Chapter 349: So, Only Death Could Let Him Live On
Cen Tianjiao thought he must have drunk too much. Otherwise, how could he see his boss standing perfectly fine in front of him, even talking, without a single injury on him? He looked a bit pale, but that must be because of the alcohol messing with his vision.
Shi Zijin saw him staring blankly and thought he couldn’t hear him, which made his heart sink.
“Can’t you hear me?”
Cen Tianjiao remained dazed.
“I can hear you. Boss, do you need me to do something? Is that why you’re visiting me in a dream? Don’t worry, just tell me. I’ll get it done as soon as I wake up.”
Shi Zijin relaxed a bit and instructed, “I’m going out to take a look.”
Cen Tianjiao watched, mouth agape, as Shi Zijin walked straight through the wall.
…This liquor really packs a punch.
Under the night sky, Shi Zijin stood on the rooftop, marveling at the strange new sensation his state brought him.
He felt light and free—so light that a gust of wind could scatter him, yet he could gather himself back together at will.
He couldn’t touch anything, feel pain, smell odors, or sense warmth or cold. Hunger was a foreign concept now.
He could ride the wind, travel anywhere, glide alongside night birds, and merge with the moonlight.
This freedom was something he had never experienced before.
For half his life, he had been shackled by duty and responsibility. He couldn’t cry, relax, be undisciplined, or indulge his desires—not even for those he loved.
Everything he did was never for himself.
He had locked himself in the rigid confines of rules and morality. Every wound and drop of blood he shed was a sacrifice to duty and dignity.
As he gazed up at the night sky, it struck him—only in death could he steal a moment to truly live.
At least until his body was restored, he was no longer a Major General burdened with grave responsibilities. He couldn’t charge into battle or exhaust himself with endless missions.
For once, he was free.
He laughed—a carefree, exuberant laugh that even the stars seemed to notice.
That night, Su Tao didn’t sleep well. She kept feeling as though someone was watching her.
Trusting her instincts, she got up and checked around. Everything seemed normal—just Lingyu the parrot greeting her with a few “Good evening” squawks.
The cats and dogs were all fast asleep.
Even Lin Fangzhi was snoring softly behind his door. Reassured, Su Tao shook her head and went back to bed.
Maybe she was just overworked and on edge lately.
By morning, she had brushed off the strange feeling entirely.
Today, she needed to head out early to dig up a cache of hidden weapons. If she delayed any longer, Grandma Yu would nag her to death.
Dragging a drowsy Lin Fangzhi out of bed—since they needed his spatial ability—Su Tao noticed the heavy bags under his eyes.
“You can take a half-day off when we get back,” she said gently. “And I’ll find you an assistant to help out.”
Lin Fangzhi, ever eager to please, quickly shook his head. “I’m fine! I can handle it myself.”
His insistence only made Su Tao feel more sympathetic. Such a hardworking and loyal kid.
Ruffling his hair, she promised, “Don’t worry, I’ll have Wanwan find someone reliable to help you.”
As they prepared to leave, Su Tao asked casually, “By the way, did you notice anything weird last night? Like, did anyone sneak in?”
Lin Fangzhi blinked, confused. “Huh? No, everything seemed normal.”
Shaking off the lingering unease, Su Tao dropped the subject.
They met up at Taochi, Xu Qi, and the others before driving to the location Mu An’an had provided. In less than half an hour, they arrived at a seemingly unremarkable mound of earth.
“It should be here,” Mu An’an said, pointing at the ground.
Without hesitation, Meng Xiaobo grabbed a shovel and started digging.
Ten minutes later, the shovel struck metal. Mu An’an eagerly brushed off the dirt and, after some fumbling, pulled open a hidden entrance to an underground stairway.
Dust filled the air as everyone stared in amazement.
Even Mist was stunned. None of them had known about this stash. It seemed Tanyong, their former leader, had trusted no one.
Xu Qi, ever cautious, said, “Boss, Xiaobo and I will go down first to check for traps.”
Fortunately, their fears were unfounded.
In ten minutes, Xu Qi returned, his face a mix of disbelief and excitement.
“It’s safe, but… the weapons down there are strange—not like anything I’ve ever seen.”
That piqued everyone’s curiosity—especially Su Tao.
When Xu Qi pulled off the dust cover, a neat array of firearms glinted under the flashlight beam.
At first, Su Tao didn’t see anything unusual. But as she studied the weapons closely, a spark of recognition hit her.
They looked familiar.
Too familiar.
Her mind raced until, suddenly, the realization struck her like lightning—
They looked a lot like her crystal energy gun!
