Chapter 262: Eyes Don't Lie?!!

"You killed him and that's still not enough? You still want to earn the full gratitude of his relatives."

"Tian Tao's bones aren't even cold yet~"

"Is everything behind this ultimately a distortion of human nature or a degeneration of morality?"

"……Congratulations, your Evil Index has risen slightly, Game Inheritance Degree↑"

Looking at the prompt box flashing across his retina, Feng Mu's eye sockets grew slightly moist, his gaze toward Tian Tao's wife becoming ever more pitying; he sighed and said:

"Captain Tian Tao died a grievous death. Inside the prison they all say Captain Tian Tao did something unconscionable, was under too much pressure, and committed suicide in repentance. But I don't care what others think; in any case, I will definitely investigate thoroughly and restore the truth for Captain Tian Tao."

Tian Tao's wife looked at Feng Mu with even more gratitude; the several prison guard colleagues who had come with Feng Mu to offer condolences also looked at him with ever greater admiration.

Tian Tao's son, stout as a calf, fiercely wiped the tear tracks from the corners of his eyes and said to Feng Mu:

"You think my father didn't do anything unconscionable, wasn't a suicide — then that means he was murdered by someone?"

Feng Mu pondered for a moment and replied: "I can only be certain that Captain Tian Tao was not a suicide."

Tian Xiaohai glared with his big round eyes and said angrily: "Your meaning is that my father did something unconscionable."

Tian Tao's wife hurriedly tugged at her son; Feng Mu's expression remained gentle, and he said seriously: "I hope he didn't, but I cannot defend him, because I have no evidence."

Tian Xiaohai's eyes were full of bloodshot veins; never mind that Tian Tao acted inhumanly in the prison, casually cruel and harming lives.

But at home, Tian Tao wore another face — a good husband and good father who did housework and patiently tutored his son's homework.

Faced with Feng Mu's vague, equivocal explanation, Tian Xiaohai felt incomparable anger. His fists clenched tight, his knuckles making creak-creak sounds from excessive force.

Suddenly, he took a deep breath, bowed to Feng Mu with his waist bent ninety degrees, and said in a hoarse voice:

"I'm in my third year of high school this year, my grades at school are very good, and my martial dao results are also among the best; in the Nine Districts inter-high school martial dao league I've already made the top thirty-two."

The several prison guards standing behind Feng Mu exchanged glances, their eyes toward Tian Xiaohai also filled with surprise.

Top thirty-two in the Nine Districts high school league — if that's true, it's no small feat; not to mention the college entrance exam would certainly let him break out of the Nine Districts, at least he could get into one of the top few military academies within the Nine Districts.

His future is limitless; in a few years after graduation he'll likely become a figure they'll have to look up to.

Tian Xiaohai ignored everyone's thoughts; his eyes stared straight at his own polished-to-a-shine leather shoes, the ones he had prepared for entering military academy, because he'd heard one of the internal duties at military academy is learning to polish shoes.

The leather shoes shone brightly, almost reflecting his face flushed red with emotion, blue veins on the side of his neck bulging like earthworms.

Tian Xiaohai took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently with each breath, then spoke with a firm tone carrying a hint of ruthlessness:

"If I give up entering military academy and instead apply to join the Second Prison, hoping to become a prison guard like my father, can you help me?"

Feng Mu looked at Tian Xiaohai, at that same short yet sturdy frame, as if seeing Tian Tao reborn, yet also as if seeing another Wang Cong possessing him.

Feng Mu narrowed his eyes slightly; he sighed and sincerely advised:

"You don't need to do this; I will investigate the truth for your father. With your excellent grades, going to military academy will give you a much brighter and broader future."

Tian Tao's widow sat to the side, lips trembling slightly, wanting to say something but ultimately not speaking; her face was written full of worry and unease.

Tian Xiaohai kept his head lowered and said loudly: "I understand, but I even more hope to personally investigate my father's cause of death; I hope you can help me."

Feng Mu's brows furrowed slightly; he stepped forward, gently resting a hand on Tian Xiaohai's shoulder, and said earnestly:

"This matter concerns your life; you're too emotional right now, you shouldn't decide so rashly. Your father, if alive, surely wouldn't want you to walk his old path."

Feng Mu paused, saying with deep emotion:

"Listen to me; you have a bright future, you shouldn't let hatred blind your eyes — that might push you into the abyss. And for such a big matter, you should first discuss it properly with your mother."

Feng Mu slowly extended his hand, trying to move Tian Xiaohai's arms, but the latter didn't budge an inch, his head instead lowering even lower, nearly touching the shoe surface.

He roared: "You don't need to persuade me; my mother will definitely support me too."

Feng Mu helplessly let go and turned to look at Tian Tao's wife, saying with difficulty: "Madam, you……"

Tian Tao's wife now had tears streaming down her face; she covered her cheeks with her hands, tears sliding through her fingers:

"Xiaohai and his father have been close since childhood; he wants to investigate the truth for his father. Whether as a wife or as a mother, I cannot stop him."

Feng Mu's face truly showed a touch of astonishment; he hadn't expected that a savage, crude fellow like Tian Tao would actually have such a knowledgeable, reasonable wife and such an outstanding, filial son.

This is really too interesting!

Feng Mu helplessly sighed; his expression seemed to soften — such a merciful person as he, how could he remain unmoved by such a deeply moving scene before him?

A trace of warmth showed in his eyes, as if moved by the genuine feelings of this mother and son; the surrounding prison guards one by one also watched with moist eye sockets.

Feng Mu sighed; he glanced at the memorial tablet placed in the room — Tian Tao's black-and-white photo was well chosen, a picture from his lifetime with a very benevolent smile.

Right now it was gazing straight at the scene unfolding before it, its smile seemingly even more vivid.

"The departed is gone, but the departed's son is still here." Endless emotion surged in Feng Mu's heart; at this moment he deeply experienced the meaning of humanity's continuous propagation.

He turned his head to look at Tian Xiaohai again and asked in a gentle tone the final question: "Many prison guards came to offer condolences today; why did you single me out with your request?"

Tian Xiaohai sensed hope and answered seriously:

"Because I heard several prison guards mention that Father's pension was specially secured by you from the Prison Warden, and you even organized everyone to raise funds."

"Deep in my heart I am deeply grateful for your kindness; I hope to enter the prison and work under your guidance, to slightly repay your profound kindness to my family."

Feng Mu smiled modestly and waved his hand: "Overpraised; this was merely what I should do, and I'm just a new prison guard — every one of the prison guards who came today has more seniority than me and carries more weight in the prison."

Tian Xiaohai nevertheless firmly believed his own judgment; he replied in a low voice,

"Eyes — I believe my own eyes, because eyes don't lie. I've observed: today the majority of prison guards who came to offer condolences had reverence and conviction hidden in their eyes when looking at you."

"Eyes, I believe what my own eyes see, because eyes never lie. I've observed that the majority of the Prison Guards who came to pay their respects today had reverence and conviction hidden in their eyes when they looked at you."

(End of Chapter)

End of Chapter