Free Web NovelChapter 164: Chapter 164: A Brother’s Fear
Xing Luoye still knelt in front of the empty grave. His forehead rested lightly against the cold stone. His breathing gradually became steady again, but his eyes were still red.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then he slowly sat back, his back leaning against the base of the grave.
"...Father," he murmured.
His voice was no longer full of rage. It sounded tired... almost lost.
"There’s something I want to ask you."
He looked at the grave, as if expecting an answer.
"It’s about that female... Yue Yue." He frowned slightly.
"She came from the empire. Just like her." His hands tightened into fists on his knees.
"But... she doesn’t feel the same."
He closed his eyes, remembering the way she smiled at the old caretaker, the way she looked at the city with shining eyes, and how she cooked in the kitchen like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"She looks simple. Too simple for someone from the empire," he muttered. "No schemes in her eyes. No arrogance and coldness at all."
He opened his eyes again and stared at the grave. freewebnσvel.cѳm
"...But I don’t trust it." His voice hardened.
"You always told us not to trust females from the empires. You said they would only see us as tools... or stepping stones."
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
"And you were right."
The air in the hall felt heavy. Xing Luoye swallowed and looked down at his hands.
"But... my brother..." His voice softened.
"Father, will she be good to him?"
The question came out quietly, almost like a child asking for reassurance.
"Luoguang... he’s different from me. He’s softer and kinder. He still believes in things like warmth and bonds."
A shadow passed through his eyes.
"I saw the way he looked at her tonight. The way he followed her through the streets like... like a newly paired male."
His jaw tightened.
"Father... will he be fine?" He stared at the grave, his voice trembling.
"Or will he face the same fate as you?"
The question remained. After a long pause, he continued in a low voice.
"You always told us about our race. You said that when a male of our bloodline falls for a female... he gives her everything."
His hand moved to his chest unconsciously.
"His heart." "His weakness." "And the thread of his fate." He clenched his fingers tightly over his chest.
"Once that thread is in her hands... she can either protect him... or destroy him completely."
His eyes grew darker.
"And if she betrays him... he will never recover."
A long silence followed. Xing Luoye lowered his head.
"I can endure anything," he whispered. "But I can’t watch my brother walk the same path you did."
His voice broke slightly.
"I can’t watch him fall apart because of a female from the empire."
He took a deep breath.
"So tell me, Father..."
He looked at the grave again, his eyes filled with conflict.
"Should I stop him?"
"Or should I let him follow his heart... and risk everything?"
The hall gave no answer.
Only the quiet wind moved through the arches, brushing past the flowers beside the grave.
Xing Luoye let out a soft, tired sigh.
"...You always leave me with the hardest choices," he murmured.
Xing Luoye still sat on the stone floor, his back resting against the grave. His eyes were half closed, but his mind was far from calm.
The moment he stepped into this place, the memories had started returning.
And now... they would not stop. His fists trembled. A faint sneer appeared on his lips, but it was filled with pain rather than mockery.
"...Pathetic," he muttered to himself. "I knew this would happen."
That was the real reason he avoided this place. Every time he came here, the past would drag him down like a dark ocean.
Every time, he would remember his father’s gruesome death... the moment everything in their lives had changed.
His chest felt tight. His breathing grew uneven.
Without another word, he reached inside his robe and pulled out a dark bottle.
The liquid inside glowed faintly with a deep blue color.
It was called Moonfire Brew... a strong fermented spirit made from rare desert fruits and energy crystals. In this city, it was the closest thing to something that could leave a person intoxicated.
He stared at the bottle for a moment. Then he opened it and took a long drink.
The sharp, burning taste spread through his throat and into his chest.
Good.
He wanted that burning feeling. He wanted something strong enough to drown the memories.
He drank again and again, and soon the bottle was half empty.
His vision became slightly blurred, and the tension in his body slowly loosened.
But the pain in his heart did not disappear.
Instead, it grew heavier.
"Father..." he murmured. His voice sounded thick and hoarse.
"You always said this stuff was useless." He let out a bitter laugh.
"But right now... it’s the only thing that helps."
His grip on the bottle loosened. The empty hall spun slightly around him.
The memories, the anger, the guilt, the loneliness... everything mixed together into one heavy weight pressing down on his chest.
His strength finally gave out.
The bottle slipped from his hand and rolled across the floor.
Xing Luoye slowly leaned sideways... and collapsed against the cold stone of the grave. His eyes closed.
***
Meanwhile, far away from the silent grave hall, the night market was still lively.
Yue Yue walked through the glowing streets with wide, curious eyes.
She was holding a small bag of trinkets Xing Luoguang had bought for her.
There were glowing beads, tiny crystal charms, and a small mechanical bird that could flap its wings.
Her eyes curved into a happy smile.
"This place really is amazing," she said softly.
Just then, a familiar mechanical voice echoed in her mind.
[New side mission triggered!]
Yue Yue blinked.
"Huh?"
A glowing screen appeared in front of her eyes.
[Side Mission: Win Over Villain No.2 - Xing Luoye]
[Objective: Sober him up and provide emotional support.]
[Reward: 30 days of life extension, random food items, and +1 skill scroll]
Yue Yue froze.
"...What?"
Her happy expression instantly disappeared.
"Emotional support?" she whispered. "For that bad tempered guy?"
She frowned.
"And what do you mean ’sober him up’? Is he drunk somewhere?"
The system did not answer. Yue Yue’s brows slowly furrowed. Something felt wrong.
She turned to look at Xing Luoguang beside her.
"Um... where is your brother right now?" she asked cautiously.
A strange feeling rose in her chest. For some reason, she suddenly felt a little uneasy.
