Choices and Undercurrents
Lin Feng's parents stayed with him for a week in their rented small house in the provincial capital. This week seemed to stretch out deliberately, yet it also seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.
His mother, Zhang Fen, cooked him all sorts of delicious meals, as if she wanted to make up for all the losses of the past two months. Her eyes were always on him, filled with a cautiousness of having regained what she had lost and a lingering fear.
Lin Jianguo, the father, was still not a man of many words, but he would always quietly peel fruit for him or sit next to him, awkwardly trying to find topics to talk about, attempting to dispel the invisible barrier and pain.
The warmth of home was like a healing balm, slowly repairing Lin Feng's physical and mental wounds. But he knew he couldn't remain immersed in this fleeting tenderness forever. There were still unresolved issues in the world outside the walls, and a road he had to walk.
That evening, after dinner, Lin Feng poured a glass of water for each of his parents and calmly said, "Dad, Mom, you've been away for quite a while now. It's time to go back and visit things back home."
Zhang Fen immediately became anxious upon hearing this. "Xiao Feng, you've just come out and your body hasn't fully recovered yet. How can we feel at ease leaving you here alone? Why don't you... come back with us to recuperate for a while?"
Lin Jianguo also looked at his son, his eyes full of worry.
Lin Feng smiled, a smile that carried a maturity beyond his years. He had already prepared his explanation. "Mom, Dad, I'm fine. Look at me, I'm perfectly alright, aren't I? Besides, I still have to go to school. I've already missed almost two months, and if I don't go back soon, I'll fall behind. Don't worry, I can take care of myself."
"Going to school..." Zhang Fen murmured, her eyes filled with complex emotions. Of course, she hoped that her son could continue his studies and have a bright future, but the thought of him returning to the place where he had been wronged made her heart ache.
Lin Jianguo was silent for a moment, then sighed heavily and patted his wife's hand, "The child is right, he still needs to go to school. We... can't always be with him. Xiao Feng is growing up; there are some hurdles he has to overcome on his own."
Finally, after Lin Feng's repeated assurances and persuasion, his parents relented. The next day, Lin Feng took his parents to the train station. On the platform, Zhang Fen held her son's hand, giving him countless instructions, tears welling up in her eyes again. Lin Jianguo hugged his son tightly and whispered, "Be careful in everything... If anything happens, call home."
As he watched the train carrying his parents slowly pull away from the platform and eventually disappear from sight, the forced ease on Lin Feng's face gradually faded, replaced by a cold calm.
Go back to college?
The thought flashed through his mind, but he immediately dismissed it.
If he hadn't experienced this unexpected disaster, he might not have minded reliving an ordinary college life, graduating step by step, finding a job, and becoming just another ordinary person. But now, everything is different.
The school's silence is an attitude. From the time he got into trouble until he was exonerated, apart from the initial procedural cooperation with the investigation, the school authorities did not offer any public support for him, nor did they make any clear statement on the punishment of Sun Tingting, the accuser, and Li Jing, the counselor who was clearly negligent or even violated regulations.
This silence, to some extent, is a form of passive-aggressive tolerance. He doesn't want to go back to that place that chilled him to the bone.
The "eyes" in the library at that time were also a form of silent harm. *He couldn't believe that among so many people around, not a single person clearly saw the entire process of Sun Tingting's performance.
Perhaps some saw it but chose to remain silent; perhaps some harbored doubts but chose to ignore it because it didn't concern them. This silent majority formed the breeding ground for wrongful convictions. He had lost trust in and a sense of belonging to that environment.
More importantly, counselor Li Jing, the one who was supposed to protect the students, was actually one of the accomplices who pushed him into the abyss. Just thinking about her pacifying face, which was actually fueling the flames, filled Lin Feng with a cold disgust.
Moreover, he now possesses the "Deathsworn Summoning System." This is a power beyond common sense, a completely different path filled with infinite possibilities. With such a trump card, going through the motions of going to university, graduating and then scrambling for a job, becoming a "cog in the machine" that can be replaced at any time, having to be subservient to others, and struggling to make a living...
"Why bother?" Lin Feng silently asked himself. The existence of the system meant that he could no longer return to the life of an ordinary person. He needed a broader platform and a more secluded stage to use this power to achieve his goals, whether it was revenge or building his own kingdom that was not subject to anyone else's control.
Back in his temporary short-term rental apartment, his phone vibrated at just the right moment. It was an encrypted message from Zhou Wenyuan, inviting him to meet at a teahouse in the old town that offered a high degree of privacy.
In the mind link, Zhou Wenyuan's voice sounded simultaneously: [Master, have your parents been settled?]
"Hmm," Lin Feng replied, "We'll talk when we meet."
Half an hour later, in a quiet private room at the very back of the tea house.
Zhou Wenyuan had already arrived. He was dressed casually, looking less sharp and more composed than he had been in court. When he saw Lin Feng enter, he immediately stood up and bowed slightly in greeting.
"Please sit down, Lawyer Zhou, there's no need to be so polite." Lin Feng waved his hand and sat down opposite him.
After Zhou Wenyuan sat down, he took out an inconspicuous black handbag from his briefcase, pushed it in front of Lin Feng, and whispered, "Master, there's 500,000 yuan in cash inside. You've just come out and need money for various things, so this is just for temporary relief."
Lin Feng didn't refuse and nodded. He did need cash. Although he could command other assassins to transfer money to him regularly through his consciousness, frequent and unexplained inflows of funds could easily attract the attention of the banking regulatory system. If it were defined as money laundering or illegal fundraising, it would be a big problem. Moreover, he didn't want to expose his mysterious connection with these assassins scattered across various industries too early.
"Thank you, that's very thoughtful." Lin Feng placed the bag at his feet. "For the follow-up funding, we need to find a more secure channel."
"This is exactly what I wanted to discuss with you." Zhou Wenyuan's expression turned serious. "Direct transfers are too risky. I suggest we establish an offshore foundation or investment company. The structure can be more complex, using multi-tiered holding companies and legitimate business transactions to legally transfer funds to your domestic account under the guise of 'investment returns' or 'consulting fees.' Although it requires time and technical expertise, it's much safer and more discreet."
Lin Feng pondered for a moment, "Okay, you'll take the lead in handling this matter. Just tell me what resources you need."
"Understood." Zhou Wenyuan replied, then asked, "Master, regarding your plans for the future... do you intend to rest for a while first, or..."
Lin Feng picked up the teacup in front of him, took a small sip, and looked out the window at the gray-tiled roofs of the old town through the rising steam.
"Rest?" He shook his head slightly. "It's not time to rest yet."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable decisiveness.
"I won't go back to university. It has lost its meaning for me."
"Zhang Qian and Presiding Judge He will be dealt with internally by the organization, but this 'justice' has come too late and is far too lenient on them."
"Sun Tingting has gone into hiding, but this isn't the end of the story."
"And that counselor, Li Jing... and everyone else involved in this miscarriage of justice, whether they fueled the flames or stood by indifferently..."
He put down his teacup, his fingertips tapping lightly on the cool rim.
"Lawyer Zhou, tell me, what would happen to me if I didn't have you, didn't have all of you?"
Zhou Wenyuan paused for a moment, then said frankly, "... most likely, I'll spend three years in prison, and my life trajectory will be completely changed."
"Yes." Lin Feng smiled, but there was no warmth in his smile. "So, a mere 'acquittal' is not the end."
He looked at Zhou Wenyuan, his eyes deep. "This world sometimes doesn't play by the rules. Since they broke the rules first, I don't need to be bound by them anymore."
"I need a completely new identity, a starting point that won't attract anyone's attention. As for the funding, do it your way—quickly and safely."
"At the same time, use all your resources to continue digging deep into Zhang Qian and Presiding Judge He's secrets. I need to know all their secrets, all their shady dealings. Not just this case, but everything they have!"
"Find the whereabouts of Sun Tingting and Li Jing, and keep a close eye on them."
"In addition, I need a reliable team framework capable of handling some 'special' tasks. It doesn't necessarily need to be formed immediately, but a solution needs to be developed first."
His series of plans were clear and calm, showing that he had thought them through carefully.
Zhou Wenyuan listened attentively and took notes. "Yes, Master. I will implement it as soon as possible."
He knew that the young man before him had been completely transformed after undergoing a baptism of fire. He was no longer Lin Feng, a college student passively accepting his fate, but a behind-the-scenes player who was about to stir up a storm.
As Lin Feng emerged from the teahouse, dusk was approaching. He strolled through the old town's streets, carrying the bag containing the money. The setting sun cast a long shadow over him.
He glanced back at the university campus that still stood in some corner of the city, his gaze devoid of lingering affection, only filled with a cold resolve.
Goodbye, or rather, never to be seen again.
His path lies in another direction. It may be filled with thorns and darkness, but at least his destiny will be in his own hands.