wang hung up the phone. He looked at the emergency room and shook his head helplessly: ¡°Old Nie, Old Nie, why did you raise an ingrate? You¡¯re still mumbling his name, but he didn¡¯t even¡­¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll accompany you on this last journey!¡± He sounded like a broken man. Little Wang, who was standing at the side, was also moved by his father¡¯s words. He had never seen his father beg before. Today, in this hospital, he actually begged Nie Xing to come home. Thinking about how he had once believed that he understood Nie Xing previously, he released a helpless sigh. He sighed heavily, completely disappointed in Nie Xing! He walked to Old Wang¡¯s side and said with a solemn expression, ¡°Dad! Don¡¯t worry. If Uncle Nie decides to go, let me put on his mourning clothes and send him off!¡± ¡°You!?¡± Just as Old Wang was about to reprimand him, he looked at his determined eyes and could only smile and say, ¡°Good, good. At least this one has a conscience. Old Nie didn¡¯t live his life in vain!¡± He laughed until tears came¡­. Chapter 31 - They Just Wheeled Him In Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Old Nie was in a critical condition. He was now lying in the ICU, unable to leave the ICU. He was very weak right now. Even if Old Wang and the others wanted to go in and visit him, they were only given ten minutes. Even the number of times they could go in was limited. Old Wang leaned his face against the glass window and looked worriedly at Old Nie who was lying on the bed. At that moment, Old Nie¡¯s face was pale and he was very weak. Early the next morning, Old Wang¡¯s wife brought him fresh chicken soup. Old Nie drank the chicken soup in a daze. His eyes were tightly shut, and his brows would furrow from time to time. It seemed that he had entered a dream. As for Nie Xing, Old Wang had completely given up. This kid had no conscience. He had zero expectations of him to come and visit Old Nie. Old Wang was prepared to take full responsibility for everything after that! Little Wang was very worried about his father¡¯s condition. Since last night, Old Wang had not been doing well. ¡°Dad, you go back and rest. I¡¯m keeping an eye on Uncle Nie!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on him. Don¡¯t worry!¡± Old Wang shook his head and refused to leave. Upon seeing his father¡¯s determination, Little Wang sighed. ¡°Dad, I know you¡¯re worried about Uncle Nie, but you have to take good care of your body. To put it bluntly¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say anything nice, so shut up.¡± Old Wang cut him off mercilessly. Little Wang¡¯s mouth twitched as he nodded. ¡°Hey!¡± The two of them stood guard outside the ward. Old Wang sat in the corridor wearily. Little Wang would occasionally bring him some water to drink and buy some food to fill his stomach. However, Old Wang was not in a good mood. His condition had always been very bad. It could be seen that he was really sad for Old Nie. Through the isolation glass, he looked at Old Nie who was lying on the hospital bed. There was a relatively obvious burn wound on Old Nie¡¯s right arm. When Old Wang¡¯s gaze moved to the wound, his eyes stopped. On his wrinkled face, there was an imperceptible glistening crystal from the corner of his eyes that quietly flowed out. When the factory had not closed down, he and Old Nie were colleagues in the same workshop. At that time, Old Wang, who had graduated from junior high school, looked down on other workers in the same workshop. Even the kind and honest Old Nie¡­ was also among the people he looked down on. Because he always felt that there was nothing to communicate with these illiterate workers. They were all illiterate people who couldn¡¯t read a word. If you said something, they would say something else. According to Old Wang¡¯s own words at that time, it had been a different outlook on life. At that time, the concept of fire control in the factory was next to non-existent. In winter, the weather was very dry. If one was not careful, the fire would rise! One noon, Old Wang took a nap in the workshop and fell asleep. When he woke up again, he was scared silly. The entire workshop had been engulfed in a sea of fire. He stared at the sea of fire that was raging fiercely around him! The waves of fire were rolling, mixed with the pungent smoke and dust in the entire workshop. It was so smelly that people could not open their eyes. The surrounding flames seemed to be roasting everything in the workshop. Their skin and flesh felt like they were about to be burnt. He desperately shouted for help, but he could not open his mouth any more because of the smoke. He covered his mouth and nose, trying to rush out, but he found that he could not rush out of the fierce sea of fire! There were many people outside the workshop, but in the face of such a fierce fire, they could only anxiously look for water. No one dared to rush in to save Old Wang. Except for Old Nie! He heard that someone in the workshop was asking for help, so without saying anything, he directly took a bucket of water and threw it on himself! Then, under everyone¡¯s shocked eyes, he resolutely rushed into the sea of fire! Old Wang couldn¡¯t open his eyes because of the fire. The desperate suffocation was about to envelop him, but he suddenly felt that someone rushed in through the Sea of fire, then pulled him and rushed out explosively! The fire was very big. Old Wang was lucky and was saved. However, Old Nie¡¯s hand was left with a permanent burn wound! Old Wang had always been grateful for this, but Old Nie always downplayed it. He felt that anyone would have done the same. A wound in exchange for a life. It was worth it! Old Wang didn¡¯t say anything, but from then on, Old Nie had become a different person in his heart. He was different from the other workers. He was just another man, but more than most men. In less than two years, Old Nie, who had some savings, began to prepare for a blind date and marriage. The factory director personally introduced a girl to him, and the two got along well. When the date of the engagement was approaching and things were about to be settled¡­ one night, Old Nie picked up that adopted son out of nowhere! From then on, Old Nie¡¯s life became more and more difficult. Even that girl was unwilling to follow him because of this matter. After all, he had to raise this child he picked up. Everyone was persuading him to give up on this child. Not to mention that his situation was not good. Even if he raised him, that child might not necessarily be filial to him! What if he wanted to find his biological parents? What would he do? Old Nie was very stubborn and had refused to listen, so he raised Nie Xing just like that. Old Wang understood that he was such a person, and no one could say it would work. Back then, there were so many people outside the workshop watching him fall into a sea of fire without helping him. Only he, despite everyone¡¯s dissuasion, directly jumped into the fire pit! If Old Nie had been any less certain about the matter of the child, he might not have had the life he had now. Now, he felt that Old Nie had raised an unfilial boy. ¡­ On the train to Qingyang County, Nie Xing frowned. He sat on the train and was somewhat anxious. There was a visible dimness around his eyelids. He was very sleepy, but he could not sleep. Once he closed his eyes, the scene of his father lying on the hospital bed calling his name was in his mind. It was terrifying! He only wanted to return to his father¡¯s side as soon as possible. No matter what, he had to see his father one last time! The train sped up on the railway track, it carried everyone¡¯s hopes and expectations, as well as anxiety. ¡­ At the same time, Old Nie, who was lying on the hospital bed, suddenly convulsed, and the alarm apparatus suddenly went off! ¡°Not good, the patient is starting to convulse!¡± ¡°Push him into the operating room!¡± ¡°Call the attending doctor!¡± A few nurses and doctors rushed over and said loudly with anxious expressions. Then, they directly pushed Old Nie¡¯s hospital bed into the ward! Old Wang followed outside the ward worriedly. He was very nervous. Soon, the attending doctor rushed into the operating theater. The emergency work began. Old Wang¡¯s heart was about to jump out of his throat. His breathing also became tight. He shouted loudly outside the ward, ¡°Are these doctors doing their jobs? Why did they send Old Nie into the operating theater again?¡± ¡°Dad, don¡¯t be anxious!¡± Little Wang quickly tried to dissuade him. They could not shout in the hospital! At this moment, a group of doctors and specialists in white coats suddenly appeared in the corridor. Their expressions were solemn, and there was even the director accompanying them personally. When they came to the side of the nurses¡¯ station, the director anxiously ordered the nurse on duty. ¡°Help me check which floor is Nie Yugang, Old Nie¡¯s ward!¡± ¡°Director, that Old Nie has just been sent to the operating room!¡± The young nurse hurriedly began to check the records. An elderly head nurse hurriedly came forward to report the situation. As soon as she finished speaking.., the expressions of the few experts present changed¡­. Chapter 32 - Expert Consultation Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The moment the head nurse¡¯s voice fell, everyone¡¯s expressions changed. The usually calm hospital director was no longer calm at this moment. He quickly said to the head nurse, ¡°Arrange elder Nie¡¯s case and all the records immediately and bring them to the surgery observation room. We will conduct an expert consultation!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The head nurse quickly nodded and began to sort out Nie Yugang¡¯s case and analyze the various examinations. As for the experts, they followed the director to the surgery observation room. Everyone present was attracted by the commotion. The director¡¯s appearance was in the exhibition hall on the first floor. Everyone could see people coming and going. Naturally, they could recognize the director¡¯s identity. At this moment, when they saw the director accompanying these people, many people felt very surprised. These experts had extraordinary auras. Even from a distance, they could feel the sense of authority emanating from their bodies. In fact, with the director personally accompanying them, their status was even more honorable. It couldn¡¯t help but surprise the onlookers. who was it that could gather so many experts in this county hospital!? ¡°Dad, look at those people!¡± Little Wang also noticed the figures of those experts. When he saw them enter Uncle Nie¡¯s surgery observation room, he hurriedly called out to Old Wang. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Old Wang was worried. He looked over impatiently and was immediately a little shocked. Why are there so many people here? He also recognized that the old man walking in front was the director of this hospital, followed by a few experts and doctors. ¡°Why are there so many specialists heading in there?¡± Little Wang muttered to himself in confusion. He had just heard that the director was going to hold some specialist consultation. And it was especially for Uncle Nie. Logically speaking, with Uncle Nie¡¯s identity, it was impossible for him to gain the attention of such a man! Old Wang shook his head, not understanding what was going on. The more this went on, the more his bad feelings about it accumulated. ¡­ In the surgery observation room. A few experts sat down and looked at the real-time scene of the operating theater in front of them. In their hands were the medical records of Nie Yugang. A few beads of sweat appeared on the forehead of the hospital director. Ever since he became the hospital director, he had invited these experts from the military region countless times. However, with his status, he would never be able to invite such a high-level expert. In fact, there wasn¡¯t a single expert in the entire hospital who could reach such a level. Now, such an expert actually took the initiative to come to the hospital. Furthermore, they specifically requested for a special joint consultation with a patient named Nie Yugang. Not only that, but there was also a call from a higher-up asking him to actively cooperate with these experts. It was clear how noble the identity of this patient named Nie Yugang was! After everyone received Nie Yugang¡¯s basic information and medical records, the director opened his information with some curiosity. He did not find any special resumes or actions, it could be said to be terrifyingly simple. The director wiped the sweat from his forehead and was repeatedly shocked in his heart. Wasn¡¯t this just an ordinary person? Could they have been mistaken? His gaze changed. He quickly called the head nurse over to check on Old Nie¡¯s identity and information. He was completely confused. The other experts did not dwell on Old Nie¡¯s identity. Instead, they began to quickly study and analyze Old Nie¡¯s condition. After scanning through the medical records and other information, they realized that there were not many measures that could be taken. Old Nie¡¯s illness was beyond cure. At that juncture, it was completely impossible to treat him. The most they could do was to extend his breaths. The orders of the higher-ups were that even if he could not get better, they had to do everything possible to but him more time. ¡­ ¡°The patient¡¯s situation is not optimistic. You have also seen that the experts have come to the joint consultation personally. What we can do now is to extend the patient¡¯s time, but I¡¯m afraid that he won¡¯t live past today!¡± The attending doctor said to the Wang father and son with a complicated expression. He watched the doctor leave. Old Wang sighed deeply. ¡°Sigh, life and death are fated. Even if the experts come, they won¡¯t be able to stay!¡± Little Wang also felt very uncomfortable. He stood by the side and did not say anything. Following that, the director brought a group of experts and doctors over personally. He looked at Old Wang and Old Wang and said with some trepidation, ¡°Are¡­ are you old Mister Nie¡¯s relatives?¡± ¡°No¡­ No!¡± Little Wang shook his head. He was a little nervous when he saw these people surrounding him. That was because there was actually a medal from the country on the white coats of those specialists!! Such a prestigious medal showed the status of a special existence. He was very shocked. These medal holders, whom he had only seen on television, were actually standing in front of him!? They were even talking to him so politely. For a moment, he was a little reserved. Old Wang might be proud of his lofty self and was a scholar, but he had never seen such a scene. But when he heard about his family members, he was still a little angry. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have any relatives, we are his neighbors!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors. I heard that you have been taking care of Old Nie for the past two days. Thank you for your hard work! If you encounter any difficulties or problems in the hospital, you can contact me immediately, and I will solve them!¡± The director did not understand Old Wang¡¯s anger, but he still spoke respectfully. The experts behind him did not react because of Old Wang¡¯s attitude. Instead, they waited patiently for the director and Old Wang to communicate. Seeing the director and the experts¡¯ attitudes, Old Wang was also a little surprised. He could not help but ask, ¡°I want to ask, what is Elder Nie¡¯s identity? Why are you guys here to help him?¡± ¡°To be honest, we don¡¯t know either! The joint medical consultation simply received instructions from the higher-ups!¡± An expert spoke the truth. They had all received a temporary mission and had rushed here. The director nodded, and the doubt in his heart grew. What the heck¡­ even the neighbors didn¡¯t know what he did. It seemed that his identity wasn¡¯t ordinary. Old Wang and Little Wang were even more shocked! It was actually an order from the superiors of these military experts and doctors?? It did not sound simple! How could an ordinary employee like Old Nie attract the attention of such a high-level existence? Could it be that Old Nie still harbored some secret identity that they did not know about? Without much small talk and a brief explanation of Old Nie¡¯s situation, the director left with the experts. However, they said that they would follow up on Old Nie¡¯s condition in real-time, and the hospital would bear all the expenses incurred during the treatment! With the experts present, Old Wang and Little Wang felt much more at ease, but they also knew that Old Nie didn¡¯t have much time left. He would not even live past today! After a short while. they could finally inspect the ward and go in to check on Old Nie¡¯s condition! The two of them quickly got up and prepared to enter the ward to check on the situation. At that moment, a slightly familiar and trembling voice came from behind them. ¡°Uncle Wang!!¡± Upon hearing this voice, Old Wang stopped in his tracks and didn¡¯t turn around. Little Wang turned around and when he saw the person¡¯s appearance clearly, his expression instantly froze. It was Nie Xing! He¡¯s back! When he saw Little Wang, Nie Xing anxiously asked, ¡°Tao Zi, which ward is my father in?¡± Little Wang gritted his teeth and did not say a word. He walked straight up to him. Without waiting for Nie Xing to continue speaking¡­ ¡°Damn you!¡± He, who had always been a coward, actually swung his fist and smashed it hard on Nie Xing¡¯s face! Chapter 33 - Send-off Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation In the ward. Old Nie¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed, and his face was pale. He finally woke up, but when he saw that there was no one around, the pain in his body and the sorrow in his heart caused him to cry again and again. His turbid old eyes were filled with sadness. He knew that he did not have much time left. He was about to leave, and his child was not by his side. He felt very regretful and also a little wronged. At that moment, the ward door was suddenly pushed open. Old Wang slowly walked in and looked at Old Nie¡¯s condition. He forced a smile and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know where your luck came from. You summoned an entire team of experts to look over you without raising a single finger. impressive. I, Old Wang, am truly impressed!¡± ¡°Nie¡­ Nie Xing!¡± Old Nie opened the corner of his dry mouth and weakly called out Nie Xing¡¯s name. Right now, speaking was almost impossible for him. He struggled to look at the door of the ward, hoping to spot Nie Xing. ¡°You, you, you only think about that adopted son of yours!!¡± Old Wang could not tell if he was happy or sad, but he spoke with a complicated expression. As soon as he finished speaking¡­ a familiar figure walked in. Old Nie, who had been staring at the door of the ward, saw the figure appear. His dim eyes seemed to light up, and tears flowed out uncontrollably! The corner of his mouth opened in excitement. ¡°Nie Xing!¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Nie Xing immediately ran over and knelt beside the bed. As he gazed upon the pale and haggard Nie Yunfeng on the bed, the corner of his mouth trembled: ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m Late!¡± His voice was choked with sobs, and the father and son hugged each other and cried. Seeing the two grown men crying in front of him, Old Wang also felt bad. He silently left the ward, leaving the two of them alone. Old Nie, who was on the bed, did not blame him at all. He looked haggard at Nie Xing in front of him. In his eyes, Nie Xing was still the same child as before. His rough and big palm was placed on Nie Xing¡¯s face with great difficulty. He caressed the red and swollen area on his face, and his voice trembled. ¡°You¡¯ve lost weight!¡± ¡°Dad! I was wrong!¡± Upon hearing his father¡¯s words, Nie Xing¡¯s tears gushed out like a fountain again. He could not help but cry out in guilt. Just as Uncle Wang had said, his father had been sick for an entire year. When his illness had been in the most unbearable and dangerous stage, he was told by him that he was going to look for his biological parents. This was undoubtedly a double whammy to his body and mind! He had caused the most possible harm to his father! However, the state¡¯s secrets and regulations had been laid out before him, so he could not violate any of them! If any piece of information was leaked, it would cause thousands of secret workers to lose the results of their previous efforts, and it might even lead to an even greater crisis! Loyalty and filial piety were both difficult to achieve. This was not something that an ordinary person could endure. ¡°Xing ¡®er, I¡¯ve thought about it carefully in the past half a month. If you¡­ If you want to find your biological parents, that¡¯s what you should do. I shouldn¡¯t have stopped you!¡± Old Nie¡¯s cloudy eyes were filled with tears as he lay on the hospital bed and spoke slowly. He looked weak and every word he said seemed to take all of his efforts. Nie Xing wanted to say something, but he was interrupted by Old Nie. ¡°Let me finish. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have a chance if I don¡¯t! ¡°The place I picked you up was in the wasteland in front of the factory. You were wrapped in a big red swaddle. If you¡¯re looking for a family, it should be able to help you¡­ I have no regrets in this life. If I have to say it, it¡¯s that I didn¡¯t see you get married and have children with my own eyes. I also didn¡¯t manage to give birth to a grandchild¡­ I regret not letting you find your biological parents earlier. Who knows, you might have come back to see me earlier¡­¡± As Old Nie spoke, a smile would appear on his face when he talked about everything that had happened in the past. When he talked about regret, he smiled bitterly. However, tears couldn¡¯t help but flow along with his smile. He listened to his father¡¯s words one after another. Nie Xing knelt in front of the hospital bed. His body couldn¡¯t help but tremble as he lowered his head and wept. During the past three years, all the treatment his father had suffered seemed to appear in front of his eyes. Before he left, he was still thinking of himself! Although his biological parents had been used as an excuse, they were a thorn deeply embedded in his father¡¯s heart. He knew that he might not be able to explain these words in this lifetime. Until the end¡­ Old Nie asked earnestly, ¡°I know that I won¡¯t live long. I just want to know one thing!¡± His face was pale, and his tone was trembling! Nie Xing hurriedly raised his head and cried, ¡°Dad, Tell Me!¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t you come to see me in these three years?¡± Old Nie forced a smile and asked with tears in his eyes. As his voice fell¡­ Nie Xing choked with sobs, unable to answer. It was classified. No matter what excuse he tried to cook up, at that moment, he looked pale and powerless! He did not want to lie to his father, but he could not tell the truth either. Tears fell from the corner of his eyes, one drop at a time. Looking at Nie Xing in front of him, who lowered his head and kept crying, Old Nie smiled in relief and said with difficulty, ¡°Good child!¡± He wanted to reach out his hand to silently touch Nie Xing¡¯s face again. In Old Nie¡¯s eyes, that face that seemed to have hardened after experiencing the wind and frost seemed to begin to overlap with that little child from back then. His trembling hand reached out halfway. Tick tock! Old Nie still had a smile on his face. Just like that, he left the world. The old hand that had lost its strength fell limply onto the hospital bed. Sensing something, Nie Xing looked up and his expression immediately changed! ¡°Dad!!¡± Nie Xing let out a heart-wrenching cry. Countless sorrows, grievances, and heartache intertwined within him. The voice traveled out of the ward. Old Wang, who was standing outside the ward, heard the voice and quickly looked into the ward. His legs went soft for no reason and he plummeted to the ground! Fortunately, Little Wang, who was beside him, quickly held him up. ¡°Dad, what happened to you?¡± ¡°Old Nie, he¡¯s gone, he¡¯s gone¡­¡± Old Wang muttered to himself expressionlessly, as if he had lost his soul. After a moment, he suddenly smiled. ¡°Good, he¡¯s fine. He came back to see you. He left without regrets!¡± ¡°Wait for me. you hear! ¡°You still owe me a game!¡± He seemed to be lost in a trance as he muttered to himself. ¡­ Su Funeral Company. Su Chen was still sorting out the information on Nie Yugang that he had received from the system. He had carefully kept the information of each client in his files. He had done this on his own initiative. At the same time. The news of Nie Yugang¡¯s death was reported in the system! [Third mission objective: Nie Yugang has passed away. The funeral will be held in three days. Please prepare to send him off!] The system¡¯s voice sounded in his mind His hand froze, and he opened the mission exchange shop with a solemn expression. Every time he opened the shop, his mood was extremely heavy. Su Chen¡¯s gaze was complicated. Funeral, what did it mean to the deceased who had passed on? Chapter 34 - Time To Show Up Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Three days passed quickly. Old Nie¡¯s funeral went on as scheduled, at Pingzhuang Cemetery in Qingyang County. The news of his departure had been very sudden, and many relatives and friends had rushed over to attend the memorial and funeral in succession in the past three days. A white wreath was placed in front of the tombstone, and a white couplet blew in the wind. Faint mournful music rose into the air. The atmosphere at the funeral was solemn and sorrowful. A group of people stood there, all here to attend the funeral. They were Old Nie¡¯s friends or distant relatives. A simple white flower hung on his chest, and they lined up one by one to go to the tombstone to mourn. Nie Xing stood at the side with a solemn expression, returning the gifts to these people. His eyes were a little red and swollen, and he was in a bad state. For the past three days, he had closed his eyes every day. It was the scene of his father lying on the hospital bed and asking him, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you come to see me in the past three years?¡± Before his father left, he did not answer and could not even come up with an excuse. It had always been a sore spot in his heart, and he could not sleep well. At that moment¡­ Old Wang carried a bottle of wine and walked to Old Nie¡¯s tombstone. He sat down. He poured two glasses of wine, one for himself and the other for Old Nie. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to leave so quickly. You didn¡¯t even touch a single glass of wine in the six months before you left. You must be craving it, right? ¡°That¡¯s true. You just love listening to your son. You¡¯re willing to do whatever he says! ¡°Now that you¡¯re in the ground, he can¡¯t control you anymore. Let¡¯s have a good drink!¡± ¡­ Old Wang looked at the photo and sat next to the tombstone, muttering to himself. It was as if Old Nie was sitting next to him, listening to him. He drank the wine in his hand in one gulp. The other glass of wine was spilled in front of the tombstone. As they saw Old Wang sitting next to the tombstone and talking, the Nie family elders quietly wiped their tears. ¡°Dad!¡± Little Wang¡¯s expression changed slightly, wanting to dissuade his father. Who would sit next to a tombstone and drink wine? Just as he was about to step forward to stop him, he was stopped by a relative of the Nie family: ¡°Don¡¯t go, let him be!¡± As he finished his sentence¡­ Little Wang was a little dumbfounded. Talk? Talk about what? Some of the older people at the side explained to him. ¡°Children don¡¯t understand. In the past, when we were burying or sweeping the grave, we would sit by the gravestone and talk like this. We would also offer a pot of wine to express our grief. ¡°At that time, I remember eating in front of the gravestone. It was as if the deceased had not left yet. We would pour out our heartfelt feelings to them. Sometimes, we would sit there for an entire morning. ¡°That¡¯s right. How could a person like this sweep the grave and have no feelings? They would casually burn some paper, pour some wine, and then leave. ¡°Time has changed. Perhaps people¡¯s funerals will be simpler in the future.¡± ¡°Sigh!¡± ¡­ The words of the people around made the atmosphere of the entire funeral once again feel a little stifling. ¡°Old Nie, you must be hiding something from me! I saw it before you left. Those few experts who came to consult you had medals of merit hanging on their shoulders! ¡°It¡¯s strange. Everyone says that you¡¯re popular and have many friends! I really didn¡¯t expect you to be able to get in touch with those big shots! ¡°I, Old Wang, admire you for this, truly!¡± Old Wang just sat beside the tombstone. After a few drinks, he was already drunk with a red face. The words from his mouth were a little rough. Tears kept falling. He was trying hard to suppress his crying. At that moment, he did not know what he was saying, but he just wanted to ramble more in front of Old Nie¡¯s tombstone. Sorrow came from the heart, and along with the wine in his mouth, it was bitter and painful. Taking advantage of the fact that he had not completely lost his composure, Little Wang felt a little heartache. He quickly went forward to support him, helped him stand up, and walked to the side. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t get so down. Uncle Nie definitely doesn¡¯t want to see you like this down there!¡± Perhaps it was due to the effects of the alcohol, Old Wang couldn¡¯t stop his tears from flowing down. He stood there with his head lowered, crying softly. His body was slightly trembling. He, who had always hated his son for comforting him like this, nodded at that moment. Tears continued to fall uncontrollably. Seeing Old Wang like this, everyone present felt a wave of sadness in their hearts. Many people¡¯s eyes were slightly red. Besides relatives and friends, there were also some neighbors who came to attend the memorial. In the hearts of everyone, Old Nie had always been a kind and warm-hearted good man. No matter who he spoke to, he always carried himself with sincerity and honesty. Without such a good man, there was a void in their hearts. Nie Xing stood in front of the Tombstone and looked at his father¡¯s portrait. He wanted to cry but had no tears left. He could only kowtow twice heavily. He could not get up. Seeing this, some of his friends around him began to sigh/ ¡°Sigh, what a good person. He disappeared just like that!¡± ¡°People are fragile. They can¡¯t withstand suffering. This Old Nie has worked hard all his life. He suffered before he left.¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard that Old Nie¡¯s illness had lasted for more than a year. His life was very tough. He had to undergo two or three surgeries before he left!¡± ¡°More than a year? No wonder I felt that his condition was getting worse and worse this year! I didn¡¯t even notice it at that time.¡± ¡°He had been ill for a long time without a filial son. Although this Nie Xing was picked up by him, looking at him now, how could he be a filial child!¡± Some of the neighbors who knew about the Nie family¡¯s situation couldn¡¯t help but lower their voices when they heard this. ¡°What do you know? This Nie Xing only came back three days ago. His father has been ill for more than a year. Before he left, he only came back to take a look!¡± ¡°What, he just only came back?¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s been gone for three years!¡± ¡°Three years!!? Did he not care for his sick father?¡± ¡°Damn, he said he was busy with work. Old Nie called him a lot, and I heard that he couldn¡¯t get through to him in the end. Old Nie even hid the truth from others, not letting others know about the kid¡¯s situation. He was protecting him!¡± ¡°What kind of work can keep him away from home for three years? Who does he think he is? Which Company¡¯s CEO? If he leaves, would people die? I didn¡¯t expect this kid to be such a person. I¡¯m so disappointed. I thought he was a filial son!¡± ¡°Speaking of which, Old Nie has been stubborn his whole life. He insisted on having such an adopted son! How many times have I tried to dissuade him? In the end, wasn¡¯t he the one who suffered in the end? However, I have heard those who went to the hospital to see Old Nie said that Old Nie¡¯s identity is not ordinary, the hospital¡¯s director personally appeared, with more than a dozen military experts jointly for his consultation!¡± ¡°Is there such a thing? Impossible, Old Nie is just an ordinary worker like us, how could he have the opportunity to get in touch with such big shots?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Didn¡¯t you hear what Wang said when he was drunk? Those consultants had medals on their shoulders!¡± ¡°He was drunk and spouting nonsense. Do you really believe him?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it. This kind of thing spreads like wildfire. How can it be true?¡± At the same time, Su Chen¡¯s figure was standing not far away, watching Nie Yugang¡¯s entire funeral process. He lowered his head and looked at his watch. Time¡¯s up! It was time to go on stage¡­. Chapter 35 - A Mysterious Old Man Appears! Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation This was Su Chen¡¯s first big client, a 10,000 yuan order. There was no room for any mistakes. After all, this was a million yuan reward in his hands. Su Chen had given it his all in preparing for it. At the funeral. although the voices were lowered, it was still able to reach the ears of many people. Old Wang¡¯s slightly tipsy face turned red as he turned around to look at the people who were gossiping behind him. His eyes were cold. Those people sensed Old Wang¡¯s gaze and fell silent. They avoided his gaze. They saw Nie Xing kneeling in front of the tombstone and not getting up for a long time. The Nie family elders beside him did not go forward to help either. Their figures were somewhat miserable and desolate. Old Wang¡¯s eyes flickered, but in the end, he did not speak. The expressions of the surrounding Nie family relatives never once changed. They even treated Nie Xing as an outsider. In the three years that he disappeared, Old Nie had suffered so much. They felt that he had done his father a great disservice. However, this was his funeral. They did not want to fall out here, but after leaving this place, they definitely would not want to continue being relatives with this Nie Xing! Little Wang looked at the indifferent crowd around him and helplessly watched Nie Xing kneel on the ground. Normally, when family members remained kneeling like that, relatives and friends would have to come forward and help. Be it to console the deceased or to help those who were still alive, it was a necessary gesture. However, it was clear that no one wanted to help! Little Wang wanted to help, but he still had to support his old man and could not free his hands. At that moment¡­ a dark black Maybach slowly drove into the cemetery. If it was just the appearance of this Maybach, it would not be enough to attract the attention of others. What attracted the attention was the 100 men in black following the Maybach! Their temperament was unique. They were dressed like secret agents. They wore black suits and black sunglasses. Their sharp eyes seemed to be able to see through their sunglasses, making ordinary people feel a chill down their spines! Walking on the road, even if they were a distance away, they could still feel a faint sense of oppression! The car slowly moved toward the location of Old Nie¡¯s funeral and approached. ¡­ At the funeral, movements could be heard from the other side. Some people¡¯s gazes were inadvertently attracted by the car that entered the cemetery area. ¡°Look over there, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Why are there so many people here?¡± ¡°Good heavens, the black Maybach is clearing the way, and there are a hundred special agents escorting it! This is the scene of a f*cking big shot!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen it for myself. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such figures who only appear on television. What a presence!¡± ¡°It feels like¡­ they¡¯re coming our way?¡± As they listened to the voices of the people around them, Old Wang and the others also looked over curiously. They saw a black Maybach slowly driving over. Behind the car was a group of tall and sturdy men dressed in black. With such a lineup, it was obvious that they were not simple men. However, at this moment, they were slowly approaching Old Nie. ¡°They are here to attend Old Nie¡¯s funeral?¡± Old Wang rubbed his eyes, thinking that he was drunk and muddled. When he opened his eyes and saw those people again, he could not help but mutter in shock. The surrounding relatives and friends of the Nie family all noticed this lineup. All of them had looks of surprise on their faces. Could they really be here for the funeral? It didn¡¯t seem like it. Old Nie was such an ordinary person, how could he have such friends? The atmosphere of the entire funeral became somewhat quiet with the appearance of this group of men in black and the Maybach. An elder of the Nie family cleared his throat: ¡°These people should be here to pay their respects to others. How could Old Nie have such friends?¡± ¡°Yeah, Old Nie has been keeping a low profile all his life¡­¡± Someone echoed. He felt that he had said the wrong thing and quickly changed his words: ¡°But, how could he have the chance to get to know these people?¡± Many people around nodded. Such a grand scene. It was obvious that they were not ordinary people! It was only when those big shots from the television and movies appeared that there was such a big scene! Everyone thought so in their hearts. However, the Maybach seemed to have a clearer target as it slowly drove towards Old Nie¡¯s direction! In the end, it actually stopped not far from the crowd! A hundred men in black slowly walked past the two sides of the Maybach. Like agents, they stood on both sides of the Maybach! The two men in black who were close to the car walked to the side of the car and respectfully opened the door! The people in the car had yet to appear, but this ostentation made everyone subconsciously cast nervous gazes. They were very curious about the people who were about to come out of the car. Such a grand scene, could it be some big shot? The Nie family¡¯s relatives were very nervous. Why would such a group of people appear at a perfectly fine funeral? It seemed that they were not to be trifled with. Could it be that they were here to cause trouble? Could it be that these people were summoned by Nie Xing? An elder of the Nie family looked at Nie Xing suspiciously and felt a little uneasy in his heart. He suspected that Nie Xing had provoked someone he should not have provoked outside. If that was the case, wouldn¡¯t it be reasonable for him not to dare to return home for three years? The others were also deep in thought. Everyone had seen such a scene before, but those who were able to have such an ostentatious appearance were all people who had extraordinary hands and eyes. Why would they specially attend Nie Yugang¡¯s funeral? Everyone looked curiously at the back seat of the black Maybach. They wanted to see which big shot would appear under such an ostentatious appearance. The carriage door opened, and the black-clothed man welcomed him outside. ¡°Have you finally made it?¡± Before the person appeared, the voice arrived first. This archaic and hoarse voice made people feel the anticipation from the bottom of their hearts. Following that, an old man wearing a traditional chinese tunic suit slowly walked down from the carriage! His gaze was rather complicated as he looked at Old Nie¡¯s tombstone. The aura around him was condensed and did not spew out indiscriminately. In a black chinese tunic suit, he looked incomparably solemn! Seeing this¡­ everyone felt their breathing tense up. This aura and pressure was too strong! Who was this person? Was he really Nie Yugang¡¯s friend? While they remained bewildered, this group of people walked towards the tombstone. More than a hundred black-clothed people followed the old man and walked forward together. The relatives and friends around were shocked by the old man¡¯s powerful aura. They subconsciously started to push each other and retreated repeatedly to avoid him! When the old man walked to the tombstone, the hundreds of black-clothed people behind him also stopped. They stood in a trapezoid from front to back. The black-clothed people¡¯s faces were solemn and expressionless. Looking at everything that happened in front of him, Old Wang was so shocked that he could not speak. He was supported by Little Wang and stood to the side with a look of ¡®as expected¡¯. This old man¡¯s eyes were filled with vicissitudes, and his powerful aura was not something that an ordinary person could face. He looked at Nie Xing, who had been kneeling in front of the grave for a long time, and slowly walked forward. Under everyone¡¯s astonished gazes, he helped him up! Nie Xing¡¯s legs were already somewhat numb. His leg had also suffered some injuries during the experiment on the desert, so it was very difficult for him to stand up at this moment. Just as he was about to use the old man¡¯s hand to stand up, he felt his legs go soft. He subconsciously grabbed the old man¡¯s arm and was about to fall! Everyone was shocked. Do not make that old man fall with you! ¡­. Chapter 36 - A Terrifying Past Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Nie Xing¡¯s legs suddenly went weak, and he was about to fall. His hand subconsciously grabbed the old man¡¯s arm. Everyone turned pale with fright. From the old man¡¯s ostentation, he was definitely not a simple person. If he were to fall to the ground with Nie Xing, the consequences would not be something he could bear. Unexpectedly¡­ the arm that was grabbed by Nie Xing was unexpectedly exceptionally sturdy! A vigorous force was transmitted from the arm, forcefully supporting Nie Xing. Not only did he not fall, but his footing returned completely. After Nie Xing stabilized his body, he felt somewhat grateful. He, who was in a somewhat poor state, raised his eyes to take a look. However, he soon discovered that he had never seen this old man before. A powerful aura was emitted, giving off the aura of a superior. There were even hundreds of black-clothed people following behind him. This scene was truly somewhat shocking. The old man looked at him with a complicated expression: ¡°Believe in your own choice. A person must have his own path in life. If your path is difficult, take a break. However, don¡¯t forget to take a step back if it¡¯s killing you.¡± ¡°You are?¡± Nie Xing was stunned and asked. The old man in front of him had a special sense of familiarity with him It was as if the other party and the old man were friends who had known each other for a long time, and even knew him. Another old man had once said the same thing to him. It was when he was preparing to enter the Research Institute. During that time, he was very tired and depressed from studying. His old man had said this to him. After several years¡­ this sentence was repeated again, but it was said by the mysterious old man in front of him. He could not help but feel a little surprised and touched. ¡°I¡¯m a friend of Elder Nie. I¡¯m here to send him off!¡± The old man said in a deep voice with a solemn expression. As he spoke¡­ he turned his gaze to Nie Yugang¡¯s tombstone. Upon hearing the old man¡¯s words, the surrounding people did not even dare to breathe loudly. They were even more shocked. He was actually Old Nie¡¯s friend. To send him off in such a fashion, it was obvious that he was a big shot. When did Old Nie even get to know such a person? He even personally helped Nie Xing up in front of everyone. It was a proclamation to his relatives. In the distance, Su Chen was standing under a tree and looking over. He was observing the funeral. He did not know where these beings came from. The system had somehow provided them from the shop as usual. He did know that he could use his mind to communicate and give orders to the old man at any time like an avatar of a video game. The words that he said to Nie Xing were something that Nie Yugang had entrusted him with. Nie Yugang seemed to have predicted what would happen today. Nie Xing would remain prostate for a long time, and no one would come forward to help him up. He said that he hoped to help him up and at the same time pass this sentence to him to help him up. Following the intention of the mission target, Su Chen had commanded the old man to help Nie Xing up and conveniently said this sentence. The old man¡¯s aura was tyrannical. Ordinary people who dared to stand in front of him and speak needed to have a certain level of courage. Otherwise, one or two sentences would expose their cowardice. However, Nie Xing had at least seen the existence of many important figures. At that moment, he did not feel uncomfortable standing beside him. Many people around him noticed Nie Xing¡¯s reaction and felt rather surprised. It seemed that this fellow had ventured out for three years and had seen many important figures. It was just that he was not a good person. Even when his father passed away, he did not even come back to visit! At that moment, no matter how filial he was, it was already too late. ¡­ A gentle breeze blew over, and the white couplet fluttered in the wind. The old man looked at Nie Yugang¡¯s tombstone with a solemn expression. After staring at it for a moment, he bowed deeply towards his tombstone! With his bow taking the lead, the hundreds of black-clothed men behind him also bowed in silence! The powerful aura and appearance caused everyone to subconsciously respect Old Nie¡¯s tombstone. The entire funeral was silent. Other than the people who bowed, everyone around lowered their heads in silence. After a long while¡­ after the old man in the chinese tunic slowly stood up, the hundreds of men in black behind him also stood up. Their mission was considered to be completed. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, under the scene of the group of men in black admiring the moon, the old man got into the black Maybach and slowly left the cemetery, disappearing from sight! After the old man disappeared, everyone finally heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Good heavens, who were those people? That aura is so oppressive that I can¡¯t even breathe!¡± ¡°Unfortunately, if I had known earlier, I would have taken out my phone to record it. I¡¯ve never had the chance to see it up close in my life!¡± ¡°I wonder how such an honest person like Old Nie got involved with such a big shot?¡± ¡°Scary, could it be the triad?¡± ¡°Of course not. In my opinion, it should be a certain big shot who did not want to expose his identity!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Old Nie to have such a friend. He never once acted that way!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand. The relationship network of such big shots is very mysterious. They will only officially appear during funerals!¡± ¡°I thought Old Wang was drunk just now and was rambling mindlessly. It seems that the matter of the military experts appearing in the hospital for a consultation is also true!?¡± Under everyone¡¯s discussion, Old Nie¡¯s calm and low-key life seemed to be shrouded in a layer of mystery at this moment. No one could see clearly how terrifying his past was. To be able to have such a scene at a funeral was not something that anyone could do. Someone looked at Old Wang and asked curiously, ¡°Old Wang, you and Old Nie are usually the closest. Do you know that person just now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know him!¡± Old Wang shook his head with a complicated expression. His slightly tipsy face seemed to have sobered up a lot. What happened in the hospital had been enough to shock him. Now that he had witnessed such a scene, his mind was buzzing. It was as if he did not know Old Nie anymore. That simple and honest Old Nie¡­ when did he get to know these big shots? No wonder he lost to him every time he played chess! To be able to get to know these big shots, it could be said that he was already further ahead in life than he was. He had no reason to lose to him in a game of chess! With this in mind, he laughed bitterly. In the end, Old Nie had won! Under the effects of the alcohol, his legs were a little weak. Little Wang quickly supported him. He felt his son¡¯s strength. Old Wang turned his head to look at Little Wang, then looked at Nie Xing, who was standing in front of the tombstone. He immediately smiled bitterly. At least he got the better son. How could he be better than him in everything? After Nie Xing watched the old man leave, his expression was also somewhat puzzled. The old man was famous for being warm-hearted and good-natured. How would he have the opportunity to get to know a big shot? The military expert consultation that appeared in the hospital had been Elder Liu¡¯s doing. Then, was this really a friend of his father¡¯s? As he recalled the words that the old man had said to him, the corners of his eyes became a little moist. Turning back to look at his father¡¯s tombstone, the scenes of the past seemed to appear in front of his eyes. In his dim eyes, there was finally some light. The next moment¡­ suddenly, he felt dizzy. He lost his strength and fell to the ground¡­. Chapter 37 - Reprimanding Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The black Maybach left. In the distance, Su Chen looked in the direction of Elder Nie¡¯s funeral. Out of respect, he slowly bowed in the direction of the tombstone and left. The third mission was complete. Compared to the previous two missions, he felt that he had produced a far more mysterious atmosphere this time. Perhaps it was because he knew that Old Nie had a bland past. The funeral was about to end. Nie Xing had fallen unconscious. His relatives and friends had rushed forward to check on him and sent him to the hospital. ¡­ When he woke up again, he was in the ward, surrounded by the faint smell of medicine. It was a little bitter. Those relatives and friends had already left. Only Little Wang was here to help look after him. Little Wang, who was watching his phone with his head lowered, did not realize that he had already woken up. ¡°Water!¡± Nie Xing shouted out a word with difficulty, and his throat felt like it was about to flare up. His hand trembled as he reached out, wanting to grab the cup of water on the table. ¡°Ah? You¡¯re awake!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get it, I¡¯ll get it!¡± Little Wang looked up and was immediately shocked. He hurriedly picked up the cup and handed it to him. He helped Nie Xing sit up and drink the water. Nie Xing, who looked pale and powerless, drank the entire cup of water in one gulp. He still felt a little thirsty. Little Wang continued to pour water for him. ¡°The funeral?¡± Nie Xing finally calmed down a little and hurriedly asked. He took the cup of water from Little Wang again. As he drank, he looked at Little Wang. ¡°It¡¯s been a few days. What are you trying to do?¡± Little Wang sighed and said helplessly. As he looked upon Nie Xing¡¯s sickly state, he grew confused. He had been cold-hearted for the past three years. Why was he acting like a filial son during the few days of the funeral? He was already dead, but Nie Xing had become filial instead. What was the point of being filial to a dead man? His plight made his relatives and friends unwilling to come and take care of him. If he had not stayed back, no one would have been by his side. ¡°A few days ago?! Was I out for so long?¡± Nie Xing found it a little incredulous. His memory even remained on the day of the funeral. Looking at his somewhat dazed eyes, Little Wang comforted him. ¡°Yeah, you fainted for two days. You didn¡¯t eat any oil or salt. It¡¯s all because of the glucose! Your body is very weak now. Wait here, I¡¯ll find some food for you to eat!¡± As he said that, he was about to get up to find some food. Nie Xing quickly stopped him. ¡°Wait, has there been any news these two days?¡± ¡°News? What news?¡± Little Wang was stunned. He was already so sick, what news would he care about? Could it be that he had been sleeping soundly for the past two days? He immediately said, ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling well, I¡¯ll call a doctor for you. Don¡¯t scare me like that!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine!¡± Nie Xing waved his hand weakly and did not stop him. He did not care about why his relatives and friends did not come to see him. After Little Wang left, he turned his head to look at the bedside table. There was a newspaper on it that had been placed there by someone. He quickly picked it up and looked at the time carefully. It was the newspaper from two days ago. The news he was looking out for was not there. His cellphone had mysteriously gone missing. He searched for a long time but could not find it. He was helpless. He was so weak that he could not get off the ground. As he lay on the hospital bed, he looked at the facilities in the ward with a complicated gaze. The conditions here were much better than three years ago! The country had changed a lot during these three years. It was a pity that he had been isolated from the world for three years and could not participate in the changes and feel the beauty of all this. However, what he had done was far more meaningful than indulging himself in some comfort! A moment later, a nurse came over. She heard that Nie Xing had woken up and came to check on his condition. The nurse wore a mask, so her face could not be seen clearly. However, judging from her exposed features, she had to be a delicate and pretty girl. She walked forward and asked seriously, ¡°You¡¯re awake? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?¡± Nie Xing shook his head. His face was still a little pale. He could not help but ask, ¡°Excuse me, do you have today¡¯s newspaper?¡± ¡°Newspaper? Who still reads newspapers nowadays? Everything is on the phone!¡± The nurse found it a little strange, so she answered him casually. After confirming that he was fine, she reminded him again, ¡°Your body is still too weak. Pay attention to your diet, and don¡¯t eat anything too oily during this period of time!¡± ¡°Okay, then where is my phone?¡± Nie Xing nodded and continued to ask. Looking at his absent-minded face, the nurse was speechless. ¡°How would I know where your phone is? Take good care of your body!¡± After saying that, she turned to leave. However, when she looked over his weak appearance, she noticed that his eyes were a little lifeless and empty. The nurse hesitated for a moment and turned on the television hanging in the ward for him. ¡°In your current condition, it¡¯s not good to strain your eyes on the phone. Just watch TV! ¡°Remember, eat less oily food and rest more!¡± After saying that, she left the ward. Nie Xing found the remote control by the bed and started to flip through the program channels on the television. He wanted to look for news channels. After flipping through some channels, he found that the morning news had already passed. Now, the TV was filled with TV series and cartoons. He was a little disappointed. ¡°Oh, watching TV, huh. It seems that your body is recovering well!¡± At that moment, Old Wang had just walked in from outside the ward and said with a fake smile. He simply turned up for Old Nie¡¯s sake. After all, this child was his treasure. If anything happened to his child, he wouldn¡¯t be able to face Old Nie after he joins him. When Nie Xing saw Uncle Wang, he hurriedly got up to welcome him. However, his body was very weak and he couldn¡¯t muster up the energy. Old Wang waved him off. ¡°Stop tormenting yourself. Take good care of yourself!¡± As he spoke, he sat beside Nie Xing¡¯s bed, and the two of them fell silent. Nie Xing looked at Old Wang with a complicated gaze and wanted to thank him. However, Old Wang spoke first. His gaze was like that of a judge. He stared at Nie Xing and slowly said in a deep voice, ¡°I, Old Wang, watched you grow up. To be honest, although you are Old Nie¡¯s adopted son, you never lacked anything they did! Old Nie treats you better than I treat my own son! But I didn¡¯t expect that after you got a job and saw the outside world, you would change. ¡°These three years, have neither been long nor short. ¡°You are usually busy, so it¡¯s fine if you can¡¯t come back! But you don¡¯t come back even when it¡¯s New Year and the holidays. ¡°That¡¯s easy to say. After all, who hasn¡¯t been busy? ¡°But, how far were you going to take it? He¡¯s still your father, isn¡¯t he? How were you not around when he was sick? ¡°Three years, a whole three years. Couldn¡¯t you find time to come back and take a look? ¡°These few days, I¡¯ve been thinking about our phone call. If I hadn¡¯t lost it at you, would you even have come back?¡± Uncle Wang¡¯s words were like knives stabbing into Nie Xing¡¯s heart. Just like his father¡¯s reproach, Nie Xing was speechless. He watched as Uncle Wang¡¯s tears burst out of his eyes and streaked across his pale face. Three years. Who would have thought that it would be a three-year-long battle when they went to secretly study it? Old Wang wanted an explanation from Nie Xing. After all, Nie Xing¡¯s filial heart could not have been made any clearer during the funeral. It made people feel that he was as filial and outstanding as before. However, these three years were like a knot in his heart, no one could easily cross it! At that moment¡­ Little Wang hurriedly ran in from outside¡­. Chapter 38 - Somewhat Similar? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation For three years, he did not say a word, did not answer his phone calls, did not answer his videos, and even sent a photoshopped photo. No matter how Old Wang thought about it, he could feel the anger in his heart. When Nie Xing remained silent, he felt that this kid was definitely hiding something from him, from Old Nie, and from everyone! He carefully thought about it for a moment, and his eyes seemed to have a spark of inspiration. He secretly glanced around to see that there was no one around before he lowered his voice and asked, ¡°You still don¡¯t trust your Uncle Wang? Tell me what you¡¯re hiding, I already know!¡± ¡°!?¡± Nie Xing was shocked when he heard that. When he saw his Uncle Wang acting oddly in front of him, his expression changed. He restrained the change in his expression, but his heart seemed to have triggered an alarm, and he became vigilant. He immediately began to suspect that he had said something when he was unconscious. Even though he deliberately suppressed the change in his expression, it was still noticed by the meticulous Old Wang. He immediately snorted. ¡°Hmph, looks like I guessed right. You¡¯ve found your biological parents, right?¡± ¡°You even lied to Old Nie about changing your mind!¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve already found them, wouldn¡¯t it be better to tell Old Nie in person?¡± ¡­ A few consecutive sentences immediately dispelled the tension in Nie Xing¡¯s heart. Fortunately, he had not leaked anything. He slowly shook his head and denied it. After being isolated from the world for three years, how could he have the time to look for his biological parents? Moreover, they had left him to die. The so-called biological parents did not mean anything to him. While Old Wang still peered at him suspiciously, Little Wang rushed in in a hurry. He rushed into the ward and panted heavily. He interrupted the tense moment between the two. ¡°What are you doing? You already have a child. Can¡¯t you act like a grown-up? How are you going to be a role model for my grandson in the future if you run about a hospital?¡± Old Wang lashed out at Little Wang. Meanwhile, Little Wang¡¯s face was flushed red. He was extremely excited! He tried his best to suppress the heaving of his chest. However, the excitement in his eyes could not be suppressed. He quickly handed the phone in his hand to Old Wang to look at! On the phone, an important piece of news was released! The eye-catching headline immediately attracted Old Wang¡¯s attention, and he could not help but be shocked! [Latest report: After three years of secret research, the Dragon Kingdom finally went to sea, and the first new super dual-wave bomb was successfully detonated on the Gobi Desert!] A few headlines in a row were reporting this news! [Three years of secret research, in a place that no one knew about, they fought, burned, and struggled! They protected our Dragon Kingdom!] ¡°Shocking! The country¡¯s first super dual-wave bomb was successfully detonated, demonstrating the country¡¯s determination to pursue scientific research and demonstrate the strength of a great country!¡± ¡°From scratch, the super dual-wave bomb technology was developed by the Dragon Kingdom after three years of research and development! The Dragon Kingdom has become the country that took the shortest time to develop such super technology in the entire world!¡± Under the title, there were photos of the explosion of the super dual-wave bomb. The black blast wave was like a lance that soared into the sky and stood tall and firm! The turbulent fire wave scattered like an arc. Even from the photo, one could feel the suffocating temperature and terror! Upward was a double-layer snow-white mushroom cloud that was surging up from the blast wave! There seemed to be purple-black lightning flames mixed in it. The scene was shocking! The bottom half of the article spoke of all the researchers¡¯ painstaking experimental environment and conditions, as well as all kinds of important moments of the explosion process, as well as the official statements of the dragon country, as well as various related announcements about mastering the technology, and so on. ¡°Isn¡¯t this¡­ isn¡¯t this the technology that only those westerners have? Our Dragon Kingdom also has it!?¡± Upon seeing the words on the title, Old Wang¡¯s expression immediately turned to shock! In recent years, several Western countries with powerful scientific research capabilities had used this technology to threaten the Dragon Kingdom in all sorts of ways! Such an advanced superweapon was already looming over every weak and small country! He did not expect that the Dragon Kingdom would also possess this superweapon technology today! Little Wang was so excited that tears were coming out of his eyes! He nodded repeatedly. ¡°Yeah, those f*cking guys used to show off and threaten us all the time. Now we have our own weapons!¡± ¡°Let me¡­ Let me see!¡± Hearing their words, Nie Xing was stunned for a moment. He quickly opened up the link on his phone and looked at the news! His face was shocked at first, then he smiled. Tears flowed out uncontrollably, and in the end, he choked on his tears. Three years! A whole three years! Countless scientists and researchers worked hard day and night, and even sacrificed themselves in the Gobi Desert! No one knew when this experiment would end, and if it would succeed in the end! But they still resolutely chose to give everything they had to serve their country! When they were isolated from the outside world, some people fell sick, and some were lost. However, no one complained, and no one wanted to retreat! They knew that if they did not perform this research, the hundreds of millions of people in the Dragon Kingdom would continue to face oppression and threats! If they fell behind, they would be beaten! This had been a bloody lesson in history. They had to work hard to develop this technology for the Dragon Kingdom! They despised the other nations. Having been trod on by the other nations, how could ambitious people not feel heartache! The Dragon Kingdom had to match the technology of those villains! They were also a group of ordinary people, but behind them was the land and people they loved! ¡­ Beside them, Little Wang excitedly swiped the screen and pulled out the photos of the researchers. ¡°These researchers have also been revealed. They are all heroes of our Dragon Kingdom! Everyone will be awarded a National Medal of Merit! They have suffered a lot in the past three years. Look at the research environment and conditions on the photos. What a difficult situation this is!¡± ¡°I¡¯m old. This won¡¯t do. I¡¯m so excited that tears are flowing out of my eyes when I read this!¡± Old Wang smiled, and tears also came out of his eyes. The people of the Dragon Kingdom had a deep-rooted love for their country. Be it a simple national anthem or the raising of the flag, it would resonate with countless people! Now that the super dual-wave bomb had been successfully detonated, the news that shocked the whole world was even more inspiring and touching for everyone in the Dragon Kingdom! The strength of their country was their greatest sense of security and pride! The two of them flipped through the photos of the researchers one by one, unwilling to easily swipe away from any of them until they saw a wounded researcher who was still drawing and calculating the data on the spot with a walking stick, their gazes paused! This figure¡­ seemed a little familiar? They hurriedly looked at the introduction below the picture. (Director Nie, JPG) : during an experiment, due to a malfunction in the point-control system, a mini-explosion had occurred in the research workshop. Director Nie, who was in the workshop, had his leg injured by the explosion. He was told to rest for a month, but the next day, he insisted on fighting on with injuries! This had inspired countless researchers! ¡°Why do I feel that this Director Nie¡­ is a little similar to Xingzi?¡± Little Wang looked at the figure in the photo, which was a little blurry. Then he looked at Nie Xing, and the more he stared, the more he found it similar. However, these were all heroes. It was not good to talk nonsense. When Old Wang heard this, his eyes also lit up. ¡°You don¡¯t say, it really is a little similar! And they share the same surname. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a coincidence?¡± ¡°Nie Xing hasn¡¯t been around for the past three years either? And he¡¯s from the Research Institute!¡± Little Wang echoed. As soon as he finished speaking¡­ the two of them seemed to have realized something! After exchanging a glance, they looked at Nie Xing together! Without waiting for Nie Xing to speak, Little Wang walked directly to the side of the bed. His trembling hands slowly pushed up the leg of his pants! Nie Xing¡¯s leg was exposed! Instantly, a shocking scar appeared in front of the two of them! The two of them were stunned as they looked at the injured leg. Tears instantly flowed out, but they were unable to speak for a long time¡­. Chapter 39 - Thank You For The Hard Work! Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The successful development of the super dual-wave bomb was a matter of gratitude and pride for the people of the entire country! In the ward, Nie Xing smiled calmly, which made Old Wang¡¯s heart ache greatly. He asked with red eyes, ¡°You brat, why didn¡¯t you tell Old Nie and me that you were involved in such a big matter? If we knew that you were going to do this in the past three years, we would have supported you with all our might. Perhaps Old Nie would have lived a few more years in bliss! Damn, he died without even knowing this for the past three years! It¡¯s so pitiful!¡± Without waiting for Nie Xing to reply, Little Wang, who was by the side, spoke first. ¡°Dad, you don¡¯t understand. Participating in such work involves the protection of state secrets. Before the state publicly announces anything, they would be sworn to secrecy. That includes parents or wives or children!¡± Although he had never participated in this kind of secret work, he had read enough on the internet. Nie Xing did not say anything, which was equivalent to acquiescence. Little Wang was not entirely right, but he hit the mark. Any decisions made by the state could not be revealed by any researcher before the official announcement. Moreover, when the announcement was released, many behind-the-scenes workers who were involved in it would remain hidden. They would also receive secret medals, but their identities could never be exposed. Everything related to the past three years and all the secrets¡­ they would be taken to their graves. Secrets for the sake of the country! Nie Xing was already considered very fortunate to have his identity exposed. Hearing that¡­ Old Wang looked at Little Wang with a tender gaze. He then continued to ask Nie Xing, ¡°Is that so? I saw on the news that you guys can get national merit medals for your trouble. You must have suffered a lot!¡± ¡°That¡¯s for sure. Xing Zi¡¯s leg is injured and he¡¯s still working at the front line. Who wouldn¡¯t give him a thumbs up if they saw that? Just you wait and see. In the afternoon, there might be reporters coming to take Xing Zi¡¯s photo and do an exclusive interview! It¡¯s the glory of being on television!¡± Little Wang continued to nod and interjected. Nie Xing did not say a word. Old Wang was a little angry. How could this disappointing thing not let a hero get a word in edgewise? You really know how to talk to a hero! His face immediately turned red. He gritted his teeth and smiled: ¡°Come, come over here!¡± ¡°Ah? What¡¯s Wrong?¡± Little Wang was stunned. He did not sense the danger and approached Old Wang. Pa! Old Wang slapped him on the head! The slap was crisp. Little Wang felt wronged. ¡°Why did you hit me?¡± ¡°If you interrupt us again, I¡¯ll beat you to death! Go out and get some water for your brother Xing!¡± Old Wang said unhappily. He sent Little Wang away. Then, taking advantage of the fact that he was now alone with Nie Xing in the ward, Old Wang took a deep breath with an apologetic look on his face. He said to Nie Xing sincerely, ¡°You also know that I, Old Wang, am a straightforward person. I like to be straightforward in everything. If you look down on someone, then don¡¯t be nice to them. If you don¡¯t like someone, scold them. I didn¡¯t know about your situation before, and your father was very sick. When I was anxious, I went a little overboard. You¡¯re a big hero. You can¡¯t allow a nobody like me to get so calculative!¡± There was some guilt in his words, and elders were usually so embarrassed when they apologized to their juniors. Nie Xing smiled in his heart and said half-jokingly, ¡°You¡¯re my Uncle Wang. How would I dare to blame you?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Old Wang laughed dryly, still feeling a little guilty. He had practically blown his ears off with his mouth the other day. Seeing this, Nie Xing hurriedly said, ¡°After living in the neighborhood for so many years, I know your temper the best. To be honest, my father was taken care of by you many times in the past three years. If I were to stand in your position at that time, I would also give myself a good scolding! If you had not scolded me, I¡¯m afraid I would have been really disappointed!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Old Wang was stunned, tears flashing in front of his eyes. A rough old hand rubbed he eyes and murmured, ¡°My eyes are failing. Look at you talking, I thought your father had come back!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Little Wang anxiously walked back to the ward. ¡°Why are you back?¡± Old Wang frowned and asked. When he turned around, he was shocked! Many reporters had already arrived at the door of the ward. All kinds of cameras were moving toward them. Little Wang stopped them and asked with a serious expression, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± A male reporter with a straight face walked up and explained very respectfully, ¡°Hello! We are reporters from the television station and the News Network. Today, the official announcement regarding the super dual-wave bomb was released. When we heard that Director Nie was here, we specially rushed over to do a special report and interview for Director Nie on his scientific research and national merits!¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Little Wang was stunned. He turned around to look at Nie Xing and asked, ¡°Xing Zi, can you do it?¡± Everyone was stunned. What a clever question. Can a man say that he can¡¯t do it? Nie xing smiled bitterly and nodded. ¡°Well, let them do the interview!¡± Old Wang glared at Little Wang helplessly. He stood up and deliberately straightened his back. With his hands behind his back, he walked slowly past the reporters and left the ward with Little Wang. In the ward, the reporters quickly went forward to interview Nie Xing one by one. In the corridor, Old Wang secretly watched the situation in the ward with envy while he impatiently reprimanded Little Wang. ¡°What nonsense did you say in front of those reporters just now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all going to be on TV. You better be careful!¡± ¡°And remember, you can¡¯t call him Xing Zi. It¡¯s disrespectful! You have to call him Nie Xing or Director Nie, understand?¡± His son remained silent. Old Wang turned around and saw that his son, who had always been obedient and polite, had turned his head away. He did not want to reply him. Looking carefully, it seemed that he was secretly wiping his tears? Little Wang felt wronged and said, ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t compare to him. Then why don¡¯t you let Nie Xing be your son?¡± Upon hearing this. Pa! Old Wang smacked his head again, but unexpectedly, Little Wang did not react. He let the slap hit his head, but there was no reaction. He still turned his head away and did not look at Old Wang. Seeing this, Old Wang¡¯s eyes became complicated. He was about to give him another slap, but he slowly put down his hand. The two were silent. After a moment, Old Wang felt pain in his palm, and his voice was a little low and hoarse. ¡°I¡¯m done. I¡¯m done!¡± After comparing himself to Old Nie for his entire life, he originally thought that he would be able to win with the better son. Unexpectedly, Old Nie still won. ¡­ Following the report of the super dual-wave bomb special interview, Nie Xing¡¯s interview video also appeared on television and various news websites. When the relatives and friends who attended Old Nie¡¯s funeral saw Nie Xing appear on television, they were all shocked! Only then did they realize what was going on. Soon after, they quickly bragged to the people around them. ¡°Did you see that Director Nie? I know him! Yes, we are very close!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that he would go to attend such a great event in the past three years. He¡¯s great!¡± ¡°For the sake of the country¡¯s secret, he never once told his father about this secret before he passed on! I cried so hard!¡± ¡°No wonder a big shot appeared at Old Nie¡¯s funeral. It was very shocking!¡± ¡°Eh? Why did Old Wang also report it?¡± ¡­ In front of Nie Yugang¡¯s grave in Pingzhuang Cemetery. Su Chen went forward and presented a bouquet of flowers with a solemn expression. ¡°Good luck, Old Mister Nie! Not only is your son very filial, he¡¯s also a hero of scientific research! He developed a super weapon for our country and protected the safety of hundreds of millions of people! ¡°You have suffered during these three years!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he bowed deeply again, turned around and left. After a long time, another figure came to Nie Yugang¡¯ grave, kowtowed twice, and said some words. He stayed by the gravestone for a very, very long time.. Chapter 40 - Improve Yourself Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Director Nie was from Qingyang County. When the report came out, everyone in the county was shocked! This was something to be proud of and happy about. In just one day, the county was already a household name. ¡­ Qingyang County Patrol and Defense Bureau of Dragon Kingdom. The patrol and defense team was the umbrella when it came to maintaining the peace and order of the entire city, a solid shield for the safety of the people. In the director¡¯s office. ¡°Director Tan, this is the second person who came to report the incident at Pingzhuang Cemetery today! ¡°Just like the last person who came to report it, there is no concrete evidence. However, in the two records, the scene described by them at that time is quite similar!¡± A young team member wearing the uniform of the Dragon Kingdom handed a record file to Director Tan and reported. Today, he suddenly received a report that a mysterious gang had appeared in Pingzhuang Cemetery. It said that there were more than a hundred black-clothed men and a mysterious old man in a Chinese tunic suit who had appeared in Pingzhuang Cemetery, and the aura of these people was very strong, unlike ordinary people. Director Tan took the record and looked at it. He found that there was not much difference. They had all found the mysterious gang in the cemetery. There were no photos or videos. It seemed that the other party did not do anything but simply attend the funeral. Nothing happened. He frowned and said in a low voice, ¡°As far as I know, there should be no surveillance cameras in the area of Pingzhuang Cemetery. It won¡¯t be easy to collect evidence. ¡°If there really were a hundred men in black, I believe that they would leave an impression on others along the way. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult to find out the whereabouts of the hundred men! According to the time they mentioned, it seems to be the day of the funeral of Director Nie¡¯s father, who participated in the country¡¯s research and development of the super dual-wave Bomb! I think that if we can find out the people who participated in the funeral that day and investigate them both openly and covertly, the truth will come to light!¡± The young team member quickly spoke up. He felt that there must be something fishy about the sudden appearance of more than a hundred men in uniform and with strange appearances! Director Tan was not as enthusiastic. He laid the report down on the table and said indifferently, ¡°You can send someone to check it out when you have the time, but you don¡¯t need to delay the progress of other cases. After all, it¡¯s just a groundless matter, and nothing bad has happened. Making a fuss out of nothing will do us no good!¡± ¡°Yes! The director is right!¡± The young team member was stunned, somewhat surprised by the director¡¯s reaction. Seeing how the director had lain down the papers, he knew he was not going to get them back, so he asked tentatively, ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you let me investigate this matter? Who knows, I might be able to catch a big fish!¡± ¡°Alright, just drop it. The real big fish are all in your hands. Go to work well, I¡¯ll send someone else to investigate this matter. You¡¯d better finish the few cases in your hands first!¡± Director Tan dismissed the team members after a few sentences. After watching the team members leave the office, his gaze fell on the two documents. His fingers rhythmically tapped on the two documents on the table. His gaze became deep. He heard that there would be a leader coming to visit Director Nie recently. The security issue at Pingzhuang Cemetery had been secretly taken over by the army since yesterday. Even the current patrol team did not have the authority to investigate this matter, as it was a confidential notice from the higher-ups, for the sake of the mysterious leader¡¯s safety, the patrol team could not investigate this matter. Moreover, this matter did not seem to be dangerous. It was just that some people were a little intimidated. Perhaps some major leader had simply made a rare appearance. Therefore, he still had to suppress this matter first. After waiting for the special takeover over there to end, he would go and contact the military. He should be able to understand the whole sequence of events. As he thought of this, Director Tan stuffed the two records into the drawer. He put them aside for the time being ¡­ On the other side. Su Funeral Company. He originally thought that after the funeral that day, they would begin to calculate the completion status of the mission. He di dnot expect it to be forcefully delayed for two or three days until Nie Xing¡¯s identity was exposed, and only then did the system begin to calculate the completion status. After returning from Pingzhuang Cemetery, he stepped into the shop. The system¡¯s voice rang out! [The third mission has been successfully completed. Beginning to calculate the completion status!] Upon hearing this voice, Su Chen¡¯s eyes lit up. It was impossible for him not to be excited about something that involved millions of Yuan! The system¡¯s voice continued to ring: [Mission Completion: Perfect!] [Mission Completion Reward: 100 times multiplier!] [One Million Yuan has been delivered. Host, please verify the transaction!] His phone vibrated. It was a million Yuan! Su Chen suppressed the excitement in his heart and looked at the notification of the one million Yuan receipt. He was secretly delighted! He did not expect his business to earn a million Yuan in less than a month! On the other side, the system notification was not over yet: [Ding! After achieving perfect mission completion three times in a row, you may increase your strength. You have also been rewarded with an opportunity to directly look at the customer¡¯s information and wishes! Notification: help the customer complete the funeral and complete the corresponding wishes. Only then can it be rated as perfect!] Su Chen listened to the system¡¯s notification and frowned slightly. In these past few missions, he seemed to have accidentally completed everything by accident, thus obtaining a perfect rating. He had been rather lucky. The system¡¯s notification was very timely. He could ascertain the target¡¯s will the next time he accepted the mission. This way, he would have more confidence in achieving a perfect rating. The strange thing was: After three consecutive perfect ratings, he could actually increase his strength!? Wait, he still needed to increase his strength? Suddenly, Su Chen felt a numbing sensation from the soles of his feet, catching him off guard! When he almost fell to the ground, the feeling of being in the air consumed him for a moment. It was gone again! Three seconds!? The corner of Su Chen¡¯s mouth twitched. Would it kill him to last a little longer? There was a mirror in the company. When he looked in the mirror, he could see the changes in his body. In just three seconds, his body had obviously become more muscular. It was not just on the outside, but the explosive strength of his muscles. His originally handsome face was now more distinct than a celebrity¡¯s, there was a bit of a heroic spirit in him. He was even more energetic. There seemed to be an endless stream of power that could be used on his limbs! He did not expect the system to have such an effect [Ding! You have successfully increased all aspects of your strength, intelligence, stamina, agility, and beauty by a large margin!] [Ding! The host has unlocked the ability to choose the target for the mission. Warm reminder: The system¡¯s ability to automatically assign the target for the mission is still active. If there is a need, the host can turn it off at any time!] After completing Tang Ying¡¯s mission last time, the ability to manually search and select targets had been unlocked. However, all along, the system had been searching for targets that were in need of his services. This had been pretty cool. People who needed it would receive their own advertisements. Once the target had an idea, they would contact them through the advertisements. Was this not the same as hiring a salesperson? It could be even considered an intelligent salesperson. There was no need to waste it! He definitely wouldn¡¯t turn such a function off. At that moment, his phone rang. He picked it up casually, and the familiar voice of his best friend came from the other end. ¡°Hello! Is this Su Chen?¡±