12: Chapter 12 The Second Path

"Brother? Is it done? Can Wang Xiaoyue open her eyes now?"

"You can."

Wang Xiaoyue opened her eyes immediately: "What about the magic trick? What did you conjure up?"

Wang Lin fished something out of his pocket.

Wang Xiaoyue's eyes lit up instantly: "Candy!"

"Mm, you can only eat it after dinner."

"Got it!" Wang Xiaoyue snatched the candy, "Brother is the best!"

Wang Lin looked at her and smiled, then suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Wang Xiaoyue was a bit dazed by the hug, holding the candy up with her small hand, terrified it might get crushed: "Brother? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Let's eat."

Wang Lin sat opposite her and lowered his head to eat.

The braised pork was stewed until very tender, the vegetables were stir-fried just right, and the egg flower in the tomato egg soup was whisked very finely.

That woman always cooked with care, even if it was just an ordinary dinner.

He chewed his food and suddenly asked: "Wang Xiaoyue, what did Mom and Dad say when they left?"

"Hmm... they just said they had something to do and told us to eat first and not wait for them."

"Did they say what time they'd be back?"

"No." Wang Xiaoyue swallowed,

"But Mom looked especially pretty today. She wore new clothes and even put on lipstick. Dad shaved too and was dressed very smartly."

Wang Lin grunted an "Mm" and continued eating.

Just then, Wang Lin's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID: Zhou Ming.

He answered the phone, and before he could speak, Zhou Ming's lowered voice came from the other end:

"Brother Wang, something happened."

Wang Lin's heart tightened: "Speak."

"It's news I just found out," Zhou Ming's voice was very urgent, "Zhao Xu has returned early."

"He'll be in the city first thing tomorrow morning."

"And... it seems he already knows that Zhao Yan has met with an accident."

Wang Lin was silent for a second: "How does he know?"

"I don't know," Zhou Ming said,

"But I heard he made over a dozen calls this afternoon, all looking for Zhao Yan."

"Even though that kid Zhao Yan is a mess usually, he checks in with his brother every day to say he's safe."

"With no news all day today, Zhao Xu must be suspicious."

"What else?"

"And... also..." Zhou Ming paused, "Brother Wang, don't get anxious when I tell you this."

"Speak."

"Zhao Xu used his connections at the Investigation Bureau to pull the surveillance footage from the places Zhao Yan often frequents."

"The camera outside the alley we were in last night is indeed broken."

"But there's a camera at the convenience store across from the alley entrance that is tilted, and it just happens to capture a small part of the alley entrance."

Wang Lin's gaze darkened: "What did it capture?"

"It captured you."

"Only a silhouette, and it's very blurry; you can't make out the face."

"But... at that time and that location, with you appearing there, it's hard to explain."

Wang Lin didn't speak.

"Brother Wang, listen to me. I know a guy who has a safe house in the west of the city. It's very remote; nobody knows about it."

"You go hide there for a couple of days, and come back after the heat dies down."

"No matter how powerful Zhao Xu is, he's still just one person. He can't turn the whole city upside down..."

"No need."

Zhou Ming was stunned: "What?"

"I said no need. If he tracks me down, I'll just wait for him."

"Brother Wang, are you crazy?!" Zhou Ming got anxious,

"That's 035! The Water Controller! Fighting him in the city, he can mobilize all the water in the sewers. What are you going to fight him with?"

Wang Lin glanced at Wang Xiaoyue, who was focused on watching TV on the sofa, and lowered his voice:

"Zhou Ming, I have a question for you."

"Go ahead."

"If one day, you discovered that the people in your family weren't human, what would you do?"

There was silence on Zhou Ming's end for a few seconds, then he asked cautiously: "Brother Wang, did something happen to you?"

Wang Lin didn't answer, just said: "It's nothing, just asking."

"Brother Wang, what exactly..."

"Alright," Wang Lin interrupted him, "I know about Zhao Xu."

"You help me keep an eye on things and let me know immediately if there's any news. I'll handle the rest myself."

"But..."

"Zhou Ming," Wang Lin's voice suddenly deepened,

On the other end of the line, Zhou Ming consciously shut his mouth.

"Thank you," Wang Lin said.

Then he hung up the phone...

...

The next morning, Wang Lin got up and went downstairs, only to find an extra person in the living room.

He recognized this person:

Zhang Qiming, his father Wang Dashan's business partner, who often visited their home during holidays and sometimes even slipped him red envelopes.

Before, Wang Lin only thought of him as a kind elder.

But now, knowing that his whole family were Calamities, and associating this with the fact that Zhang Qiming hadn't been "eaten" by his father,

it was clear he wasn't just an ordinary character.

Wang Lin walked downstairs with a normal expression: "Hello, Uncle Zhang."

Zhang Qiming turned his head and smiled, nodding at him.

At that very instant, Wang Lin felt an invisible ripple spread from Zhang Qiming's body, instantly sweeping over him.

That feeling was like being seen through from the inside out.

Wang Lin tensed up, instinctively taking a step back, his eyes locked onto the person in front of him, his body already entering a combat state.

Zhang Qiming waved his hand: "Don't be nervous, it's just been a long time, I was seeing if you've grown up."

"Mm... this time you really have grown up."

Wang Lin's heart stirred.

Did this mean that every time Zhang Qiming came over in the past, he had "looked" at him in this way?

It was just that he hadn't Awakened back then, so he couldn't feel it.

Thinking of this, Wang Lin relaxed slightly.

Then he thought again, his family had three Calamities plus him, an Awakened; if it really came to a fight, they wouldn't necessarily be at a disadvantage.

He gathered his thoughts and asked: "Uncle Zhang, are you here to see my dad this time?"

Zhang Qiming shook his head: "No, this time I'm here for you."

Wang Lin was stunned: "For me?"

"Yes." Zhang Qiming smiled, "As for the specifics, your father will tell you in a moment."

Just as they were speaking, his father Wang Dashan came out of the kitchen carrying breakfast and set the bowls and chopsticks on the table:

"Old Zhang, you haven't had breakfast, right? Come, let's eat together."

Zhang Qiming didn't stand on ceremony, pulling out a chair and sitting down: "Alright."

At the dining table, Wang Dashan looked at Wang Lin:

"Wang Lin, you've grown up now, and it's time for you to know some things."

"In a while, you will go to a place with your Uncle Zhang. Once you get there, he will tell you everything."

Wang Lin frowned: "Can't you just tell me directly?"

Wang Dashan was silent for a moment.

"Some things you have to see and experience for yourself to truly understand."

"It won't take long, maybe a month or two."

"A month or two?" Wang Lin was stunned, "What about school?"

"I will help you ask for leave from school."

"Of course, you can also refuse."

He paused, then continued:

"If you don't go, then just continue being an ordinary person."

"Go to school, graduate, find a job, get married, have children, raise a family, and then slowly grow old. This path isn't bad either."

Wang Lin was silent.