A person could be alive one moment but dead the next. Without warning, without signs, without anyone expecting it... One second was enough for a family to be destroyed, one second was enough for a whole planet to disappear... That's how cruel life was. But, since life was cruel, why shouldn't death be cruel too?
The strong command while the weak abide by the rules created by them and obey unconditionally. This was something well known to all, but no one could do anything about it. Not to mention the other countries, Xie Feng knew very well that China was a country with a lot of corruption in which money could buy everything; from illegal weapons and people, to politicians who were usually seen on TV with friendly smiles as if they were a harmless and friendly rabbit.
Wasn't Hou Zi Yang, the young man Xie Feng met during the street race held on Luoshan Highway, the very proof that injustice lurked around every corner?
Hou Zi Yang and his girlfriend Anna were just two normal people living their lives peacefully, working and not bothering anyone. But what happened? She was abused by Nangong Chen and, couldn't get over that blow, feeling that she had failed her beloved, she committed suicide. Even though she was not to blame for anything.
As for Nangong Chen? he continued to live his life peacefully as if nothing had happened. Drinking the best wines, sleeping in the most luxurious houses, resting in the most comfortable beds, sleeping with the most beautiful women, and driving the best cars. Why? Simple; because his family was powerful. Because his family was powerful, he could do practically anything he wanted and in a second destroy the lives of many people.
That's how fragile life was and how sudden was the arrival of tragedy.
Just like right now, for example. One little push from Xie Feng and Yao Xiyu's life would be over.
Mu Wuying's face turned pale when she saw Xie Feng's actions, so much so that she couldn't help but cry out in fright. Fortunately, Xie Feng's barrier not only protected them from being seen from the outside but also prevented the sounds from inside to filter out.
Xie Feng's face changed several times and his gaze wandered between Yao Xiyu and Yao Zenyu.... He did not believe that these two men, father and son, had not ruined the lives of innocent people. Especially Yao Zenyu, who was still young; Xie Feng was sure that he had taken advantage of many innocent young girls.
Xie Feng was not a hero by any stretch of the imagination... But, he did not like it when people abused their power and did whatever they wanted. Life was a right that everyone should have and it was not something that anyone could take away just like that. Although Xie Feng's hands were already stained with blood, it was the blood of people who, in one way or another, deserved death. After all, if one was willing to kill, then one should be prepared to be killed as well.
In the end, Xie Feng sighed lightly and shook his head.
Swoosh!
The wind-formed spear disappeared as if it was nothing, and the death god's scythe that rested on Yao Xiyu's neck unbeknownst to him rose up.
Mu Wuying, relieved, sighed and her legs became so weak that Xie Feng had to hurriedly support her, hugging her body against his.
"My little girl!" Beiming Fei cried, joyful and excited.
Xie Feng and Mu Wuying's attention was immediately attracted by the middle-aged woman's voice, and when they looked towards the bed, they saw something that surprised them both; especially Xie Feng.
A small red-haired girl, with a great body and a beautiful face that had yet to mature, had gently sat on the bed. She was Yao Mei, who had just woken up. But, what surprised Xie Feng and frightened Mu Wuying was something else.
Yao Mei's honey-colored eyes, still slightly dazed and sleepy, were staring in the direction where Xie Feng and Mu Wuying were hiding. Her gaze, though still somewhat tired, seemed to pierce through space itself as if she could see them both there.
"Mei'er, is something wrong?" Yao Xiyu also noticed his daughter's strangeness and asked with a frown as he looked in the same direction she was looking.
"F-Feng..." Mu Wuying whispered as she hugged Xie Feng tightly.
But, her worries soon proved to be uncalled for.
Yao Mei frowned and began to look around the room, peering into every corner intently as if she was looking for something or someone. However, after several seconds, she finally gave up and a strange look shone in her pretty eyes.
Xie Feng, who finally realized that he was still underestimating himself too much, smiled bitterly. But what made him feel even more helpless was that he could clearly feel Mu Wuying's two big white rabbits pressing against the left side of his body. He couldn't help but get a little lost in the feeling and only after several seconds, he finally reacted.
To Mu Wuying's surprise, he lifted her off the ground like a princess, so she wrapped both arms around his neck unconsciously.
"We're getting out of here. What we came here to do is done and I honestly have no interest in seeing a family reunion."
Swoosh!
With a small sway, the bodies of both disappeared from the room without making a sound and seemed to melt into the surroundings. Now, only the family of four remained inside the room while a dozen armed men trained by elite soldiers were figuring the surroundings.
Yao Xiyu shook his head as he could not find anything wrong. Thinking that his daughter Yao Mei might still feel a little tired, he asked, "How are you feeling?"
Yao Mei looked at him for a moment with complicated eyes before finally shook her head to express that it was all right.
"I see."
Yao Xiyu didn't feel strange about Yao Mei's attitude, it was the normal everyday thing. Still, the small gesture from the little crimson-red-haired beauty soothed her mother's nerves, who finally let out a deep sigh of relief.
"It's good that you're okay.... It's good that you're okay." Beiming Fei whispered as she reached out her hand slowly towards her daughter's head.
Yao Mei thought about it for a moment, but finally did not reject the affectionate gesture and allowed her mother to stroke her somewhat tousled hair.
After several minutes, the agitated emotions finally subsided. Yao Mei's parents tried to find out what had happened to her but could not get any information as she did not speak a single word. It wasn't because she treated her words like gold, she had become accustomed to silence, so she didn't like to talk too much.
In the end, Yao Zenyu began to talk to Yao Mei about the battle against the final boss and after several attempts, the family finally learned that the source of the problem had been Yao Mei's fire summoning; which had drained all her energy.
Yao Xiyu became furious and was about to reprimand her, but a look from Beiming Fei stopped him.
Yao Mei didn't worry too much about their reaction. They had no way of understanding how important the virtual world was to her; a world where she could escape from reality, relax, release her frustrations and fears by fighting powerful monsters or killing anyone who disturbed her.
"I'll be down in thirty minutes."
For the first time in several months, Yao Mei talked to her family again.
Her voice as sweet and delicate as a baby's, a voice so weak that it would surprise many since the dignified and powerful Empress of Fire was symbolic of might.
Her parents were stunned for a moment until Beiming Fei nodded hurriedly, "O-Of course! Daughter, you should get ready and go downstairs. The guests have already arrived and your college classmates are waiting for you."
After saying those words, she urged her eldest son and her husband to go out of the room. Before closing the door behind her, Beiming Fei looked at her daughter again and reminded her, "If you need anything, anything at all.... Remember you can call a maid or call me.... I love you."
Without waiting for a reply, she closed the door.
Yao Mei lay on the bed, silent, staring at nothing. Then, she began to look around until her eyes stopped on a ledge beside the wall.
"Eh?" A small sound of confusion left her lips.
She stood up and moved forward until her footsteps stopped and her gaze stared at the object in front of her.
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It was a stuffed animal. A stuffed rabbit.
Yao Mei always kept her stuffed animals clean and tidy; she liked them very much. She also didn't allow anyone to touch anything in her room.
Once, one of her cousins secretly snuck into her room and started playing with her belongings. When Yao Mei found out, she became so upset that a large part of the mansion caught fire because she had lost control of her emotions.
From that day on, although no one knew why Yao Mei liked stuffed animals so much, no one else dared to touch anything inside her room. Even the maids took the utmost care when cleaning.
Yao Mei frowned as she picked up the stuffed rabbit.
She remembered the plush animal's position and clearly someone had moved it from its position. She sniffed the stuffed rabbit's body all over until she finally stopped on the right ear.
Without saying anything, she finally put the stuffed rabbit back in its place and began to inspect the room again, as if she were looking for someone. Only now, she was sure that someone had been there.