Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 394 - 367 Mazao’s parents 2

Chapter 394: 367 Mazao’s parents 2

Mazao’s parents?

For a moment, it felt like I’d heard two words that were impossible to combine, like the wings of an egg, the limbs of a carp, the scales of a snail—or Mazao’s parents.

Of course, I’m not implying that Mazao was born from a crack in a rock. Since Mazao is also human, she naturally has a father and mother. However, because she traveled from the Doomsday Era and has always lived a solitary life, with only Little Bowl by her side at most, I had assumed that she had long lost her parents, to the point that even she might have forgotten their faces and names.

Under such a premise, Zhu Shi suddenly wanting to talk to me about Mazao’s parents caught me completely off guard.

Why would she bring up something like this? Mazao’s parents aren’t from this era... wait a minute.

Only then did I belatedly realize that I’d seemingly forgotten something quite important until now.

That’s right, Mazao didn’t travel to this era physically; it was her soul that traversed time. Her body already existed in this era and had its own social identity. Before Mazao traveled here, this body had been lying dormant in a military hospital somewhere in Saltwater City. Zhu Shi’s mother, Zhu Jiu, had also been placed in that hospital in the past.

Since she was staying in a hospital, someone must’ve arranged her admission and covered the hospitalization costs. Although this body has never proactively provided Mazao with any useful memories, the absence of knowledge on Mazao’s part doesn’t mean the social relationships tied to this body don’t exist.

The previous owner of this body—Mazao of this era—must have had her own relatives, friends, classmates and other social ties, not just appeared out of thin air as a vessel prepared solely for Mazao to travel to this era.

I truly was quite careless, or perhaps I was overly focused on Mazao’s identity as a visitor from the Doomsday Era, combined with her Broom Star Physique, while ignoring the "Mazao who might have once lived an ordinary life." It wasn’t until today, upon Zhu Shi’s reminder, that I finally recalled such an important matter.

"You really never thought about it at all, Senior Brother Zhuang..."

Zhu Shi seemed to discern the truth from my reaction and displayed an exasperated expression.

"Did you think of this issue from the very beginning?" I asked.

"Of course." Zhu Shi handed me the yellow file folder in her hand.

I took the folder and opened it. Inside were documents detailing the family situation of the Mazao from this era.

This era’s Mazao wasn’t born into a demon hunter family and basically had no links to the abnormal world. Her father was a middle-level manager in a construction company in Saltwater City, and her mother ran a bakery; the only unusual thing was that their daughter, three years ago, at the age of ten, suddenly contracted soul loss and fell into a deep, unending sleep.

The parents were very devoted to their only daughter. They didn’t know what soul loss was and, like the hospital staff, treated it as some unknown brain disease. Three years had passed, and they never gave up hope of waking her.

After Mazao, whom I knew, time-traveled to this era and vanished from the military hospital, these parents were thrown into a panic and began searching everywhere for their daughter. It wasn’t long before Zhu Shi noticed the situation and reported it to Mr. Zhu. They found the parents and used spiritual magic to convince them their daughter had been found and was now receiving treatment with the most cutting-edge technology at a national institute dedicated to researching soul loss.

"Though using spiritual magic power to prevent them from seeing their daughter certainly wasn’t great, it wasn’t a good time to have them meet Mazao back then either," Zhu Shi said. "Not to mention that Mazao had no awareness of having parents in this era at the time; she was in the whirlpool of hidden forces coveting her at Luo Mountain, and had the Broom Star Physique herself.

"Forcing her to reunite with her parents would only bring inexplicable danger to them. After realizing her Broom Star Physique in the Shadow Swapping Monster incident, I was even more convinced of this.

"Of course, if it were just a private meeting, exchanging a few words, it should be fine. Although even if we bring the current Mazao to meet them, they probably wouldn’t be able to have meaningful interactions... But regardless, I still think it shouldn’t be so rash to sever the ties between parents and their children.

"Now that even the situation with Ming Zhuo has been resolved and many matters have settled, I think it’s time for Mazao to meet her parents.

"Although you might argue that the current Mazao is from the Doomsday Era and is a different being in spirit from the Mazao of this era, the possibility that they’re the same is not low. Retreating a step, even if the Mazao we know isn’t the Mazao of this era, she at least used the body of this era’s Mazao, so maybe she should shoulder some of this era’s Mazao’s ties...or responsibilities."

Listening to Zhu Shi’s words, I finished reviewing all the documents before stacking them neatly together again.

The mother of this era’s Mazao runs a bakery, while Mazao mentioned she somehow remembers the steps to baking a cake, even feeling her body has some recollection... Is it because the Mazao I know truly is the Mazao of this era in spirit? Or is it because the body and brain invisibly conveyed memories of previous ownership back to her?

This portion remains unanswered, but I partially agree with Zhu Shi’s perspective. If Mazao really has been using this era’s Mazao’s body, it would be necessary to bring closure to her former social ties. Whether to sever the connection or to maintain it, decisions should be made after properly confronting the matter.

"Why did you choose to tell me separately rather than directly telling Mazao?" I asked.

"Mazao is different from you, Senior Brother Zhuang. She’s a good child who, once realizing she might have unconsciously occupied another’s body, with the original owner having loving parents, would likely feel immense pressure," Zhu Shi explained, "So I hope you can prepare to comfort her in advance."

I pointed out mercilessly, "You just don’t want to be the only one telling Mazao this news; you’re dragging me into it."

Zhu Shi appeared quite guilty as she turned her head away quietly.

I didn’t really mind this kind of trivial matter; rather I was actually pleased that Zhu Shi came to consult me first.

"And actually, I’m somewhat unsure whether we should really tell Mazao," Zhu Shi whispered, "She doesn’t seem to realize she has parents in this era... perhaps because she fundamentally lacks recognition for the ’parental’ relationship. Maybe keeping it from her is better..."

"There is a rationale for not telling, but I think it should be said," I stated.

"Why?" Zhu Shi seriously inquired.

"Because what I hate the most is beating around the bush and leaving things unresolved," I replied.

"You should at least mention the benefits of doing so!" Zhu Shi retorted, "And do you even have the right to say this? Especially to Mazao!"

I turned my head to face Mazao elsewhere and said, "Mazao, we’re done talking; you can come back now."

At this moment, Mazao was at the other end of the hallway outside the room, standing by the windowsill looking at the scenery outside. With her perception, she could hear our conversation, but she seemed to be consciously avoiding listening. My voice, however, bypassed the substance of the walls and the distance of space to directly reach her ears. Since my hands could pass through space to grab distant objects, letting my voice pass through space to the target position was also possible.

Mazao returned to the room.

I got off the bed and sat on the edge, mentally prepared to tell Mazao the truth; Zhu Shi too, sat solemnly beside me, her eyes filled with gravity as she looked at Mazao.

"What’s going on with you two..." Mazao sensed something from the serious atmosphere and looked at us in confusion.

"Mazao, we have something very important to tell you," I said.

"Something very important," Mazao repeated.

"Yes, very important," Zhu Shi chimed in, "Not only is it extremely important to you, but it also involves the two most important people to you."

"The two most important people to me..." Mazao’s gaze moved between Zhu Shi and me.

"No need to beat around the bush for too long; I’ll be straightforward. Mazao, have you ever thought about your parents?" I said. "In the past, you lived alone in the Doomsday Era, and the existence of parents might seem too late for you, but it’s necessary to inform you of this matter properly, which is..."

Before I could continue, Mazao took a step back, looking at Zhu Shi and me with incredulity, "Could it be..."

Zhu Shi sighed, "It seems you already understand. Yes, it’s exactly as you think."

"Are you planning to get together and adopt me as your daughter?" Mazao said in shock.

"Uh?" I almost didn’t catch on.

Zhu Shi exclaimed loudly, "Wait a minute—why would you misunderstand it like that!"

"But, isn’t that what it means?" Mazao said with a complex expression, "The two most important people to me are you two, and this matter is crucial not only to you but also to me. You even talk about parents..."

"We’re talking about your parents," I clarified.

"Yeah, so it appears that way... no, wait..." Mazao seemed to finally register what was being said as she spoke.

"My... parents?" she muttered, dazedly.