Pov: Lu Xiaoran
When I heard his words, a chill ran down my neck. His body seemed hollow. After he spoke, he resembled a dead man instead of that serious Roman I knew. From the corner of his face, I saw his eyes. They showed too much pain. I could sense the chaos of emotions inside him. In that moment, I realized that I always focused on my pain and suffering. But now, seeing him made it clear that his pain was unimaginable to me.
I looked at him, and even my heart ached at the myriad emotions in his eyes. I felt helpless. I couldn't do anything. I didn't even know about his past until now. Yet, for some reason, seeing him in pain made me hug him without thinking. He looked at me, startled by the sudden embrace. I said, "I'm sorry, old man. Not for asking about your past, but for not asking sooner. I can't imagine your pain, but I can at least share it. Please don't think you are alone. Just like you said, you are like my grandfather. You just happen to look young after advancing to a new realm."
I added the last part jokingly, and he patted my shoulder after hearing me. I released the hug and looked at him again. He seemed more normal, the pain gone from his eyes, but I knew he was just hiding it behind a poker face.
As we walked toward the prison, I said, "Roman, if you're okay with it, can you tell me about your past?"
He sighed and replied, "I was just an orphan born in the Western continent, in Whitebrave country, Lance city. I was an ordinary child living in the slums, but I had some luck and talent in cultivation. That's why I got selected for a program organized by the government. They gathered talented orphan children and trained them as a defensive force. I learned many things and shone brighter than my peers. Back then, I was just like you—full of myself, thinking everyone was beneath me. But then my superiors decided it was a waste for my talent to be used in the military. So, I became a player in super sports."
Roman continued, "Super sports are like normal sports but at a higher level, reserved for cultivators. I fought many others in a ring. The rules of the sport were strict, as killing was forbidden, and we could only fight within the same realm. Those were some of the most violent years of my life. I was peerless, undefeated in my realm. I kept defeating players from different countries, earning many medals for my country. But everything changed when I met her. She was just another audience member like everyone else, but I don't know when I fell in love with her. Our story continued until I thought my life was blissful. Then, she disappeared like an illusion. That broke me. I became reckless, challenging one person after another. I even started challenging people one realm above me. That's when I earned the nickname 'peerless monster.'"
Roman added, "After that, I did many things, like challenging underworld organizations. I nearly uprooted the underworld in my country. I walked around wearing a mask, and people called me 'the punisher.' During that time, I saw the dark side of society. I grew tired of it. I hated those who, despite being rich, did not help the poor. Many children begged for food daily but still went hungry. So, I decided to build an orphanage to give those children a home. It was the most beautiful time of my life. I had many children who called me 'father.' I had a family that stayed with me. Then, she came back—the love of my life. When I first saw her, I felt anger, but I still had some love for her."
Roman continued, "After sorting things out, I realized she was an heiress from a hidden clan. Her disappearance happened because she didn't want to implicate me in her matters. Now she returned because she solved the issue and gained control over her life. I believed her, and together we started a happy life in that orphanage. My children got a mother, completing their family. But then one day, the people from her clan came knocking on our door. They destroyed everything and left me alive, forcing me to relive the memories of that burning orphanage and the screams of those children. Only Layla, your mother, survived because your original grandparents found her and took her away months before that tragedy. Maybe it was her luck that saved her."
After hearing Roman's story, I felt tears welling in my eyes. But without showing any discomfort, I said, "Roman, I don't know why they did that, but I know one thing: we are not who we used to be. We are also reborn, and I'm sure, with our master's help, we can deliver justice to those who hurt you."
He looked at me but didn't say anything. When we reached the prison, he said, "Lu Xiaoran, I'm going to perform a short-distance teleport once I confirm the location of your mother's cell."
He then performed a spell that scanned the prison. After scanning, he held my shoulder, and suddenly I found myself in a dark cell with no proper lighting. There, I saw a woman with black hair, some strands of gray mixed in. Her red eyes were swollen from too much crying. She had aged significantly in just a month. Seeing her broke the dam of my eyes, and tears streamed down my face. I immediately ran to her and hugged her while crying.
She jolted from my sudden embrace, but after hearing me cry, she hugged me back and started crying with me, saying in a muffled voice, "Lu Xiaoran, my child, I knew you were alive."
For a while, we both continued to cry. After some time, I released her. Now she was wiping my tears, and then Roman said, "Layla, don't cry so much. Your son is better than before."
When she heard him, she looked at Roman and then ran to him, embracing him while crying. In a muffled voice, I heard her say, "Father, I knew you would protect Xiaoran. Thank you for saving my son."
She cried as she said this. In that moment, she looked like a girl who had been bullied, finally finding comfort with her father. Roman patted her back and said, "Don't cry, silly girl. Your father is back, stronger than before. Now tell me everything; who bullied you?" The madness in his eyes revealed the pain he felt from his past, ready to be unleashed on those who put my mother in jail.