The Decaying World-Chapter 39 - 34: Change of Heart 2

Lin Hui nodded and glanced at his grandfather, Lin Chaoyi, and the two men behind him.

Lin Chaoyi looked fine, but the other two were Lin Hongzhen’s father, Lin Shunjiang, and Lin Shunchong from the second branch of the family.

One of them had a helpless expression, while the other looked somber, arms crossed as he watched Lin Chaoyi’s performance.

At that moment, Lin Chaoyi was trembling with rage from Lin Shunhe’s words, pointing a finger at him, unable to speak.

"AAH!" x2.

Just then, their eyes rolled back in their heads, and they both fell backward onto the floor in unison.

The father and son’s movements were identical. As soon as they hit the ground, they began foaming at the mouth and convulsing.

Yao Shan and Lin Shunchong rushed forward to catch them, then cried out in panic.

"Father! What’s wrong?!"

"Husband! What’s wrong with you?!"

"Father, you can’t die on us!!"

"Husband, why are you spitting up blood!?"

Listening to the utter chaos in the main hall, Lin Hui set down his luggage in the bedroom, speechless.

’That damn old man... I can’t hit him. After all, no matter how much we’ve cut ties, he’s still Lin Shunhe’s father. I can’t just kick him out, either. What if he kneels outside the door?’

A father kneeling to his son would be an explosive, eye-catching spectacle anywhere.

Lin Hui listened to the commotion outside, which had now escalated to his mother, Yao Shan, screaming for someone to stop spitting up blood.

In the main hall, both Lin Chaoyi and Lin Shunhe were twitching on the floor. One was foaming at the mouth, the other spitting blood. It was a bizarre scene.

Lin Hui didn’t go out. ’It’s obvious Dad and Lin Chaoyi are in a contest to see who has less shame.’

’If it were me, I definitely wouldn’t be as skilled at this tactic as my dad.’

’I’d probably just throw them out. It would be satisfying, but it would be bad for our reputation.’

Realizing this, he decided to let his dad and Lin Chaoyi’s group wear each other out.

He, on the other hand, calmly took off his coat in his bedroom and lay down to rest.

He hadn’t slept well for a single day in the Fog Area. It wasn’t just the constant noise from the monsters outside; his master, Mingde, actually snored... and talked in his sleep, muttering his wife’s name dozens of times a night.

The moment he lay down, a wave of drowsiness washed over him. All his accumulated fatigue surfaced at once, and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.

He slept dreamlessly. When he woke up and opened his eyes, it was already pitch black outside. From the main hall, he could hear the soft voices of his parents talking. Evidently, Lin Chaoyi and the others had left.

Lin Hui stretched, slowly got out of bed, put on an outer robe, and opened the door to go out.

He saw Lin Shunhe mopping the floor while his mother, Yao Shan, sat nearby, mending a large, black cotton-padded jacket with a needle and thread. They were chatting as they worked.

Seeing Lin Hui was up, Yao Shan quickly put down her work and stood.

"Ah Hui, you’re awake? You must be hungry. I’ll heat up some food for you. I just finished making Jade Bone Chicken and black fungus soup."

"Okay, Mom." Lin Hui nodded, then looked at his father. "Dad, when did they leave?"

"They left not long after you fell asleep. That old bastard saw there was nothing to gain and that our family was dead set on not rejoining the clan, so he lingered until dusk before finally leaving." Lin Shunhe’s face twisted into a sneer. "He didn’t apologize when he stole our family’s opportunity, but now that he sees you’re doing a little better, he comes running to get a piece of the pie. Ptooey! Not a chance! I’ve finally seen what kind of person that Lin Chaoyi is! Trying to play games with me? I can spit up more damn blood than he can!"

Lin Shunhe tugged at the gray cloth of his shirt, stained red with chicken blood, his face flushed with anger.

"Dad, you should take it easy... Don’t actually hurt yourself," Lin Hui said, exasperated.

"It’s fine, it’s all chicken blood. Weren’t we just killing a chicken to make you a restorative meal? I figured I’d put it to use. I even changed into some cheap clothes specifically for this," Lin Shunhe said dismissively.

Lin Hui gave him a thumbs-up.

"You’re still the man, Dad!"

"The man? What’s that mean?"

"It means you’re tough, powerful."

"You’re just figuring that out now?" Lin Shunhe started to laugh.

Lin Hui laughed too.

He walked over, pulled up a stool across from his father, and sat down.

"Speaking of which, how are things with the Lin Zong Family? How is my older cousin doing? I was thinking of visiting her tomorrow, is that okay?"

"Go ahead. I just secretly gave your uncle some money. They’re spending a lot trying to treat their daughter’s injuries. They can’t make ends meet. *Sigh*... It’s hard for them. And it’s all that damn Lin Hongyu’s fault!" his dad cursed.

"So what’s the situation with Lin Hongyu now? Wasn’t she engaged to a son of the Chen Zong Family? How did she end up so miserable after getting engaged?" Lin Hui asked.

"Word got out. Lin Hongyu was just being played. The guy was all talk, he didn’t even give her a chance to get pregnant..." Lin Shunhe said scornfully. "Honestly, those sons from the Inner City Zong Families aren’t that easy to win over. Who knows how many men and women have tried to seduce them since they were kids. If it were that easy to secure an engagement, they would’ve been picked clean long ago. I thought it was strange when I first heard the news. Now it looks like... heh."

"That makes sense." Lin Hui nodded in agreement.

"That’s why Lin Chaoyi is getting desperate now. Lin Hongyu’s situation at the Chen Family is what it is; she didn’t even achieve Summoning. Now that she’s been dumped and is no longer a virgin, her value has plummeted. On top of that, Lin Hongzhen was seriously injured as a consequence. Of the three lines the Lin Family was investing in, two of them have now been broken. Only one is left."

"There’s still one? Who’s left?"

"Lin Shunde from the fifth branch. He had a bit of money and moved into the Inner City. No one knows what he does for a living. He’s very secretive and doesn’t contact the clan much, just sends a few things back for the New Year occasionally," Lin Shunhe replied.

"Forget it. Let’s not worry about the Lin Family’s messes. We’re doing just fine on our own," Lin Hui said. "It’s just that the house is a bit empty. Dad, this new courtyard and house you got are a little too big."

"If you know it’s empty, why don’t you hurry up and find a wife and have a bunch of kids?" Lin Shunhe scolded with a laugh.

"No rush, no rush..."

That night, the family ate, drank, and chatted late into the night before heading to their own rooms to sleep.

The incident with Lin Chaoyi was just a small interlude. He came back to cause trouble with his men a couple of days later, but Lin Shunhe simply refused to open the door, hiding inside and pretending no one was home.

After checking in on his parents, Lin Hui went to see his cousin, bringing some money and gifts.

Lin Hongzhen was much thinner than before. She lay there as if she were just sleeping, but she wouldn’t wake up.

Lin Hui didn’t know who could have the power and status to injure his cousin, who had already succeeded in her Summoning, but he knew it must be someone far stronger than himself.

Afterward, he also went to find the two friends his cousin had introduced him to before.

Neither of them responded. After so long, it was obvious they were being deliberately silent.

After taking care of his family matters, he returned to Qingfeng Temple.

Lin Hui once again threw himself wholeheartedly into the rhythm of entering the Fog Area for Body Tempering.

But after some time, his peaceful life was interrupted. A new assignment came knocking—a mission for the provisional emergency response team from the security office.

*

*

*

「Xinyu Town · Security Office.」

A group of nine people stood scattered across the spacious rear courtyard of the office, listening as the Chief Constable in front of them explained the details of the emergency mission.

The Chief Constable’s surname was Xu, and his given name was Ansheng. He was the strongest expert in the Xinyu Town Government Office. The daily operations of the entire Government Office also revolved around him.

Although the director and deputy director held higher ranks, he was the one who actually got things done.

Like the director, Xu Ansheng also came from an Inner Sect—the Fushan Sect, one of the Three Sects and Six Gangs of the Inner City. Many of the key positions in the towns of the Outer City were held by Inner Family experts like him.

He was a tall man, over two meters in height, with a physique of streamlined, well-proportioned, and powerful muscles. He wore the light-cyan uniform of a Chief Constable, and the decorative Black Tiger Head Belt at his waist was extremely conspicuous—it was an important symbol of his rank and status.

"This mission is mainly to clear out the wandering sick on the outskirts of town. The rules are the same as before: do not get close enough to touch them. If you encounter one, kill it directly. Do not hesitate," Xu Ansheng said, clapping his hands. An attendant immediately came forward with a platter of silver ingots.

On the wooden platter covered with red cloth, fist-sized silver ingots were arranged neatly, a truly eye-catching sight.

"The budget for this operation is ample, so don’t hold back. The reward is doubled for every ten you execute."

"Yes, sir!"

The nine of them responded in unison.

Lin Hui was among them. Out of the corner of his eye, he scanned the others. His senior brother, Chen Sui, was present, as were his former second senior brother, Zhao Jiang’an, and his former senior sister, Mu Qiaozhi. Additionally, Huang Shan, Qiu Yiren, and his fellow disciple Deng Mingchao were also there. Most of them were familiar faces.

Next, Xu Ansheng began to explain the key areas to be cleared.

He had someone bring out a map of Xinyu Town.

A simple bird’s-eye view map was drawn with white lines on a black board.

"I’ll say it again: the town is divided into the central street district, the outer suburbs, and the Boundary Zone. The problem this time is in the Boundary Zone. That’s mainly where the sick live, and some criminals hide out there as well. So remember, do not hesitate. When you need to act, act decisively!" Xu Ansheng instructed.

Lin Hui noticed that the others, like his senior brother, were calm and composed. They had clearly participated in this many times before and were experienced.

He secretly glanced at his Blood Seal. ’Two months and four days left. Then I’ll have completely mastered the perfect version of the Nine-Section Swift Sword.’

Snapping back to reality, Xu Ansheng had already given a great wave of his hand, signaling them to move out.

Lin Hui glanced at the target location for the response team’s operation. It was far from the city streets and the suburbs where his home was, located right on another border near the Fog Area.

The area was specially circled in white, forming a zone comparable in size to the central street district.

"Have you never been to this Boundary Zone?" Deng Mingchao sidled up to him and whispered.

"Yeah, I’ve only ever heard of it, never been." Lin Hui searched his memory but found no relevant information.

"That place is full of the sick and criminals, so of course normal people would never go there. But the town’s black market is near there, so a lot of people secretly hide out and live there too. All in all, it’s a very troublesome place. Stick close behind me in a bit. I’ll get you familiar with the environment first," Deng Mingchao said in a low voice.

They were both disciples under the Mingde Sect; it was only natural for him to look after his junior brother.

"Okay!" Lin Hui nodded. "Thank you, Senior Brother!"

"We’re fellow disciples. No need to be so formal."

The nine members of the response team followed Xu Ansheng out of the Security Office and quickly headed toward the target area.

As they passed through the city streets and suburbs, the fields on either side of the road began to dwindle. The normal earthen and stone houses became fewer and fewer, replaced by dilapidated black wooden shacks.

The number of wooden shacks grew. Some were clearly newly built. From between them, he could faintly feel furtive gazes shooting out from inside—wary and terrified.

The group walked a bit further, and soon the dirt path was densely packed with black wooden shacks on both sides.

Tattered-clothed people would occasionally appear from between the shacks, staring numbly at the members of the response team.

"We’re close. This area isn’t large, so let’s move quickly and sweep it clean," Xu Ansheng said, waving his hand and drawing the saber from his waist.

The nine members split up, each approaching the area formed by the black wooden shacks.

"Follow me," Deng Mingchao said in a low voice, walking ahead of Lin Hui with his sword drawn. "Pay attention to the signs. Bloodshot eyes, a dazed expression, and strange growths on their bodies—those are the sick targets that need to be cleared out."

"What exactly is this sickness? Do you know, Senior Brother?"

Lin Hui followed him; the two of them happened to be one of the slowest pairs. Looking at this area he had never encountered before, he couldn’t help but ask in a low voice.

"You know of Wanfu Meat?" Deng Mingchao fell silent for a moment before answering. "If you eat too much of that stuff... you get sick."

Lin Hui froze, then fell silent.

Wanfu Meat could be collected for free. Besides the poorest and most desperate people, who would rely on it as their main source of food to survive?

’No wonder the meals at the Daoist Temple never included Wanfu Meat. No wonder Dad never let me eat a single piece of it growing up.’

’This stuff is purely for the most destitute people to barely cling to life.’