Runes • Rifles • Reincarnation
44. A Child

Jin Shu and his group waited in a shadowed side alley, somewhere in the bustling heart of Fa Hou City. The faint hum of the streets beyond did little to soothe his growing impatience.

“How much longer do we need to wait?” Jin Shu asked, tapping his foot against the uneven stone pavement. Though they'd only been there for fifteen minutes, it felt like an eternity to him.

It wasn’t that he was naturally impatient—at least, that’s what he told himself. But with a clue about his missing mother so tantalizingly close, sitting idle grated on him more than he cared to admit.

Biyu placed a calming hand on his arm, her voice soft yet firm. “Calm down. Everything is going to be fine. Master is stronger than you realize.”

He sighed, letting his foot fall still. “I know… I just can’t stand waiting when we’re this close.”

From his other side, Sun Li leaned in, curiosity shining in her bright eyes. “What’s the relationship between you two?” she asked suddenly, breaking the tense atmosphere.

Biyu chuckled lightly, an almost mischievous glint in her eyes. “Didn’t we already say? I’m his wife.”

Sun Li frowned, crossing her arms. “No, you’re not.”

Biyu raised a brow, feigning offense. “And how would you know?”

Sun Li smirked, clearly enjoying the banter. “If Shu-gege got married, Aunt Mei’er would have made it the grandest event the empire had ever seen. Everyone would know.”

Biyu tapped her chin thoughtfully, then nodded. “Hmm… You’ve got a point there. Alright, I’ll tell you, but you must keep it a secret.”

Sun Li’s interest sharpened. She leaned in eagerly. “I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”

Clearing her throat, Biyu adopted a conspiratorial tone. “No one else knows this yet, but… I am…” She paused dramatically, lowering her voice. “His… secret lover!”

The words left Sun Li so stunned she stumbled forward, caught off guard by the absurdity. Jin Shu sighed, catching her by the collar before she fell flat on her face.

“Why do you always grab my collar?” Sun Li grumbled as she dangled from his hand. “Can’t you let me fall into your chest like a proper damsel?”

“No,” Jin Shu replied flatly, setting her back on her feet. “You’re not a damsel.”

Sun Li pouted while Biyu stifled a laugh, the tension in the alley fading momentarily into a lighter mood.

Shortly after, movement at the far end of the alleyway caught Jin Shu's attention. He tensed instinctively, his hand twitching toward his weapon. However, his posture relaxed when he saw the small figure stepping cautiously into view. The figure wore a hooded robe, but their small stature left little doubt—they were a child.

“Oh, it’s them!” Sun Li exclaimed softly from beside Jin Shu.

“That’s the demon cult traitor?” Jin Shu asked, his brow furrowing.

Sun Li nodded silently.

“But… it’s a child.”

“So what if I’m a child?!” a sharp, high-pitched voice shot back.

The small figure threw back their hood, revealing a boy no older than nine or ten. His dark hair fell messily around a pale face still rounded with baby fat. He glared up at Jin Shu, his small frame bristling with indignation.

The boy jabbed a finger at him. “You got a problem with me being a kid?”

Jin Shu snorted in amusement. “Not at all.”

The boy’s eyes flicked to the two women standing beside Jin Shu, his gaze sharp and appraising. “Are you the fifth prince I’m supposed to meet?” he asked bluntly.

Before Jin Shu could answer, the boy continued, “Well, you’ve got your women with you, so I guess you must be.”

Jin Shu raised an eyebrow, exchanging an amused glance with Biyu and Sun Li. “What about these two makes you think I’m a prince?”

“Obviously,” the boy said matter-of-factly, crossing his arms, “only a prince would have two beautiful women following him around.” He nodded, as though this logic was indisputable.

Sun Li and Biyu chuckled softly, but Jin Shu couldn’t resist laughing outright. He pointed to Sun Li, his tone teasing. “Well, you might be disappointed to know that she’s the fifth prince.”

The boy froze, staring at Sun Li with a blank expression before giving Jin Shu a deadpan look. “I’m young, not stupid.” He pointed emphatically at Sun Li. “No prince could be that beautiful. She’s obviously a woman!”

Sun Li burst into laughter, while Biyu smirked. Jin Shu, suppressing a grin, folded his arms. “Fair enough. But she is still the fifth prince,” he said with a casual shrug.

The boy’s pale face turned red with anger. “Why are you bullying me?!”

“No one’s bullying you, kid,” Jin Shu replied seriously, his tone steady.

Tears began welling in the boy’s eyes. “You are bullying me! You’re all the same—nobody cares about meee!!” he wailed, his voice cracking. “The only one who was nice to me was Big Sister Mei’er!”

The boy collapsed onto the ground, sitting with his legs sprawled out as he sobbed into his hands.

Jin Shu froze for a moment, his expression sharpening at the mention of that name. He crouched down quickly and grabbed the boy’s hands, pulling them away from his tear-streaked face. “What name did you just say?” he demanded, his voice low and intense.

The boy only cried harder.

Jin Shu’s grip on the boy’s wrists tightened unconsciously. “Say it again!” he barked, his eyes burning with urgency.

“Aaah! You’re hurting meee!” the boy screamed, his cries echoing through the alleyway and drawing curious glances from passersby.

Before things could escalate further, Sun Li and Biyu rushed in. Biyu pulled Jin Shu back, while Sun Li crouched beside the boy, gently patting his back to calm him down.

“Jin Shu, calm down!” Biyu said firmly, holding him in place as he struggled against her grip.

Sun Li’s soothing voice cut through the tension. “It’s okay, you’re safe now,” she murmured to the boy, who hiccupped through his sobs.

Biyu turned to Jin Shu, her tone sharp. “Look at what you’ve done to him!” She pointed at the boy’s wrists, where red marks had formed from Jin Shu’s grip.

Jin Shu glanced at the boy’s wrists and immediately took a step back, guilt flashing across his face. “I-I didn’t mean to…” He paused, his expression darkening. “But he said my mother’s name. You heard it too, didn’t you?”

Biyu nodded, her tone gentler now. “I did. But all he said was ‘Mei’er.’ We don’t know for sure if he’s talking about your mother or if his sister simply shares the same name.”

Jin Shu’s hands clenched into fists, but he forced himself to exhale deeply, calming the storm within. “You’re right,” he said through gritted teeth. “But we need to find out.”

Jin Shu stepped around Biyu and approached the boy again. The sobbing had subsided somewhat, thanks to Sun Li’s soothing words, but the moment Jin Shu crouched before him, the boy’s cries grew louder.

Jin Shu reached for the boy’s wrists, and the boy jerked back instinctively. Jin Shu was quicker, gently taking hold of his small hands. The boy flinched at first, but his tense expression eased as Jin Shu’s fingers began to work. With a practiced touch, Jin Shu applied a massage technique that quickly reduced the swelling in the boy’s wrists.

From Jin Shu’s shoulder, Yin’er stirred, finally waking from the commotion. The little tiger cub yawned and stretched, drawing the boy’s attention. His tearful eyes locked on the cub, wide with fascination.

Noticing the boy’s gaze, Jin Shu gently lifted Yin’er off his shoulder and placed her into the boy’s trembling hands. The cub blinked up at him curiously before letting out a soft purr as the boy began to pet her. Slowly, the boy’s sobbing stopped, replaced by tentative strokes of the tiger’s fur.

“What’s your name, kid?” Jin Shu asked after a moment of silence.

The boy looked up, his eyes red and cheeks still streaked with tears. “Mo Bai,” he whispered softly.

“Mo as in the Demon Cult’s Mo?” Biyu asked sharply, stepping forward.

Jin Shu glanced at her, frowning. “What do you mean by the Demon Cult’s ‘Mo’?”

Biyu’s expression darkened. “The word Mo in their name means demon or devil. It’s a title they take pride in. Only those in the cult’s higher echelon—or heirs to the cult leader—carry it in their name.”

Jin Shu turned back to the boy. “So, Mo Bai… were you raised by the Demon Cult?”

The boy flinched but didn’t answer, his grip tightening slightly on Yin’er.

Observing his reactions, Jin Shu realized Mo Bai wasn’t likely to answer directly. Still, it didn’t matter—there was only one question he needed answered.

“Mo Bai,” Jin Shu began softly, careful not to scare the child again, though his heart pounded in anticipation. “Is your sister’s name also Mo?”

Mo Bai shook his head silently.

Jin Shu let out a shaky breath, his nerves tightening like a vice. “Then… is her name Sun Mei’er?”

The boy’s head jerked up, his eyes wide. “You know Big Sister Mei’er?!”

Jin Shu’s heart nearly stopped at the confirmation. Relief surged through him, and for a moment, he stood there, stunned. Then he burst into laughter, tears pricking his eyes as the weight of uncertainty finally lifted.

“Of course I know her! She’s my mother!” Jin Shu said, his voice thick with emotion. “Where did you see her?”

Mo Bai blinked, confused. “Big Sister Mei’er is an empress?”

“What? No.” Jin Shu shook his head with a sigh. “Though she is the emperor’s sister.”

Mo Bai tilted his head. “Then how is she the mother of the fifth prince?”

“I’m not the fifth prince,” Jin Shu muttered, rubbing his temples. “Look, can you just tell me where you saw her last? Please?”

Mo Bai hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I saw her in the southern region’s Demon Mountains.”

Jin Shu frowned. “What are the Demon Mountains?”

Biyu stepped in to explain. “The Demon Mountains separate the southern region from the western and eastern regions. It’s a dangerous area filled with spirit beasts.”

Mo Bai nodded again. “I was with some of the young disciples from the cult and the instructors. Big Sister Mei’er crossed the mountains and saved us from a spirit beast.”

Sun Li, who had been quietly listening, suddenly spoke up. “Why are you so worried about Aunt Mei’er?”

Jin Shu looked at her, briefly startled by the question. “I lost contact with her for a while. I was worried something might’ve happened.”

“Oh.” Sun Li tilted her head. “Why didn’t you just ask me?”

“Why would I ask you?” Jin Shu said, narrowing his eyes.

Sun Li blinked, then pointed to Mo Bai like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Because she’s the one who sent me to get him.”

Jin Shu stared at her, his eyes widening in disbelief. “What?! Really?”

Sun Li nodded. “Yeah. She sent a message through a Thousand Mile Talisman. She said to send someone to retrieve a kid from the Demon Cult, so Father sent me.”

“How long ago was that?” Jin Shu asked, a hopeful edge in his voice.

Sun Li scratched the back of her head, her brow furrowing in thought. “Um… about a week ago, I think?” she replied hesitantly.

Jin Shu turned to Mo Bai, his focus narrowing. “And when did you see her last?”

The boy hesitated, glancing down at Yin’er in his hands before answering. “After she saved me, I didn’t want to go back to the cult. So, I asked her to take me with her. But instead, she held my hand, and the next thing I knew, we appeared here. That was about a week ago.”

“That must have been Master’s unique Spirit—Phoenix Wings,” Biyu interjected, her voice thoughtful. “She can teleport over long distances, but she can only use it once every few days. If that’s the case, she might have returned to the sect by now.”

Mo Bai shook his head quickly. “No, Big Sister Mei’er told me she was going back to the southern region. I asked her where she was going before she left me here, and that’s what she said.”

“Then we’ll look for her there,” Jin Shu declared hastily, his determination blazing.

“No, we won’t,” Biyu said firmly, shaking her head. “Do you have any idea how vast the Demon Mountains are? They stretch for thousands of kilometers, and there’s no guarantee she’s still there.”

Jin Shu opened his mouth to argue but quickly closed it, the weight of her logic sinking in. He sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “You’re right. Searching blindly would be pointless.” He paused, considering. “We’ll check the sect first. She may have already finished her business in the southern region and returned.”

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