Chapter 417 – Rescue and Return

Gongyi Tianheng looked at Gu Zuo, who was trembling all over from rage. He opened his mouth, and asked: “Found him?”

Gu Zuo promptly snapped out of it: “Big brother, we need to go down right away, and rescue father!”

Tianheng naturally didn’t object. He carried Gu Zuo, and instantly landed at a corner of the villa. Gu Zuo used his psychic power to erase their presence so they weren’t revealed to the security cameras or sirens. At the same time, he eliminated their qi emissions so that some martial artists with keen senses couldn’t discover them.

Shortly thereafter, the two swiftly followed the shadows and traveled forward. Because their body techniques were extremely fast, they were like two wisps of smoke. As a result, they didn’t alert anyone as they went straight to the confinement room’s doorway.

It was just that, if anyone wanted to enter the confinement room and didn’t have the corresponding passcode, they would trigger the alarm.

The space between Gu Zuo’s brows heated up, and a streak of psychic power burst forth like a stream of water. It completely covered the security door, and naturally, the door’s structure and electronic composition entered Gu Zuo’s eyes. The so-called passcode and all its defensive means were deactivated, allowing the pair to quietly go inside.

As they passed through the threshold, that lump of shadow fell into Gu Zuo’s sight. He didn’t dare hesitate, and immediately took several steps closer. He walked in front of that person.

However, not even Gu Zuo anticipated that the figure would explosively lunge out the instant he approached. The figure’s emaciated fingers curled into claws, and aimed to dig out his eyes!

If it wasn’t for Gu Zuo’s sharp perception and his exceptional reaction speed, perhaps just this one move would’ve reached him head-on. While he wouldn’t really be blinded, he definitely wouldn’t have an easy time.

Tianheng’s brows arched up.

To be capable of accomplishing this, one was bound to have a foundation in martial arts. The strength of this Uncle Zhao’s willpower was beyond his expectations.

Gu Zuo didn’t think about it too much. After evading that attack, he swiftly took action, and firmly grabbed that person. Fortunately, it seemed that this person had been saving up power for that one strike. At this moment, the attack failed, and two people happened to meet each other’s gazes.

That person’s eyes were filled with hysteria, but there was a thread of clarity amid the madness. And within this thread of clarity, it revealed this person’s suspicions — Perhaps, it was because he had never seen these newly-arrived people before?

Gu Zuo clenched his jaw.

Father…

Indeed, this face was his father’s.

At once, Gu Zuo couldn’t bother with anything else, and placed this person on his back.

This time around, Tianheng didn’t take the initiative to suggest that he would bear the burden for Gu Zuo. Tianheng knew that what Gu Zuo needed right now was to do something for Zhao Ji with his own hands.

After that, the pair silently left the room, and closed the security door.

— From beginning to end, no one realized that people had infiltrated into and vanished from this place.

Gu Zuo was carrying Zhao Ji on his back, and Tianheng was holding Gu Zuo in his arms. Once more, they soared into the air, and sank into the darkness of the night sky. A few seconds passed, and they landed in the small alley where Zhao Hewei was located.

At this point, Zhao Hewei had lit a cigarette and was smoking it. His frame of mind was very fretful.

He was worried that the two would trigger the entire ancestral residence’s alarms once they went inside — Even though he knew that their capabilities were far from ordinary, he still couldn’t let go of this worry.

Likewise, his trusted aide, who was also in the middle of smoking, was just as deeply worried as Zhao Hewei.

While the two were waiting with hearts hanging by a thread, a gust of wind suddenly blew down over the ground. Zhao Hewei abruptly turned his head. What he saw was Gongyi Tianheng and Gu Zuo!

Then, Zhao Hewei’s line of sight almost instantly fell onto Gu Zuo’s back.

He involuntarily said: “Elder brother? You guys really rescued him?”

Gu Zuo said: “Don’t waste time talking so much. You leave first.”

Zhao Hewei hastily said: “We’ll drive you guys back.”

Gu Zuo shook his head: “Since we’ve already come out, there’s no need. Father’s health can’t be delayed any longer.”

After he finished speaking, Gu Zuo and Tianheng exchanged glances. The two rose into the sky, and disappeared without a trace.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Hewei wasn’t awed like just a moment ago, but he was still shocked.

A good while later, he said: “We’ll return as usual. Don’t expose anything.” He smiled meaningfully, “You also saw it all. That little nephew of mine isn’t a simple character. If we leak anything on this side…”

His trusted aide had been following him for many years. At this time, he solemnly said: “Rest assured, second young master.”

Afterwards, Zhao Hewei straightened out his train of thought. He considered all the arrangements he made today, and there weren’t any careless mistakes. He asked his trusted aide to start the car, and returned to the Zhao Family’s household.

For bastard sons like him, so long as he acted like an obedient child, nobody would meticulously investigate him.

Sure enough, Zhao Hewei quickly passed through the guard’s checkpoint, and calmly drove back to his own villa.

His gaze wandered as he looked around. He found that this place was still a stretch of silence. There was nothing peculiar… It seemed that the entire process of those two’s rescue operation hadn’t been discovered by anyone in the Zhao Family.

Zhao Hewei sneered, and quietly entered the front door.

When those people who delivered elder brother’s food realized that this person was missing tomorrow, he wondered how they would react.

Returning to the other side of things.

Gu Zuo used a psychic power cover to firmly safeguard Zhao Ji. Meanwhile, Gongyi Tianheng increased their speed. While carrying his passengers, he swiftly flew back.

Arriving by car took a little more than an hour, but through Tianheng’s martial skill, it took less than five minutes to smoothly return to their residence.

Gu Zuo didn’t dare waste any more time, and quickly brought the person inside.

In the living room, the massive LCD television was playing some scenes from an unknown movie. It was clear from the start that Gu Qi, who was sitting on the sofa, didn’t have his thoughts on the television. At this time, he heard the door open, and immediately leaped up.

Gu Zuo flashed to the front of the sofa, and placed the person on his back onto the cushions.

At this moment, Zhao Ji naturally recovered his freedom. Just a while ago, he hadn’t struggled because he was suppressed by Gu Zuo’s strength. Now that he was released, it wasn’t the same as before.

In the blink of an eye, Zhao Ji shot out.

Gu Zuo was going to take action and control him, but Gu Qi shouted: “Zhao Ji!”

This caused Gu Zuo’s movement to pause slightly.

However, at this time, Zhao Ji didn’t attack Gu Zuo. Rather, he threw himself at Gu Qi.

When Gu Zuo was about to pull Zhao Ji away again, he was halted by Tianheng’s words.

Tianheng said: “Ah Zuo, there’s no hurry.”

Gu Zuo furrowed his brows: “But dad…”

The next moment, he found that, while Zhao Ji really did pounce onto Gu Qi, he didn’t intend any harm. Instead, Zhao Ji’s arms suddenly spread out and gathered Gu Qi into a tight embrace.

Gu Zuo’s throat couldn’t help moving: “Father, he…”

Tianheng faintly nodded his head.

Gu Zuo’s voice was hoarse: “Father, he remembers dad.”

Gu Qi let out a sound that was choked with emotion. He similarly reached out with his hands, and looped them around Zhao Ji’s lower back. He exhausted all of his strength to return this embrace: “Ah Ji.”

Then, there was a voice that sounded like a pair of broken and rusted bellows. It was intermittent and stuttering as it echoed out: “Ah Qi… Ah Qi… Ah Qi…”

These sounds weren’t articulate in the least, but the emotions contained within them became clearer with each syllable.

Gu Qi answered back:

“I-it’s me.”

“Ah Ji, it’s me.”

“It’s me…”

Gu Zuo’s heart ached, and his eyes reddened slightly.

Tianheng extended a hand to ruffle Gu Zuo’s hair before pulling him into his own embrace: “It’s okay, Ah Zuo. Uncle Zhao’s situation is much better than we imagined. You should be happy.”

Gu Zuo vigorously nodded: “Right, I should be happy. Dad had been waiting, and father finally came back.”

Gu Qi and Zhao Ji held each other. As one person called out, the second answered.

Gu Zuo and Tianheng watched quietly on the side, and didn’t go to disturb them.

Some time later, Zhao Ji’s legs suddenly gave way, and his entire body fell onto Gu Qi.

Worried, Gu Qi promptly shouted: “Ah Ji, Ah Ji? What happened to you? Xiao Zuo, come and take a look at him!”

Gu Zuo flashed over the instant before Zhao Ji collapsed. He reached out to support Zhao Ji. Right away, he could sense that Zhao Ji’s body weight was only thirty-five to forty kilograms. From top to bottom, he was nothing but skin and bones. All that remained was a skeletal frame…

— When a person became like this, their image would naturally be terrifying. Though Gu Qi didn’t have psychic powers like Gu Zuo, he still had the eyes to recognize Zhou Ji’s condition. However, Gu Qi wasn’t disgusted in the least.

Gu Zuo carried Zhao Ji, and carefully laid him flat on the sofa.

At this time, Gu Qi got another clear look at the present Zhao Ji. The expression on his face revealed an indescribable anguish: “Xiao Zuo, how is your father?”

Without the slightest hesitation, Gu Zuo grabbed Zhao Ji’s wrist, and took his pulse.

Seeing that Zhao Ji’s weakness had reached this state, he didn’t dare use psychic power or profound qi to probe and investigate. He could only use the simplest pulse-taking method to distinguish anything. Although he didn’t have any systematic studies in this aspect, his understanding of the human body as well as the health conditions corresponding to one’s pulse was already unparalleled.

After only a few seconds, Gu Zuo slowly spoke: “Dad, father’s body is incredibly weak. Due to a long period of psychological harm, it has simultaneously affected father’s appetite and his internal organs. This caused a large problem with his internal circulation. Although there aren’t any pathological changes right now, he will definitely need to go through an extremely meticulous nursing regimen for his body to recover. But…”

Gu Qi’s heartstrings were tense: “But what?”

Gu Zuo sighed. His complexion didn’t look too good: “But, father’s biggest problem has occurred within his mind. Currently, he might only recognize dad. He doesn’t know anyone else.”

He straightened out his train of thought: “To put it simply, it should be that, to ensure he didn’t go completely insane during that long period of solitary confinement, father only kept his deepest memories of dad to construct a spiritual pillar. At the same time, apart from dad, everyone else became his enemies — He would see them as members of the Zhao Family.”

Speaking up to here, Gu Zuo’s mood really was complicated.

He wasn’t dissatisfied because he was also “abandoned”. On the contrary, he knew that even ordinary people would fall apart in that kind of environment after just ten to twenty days. To say nothing of father, who was locked away for eight years. Being able to use a spiritual pillar to keep himself from collapsing was already very extraordinary. If there were two spiritual pillars, it would split his concentration. If there was only one pillar, it would be easier to control himself.

From all this, Gu Zuo could see his father’s determination.

Zhao Ji would rather let himself go half-crazy than commit any acts of betrayal against dad — Besides dad, everyone was an enemy. As such, even if the Zhao Family stuffed his cell with a bunch of beautiful women, they would all be attacked by him. Moreover, from the ruthless way father acted towards Gu Zuo, the Zhao Family must have suffered a lot because of this.

Of course, Gu Zuo also knew that, every time father caused the Zhao Family to suffer a loss, they would certainly…

Gu Qi tightly held onto Zhao Ji’s hand. His lips faintly quivered, but he didn’t say anything.

Gu Zuo understood what his dear dad was thinking, and quickly said: “Leave the nursing of father’s health to me. I will make a treatment plan according to every subtle reaction of his body. But as for father’s mental trauma, I’m afraid that there’s nothing I can do about it for the time being.”

Gu Qi’s eyes widened: “Xiao Zuo, then your father, he—”

Gu Zuo hurried to comfort him: “The path of spirituality and the path of martial arts are two different sets of systems. In the future, what father and dad need to study is the path of martial arts. However, once there’s a problem of the mind, it will be hard to resolve. It goes without saying that father still hasn’t officially stepped onto the path of martial arts. While I should be able to pacify father to a certain extent, father’s experiences have caused his vigilance of the outside world to be excessively deep. He fundamentally won’t trust any intrusions of my psychic power.

“If I rashly use my psychic power to make contact, father’s willpower might crumble due to fierce resistance. Only dad can slowly placate father, and allow him to find peace. Then, it will be possible to gradually introduce my pacification so that father can progressively return to normal.”

Gu Qi didn’t completely understand, but he grasped the important point: “So long as I do my best to coordinate with you, we can treat him?”

Without the slightest hesitation, Gu Zuo nodded his head: “Right!”

Gu Qi felt somewhat relieved: “Then, what should I do?”

Gu Zuo said: “Right now, father lost consciousness because his mind had been stretched taut for too long. After seeing dad and confirming dad’s existence, a rebound was caused by the sudden relaxation. Once he gets some proper sleep, dad has to stay by father’s side all day after he wakes up. You can’t leave him for a moment. This way, he will cooperate with me treating his body. In addition, slowly talk about your lives from children to adults. This will help jog his memories.”

No matter what, they had to let him recover first before anything else.

T/N: Don’t worry, folks. The author spends the next three chapters dealing with the Zhao Family.

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