Thuy Tinh silently watched Lam Minh.
He had given the hint, had laid out a path. The rest of the journey, how to walk it, how to stumble, depended entirely on Lam Minh. This was his own battle, a battle no one else could help with. He would not interfere, only observe quietly.
He needs to confront the darkness within his own heart.
Lam Minh's mind was in turmoil.
"Inner demon???"
He began to question himself.
In my past life, what did I fear most?
Was it failure? The loss of my comrades? Or my own death?
In this life, I have been rewarded with immortality from the system. An invisible favor, a gift fallen from the sky. But... I myself don't know where the System came from. Why is it so ridiculously overpowered?
A terrifying thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
Will it disappear? If one day, the system suddenly vanishes, will I still be as imposing as I am today? Or will I become a helpless person again, an ant that anyone can crush?
That's right. The first problem. Lam Minh's first inner demon.
It was the System.
It was too heaven-defying, too unreasonable. Since his rebirth, he had completely relied on it. He saw it as his core tool, his trump card to defeat the Madakaros hordes. He had grown so accustomed to having it by his side that he had forgotten that true strength must come from within himself.
This thought was like an enlightenment for Lam Minh. The core of his strength had to be himself, his thinking, his will. The System, no matter how powerful, was just an auxiliary tool, and it was not safe.
I can no longer believe in this absolute immortality. If I keep fighting with the mindset of 'die and be reborn,' one day, I will die. A real death, with no turning back.
That's right! I don't just have the System. I am a descendant of Immortals and Dragons. I have the bloodline of the Father King. My strength must come from true cultivation, not from the soulless numbers of the system.
I will walk the path to becoming an expert on my own. Step by step. Firmly and unshakeably.
The moment he realized this truth.
[Ting! The host has just comprehended an important truth since rebirth. Congratulations, congratulations!]
The familiar system notification sounded. But this time, it did not make him happy.
"FUCK YOU!!!" Lam Minh suddenly roared, his roar echoing throughout the cell.
Thuy Tinh, who was meditating, was startled by the sudden curse. "You devil! Are you crazy? Suddenly cursing up a storm!"
He looked at Lam Minh, thinking to himself: It's just you and me in here. Are you suddenly cursing at your inner demon, or are you cursing at me? Damned kid.
A strange scene unfolded. The dark qi from Lam Minh's black eye slowly receded. It wasn't just hiding; it was being digested by his firm will, transformed into a source of pure spiritual energy that permeated his soul.
The eye that was once jet black was now gradually brightening, though it had not completely disappeared.
Lam Minh knew he still had inner demons. His mind was now incredibly clear. He continued to question himself.
What else is in my heart?
That's right. The fear of failure.
The Madakaros, they can fail once, twice, even a hundred times. It doesn't affect their grand scheme. They have an entire universe as their backup.
But I am different. If I fail just once, it will mean the annihilation of all humanity. This burden is too great.
This was the worry, the pressure that had weighed on his shoulders for two lifetimes. So what should he do? Stop being afraid? But how could he make this fear disappear when it was an undeniable truth?
Rely completely on Lac Long Quan?
Never!
Relying on others was not in Lam Minh's character.
He liked self-reliance. Only by being truly strong could he have the right to decide everything. There would come a day when he would no longer have to hide in the shadow of the silver-haired uncle, but he himself would be the one to stand up and protect him, protect humanity, protect the ones he loved.
Dad! Mom! Little sister!
To Quyen! Quynh Nhu! Minh Thu!
All of humanity and this Earth!
I will become an existence that anyone, any force in this universe, will tremble in fear just by hearing my name, and will never again dare to approach Earth!
A tyrannical will, a soaring ambition, erupted in Lam Minh's heart.
"Hahahaha! I get it! Lac Long Quan, you silver-haired uncle, you just wait!" Lam Minh suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly, his face a mixture of madness and overflowing confidence.
"The kid's acting up again! Where's the doctor? Anyone, there's a mental patient in here!" Thuy Tinh cried out again, his voice full of sarcasm.
But then, he suddenly froze.
Wait a minute...
Something's wrong...
Why... why does this kid know that the Father King has a head of silver-white hair???
...
On the third day of the Lunar New Year.
The atmosphere of spring, of the new year, still lingered, but in the small house of the Lam family, it had become cold and heavy.
Lac Long Quan stood at the front door, his casual clothes looking somewhat disheveled. His sinewy arm kept rising, then slowly lowering again.
He was hesitating.
He, a god, a living legend, one who had single-handedly faced an entire legion, now found it difficult to face an ordinary family.
He didn't know what to say. Didn't know how to face their worried eyes, their questions.
He had to inform them that Lam Minh had been captured.
And they had the right to know, the right to an explanation from him.
He was fighting with himself. A selfish thought flashed through his mind. What if I just hide it from them? Just quietly go and rescue Lam Minh. I'll negotiate with them, use anything to get him back, even if it means sacrificing the interests of all humanity.
But no. He immediately dismissed the thought. The upright, fierce heart of a king would not allow him to do so.
He knew that if he did it that way, that selfishness would become an inner demon, and it would consume him. He couldn't protect his loved ones while betraying his own ideals.
Finally, he took a deep breath. He raised his hand and knocked lightly on the wooden door.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The sound of the knock, in this quiet space, felt incredibly heavy.
In less than three seconds, the door swung open.
Standing before him was not one person, but the entire Lam family. Mr. Dao, Mrs. Mai, little Lam An, and all three girls, To Quyen, Quynh Nhu, and Minh Thu.
It seemed they had been waiting here for a very long time.
None of them could hide the worry and exhaustion on their faces. They looked at him, their eyes filled with anticipation and hope.
But when they saw that he was standing there alone, without a trace of Lam Minh.
The hope in their eyes died.
Mrs. Mai, the poor mother, could bear it no longer. She burst into sobs, her legs giving way as she collapsed to the floor. "Minh... oh, my son..."
To Quyen, Quynh Nhu, and Minh Thu rushed to support her. The three girls, though their own hearts were breaking, tried to stay strong to comfort her.
"Calm down! Nothing's happened yet, why are you crying like that!" Mr. Dao roared, trying to appear strong, like the steadfast pillar of the family. But no one could miss the tremble in his voice from fear, the redness in his eyes.
He slowly looked at Lac Long Quan, his gaze boring deep into him. "Something's happened to Minh... hasn't it?"
His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Lac Long Quan said nothing. He just slowly nodded, a heavy nod that was a confirmation of the worst.
"He... has been captured. But he is not dead. I can still feel his bloodline, though it is very faint."
"Oh, my child!" Mrs. Mai cried even louder upon hearing this.
Mr. Dao staggered over and slumped onto the sofa. He tremblingly lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and exhaled clouds of opaque smoke, just like the turmoil in his own mind.
Silence enveloped the room. Only the sound of Mrs. Mai's sobs and Mr. Dao's heavy sighs remained.
"So... what's your plan?" Mr. Dao spoke, breaking the silence. "I... I don't blame you, sir. But my family, we can't lose Lam Minh."
Lac Long Quan looked at Mr. Dao, at the middle-aged man trying to carry the weight of an entire family on his shoulders. He spoke, his voice deep and firm.
"I see Minh as my own son. And no matter the cost, I will bring him back here safely. You have my word."
His promise was like an oath.
To Quyen, Quynh Nhu, and Minh Thu stood there, listening to the conversation between the two men, feeling as if an invisible hand was squeezing their hearts.
They felt an ultimate sense of helplessness.
Helplessness at their own uselessness.
Why? Why is it that at the most critical moments, they can do nothing to help him?
They could only stand here, worry, cry, and place all their hopes on the shoulders of one man.
He must have been enduring so much pressure all by himself.
Pain, anguish, and a silent determination began to kindle in the hearts of all three girls.