CHAPTER 87: CHAPTER 84 WANG JUN

After returning to the battle group base, Wang Xu directly applied for retirement, officially leaving the Genius Battle Group.

The Genius Battle Group was completely unaware that Wang Xu was already a Venerable, and his file still marked him as Tier Eight. After a brief attempt to retain him, the battle group finally agreed to his request.

"Phew..." Wang Xu exhaled a long breath, standing outside the Genius Battle Group’s gate, recalling how just a year ago he had entered the Genius Battle Group as a mere Tier Four trainee, at the very bottom level. Yet today, standing here once again, he was no longer the weakling he used to be.

Boarding the Flying Battleship, Wang Xu set off straight for the Seventh Safe Zone.

......

"Dad! Mom!" Wang Xu excitedly shouted as he pushed open the front door.

Wang Zhenguo and Lin Hui had just finished their meal and were watching TV. Upon hearing this voice, joy quickly spread across their faces.

"Xu’Er, Xu’Er is back!" Lin Hui hurried over, "Why didn’t you tell us earlier that you were coming back? I could have prepared better."

"It’s not good to make you worry too much, you should rest." Wang Xu said with a smile.

Wang Zhenguo was about to say something, but his expression suddenly changed, turning stern: "You little rascal, did you make some mistake and come back running?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Hui immediately asked, "Xu’Er, what did you do? Is it serious?"

"Dad, your son has been behaving well and isn’t always causing trouble." Wang Xu laughed.

Wang Zhenguo secretly breathed a sigh of relief, picked up his tea, and took a gentle sip, saying, "As long as you didn’t make a mistake, that’s good. How long do you plan on staying this time?"

"I’m not going back." As soon as Wang Xu said this, Wang Zhenguo spat out his tea and stood up in anger, "You haven’t done anything wrong, so how could you get expelled from the battle group! Tell me, what exactly did you do!"

The minimum training time for the Genius Battle Group is three years. Anyone who leaves midway is either voluntarily quitting or being driven out by the battle group. As entering the Genius Battle Group is already difficult, quitting voluntarily is even less likely. When Wang Zhenguo heard that Wang Xu wasn’t going back, he assumed Wang Xu had been expelled, and was furious.

"Dad, don’t get excited. I’m now a Venerable, staying in the Genius Battle Group is of no use to me anymore." Seeing Wang Zhenguo so angry, Wang Xu quickly explained.

"What?!" Wang Zhenguo was stunned, "You... you said Venerable?"

Lin Hui was also beyond surprised, holding her mouth and looking at Wang Xu with a face full of shock.

The word Venerable might be easy to say, but the weight it represents is immense. To Wang Zhenguo and his wife, a Venerable is akin to a divine figure!

"Haha..." Wang Zhenguo suddenly laughed, tears welling up in his eyes from joy, "My son has become a Venerable, a true Venerable!"

At this moment, Wang Zhenguo was so excited and ecstatic that he could hardly control himself.

He had never dared to imagine that Wang Xu would one day become a Venerable. It was too prestigious, like a star in the sky, unattainable. To them, even a Tier Four Elite Warrior was a big figure, let alone a Venerable!

Now, their son had truly become a Venerable, standing high and mighty. Wang Zhenguo was overwhelmed with joy, unable to speak coherently.

Lin Hui was stunned, her eyes reddening with tears, her body trembling slightly. She grasped Wang Xu’s arm tightly, asking in a strong voice: "Xu’Er, you are a Venerable, can you find your brother?"

Wang Zhenguo’s laughter abruptly stopped. Wang Xu’s brother, Wang Jun, had always been a sore spot in Lin Hui’s heart. Years ago, when Wang Jun got lost, Lin Hui wanted to go search for him, but the situation was too chaotic. For the family’s survival, Wang Zhenguo had to firmly hold Lin Hui back, choosing to abandon the search. This unresolved issue had blocked their hearts for decades, causing a pang of pain every time they thought about it.

"Xu’Er, can you do it?" Wang Zhenguo also asked with strong hope in his tone.

Lin Hui and Wang Zhenguo both stared at Wang Xu, waiting for his answer. They had waited for this day for so long, too long.

"Dad, Mom, I came back today just for this matter." Wang Xu took a deep breath and said.

The issue with Wang Jun not only troubled Lin Hui and Wang Zhenguo but also weighed on Wang Xu’s heart.

For years, Wang Xu had been searching for any trace of Wang Jun, but over ten years, with the passage of time and changes in the world, everything had become different. Finding one person among billions was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

But now Wang Xu had become a Venerable, his Spiritual Consciousness powerful enough to cover the entire Earth, and he was fully capable of finding his brother!

"Dad, Mom, just wait. I’ll bring my brother home soon!" Wang Xu said confidently.

Wang Zhenguo and Lin Hui both cried; they had waited over ten years to hear these words, and finally, their wait was over!

Afterward, Wang Xu returned to his room, took a picture of Wang Jun, and asked his parents for a few more photos before returning to the Ancient Battleship.

"Celestial Spirit, can you help me simulate what someone might look like ten years later?" Wang Xu asked.

"I can, Master, but I need relevant clues." Celestial Spirit replied.

Wang Xu took out his brother Wang Jun’s photo, "Will this do?"

"No problem!" Celestial Spirit smiled sweetly, and then the photo in Wang Xu’s hand floated up, enveloped in a green light, and a three-dimensional human image slowly formed.

......

In the slums of the Sixth Safe Zone.

Squeak—

The worn-out wooden door was pushed open, making a sharp noise.

A burly man in tattered clothing dragged his weary body into the house.

The house was dark and damp, with only a dilapidated bulb emitting a dim yellow light. The house was small, with all the rooms combined barely over twenty square meters.

"The kid’s dad is back." A simple woman with a sallow complexion came out wearing an apron, holding a basin of steaming water, which she gently placed at the man’s feet, helping him take off his socks and wash his feet.

"Lili." The man suddenly cried, "Dad, he’s gone."

The simple woman’s body trembled, her eyes instantly turned red, but she held back her tears and continued washing the man’s feet.

The man’s face was dirty; he wiped it casually, revealing a youthful and tender face.

"Dad raised me all these years, yet I couldn’t even protect his life. I deserve to die, I really deserve to die!" The man clenched his fists tightly, his nails piercing into his flesh, drawing blood.

"Wang Jun, I’m sorry." Lili’s tears fell in large drops.

She felt deep remorse. If it weren’t for her father’s severe illness, she wouldn’t have borrowed money from Wang Jun, and Wang Jun wouldn’t have gotten involved with those loan sharks. Wang Jun’s father wouldn’t have been chased and beaten by them, finally ending up bedridden, in grave condition.

As a result, her father died, and Wang Jun’s father died too.

They were unable to save anyone and instead owed a large amount of high-interest debt. Each day they delayed, the debt would increase. They were pushed to the point of selling blood, having tried every method but still unable to fully repay it.

"Waa~~" Suddenly, the sound of a baby’s cry came from the room. Wang Jun wiped his tears and said, "Lili, go check on our son. I’ll manage here."

The simple woman nodded and hurried into the room to soothe the continuously crying son.

What to do?

What should I do?

Wang Jun anguishedly grabbed his hair, his eyes bloodshot, nearly driven mad by the loan sharks. These heartless bastards had taken everything from them and still weren’t satisfied, now wanting his life. What would happen if he couldn’t repay on time?

Bang, bang!

Suddenly, a rapid knocking echoed through the door, startling Wang Jun.

"Li Lei! I know you’re in there, open the door for me!" A voice with the harsh tone of a drake called out arrogantly, "Open up now! If you don’t, I’ll smash the door down!"

It’s the debt collectors!

The simple woman emerged, terror-stricken, and Wang Jun was at a loss, not knowing what to do.

Bam!

With a loud noise, the old wooden door couldn’t withstand such force and shattered open.

Five hulking men marched in straight away.

"B-brother, wasn’t the due date three days from now? Why have you come today?" Wang Jun stammered, his eyes filled with fear.

"Hehe." The owner of the drake-like voice was an ugly man with a sharp-boned face. "Afraid you’ll run, so I came to collect some interest in advance... Yo, your wife’s quite a catch!"

Despite her sallow complexion and haggard looks, the simple woman’s figure was voluptuous and graceful, concealed under her thick clothes, but the ugly man noticed right away.

"Brother Seven... I’ll pay in three days, I have not a penny on me now, please spare me." Wang Jun pleaded.

The ugly man chuckled, "If you want to skip the interest, have your wife spend a night with me, and I’ll give you a few extra days."

Hearing this, the simple woman trembled all over, hiding behind Wang Jun, terrified.

"No! Absolutely not! Brother Seven, do whatever you want to me, but leave my wife alone, please, I beg you!" Wang Jun hurriedly pleaded.

The ugly man’s expression darkened, and he said coldly, "What Brother Seven wants, do you think you can refuse? Take her away for me!"

The hulking men behind him surged forward to capture the simple woman, who struggled fiercely but to no avail. These burly men were Tier Three Genetic Warriors, while Wang Jun and the simple woman were merely Tier One, without any ability to resist.

"Let her go!" Wang Jun’s eyes turned red instantly, and he shouted angrily, throwing himself at them.

"Hmph! Asking for death!" The ugly man, a Tier Four Elite Warrior, kicked lightning-fast.

A kick from a Tier Four to a Tier One was practically lethal. If Wang Jun took this hit, he would surely die!

"Wang Jun!"

The simple woman screamed shrilly, fighting wildly, her eyes filled with despair and terror.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a figure appeared out of nowhere, and without seeing him move, the ugly man’s eyes widened in shock. He hunched over, clutching his abdomen, and slowly fell to the ground.

"You all must die!" A cold voice spread through the room, and the temperature seemed to drop by dozens of degrees, as if everyone had fallen into an ice cellar, their bodies trembling uncontrollably!