"How could it be? I only sought out the farmer once I was sure of my resolute beliefs."

Master Tian chuckled softly, tapping his own temple, "I’ve long been a wild grass growing freely, beyond the boundary he can harvest. As long as my belief doesn’t falter, he’ll never be able to pull me back. And, in the end, I still have to thank him... It was he who helped me bind the ’shadow,’ allowing me to occasionally use my powers without worrying about backfiring on myself."

"So you agreed to Inspector Cheng?"

"No." Master Tian paused for a moment, then suddenly shifted the topic back, "Do you know why I never let you practice martial arts?"

"I know, you’re afraid that after awakening my powers, I won’t live long like you."

Tian Lei pouted, "But I can’t even awaken the shadow, maybe in my case, the genetic mutation stops, and I’m just a normal person."

"No, you’re special."

Master Tian’s gaze softened, with a trace of nostalgia, "When you were born, you instinctively wrapped yourself in shadows, probably because of the farmer’s influence on me back then. But later, your power receded, entirely hidden until now, but it hasn’t disappeared. Maybe one day when you face danger, it will suddenly erupt."

He sighed, his voice a bit heavier: "I’m afraid you’ll walk the old path I did, so I wanted you to stay in the safest place, never touching those dangers, just living as an ordinary, safe person."

"But..."

"But safety isn’t something you get by hiding." Tian Lei shook her head, but her eyes brightened, "If I hide in this building for decades and the infection tides end, what’s the point of living?"

"Yeah... Even I realized today, living like this, there’s really no flavor."

Master Tian touched his pocket, pulled out a cold beer, opened it, and took a sip.

The cold liquid slid down his throat but didn’t quell the heat in his heart.

"No matter how dangerous the outside world is, it’s better than being trapped in this tiny space. I’ve been trapped for over a decade, but the wild grass in my heart that longs to grow outside has never withered, just hasn’t found the right opportunity."

"So you want to join the caravan?"

"Depends if there’s a suitable opportunity." Master Tian burped, his wine-laden laughter dispersing in the cold wind, "A third-rate assassin like your mom, lives by luck, betting her life on everything, and as for me..."

"Top assassins rely on information, layout, and strategy..." Tian Lei quickly interrupted, covering her ears with a laugh, "You’ve said that 800 times already, my ears have calluses!"

"As long as you remember."

Master Tian laughed heartily, "Today, when chatting with that Inspector Li, I deliberately demonstrated my powers to probe him, and I was also probing him in return. But while he’s in the open, I’m in the shadows, so I ended up with the upper hand."

"Hmm... He should be a good person, just pretending to be indifferent, worried good people don’t live long. Unfortunately, the act isn’t convincing, doesn’t have the right aura."

"And Inspector Cheng? Is he a good person?" Tian Lei asked curiously.

"No." Master Tian shook his head straightforwardly, without a hint of hesitation.

"No?" Tian Lei’s voice suddenly increased in pitch.

"What, you doubt your father’s judgment?"

Master Tian glanced at her, "Why are you so anxious?"

"Uh..." Tian Lei stuttered a bit, "But didn’t he save my life, and yours too."

"Just because someone saved a life doesn’t mean they’re a good person."

Master Tian couldn’t help but smirk, "He’s not fully definable yet, regarded as neutral order. If surrounded by good people, he could do good deeds, but if surrounded by bad ones, he could follow suit without any psychological burden or question his choices."

"However, how to put it, people have a magnetic field, just like you... Always encountering those who indulge in little tricks and small gains. Inspector Cheng has a magnetic field that attracts good people. Even if he’s surrounded by bad people, they won’t like him or become his friends."

"Then what about the opportunity you’re talking about?"

"I’m betting on luck, hoping my luck isn’t bad." Master Tian felt his pocket but didn’t find a second beer, so he leaned against the brick wall, sighing with a wry, cunning smile like an old fox.

"Tch, and you say my mom is a third-rate assassin."

Tian Lei shook her head speechlessly, "Let me guess, are you betting that he’ll realize you were tricking him and ask you again?"

"Such harsh words, how did I trick him?" Master Tian’s smile remained, "Your mom saved me back then, betting I wouldn’t kill her to silence her. So I’ll try him too. Besides, I’m going out to risk my life, dealing with infection sources, Infected Bodies, Mutant Beasts, and dealing with those troublemaking kids outside. This job isn’t easy, and I could lose my head at any time."

"Also, the price he offered today is all vague. I want to see something more tangible, promises that would make Master Tian willingly help him."

"Such as?"

Tian Lei pressed on, but Master Tian didn’t answer further, just leaned against the brick wall, eyes closed, listening to the wind. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

From the crack in the window of the fifth floor, a man’s hoarse singing floated on the wind from a radio.

He sang:

"Life is like a ruthless carving knife, changing our appearance."

"Are we to wither before we bloom?"

"I once had... dreams!"

...