Bearing the Sword of a God, Walking the World

Muyang First Hospital, specialist consultation room.

"Good thing we caught it in time. If you'd waited a few more months to have your grandmother treated, it would have been too late!"

"Honestly, you young people!"

"You don't look short of money—you could even afford an appointment with a specialist. So why couldn't you bring yourself to take your grandmother for an annual checkup?! Is that any way to treat an elderly person's health?"

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry, Dr. Zhang. I've failed in my duty as her grandson!"

"Sorry for the trouble, but please prescribe the best medicine... Huh? Yes! It's fine, really, I'm sure. I want the best medicine! Even if it costs tens of thousands, that's fine!"

By the time Su Yang came out of the hospital with his grandmother, it was already noon.

"It really is good to have money! I thought the checkup and everything would take all day, but the reports are already out after just half a day!"

Perfectly content, Su Yang carried a large bag of medicine as he led his grandmother toward the bus stop.

The doctor at the hospital had just given Su Yang a thorough scolding for failing to fulfill his responsibilities as a younger family member.

Su Yang hadn't argued. He had simply admitted his mistake over and over.

He had also insisted on getting his grandmother the best medicine, even if it cost tens of thousands!

...And the specialist had indeed granted Su Yang his wish. That big bag of medicine had cost ninety-eight thousand yuan!

(The doctor: "How strange. A few thousand yuan would have been enough to cure her, but that kid insisted on the most expensive medicine...")

But Su Yang didn't mind. His grandmother's health mattered most! Now that he had money, how could he skimp on that?

Money should be spent on the cutting edge of the blade. To Su Yang, spending it on his family's health was putting it right where it belonged!

"Little Yang, that was far too much money. The cheaper medicine would have worked just as well."

Su Yang's grandmother looked at the medicine in his hand and felt as though her heart were bleeding.

That one bag of medicine had cost tens of thousands. Although they had just received five million, the old woman had been frugal all her life and still felt they shouldn't spend money like this.

And just now, she had suddenly remembered that it was Wednesday. Su Yang was supposed to be in class today, but he had skipped it.

People said men changed when they came into money. Surely Little Yang wouldn't let those five million go to his head and neglect his studies?

No! She couldn't let that happen! At the thought, the old woman couldn't help wanting to talk some sense into Su Yang.

"Little Yang, aren't you supposed to be in class today? Why aren't you there?"

"And you can't spend money like this. You'll need money to get married someday!"

Seeing his grandmother looking at him with a worried expression, Su Yang waved a hand calmly.

"It's fine, Grandma. Your health is what matters most, so the money was well spent! I asked my teacher for leave this morning. I'll go to school for my afternoon classes in a bit."

"As for the money, Grandma, you can set ten thousand hearts at ease. I won't spend it recklessly! There's nowhere for me to spend it anyway!"

"And don't even mention getting married. That's a long way off..."

As he spoke, Su Yang's mind wandered.

Somehow, the mention of marriage brought a graceful figure in red leaping into his mind.

That girl, smiling radiantly in the sunlight, with a delicate fragrance like gardenias.

Su Yang still couldn't figure out why his parents had known of Ren Yexue's existence.

His parents had disappeared five years ago, but he had only met Ren Yexue a month ago. Could his parents have known her long before that?

Just the day before yesterday, Ren Yexue had confessed her feelings to him.

And yesterday, he had learned from Gai Fengyan that his parents thought quite highly of Ren Yexue.

His parents had also told him not to leave himself with regrets about his youth. Everything they said suggested they wanted him to accept Ren Yexue... That was quite in keeping with how his mom and dad conducted themselves.

But how had his parents known that Ren Yexue liked him? Had they been watching his life from the shadows all along, unable to show themselves for some reason?

Or...

Su Yang shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

Who cares! I'll ask Ren Yexue when I go to school today, and then I'll know.

Before he knew it, Su Yang and his grandmother had reached the bus stop.

The school and their home lay in opposite directions from the hospital, so Su Yang had to part with his grandmother here.

"Grandma, I've written clearly on the medicine boxes when to take each one and how much. Make sure you remember to take them!"

"Don't worry! Don't worry! With medicine this expensive, your grandma would sooner forget to eat than forget to take it!"

"Mhm, good! Grandma, call me if you need anything... And don't go selling vegetables at the market anymore. I'll buy you a puppy tomorrow, and you can just stay home and enjoy your golden years."

Su Yang handed his grandmother the medicine, linked his bank card to her payment account, and only then saw her onto the bus.

After seeing her onto the bus, Su Yang looked at the busy traffic at the stop. He took several deep breaths and suddenly felt so relieved!

His money problems had been solved, and there were finally some leads about his parents' disappearance!

And now that he had joined the mysterious Soul-Reaping Bureau, that strange murmuring should be taken care of too, right? Then he would never again have to worry about dying a sudden, violent death in his dreams!

In that instant, Su Yang felt that being alive was such a beautiful thing, so full of hope.

How long had it been since he had taken a proper look at the world like this?

Among the pedestrians at the stop, Su Yang noticed that every face wore a different expression.

Some were lost in thought, some were laughing, some looked worried, and others gazed lovingly at the partners beside them.

In the distance, the trees cast patches of shade beneath the sunlight. A mass of dark green, a touch of pitch-black.

On a bench nearby, a stray orange cat lay sprawled out, lazily basking in the sun, its fur reflecting the light.

At that moment, Su Yang felt he had become part of it all, free at last of the anxiety and worries that had plagued him before.

"How wonderful! I hope it can stay this wonderful forever."

For some reason, Su Yang suddenly remembered the lines carved into the Soul-Reaping Bureau's black jade and the words Gai Fengyan had spoken to the moonlight.

"Sword-Bearer of the Soul-Reaping Bureau, Su Yang."

"Bear the sword of a god and walk the world. Remember that the glory you hold at this moment comes from the support of countless people!"

"We are like the moonlight, lifting all things out of the darkness!"

"Lifting all things out of the darkness?" Su Yang murmured. "The Soul-Reaping Bureau must be an organization that protects the people of the world!"

"Am I qualified to become one of them too? I really can't wait!"

Su Yang smiled, put the Soul-Reaping Bureau out of his mind, and boarded the bus to school.

"I still need to ask Ren Yexue about Mom and Dad!"

"Maybe there'll be a surprise!"