2012: The End of the World

"I?"

Hearing William's question, Arthur asked in confusion, "What could possibly be wrong with me?"

As he spoke, Arthur took Carl's hand and proudly declared to Halsey and William, "Dad, Mom, the girlfriend I mentioned is Sister Carl!"

!

At this, Halsey froze for a moment. Unlike William, she was far from calm. Her face filled with shock and disbelief as she shouted, "Carl?!"

Although Halsey and Carl's relationship was like that of mother and daughter, they were not related by blood at all...

Arthur was her biological son.

Carl was now forty-seven and would soon turn forty-eight, while her son had only just turned sixteen.

That was a difference of three full generations...

By age, Carl could practically have been Arthur's grandmother. The ethics of it were rather muddled.

Halsey did not strongly oppose Athena and Ivan because Athena was over ten thousand years old. The age gap was so great that it was not as conspicuous.

Fortunately, Carl had consumed the Life Fruit, so her appearance and physiological age had remained in her early twenties. Otherwise, Halsey might have directly disciplined Arthur.

Even so, Halsey's originally benevolent smile swiftly turned gloomy. She clearly did not seem to approve of the pair.

From William and Halsey's reactions, Arthur immediately realized that his father had no objections. The real problem lay with his mother, Halsey.

Arthur rose onto his toes, awkwardly reached out with his right arm to put it around Carl, and solemnly said to William and Halsey:

"Dad, Mom, there's a saying in China: 'What's done is done.' That saying applies perfectly to us.

"Actually, the two of us... two months ago... we... had sex. So, Mom! Dad! As a true man, I have to take responsibility for Sister Carl!"

Carl did not deny it, but the cheeks