Theo answered a bit more confidently this time. "I stopped the monster. Yes, my music might have immobilized those with weak spiritual pressure. But, there were those who were unaffected, too. If only I could have done it earlier, the monster would have been defeated by Haze Guild, too."
Tianzhu stayed silent for a few seconds and said. "How about this? What if that monster turned out to be one with high immunity to mental attacks? What would have happened then? Too few hunters to fight against, and everyone is greatly vulnerable to the Red Ogre, a Class-2 Boss monster. You will see two thousand casualties. Because you are an unregistered hunter, you will be looking at a life sentence. And since you are legally not an adult yet, under the Family Education Promotion Law, as your legal guardian, I will be paying a hefty fine, and no one would ever hire me; your sister, on the other hand, will be haunted by her friends, classmates, and strangers wherever she goes. Your mother will be too ashamed to even be on the camera ever again. Your cousin will be teased at her school, too. Ever thought of that scenario before you put up such a bravado to prove yourself?"
The atmosphere became silent as each of his words hit like a large hammer striking Theo's heart. Vera couldn't help but glance at her brother again, this time, worried about what would happen now as he saw that Theo's eyes looked completely shaken.
Tianzhu continued. "If you don't want to pursue music, don't. But don't endanger the innocents. You won't understand that responsibility. You will understand it when you have someone to protect." Taking a pause, he took a deep breath and added. "I will say it again, Theo. Forget about being a hunter."
Theo didn't say anything after that. Vera stayed silent, and neither did Tianzhu urge him to speak. He just went back to staring at the statue of Christ.
After spending some time in silent prayer at the church, the three of them stopped by another mall to shop around before returning to the hotel.
The sun started to set, casting a warm glow over the city skyline as they stepped into their suite.
Vera immediately flopped onto the couch, stretching her arms with a sigh.
"What now? Dinner at the hotel?"
Tianzhu loosened his wristwatch and placed it on the nightstand. "We get ready. Go and take a shower and put on the best dress you have. Call me. We'll be at the pool in the meantime. Theo, come with me."
Vera sat up. "Wait… wait… Ready for what?"
He glanced at her. "We're meeting your mother and her family for. Did you forget?
She blinked. "Tonight? I thought you said it was on Sunday."
Tianzhu unbuttoned a couple of buttons on his shirt as he looked into the mirror, adjusting his hair. "I said it could be on Sunday, not on Sunday, munchkin. Anyway, get ready."
Vera pursed her lips. "But it is just 6:30, though. Isn't it too early?"
Tianzhu answered. "We took an executive deluxe room. There's only one bathroom here, and we are three. After you were done, there were two people in the line. By the time we leave, it will be 8."
"Ah, okay." Vera blinked.
"Let's go," Tianzhu said, walking away. Theo quietly followed him in silence.
There was nothing but silence between them, whether walking in the hallway or riding the elevator.
Tianzhu led, and his son followed in silence.
Reaching the infinity pool, Tianzhu sat down, his legs in the pool, and then he patted the floor beside him. As Theo sat down, Tianzhu let out a sigh. "You have been awfully quiet ever since I reprimanded you. Are you angry?"
Theo took a deep breath and said. "Uncle, can I go back home?"
"Why?" Tianzhu asked. As Theo stayed silent, Tianzhu said. "No, it's alright. You will have your reasons. I won't pester you if you don't want to say it. Moreover, we will leave in a week anyway. However, tonight, you are going to meet your mother's family for the first time. I want you to put your brooding self away for this one night. Try to act friendly and polite to your mother and your sisters, even if you feel unhappy, alright? Can you do that?"
Theo looked at him and gave a subtle nod.
A couple of hours later, the three of them stepped out of the hotel, dressed in elegant formals.
Upon entering the flat, Xueli welcomed them in person, smiling warmly.
"Jiejie…" As Tianzhu smiled, giving a hug, Theo and Vera slipped into the indoor slippers.
A while later;
The family of three and the family of four sat down together.
Vera, as always, was effortlessly comfortable, chatting away with Soojin about school, hobbies, and shopping as if they were childhood friends reunited.
Even little Alice, despite her initial shyness, had started warming up to her, occasionally tugging at Vera's sleeve to show her something.
As for Theo, he was trying to be comfortable, conversing with Zhao Mingze. But his reluctance and discomfort were clearly evident on his face.
Meanwhile, Tianzhu and Xueli were talking about his future plans. "So, do you really plan on changing your career?"
Tianzhu nodded. "Yeah. I don't think I want any more money or prestige or whatever, Jie jie. Now, all I care about is keeping them safe."
"Why? Are they not safe in Kitezh?" Xueli blinked, taken aback by his response. "I heard that it was one of the lowest crime-rated cities in the world."
Tianzhu awkwardly smiled, "You know it is, Jie Jie. In our profession, we constantly face threats as our influence grows stronger. Before they were kids, I could easily control their movements and restrict the places they could go, preventing them from doing bad things. Now, they are already teenagers, and it won't be long before they completely deny my worries. Since I can't stop it, I have to atleast bring them to a better environment."
"Alright. I'll try my best to support you then…" Xueli smiled. Tianzhu smiled back.
The rest of the night pretty much went smoothly. The three of them stayed there for the night. Vera slept in Soojin's room, and Tianzhu and Theo slept in the empty guest room.
*
Two days later;
At the hotel, the morning sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting pale yellow light across the room.
Tianzhu sat at the small desk, sipping his coffee and watching the news. Vera is still sleeping, and Theo is nowhere to be seen. He has already gotten onto the return flight to Kitezh as promised.
"Hmm… Starlight Guild gained much fame for achieving such a high survival rate." Tianzhu took another sip. "But it is strange that no news article or reporter is covering that guy, the one who actually ended the boss. I wonder what his identity was. Should I ask Noa? She seems to have known him. I got her number. Maybe I should ask her for lunch and subtly ask her about this fellow. Hmm… but why though. It is not like he is interrupting my life. Why not let's just behave as if…"
*Ting*
The doorbell interrupted his thoughts. Tianzhu set his coffee cup down and glanced at the door, raising an eyebrow. "Hmm?" He wasn't expecting any visitors.
"Mr. Qin?" a deep voice called from the other side, before he got up from his seat.
He stood up and opened the door to find two officers in plain clothing, their expressions unreadable but sharp.
The taller of the two, a man with short black hair, stepped forward, showing his badge. "Hangzhou's Awakened Crimes Division, Captain Yang Se-Cheong. May I confirm your identity: Qin Tianzhu?"