Beep, beep, beep...
The sound on the other end of the phone rang repeatedly. A few seconds later, a concerned woman's voice came through.
"Muye? Is that you, Muye?"
Rumble—!!
Lightning tore down from the chaotic clouds, while raging winds swept across the earth. Atop Cangnan City's tallest building, a cloaked man sat at the edge, silently gazing at a patch of light beyond the city.
After a long while, he slowly spoke.
"How have you... been lately?"
"...Fine." The woman fell silent. After a moment, her voice began to tremble. "After all these years, you finally brought yourself to call me."
Chen Muye said nothing.
"Do you know? These past few years, I haven't dared to ignore a single unknown call. I kept thinking... what if it was you calling, and I missed it? What if you wanted to come back... what then?" The woman's voice grew increasingly choked with sobs.
"I told you on the day we divorced... I can't go back." Chen Muye spoke slowly.
"Why?! Why not!?" the woman screamed hysterically. "You're a narcotics officer! Your job is dangerous! I know that! I'm not afraid of dying! I'm willing to take that risk and be with you! But, but why... did you have to leave me after we had a child? What exactly happened to you?!"
The woman was sobbing too hard to speak clearly. "Do you know? Xiaoyang started first grade this year... Whenever he introduces himself in class, he always says his father is a narcotics officer. He's so proud at school, but he isn't happy... He's waiting for you to come back too."
Chen Muye's grip on the phone tightened. He lowered his head and looked at his own body, bitterness surfacing in his hazy eyes.
"I'm sorry..."
Boom—!!
In the distance, a