542 First Altar Mission
The wife’s voice was gone like the signal had broken up. “Hello, are you still there?”
“Fu Yi, our son, doesn’t want to go to school, but you made it until he had to transfer school?” His wife was shocked. This was her first time hearing the parents beat up the headmaster because the students got into a fight.
“The headmaster is horrible. He must have received bribes. Fu Sheng should transfer out.” Han Fei had the evidence of them bullying Fu Sheng, plus he planned to investigate the school, so it was best for Fu Sheng to avoid this place.
Even though she was still worried, the wife thought Fu Yi had changed. He only cared about himself and his job in the past, but now his life surrounded his family.
“Are… you sure the headmaster is fine?”
“It’s just surface wound. I’m telling you, this is nothing. I’ll make them regret this in the future.” Han Fei promised.
“Don’t do anything reckless.” The wife noticed her husband had changed. In the past, he never cared about his family. The home was a hotel, but now her husband was protecting the family.
“Don’t worry. I never do things I have no confidence in.” Han Fei hung up and walked down the stairs. After he walked away, Teacher Liu walked out of the corner. She gripped her bag, and her eyes were filled with conflict. “Which is the real you? In the past, you were a selfish bastard who would sell out your own family; but now, you show you do care about your son.” Teacher Liu gripped her bag.
Han Fei leaned against the wall on the other side. He heard everything Teacher Liu said. Earlier inside the headmaster’s office, Teacher Liu volunteered the evidence and even allowed Han Fei to copy the video. Han Fei was appreciative of that. ‘She’s quite a good person. If she didn’t want me dead, it’d be perfect.’
Han Fei left the office building. When he passed the education block, he saw the girl again. The girl seemed to sense Han Fei and was waiting for him. “Are you waiting for Fu Sheng? I’m his father. I approve of your relationship with him. I’ll even allow you two to marry. Can you follow me home to help me talk to him?” Han Fei used Cursed Words, but the girl disappeared when he tried to approach.
“Was I coming on too strong?” Han Fei walked to the spot the girl inhabited. A wrinkled note was left there. A drawing of two people sitting on the step was on the note, and on the back was the uneven handwriting, “Is he better? Take care of him.”
“He? Does she mean Fu Sheng?” Han Fei didn’t expect the girl wanted him to help Fu Sheng. This showed Fu Sheng had a good relationship with ghosts. Humans bullied him, but ghosts cared about him. But this confused Han Fei further. Why would Fu Sheng choose to destroy the cryptic world if that was the case?
“I’m now living through Fu Sheng’s schooling years. Did something happen to him after he became an adult?” The sides of the black box represented destruction and salvation. The person with the black box had to make a choice following their heart. In other words, Fu Sheng wanted destruction.
‘There is nothing good left in his world? How come I still haven’t seen anything good in his memory? Even in the real world, no one remembers him.’ Han Fei believed Fu Sheng was above the simple dichotomy of good and evil.
Han Fei put the note away and shouted at the stairs. “Our Fu Sheng is going to change the world. Miss, if you miss this chance, it’s not going to come back.” The female student didn’t reappear. Han Fei gave up after a long time. ‘Looks like they’re just normal friends.’
Han Fei didn’t return to the company but headed home. Han Fei was quite tired after bustling about for the whole day. Before he walked in, he smelled the fragrance of dinner. Fu Tian, who heard his footsteps, ran to open the door for him. Han Fei didn’t even need to knock.
“You’re waiting for me?” Han Fei entered the room and realized his wife had prepared a great meal. His family hadn’t had dinner yet. His wife was still in the kitchen. She looked the same, but Han Fei could sense the change in her.
“Wash your hands, and let’s eat. You’ve worked hard today.” The wife served the last dish. She grabbed a tray for Fu Sheng.
“I have communicated too little with Fu Sheng in the past. The child was bullied at school.” Han Fei took the tray from his wife. “The family should give him energy, but I have been holding him back. I have failed as his father, but I will find ways to make up. I’ve owed this family too much.” Han Fei carried the tray to the second floor. He knocked on the door, and this time, Fu Sheng didn’t react too violently. Han Fei placed the tray at the door and took out the paper note. He whispered at the door. “The girl at the education block stairs worries about you. She wrote something for you. If you have something to tell her, I can help you relay it.” Han Fei left after he eased the note through the door.
“Let’s eat.” Han Fei was used to Fu Sheng closing up. Han Fei was ready for a long battle. Han Fei went downstairs to join his wife and Fu Tian. Han Fei didn’t bring his outside emotions home. He smiled so his family wouldn’t feel pressured. The father played an essential role in the family. A good father could hold up the whole family, bringing his wife and children strength. After dinner, Han Fei asked Fu Tian about his kindergarten, and then they sat in the living room to watch tv.
At 9 pm, after his wife sent Fu Tian to bed, Han Fei closed the living room lights and waved for his wife to join him in the bedroom. “We should talk about Fu Sheng’s school transfer.” Han Fei took out his phone and showed her all the better schools in the area. “There has to be one which is suitable for him.”
“Are you sure? I think we should get Fu Sheng’s opinion first.” Even though Fu Sheng wasn’t the woman’s biological son, she treated him very well.
“You’re right. I’ll go back to their school tomorrow. No matter what Fu Sheng chooses, I’ll support him.” Seeing how serious Han Fei was, his wife bit her lips. She had some questions, but in the end, she said nothing.
“We should rest too. By the way, in the future, we need to cover all the mirrors in the house at night.”
“Why?”
“Fu Tian kept saying there is someone in the mirror. Children can see things adults can’t.” Han Fei was not going to say a female ghost was haunting him through the mirrors. After all, Fu Tian could see ghosts too.
“Don’t scare me.” His wife slept alone in the bed at night. She opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw would be the mirror.
“Better to be careful than not.” Han Fei placed the mattress on the ground. Before he lay down, he heard a click. Fu Sheng’s door opened. Han Fei and his wife understood each other. Neither of them spoke. When the door clicked for the second time, they went out. They sneaked to the second floor. The food on the tray was gone. The girl’s note to Fu Sheng was gone, but there was a new note.
“Did Fu Sheng leave this for me?” Han Fei told his wife excitedly, “He is finally willing to communicate with me.”
For Han Fei, Fu Sheng was the key to the memory world. If Fu Sheng were willing to exit his isolation, it would be a massive win for Han Fei. His wife didn’t know that. She saw how excited Han Fei was, and she felt comforted. Family really meant a lot to him.
“Notification for Player 0000! Your wife’s hatred towards you has lowered by 1.”
Han Fei held the note like it was the greatest treasure in the world. His wife didn’t interrupt him. She took the tray to the kitchen and cleaned the dishes.
Han Fei sat at the dining table with the note. When he opened it, the system sang. “Notification for Player 0000! You’ve triggered an altar mission—What is right?
“What is right: Even adults can’t tell what is wrong and what is right.
“Mission requirement: Find the previous headmaster. He can tell you what is right.”
He finally triggered the first altar mission. Han Fei read the words on the note, “It’s raining, help me take the umbrella to the small plant.” When Han Fei read the note, there was pattering on the window. “It’s really raining?”
Han Fei took Fu Sheng’s note and walked into the kitchen. “I need to go out.”
“But it’s already so late.” The wife didn’t look too happy. Fu Yi had done something in the past. He would leave at night to find other women.
“Do you remember Teacher Liu say that Fu Sheng would hold an umbrella for a small plant when it rains?” Han Fei showed his wife the note. “It’s raining now. I plan to visit Fu Sheng’s school and find out more about this plant.”
“But...”
“I have to trust my child. If we don’t trust him, who will?” Han Fei put away the note. “They think my son is crazy, but he is always my pride. I’ll show everyone that.” Han Fei put on his clothes, grabbed an umbrella, and left.
The wife stared at the door. Her eyes wandered between the knife and the umbrella. In the end, she grabbed an umbrella and followed. The rain washed away the city. Fu Sheng’s memory world was much larger than Mirror God’s. Han Fei called a cab to head to Fu Sheng’s school. Perhaps because mutation hadn’t started, the school didn’t appear that scary at night. Han Fei leaped over the wall, and he felt more relaxed at night.
Avoiding the cameras, Han Fei went to the education block. He waited for a long time and finally saw the girl in the school uniform. The girl showed up to lead the way. She walked down the steps and walked towards the field at the school’s back. The rain filtered through the girl as she led Han Fei through the rain. For Han Fei, this was very weird. He knew the girl was a ghost because he didn’t feel afraid. He even felt a familiarity with her. ‘No matter where I am, ghosts are kinder to me than humans.’
The girl entered the brush behind the field and stopped beside a small tree.
“Fu Sheng has been taking care of this tree?” After Han Fei approached the small tree, he felt at ease, and his heart warmed. This was more than physical warmth. It was like his soul was covered in a blanket. “This is a rainy night, a ghost is standing beside me, but this tree gives me warmth.”
Han Fei opened the umbrella for the tree as Fu Sheng did. He waited until midnight, and Han Fei noticed his mood point raise by 2. “Normally the mood points will drop when a ghost appears. This is the first time I have encountered something like this.” When Han Fei was shocked, a simply-dressed middle-aged man appeared. He placed some dirt beside the tree and walked towards the field. Rain phased through him, and he looked lost. He was acting on instinct. He checked the various equipment on the field and then entered the education block to check each class.
With the white walls, new tables, air conditioning in the classrooms, the middle-aged man smiled when he saw this. ‘He has a lot of care for the students here.’
Han Fei followed the man quietly into the night.
