Volume Four: Withering in the Human World, Chapter 314: Reunion

Let's go back to a short time ago --

"That's settled then, let's go too."

"Please be careful on the road, and make sure you successfully reunite with Ye and the others," Nid said.

"Okay... but why am I still wearing the same clothes? The clothes the Revolutionary Army provided for me are almost exactly the same as what I wore before."

A black leather jacket, a white cropped tank top, hot pants, ripped over-the-knee socks, leather boots, and punk-style accessories—almost exactly the same as before, but the fabric used is of much better quality.

"Hmm? Isn't this the style you wanted?"

"My original clothes were pieced together from various secondhand items I found online. Later, I got too lazy to alter them, so I've always dressed like this. It's not because I particularly like them... Actually, I could just wear your military uniform."

"That won't do. You haven't officially joined the military, so as a girl, it's better to wear clothes that show your personality."

Surprisingly, it was Uncle Brad who said those words.

Xiao Wu was taken aback, because this tall, burly man with a body as thick as elm wood didn't seem like the type to be very gentle with women.

"I thought you'd be a more rule-abiding person..."

"Children should behave in a certain way at each age; I used to tell my daughter that."

You also have a daughter.

But looking at his rugged appearance, I wonder what his daughter will be like? If she perfectly inherited her father's genes... Xiao Wu doesn't dare to think about it, but she still has to be polite.

"She must be very beautiful."

"... Um?"

Brad's expression changed, and he stared intently at Xiao Wu, his massive frame radiating an intense sense of pressure. Had he said something wrong? Did this man actually disapprove of his daughter's looks?

"Hey, Ms. Xiao Wu..."

Nid seemed to want to say something, but was interrupted by Brad's sudden burst of laughter.

"Hahaha, see? See? I told you! My wife and daughter are the most beautiful! You didn't believe me when I told you!"

Brad grinned so hard his face was contorted, his laughter brimming with pride and elation. Xiao Wu was completely bewildered. So this burly man was a doting father? A clueless dad and a clueless husband? Xiao Wu had grown up with her mother, who only subjected her to hellish training, and she couldn't quite understand this man's love for his family.

"I said, Brad, you go first..."

"Look, look! These are their photos, aren't they cute?"

He pulled out another photograph from his pocket, clearly one he kept close to his body. Xiao Wu closer to take a look; it showed Brad, who seemed a little younger than he was now, holding a mature woman in his arms, with a petite girl, not even ten years old, perched on his back. He wasn't exaggerating; his wife and daughter were indeed very beautiful.

"Yes, that's right, it's very cute." Let's just go along with him for now.

"Right? Right? I knew it! My daughter used to stick to me like glue, leaving me no time to be affectionate with my wife! Haha!"

"And now?"

"Oh? Now? My daughter has finally grown up and become sensible. She's grown her hair long, and although she's a bit rebellious, she's still very cute and popular among boys her age. My wife is also becoming more and more mature and charming, and her cooking is even better..."

As he spoke, Brad's smile seemed to freeze.

His voice grew softer and softer, and his eyes grew dimmer and dimmer.

"... Yes, our daughter is growing more and more beautiful, and our wife is becoming more and more gentle..."

"If they were still alive... right?"

Seemingly unable to bear it any longer, Nid continued, and the already somewhat awkward atmosphere immediately plummeted to zero.

"Yes... if I were still alive..."

After uttering those words in an extremely dry voice, Brad shook his head violently, as if trying to forcefully expel the negative emotions, before regaining his original calm and serious expression, with a hint of apology in his eyes.

"... I'm sorry, Nid, Loxue, even though so much time has passed, I still can't control myself when I think about them."

"No, it's my fault, I reminded you of them." Xiao Wu quickly apologized, but Brad just waved his hand.

"It's alright, it's not your fault. In fact, I'm quite happy to see my daughter's shadow in you... Well then, have a safe trip, I'll head back now."

After a brief farewell, Brad trudged back into the city. His imposing figure appeared so small against the vast wasteland outside the city, as if it might break at any moment.

"... So, what exactly is Mr. Brad?"

"I don't know if I've told you or not, but although Brad is a member of our Bredwich Family, he made a small fortune in business in his early years, so he lived a very comfortable life."

"I think I've heard of that. Although there was no initial conflict with the Vatican, because it's a capable member of your family, it feels like you were forced into the limelight."

"That's right. Brad is one of the very few people who officially joined the Revolutionary Army because of 'duty as a member of a revolutionary family' rather than hatred of the Vatican. I admire his spirit and courage in giving up a comfortable life for a great goal, which has also won him the praise of his comrades. However... reality is not so kind."

"His wife and daughters were originally ordinary people unrelated to the struggle, but they were implicated because family members joined the Revolutionary Army... is that right?"

"... I still remember Brad's appearance that day. When he saw the bodies of his wife and daughter hanging on the gallows, his wails could be heard for miles. Perhaps it was out of grief and anger, but from then on, he threw himself into the revolutionary work like a madman, repeatedly achieving meritorious service, rising from an ordinary cadre to the deputy commander of the 1st Division, Nid's right-hand man. Although it's been a long time, his reaction is still extreme every time his wife and daughter are mentioned."

"A man with a story... Bearing the sorrow for his wife and daughter, turning grief into motivation? That's remarkable."

"I have a feeling that you, Ms. Xiao Wu, aren't really that moved?"

"Well... I am certainly moved. Although I understand the pain of losing someone important, I haven't had many opportunities to experience family affection since I was young, so I don't really understand what it feels like to have the bond of blood severed."

"You have a story to tell too..."

"Enough of that, I'm off then?"

"Take care on your journey, and I wish you good luck in your military endeavors."

"Thank you... Oh, right, Nid, although my request was a bit rude, I still hope you'll seriously consider it."

Now--

There are many market towns surrounding Sadington City, where travelers and caravans often stop temporarily to prepare for their journey into the city and to conduct various transactions that would be inconvenient to carry out in Sadington City. Over time, these market towns have become a melting pot of all sorts of people, requiring caution to navigate—that said, they are perfect places to hide.

On the outskirts of a certain town, on the second floor of an old inn, the Seventh Division was chatting and laughing. Heaven knows whether they were passing the time or relieving the pressure of an upcoming major operation.

"--And then, the Blood Emperor shouted 'duang!' and that woman with so many lines fell down! So amazing!"

""""""Oh...""""""

"Then, the Blood Emperor shouted a vulgar curse, and the old man fell off his horse! Amazing!"

""""""Oh..."""""

"And what's more, isn't the Blood Emperor's left eye golden? The white of her left eye can also turn blood red! That's amazing! I even saw her shouting 'Eat the Evil King's True Eye' at the mirror once! It seemed to have a deeper meaning!"

""""""Oh...""""""

"I'm telling you, what kind of attitude is this?!"

Dorothy was quite unhappy to see that her comrades all seemed uninterested.

"I'm recounting the legend of the Blood Emperor! After all, I'm the one who brought her back~"

"We know how you feel... but... even the most amazing stories lose their meaning when you tell them."

"It's like a stand-up comedy routine, with all sorts of embellishments and exaggerations."

"The Blood Emperor will be speechless when he hears this."

"No way! The regimental commander and the others are just teasing me!"

Sasin, nestled in the corner, hesitated for a moment before speaking:

"How about you become a comedian after the war is over?"

"QAQQAQQAQ Even you are!"

"Always referring to Lady Blood Emperor, Lady Blood Emperor, it seems you've really fallen for her... By the way, Lady Blood Emperor and Miss Haoyue haven't arrived yet. At their speed, they should have arrived before us. And Xiao Wu hasn't shown up either—"

--Ding ding ding.

There was a knock on the door of the large room.

The members of the Seventh Division, who had been relaxed just moments before, immediately fell silent. Sasin gave a hand gesture, and the entire group quickly disappeared into the shadows, behind curtains, and anywhere else they could hide, vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

After confirming that everyone was hidden, Sasin asked, "Who are you looking for? Room service?"

There was a moment of silence outside, then an impatient tone emerged.

"Room service my foot... It's me, Urahara Sakura Dance."

"... Oh, I'll open the door now."

After being checked by someone with X-ray vision, it was confirmed that Xiao Wu was indeed outside; despite being the last to leave, she was actually in the second batch to arrive.

"Phew... Running all the way from Torres was exhausting..."

Xiao Wu plopped down on the empty recliner, stretching out her body. Although she kept saying it was tough, she didn't even break a sweat.

"Speaking of which, where are Ye and the Qipao Woman? Didn't they set off before me? Why haven't I seen them yet?"

"We're wondering the same thing... If this drags on, not only will the plan fall apart, but we'll also miss the Holy Spirit Festival, a grand event held every three years! And then we'll lose time that's more precious than life itself!"

"They're always like this, they mess up at crucial moments, but they always show up eventually... Ah, here they come."

The sound of footsteps approached quickly, but the person who made the footsteps barged in without knocking.

"You've worked hard, Blood Emperor —uh?"

It was indeed the person they had been waiting for, but something seemed off. The pink-haired girl and the black-haired girl were dressed in tattered clothes, and their hair was disheveled, making them look far less dignified than usual.

"Hey, Ye, Qipao Woman, what are you doing...?"

"We encountered some trouble on the way; it was an enemy attack."

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From morning until 1 pm was exhausting... I have to help the club recruit new members this afternoon. After posting this chapter, I'm going to go take a nap.

Upon inspection, it seems the Monthly Votes summoning spell isn't very useful QAQ... How much support do the people have?