A Favor Used at the Crucial Moment

Around seven in the evening, sounds came from Mother's room. The door soon opened from the inside, and Wang Xiulan emerged, rubbing her shoulder.

Her profession was an apprentice tailor.

She had no resources.

She could not advance.

All she could do in the Source Realm was sew low-grade leather armor for others, yet she barely earned any money even after working all day.

She headed toward the kitchen and spotted Jiang Chuan watching television in the living room. The words reached her lips, but she could not bring herself to say them. She merely asked, "Son, what do you want for dinner tonight?"

Jiang Chuan turned around. "Mom, I want cabbage stew with glass noodles!"

Wang Xiulan studied his expression carefully. Seeing not the slightest hint of disappointment or defeat, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alright, I'll fry you some eggs too!"

"Dad isn't off work yet?"

Jiang Chuan asked.

Wang Xiulan said, "Him? How could he be willing to log off before dark? That stubborn ox temper of his—he never thinks about his back..."

As she spoke.

A bedroom door unlocked with a soft click.

His father, Jiang Mingyuan, stepped out. His not particularly sturdy body was slightly stooped, his hair graying, and his face carried a weariness that seemed impossible to ever ease.

Wang Xiulan found it strange. "Did the sun rise in the west? Why are you willing to get off work on time today?"

Jiang Mingyuan said, "Today is our son's awakening day. Of course I had to come back early and see him."

"Tch."

Wang Xiulan tapped the spatula in her hand and shot him a glare full of reproach. Hadn't they agreed not to bring this up?

Neither of them knew what talent Jiang Chuan had awakened.

But there was an acknowledged ironclad rule in the Source Realm.

It was called:

Bloodline degradation.

A child born to two A-rank Awakened had only a tiny chance of becoming an A-rank Awakened. More likely, they would be B-rank, or might even fall to C-rank.

His father, Jiang Mingyuan, was an E-rank warrior, while his mother was likewise an E-rank tailor.

Together, they had Jiang Chuan.

A child born to two E-rank talents was basically guaranteed to be F-rank.

There was little chance of any surprise.

Therefore.

Wang Xiulan had already guessed the answer before even asking.

Jiang Mingyuan did not seem to care. He said to Jiang Chuan, "It's no big deal, son. Just tell us. What talent did you awaken?"

Wang Xiulan immediately stopped what she was doing and looked over nervously.

Jiang Chuan gathered his thoughts.

"An F-rank Dismantler."

"A Dismantler?"

Worry filled Wang Xiulan's brow.

Jiang Mingyuan was stunned as well, but he quickly smiled. "A Dismantler is good. At least it's a lifestyle profession, better than a low-level combat profession like mine. When you get old and can't fight anymore, all you can do is mine. And even then, you won't mine as much as professional miners."

"Exactly."

Wang Xiulan quickly echoed him. "A Dismantler isn't bad either. We'll take it slowly. Once Mom saves up some money, I'll buy you a few Black Iron equipment pieces to practice on."

Jiang Chuan's heart immediately ached at those words.

He knew exactly what things were like at home.

A few pieces of Black Iron equipment would cost his parents several months' wages.

But he could not tell them that his talent was actually rule-grade—that dismantling equipment had a hundred-percent success rate and a hundred-percent recovery rate. He could take off just a couple of pieces of equipment and soar overnight.

"Alright, stop standing around."

Jiang Mingyuan gave Wang Xiulan a meaningful look. "Make another dish today. This is a good thing. We should celebrate!"

"Mom, I'll help you."

Jiang Chuan had wanted to help, but his mother pushed him out of the kitchen. "You're the big hero today. Go rest properly! Build up your energy and get ready to enter the Source Realm tomorrow!"

His father, Jiang Mingyuan, walked over to the sofa, picked up the remote, and changed through several channels before stopping at a Source Realm news station.

The television was broadcasting this year's overall Awakening Day results.

It reported things such as, "The overall quality of this year's Awakened has risen by three percent compared with previous years."

Jiang Chuan had no interest in any of that. He was considering whether he should visit the trading market tomorrow and pick up a few scrapped pieces of equipment to test his abilities on.

Then Jiang Mingyuan suddenly spoke.

"Chuan."

"Hm?"

"Don't take the Dismantler thing too much to heart." Jiang Mingyuan stared at the television, his tone casual. "Your dad may not be capable, but I'm not completely without connections."

Jiang Chuan tilted his head toward him.

Jiang Mingyuan paused, seemingly considering his words. "Do you remember me telling you that, back when I was still a warrior, I once saved someone?"

Jiang Chuan thought about it. "I think... I vaguely remember?"

"That man is the leader of a major battle group now."

Jiang Mingyuan's face remained expressionless as he said it, but there was a faint, barely noticeable pride in his voice. "Have you heard of the Blazing Fire Battle Group?"

Jiang Chuan froze.

The Blazing Fire Battle Group?

That was an A-rank battle group that ranked among the best in Tianyuan City!

Its leader was a fifth-tier powerhouse. Rumor had it that he had already touched the threshold of the sixth tier, making him an important figure throughout Tianyuan City!

"You saved him?"

Jiang Chuan could hardly believe it.

"He hadn't grown strong back then. He ran into danger in a dungeon, and I took a blow for him."

Jiang Mingyuan said lightly, "After he made it big, he kept saying he wanted to repay the favor. I refused. A favor is a consumable. Once you use it, it's gone. You have to use it at the crucial moment."

"Now is that moment."

Jiang Mingyuan finally turned to look at Jiang Chuan, his gaze earnest. "He has a daughter named Su Yao. She awakened this year too, just like you. That girl awakened an A-rank combat talent and formed a team. She's recruiting people right now, and the Dismantler position is still open."

"You mean..."

Jiang Chuan blinked.

"I want to get you in."

Jiang Mingyuan said, "Once you're in his battle group and following his daughter, you'll at least have a secure livelihood. You may not become rich and powerful, but you won't have to go down into the mines every day like your old man."

Jiang Chuan fell silent, not because he did not want to go, but because he suddenly realized something.

His father had held onto that favor all these years.

He had been unwilling to use it.

He had been waiting for this day.

Waiting for Jiang Chuan to awaken, then using this enormous favor he had kept hidden away to secure a path forward for his son.

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

Seeing him remain silent, Jiang Mingyuan thought he was hesitating. "Dismantler is a proper profession. As long as you can grow, you'll be useful. You won't be dragging anyone down!"

"Besides, once you join the Blazing Fire Battle Group, you'll have someone backing you. That's far better than those Dismantlers with no one to rely on!"

Jiang Chuan opened his mouth, wanting to say that he did not need anyone backing him. He himself was a mountain.

But saying that would be way too cringe.

Jiang Mingyuan would not believe him either.

So he nodded.

"Alright. I'll go."

The tension visibly left Jiang Mingyuan's face. He smiled, then patted Jiang Chuan's shoulder. "That's more like it. Now go help your mom bring out the dishes. After awakening, you're an adult now. Tonight, father and son are having a drink!"

The aroma of cabbage stew with glass noodles drifted from the kitchen, mixed with the rich scent of fried eggs.