It didn't take Mo Fan long to reach the Safety Shelter! He landed on top of the Barrier Building's rooftop , which was now empty.
There was not a single person on top of the Barrier Building. He walked near the railing and glanced below at the Bo City's citizens. It seemed like they were happy.
Just a few hours back the entire Safety Shelter looked extremely miserable with an aura of grief and death, but now, not a single person was injured, there were many people who were sad and looked as if they had lost their souls, but their eyes still had the faint speck of hope in them.
They were still willing to welcome the dawn of a new tomorrow... Mo Fan seeing everything from above looked over them without a hint of emotion in his eyes.
"My efforts saved 75% of the people in the city," he muttered to himself. "But 25%, including my dad, were sacrificed because I thought everything would go according to my plan."
He let out a bitter laugh. "Nah, let's be honest. I didn't care about the 25% who died. I knew some deaths were inevitable. If my father had survived, I'd be patting myself on the back right now, proud of saving so many and securing the Holy Spring. Man, I am such a piece of shit... Instead of thinking of a way to save everyone, I'd already written off 25% of the population. This is my karma for being a selfish bastard."
Mo Fan laughed, the sound harsh and filled with self-loathing. "I planned from the start to sacrifice part of Bo City's population. I never intended to save everyone, even though I knew what was coming. It's only after my father died with that 25% that I started feeling guilty."
"Haha... I'm no different from the Sacred City bastards or the Black Vatican assholes," he sneered at himself. "Who am I to play God and decide who lives and who dies?"
Mo Fan stood there, his laughter echoing in the empty rooftop, a stark contrast to the hopeful murmurs of the people below.
...
After a little while, Mo Fan took a deep breath and leaped off the rooftop.
Swoosh~
The wind rushed past him as he free-fell for a few seconds before vanishing into the shadows.
He moved swiftly and silently through the shadows, and reached the Hospital where Ye Xinxia was working at.
She was still sitting on the same bench from which Mo Fan had abruptly left her to search for Mo Jiaxing.
Her eyes were red, her face a picture of exhaustion and worry. She looked so small and fragile, waiting for him in vain.
Mo Fan lifeless eyes flickered a little at the sight of her. He felt a pang of guilt and hopelessness seeing the girl in front of her. Her sight brought back more memories of his father!
Step...
Step...
With each step, memories flooded back—his father's laugh, the way he used to ruffle Mo Fan's hair, the sacrifices he made. By the time he reached her, he felt as though he was carrying the weight of those memories with him.
In just a few steps Mo Fan stood in front of her. Ye Xinxia, lost in her own thoughts, hadn't noticed him until she saw his shadow over her. She looked up, her red, swollen eyes filling with fresh tears.
Without a word, she rose despite her disability and threw her arms around him, burying her head in his chest and clutched onto him tightly as to not let him go anywhere anymore!
She was afraid he will up and vanish once more if she didn't do this.
"..."
Mo Fan, however, didn't hug her back. He just stood there, feeling her trembling against him.
Silence enveloped them, heavy and suffocating. After what felt like an eternity, he finally whispered, "He's dead..."
His voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, but Ye Xinxia heard it clearly. Her eyes, already brimming with tears, overflowed. The tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, She couldn't think of any words which could console Mo Fan as she herself felt an insurmountable sadness welling up inside her!
The man she called Father wasn't her real father. He was a neighbour who had taken her in when her own mother had abandoned her, leaving her handicapped and alone. Mo Jiaxing had treated her as his own daughter, caring for her and Mo Fan with a love that went beyond mere obligation. He had often starved himself to feed them, always putting their needs above his own. Through him, Ye Xinxia had learned what a true family was.
"Ugh.. Uugh"
She clung to Mo Fan, her silent sobs wracking her body. Her heart felt like it had been shattered into pieces. Mo Fan remained still, his mind a storm of grief and guilt. He had failed to protect his father, and now he couldn't even find the strength to comfort his sister.
Ye Xinxia's thoughts drifted back to the countless times Mo Jiaxing had sacrificed for them. The warmth of his smile, the reassuring tone of his voice, the way he always made them feel safe and loved. The memories were a cruel reminder of what they had lost.
"M-Mo Fan," she finally whispered, her voice breaking. "We'll get through this. We have to... for him."
Mo Fan looked down at her, his eyes hollow. He wanted to believe her, but the weight of his failure was crushing him. How could he move forward when he had let the most important person in his life slip away?
Seeing Ye Xinxia trying so desperately to wipe away her incessant tears, Mo Fan's resolve finally crumbled. He pulled her into a tight embrace, his body trembling with the weight of his suppressed emotions.
He let out a long, shuddering breath, feeling his own tears well up despite his attempts to hold them back.
His hands shook as he held her, the floodgates of his grief finally breaking open. Mo Fan gently pressed Ye Xinxia's head against his chest, hoping she wouldn't see his tears. But the warmth of her presence only made his sorrow more intense.
*Sniff*
"Yeah... we'll get through this, *Sniff*..." he whispered, his voice choked with sobs. "We will..."