Fang Daolong fell silent upon hearing Fang Ming's words.
Fang Ming stared intently at him.
If finding his parents was Fang Ming's obsession, then protecting Nann was his belief! He would not allow anyone to harm Nann, including his father, Fang Daolong!
"Do you want to hear the truth?" Fang Daolong hesitated slightly, reaching into his chest pocket and taking out a cigarette. He placed it in his mouth. "Speak," Fang Ming uttered.
"Sigh," Fang Daolong sighed, took a drag of his cigarette, and then slowly said, "Neither I nor the Principal would intentionally harm the Divine Child. She is our greatest trump card against Chang Sheng."
"How could Nann's current strength possibly contend with Chang Sheng? What exactly are you trying to do?" Fang Ming asked, frowning. Fang Daolong extinguished his cigarette and replied, "I don't know the specific methods. The Principal is making all the arrangements. I am only responsible for restraining Chang Sheng, preventing him from interfering with the real world."
"I will never let you harm Nann, absolutely not!" Fang Ming said indignantly. "Can you just scheme against others for your so-called plan? Moreover, I'm your son!"
"But it's for the sake of all living beings!" Fang Daolong said helplessly. He understood Fang Ming's feelings, but between the greater good and his own family, he chose the "greater good."
"Furthermore... furthermore, your involvement was an accident. As long as you abandon the Divine Child, you can still extricate yourself, and even thwart the plans of the person who gave you the diary," Fang Daolong sighed.
Hearing this, Nann looked at Fang Daolong and worriedly clutched Fang Ming's arm.
Fang Ming gently stroked Nann's head, giving her a reassuring look, then turned to Fang Daolong.
"Heh," Fang Ming let out a cold laugh. "Dad, don't you think what you're saying is absurd? For the sake of all living beings, you abandoned me for ten years!"
"Ten years! Do you know how I've lived for these ten years? I had no father, no mother, nothing. I survived solely on that shop until now, and I haven't even been to school!" Fang Ming said angrily.
"You bring peace to the world, but what do you bring to me? Now you want to take away the most important person to me. If you had ever considered me for even a minute, you would abandon this plan! I believe there are many ways to deal with Chang Sheng." The more Fang Ming spoke, the more wronged he felt. For ten years, he had grown up as a child. Others had parents and received love, while he could only rely on himself.
He had initially thought his parents were lost in an accident, but unexpectedly, they had run off to save the world without even taking care of their own family. What right did they have to be ridiculous saviors?
"You shut up!" Fang Daolong also became angry. "What do you know? Have you ever witnessed the horrific sight of your own loved ones being buried alive by rocks and mud? That despair, that powerlessness! Am I not doing this so I never have to see such a scene again?"
"So you abandoned your only son?" Fang Ming retorted with a cold laugh.
"I..." Fang Daolong was immediately silenced by the question. No matter how he put it, he had indeed done wrong in this matter.
When they left, Fang Ming was only about ten years old and hadn't even left him any money. To put it bluntly, Fang Ming's survival without starving was already a stroke of luck.
"No matter what, I will never let you harm Nann!" Fang Ming picked up Nann and turned to leave without hesitation. He was truly too disappointed in his father.
Fang Daolong watched Fang Ming's departing back for a long time, speechless, and finally sighed.
"Alas, I truly let you down in this matter."
After Fang Ming left, Fang Daolong went to a secluded corner and drew a rune. Soon, the rune responded.
"Mr. Fang, what are your orders?" a voice came from the rune.
"What stage is the Principal's plan at now?" Fang Daolong asked in a deep voice.
"I'm not clear about that. Should I ask the Principal?"
"Help me ask, ask right now," Fang Daolong said.
"Okay, please wait a moment."
After a few minutes, the voice came from the rune again: "The Principal said that it has reached the testing phase. Then, he asked me to inquire if the Divine Child has arrived yet."
"..." Fang Daolong hesitated for a moment before choosing to tell the truth, "Yes, I have seen the Divine Child."
"The Principal said that if the Divine Child is seen, we can proceed with capturing her."
Fang Daolong's expression shifted. After a long pause, he replied, "I understand."
He waved his hand, dispelling the rune, and rubbed his temples with a headache. Now that Fang Ming was involved, everything had become very troublesome to handle.
After much deliberation, he decided to consult Fang Ming's mother.
Meanwhile, Fang Ming, feeling resentful, thought about what to do next now that his parents were found.
Fang Ming stood there, frowning. Nann, seeing Fang Ming's unhappiness, reached out and touched his brow, thinking he was still angry about what had just happened.
"Fang Ming, don't be angry anymore," Nann said softly, trying to comfort him.
"I'm not angry anymore." Fang Ming relaxed his brow and smiled, stroking Nann. "I was just thinking about what we should do next."
Having found his parents and seeing them safe and sound, even living more comfortably than him, Fang Ming had nothing more to say. If they wanted to immerse themselves in their savior dreams, let them.
"Fang Ming, you won't abandon me, will you?" Nann's small face scrunched up sadly.
"How could that be?" Fang Ming smiled, tightening his arm around Nann. "If I were to abandon anyone, it would never be you, Nann."
"Don't lie to me, okay." Nann wrapped her small arms around Fang Ming's neck, nuzzling her little face against his somewhat rough cheek. "If you lie to Nann, Nann will cry."
"Lying to you would make me a puppy. Let's pinky swear!" Fang Ming freed one hand and extended his little finger.
"Pinky swear?" Nann was a little confused.
"This is a unique way for us humans to make a promise. After a pinky swear, whoever breaks their promise will become a puppy," Fang Ming said with a smile.
"I don't want to become a puppy with Fang Ming," Nann giggled, but she still extended her small hand and, mimicking Fang Ming, offered her little finger.
Fang Ming interlaced his little finger with Nann's.
"Pinky swear, cross my heart, hope to die, not to change for a hundred years! Whoever changes is a puppy."
"Ah? Only a hundred years?" Nann looked a little disappointed, her small face contorted with worry.
This made Fang Ming chuckle. "A hundred years is just a human saying. After all, in human terms, a hundred years is a lifetime. So, a hundred years here means a lifetime."
"Oh, I see." Nann looked enlightened. "Then let's do it again."
"Ah? Why?" Fang Ming was confused.
"Because I'm not human, I don't want to say a hundred years," Nann pouted and explained earnestly.
"Haha, alright, alright. Whatever makes you happy." Fang Ming laughed and extended his little finger again. This time, Nann took his hand.
"Pinky swear, cross my heart, hope to die, not to change for a lifetime! Whoever changes is a puppy."
"Hee hee." Nann suddenly giggled.
"What's wrong?" Fang Ming asked, puzzled.
"Nothing, nothing." Nann shook her head with a rosy face, but the smile on her lips couldn't be controlled.
Fang Ming smiled dotingly, then said, "Let's try to find a way to leave here next."
"Mmm, mmm." Nann nodded. "I'll listen to Fang Ming."
"Then let's investigate the mine owner behind all of this."
Fang Ming had a map and knew the locations of the higher-ups. Based on his experience in previous worlds, the ruling powers in a world were always connected to the vengeful spirits behind it to some extent.
With a direction, Fang Ming glanced at the map he had taken a picture of on his phone and then cautiously headed towards the area where the high-ranking officials lived.
The living quarters of these high-ranking officials were different from those of the ordinary miners. Their residential areas were concentrated above the mine, a location that was excellent in terms of both safety and comfort.
Along the way, they encountered many passing miners. Seeing Fang Ming carrying a child, they didn't ask much. Firstly, they didn't know them, and secondly, such situations occasionally occurred in the mine.
Couples with financial difficulties would sometimes bring their children to live in the mine during winter or summer breaks. While it wasn't a break period now, there were other reasons for bringing children. As long as they didn't disturb others' work, there were generally no issues.
Along the way, apart from encountering a few security patrols, there were no major problems. Fang Ming successfully reached the area where the high-ranking officials lived.
However, calling them high-ranking officials was actually just a few supervisors in the mine. The real managers rarely ventured into the mine; those big bosses were comfortably counting their money outside.
It was currently working hours, so there weren't many people in this high-ranking residential area. There were only two guards at the entrance and a few people who occasionally emerged.
To leave this place, this was no time for mercy.
"Nann, kill those two guards directly, and we'll go in to see what's happening." Fang Ming said in a deep voice.
"Should I kill them?" Nann sounded uncertain.
"Yes, kill them." Fang Ming nodded affirmatively. This was not the time to be a saint. Besides, these people were just figments of memory, not real humans.
Upon hearing this, Nann's intent moved. Two strands of hair suddenly appeared from the shadows behind the two guards, piercing straight into their skulls. Then, the hair writhed, instantly draining them dry, and finally, with a twist, the two guards turned to dust.