Family Issues

"Phew. Well, that was uneventful."

The four of them were returning from Li Daoming's impromptu dinner, Ryker putting his hands over his satisfyingly distended belly.

The streets were mostly empty at this time of night, paper lanterns lighting up the roadways with a soft glow.

"Oh, except for the poisoning attempt, I guess," Ryker said with a grin. He had left most of the contaminated food on the plate, but he was bound to have ingested some of it.

Still, he'd probably be fine... right?

"I think he was just set up to do it by my sister," Long Meiling replied, "She has dirt on most everyone in the city... it's probably why the attempt was so lackluster, as well."

"Hm."

Ryker glanced at Meiling, who was currently lost in thought as they walked, thinking of how to ask his next question.

"So... what's the deal between you two sisters, anyway? Seems like you're pretty antagonistic towards each other," he finally asked.

"...Well, we've never gotten along since we were little, but ever since my mother died, she would always lord our father's favor over me," Meiling answered after some hesitation.

"I guess she just can't stand seeing me succeed, despite all of the preferential treatment she already gets."

"Miss Jingfei is really too much!!!" Wang Yuhan interjected fiercely, a little wobbly after having one too many drinks during dinner.

Cheng Hui was supporting her with an embarrassed grimace, taking care to keep her steady as they walked along.

"One time, she even tried to ruin the young miss's dress right before an important party! The nerve!"

"Is that really the worst offense you can think of, here?" Meiling said with a deadpan expression.

"Sounds pretty rough," Ryker observed, "Your dad doesn't care about all that?"

"No," she answered curtly.

"Like I said, she has all of his favor, right now, so she gets away with almost anything she wants. I might as well not exist, when it comes to him."

"...Young Miss, to speak of your father like that..." Cheng Hui reluctantly started, looking aside in hesitation.

"And so what if I speak of him like that? Do you presume to tell me how I should and shouldn't speak, Captain?" Meiling snapped with a cold glare.

"I wouldn't dare," he answered back immediately, lowering his gaze in submission.

"Y-young Miss..."

Yuhan sobered up a little, wincing at Meiling's harsh tone.

This wasn't the first time a conversation like this had happened. Long Meiling was always testy when it came to her father, but for some reason Captain Cheng still pushed for her to respect him.

Ryker just rubbed his chin for a moment in thought, before clapping his hands cheerfully to get their attention.

"Hey, no worries. If your sister's that much of a bother, you just gotta beat the shit out of her at that exhibition or whatever, right?" he said.

"That'll shut her up right quick!"

"...I'm wondering if that will be the case," Meiling said, sullenly looking to the side. If anything, it would just escalate the harassment, she felt.

"Well, if anything, it'll make you feel better," Ryker continued, giving her a thumbs up.

"Just gotta do what you can!"

Long Meiling just looked at him before sighing, shaking her head with a rueful smile.

"Yes, yes, do what we can, right? Honestly, your optimism is what's most impressive about you."

"Haha, that's me: Mr. Brightside."

He shot her his usual grin, to which she rolled her eyes with a faint smile of her own.

The four of them soon fell into a comfortable silence, Wang Yuhan clinging even closer to Cheng Hui in contentment.

Ryker, on the other hand, just looked at Long Meiling strangely, looking as if he wanted her to do something.

"What is it?" she eventually asked, getting tired of being stared at.

"Well, aren't you forgetting something?"

"...Like what?" she asked curiously.

"You gotta apologize to Captain Cheng, don't you?"

"H-huh? And why do I have to do that?

"You don't want things to stay tense between you and the captain, right? Saying you're sorry helps keep your relationship healthy," Ryker said, nodding sagely.

"Well, that's what my dad used to say. You care about the captain a lot, too, yeah?"

"Sir Ryker, that's really not necessary..." Captain Cheng started, but Long Meiling raised her hand, stopping him from continuing.

However, she hesitated for a while before starting to speak, a struggling expression on her face.

"...Sorry for snapping at you, Captain," she finally said with some effort, blushing faintly in embarrassment.

"I got too worked up thinking about my sister and my father, and I apologize."

Cheng Hui's jaw dropped for a moment at her words.

The proud girl he watched grow up never saying sorry was now apologizing to him?

The world must be ending soon!

And Ryker was able to get her to apologize just by asking?

Well, in all fairness, he supposed no one has ever had the nerve to tell her that she *should* apologize.

His surprised look slowly shifted into a gentle smile, and he lowered his gaze again, though this time, it was to hide the tear that was currently threatening to fall.

"And I'm sorry for always pushing you about your father, young miss. I simply wish you and he could get along better..." he said emotionally.

"Hic, our young miss, she's really growing up," Wang Yuhan sniffled, hanging around Cheng Hui's neck to support herself as she drunkenly cried.

"Ugh, don't make this more embarrassing than it already is, Yuhan!"

Ryker just gave a hearty laugh, clapping Meiling on the back. Her resentful glare made him quickly draw back, however, holding his hands up in front of him with an awkward smile.

--

Back at the Li family estate...

"Haah..."

Li Daoming lay back on the comfiest sofa in his room with a sigh.

'That's dinner over with, then. Now to relax before that chat Father wanted to have.'

He called out for a servant to attend to him, waiting for a few moments before realizing no one was coming.

"Where are you damned good-for-nothings?" he shouted irritably.

There was, again, no response. He looked around, noticing that he couldn't even feel the presence of the guards usually posted outside his room.

The off-putting atmosphere suddenly set off alarms in his head, and he slowly got up from the couch, his sword appearing in his hand.

'What are those shadow guards doing?!' he thought in apprehension.

His father had assigned several Golden Core realm guardsmen led by an expert in the Soul Wandering realm to guard the estate from the shadows. If someone really had infiltrated...

"It's been a while, Li Daoming."

Daoming quickly spun around to see who was speaking, eyes going wide in shock when he saw who it was.

"You... Luo Shuchang!" he cried.

This man was supposed to be a cripple! How could he have snuck past all of the security?

"I've incapacitated all of the guards in this area, if you were wondering," Luo Shuchang said nonchalantly, putting his hands behind his back.

"Shall we talk?"

"Hmph, and just what would we have to talk about?" Li Daoming said, trying to keep the hint of nervousness he felt out of his voice.

The sword in his hand felt heavier than usual, and he was struggling to keep his grip on it.

So it turned out that the rumors were false, this whole time; Luo Shuchang was not a cripple, and had power comparable to a Soul Wandering realm cultivator!

Li Daoming couldn't be sure of his exact strength, but he was certainly standing in front of him with the estate's security team nowhere in sight.

His cultivation level was also hazy to his senses, meaning Luo Shuchang was a much higher realm than himself.

Luo Shuchang simply smiled mysteriously, his whole demeanor relaxed like knew just how in control he was, at the moment.

"We have quite a bit to talk about, actually. Has your father spoken to you about the Great Void Sect, yet?"