The outskirts of Sunset Forest.
Night had fallen, and only a few scattered stars twinkled in the darkness.
Beside a campfire, a man in a black robe was roasting fish. His face was weathered and covered in stubble, giving him a worn, defeated air. Even so, the imposing presence of a powerful man remained hidden within him. He glanced at the unconscious black-haired boy beside him, a trace of complicated emotion flashing through his eyes.
Then he returned his gaze to the campfire.
Flames roared within the fire. The man's eyes shifted slightly, and his vision suddenly blurred as several figures flickered back and forth within his pupils. His fist tightened a little. Suddenly, the boy's startled voice came from beside him. "Dad?"
After all these years, this was the first time Tang San had seen Tang Hao again. His feelings were particularly tangled. In his astonishment, he threw his arms around Tang Hao, as though trying to confirm that the man before him was real. "Dad!"
"...Little San."
Tang Hao's voice was low and deep. He reached out and gently stroked Tang San's hair, looking every bit like a father expressing affection for his child. Yet something unusual and complicated lingered in his eyes.
"..."
Although Tang San was a transmigrator with a mature mind, he still longed for familial affection. Tang Hao was the anchor for those feelings. A child's emotions gradually welled up in his heart. He released Tang Hao and lowered his eyes, speaking with some self-reproach. "Dad, I lost Xiao Yue."
"I know."
Tang Hao patted Tang San's back, his words and movements unusually calm. "That had nothing to do with you."
"..."
Tang San remained silent.
Then, as though realizing something was wrong, he abruptly raised his eyes to Tang Hao. "Dad, you know