Chapter 236: Stupid Idea

"Don't worry. I already know your answer. You love life. And don't you want APF to suffer? You can also see what this key unlocks. We have many adventures ahead of us. And I'm going to need you. So you can't leave," Lucifer said as he saw Jiang unable to answer. 

"You're the only one who can help me get to my goals. And I'm the only one who can help you get to riches and freedom," he further told Jiang as he kept walking away. 

"Sigh, looks like we're stuck together then," Jiang said, frowning. 

"Don't worry. You aren't the only one. There will be more," Lucifer muttered as he kept walking.

"So are we going to your home now? To find clues?" Jiang inquired, curious. 

"Yep. If that's where I can find the clues, then that's where we shall go. Moreover, I also want to see my old home again," Lucifer replied. 

"Wait a minute! I have a question! You said that you're most wanted by the APF. How can you walk so freely now?" Jiang asked as he noticed the flaw in Lucifer's story. 

"It's simple. I'm most wanted by them but only from the outside. On the inside, they know that I'm dead," Lucifer explained. "So it's just a fake search. In any case, they don't know how I look now or that I'm even alive."

"They don't know what you look like?" Jiang asked.

"Yep. Last they saw me was almost eight years ago when I was only ten," Lucifer replied casually. 

"Eight years ago? Search for a ten year old kid? I remember now!" Jiang suddenly exclaimed as he stood still in shock. 

"Are you Lucifer Azarel? The son of Zale Azarel? The one that had joined Variant Uprising? The one who killed thousands of people? The one who sent the Delta Squad leader of APF in a coma?"

He couldn't believe it! The person who stood before him was the one that had shaken the entire nation in his time! He was a villain for some while he was the hero who was wronged for others! He was back?

"All of them are me, yeah," Lucifer casually replied. "But I didn't know about the coma thing. So Xander is alive?" 

"That's right. He has been in a coma for close to eight years now." Jiang answered. "Can't believe I'm standing with you. You know, even I was angry at that time when I knew about everything. There was a wave of support in the public for you at that time."

"But then you disappeared, and the wave died down as the years passed. The Variant Uprising used that wave to the fullest to recruit Variants. They're much stronger than they were. If only you hadn't disappeared, you could have used that support too," he further said. 

"Disappeared? I didn't disappear. Varant came for me personally and attacked me from the back before he tossed me in the sea. It all happened on the day when my story was released. It's only now that I recovered and came back," Lucifer explained. 

"What? They had tossed you in the sea to die? Then that search..."

"That was nothing but a smokescreen, so others don't know that they already got to me. As you said, there was a wave of support," Lucifer replied. "Probably they didn't want to look like the bad guys more than they already looked."

"Why don't you come before the public? Tell them the truth? Get their support!" Jiang suggested. 

"Well, that's a stupid idea if I ever heard one. As you said, the support is only temporary. Do you really think people care? In the moment of emotions, they stand up and support something but just as fast, they move on to the next thing," Lucifer explained. 

" Everyone is unreliable. I want to do things my way. I don't want a crowd and a liability. I instead want a team that I need for the things I'm about to do. You for getting to the stones, Veracity for being my lie detector, and..." Lucifer muttered, but he didn't finish. 

"Why don't you take the help of Variant Uprising?" Jiang asked.

"Because I can't trust them either. It's simple. At this point, I can't trust any of the organizations," Lucifer replied. "So I'll do things my way."

"Looks like I'm in deeper sh*t than I thought. But then again, since I'm here, I'll stick around. Better than being killed by you."

"Also, because your father was my hero too. He had saved my life once as well. I think this can be a tribute to him," Jiang answered as he agreed to stay in the team. 

"But on one promise," he further said. 

"What promise?" Lucifer asked, curious.

"Promise me that you won't use April Fool on me ever again as long as it's not the first of April!" Jiang said firmly. 

Lucifer glanced at Jiang as he burst into laughter. Jiang's answer was so unorthodox that he couldn't control himself. It had been a long time since he had laughed so openly. 

"Alright, I'll think about it," he replied as he controlled his laughter. "By the way, are you calling the cab, or should I hijack a car?"

"I'll book a cab," Jiang answered. "But there's one more thing."

"The thing is that we can't always take a cab. We'll need a car at some point. I know you can't drive, so I'll drive. How's that?"

"Do you have a car?" Lucifer asked, curious. 

"I'm poor. Do you really think I can afford one?" Jiang asked, rolling his eyes. "When APF had caught me, as punishment and a reminder, they took all the treasures I had collected along with that stone."

"Alright. I'll arrange for something then," Lucifer replied. "Veracity should have one. When we drop there, we can take that."

"Who is this Veracity you keep speaking about? Is that your friend?" Jiang asked as he opened his phone to order a cab. 

"She's a stranger," Lucifer replied. "For now, at least."

Jiang casually nodded his head, but it was then when his mind clicked as he remembered something. 

"Wait a minute! Are you talking about that Veracity? The one who can catch all the lies?" 

"Is there any other Veracity in this city?" Lucifer asked, curious. "I need her with me if I want to know the lies and the truths. So she's a crucial part of the team."

"That woman is pretty scary. We need to be careful around her later," Jiang reminded Lucifer. 

"Why? What's scary about her?" Lucifer asked. 

"It is said that she can not only catch lies, but she can even read thoughts as long as the Variant before her isn't stronger than her," Jiang explained. 

"She can read thoughts? That's even better then. She'll be more useful than I thought if it's true."