All Alone

Chapter 2: All Alone

The cartel guards had the same equipment as the Star Alliance Country Army.

Standard-issue AR-15 rifles, full camouflage uniforms, and matching tactical gear—everything was in place.

Ordinary people would probably find it difficult to distinguish them from the Special Forces of their imagination.

In broad daylight, the guards, armed to the teeth, formed tactical formations, covered one another, and pressed forward with infantry-armor coordination.

With such lavish equipment and rigorous training, they looked more like government troops. The real government troops, meanwhile, crumbled at the first touch.

Gunfire roared through the streets as though it were New Year's. Pleas for mercy and death cries rose and fell one after another.

Bullets shrieked as they burrowed wildly in every direction, cracking walls apart and blasting chunks away. Lu Li curled tightly behind cover, not daring to show his head.

Before long, the two sides chased and fled, gradually disappearing into the distance. The area fell quiet as well.

Lu Li cautiously peeked out and saw government soldiers' corpses strewn everywhere, while the cartel guards had already left.

Only then did he stand up. He was unharmed, though his prosthetic leg had come loose.

He undid the straps and secured it again, then looked toward the little flower seller.

Saving her just now had been nothing more than an instinctive gesture.

The little girl was completely unharmed. Her big amber eyes gleamed darkly as she stared at the government soldiers' corpses, eager to make a move.

The next second, she shot out like an arrow and swiftly began rummaging through the dead men's belongings.

It seemed to be a signal. Many civilians rushed from their hiding places to fight over the dead men's possessions, shoving, cursing, and descending into chaos.

The cartel guards could return at any moment, and Lu Li was worried about his father. Once he had secured his prosthetic leg, he hurried away.

Just after he left, the little flower seller ran back carrying a pile of "spoils," intending to repay him for saving her life.

But she searched left and right without finding that handsome, sweet-smelling older brother.

It was fine. A handsome Xia Descendant living nearby would not be hard to find.

The little girl was incredibly bold. Taking advantage of the chaos, she slipped into another empty shop for some "zero-dollar shopping."

She had set her sights on an antique shop. If she was lucky, she might find some gold jewelry.

~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Lu Li hurried along and finally arrived at Tijuana City General Hospital.

Fortunately, the place had not been caught up in the violence. It was merely packed to the brim with civilians injured in the conflict.

Lu Li immediately let out a sigh of relief. He first went to the restroom to clean up his disheveled appearance, then headed to the Tranquil Ward.

This was a place specially prepared for terminally ill patients. A middle-aged man with a haggard face and sickly complexion lay on a hospital bed, tubes inserted all over his body.

This was Lu Li's father—Lu Hongbing, a doctor of nuclear physics who should have had a bright future ahead of him.

At that moment, Lu Hongbing forced out a smile. "You're here... Huh? What happened to you?"

After all, he had just lived through artillery fire. A quick wash could not erase every trace, much less the faint smell of gunpowder smoke.

Looking at his disabled son, sorrow surfaced on Lu Hongbing's face. "The cartel and the government troops exchanged fire just now... You got caught up in it?"

Seeing that he could not hide it, Lu Li could only nod and say lightly, "They made quite a scene. I'm fine."

How could Lu Hongbing not know that his son was comforting him? Grief welled up within him, and he said in a voice heavy with guilt:

"I brought this disaster upon myself. I deserve to die in a foreign land. But you're innocent. You shouldn't have to live like this. I harmed you..."

Seeing his father grow more agitated, Lu Li quickly interrupted, "Don't let your imagination run wild. Get better first. Once I earn money, I'll take you back home."

"It can't be cured. I have even less face to return." Lu Hongbing sighed a few times, then suddenly turned serious. "Right, I have something to tell you."

Seeing the solemn look on his father's face, Lu Li immediately listened with Spirit Concentration.

Lu Hongbing slowly said, "I found a way to donate my body. It can fetch quite a bit of money."

He was clearly planning to trade his corpse for money. Lu Li's brows immediately furrowed tightly.

No one knew a son better than his father. Lu Hongbing naturally knew his son would not accept it, but it was the only thing a dying man could do.

"Listen to me! No matter what, you must take this money!"

Lu Hongbing shouted too urgently, and even his voice trembled.

Those with weak bodies must avoid extreme joy and grief. Lu Li hurriedly soothed him. "I understand. Just rest and recuperate in peace."

His words carried little sincerity. Lu Hongbing knew full well that once he let go of this world, his son would definitely refuse the "body donation."

But without money, how was a disabled man supposed to survive here?

Lu Hongbing grew increasingly desperate and was about to urge him again when pain crossed his face, and his complexion instantly turned ashen.

Lu Li inwardly cried out that something was wrong. His father's emotional fluctuations had been too intense!

He hurriedly reached for the call button by the bed, but Lu Hongbing grabbed his son's hand and rasped:

"Don't fuss anymore. Let it be. Save some money. Besides... I've had enough."

Hearing those final words, Lu Li's hand hesitated slightly.

In that brief moment, an unnatural flush rose across Lu Hongbing's face. Trembling, he said:

"Son, you'll have to walk the road ahead alone. You must live well! If you get the chance, you must go home, but whatever you do, never, never mention me to anyone..."

This abnormal state was a final flash of life before death. Lu Li nodded repeatedly, agreeing to his father's words.

Lu Hongbing clutched his son's hand tightly, his face growing redder and redder.

"Lu Li, your name means 'splendid radiance.' Your life should have been the same... I harmed you. I'm sorry, truly sorry..."

He said sorry several times. The flush on his face gradually faded, the light vanished from his eyes, and the hand gripping Lu Li's fell limply.

Lu Li slowly reached out and closed his father's eyes, which were filled with unwillingness and guilt.

His father truly had harmed him terribly. Back then, he had even dragged Lu Li into illegally crossing into Star Alliance Country, only for Lu Li's leg to be wounded by a border patrol and eventually amputated.

But when a man died, it was like a lamp going out. Lu Li held little resentment in his heart, only endless desolation—henceforth, in this foreign land, he was all alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~

After he pressed the call button, medical staff arrived quickly.

It was late-stage cancer. They only performed a symbolic attempt at resuscitation.

At this moment, an intellectual-looking Madam in a white coat approached and comforted him.

"Try to see the bright side. This may not be a kind of release."

This Madam was Laila, the attending physician. She took out a document and said, "Your father's body donation requires your signature..."

Lu Li politely declined. "There's no need for that. Please help me contact a funeral home and arrange cremation."

Doctor Laila kindly reminded him, "Donating the body not only contributes to medicine, but also comes with a three-thousand-dollar subsidy."

Hearing "dollars" used as the currency unit, Lu Li found it strange. This place should be using pesos.

Doctor Laila explained, "Harvard University's biology laboratory is collecting Easterners' genes. You should seize this opportunity."

Harvard was a prestigious Star Alliance Country university, and three thousand dollars was a substantial sum.

But Lu Li directly shook his head. "No. I want to take him home."

His father had repeatedly said he had no face to return, but Lu Li knew that even in his dreams, his father wanted to return to his roots like fallen leaves.

"All right, if you insist."

Along with regret, Laila could not help feeling a measure of admiration. After all, not everyone could resist the temptation of such a huge sum, especially in extreme poverty.

If her extra care for Lu Li before had been because he was good-looking, now there was a little more sincerity in it.

Laila took the initiative to contact the funeral home and arrange the cremation.

Just as everything seemed ready to settle like dust, a brown-skinned local man and woman suddenly barged in.

Both were thick-faced and fierce-looking. One glance was enough to tell they were no good.

The moment Lu Li saw them, his expression turned grim!

The woman was named Heidi, and the man was Toby. They were mother and son.

Back then, in order to obtain Mexican citizenship, Lu Hongbing had entered into a fake marriage with this woman. She had then exploited her local connections to extort a great deal of his property.

Half of Lu Hongbing's cancer had been angered out of him by this woman!

Now that she had come looking for him with her son, she was clearly up to no good!

Sure enough, Heidi opened her big mouth and unleashed the piercing shriek unique to middle-aged women:

"The yellow monkey's corpse can sell for three thousand dollars! Where's the money!?"

Her son also glared viciously at Lu Li. His burly build and tattooed arms gave off an oppressive aura.

Though he was alone and outnumbered, Lu Li still stepped forward and said coldly:

"You divorced long ago. What right do you have to make demands now? Besides, I have no intention of donating the body. It will be cremated next, so stop wasting your time."

Heidi froze sharply upon hearing that.

In her view, people of the Yellow race were too weak and easy to bully. Even if they dared resist, they were no match for a local snake like her.

Yet this boy wanted to burn such a valuable corpse! Was he crazy!?

Heidi immediately shrieked in alarm, "No! Absolutely not! I'm the ex-wife, and I have my rights! No one is taking my money!"

Just as she was making a ruckus, heavy footsteps suddenly sounded. Four broad-shouldered hospital security guards surrounded them.

Clearly, Doctor Laila had called them.

She pointed at the mother and son, disgust written all over her face. "Throw them out!"

The guards placed their hands on the holsters at their waists and said coldly, "Please leave."

Heidi's face twisted with viciousness as she tried to continue making trouble, even intending to call over her brothers.

But Toby suddenly grabbed her and pulled her away. He obediently left, only casting Lu Li a deep look before departing.

After leaving the hospital, Heidi was displeased with her son's cowardice. "Toby, what's wrong with you!? That's three thousand dollars!"

Toby sneered and explained, "Mom, a living person is worth far more than a dead one."

The instant Heidi heard that, she understood her son's meaning. Her big mouth split into an ugly smile of greed mixed with excitement.