Chapter 46 - Mastermind
Kaidi's voice came from the living room, and indeed, it was him. The owner of the Volcano Bar was wearing a coat with bandages and gauze wrapped around his chest, assisted by a young man of similar age to Tianyang.
Seeing Tianyang, Kaidi cheerfully said, "Xiao Si told me your door was open, and there was a unicycle parked outside. I knew you were back. So, how was it in the Black Mine last night? Did you find Nanfei?"
Tianyang's expression was dim, and he nodded quietly.
Kaidi's body trembled slightly, and he turned back slowly, facing away from Tianyang. He said, "Where did she go? Did she not like working at the bar? It's okay; you tell her that she can do whatever she likes; I can change my career."
"Kaidi..."
"If she thinks I'm clumsy and wants to leave, it's alright. I've earned some money over the years, and I can invest it in a business for her. With her frail health, where can she go? Don't you agree, Tianyang?"
Tianyang shook his head forcefully. "Kaidi, my mother... she's already..."
"Don't say it!"
Kaidi shouted loudly, then his shoulders slumped. "Don't say it; it can't be... she can't be gone."
Tianyang closed his eyes and spoke in a low voice, "She's gone. When I arrived, she was severely injured. She took her last breath in my arms, and it's hard to accept, even more so for me. But Kaidi, she's gone... gone!"
"I told you not to say it!"
Kaidi suddenly pounced on him, landing a punch on the young man's face. Tianyang stumbled back a few steps, hitting the metal sheeting of the shack, and causing the roof to buzz loudly.
The young man's face slowly swelled on one side, and Tianyang lowered his head, with his silver-white hair falling over his eyes, concealing his lifeless gaze.
Kaidi gripped his shoulders tightly. "Who did this? Which scumbag did it? Tell me, I'll..."
"What are you going to do?"
"Of course, I'm going to avenge her!" Kaidi roared like an angry beast, and flecks of spittle flew onto Tianyang's face.
Tianyang looked at him and said, "You can't do this."
Kaidi's eyes were bloodshot. "Why not? I've liked her since I was a kid. Even though she never showed any interest, in my heart, she's my woman. If anyone dares to harm my woman, I'll make them pay!"
He pushed Tianyang away. "If you won't tell me, I'll investigate it myself. I don't believe that I can't even find a lead!"
A hand grabbed Kaidi's shoulder.
"What are you doing? Let go!"
Tianyang shook his head and said, "I can't let you go and get yourself killed."
Kaidi spun around like a whirlwind. "So, you want me to do nothing like you?"
The young man suddenly erupted, "How do you know I haven't done anything?!"
"If I could, I'd smash that scumbag into pieces right now! You just like her, but she's my mother!"
Kaidi hesitated for a moment, not knowing what to say.
Tianyang panted, leaning against the wall. "Someone is already investigating. We should have news in the next couple of days. But Kaidi, the people who can throw her into the Black Mine are not the kind you can mess with. She's gone, and I don't want you to get into trouble too."
"So, I'll handle her case. I'm her son; her vengeance should be mine!"
The young man raised his head, a fiery blaze burning in the depths of his eyes.
After making sure that he wouldn't take any reckless actions, Kaidi left. Tianyang remained in the shack, staring at the communication device for the next two days.
The communication device remained silent.
Until the evening of the third day, when the communication device rang and the voice of Ling Feng came through, "Tianyang, are you there?"
Tianyang immediately grabbed the communication device and said, "I'm here."
"We have news."
Ling Feng paused for a moment and then said, "Do you remember Qin Wu?"
A bolt of lightning suddenly struck Tianyang's mind, and he breathed heavily, trying to keep his tone as calm as possible. "Is it Qin Wu's family who did this?"
"Yes, his father is Qin Jie, the director of the Third Public Security Office in the Upper City. Lin Yang found that when you were on a mission, he used framing tactics to place fortress-controlled items in your home and falsely accused your mother of breaking the law. He even bribed an inspector and bypassed the inspection procedures, sending your mother to the Black Mine in half a day."
Tianyang's breathing became heavy, and the veins in his hand bulged as he clenched the communication device, almost crushing it.
"Listen to me, Tianyang. Leave this matter to us. Qin Jie is not only an upper-class citizen but also holds an official position. You can't act impulsively. I can assure you that he will face the consequences he deserves. Do you hear me, Tianyang?!"
Tianyang exhaled a hot breath and gently turned off the communication device. He stood up, found the eye mask he had used before, and put it back on to cover his tactical eye.
He went into the kitchen, gathered all the ingredients he could find, and cooked them. He didn't care about the taste; the young man silently ate.
This was the first meal he had eaten in three days.
He didn't eat quickly; he even chewed slowly, ensuring that every bite of food could be converted into energy.
After finishing his meal, Tianyang put on his armor and took his rifle. He didn't go for the Night Walker uniform hanging on the wall. He left like that, driving to the Volcano Bar.
The Volcano Bar wasn't open, but the lights were on inside. Tianyang knocked on the door.
The door opened, and Kaidi looked at him.
Tianyang calmly said, "I need a knife; the sharper, the better."
"Come in."
Kaidi pulled him inside, then disappeared into the back warehouse. There was a sound of heavy objects being moved, and after a while, the bar owner returned.
In his hand was a knife.
He placed the knife on the table and said, "This is a good one. I got it from East Street, and I regularly maintain it. Give it a try."
Tianyang swung the knife a few times; the feel was not as good as his previous particle combat knife, and the quality was also not as high, but it was more than enough for the purpose of cutting.
He slung the knife over his back and turned to leave.
Kaidi watched him go, then took out a bottle of strong liquor from the cupboard and took a deep sip.
Then he grinned.
He knew what Tianyang was about to do, and Kaidi chuckled. "She's the woman I liked, and even her son has this much courage!"