Chapter 406: Returning Again

At midnight, he frantically scrambled up, slung his sister on his back—her face faintly purple—and ran to the hospital; after wrestling for over ten hours, Leon, eyes bloodshot, sat beside a filthy hospital bed, facing the setting sun outside the window, watching his sister finally stop coughing, and softly asked with a complex expression:

"Anna, tell me, when did you stop taking your medicine?"

Hearing Leon call her by name—rare for him—the pale, emaciated girl on the bed trembled slightly; she knew her brother looked calm, but was likely furious to the point of madness, so she lowered her head and confessed quietly:

"About… two months ago?"

Two months ago…

Leon recalled, clenched his fist hard, his nails—caked with dirt—digging into the flesh of his palm.

Two months ago was exactly when he turned sixteen.

That day, the Kingdom's Military Welfare Officer arrived on schedule, declared him an adult, and—under the so-called new policy—forcibly terminated the war-dead family pension that should have been paid until he turned twenty-two.

That rare afternoon, clear and warm, free of smoke and dust, became colder than the ice plains of winter in the hearts of his family of four.

When the military, to balance its overspent budget, chose to steal the pension to fill its funding gap, that decision shoved their already barely-sustaining household right to the edge of a cliff…

Recalling that day, Leon bit his back molars silently, his palms clenched until his knuckles turned pale.

Right—the pension was cut by a quarter, yet our household expenses didn't drop much; our meals even stayed roughly the same… Damn it! How did I only realize this now?!

"Brother."

Watching Leon, head bowed and silent beside her, the girl on the bed grew even thinner; after a pause, she turned slightly away and whispered in a voice as light as if it might dissolve at any moment:

"Maybe… just let me go?"

Leon jerked violently at the words, snapped his head up, and roared with bloodshot eyes:

"You're crazy—"

"Brother!"

She raised her voice, but triggered a violent cough; she seized Leon's right hand, veins bulging, steadied her bellows-like breath, and spoke gently but calmly:

"I've calculated it carefully these past two months—even if I die and we lose one pension share, without buying my medicine, the remaining two shares, plus you taking more daily labor jobs, will be enough to barely raise the other two until they're adults.

Also, my registered age is one year younger than my real age; so when I'm gone… when I leave, you just avoid the patrol squads, slip out at night, dump my body into the city's sewage river, hang my old clothes on the rack at home like I'm still here—we can keep collecting military pensions for another two years.

Brother, listen: I've already begged the families in Veteran's Alley; they're willing to help us cover it up. If they help you fool the military welfare officer… Brother? Brother, where are you going?"

To kill. I'm going to kill.

Hearing Anna's suggestion, Leon trembled with terror—he realized, for a fleeting instant, he'd instinctively agreed with her plan; after three years in this world, he'd grown used to it all.

As if a numb, cold version of himself was chasing from behind, desperate to swallow the last flicker of his still-living self, Leon began running without thought, his blood boiling into his skull.

On the run, he violently knocked over a medical cart, snatched a blood-stained scalpel, and staggered out of the hospital, heading straight for the Municipal Works Department three streets away.

If those bastards at Municipal Works hadn't approved the alchemy plant's construction near residential areas, Anna wouldn't have gotten sick from the toxic fumes!

If they hadn't colluded with the factory to issue a false report claiming no pollution occurred, she could've gotten treatment!

If the Kingdom's military hadn't shamelessly stolen it, the double pension left by my parents—both mechanics—would've been enough to raise all three siblings to adulthood!

And! If this goddamn world weren't rotten to the core, I wouldn't be struggling like this—I could've lived like a human being!

…

Blood-fogged, Leon clutched the scalpel, crossed three streets, and reached Municipal Works under a blood-red sunset, arriving at the square where yesterday he'd stood in line like livestock, waiting to be chosen.

Though still an hour before the official quitting time, Municipal Works staff poured out of the brightly lit building, laughing as they passed Leon's ragged clothes.

"Wang Erde's theater troupe is coming to the capital next week, performing his famous opera at the Central Cross Theater—you going?"

"I'm not that refined—I like circus acts, but opera? Nah. By the way, why are you asking me about opera? Where's your wife?"

"Her? She likes opera, sure—but she likes fancy handbags and shoes more, and the department store discounts that day."

"No wonder. Ha! Then I'll just wish your wallet good luck."

Opera, circus, handbags, department stores… If I hadn't heard them say this, I'd have forgotten this world isn't barren and poor—and not everyone suffers like this.

Listening to the well-dressed Municipal Works staff laugh, Leon slowly lifted his head, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the brightly lit building before him.

Anna was right: to save the family, the best move was to abandon treatment, let her die, dump her body into that sewage river full of shit and rot, and "cheat" the military for two more years of pension to raise the other siblings. But… I'm sorry—I just can't hold on anymore…

After three years of grueling early mornings and late nights, only to see life not improve but plunge into the abyss, Leon pressed his chapped, bleeding lips together, swallowed the metallic tang of blood, and strode toward Municipal Works.

Now was quitting time—the best moment to slip inside. First, I'll go to the second floor, find the bastard who approved the alchemy plant, slit his fat belly open.

Then, in the chaos, rush to the fourth floor, find the liar who forged the evidence denying compensation, the one who kept us from paying for Anna's treatment—and die with him! Let these bastards—

"Thud!"

"Are you blind? Don't you watch where you're going?"

The fat man, emerging from the corner, frowned at the fallen youth, wiped dust off his coat with disgust, took a bite of his cheese-covered burger, and strode past Leon without a second glance.

Leon rose, dazed; seeing the familiar back, he froze.

That's the fat bastard who "selected livestock" yesterday!

Staring at the arrogant man's back, at that greasy, repulsive face gnawing a double-decker burger, Leon's mind exploded into noise.

As if possessed by some inexplicable force, the fury surging in his skull found its perfect outlet—his already bloodshot eyes turned crimson, and he gripped the cold scalpel, staggering after the man.

If he'd just approved me yesterday, I wouldn't be this desperate now! If he'd just approved me yesterday, I might've saved Anna's life! If he'd just approved me yesterday…

"Daddy~"

Just as Leon reached the man's side, ready to act, a clear child's voice rang from his side.

With that bell-like call, the man's cold, arrogant face softened instantly; his weariness vanished.

He sucked in his bulging belly, struggled to squat, and opened his arms with a grin as the little girl sprinted toward him.

"…"

Watching the girl, laughing like a swallow, fling herself into his arms, Leon slowed his steps, then turned slowly—behind him, not far, a slightly plump middle-aged woman smiled warmly, watching them.

Even in this trashy, fucked-up world, the way she looked at her husband and daughter held a happiness so enviable… just like Anna's smile at me during dinner yesterday.

"…"

"Fuck!"

He muttered something meaningless, his grip loosening slightly—the bloody scalpel clattered to the ground, drawing the fat official's suspicious glance.

Ignoring the painfully happy family, Leon spat again at the gleaming stone floor, calmed himself, turned, and walked with his signature heavy steps toward the Sanitation Bureau, hidden in shadow.

Killing the enemy and dying right away would feel incredibly satisfying—but sometimes, even when you want to die, you must live… at least die with more purpose.

Standing before the Sanitation Bureau's dark, heavy door, Leon paused, reached out, gripped the polished brass handle, and shoved hard.

Yesterday, the red-haired interviewer said the Sanitation Bureau was an auxiliary division under the Police Department; according to field unit rules, if I die on duty, I'd leave behind a large pension.

So if one of us four has to die first so the other three can survive… let it be me.

(End of Chapter)