Unrivaled Soldier in the City

Lin Kuang knew nothing about the history between Huang Liang and Zhao Feng. As for a lackey like Huang Liang, Lin Kuang couldn’t be bothered with him. Besides, he was extremely anxious right now, so how could he have time for such a person?

Upon leaving the airport, Lin Kuang looked toward his home. After a year, I, Lin Kuang, have finally set foot on this land once again. I’m back!

Lin Kuang murmured to himself and hailed a taxi, heading straight for the Lin Family’s courtyard house.

Learning of Lin Kuang’s return, his father, Lin Guodong, didn’t go to work today. Instead, he stayed home waiting for his son. After all, father and son hadn’t seen each other for over a year. As a father, how could Lin Guodong not miss him?

The old man was also in a good mood today. He sat in the rocking chair in the courtyard, squinting as he watched the front gate, while Lin Guodong stood beside him.

"Guodong, when do you think that little rascal will be back?" the old man asked, his eyes narrowed to slits.

"Soon, I think. He should be here by noon," Lin Guodong said with a smile.

"Mhm. It’s been over a year. I wonder what that little rascal looks like now," the old man said kindly, his tone lacking any severity. He looked just like any ordinary old man in the twilight of his years.

Hearing this, Lin Guodong couldn’t help but picture Lin Kuang. As he thought about it, he realized he had never once taken his son on an outing. It seemed his son had always been in a military uniform. At this thought, Lin Guodong felt a prickle in his nose, and his eyes began to redden.

"Come on now, you’re a grown man. Are you going to start crying?" the old man chuckled, not even looking at Lin Guodong, yet seeming to know he was on the verge of tears.

"Right, I can’t cry. If that boy saw me, he’d surely laugh at me," Lin Guodong said with a laugh of his own, the redness in his eyes slowly fading.

Around half-past ten that morning, a taxi stopped at the gate of the courtyard house, and Lin Kuang stepped out. Gazing at the familiar courtyard and the familiar gate, his eyes instantly welled up. The moment he stepped through the entrance and saw the old man and the middle-aged man under the old locust tree, he could no longer control himself.

Tears streamed down his cheeks, splashing onto the bluestone slabs below. He didn’t even know how he crossed the distance, but suddenly he was standing before the old man and Lin Guodong.

"Grandfather, I’m back. Father, I’m back. I’m sorry."

Lin Kuang bowed deeply, tears flowing ceaselessly down his face. An overwhelming sense of remorse and guilt surged through him, making his heart ache with excruciating pain.

Looking at his grandfather, who was emaciated and in the twilight of his years, at his father standing all alone, and at the nearly lifeless courtyard, Lin Kuang was overcome with sorrow. In the vast courtyard house, there were only his grandfather and his father. The only other people were the caretaker and Guards hired by the state for the old man.

As for the word "mother," Lin Kuang had never said it. For as long as he could remember, the word had been completely foreign to him.

Seeing Lin Kuang sobbing uncontrollably, both the old man and Lin Guodong felt a sharp pain in their hearts. This was especially true for Lin Guodong. Seeing his more mature son, his heart felt as if it were being twisted by a knife, and his eyes instantly reddened.

"You silly boy, what are you crying for? Your grandfather isn’t dead yet," the old man scolded with a laugh.

"No, you won’t! You won’t, Grandfather! You’re not going to die!" Lin Kuang looked up and said hastily. Seeing his grandfather’s increasingly aged face filled him with immense heartache.

"Death? What’s there to be afraid of? Everyone dies sooner or later. What’s so special about me? Come here, you rascal, let your grandpa have a look at you," the old man said with a smile, getting up from his rocking chair.

Lin Guodong moved to help him, but the old man waved his hand away, signaling it wasn’t necessary.

Lin Kuang just stared at his grandfather in a daze, while the old man looked back at him, a gentle smile on his face. Suddenly, the old man’s wrinkled, lusterless hand rested gently on Lin Kuang’s face, wiping away the tear stains.

"You rascal, the men of the Lin family are not allowed to cry," the old man said with a laugh.

Hearing this, Lin Kuang could no longer hold back. He threw his arms around his frail grandfather and sobbed uncontrollably. "Grandpa... Grandpa..."

Lin Kuang wept loudly, tears streaming down his face. With his own eyes red, Lin Guodong fought to control his emotions, afraid that he would start crying too. As Lin Kuang’s father, he didn’t want to cry. A father crying in front of his son—that was something Lin Guodong simply couldn’t do.

After what felt like a long time, the old man gently patted Lin Kuang’s back. "Alright, boy, stop crying. I’m not going to die just yet. I’m a tough old bird. King Yan can’t just take me whenever he pleases."

Lin Kuang nodded. His eyes, red and swollen like walnuts from his tears, made him look just like a child.

"Grandpa, let me check your condition." With his eyes still red, Lin Kuang left his grandfather’s embrace and gently took hold of the old man’s pulse point. He channeled his True Qi, sending a surge of it into the old man’s body to assess his condition.

When he sensed his grandfather’s physical state, Lin Kuang’s expression changed drastically.

The old man’s life force was nearly depleted. At most, he only had a few months left before he would leave this world. He also had numerous injuries, most of them old wounds from his youth. Medical technology wasn’t advanced back then, so many old soldiers were left with lingering injuries that became chronic ailments, and his grandfather was no exception.

Seeing the damage within his grandfather’s body, Lin Kuang carefully circulated his True Qi through the old man’s system. But it was no use. While it could heal some of the old, hidden injuries, it couldn’t restore his grandfather’s vitality.

In other words, the situation was hopeless. It wasn’t just him; not even someone far more powerful could do anything, because the old man’s life force was all but extinguished.

At this thought, Lin Kuang almost started crying again.

"Alright, that’s enough crying. You’ve finally come home. This is a happy occasion, so why are you crying?" The old man raised his palm, trying to keep his frail hand from trembling as he patted Lin Kuang’s shoulder.

Seeing this, Lin Kuang nodded, his eyes still red. "Alright, I won’t cry. I won’t cry."

"Mhm, that’s more like it. Guodong, ask Zhang to cook a few dishes and bring out a bottle of that wine I’ve been hiding. Lin Kuang is home today, and I’m happy. I want to have a little drink," the old man said, a benevolent smile blossoming on his wrinkled face.

"Yes, Father. I’ll arrange it right away," Lin Guodong replied, turning to leave.

Lin Kuang stood quietly beside the old man, placing his hands on his shoulders and beginning to massage them. With every movement, he infused a bit of his True Qi into his grandfather’s body. Although it couldn’t restore his vitality, it could at least make the old man feel a little better.