Volume 1: The Fierce Tiger Leaves Its Leash Chapter 35: Dust Settles (Part 2)

  Ling Tianxiang had a very long dream, in which he and Wei Daming ambushed the US military camp together on a mountain road, rescued Yijie's father, and caught the traitor. When Ling Tianxiang pointed his gun at the traitor's head and pulled the trigger, he suddenly realized that the one who was shot was not the traitor, but Wei Daming. In front of him, Wei Daming fell into a pool of blood, staring at him with terrified eyes, refusing to close them in death.

  When he was startled awake, Ling Tian Xiang first saw his father sitting on the edge of the bed.

  "Dad, when...when did you arrive?"

  "Just arrived not long ago, came with your third uncle, just saw your eldest uncle." Huang Longfei helped Ling Tianxiang up and put a pillow behind his back. "Had a good sleep?"

  Ling Tianxiang forced a smile. "It's been a long time since I've slept so soundly."

  "Is it better now?" Huang Longfei's voice was always very low.

  "It's much better......" Ling Tianxiang suddenly stopped talking, his face also stiffened. "No, no way, Dad, where is Eldest Uncle? Where is Eldest Uncle?"

  "Stay still outside." Huang Longfei pressed down on his son. "Don't get agitated, whatever it is, tell Dad."

  "Dad, I didn't do it, it's impossible, it wasn't me." Ling Tianxiang was a bit incoherent. "No, no, it couldn't have been me, Dad, I didn't kill anyone, I didn't kill Zhang Guoting, he wasn't killed by me. Tell me, Zhang Guoting isn't dead, is he? He's still alive, right?"

  Huang Longfei did not answer this question. Lying can only serve as a comfort, and Ling Tianxiang will eventually know the truth of the matter.

  "It's impossible, it's impossible." Ling Tianxiang saw his father's expression and felt like a deflated balloon. "I won't, I won't kill my own comrades, I've sworn an oath, I won't kill innocent comrades. Heaven, I actually killed my own comrades, killed my own battle brothers."

  Watching his son's abnormal behavior, Huang Longfei felt as if a knife was cutting through his heart, and his pain was no less than Ling Tianxiang's.

  "Damn it, damn you, damn your mother, damn your sister! Ling Tianxiang suddenly started slapping his own face, "Damn it, you're really a damn idiot, you son of a bitch, you're not even human..."

  "Tianxiang..." Huang Longfei immediately grabbed his son's hands, "Tianxiang, there is no use in doing this, Zhang Guoting is already dead, and it's not your fault either."

  "No, it was my fault, I was the one who killed him, I was the one who killed him with my own hands!"

  "You didn't mean to kill him, it's all a misunderstanding, you had no idea you'd hurt him, let alone that the bullet would hit him!"

  "No...no..." Ling Tianxiang suddenly hugged Huang Longfei's shoulders. "Dad, I'm a bastard, I'm a bastard, I was wrong, everything I did was wrong!"

  Huang Longfei also tightly hugged his son. Although the two of them had different blood flowing through their veins, at this moment, Huang Longfei truly felt how lonely and helpless his son was, just like when he brought him home twelve years ago. Although Ling Tianxiang had now become a strong warrior, in his heart, he was still so fragile. It was just like a walnut - once the hard shell was cracked open, it revealed the fragile interior.

  After crying for a while, Ling Tianxiang also calmed down. Huang Longfei's emotions also subsided, and he let his son lie on the bed.

  "Tianxiang, do you believe in Dad?"

  Ling Tianxiang simply nodded and stared blankly at the ceiling with his eyes devoid of spirit.

  Huang Long hesitated for a moment, then decided that he should tell his son everything. "I've discussed it with your uncle and third uncle, and after all that's happened, you should also change your environment and take a good rest."

  "What else did Grandpa say?" Ling Tianxiang's voice became very hoarse and cold, so cold that it gave Huang Longfei a chill.

  "Actually..." Huang Longfei didn't know how to start. "Actually, I think your uncle and third uncle also believe that a change of environment would be beneficial for you."

  "Must I leave the army?" Ling Tianxiang turned his head, looking at his father, his eyes no longer as spirited and not focusing on a single point, as if he was staring at a very distant place.

  Huang Longfei nodded slightly. "And after all that's happened, we think you should change your identity, in other words..."

  "I know that in the past, several of our squad's brothers have disappeared like this." Ling Tianxiang didn't show any surprise. "What else did Big Brother say?"

  "Tianxiang, you can't blame your uncle, actually he also..."

  "Dad, I won't blame Uncle for this. These troubles are all caused by me, and I must take responsibility. Even if I receive the severest punishment, I won't resist." Ling Tianxiang choked back a sob, "Moreover, releasing me without charges is just a matter of changing my name and surname. Besides, I haven't had a vacation in years, so having the chance to relax and rest isn't a bad choice either."

  "Tianxiang, I know what you're thinking, we've discussed it before, and for you, changing your living environment would be a bit better."

  "Dad, I understand, just don't say anything more." Ling Tianxiang let out a breath of air. "Also, can you help me with something?"

  Huang Longfei immediately nodded.

  "I want to help Zhang Guoting's family, I heard that he has a son who is not yet two years old. Moreover, his hometown is in the countryside and the family conditions are not good, the whole family relies on his allowance to live..."

  "Don't worry, I've already arranged this matter, I'll let Minghan brother be in charge, there won't be any problems."

  "That's good, I'll pay you back later."

  "Silly child, still arguing with your old man about these things? You'll probably never be able to repay them in this lifetime." Huang Longfei immediately shut his mouth, "Alright, let's not talk about these things. Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? Today, Dad will treat you."

  "Whatever, how long did I sleep?" Ling Tianxiang said as he got up from the bed.

  "It's been at least half a day." Huang Longfei stood up, "Let's go call your uncle and third uncle, find the best restaurant in town to have a good meal."

  Ling Tianxiang put on his coat and followed his father to the large hall outside. As soon as Zhou Guohui and Wang Yilin saw him, they immediately noticed that Ling Tianxiang had undergone some kind of change, a change that neither of them could describe. The two men then became worried, unsure whether this change was for better or worse. However, they quickly found their worries to be laughable - after all, Ling Tianxiang was only a 23-year-old young man who had experienced such a huge life upheaval; if he hadn't undergone some kind of change, that would have been strange indeed. Moreover, regardless of whether this change was good or bad, it was impossible to make a definitive judgment at present.