Chapter 690: The Past
Chapter 690: The Past
Chen Chuan's gaze intensified as he realized the complexity of the situation. Had the being across from them given birth to offspring?
At this moment, he felt the intricacy of the matter.
He had never heard of humans being able to procreate with the beings from the other side, and there were no such records in the Defense Department or the Processing Bureau.
He wasn't sure if the higher-ups were aware of such a thing, but he knew that if this news were to spread, it would create a massive stir worldwide and have a profound impact on those who knew.
Suddenly, he recalled a previous conversation with Chang Dong about the target, who had only mentioned that the person had gone against the principles and rules of the Pure Sect. But he, too, was unaware of the specific circumstances.
If this was the reason, he could understand why it was kept hidden without explanation, and it was indeed necessary.
He fixed his gaze on Tian Rui and asked, "Senior Tian, how did you find out about this? And how did you confirm it?"
Tian Rui's expression turned nostalgic as he replied, "In the past, the branch was led by the Group Leader and the Deputy Group Leader. The Group Leader was around my age, but he was the best fighter in the branch, and we all trusted his words.
The Deputy Group Leader was the oldest and most experienced. He always had sensible suggestions, and the members were cooperative.
The branch was thriving, and everyone was enthusiastic. Although we frequently clashed with the Fusion Sect, the Refinement Sect, and many other forces during missions, we had confidence in overcoming every challenge with the two leaders guiding us.
The Minister even said that the Group Leader would succeed him as the Minister, and everyone supported this decision. Once..."
As he spoke, a smile played on his lips, seemingly immersed in the pleasant memory. But suddenly, his expression changed, and a hint of distress appeared.
"Once, after completing a relatively important mission, the Group Leader returned with a young woman by his side. The sect didn't interfere in members' personal lives, so no one said anything. But I remember, half a year after the woman appeared, the Group Leader and she had a child. Initially, none of us paid much attention.
But, but, we never imagined..."
He gripped his legs tightly, his breathing becoming rapid, "The Deputy Group Leader accidentally discovered that this woman had been possessed by a being from the other side..."
Chen Chuan listened quietly listened, his gaze intense. If this were true, it would undoubtedly be a significant blow to the former branch members.
For the Pure Sect, whose mission was to eliminate the beings from the other side, to learn that their beloved superior had committed such an unforgivable sin.
Tian Rui's body bent over, and he clenched his fists, "It was a rainy night in August, with thunder booming loudly outside.
The Deputy Group Leader gathered us all and revealed that the Group Leader had violated the rules and colluded with the beings from the other side. He also mentioned the child..."
At that time, only some core members and I, as an ordinary member, knew about this.
We couldn't believe that the Group Leader would do such a thing and asked if there was a mistake.
We had all seen the child, who looked no different from an ordinary person.
But the Deputy Group Leader insisted he had concrete evidence and had reported to headquarters, even showing us the reply from headquarters that same day.
After repeated confirmations, we all accepted the truth..."
His voice grew subdued, "At that moment, we all felt dejected. The Deputy Group Leader said that this was a mistake that needed correction, and to uphold the principles of the Pure Sect, he decided to carry out the headquarters' order to capture the Group Leader and eliminate the being from the other side... and the child..."
At this point, he seemed to have entered a trance, remaining silent for a long time, his body slightly trembling.
Chen Chuan looked at him and said, "Senior Tian, what happened next? Please tell me in detail."
"Okay, okay," Tian Rui seemed to have snapped out of it, "To prevent the Group Leader from escaping upon learning the news, the Deputy Group Leader decided to act quickly. In the end, he decided that our branch would carry out the purification operation, and he informed us that the higher-ups would also send support.
And according to the timing, the support was almost there.
Since I was the weakest, the Deputy Group Leader didn't assign me to a specific action but instead sent me to the Group Leader's home to deal with the child under the nanny's care.
But..."
He lowered his head, "When I got there and saw the child, I just couldn't do it...
Because he was just an ordinary child who shouldn't have been involved.
At that moment, I lacked the courage and the heart to do it. So, I decided to hide the child somewhere safe and explain to the branch later, accepting any punishment they gave me.
But when I hurried back after finding a place for the child, what I saw... were the bodies of everyone..."
He suddenly hugged his head, seemingly engulfed in deep self-blame, his voice pained, "I killed them. If I had arrived earlier, maybe things would have been different.
Chen Chuan contemplated for a moment before speaking, "I'm unaware of the specific combat details, but based on the power displayed by that individual back then, Senior Tian, even if you had been there, it's uncertain if you could have resolved the situation."
"No, it's not like that," Tian Rui lifted his head, his voice hoarse. "I could tell him the child has been dealt with. This might shake the group leader's spirit, and the outcome could have been different."
Chen Chuan didn't believe that a fighter could so easily shake someone's spirit, but as he wasn't directly involved, it was challenging to evaluate the incident.
After some thought, he asked, "You said you hid the child, so you probably wouldn't have disposed of him afterward. Does that mean the child is still alive?"
Tian Rui stammered, "Well, I..."
Chen Chuan continued, "This happened fifteen years ago. Based on the clues you provided, the child would be around sixteen or seventeen years old now..." He looked at Tian Rui, "He's your son, Tian Wo, right?"
Tian Rui suddenly raised his head, looking at him in shock.
Chen Chuan nodded, "Now I'm certain."
Tian Rui's mouth hung open, and he soon became dejected, bowing his head. "I know, I always mess things up..."
He pleaded, "Mr. Chen, the child is innocent. Look, he's like any other normal person. From a young age, he's never done anything out of line. He really hasn't, all these years... I, he's not that kind of person..."
Seeing Tian Rui's agitated state and incoherent speech, Chen Chuan said, "Let's put aside how to handle him for now. So, because of this child, you disappeared for fifteen years?"
Tian Rui's voice trembled, "Actually, all my teammates in the branch died, and I was furious. I considered going back to deal with the child, but when I returned to the hiding place and held him in my arms, the child smiled at me. At that moment, I thought, he's just a tiny little thing, what does this have to do with him? He doesn't understand anything."
"I couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't face the deceased partners, and I didn't want the child to face the subsequent reckoning..."
He slumped, "I could only choose to leave and hide."
Chen Chuan glanced at him, "It seems like the leader found you later."
Tian Rui's body trembled, and he clenched his teeth, "Yes, the group leader came to find me. Because I saved his child, he didn't do anything to me and even expressed his gratitude, saying he'd remember this favor for a lifetime."
Suddenly, Tian Rui erupted in anger, "But I don't want his pity! To hell with his favor! Can he bring our comrades back to life?!"
"I cursed him with the harshest words, but he didn't get angry. I tried to fight him, hoping he'd kill me so I could be like everyone else."
"But it was all in vain, everything I did was futile..."
He ran his hand through his hair and laughed bitterly, as if mocking his own helplessness. Tears filled his eyes, "I'm no match for him. In front of him, I couldn't even muster the courage to commit suicide."
Breathing heavily, he leaned back in the chair, his eyes vacant. "After that, I gave up all my persistence. I didn't want to think about these things anymore, nor dared to. I treated it as a nightmare. I underwent a surgery to change my appearance and became someone else..."
Chen Chuan watched as Tian Rui slumped there, powerless. After some thought, he asked, "Did that person not take the child away afterward?"
Tian Rui shook his head slowly, "It seems he overlooked this matter, and I didn't bring it up with him again."
In the following years, he would visit and talk about the training camp, even intending to recruit me. I didn't want to deal with him. After Xiao Wo grew up a bit, he'd still come often to teach Xiao Wo some combat techniques. Later, he came less frequently, and in recent years, I've hardly seen him. Only the camp instructors occasionally send things over."
Chen Chuan asked, "When was the last time he came?"
"Five years ago."
Tian Rui replied, "I remember it clearly. That was when my younger son, Xiaolei, was just born."
"Five years ago..."
Chen Chuan pondered. Considering the previous situation, the leader had been visiting regularly, indicating he still valued his son.
Even though he later sent camp instructors, the fact that he hadn't appeared in several years was likely not due to being busy but probably because he couldn't come to this place anymore.
Chen Chuan suspected this was because, during that time, the leader had become a fighter.
Once a fighter reaches the central city, it would undoubtedly trigger various reactions. This was likely the reason why he couldn't appear openly anymore.
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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