Chapter 116: A Friendly Discussion

Lu Xin’s ears hummed, and even the scenery before him seemed to distort.

While Father raged and shouted, Lu Xin felt swept into chaotic currents, an inexplicable pressure building inside him. This sensation always stirred an urge in him to roar violently, to smash everything apart.

Father stared relentlessly at him, waiting for his response.

But Lu Xin merely frowned, silent, as if hearing nothing.

“If everyone died, who would pay the child’s wages?”

Mother spoke up then, smiling. Bathed in lamplight, she sat sideways on the sofa, both captivating and refined.

As she spoke, Lu Xin finally felt a semblance of calm.

Her voice continued softly: “If everyone died, who would maintain this city’s operations?”

“A hollow, empty city—would that be amusing?”

“…”

Father had no answer, but his breathing grew audibly heavier.

Even Mother’s voice remained gentle and rational, her lovely eyes resting tenderly on Father: “Really, we ought to be fair. Since we achieved something others couldn’t, why take away their right to fear?”

“Not everyone avoids the world like you. This world is better lived lively…”

“…”

“Crack…”

Father’s gaze locked fiercely onto Mother as his knuckles cracked, his arms subtly thickening.

Mother simply watched him with an unblinking smile, her gaze carrying a faint challenge.

Seeing them nearing conflict again, Lu Xin felt another headache coming on.

Truthfully, Mother couldn’t best Father in a fight, yet she constantly provoked him. Though she sometimes intimidated him, she rarely used that approach.

In fact, upon reflection, she seemed to employ it only when Father focused his threats on Lu Xin.

But this time, perhaps because it was a formal discussion.

Or maybe because they’d already fought savagely before Lu Xin returned.

This time, Father’s fury simmered without erupting into violence.

And after a provoking stare-down, Mother’s graceful eyes settled back on Lu Xin: “That said, let’s be truthful. I’m a reasonable woman, but you really do seem… fragile.”

“When they fled, you prioritized saving others—I understand that. What about now?”

“…”

Lu Xin grasped Mother’s implication. Now he understood why they hadn’t fought this time: their current stance was identical.

He sank into slight contemplation.

Instinctively, he observed Father, Mother, and Little Sister huddled beside him.

They seemed so vivid, so real—each distinct, each caring for the others in their own way.

…

“If you won’t be preyed upon, you must strike first!”

“They must learn—never provoke you…”

Father gnashed his teeth, bloodshot eyes drilling into Lu Xin as he finished.

“You’re a grown child with years of work behind you…”

Mother smiled softly at him now. “Kindness pushed too far… becomes a flaw, dear.”

Their message—one furious, one gentle—hammered insistently at Lu Xin.

And he found himself distracted, an odd Emotion sprouting within him.

…

“BIG BROTHER ISN’T WRONG!!!”

Just as Father’s anger flared and Mother gently criticized him, Little Sister’s head popped up in a shout.

Her voice pierced sharply, directed fiercely at both Father and Mother.

Both small hands clamped tight around Lu Xin’s arm, as though he might vanish any second.

“Oh?”

Mother turned to Little Sister, seemingly startled… then covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

Amid her laughter, her gaze quietly swept over Little Sister’s face, seeming somewhat subtle.

Yet Little Sister didn’t notice Mother’s expression; she stretched out most of her body and made a fierce face at Father.

“You stupid girl, silly girl, you understand nothing at all…”

Facing Little Sister’s defiance, Father suddenly exploded in rage.

He shouted savagely, his body jolting upright as he grew exceptionally tall; behind him, the single chandelier in the living room hung about two meters above the ground, and its light was blocked by his frame, casting a huge shadow.

The shadow enveloped Lu Xin and Little Sister, and as the light bulb swayed, the shadow rippled incessantly.

“What Big Brother did was not wrong.”

Little Sister felt a bit frightened and shrank back behind Lu Xin, but she murmured softly.

“Shut up!”

Father cursed fiercely, his anger seemingly growing.

He approached step by step, causing the shadow he cast to grow larger.

With his back to the light, only his blood-red eyes seemed visible at that moment.

“Don’t scare Little Sister.”

Lu Xin tightened his arms around Little Sister, who had curled into a small ball by his side, frowned, and spoke to Father.

Twisted, taut veins rolled beneath Father’s skin, but after hearing Lu Xin’s words, his palpable rage didn’t erupt; he merely turned naturally to look at Lu Xin sitting on the sofa, shielding Little Sister.

His voice was fierce and furious: “Even if you have work to do, are you just going to ignore yourself?”

“Those people nearly tore you apart, nearly shot you to mincemeat with bullets, and they left without a single word. Are you really going to not care like before? Are you just going to let them walk away so easily?”

“…”

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became rather subtle.

Mother heard this and just sat quietly to the side, smiling elegantly.

Little Sister seemed somewhat wary, tilting her head to gaze at Lu Xin’s profile.

Seeing her like this, Mother smiled faintly and said softly: “Of course, Big Brother isn’t wrong; he did just right.”

“Only, what we need to discuss now is what comes next. Those people have already done wrong by stealing that painting, and though others may think they came into Outside the City just for that, isn’t that too simple on second thought?”

“If they only wanted the painting, why did a Psycho-modified Human come to find you all at the start? Why was the Bomb detonated precisely in South District? Wouldn’t it have been more convenient to place it nearer the port?”

“So, what should we do?”

“…”

Little Sister listened to this, whether she understood or not, lost herself absentmindedly.

Mother smiled: “Besides, Outside the City is quite fun, and we haven’t been out there…”

Little Sister’s eyes also brightened slightly…

…

While the family discussed these matters lightheartedly and happily, Lu Xin stayed sitting quietly on the sofa.

For reasons unknown, a strange smile spread across his face.

He looked up and saw Father’s blood-red eyes, Mother’s elegant smile, and Little Sister’s intrigued excitement.

“You all speak reasonably…”

He nodded slightly, as if sighing emotionally.

“So you agree this time?”

Father remained silent for a moment before fixing his gaze on Lu Xin and asking quietly.

From that angry face, one could detect a flicker of excitement, even anticipation.

“One could say…”

After a pause, Lu Xin nodded gently and spoke in a low voice.

Buzz…

Perhaps because the building was too old and neglected, the voltage became unstable, causing distinct crackling sounds from erratic currents.

The chandelier bulb in the living room started flickering between light and dark.

This made Father’s shadow fall across Lu Xin’s face intermittently, mingled with complete darkness.

His expression became unclear—he might have been smiling, or he might have looked calm.

But his voice slowly surfaced: “I had already decided before returning home this time.”

“I came to seek you just to confirm if you would support me…”

“…”

Hearing this, Father’s expression, which held some anticipation, suddenly turned strange.

Then he stared at Lu Xin slowly, his mouth pulling into a wide, slow grin.

At that moment, his smile appeared remarkably similar to Lu Xin’s.

…

After an uncertain time, Mother stood up gracefully just as the voltage in the room steadied.

The light stabilized, spreading evenly across the small living room, bright and warm.

“You see, discussing things properly feels much better…”

Mother rose lightly and began her meeting summary with a smile: “So, it’s happily decided.”

“We… should go find them?”

“…”

Listening to her, Father gave a cold, silent nod.

Little Sister clutched Lu Xin’s arm as if waiting only for his opinion.

Lu Xin also nodded calmly; he loved reaching shared outcomes through such friendly and pleasant discussions.