Was It Worth It?

It was an exceptionally loud slap. Richard raised his head in a daze, staring at the bright red palm print on his father's face... "Father, why would you do that to yourself? Don't do this! Please, don't, Father!" Richard threw himself at Mr. Aisen, wrapping his arms around his waist and pleading frantically, "Father, whatever you do, please don't harm yourself! If you want to hit someone, hit me!" "All right." "..." Richard froze. *Smack!* Richard's vision blurred, his head spun, and he collapsed onto the floor. A bright red handprint blossomed across the side of his face. *Smack!* Another crisp crack rang out. A handprint appeared on the other side of Mr. Aisen's face. Seeing this, Richard instantly realized what was coming next and screamed, "Aahh!" *Smack!* *Thud!* Before Richard could even scramble to his feet, a slap landed squarely on his other cheek, knocking him right back to the floor. Mr. Aisen raised his hand again, aiming at his own face. *Smack!* "Don't, Father!" *Smack!* "Aahh!" Mr. Aisen might not have known the old adage, "If a child is unguided, the father is to blame," but that did not stop him from embodying its very essence. And so it went. Mr. Aisen struck himself first every single time before landing a blow on Richard. Richard wailed at the top of his lungs from the beating. In desperation, a surge of adrenaline kicked in, and he rolled to the side, scrambling on all fours to flee the living room. But a voice came from behind him, plunging him into utter despair: "Order — Cage." "..." Richard stiffened. Bound hand and foot, Richard was dragged straight back before Mr. Aisen. "Father..." *Thump!* Mr. Aisen planted a punch into his own chest. *Thump!* A punch drove into Richard's abdomen. *Thump!* *Thump!* The blows knocked the wind out of Richard, making him heave and vomit up all the watered-down milk tea he had drunk before heading home. Finally, his father stopped. Richard thought the nightmare was over, but then he watched his father unbuckle his belt. "No... please, no!" *Crack!* *Crack!* "Aaaah!" Richard screamed continuously, hoping his cries would alert his mother. But she was clearly in the kitchen—why hadn't she come out by now? Could it be... Father had laid down a barrier in advance? *** "Are you just going to watch?" Standing on the second-floor landing and watching her son being beaten below, Kaixi fought back tears as she asked the old woman beside her. "Between father and son, roughhousing is completely normal. There are no overnight grudges." The old woman held a blue water bag in her hands. Inside was a piece of rock crystal stone that steadily radiated warmth. When Karen visited the Guman residence last time, he had felt that the family had an admirable atmosphere and that everyone was gentle and kind. Yet for a large clan to maintain harmony, there typically had to be someone whom all members feared. In the Inmerlais family, it was Diss; in the Guman family, it was this old woman who filled that role. It was just that she was far better than Diss at projecting a gentle, benevolent demeanor in public. And when she commanded her not to interfere, Kaixi had no choice but to stay rooted to the spot, unable to step between the father and son. "He's your grandson!" "I know." A faint smile touched the old woman's lips. "Do you remember when Aisen last disciplined his son? It has been quite a few years, hasn't it? I think this is a good beginning. He seems to have finally learned how to vent the emotions pent up in his heart. "This is a good omen. For his father's condition, Richard enduring a little suffering is well worth it." "Mother, you can't be like this! I can't bear to see my son treated this way!" "You can't bear it now? Then where was that heart all those years when you left home, applied for a transfer to Sangpu City, and hardly bothered to look after your son?" "That's not the same thing! I'm not like you—you have more than one grandson, but I only have Richard!" "I have more than one grandson?" The old woman's eyes narrowed slightly. A beam of green starlight emerged beneath her feet, and an identical array appeared beneath Kaixi, instantly binding her in place. Though Kaixi had been injured not long ago, she was nonetheless a Jurist of the church. Yet in this moment, she had not the slightest ability to resist. The old woman turned toward her daughter-in-law and asked in a cold voice, "Repeat what you just said." "I..." A strand of blue radiance drifted from the hand-warmer in the old woman's grip, condensing into a briar thick with sharp barbs. Kaixi stared at her in utter disbelief. She had originally assumed the old woman was merely doting on the illegitimate child out of guilt and compensation, but she had never expected the old woman to go this far for him! When she first married into the Guman family, she already knew her mother-in-law was not someone to cross. But over the years, their interactions had been fairly harmonious. Even when she had left home without permission to work in Sangpu City, the old woman had never reproached her or sought her out. Yet now... "As I grow older, my temper only softens. Each generation should tend to its own affairs; I never cared to meddle in the lives of the younger generation. But some matters are different. "Take what you just said, "Right now, "In front of me, "And repeat it." Kaixi gave up resisting and made no attempt to break through the shackles with spells. When it came down to it, she still did not dare cross hands with the old woman. Turning her face away, she said, "Isn't that Karen your grandson?" "You know?" The briar before the old woman swayed gently. "How did you find out?" "I could see it. When Karen came over as a guest last time, I saw through it." "Sigh, so you actually saw through it." The old woman sighed softly, tapping her fingers lightly on the water bag as though pondering something. "Karen saved my life. If you want to bring him back into the household, I'll agree to it. He has no mother, and I'm willing to care for him. Granted, I'm not very good at taking care of people, but I can make room for him. In reason and in emotion, I have no objections. "What I can't stand is you and your son showing such blatant favoritism!" "Is that what's troubling your heart?" The old woman lowered her head, resting a hand on her forehead. A somber glint flickered in her eyes, as if she were wrestling with a difficult choice. Kaixi lifted her chin. "Yes! That's exactly why I feel it's unfair! I'm willing to let him come back. I'm willing to let him take the Guman surname! But I want you to treat him and Richard equally." The old woman froze. Puzzled, she looked up at her daughter-in-law. "Take... the Guman surname?" "Yes, I'm willing." "You're... willing?" "He saved my life. Even if he hadn't, if he truly wanted to return, I might be angry, but I wouldn't stop him. After all, he's Aisen's child." "Uh..." The old woman paused. She stared at her daughter-in-law, and her daughter-in-law stared right back at her. Downstairs in the parlor, the brawl between father and son continued. Upstairs, the contest between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had reached its end. "Heh... hehehehe..." The old woman burst out laughing, doubling over with amusement. She waved her hand, dispelling the formation binding Kaixi and restoring her freedom. "Fine, I understand. I'll pay attention to it in the future. I'll treat Richard and Karen equally. But that boy Karen doesn't want to come back, nor does he care to take the Guman surname. "He has pride, and he has ability. He probably scorns the idea of relying on the Guman family's ties to gain anything. "I like that boy because he's genuinely exceptional and endearing. "As for Richard..." The old woman turned toward the living room, where father and son were still playing their game of "belt relay." Shaking her head, she continued, "How should I put it? Don't blame me for playing favorites. When it comes to ability, your son truly doesn't measure up to Karen. And on that point, as his mother, you bear an inescapable responsibility." "I know. I'm responsible." "It's good that you realize it. I'm tired; I'm going back to my room to rest." Without looking back, the old woman made her way toward her bedroom. Kaixi let out a long breath and stepped to the railing, looking down at the father and son. Suddenly, her knees went weak, and she had to grip the railing with both hands just to steady herself. Right now, she no longer had the energy to care about the scene below. She knew that no matter what, Aisen would never beat Richard to death. But just a moment ago, she herself... Kaixi pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the frantic pounding of her heart. Karen... wasn't Aisen's illegitimate son? "I'm going to sleep, keep it down," the old woman called down as she neared her bedroom door. Then she glanced back toward her daughter-in-law and offered a faint smile. A chill instantly shot down Kaixi's spine, and she thought to herself at once, *No, Karen is Aisen's illegitimate son. He has to be!* *** Mr. Aisen sat on the floor while Richard lay sprawled beside him, both covered in bruises. To this moment, Richard still had no idea why he had been beaten, let alone why the beating had been so savage. Naturally, Karen had anticipated all of this. He had not realized his cousin had such a knack for stepping on landmines. If the floor had been a minefield, his cousin would have hopped and skipped, refusing to land anywhere except directly on a mine. Mr. Aisen picked up a glass, took a deep gulp of water, and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. Looking at his bruised and swollen son lying before him, he felt a strange sensation—instead of pity, an indescribable sense of relief washed over him. As a father, Mr. Aisen knew he shouldn't feel this way, yet he could not deny his genuine feelings. Letting out a long breath, Mr. Aisen leaned back, resting his hands on the floor tiles. In his mind, he pictured the colossal, gold-trimmed figure Karen had become within that special space. No wonder his son had been badgering everyone to join that Hound Squad. That squad really was interesting. Heh. *** Upon returning home, Karen took a bath. Instead of heading to bed as usual afterward, he put on a bathrobe and went to sit in his study. Reaching out, he rang the desk bell. Before long, Alfred walked in carrying pastries and a glass of ice water. He pulled up a chair, sat down, and opened a fresh notebook across his lap, ready to take notes. Whenever Karen returned from an assignment where he had encountered significant events, he would debrief the cat, the dog, and the radio. Purr entered riding on Kevin's back, then leapt onto Karen's desk. Kevin flopped onto the rug, panting with his tongue out. Under his balding canine head, he looked utterly honest and simple. Karen began by recounting the beginning of the mission. At first, Alfred took notes diligently, Purr toyed with her tail, and Kevin remained lying down. Gradually, as Alfred continued writing and Purr kept flicking her tail, Kevin quietly stood up and tilted his head. When Karen reached the part about the statue in the center of the fountain pool and the inscription carved into the plinth, Alfred and Purr paused, pen and tail held still, and turned to look at Kevin. The golden retriever began pacing back and forth, looking distinctly uneasy. Karen recounted leading Captain Neo past the red door, but omitted what he had seen behind the small blue door inside. He felt the three windows in there were Kevin's private affairs, and there was no need to make them public. Kevin let out a long sigh of relief and lay back down. When Karen described entering that special space and turning into a massive golden sphere of light, Purr spoke up: "Oh, how intriguing. Who knew that mask had an effect like that?" Alfred said sincerely, "Fortunately, the mask concealed you." Karen carried his story all the way through to dropping Mr. Aisen off. Then he picked up his cup and took a sip of water. Purr remarked, "That was quite a packed mission." Turning toward Kevin, she scolded, "Stupid dog, couldn't you have left a few artifacts behind for our young master to go treasure hunting with?" The stupid dog blinked innocently. Purr continued, "The Church of Order made use of what you left behind. By the way, did you succeed back then?" Kevin shook his head. "Then did you know the God of Order?" "Woof." "Not really acquainted? Then the traces you left behind were simply discovered by the Church of Order?" "Woof!" "You're saying you had a partnership with the God of Order?" "Woof." "The God of Order helped you kill the Sea God? He even helped you commit deicide, and you claim you weren't acquainted?" "Woof, woof, woof." "Equivalent exchange? You traded your research findings back then with the God of Order? What happened after that? Why did Order suppress you?" "Woof." "Because you managed to produce a bit of research results? Oh, heavens, the God of Order is truly shameless." After saying this, Purr cast a wary glance toward the window. "Purr, you'll be responsible for extracting more information from Kevin from now on," Karen instructed. "Young Master, I can do it as well. In fact, it might be more convenient if I handle it," Alfred volunteered, having also learned dog language. Karen looked at Kevin. "You can share what's appropriate to share. The main goal is to keep me from being caught off guard if I run into things related to you in the future." Kevin nodded his canine head. "All right, that's everything from my end. Has anything happened at home?" Karen asked. "Everything is well at home, nothing out of the ordinary. However, you probably haven't had time to read yesterday's *Order Weekly*, Young Master." "Mm. Any big news?" "Yes. The venue for negotiations between the Church of Order and the Church of Samsara has been decided." "Oh? Where?" "On... Dark Moon Island." "Dark Moon Island?" Hearing the name "Dark Moon Island," Purr instantly grew vigilant. Even though she knew Karen hadn't gotten Miss Ophelia pregnant, she was well aware that Miss Ophelia was very interested in her Karen! "Why would they arrange it there?" Karen wondered. The Church of Samsara had been defeated in the recent war, lasting less than a full day. It was only because Karen was an insider within the Church of Order that his impression felt somewhat detached; in truth, this war between two orthodox churches had utterly shocked the religious sphere. Few had imagined that a clash between major faiths could be fought and decided so quickly! Still, pushing forward with surrender negotiations took time. Both sides had to settle on specific terms, and the Church of Order would inevitably extract immense advantages at the negotiating table. Logically, picking a neutral ground for talks was standard procedure. But the problem was that Dark Moon Island was too far away—unless both sides had established teleportation arrays. Could it be an array newly constructed after the Church of Order reached a cooperation agreement with Dark Moon Island? It seemed the fruits of their previous negotiations had been immense. After all, constructing a teleportation array was essentially exposing one's vulnerable core. The reason Samsara had fallen so swiftly and terribly was precisely because the Church of Order had used the Messenger Space's teleportation array to catch them entirely off guard. "Understood," Karen nodded, then reached out and stroked Purr's head. "What's got your fur all puffed up?" "The dark moon is going to be mottled again." "How could I possibly attend negotiations of that scale? It's not even in Wien." "Fair point." Purr decided Karen had a point. She hopped to the edge of the desk, tapped her paws three times on the wood, and shouted at Kevin, "Stupid dog, don't even think about sleeping tonight until you've come clean about your past and present lives!" "..." Kevin looked miserable. "Let's do it tomorrow," Karen said. "Tonight, I'd like to chat with Kevin. Alfred, bring some beer up to the roof." "Right away, Young Master." Purr asked curiously, "Why the roof?" "Because the view is better up there." *** Karen sat on the roof while Kevin lay beside him. Alfred brought up the beer: a large frosty mug for Karen, and a dog bowl filled to the brim with beer for Kevin. "Young Master, do you need me to stay and translate?" Karen shook his head. "Understood, Young Master. I'll take my leave then." Once Alfred had headed downstairs, Karen raised his mug, tipped it toward Kevin, and took a drink. Kevin stretched out his tongue and lapped up several mouthfuls of beer. Karen set down his mug, linked his hands behind his head, and lay back. Kevin placed a paw on Karen, barking inquiringly: "Woof?" "I don't understand your barks, and I don't intend to pry into your secrets up here. I just wanted to share a drink with you and look at the moon." Kevin paused. Then he lapped two more mouthfuls of beer and settled down beside Karen. One person and one dog watched the moon above. The moon was generous with its light, bathing them in silver. After a while, Kevin reached out again, gently nudging Karen with his paw. Karen turned to look at him and saw the dog's face full of expectation. "I really don't want to ask." Kevin shook his head and nudged Karen again, as if urging him. "I can understand." Kevin kept nudging him. "Oh, I see. You're doing this for the atmosphere? All right then." Hearing that, Kevin immediately lay back down, facing the moon, completely relaxed. His fur looked fine and lustrous beneath the moonlight. Karen spoke softly: "For her, was it worth it?" Kevin closed his eyes, wagged his tail gently, rested his head on his paws, and let out a soft bark: "Woof~"