Year 350 of the Anping Calendar.Great Xia Prefecture, Nanyuan City.The Su Residence.
The moment Su Yu stepped through the door, the smell of food hit him like a warm slap to the face.
He tossed his backpack aside, walked straight to the dining table, grabbed a piece of braised pork, and stuffed it into his mouth without hesitation.
While chewing, he yelled vaguely toward the kitchen,"Dad, can we switch the soup tomorrow? Meat every day—don't you ever get tired of it?"
A gruff voice shot back immediately.
"Be grateful you have food to eat! Still being picky at eighteen? I've been playing both father and mother for years. I should've been free ages ago!"
Su Yu laughed as he chewed."Dad, your cooking's too good. You're basically a professional chef now. I want to cook for myself—problem is, whatever I make counts as biological warfare."
"Hmph."
Su Long snorted from the kitchen. All talk, no action. If you're so capable, why don't you step in here?
Soon enough, Su Long walked out with dishes in hand.
Nearly two meters tall. Broad shoulders. Muscles like a veteran warrior.
And a tiny apron that absolutely did not match his build.
The sight was ridiculous every single time.
Su Yu shook his head dramatically."Dad, can't you get a bigger apron? We're not exactly poor."
"You know nothing!"
Su Long set the dishes down, didn't even bother taking the apron off, and sat down."Eat. Saving is saving. Besides, this apron is new—"
"You've said that for three years!"
Su Yu rolled his eyes. Three years ago, maybe. Now? Bold-faced lie.
Su Long didn't care. He dug in, eating like the food might escape.
Su Yu was long used to it. He sat down, sighed, and said casually,"Dad… the frontlines acting up again? I saw a recruitment truck downstairs. They're recruiting in our neighborhood."
Su Long's chopsticks paused—just for a split second.
He put them down and said seriously,"Defending the nation is everyone's duty. What, you think being a soldier is bad?"
"No! Absolutely not!"
Su Yu denied it immediately. His dad was a retired soldier—this was not a topic to joke about. Those hands were lethal.
Su Long snorted and resumed eating.
After a while, his tone dropped, quieter, heavier.
"Ah Yu… the frontlines are unstable. The major war legions keep issuing conscription orders. New soldiers in. Old soldiers recalled."
Su Yu froze mid-bite and looked up.
"Dad… this has nothing to do with us, right? You've been retired for eighteen years. I just turned eighteen, and I'm preparing for the higher academies. They won't draft us."
"Eighteen years…"
Su Long exhaled slowly.
"Eighteen years retired. The Demon-Suppressing Army has issued recall orders five times. After fifty, they stop calling."
"The first four times, you were still a kid. I worried you couldn't take care of yourself. So I didn't go."
Su Yu's expression shifted."Dad, we're exempt. Policy allows it."
"Yes. Policy allows it."
Su Long smiled and looked straight at his son.
"So I didn't go. Four times. Eighteen years."
"But today—my son is eighteen."
"Dad!"
Su Yu's face turned pale."What are you trying to say?"
"You already know."
Su Long smiled, proud and relieved at the same time.
"Eighteen years ago, your useless old man was at least a squad leader. Thirty men under me."
"Your mom was about to give birth. I took leave… and then she was gone. You were just born. No elders at home. I couldn't leave."
"So I retired."
He grinned bitterly.
"When I left, not a single brother came to see me off. Not because they wanted me gone—but because they were afraid I'd turn back."
"Thirty men. First year after I left—nine died."
"None retired."
"The remaining twenty-one… you know how many are left?"
"All still on the battlefield."
His eyes reddened.
"I was selfish. I didn't ask. Didn't dare ask."
"The first four recalls, I packed my bags every time. But seeing you… I couldn't go."
"But this time, Ah Yu—if I die, I'll die on the battlefield. Wrapped in horsehide. Your old man doesn't want to rot in the rear."
Su Yu fell silent.
He had always known.His father never stopped thinking about the frontlines.Never stopped thinking about his brothers.
"Dad…"
Su Yu's voice shook.
"The frontlines are getting worse. Soldiers die every year. You know what repeated recalls mean. You've been a soldier."
"I… I haven't married. Haven't gotten into the academy. Haven't given you a grandson…"
Su Long laughed, teeth bared.
"Relax. I'll wait. You think I'm going back to die? I'm going back to win."
"Dad!"
"Eat."
Su Long cut him off.
"After this meal, you cook for yourself. No food? Eat out. There's money on the card—you know the password."
"They're waiting for me downstairs."
"Get into the Civilization Academy. Write me letters."
"Go for Great Xia Civilization Academy. You're a sure thing. Teachers already talked to me."
"Our Su family finally produced a genius."
He squinted.
"Sometimes I wonder how your brain works. So smart I doubt you're mine—though you do look exactly like me when I was young."
Su Yu muttered weakly,"Dad… are you sure you looked like me?"
"Nonsense!"
Su Long grinned proudly."Ask the neighbors."
Su Yu knew his father was dodging the topic. He forced it back.
"Dad… are you really going? No offense, but you haven't been on the battlefield in eighteen years. No cultivation either. Ninth level of Thousand-Pound… will you even matter?"
"What did you say?"
Su Long slammed the table.
"Ninth level or not, war isn't about raw power! If it were, we'd just send monsters!"
"When I was Seventh Thousand-Pound, I killed a Ten-Thousand-Stone expert!"
Su Yu sighed. He didn't know if it was true—but it sounded true.
He didn't want his father to go.
"Dad—"
"Enough!"
Su Long stood up, cleared the dishes, and said firmly,
"I already registered. If I don't go, I'm a deserter."
"Dad! Couldn't you at least wait for me to come back and discuss it?"
Su Yu snapped.
Su Long shrugged.
"Discuss what? Relax. Even if I die, the compensation's enough for you to marry and have kids. I planned it all."
He grabbed his packed bag, took off the apron, and slung it over his shoulder—like he was just heading out for groceries.
"Study well. Supporting humanity from the rear counts too."
"I'll brag when I get back—my son got into the Civilization Academy."
He laughed.
"Shame I won't see the acceptance letter. Take a picture and mail it to me. Otherwise those idiots will think I'm lying."
"Dad!"
Su Yu rushed after him, panic rising.
For the first time in eighteen years, his father was leaving.
"Grown man. Stop crying like a kid."
Su Long chuckled.
"If you weren't eighteen, I wouldn't go. But now I must."
"I dreamed of them… crying, screaming, saying it hurts."
"I regret it. Back then, I should've sent you to the military family compound."
His eyes were red.
"Five recalls. Is there a sixth? After fifty, they won't want me anymore."
He waved.
"Going now. To the Battlefield of the Heavens."
"This time, I'll kill a few Ten-Thousand-Stone experts for you. I'll leave proof."
Su Long walked away.
For the first time, Su Yu saw his father—free, proud, mighty.
And he hated it.
"Dad—!"
"Stop talking—"
Su Yu clenched his teeth and shouted,
"If you don't come back, I'll marry into another family! I'll change my surname and end the Su bloodline!"
Su Long stumbled.
Almost turned back.
Almost went home to beat this brat to death.
That kid would absolutely do it.
The Su family finally had a genius—and if he married in?
Even dying wouldn't settle that grudge.