Chapter 290: Chapter 287: 【The Forgotten One】
Chapter 287: The Forgotten
Sofia dared not move, with the gun pointed at her head.
She could distinctly feel the gun pressed against her skull trembling slightly, clearly indicating that the person holding it was extremely nervous.
Sofia wisely refrained from making any unnecessary movements.
These types of robbers, though seeming fearful, are actually the most dangerous!
If it were an experienced hand with a steady grip on the gun, their mindset would be stable, knowing clearly what could and could not be done, carefully controlling the risk within a certain range, and not resorting to violence unless absolutely necessary.
But these timid jackals were different.
These people had complex mental states, filled with nervousness, fear, cowardice, and brutality; they lacked self-control, and a mere rustling of grass could easily provoke them into reckless violence without any thought of the consequences.
—This was also what is commonly said in Huaxia: "It’s best not to provoke those who are green and inexperienced."
With the gun trained on her, the person’s hands shaking, Sofia took a deep breath. She made no resistance, no superfluous movements, and did not attempt to reach for the handgun tucked in the holster under her armpit.
She slowly opened the car door and stepped out.
Her boots landed on the sandy road, and Sofia carefully observed her captors.
Besides the woman in the middle of the road acting as bait and the man pointing a gun at her, there was one more person.
A gaunt man peeked out from the slope beside the road, also holding a gun, aimed at her.
All three individuals were dressed in shabby clothes; the two men, especially, looked quite filthy.
The woman’s head was wrapped in a headscarf, and her skirt seemed to have a Gypsy style.
All three were dressed like typical vagrants.
Realizing this, Sofia’s heart skipped a beat as she looked toward the car ahead.
Only when she approached the vehicle on foot did Sofia see clearly that there were bloodstains on the driver’s seat.
At the bottom of the slope on the roadside lay a body: an old man, lying sideways with a hole in his head.
Clearly, the car by the roadside was not owned by these three thugs—it too had been robbed.
She likely had just happened to come upon the scene.
Sofia was shoved forcefully and stumbled forward a few steps. Then the woman ran up quickly, searching her, and promptly found the gun holster under her jacket, taking the gun.
Sofia sighed.
She saw Seed also get out of the car and walk to the side of the road, where the gaunt robber pointed his gun at him...
Sofia whispered, "Don’t panic. We won’t resist. You need a car, right? You can take this car. There’s also some food in the car, and a bit of cash in the glove compartment on the passenger side. This is everything I have, and you can take it all. Listen to me! You can take everything; I won’t resist. You don’t have to hurt anyone."
Whether it was from years of traveling experience or her time in the military, according to Western customs, the way Sofia was behaving at this moment was undoubtedly the wisest when faced with a threat from armed criminals: do not attempt to anger them.
The gaunt thug did not pay much attention to the seemingly young Seed and quickly ran to Sofia’s car, opened the door, and searched inside for a while.
"Found it!" The man excitedly held up a few bills he had found and shook them. "There’s some food and water in the back."
"What a pity, the money’s too little," the woman among the robbers shook her head, her tone somewhat dissatisfied.
"I only brought this much," Sofia tried to speak in a gentle tone. "You can still sell the car for some money."
The woman’s gaze shifted a few times.
"The car radio was installed by me personally; you can take it out and sell it for some money at a second-hand shop," Sofia tried her best to persuade them. "I’ll give you my phone as well. This is all my valuable property. Honestly, there’s no need to hurt us. Plus, there’s a kid."
"Claire! What do you say?" the skinny man shouted loudly from the side of the car.
"Shut up, idiot! Let Claire make the decision!" The man pointing a gun at Sofia trembled nervously.
These three were not habitual criminals; it was obvious they had gotten hold of a gun somehow and decided to rob for some quick cash. But after accidentally killing the previous car owner, the three were on the verge of a mental collapse.
The woman was the calmest of them, biting her lip hard. In her hand was the gun she had taken from Sofia.
Suddenly, the woman’s face turned cold. She raised the gun and pulled the trigger at Sofia!
BANG!!
Sofia’s body jerked, and she collapsed to the ground!
The bullet hit her in the left side of her abdomen. She curled up into a ball, feeling as if she had been punched hard—it was the same sensation she had experienced a few years ago when she was accidentally shot. Warm blood soon started to flow from beneath her.
"Ah..." Sofia screamed in pain, a flash of despair in her eyes.
"She saw what we look like!" the female robber exclaimed, her face pale and her voice tense. "We’ve killed someone! And she’s seen us! If we don’t want to get caught by the police, we’ll have to kill her! And this little one too! Mark, kill him!"
The young skinny man shuddered but screamed, "Oh God! Claire! I don’t want to kill a kid!!" As he spoke, the hand holding the gun pointed at Seed shook violently.
Seed lifted his eyelids, calmly looked at the man, then slightly furrowed his brows. He slowly walked over to Sofia, bent down, and looked at her.
Sofia’s body was convulsing. She clutched at the gunshot wound with all her might, but blood still kept pouring out between her fingers. Her gaze was powerless; as it swept over Seed, she instinctively cried out in a low voice, "Run! Run fast, run..."
Seed: "..."
"Mark!!" the female robber screamed. "Kill him!"
With a twisted expression, the skinny robber raised his gun, the barrel waving erratically. But ultimately, he contorted his face, lowered the gun, and yelled, "No! I can’t bring myself to do it!! Damn it!! Claire, he’s just a kid!!"
"Diso! You do it!" the female robber shouted at the other man.
The man clenched his teeth, raised his gun, and aimed it at Seed.
Seed appeared indifferent, just frowning at Sofia, who lay trembling on the ground.
After a moment’s hesitation, Seed stretched out his hand and took Sofia’s.
Sofia’s eyes gradually became lifeless, but her fingers forcefully gripped Seed’s hand—an instinctual act, like a drowning person subconsciously grabbing onto anything.
"Damn it! I can’t do it either!" The male bandit finally put down his gun and looked at the female bandit as if asking for help. "Claire..."
"You two are useless!" The female bandit seemed to be the most ruthless of the three. She said harshly, "Diso, you coward! You’re always the loudest, but when it comes to the crucial moment, you and Mark are both wastes of space! Forget about ever getting into my bed again!"
With that, the female bandit gritted her teeth and raised her gun, aiming it at Seed.
"Why?" Seed suddenly lifted his head to look at the female bandit called Claire and asked softly.
"...What did you say, kid?" The female bandit snarled. "Turn your head around! Don’t fucking look at me like that! Turn around!!"
"I said... why?" Seed seemed to sigh softly, as if he were asking a question or talking to himself. "You... are already the highest form of life on this planet.
"Yet, why do you enjoy killing and plundering each other so much?
"If it were for a more noble cause... like the evolution of life, advancement... such plundering could be understood in cosmic civilization.
"But you... seem to treat killing and plundering as if it’s as common as daily meals.
"To you, killing and plundering can be triggered by any trivial reason: an argument, a moment of emotion, for the right to mate, or for a bit of wealth...
"Or even perhaps just because something suddenly annoys you.
"Actually, this is something I have always found hard to understand."
Seed’s voice was clear and faint, even carrying the unique childish tone of his physical age, as his eyes quietly gazed at the female bandit.
"Higher beings, yet you indulge in the behavioral logic of lower life forms. It’s truly contradictory.
"You need money... okay, let’s assume it’s for robbing resources to survive.
"But I am very aware that even if you rob this car and get some money, you won’t really use these resources as leverage to change your destiny.
"The car you rob today will be sold, turned into a bit of money.
"But this money, you won’t consciously use it in the right place... to change your fate, your Life Level, social standing, and so on.
"No! You won’t!
"You’ll be in a hurry to spend this money on alcoholic drinks, or even some specially made drugs to anesthetize yourselves.
"Then you’ll hide in your temporary shelter, a filthy place, numbing yourselves with alcohol and drugs, seeking a moment of merriment.
"After that, you’ll meaninglessly squander the money you acquired at the cost of killing and plundering.
"Once it’s gone, you’ll still be the same, without any change to yourselves: still filthy, worthless, trash-like waste.
"So I’m curious...
"You, with the appearance of higher beings but the behavioral logic of lower life forms...
"What’s the point, really."
Claire stared dumbfounded at the child in front of her. This child was undoubtedly bizarre, strange. But he had a peculiar allure. Even she did not understand why she was so stupefied, listening to this child finish such a long speech.
"Although it was only an accident from the start, and I never had the subjective intention to help you... But now, I must say, as the founding god of this world, of this higher life form... I really feel a bit disappointed." Seed sighed softly. "This disappointment is like baking a box of cookies, only to discover after a single bite that they taste of mold."
As he spoke, Seed shook his head.
THUMP!
THUMP! THUMP!!
Instantly, the three bandits, without uttering a sound, suddenly fell to the ground! Without warning, all three lay motionless after their fall, their guns dropping by their sides. Even their breathing ceased, and their hearts stopped beating!
Yet Seed did not lift his head to glance at the three bandits again, but gently bent down and turned his attention back to Sofia.
"The bullet pierced your intestines, tore open your left kidney, and caused severe internal bleeding. If nothing unexpected happens, you will lose consciousness in a few minutes, then die."
Sofia could no longer speak. The fingers that had been gripping Seed’s palm had also helplessly loosened, and her eyes began to lose focus...
"But luckily, I think you’re a pretty good person." Seed let out a gentle sigh. "Out of the four humans I met today... one is quite alright. Does this perhaps signify that I, as the founding God, haven’t completely failed?"
With that, he finally turned to look at the three lifeless bandits on the ground, then his gaze shifted slightly.
Quickly, the bandits’ bodies started to wither swiftly, while vibrant masses of Life Force were extracted by an invisible power, gathering in Seed’s hands.
"This is where the true value of killing and plundering lies! To eliminate the worthless waste and to give the Life Force of survival to useful entities..."
The Life Force slowly flowed into Sofia’s body. The wound in her abdomen healed rapidly, and her punctured and torn internal organs regrew swiftly.
SNAP. A deformed bullet fell from her wound. Seed picked it up and casually tossed it aside.
In less than half a minute, Sofia suddenly shuddered and took a long breath! Her vacant gaze once again sharpened.
The woman suddenly sat up from the ground, gasping for air, and looked around in horror!
At that moment, on the desolate country road, two cars stood still. Three withered corpses lay on the road, and there was another body down the slope... A seemingly frail boy was smiling at her...
The scene, no matter how one looked at it, was eerie!!
Sofia felt her scalp tingle, and it was only with great effort that she managed not to scream. With both hands covering her mouth, she took deep breaths, struggling to control her frantic emotions.
After a long while, Sofia looked at Seed, her voice trembling as she spoke.
"Seed... you... you... are you... God?"
Seed smiled, blinked, and reached into his pocket to pull out a cookie.
"Do you want one to calm your nerves?"
「」
Chen Nuo stuffed a fry into Ye Zi’s mouth and then picked up a napkin to wipe the ketchup from the corner of his sister’s mouth. Kids do love this kind of fried food.
In a McDonald’s in a commercial center, the family of three sat in the noisy hall, at a seat by the window.
Ou Xiuhua looked at her son and daughter with a complicated gaze, tears shimmering in her eyes.
"What is it? Are you moved, or saddened?" Chen Nuo looked up at his "mother."
"I just feel grateful to Heaven. I can still live with you like this." Ou Xiuhua’s voice was somewhat choked.
Chen Nuo smiled, thought for a moment, and said in a very soft voice, yet with a touch of seriousness, "A family should live together like this. That’s how it’s supposed to be."
Ou Xiuhua nodded vigorously. "...Yes, Nuo, you’re right."
After a moment of silence, Ou Xiuhua hesitated before speaking again. "There’s something I want to discuss with you."
"Hmm, go ahead."
"I... I think it’s time for me to find a job."
Chen Nuo was not surprised and just quietly watched his mother. "...Are you unhappy at home?"
"I’m very happy. Every day at home I can see you and Ye Zi, take Ye Zi to kindergarten in the morning, pick her up after school in the afternoon, and cook for you in the evening. This life is already the best I could have dreamed of while I was in prison. But... after living like this for some time, I just feel uneasy."
Ou Xiuhua shook her head.
Chen Nuo nodded. "What do you mean?"
"Nuo, I’m just over forty, not at retirement age yet," Ou Xiuhua sighed. "Right now, the only things I can do in this family are laundry, cooking, and taking the kids to and from school. Every utility bill, every grain of rice we eat, every vegetable we buy, is paid for with the money you earn. Nuo... your mom doesn’t want to be a useless person at forty, supported by her eighteen-year-old son. I always feel restless."
"Our family doesn’t lack money," Chen Nuo said slowly. Seeing that Ou Xiuhua wanted to say something, he waved his hand. "Let me finish first. I don’t mean to stop you, don’t get me wrong. I just wanted to tell you that our family isn’t lacking money. If you want to work to earn money and contribute to the household... I just wanted to let you know so you don’t feel economic pressure. Of course, I also support you in looking for a job. People can’t always be idle. Realizing one’s self-worth is a prerequisite for a healthy personality! I fully understand why you feel this way, and I completely support you. Do something; don’t let yourself be idle. Do something that reflects your self-worth! Being idle for too long... one can fall into self-doubt, feel worthless... and eventually end up basing their self-worth entirely on others. That’s certainly not good. So... I truly understand your thoughts."
"You... don’t object?"
"Why would I object?" Chen Nuo widened his eyes at Ou Xiuhua.
Ou Xiuhua breathed a sigh of relief.
"I’m telling you this to let you know that our family isn’t short of money, so at least you won’t have economic pressure. You don’t need to rush into finding a job just to earn money. You can take your time to find something you really want to do, something truly suitable for you. You don’t have to be overly anxious about money."
Ou Xiuhua understood and breathed a sigh of relief.
"So, do you have any ideas or plans?" Chen Nuo picked up his Coke cup, biting the straw and taking a sip.
The Coke was finished, and the ice cubes clinked inside.
Ou Xiuhua pondered for a moment. "When I was released, there was a policy for resettling released inmates, and I also got two recommendation letters from government departments..."
Chen Nuo nodded. "Hmm, and then?"
"I plan to check them out in a couple of days. One recommendation is for a property outsourcing company established by a local street office. The other is a textile factory, where I could probably work as a factory worker."
"Working as a factory worker, the hours should be more regular, offering more stability in terms of time. But I’ve seen that the factory is a bit far from our home. The morning wouldn’t be an issue; I could just wake up earlier to drop Ye Zi off at kindergarten and then go to work, and I’d still make it on time. But the afternoon isn’t so convenient. Ye Zi gets out of kindergarten around four, and at a factory, you usually can’t leave work until around five... So, that’s a problem."
"Uh-huh, how about the other one?"
"The other one is more suitable. The property outsourcing company run by the street office seems to manage some residential areas or government-built industrial parks or office parks. I’ve inquired these past couple of days. The working schedule is shift-based, and I can swap shifts, so it’s relatively flexible. The job is basically housekeeping, cleaning the parks or the exteriors of the residential areas, things like that. I think if I try there, I could adjust my shifts to pick up and drop off Ye Zi from school. Outside of that, working the night or morning shift doesn’t really matter to me. I’m only in my forties; I can handle a bit of hardship."
In fact, Chen Nuo found neither of these jobs to be that great. A factory worker or a cleaner at a property company... Honestly, they both have a very low ceiling, standard entry-level jobs that require physical labor. It’s a bit of a waste for Ou Xiuhua to do this. She was born in the fifties, but she has a decent education—she finished high school and studied financial accounting. In the generation born in the fifties, having completed high school really meant you were highly educated! But because of her history of imprisonment, finding a good job is extremely difficult. Starting from the bottom is just the way it has to be. Besides... Chen Nuo was well aware that it wasn’t about the job she did. The issue was that if a person stays idle at home for too long, they might start to doubt their own value.
"I think either one is fine," Chen Nuo said. "You can check out both jobs, ask for details, and then choose whichever one you’d like to do. As for picking up and dropping off Ye Zi, don’t worry about it. You can drop her off in the morning, and I can pick her up from school in the afternoon. My school schedule is quite flexible..." He thought for a moment, then decided it was better not to openly discuss skipping classes with his mother. "My class schedule is quite convenient; I finish early in the afternoon. I can go pick up Ye Zi."
"No, no, no, I’ll try my best not to disrupt your schedule." When Ou Xiuhua addressed this issue, she reverted to the traditional Huaxia mother’s way of thinking. "You’re the main support of the family, so everything should be prioritized to avoid affecting you!"
"Actually, it won’t be a problem," Chen Nuo chuckled. "Really, it won’t. Don’t fret over picking up and dropping off Ye Zi every day when choosing a job. We’re family; we can adjust things internally."
Hearing this, Ou Xiuhua felt both moved and guilty. She murmured a soft "Hmm" and said no more.
「」
That night, upon returning home and seeing the completely refreshed living room, Ou Xiuhua was stunned.
"The sofa, TV, and coffee table—I thought they were too old and didn’t look good, so I had Brother Lei buy a new set this afternoon." Chen Nuo cleared his throat, trying to appear calm while looking at the traces of paint and repair on the wall. There was no helping it; the damage to the walls and floor had been repaired, but the latex paint and such would take a while to dry. "Hmm... It might have been damaged when the workers were moving things. Brother Lei had it repaired as well. We just need to be careful not to touch it for the next couple of days."
Ou Xiuhua looked at the living room with a somewhat complex gaze. Although she felt her son’s lavish spending was not the proper way to manage a household, she was a bit too embarrassed to say it out loud.
"Actually... how about we buy a new, bigger house at the end of the year, so we have more space...?" Chen Nuo began.
"No need!" Ou Xiuhua answered earnestly this time, then sighed and said seriously, "Nuo, to be honest, I’m not really in a position to say these things to you. All the money at home is what you’ve earned. But... right now, it’s just the three of us, and this house is big enough. A larger place isn’t really necessary. Besides, you need money for your business, and in our own lives, there’s really no need to be so extravagant. This house was left by your grandma; living here is also a way to remember her. In the future, when you’ve grown up and are ready to get married and have children, that’s when we can consider buying a house."
Chen Nuo listened and smiled bitterly, dismissing the thought.
Hmm... What Ou Xiuhua said was actually very sensible. In most families, parents would think this way. Still... In a few years, looking back at property prices, they’ll probably be green with regret... Forget it, I’m not relying on this to make money anyway. I’ll just go along with what my family wants.
Just as he was thinking this, his mobile phone suddenly rang.
"Brother Lei? What’s up?"
"Er... Boss Nuo, that foreigner contacted me. He’s asking if you have any tasks for him. The guy’s been staying in a hotel for over a week now..."
「」
The Captain had been living in absolute peace these past few days! The nightmare of more than two months was completely gone! He could sleep soundly and enjoy his meals again.
After leaving the hospital that day, Brother Lei had arranged for him to stay in a hotel in the city. Once the Captain confirmed that Chen Yanluo had dealt with the "assassin secretly plotting against him," he slept non-stop in the hotel for two full days!
Two days later, the well-rested Captain was revitalized. The bloodshot look in his eyes was gone, replaced by a renewed spirit. He took a long, satisfying shower at the hotel, washing away the grime and stench from days of constant travel. He even shaved and changed into a fresh set of clothes from head to toe.
The Captain then indulged in a hearty meal of Jinling’s local Huaxia cuisine at the hotel. Rested, bathed, and well-fed, with no danger to his life, only then did the Captain feel like he had completely come back to life!
Most importantly, the Captain was thrilled to discover that the locks on his previously sealed Consciousness Space had loosened! After experiencing anew the exhilarating sensation of transforming from an ordinary person back into an "Ability User," the Captain, on his first day awake, spent all his time in his room, apart from eating. He focused on entering his Consciousness Space, diligently trying to restore its flow using the cultivation methods he had always practiced.
His strength was also recovering bit by bit. After a day, the Captain optimistically estimated that at this rate, he could regain his former "Destroyer" level of strength in a month at most!
Clearly... Lord Yanluo had fully accepted him, which is why he had lifted the seal on his abilities!
Then, he attempted to contact Chen Yanluo. He did not dare to call Chen Nuo directly—the calls would not go through. Nor did he dare to presumptuously show up at his door; that had been a desperate measure when his life was in danger. Now, he could not act with such a lack of propriety.
So, he contacted one of Chen Yanluo’s subordinates, that bald Chinese man. From their brief encounter that day, the Captain sensed that the bald man must be a confidant of Lord Yanluo.
After contacting Brother Lei, Brother Lei said he would report to Lord Yanluo. Soon after, Brother Lei called back, telling the Captain that Lord Yanluo’s order was: "Stay put and await orders."
The Captain decisively stayed in the hotel, waiting for news. This wait turned into an entire week!!
The Captain felt somewhat uneasy. While Huaxia cuisine was delicious, staying cooped up in the hotel every day without going out was truly unsettling. Either there should be a task for him, or he should be promptly sent back to Abyss Headquarters to hold the fort. This silence, this lack of any message or indication of their attitude, just leaving him in the hotel... What was it supposed to mean?
But he really did not dare to ask!! The Captain was a veteran of the Underground World. In the Underground World, hierarchy is strict; your level of strength determines your rank. The weak, when facing powerful figures, must simply obey; there is nothing to question or ask. Moreover, the Captain had been truly and thoroughly subdued by this Yanluo.
As the week went on, the passing days felt increasingly like years. Sitting in the hotel, without orders, he dared not step outside!! It was like being in freaking prison!
The only slight comfort was that his strength had recovered by about twenty to thirty percent.
After a week, unable to contain his impatience any longer, the Captain cautiously called Brother Lei. Although his Mandarin was awkward, he managed to convey his basic message: "Could you ask our boss... I’m still on standby at the hotel. Are there any tasks he needs me to do?"
Brother Lei, being straightforward and easygoing, called Chen Nuo that very night.
「」
"Foreigner?" Chen Nuo was initially surprised, then could not help but laugh. Shoot! He had nearly forgotten about the Captain. A thought occurred to him.
"Yeah, send me his hotel address. I just happen to have a task he can help me with."