Chapter 478: The Meal Is Finished

Feng Ju gazed deeply at Feng Mu, suddenly recalling that his wife had indeed mentioned to him before that their son had been harassed by gang hooligans a few days earlier.

But back then he had not paid it any mind.

Now, the memories all matched up.

"I see."

Feng Ju's doubts gradually faded,

"I was too suspicious. This rebellious son doesn't know Zheng Hang at all, Zheng Hang showing up at No. 8 Middle School has nothing to do with him, everything is just a coincidence."

Feng Ju's gaze turned to his well-behaved daughter beside him.

Feng Yuhuai was resting her chin on one hand, her eyes bright and sparkling, completely absorbed like a child engrossed in a story.

He had wanted to ask again whether his daughter had really never encountered 【Mask】 in the Underground Shaft, but then reconsidered—this child had always been well-behaved and sensible; how could she have anything to do with dark, terrifying monsters?

He reached out and ruffled his daughter's hair, his fingertips catching the jasmine scent of shampoo.

Feng Yuhuai immediately rubbed against his palm like a little cat, a sweet arc curving at the corner of her mouth.

This familiar gesture completely dispelled Feng Ju's last misgivings—yes, why ask such an unnecessary question?

But Feng Yuhuai was hearing the details about the "boyfriend" for the first time, and her mind immediately teemed with thoughts.

She shook Feng Ju's arm, blinking her innocent, guileless big eyes as she asked:

"Dad, you haven't answered Big Brother's question yet. How did Zheng Hang become 【Mask】, that kind of monster that's human yet not human?"

Feng Yuhuai's heart itched like a cat scratching:

"According to Father and Big Brother's conversation, the boyfriend was parasitized by the Curse of the Evil Sacrifice on March 18th, not long before myself, so why is his strength ten times mine?"

"Was it because I missed a step in feeding the Puppet Mother, or is the Curse of the Evil Sacrifice behind him far more powerful than the Puppet Mother... uh, can I also..."

It must be admitted that Feng Yuhuai's excellence was no accident—this keen sense for power and thirst for knowledge were truly admirable.

Feng Ju did not hide it, but replied:

"The truth is, Zheng Hang killed a female student, and then completed an evil sacrifice ritual."

"Kill someone, complete an evil sacrifice ritual, and you become a monster?" Feng Yuhuai widened her eyes, wearing an expression of just-right terror on her face.

Feng Ju did not notice the subtlety in his daughter's words.

Feng Yuhuai said "this is how one can become a monster," not "this is how one will become a monster."

"Can" and "will" differ by only a single character, but the subjective intent hidden behind them is completely opposite.

Feng Ju shook his head, his face slightly grim as he said:

"Generally speaking, it's impossible. Although I don't know what the hell the Curse of the Evil Sacrifice is, I imagine it's not something that grants every wish."

"There are plenty of Curse of the Evil Sacrifice cases in the Lower City every year, but as far as I know, it seems only Zheng Hang succeeded."

Saying this, Feng Ju's voice unconsciously lowered a few degrees:

"So either Zheng Hang had a stroke of dog-shit luck, or his evil sacrifice ritual was special!!"

Feng Yuhuai's breathing quickened imperceptibly.

She pretended to be choked by soup, covering the quiver at the corner of her mouth with a tissue.

Feng Ju suddenly looked alertly at his daughter, his face turning stern.

He reached out and pressed heavily on Feng Yuhuai's shoulder, speaking earnestly:

"Yuhuai, you absolutely must not take any interest in these evil and crooked paths."

His voice carried a rare severity,

"You are our family's pride and hope, a true genius, you will have a bright and brilliant future."

"You don't need to think about all this miscellaneous nonsense. Those are the stupid and mad choices made by talentless wastes in desperate straits."

Feng Ju's outlook on life was still quite upright. He looked deeply into his daughter's quivering eyes, then glanced at his son's calm gaze, and said in a deep voice:

"Remember, becoming a monster means no future. It will only drag you into the Shen Yuan, and drag the whole family into an irredeemable Shen Yuan."

Feng Yuhuai proudly lifted her little face, a honey-like smile blooming at her lips: "Dad is right, I remember it all."

Feng Mu watched this picture of a kind father and filial daughter, and timely chimed in gently:

"Father worries too much. Yuhuai has always listened to you and will never let you down."

Feng Yuhuai sweetly glanced at Feng Mu, feeling even more that Big Brother was different now, no longer as detestable as before.

Feng Ju also glanced at Feng Mu, feeling inside that his daughter was still well-behaved, and that the rebellious son had finally bowed his head to him again.

"Looks like this rebellious son has finally learned to behave. He knows his sister is going to the Upper City? Much more sensible than before, heh—" Feng Ju thought to himself.

He nodded with relief: "As a father, I naturally believe that our Yuhuai will never let me down."

Feng Yuhuai gently smoothed the bangs her father had ruffled, her gaze turning to the camera on the chazhuo, and she innocently changed the subject:

"Right, Dad, where exactly did this camera come from?"

"A reporter's." Feng Ju answered carelessly.

"A reporter?"

Feng Yuhuai showed a look of sudden realization,

"The one from Guangliang Television Station, right? I saw a live broadcast clip online! It was filmed by this camera. He's so brave, actually daring to secretly film those monsters."

"Brave?!"

Feng Ju coldly laughed as he picked up a glistening slice of meat with his chopsticks, the greasy oil bursting between his teeth:

"Just a fool overestimating himself, daydreaming about using his life to make a name for himself, and the result?"

Feng Ju put down his chopsticks, a mocking cold smile hanging at the corner of his mouth:

"A body of rotten meat all fed to the rats in the sewer."

"Ah, he's dead."

Feng Yuhuai pretended to be alarmed, covering her little mouth, her eyelashes trembling as she lowered them, casting a shadow on her face.

"How pitiful."

She lowered her eyes, her heart brimming with secret delight:

"Good that he's dead. Since the reporter who took the secret photos is dead, that means the contents of the storage card have never been seen by anyone."

What Feng Yuhuai did not know was—

Feng Ju had indeed said "the reporter is dead," but he had not said there was only one reporter.

And Feng Yuhuai, naturally, believed

that the one who risked death to take secret photos was just one person.

What a wonderful misunderstanding between father and daughter!

Feng Mu's lenses reflected the light of the chandelier, his Adam's apple rolled silently once, but in the end he said nothing.

Feng Ju habitually seized every opportunity to impart worldly wisdom to his daughter:

"Yuhuai, you are excellent, but after you go to the Upper City, the people around you may also be excellent, and competition may be unprecedentedly fierce."

"Dad doesn't distrust you, but you must always know your place. Remember, don't be reckless. You are talented, don't gamble on those dangerous opportunities."

"You must walk every step steadily. Promise Dad, never take shortcuts?"

Feng Yuhuai nodded vigorously, her eyes firm, and repeated seriously:

"Dad, I promise you. I will walk every step steadily, and will never let myself fall into a dangerous situation, not even a possible danger."

Feng Ju's relieved smile had not yet spread when his phone suddenly vibrated violently.

The moment he answered the call, his expression suddenly froze:

"What? Who did you say? I'll be right there!"

He stood up abruptly and rushed out without even having time to put on his coat.

Feng Yuhuai reacted extremely quickly, trotting to fetch his coat and rushing out the door after him.

The dim yellow light in the hallway stretched the father and daughter's shadows, one before the other, very long and very long.

Feng Mu still sat at the table, gazing deeply at his Mother's busy back in the kitchen.

Then he stood up unhurriedly, walked over, and gently closed the door.

A barely audible sigh escaped his lips, dissipating among the gradually cooling aroma of the dishes on the table: "The meal is finished, ah..."

Chapter End