Hearing this, Cheng Xing’s thoughts returned, and he looked at Cheng Zhengyang, who was not far away, and said coldly, “Apologize? And kneel? Who do you think you are?”
“How dare you speak like that! I am your father!” Upon hearing Cheng Xing’s retort, Cheng Zhengyang’s brow furrowed, and he angrily rebuked him.
He hadn't expected Cheng Xing to dare to speak to him in such a manner.
“During the apocalypse, how many times did you see me, or look for me?”
“And now you’re using your father’s identity to pressure me? When I was a 10-year-old child struggling to survive in the apocalypse, I didn’t see you then.”
Cheng Xing snorted coldly. If it weren't for his memories from two lifetimes, he would have been buried meters deep by now after those years of difficult survival.
“You!”
For a moment, Cheng Zhengyang was speechless, rebuffed by Cheng Xing, because what he said was true. He couldn't imagine how a 10-year-old child could have survived that disaster back then.
Even he himself could barely take care of himself at that time.
“Brother, if you didn’t want to return to the Cheng Family, why did you come back?”
“Ultimately, you still blame me for taking away Mom and Dad’s love, for taking away your title as the War God’s legitimate son.”
“Mom, Dad, it’s all my fault. If it’s really not possible, I’ll just leave.”
At this moment, Cheng Yun, who was by the side, seized the opportunity to speak, and his words were immediately full of manipulative charm.
“Yun’er, don’t compare yourself to him. No matter what, you are our son.”
Hearing this, Liu Chunmei, who was nearby, became agitated and quickly went forward to embrace Cheng Yun, as if he were her true son.
“So young, yet so vain, scrambling for fame and fortune.”
“Who taught you that? Look at yourself, then look at Yun’er. Can’t you learn from him?”
Cheng Zhengyang also followed up with a glare.
To exchange an F-rank Cheng Xing for an A-rank Cheng Yun, he would have to be an idiot to do that.
“Always talking about vanity, scrambling for fame and fortune.”
“Just be sincere. Don’t put on that so-called fatherly air in front of me; I’m not buying it.”
“While he enjoys the conveniences brought to him by being the so-called War God’s legitimate son behind your backs, I had to survive alone in the apocalypse. How can you have the nerve to tell me to learn from him?”
Cheng Xing retorted calmly.
“But he is your father after all!” Liu Chunmei couldn’t help but interject.
“My father? With that whole charade planned earlier, would a War God not know about it?”
“When I was in trouble, he didn’t look for me, didn’t help me. Now, upon meeting, he puts on that so-called fatherly air to suppress me, even ganging up to suppress me. If I randomly picked someone off the street and called him dad, he’d do better than you.”
Cheng Xing sneered, his face full of disdain.
“Shut up!” Cheng Zhengyang’s veins throbbed on his forehead, enraged by Cheng Xing.
“Shut up your ass! At the end of the day, isn’t it just because my awakened talent isn’t high enough, embarrassing your so-called War God Family?”
“If I had awakened an A-rank or higher talent, would you have this attitude?”
“Selfishness is selfishness; don’t try to have your cake and eat it too.”
“Boom!”
With a loud bang, a powerful aura erupted from within the villa. The floor beneath Cheng Zhengyang’s feet shattered inch by inch, and the surrounding furniture, including the cake, instantly turned to dust.
Cheng Xing, standing at the entrance, felt a dull ache in his chest and was forced to retreat repeatedly by the shockwave of this aura.
The strength of a Level 50 Awakener was fully displayed.
“Disrespectful, sophistry, you are nothing like me, Cheng Zhengyang!”
“With your F-rank talent, what right do you have to compare yourself to Yun’er!”
“Hehehe, of course I’m not qualified to compare to him. He’s a chosen one with A-rank talent, a future War God.” Cheng Xing gave a cold laugh, without the slightest hint of fear.
“From just now until now, you have never looked at me directly. For him, you can twist black into white, but for me, there are only baseless accusations!”
“To put it bluntly, don’t you just want a son who can bring you honor? This is simple. From now on, you can pretend you don’t have a son like me. You and I, we sever ties!”
As these words were spoken, the entire Mansion fell silent, and Cheng Zhengyang and the others were all stunned.
They couldn’t believe that Cheng Xing would actually give up the identity of the Cheng Family’s legitimate son.
Only Cheng Yun’s eyes gleamed with a hint of wild joy.
It was then that Cheng Zhengyang and Liu Chunmei realized that the young man before them, though resembling them, seemed like a complete stranger.
They couldn't help but reflect, had they truly made a mistake? They had only been slightly biased, could that also be wrong?
“Get out! Get out of here! I want to see what you can achieve without my support!”
However, Cheng Zhengyang, still in a fit of rage, didn't care about anything else and directly roared.
“Hmph, no need to trouble yourself.”
Cheng Xing snorted coldly and turned to leave.
Seeing Cheng Xing leave so decisively, Cheng Zhengyang was instantly breathless with anger. Liu Chunmei went up and gently patted his back, and the couple exchanged glances, both with complex emotions in their eyes.
After calming down, they still couldn't understand why the once adorable child had changed so much after eight years of not seeing him.
Their hearts couldn't help but waver slightly.
“Dad, Mom, it’s all my fault.”
“If it weren’t for me, Cheng Xing definitely wouldn’t have lost his temper so badly.”
Seeing this, Cheng Yun secretly sensed something was wrong and quickly lowered his head, looking wronged, saying.
Hearing this, Cheng Zhengyang and his wife looked at the child who had been by their side for eight years, so sensible, their eyes full of love, and quickly comforted him:
“How can you say that about yourself? It’s clearly that rebellious son who is ignorant and has learned to quibble from somewhere.”
“Exactly, no matter what, you are my dearest son.”
After Cheng Yun’s manipulative performance, the insignificant guilt Cheng Zhengyang and his wife felt towards Cheng Xing instantly vanished without a trace.
All that remained was the image of him as someone who quibbled, defied his parents, and disrespected his elders.
“Mom and Dad ~ You are the best parents in the world ~”
Cheng Yun’s face immediately broke into a warm smile, and he stepped forward to embrace them both.
After a brief moment of familial warmth, Cheng Zhengyang raised his hand and instructed.
“Someone!”
The War God’s Mansion’s exclusive Butler then timidly walked out.
“Find someone to clean up, and also...”
Cheng Zhengyang paused, then said coldly, “Publicly announce that the Cheng Family has no such person as Cheng Xing, and then reclaim the resources prepared for him.”
“From now on, my only son is Cheng Yun!”
Hearing these words, Cheng Yun, who was hiding in Liu Chunmei’s embrace, had a flicker of joy in his eyes.
Now, all of Cheng Zhengyang’s resources were his!
Hearing this, the Butler on the side showed a difficult expression.
“What? Do you have an opinion on my decision?” Cheng Zhengyang asked with an intimidating aura, without anger.
Seeing this, the Butler quickly said:
“Master, you haven’t publicly announced anything about Young Master Cheng Xing.”
“Uh, nor have you prepared any resources for him.”
Hearing this, Cheng Zhengyang’s expression stiffened. It seemed that from the moment he learned of Cheng Xing’s whereabouts until now, he had done nothing.
However, thinking of this, he remembered Cheng Xing’s earlier attitude, and his anger couldn’t help but rise again. As a War God, when had he ever been cursed at like this, pointed at his nose?
He then waved his hand, signaling to drop the matter. If Cheng Xing wanted to return to the Cheng Family next time, he wouldn’t let him enter the house unless he knelt outside for two days.
The Butler quickly bowed and left, subconsciously glancing at Cheng Yun before leaving.
Because there was one more thing he didn’t dare to say: all of this had been instructed by Cheng Yun earlier...