Chapter 106: Past
Chapter 106: Past
“Is Qin Tian sent to Han De Private School?” Gao Ming obtained a valuable clue from Bai Xiao. In his former experience, Qin Tian was a key character. His death was the first choice that Gao Ming had to make. Last time, Qin Tian died in Si Sui Apartments. The God of Flesh and Blood was successfully summoned, and Situ An triggered the Level 4 Anomaly ahead of time.
After the God of Flesh and Blood was taken away, Qin Tian was pulled away by some force towards Han De Private School. Coincidentally, this school was also built by Situ An. Most of the students were his adopted orphans.
“It looks like Situ An has changed his target.” Qin Tian’s death will cause a chain effect. Gao Ming wanted to save Qin Tian and change fate’s arrangement again.
“Captain Bai, you better move now and tell Qin Tian not to go to Han De Private School.” Gao Ming took out his phone to look at the time. “That school will soon become a meat-grinder. If you can’t convince him, just kidnap him.”
“As long as he’s with the centre, he has to follow orders.” Bai Xiao shook his head. “The rules are the consensus. Even death can’t change it.”
“The corruption is real. There is a solution to the anomalies. If he goes, he’ll just die for no reason.” Gao Ming took a long time to explain it to Bai Xiao. After Bai Xiao left, he asked Zhu Suisui to use the investigation centre’s power to look for the two kids who survived the flood.
Gao Ming was tired, but he still called a taxi to head to the old city’s funeral home. Looking through the files sent by Zhu Suisui, Gao Ming had a basic understanding of the two kids.
Ten years ago, Le Jia and Le Ren were found by the rescue team. In their young age, they lost their best friend, biological parents and all their neighbours. They were first sent to their aunt’s home. However, they were very afraid of water. They couldn’t even drink water. Their aunts registered them to school. However, the other kids liked to bully them using water. Le Jia kept getting into fights at school to protect his younger brother. After high school, they dropped out. Then, they were sent to the old city’s funeral home to be apprentices. They worked at the crematorium and accompanied fire daily.
“The two kids are not scared of ghosts but water.”
The funeral home was large. It had the latest cremation machine and many old furnaces. The cremation sites were split into two locations, north and south. There were even prices on the wall. The sets were split into luxury, normal and simple.
“How are there sets?”
Gao Ming gave the guard some cigarettes and entered the home. He found the siblings near an empty furnace.
After ten years, the elder brother, Le Jia, was tall and strong, and the little brother, Le Ren, was thin and soft. They rarely spoke, and their eyes had no light. They didn’t look like normal youths.
“I was asked by someone to send you something.” Gao Ming took out the portrait morphed from the two brothers’ ‘bodies’.
Seeing the picture, the siblings went from confusion to disbelief. They took the picture and touched the faces of the people in the picture. After a long time, Jia Le lifted his head. “We often dream of them. They seem to be alive in another world, saving us from the flood again and again.”
“I’ve seen them. Everyone wishes you to let go and start a new life.”
“We can’t…” Le Jia looked at his hands. “Back then, the boss’ son was right before me. If I hadn’t been scared and reached my hands further, I could have saved him. It was my fault.” Kind people often had it the hardest. Le Jia tightened his fingers. “I’ve been training so hard, but the harder I train, the tougher it is. After the boss pushed us out, he lifted up his son.”
“That’s right. Everyone placed their hope on you. They don’t want to see you like this. You should live for them. Be happy so that their sacrifice wasn’t in vain.” Gao Ming held the portrait. Shadow came out of the picture. The sound of water suddenly began in the cremation room.
Le Jia and Le Ren’s bodies trembled. They were really scared. Gao Ming hugged them. “Don’t let them worry anymore.” The faces of the two kids in the picture were clarified. Water slammed against the darkness. Bloated corpses appeared in the shadow.
Uncle Li held the wine and coughed twice. He smiled at the two brothers. “Have you eaten? Have you found girlfriends? Don’t learn from me and just drink all day.”
“Don’t waste time on the nonsense!” A voice came from the shadow. Auntie Mei glared at Uncle Li. Then, her gaze softened when she turned to Le Jia and Le Ren. “Study well. Don’t matter how old you are. You need to focus on your study!”
Hearing Auntie Mei, the fear in their bones was awakened. They nodded subconsciously like they were kids.
The child’s laughter began. Zhang Ding walked out of the shadow with Zhang Fendou. Zhang Fendou ran over and jumped to reach Le Jia. However, he could only reach his chest. “You two are so tall now!”
They were originally the same height, but now Le Jia and Le Ren had to lower their heads to look at him. This made Zhang Fendou unhappy. Le Jia dragged his brother. They knelt before Zhang Fendou. They gathered like they were kids.
“It’s alright. I’ll eventually be as tall as you.” Zhang Fendou removed the captain’s cap and handed it to Le Jia. “Don’t be afraid of water. It’s your turn to be the ship’s captain now!”
Le Jia lowered his head. Tears fell. “I’m sorry. I should have grabbed you.”
“Don’t say sorry. You’ve tried your best. Don’t think about these things.” Zhang Fendou gave Le Jia a punch, and then he ran away like the game they played while they were kids. The brothers stood up and looked at Zhang Ding.
“Start a new life.” Zhang Ding tapped their shoulders. He took the portrait from the two and threw it into the burner. “Don’t let the past hold you down.”
Zhang Ding flipped the switch, but the fire didn’t come out. He turned back awkwardly, “How do you work this thing?” The brothers were surrounded by neighbours. Everything was as it was.
No one blamed them or hated them. They just wanted them to live.
After closing the door and flipping the switch, the flames burned away the past. The bodies that represented fear and guilt died in the flames.
After the door opened, an undamaged death portrait floated out. However, the two kids without faces had disappeared.