Volume 3 Chapter 3 Part2 (1/2)
Illusions, Lies, Truth Volume 3: In the Name of G.o.d, Part One
Original novel in Chinese by: 御 我 (Yu Wo)
Chapter 3: Existence's Bane, Part 2—Brothers—translated by lucathia (proofread by Taffygirl13 & Trespa.s.serby)
”Haa~~”
After a huge yawn, Yu Shu lazily walked to the living room and lay on the sofa, waiting for breakfast… Or is it lunch? Whatever!
House Keeper walked out of the kitchen and asked with a faint smile, ”You have woken up quite early today. I am just about to make lunch! May I ask if there is anything in particular you wish to eat?”
Yu Shu looked at her eldest son, who was truly captivating with such a handsome face. Plus he had a good figure to boot. Getting to see such a hottie first thing in the morning was such a blessing to her eyes!
”You.”
House Keeper blinked and said with a smile, ”I am afraid that I do not yet have that kind of 'function.'”
…He actually understood me! Last time, didn't he respond with, ”I am sorry. The material I am made of is hard resin. Your teeth might fall out from the attempt”?
Yu Shu was practically shocked awake. She jumped right up from the sofa and asked, ”Have you seen Jiang Ziya lately?”
House Keeper stilled but could only say, ”Yes.”
Yu Shu felt she was on the verge of coughing up blood. She snapped, ”You went against my orders and purposely sought him out?”
House Keeper explained frantically, ”It was not so. I was merely bringing over freshly baked bread to the neighbors. Jiang Ziya does not have cla.s.ses around that time, so he is usually still asleep. I do not know why he woke up so early that day. When I opened the door, I happened across him.”
”And?”
”And?” House Keeper asked in confusion.
”How'd you meet him all the other times?”
House Keeper quickly answered, ”I only saw him that one time.”
Yu Shu narrowed her eyes dangerously and said in suspicion, ”Swear that you aren't lying to me.”
Unexpectedly, House Keeper immediately swore, ”I swear that I am definitely not lying to you. Ever since Mistress gave the command, I have only seen him once.”
Yu Shu only half believed him. If he had only seen Jiang Ziya once, he couldn't have changed so much. If Jiang Ziya possessed strength of that magnitude, then why was he even attending university? He should just create spirits and conquer the world!
”Then, what in the world made you change so much?”
House Keeper opened his mouth, but then he shut it again.
You don't want to say it, but you don't want to lie either, huh? Yu Shu gave a cold snort. At least you didn't lie to my face. You still have some conscience.
”Spit it out! Or are you trying to betray me, your master?”
House Keeper frowned. He could only bite down on his teeth and clench his fists in order not to reveal everything.
Seeing that, Yu Shu was stunned. He can actually disobey me in my home? Perhaps it had to do with how she wasn't forcing the issue, but as her illusory familiar, being able to resist to this point was already no easy feat.
All of a sudden, she felt conflicted. It's like my child has finally grown up… But G.o.ds, my kid is only a year old!
”Why are you forcing him?” Hold Keeper walked out from the box in the corner. He said, displeased, ”I can tell you.”
”Hold Keeper!” House Keeper cried out in alarm, ”You must not say it!”
Yu Shu looked toward House Keeper, her heart growing cold. She hadn't thought that it would be House Keeper who would be unwilling to say it. She had thought that House Keeper and she were closer!
”Why keep it under wraps? It's not like we can disobey our master. I'll say, why are you so guarded against Jiang Ziya?” Hold Keeper mocked, ”Don't you feel that the 'mother' is way scarier?”
The mother? Yu Shu froze.
”Jiang Yu!”
Shoot! The light had really blinded her from the truth. She had guarded against all contingencies with Jiang Ziya, yet she had forgotten that pretty much eight or nine out of ten times, those who could create ”daughters” were always the parents. At most, Jiang Ziya was just support, while Jiang Yu was the main force!
Despite this, she had let Jiang Yu enter her home however she pleased, and she would drag House Keeper and Hold Keeper over to chat inanely with them. She'd always say, ”You brothers are so handsome. How about finding your younger brother a girlfriend?”
”I'm such an idiot!” Yu Shu was vexed.
Hold Keeper agreed, ”You always have been.”
”Why didn't you warn me?”
After Yu Shu shouted that angrily, she saw helplessness grace one face and disdain the other, as if looking at an idiot. Right then, she felt that she really was being an idiot. Jiang Yu was capable of helping them ”level up.” There's no way these two guys would tell me about it!
These two are already powerful enough to keep things from me? Yu Shu's head hurt so much that she felt even rich coffee wouldn't be able to save her anymore.
”There's entirely no need for you to be so concerned, right?” Hold Keeper snorted. ”I've seen your computer before. Don't all the members of that illusion raising forum wish for their illusory familiar to become a lie? You're the only one so cautious about it. I don't know what you're trying to prevent!”
”That's because none of them have a 'truth' living across from them!” Yu Shu bit out, ”It's already ridiculously difficult to have an illusory familiar become a lie. Of course they'd want their illusions to become lies. They don't have to worry at all that their illusory familiars could one day become truths!”
”Do you really detest the idea of us becoming truths to that degree?”
Yu Shu froze.
Hold Keeper glared at her coldly and growled, ”Jiang Yu wishes for her daughter to be true. Why don't you want your sons to become truths? Do you really think of us as your sons? Or do you actually just want obedient subordinates?”
Yu Shu opened her mouth, but she didn't know how to explain it.
”Hmph!” Having not received an answer that proved him wrong, Hold Keeper felt angry and disappointed. He turned and rushed right into the cardboard box.
House Keeper looked at the sullen Yu Shu, and then at the box Hold Keeper had rushed into. He hesitated for a moment but still chose to remain.
At the moment, Yu Shu had a headache just from looking at her son. She waved her hand tiredly and said, ”House Keeper, you can go and cook.”
Only after she heard House Keeper's departing footsteps did she allow herself to think about ”that notion.”
Letting my sons become truths?
How could I not want that to happen? She knew she shouldn't think about it, yet she couldn't help but possess such a desire. When she had originally created these two children, she had already known that she could never suppress the desire to let them become truths. She'd just pa.s.sed it off as an impossible wish, so there had never been a need to overly worry about it.
Yet, House Keeper had become a lie out of the blue, and it was only a matter of time before Hold Keeper would turn into a lie as well. Under the almighty power of her neighbors, turning into truths was actually possible…
Those who made their children into truths were almost always the mother.
Other than Jiang Yu and Jiang Ziya, am I also to blame?
The aroma of rich coffee hit her, and Yu Shu lifted her head. She saw House Keeper put down a cup of coffee and look at her in worry.
”Jiang Ziya and I made a promise that we will see each other at least once more.” House Keeper explained somewhat frantically, ”But I did not make a promise with him because of wanting to become a truth. Jiang Yu would be enough for that. I j-just…”
Yu Shu said understandingly, ”You have always liked him a lot.”
House Keeper hesitated for a moment. He lowered his head and said, ”If you are my mother, then he is… he is…”
Your father? Yu Shu was speechless. Wonderful. Both ”parents” are now in the picture!
House Keeper said softly, ”The invitation has already taken effect. I will see him once more, and then I will not seek him out again. Please do not be angry at me.”
”Whatever, you don't have to avoid him anymore.” Yu Shu felt that it was probably unavoidable. She even felt that Jiang Yu had done it on purpose. When Xiao Xue had gone missing, she had known to come here to search for her. After Xiao Xue had returned, she'd completely forgotten everything again. That kind of memory is practically superhuman intelligence!
”The Jiang family's situation is too complicated. You and Hold Keeper both need to be careful. I don't want you to get taken advantage of.”
House Keeper nodded.
Yu Shu gestured at the cardboard box and said, ”Help me talk that b.a.s.t.a.r.d around. He's always been difficult. It'd be bad if he turns even more stubborn and paranoid.”
”As you wish.” House Keeper was about to enter the box. He suddenly turned his head and asked to test the waters, ”How about letting Hold Keeper become a lie?”
”You sure are a good older brother.”
Yu Shu realized that these two guys didn't have as bad of a relations.h.i.+p as appearances indicated. Even though the two of them had joined hands to keep her in the dark, she didn't feel angry about it at all. Her sons were truly a good pair of brothers. As the mother, she really couldn't muster any anger over that.
House Keeper lowered his head, not daring to say too much.
”Whatever happens, happens.” Yu Shu lazily said, ”With Hold Keeper's personality, it would never be possible for him to remain an illusion forever. He doesn't resemble an illusion at all!”
”I understand!” House Keeper smiled happily. ”Then, I will go and console him.”
As she watched House Keeper walk into the cardboard box, the doorbell rang. Yu Shu grumbled, ”It just had to be now,” as she climbed up from the sofa in resignation and walked over to open the door.
”Yu Shu!”
Jiang Yu walked in cheerfully and was even holding a pot in her hands. She held it and presented it like her pride and joy and said, ”I made a pot of pork belly. Have some! It's been stewed to perfection this time. I guarantee it's delicious!”
Yu Shu silently stared at her.
Jiang Yu was confused by the stare and asked in bewilderment, ”What, why are you staring at me like that?”
Seeing the person before her show an innocent and confused expression, Yu Shu sighed and helplessly said, ”I must be too lonely to become friends with you.”
”… I should be the one saying that!”
”I'm off!”
Jiang Ziya pa.s.sed by like a whirlwind.
Jiang Yu, who had been feeding her daughters, asked in surprise, ”So early again today? Didn't you return very late last night? Wait, don't you need breakfast?”
”Nope, Lu Yang said that his dad will cook a serving of breakfast for me.”
”… Liu Yis.h.i.+?”
Jiang Ziya stilled and stopped in his steps. He turned his head and asked doubtfully, ”Sis, what did you just say?”
Jiang Yu was in the middle of bending over and using tissue to mop up the applesauce that Jiang Jiang had accidentally dripped on the floor. When she heard her brother's words, she straightened back up and asked in confusion, ”What?”
I must've heard wrong? Jiang Ziya changed the topic and said, ”Nothing, I'm heading out. The club has an event going on. It's a night activity. I won't be coming back until early morning.”
Jiang Yu blinked and asked doubtfully, ”Leaving early and returning late. You seem very busy. You'd better not be secretly working! Or I'll definitely ground you!”
”I'm really not. If you don't believe me, you can ask Lu Yang!”
Jiang Yu snorted twice. ”He'd definitely lie for you. There's no use asking him.”
Jiang Ziya began laughing awkwardly. ”I really am not secretly working.”
Helping Lu Yang doesn't count as work!
Jiang Yu relaxed and nodded. ”Fine, off you go. You went out of your way to get up early. Don't make them wait for you.”
Jiang Ziya nodded. The moment he walked out the door, he was stumped into a stupor. The two brothers across from them were actually standing by the door, looking every bit like they were blocking his way!
Even if I agreed to the invitation, it shouldn't be buy one get one free?
”Y-Yu Shu is still sleeping, I hope?” Now, Jiang Ziya could only hope that Yu Shu wouldn't find out about this.
House Keeper smiled faintly and said, ”Mistress has already permitted us to meet you.”
Hold Keeper snorted. ”What time is it? There's no way she would be awake. You think too highly of her.”
”Yu Shu is actually willing to let you two meet me now?” Jiang Ziya doubted it greatly. Don't tell me House Keeper is making it up?
House Keeper happily said, ”She has also given permission for Hold Keeper to become a lie. Could you please call his name?”
”I don't at all believe she agreed.” Hold Keeper turned his head away.
Jiang Ziya was a little speechless. ”Just calling a name isn't effective. I've called Xiao Xue so many times, but she hasn't become a lie. I really don't know how I should call out the name for it to take effect.”
”I also feel that this point is rather strange.” House Keeper hummed for a while before saying dejectedly, ”Perhaps we must wait for the right opportunity.”
Even though Hold Keeper had turned his face away, he was still obviously paying close attention to their conversation. Once he heard that Jiang Ziya didn't know what to do, he could not keep disappointment from showing up on his face.
Not knowing what to do, Jiang Ziya said, ”I-I need to go.”
”Please take your time.” As usual, House Keeper waved courteously as he saw him off.
Jiang Ziya fled as if his life depended on it.
After he walked his motorbike out, Jiang Ziya turned to gaze at his own apartment building, his feelings in turmoil. He decided that he needed to make time to clear things up with Yu Shu, in order to avoid being tricked by House Keeper and Hold Keeper. If that was the case, then the day Hold Keeper became a lie would be the day that Jiang Ziya died.
Right after he climbed on his motorbike, a text arrived on his cell phone. Jiang Ziya lowered his head to look. His face paled, and he immediately shot off on his bike.
Soon, he arrived at the abandoned campus. Lu Yang was standing by the gate, his face dark as he said, ”Park your motorbike farther away so that people won't notice it.”
Jiang Ziya immediately parked his motorbike on the other side of the street and walked over.
Lu Yang urged, ”Come in quickly. It'll be difficult for us to enter the later it gets.”
Jiang Ziya dashed inside the abandoned campus with him. He waited until Lu Yang locked up the gates before he asked him as they walked, ”Another murder happened?”
”Yeah.” Lu Yang's face was pale as he said, ”I miscalculated. I thought that he wouldn't do anything again so quickly, as lengthening the time in between would decrease the suspicion. The previous six murders spanned a whole year. I hadn't thought that this time, he'd take action immediately!”