Li Minjun tactfully told a white lie, hoping to hold Shitianqun's funeral first before finding the right moment to break the news to Shikai.
Poor Shikai still had no idea at this point that his entire family had been murdered.
When Shikai heard what Li said, the uneasy feeling he had immediately vanished into thin air. He felt that Uncle Li had done the right thing. After all, he was just a twelve-year-old kid—training openly in the military district like this wasn't a good look in front of the higher-ups. Thinking it through, he let it go.
With a smile, Shikai said to Li Minjun, "Uncle Li, so that's what it was about. I understand now. I'll just stay here with you for the next few days."
Then he grinned foolishly and lowered his head, eating heartily.
Watching Shikai eat, Li Minjun and his wife couldn't help but sigh.
Shikai, not wanting to cause trouble for the Li family, went to bed early. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't fall asleep. Instead, he felt more awake than ever. He tossed and turned until past 11 p.m.
Then, he suddenly remembered that when he first arrived at the military district, he'd brought a small portable radio with him in case he had trouble sleeping. But military training had been so exhausting that he'd fallen asleep right away every night and never got the chance to use it.
Now, since he couldn't sleep anyway, he figured he might as well listen to some music. He got out of bed and dug the radio out of his luggage—thankfully, Commander Tian had reminded him to pack everything properly. Now it finally came in handy.
He put in his earphones, lay back down, and started listening. After enjoying a few songs, he began to feel drowsy.
At that moment, it happened to be midnight. The breaking news segment began to play through his earphones.
As he listened, the sleepiness vanished. He sat up slowly, pulled the earphones out, and felt his eyes begin to well with tears. He didn't believe it. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard on the midnight news. He got out of bed, a rising fear gripping his heart:
Why didn't anyone tell me?
It must be fake.
It has to be fake.
My dad, mom, and sister—there's no way they're dead.
His first instinct was to find Commander Li and get a straight answer. Something this huge—there was no way he didn't know.
He needed to hear it from him:
"Tell me this isn't true."
Shikai opened the door and hurried to the living room. He noticed the light in the commander's study was still on, and faint voices could be heard from inside.
He quietly walked up to the door, took a deep breath, and gently pressed his ear against it. The voices were low, but from this close, he could just barely make out what was being said.
At that moment, a voice drifted into his ears:
> "Political Commissar Zhang, tell that bastard Mayor Zhao Ming exactly what I said. I don't care what methods he uses—he needs to find the murderer who killed Shi Tianqun's entire family and find them fast.
I'm not planning to tell the boy just yet. I know we can't hide it from him forever, but what else can I do? He's still so young. The killer hasn't even been caught yet. If we expose his identity now, we're basically feeding him to the wolves.
He's in my house right now—yes, exactly.
Also, start putting pressure on the local officials in W City. Otherwise, they'll think I'm just playing games.
The one who died wasn't just anyone—it was Commander Shi.
Alright, I won't repeat myself.
Okay. Bye."
Hearing everything from outside the door, Shikai could no longer hold it in. His legs gave out beneath him as he collapsed to the floor, covering his mouth with both hands as tears streamed down his face.
He began to believe—it was all true.
Everyone had kept it from him.
Only he had been kept in the dark like a fool, only now realizing the truth.
Just then, the door to the study opened. Li Minjun saw Shikai crumpled on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, and instantly knew—he'd heard everything. He knew the truth.
Li Minjun slowly knelt beside him, wrapping his arms tightly around the boy.
"You poor child... It's not that Uncle Li didn't want to tell you," he said with a deep sigh. "But… maybe this is for the best. You can't hide the truth forever. I just hoped you could be strong. Please, don't give up on yourself. You must live bravely—because you're Shi Tianqun's son."
Shikai's hands clutched tightly onto Li Minjun's arms, his fingers digging in as he cried harder than ever before. The sound of his wailing woke Li Minjun's wife, who hurried out to see what was happening.
The moment she saw the scene, she seemed to understand. Her husband gave her a look that said, "Don't interfere."
She nodded silently and quietly returned to the bedroom.
"Cry, child… let it all out," Li Minjun said, his own eyes glistening with tears.
"No!"
Shikai broke free from his embrace, stood up and took two steps back.
Then, he screamed, hysterical:
"It's not true! Tell me it's not true! I don't believe it!"
Li Minjun sat there in silence, stunned.
He had no words.
Watching him, both he and his wife felt their hearts shatter.
He's still just a child… why would heaven be so cruel?
"Why didn't you tell me?! WHY?!" Shikai cried even harder.
Just as Li Minjun was about to try and comfort him again—
Shikai suddenly stopped crying.
He wiped away his tears and stared hard at Li Minjun. That look in his eyes made Li's back go cold. He'd fought on countless battlefields for years—but he had never seen a twelve-year-old boy with such a terrifying gaze.
It was a gaze filled with hatred.
Sure enough, the boy exploded:
> "I hate you!
I hate all of you!
Why didn't you tell me the truth earlier?!
Why did you keep it from me—treat me like a fool?!
I hate being here, where I can't do anything!
I hate the bastard who killed them!
But most of all—I hate myself…
I hate that I learned everything too late!
I hate that now I know the truth, but I can't do anything!
WHY?!
I hate this whole damn world!"
With that, he stormed out the door, crying as he ran into the night.
What Li Minjun had feared most… had finally happened.
Snapping out of his daze, he rushed out after the boy—but by the time he got to the street, Shikai was already gone.
---
Shikai ran as fast as he could through the night, his heart filled with rage and despair.
He hated everything.
Before he knew it, he'd run all the way to the front of his old home.
Biting his lip hard, he broke down crying again.
He stared at the cold, lifeless house, but no longer had the courage to open the door.
He simply sat down on the doorstep…
And cried in agony.
---
Meanwhile, Li Minjun had searched everywhere nearby, but found no sign of Shikai.
Panic surged through him. He ran back home and grabbed the phone, immediately calling the military district's command post.
As soon as the line connected, he barked into the receiver,
"This is Deputy Commander Li. I don't care who you are—get Tian Jiang on the line. Now!"
The soldier on duty froze at the sound of his furious voice. Terrified, he rushed to find Commander Tian.
Tian Jiang, still groggy from sleep, was told the situation and rushed to the phone.
"Hello, this is Tian Jiang."
But before he could say another word, a harsh voice exploded through the phone:
"Tian Jiang, listen carefully. I want you to mobilize everyone—right now—and find Shikai. I don't care how many men it takes. Even if you have to turn the whole damn city upside down, find him!"
Tian Jiang immediately realized something serious had happened. He hung up and began assembling his team, issuing orders for a citywide search.
---
Back at home, Li Minjun was smoking anxiously, pacing.
He told himself: They will find him. They must. He's still a child—he can't have gone far.
Tian Jiang and his troops searched the dark city streets at full speed.
Finally, one soldier reported spotting Shikai sitting outside Commander Shi's old house.
Tian Jiang quickly ordered the men not to approach—only to keep watch from a distance and make sure the boy didn't run again.
Then he immediately called Li Minjun to report the news.
By the time Commander Li arrived at Shi Tianqun's house, Shikai had already suffered a complete mental breakdown and collapsed unconscious in front of the door.
Commander Li let out a long sigh, then picked Shikai up and immediately ordered his men to take him to the hospital.
Things were getting worse.
The government convened an emergency meeting. Mayor Zhao of W City was at his wits' end—without a suspect, the entire city remained shrouded in an oppressive, gloomy atmosphere.
Two days later, the military district dispatched a special plane to transport the bodies of Shi Tianqun and his family back to City A for the funeral. Everyone in the military was deeply grief-stricken.
Shikai, devastated by the trauma, no longer had the smile he once wore. He was like a walking corpse, holding tightly to the framed photos of his family as he led the funeral procession.
He had lost all hope. He had even thought about ending his life—thinking that maybe, just maybe, that way he could reunite with his family forever.
Li Minjun, ever careful, arranged for people to watch Shikai constantly, afraid he might do something foolish.
---
One week later
Li Minjun accompanied Shikai to the Wanshou Cemetery. Facing the gravestones of his family, Shikai dropped to his knees and wept bitterly.
In his heart, a single thought had taken root—revenge.
He would find the killer.
And tear him to pieces.
Li Minjun placed a hand on Shikai's shoulder in silent support.
Looking at Shi Tianqun's portrait on the tombstone, he said solemnly,
"Brother Tianqun, I swear to raise Shikai into a strong man. You can rest in peace."
---
Back at home, Shikai sat blankly on the sofa. The house was hollow and lifeless. He no longer had any attachment to this place—only sorrow remained.
Li Minjun continued to have people watch over him day and night, until school finally started.
On the surface, Shikai appeared calm.
No longer hysterical.
It gave Li Minjun some relief. He hoped Shikai would recover soon.
But deep inside, Shikai's heart was far from healed.
Outwardly, he pretended to gradually let go. But inside, the hatred never left. It consumed him constantly.
He was waiting.
Waiting for the moment he could leave this place, leave behind everything he despised.
It didn't matter where he went—it would be better than here.
---
That moment came sooner than expected.
As Li Minjun gradually relaxed, believing Shikai was healing, he stopped monitoring him so closely. Shikai stuck to his routine—going to school, coming home—day after day.
Li had people secretly follow him for a while, but when they saw nothing suspicious, they let their guard down.
But Shikai was no longer the cheerful, obedient boy he once was.
He buried everything—his emotions, his plans—deep inside.
---
Until one day, something felt off.
Li Minjun noticed that Shikai hadn't come out to eat, even though it was quite late.
Concerned, he called the school.
The teacher's response shocked him:
> "Shikai took a sick leave today. Didn't you write the excuse note yourself? It even had your signature on it."
> "What?! I never wrote any note! I saw him leave for school with his backpack this morning!"
Alarm bells went off in Li Minjun's head.
He immediately hung up and called Tian Jiang:
Find Shikai.
Use any means necessary.
Bring him back.
---
Days passed.
Still no sign of Shikai.
Li Minjun was desperate.
He even contacted the television station, urging the public to help with the search.
But no leads came in.
Time dragged on, and with great reluctance…
Li Minjun was forced to let go.
---
Not long after, Li Minjun was promoted to the position of Supreme Commander, taking over the role once held by Shi Tianqun. The central government punished several officials in W City for negligence.
But the killer was still nowhere to be found.
The case gradually went cold.
People began to forget.
---
That day, Shikai did not go to school.
He had handed over a fake sick leave note—with Li Minjun's forged signature—to a classmate on the way there. He'd practiced imitating the signature for a month.
The classmate had been a little confused at the time but didn't question it.
He simply handed the note to the teacher.
Meanwhile, Shikai went straight to the train station.
He pulled out a ticket he had bought the day before after school—a train bound for Jingzhou City, Hubei Province.
Just like that, he disappeared.
And began his life as a wanderer.
---
After two full days and nights on the train, exhausted and drained, Shikai finally arrived.
This was a completely unfamiliar city.
He felt utterly lost.
Maybe… this was fate.
Maybe he was born to be pitiful.
Live or die—he'd leave it up to destiny.
With that thought… he finally felt at peace.
---
Years ago, the mighty General Guan Yu had lost Jingzhou through carelessness.
Now, the ancient city walls and moat of Jingzhou still stood proudly, unchanged by time.
Shikai wandered aimlessly through the streets.
The sky slowly darkened.
After grabbing a bit of cheap food to fill his stomach, he continued walking down the empty, dark roads.
He had no destination.
When he got tired, he would rest by the side of the road.
Then walk again.
One car after another roared past him in the night.
A month later, with all his money long gone, Shikai trudged into the city of Xiangfan, his steps heavy and faltering. He couldn't walk any farther. He had no idea where he even was.
His clothes were covered in dust, tattered and filthy. His hair was matted, his face grimy. When he was tired, he slept on the roadside or in bushes. When he was hungry, he rummaged for scraps others had thrown away.
Now, Shikai was gaunt and sallow, his face yellowed from malnutrition. He often fainted on the side of the road. Yet, not a single person ever stopped to help him. To the world, he was just another ragged street child—worth no more than a blade of grass. If he died, no one would even notice.
Thinking this, Shikai let out a bitter laugh.
The laughter drew contemptuous glances from passersby.
People whispered that he was insane and kept their distance.
But Shikai didn't care.
He sat by the roadside, laughing like a fool.
In truth, he was in pain.
That bitter laugh was just a mask to hide the agony and despair churning inside.
He hated how cruel fate was.
Was this really his destiny?
After resting for a bit, he got up and began walking again, dragging his feet forward. Then, he caught sight of three large characters ahead of him: "Gulong Bell".
Only then did he finally realize where he was.
He gave a wry smile and muttered to himself,
"Heh… who would've thought? I ended up at Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage. Hah... what a joke. What irony. What a damn joke…"
At that moment, Shikai was teetering on the edge of madness.
Even if Hua Tuo himself came back to life, he couldn't bring his family back—let alone Zhuge Liang.
His voice began to tremble as he spoke, and his laughter soon turned eerie, far worse than weeping.
Exhausted from laughing, Shikai resumed walking.
His frail figure slowly faded into the distance.
He couldn't go on anymore.
He truly couldn't.
He collapsed by the side of the road—starving, exhausted, and completely drained—and passed out.
---
By the time he woke up, it was already deep into the night.
He struggled to sit up and glanced around—everything was pitch black.
Alert, he quickly rose and realized he was lying on a thin mat.
Feeling along the edge of the wall, he carefully got out of bed and, keeping close to the wall, found a door and pushed it open.
Stepping outside, he squinted under the dim light, and on the crumbling wall opposite him, he saw a large, bold character painted there: 禪 (Zen).
Curious, Shikai took a moment to examine his surroundings.
The ancient architecture, the layout, the dilapidated condition—it all told him exactly where he was:
A monastery.
He quietly stepped outside.
In the distance, he saw a faint light shining.
Drawn to it, he walked in that direction.
The surrounding silence was so deep, it sent chills down his spine.
When he reached the source of the light, a Buddhist altar appeared before him.
Several large red candles, nearly burned out, flickered weakly on the altar. Behind them stood a massive statue of the Buddha—its golden paint faded and peeling from age and neglect.
Below the altar were three meditation cushions, placed neatly on the floor.
On the center cushion sat a bald monk in a plain blue robe, legs crossed, quietly facing the statue. He was gently rolling prayer beads through his fingers.
Seeing this, Shikai was now certain he was in a monastery.
He stepped lightly over the threshold and began to walk toward the monk, who was sitting with his back to him.
Just then, the monk suddenly spoke:
"So, the young benefactor has awakened."
The unexpected voice startled Shikai.
He froze where he stood.
Just from the sound of it, he could tell—the monk was an elderly man, his voice deep and weathered with time.
But Shikai didn't answer right away.
The monk, sensing the silence, spoke again at a calm and measured pace:
"Do not be afraid, young one. This is Jingxin Zen Temple. Earlier today, while I was down the mountain on alms rounds, I saw you unconscious by the roadside.
To save a life is greater than building a seven-story pagoda.
So I brought you here."
Finally, Shikai spoke:
"Thank you, Master.
I'll leave now.
I won't disturb your cultivation any longer."
Just as Shikai was about to turn and leave, he heard a voice from the back of the hall:
"Young benefactor, your body is still weak — you need rest. And if you truly had a home to return to, you wouldn't have collapsed by the roadside. Though the Buddhist temple is a place of quiet retreat, its doors are always open to those in need. Besides, it's dark outside — not safe to travel at night."
Hearing this, Shikai hesitated.
The old master was right.
"There's no need to waver," the monk added gently.
"Go back and rest. If you still wish to leave tomorrow, this old monk will personally walk you down the mountain."