Su Cheng once again heard the sounds of arguing and shoving.
Something rolled onto the floor and shattered, and the basement door rattled loudly.
The man kept cursing, spewing all kinds of nasty profanities. After Gerald said those few words, he just listened in silence.
"It's all because of that bitch from the Empire!"
The man grew angrier as he spoke, beginning to speak incoherently, "What kind of evil magic did she use on you to make you defend her like this—"
"She is my friend!" Gerald interrupted him. "She respects me, supports me. When I help her, she says thank you. She treats me like a human being, and she never brings up Arthos in front of me!"
By the last sentence, he was almost screaming at the top of his lungs.
"You bastard, that's your brother!" the man said angrily. "How can you be jealous of him? How can you be so narrow-minded and selfish—"
"Wait a minute," Su Cheng couldn't hold back anymore and stepped forward. "Putting everything else aside, is he not allowed to be jealous? A father treats his two sons so unfairly, taking one's research results to give to the other. Since you have some money, you must have had some contact with the upper circles of Yasuo. Don't you know that as long as someone has enough strength, they don't need to be socially adept or smooth-talking? How many famous mages and warriors have eccentric, antisocial personalities and lack social skills? Yet they still gain both fame and fortune and are highly respected. I don't believe you don't even know this; you're just making excuses for your favoritism. Is he really your biological son?"
She had only spoken out of a momentary inability to suppress her emotions, saying a few extra words, but unexpectedly, she caught a subtle emotional change on the man's face.
Guilt.
The panic of having a lie exposed.
Although it was only for a brief moment, the other party covered it up very well.
Su Cheng narrowed her eyes. "...What's with that expression? Are you feeling guilty? Did I hit the nail on the head?"
Actually, this was also a bit strange.
Although this man couldn't be very old, his lack of cultivation led to poor skin condition, making him look quite elderly.
However, the shape of the eyebrows and eyes of this father and son were almost exactly the same.
Su Cheng turned her head to look at Gerald. "Does your father have any siblings?"
The latter stood there blankly, seeming to have fallen into a daze from the moment she started speaking.
"Huh?" Gerald slowly snapped back to reality. "I had an uncle, but he died many years ago."
Su Cheng blinked. "How many years is 'many years'? Is it around twenty years?"
"Shut up!" The man reacted, trembling with anger, his face deathly pale. "What nonsense are you spouting?! Why are you trying to drive a wedge between us? I raised him! Which part of his food and clothing didn't come from my money! Do you know how much this house costs?! The money to hire those teachers and mercenaries for him—"
Su Cheng rolled her eyes at him. "If he's your biological son, setting everything else aside, isn't feeding and clothing the child you raised perfectly natural? It's not like he begged you to give birth to him. Is this really something worth yelling about?"
She turned back to Gerald. "Your uncle didn't happen to die eighteen or nineteen years ago, did he? You might as well go ask the neighbors..."
"Shut up! You shut up!" The man screamed like a madman, lunging forward to grab her. "You filthy, rotten-hearted bitch, I'll kill you—"
Su Cheng hadn't been cursed at like this in a long time either. Annoyed for a moment, she reflexively threw a wind blade.
Then she forgot that this was a person without the protection of a tough battle aura.
The blonde man's mouth was sliced open by the wind current, tearing through bone and flesh all the way to the back of his head, carving a deep trench through a small half of his skull.
Blood splattered onto the wall.
The curses were caught in his throat as the bloated body swayed and collapsed, hitting the floor with a dull thud.
Su Cheng: "..."
She hadn't intentionally struck hard; against an ordinary low-to-mid-tier warrior, this would have only left a deep bloody scratch on the face.
Su Cheng silently looked at Gerald. "Anyway, what I said before is still valid, and I still suggest you give it a try."
The blonde youth looked at her in disbelief, then looked at the person on the ground, the expression on his face changing several times.
He seemed to want to say something but didn't speak, just silently hoisted his father's body onto his shoulder. "I'm going to the Holy Church's temple. There are some things I need to figure out."
Su Cheng nodded.
Not long after Gerald left the house, she quickly packed her things, left a letter, and also departed from the small cabin.
Even after spending many days with the future God of Jealousy, she still couldn't figure out his temper.
She originally wanted to learn more from him, but now that she had done something like this, she didn't know what he would think.
If he suddenly got upset and decided to kill her one day, that would be quite troublesome.
Su Cheng already knew the general direction of the Holy Church's temple, and Gerald's parents' residence was also over there.
She decided to travel in the opposite direction. Going outside, she boarded a small boat, preparing to head to the heartland of the principality.
As the small boat navigated through the rippling waterways, exclamations rang out from a bridge on the shore. Following the shouts, she turned her head to look.
Several young people were riding past on horseback, and the blonde young man leading them happened to turn his head as well.
Su Cheng's gaze paused.
The man was tall and slender, with blonde hair like the rising morning sun, eyes as green as emeralds, and a rather beautiful face with flawless features.
However—
In a sense, it was also a face that one would forget immediately after seeing it.
He was indeed very handsome, but he lacked any distinct characteristics. To someone who had seen plenty of beautiful people, he only offered a fleeting sense of amazement.
Su Cheng took the boat to the port, inquired about the ship schedules, and casually bought a ticket to Thornwick.
The ship had already started calling for boarding. She followed the crowd up and didn't go inside the cabin, just stood on the deck, staring blankly at the calm sea.
The shipping industry of the Anser Principality was extremely developed. Many ships had magical enhancements or alchemical devices, making their sailing speeds much faster than imagined.
After only about three or four hours, they arrived at the transit point.
She followed the crowd off the ship and walked into a lively-looking tavern.
There were many passengers waiting for their ships inside. It was almost full, noisy everywhere, and the air was mixed with the smell of alcohol and fish.
She bought a bag of fried calamari rings and a baked pie, wandered around for a while, and finally managed to grab a just-vacated seat in the corner. She picked up the dipping sauce on the table and sprinkled it into her bag.
The space in the tavern was cramped, with tables and chairs close together. Not long after she sat down, someone arrived at the next table, and the backs of their chairs inevitably rubbed against each other.
"...Sorry."
The person said in a low voice.
Su Cheng didn't think much of it, casually replied that it was fine, and subconsciously glanced at the person.
He was a tall man draped in a thick, dark coat, though his lean figure was still noticeable. Messy black curly hair almost covered his face.
His side profile had sharp angles, but he looked a bit unkempt, with stubble around his mouth. His eyes and eyebrows were almost entirely hidden by his hair, leaving only the sharp tip of his nose visible.
Su Cheng: "..."
She wasn't staring at the man who looked like a vagrant out of some unbearable thirst. Mainly, she just found him familiar.
The man sharply turned his head, and through the messy hair hanging over his eyes, his deep, dark gaze locked onto her.
Su Cheng could see his eyes clearly. In the shadows, his irises were a deep crimson, like dusty garnets. His gaze carried a sense of vigilance and wariness, like a startled beast.
Su Cheng suddenly realized who he was.
Wondering how things could be such a coincidence, she pulled a few gold coins and a handful of silver coins from her pocket.
The man continued to stare at her, as if terrified she might make a sudden move.
Su Cheng didn't sense any magic from him. He had a bit of battle aura, but it didn't seem very strong. Even the patrol knights she had encountered on the street a few days ago were stronger than him.
"...Speaking of which," Su Cheng said in a low voice, "that person was also my enemy, so consider this a thank you."
Saying that, she placed the money on the man's table, then stood up and left.
Su Cheng continued her journey by boat until she arrived at Thornewick.
This was a bustling city in the central part of the Anser Principality. Endless docks occupied the coastline, where many medium and large ships were moored, while others were still under construction.
Groups of workers toiled on the ships' hulls, mages were casting spells to enchant them, and the horns of departing vessels echoed across the sea.
She saw dwarven engineers repairing cranes—massive structures of steel and wood driven by magic crystals that turned gears and cables. They hoisted tons of ore and the carcasses of sea monsters, transferring them from cargo ships to the railcars on the pier.
The shore was bustling and noisy. She hadn't walked far before vendors with baskets and carts approached her, eagerly pitching their wares.
Su Cheng struck up a conversation with one who looked friendly and talkative, buying a bag of dried fish in passing while asking about good sweets.
Seeing her generous spending, the vendor immediately began to chatter endlessly.
"By the way," Su Cheng said, feigning casualness, "I was chatting with a local on the boat earlier, and she mentioned that somewhere around here—or in one of the neighboring towns, anyway—there's a place called the Red Oak Tavern? Supposedly, a pastry chef there makes delicious jam pies?"
The vendor paused. "I think I've heard of that..."
She thought hard for a while but couldn't come up with an answer.
Su Cheng wasn't discouraged. There were plenty of small vendors here anyway; as long as she wandered around the commercial street with food in hand, the snack sellers would come to her.
After asking around a few more times, she finally got her answer.
"Aha! The Red Oak Tavern, is it the Holloway family's shop? I know it! My father's family is somewhat related to them, though that's..." a young man selling sugar balls said. "Oh, right, their pies and cakes are even sold in the city! Of course, their roast meat and ale are pretty good too. If you want to go, head out the west gate and look for White Bay Town. Make sure you go to the furthest one—there are three towns with that name. There will be signs on the main road..."
Su Cheng saw many wanted posters in the streets and alleys, featuring various faces. The face of a certain future deity was still mixed among them.
She looked at a piece of paper fluttering into a puddle of dirty water, turned around with mixed feelings, and hit the road.
The salty smell of seawater in the air was gradually replaced by the scent of damp earth and fragrant plants.
White Bay Town was situated on the outer bend of a winding river. The terrain here was flat and open, forming a calm and expansive body of water perfect for mooring medium-sized river barges.
The small town was backed by lush green rainforest hills. Dozens of piers built from thick logs extended into the river, where various lumbers and herbs were waiting to be shipped to the city, along with crates of unrefined, dirt-caked ore.
Su Cheng strolled through the town and quickly found the Red Oak Tavern at the end of a bluestone-paved street. A sign carved with a cat hung above the door.
It wasn't mealtime, so the main hall wasn't very crowded. Only a few workers were drinking in the corner.
Surprisingly, there was no one behind the counter.
Su Cheng stood there for a moment before slowly making her way toward the kitchen.
Firewood burned in the stone hearth, a thin layer of smoke drifted above an iron pot, and a person stood at the prep table, rolling out butter dough.
He was very tall, with broad shoulders and a wide back, boasting an extremely imposing and muscular physique. His dark blonde hair was casually tied back in a ponytail, and his apron was covered in flour.
A second later, the blonde man turned his head to look at the door.
He had icy blue eyes, like a frozen winter lake, and a hint of surprise appeared on his handsome, untamed face.
"Sorry," Su Cheng blinked. "I didn't see anyone out front, so I came to take a look. Do you have anything to eat here?"
The blonde man froze for a moment, taking two seconds to react before answering in a deep, muffled voice, "...What do you want to eat?"
He looked awkward and nervous. His gaze lingered on her face for a brief moment before quickly darting away.
Su Cheng found this somewhat amusing. "Do you have anything sweet?"
The blonde man seemed to relax slightly. "There are fruit pies—"
Su Cheng fished out a handful of silver coins. "Perfect. I'll take one of every flavor."
The blonde man picked up some tongs, pulled the small pies from the oven, and arranged them on a large plate along with a clean knife and fork. "Careful, they're hot."
Su Cheng reached out to take it. "Thank you!"
The knuckles of the fingers gripping the plate were thick, covered in calluses, and dusted with a bit of flour he hadn't fully wiped off.
In his hands, the large plate inexplicably looked miniature, like a child's toy.
The moment Su Cheng took it, the blonde man immediately retracted his hands. Looking somewhat embarrassed, he subconsciously tried to hide his hands in his sleeves.
Su Cheng: "..."
Su Cheng used her other hand to give him the money.
The blonde man shook his head repeatedly. "That's too much. Two is enough."
"No," Su Cheng inexplicably felt the urge to laugh. "I just want to give you more—consider the extra a tip."
He looked as if he had just been punched. A strange emotion flickered in his eyes, as if he couldn't comprehend what was happening in front of him.
Su Cheng put on a pained expression. "My arm is getting sore holding it up like this."
It wasn't.
She could hold this pose for a whole day without issue.
"Sorry," the blonde man hurriedly raised his hand upon hearing this. "...Th-thank you."
He hesitantly opened his palm, watching as her slender, pale fingers approached like a little bird spreading its wings, letting silver coin after silver coin slip into his hand.
