Chapter 285: You Wont Even Call Me Dad

Chapter 285: You Wont Even Call Me Dad

“Lise, stop moving around, or we’re all going to crash!”

On the outskirts of Azura, the team from the Funeral Firm was embarking on a heart-pumping night ride.

Yes, they were riding bicycles.

After leaving the core urban area of Azura—also known as the edge of the Double-tiered City—Annan instructed everyone to dismount and then set the Hovercar free to escape in a different direction.

“Don’t get caught by those evil Humans again,” Ashe thought as he watched the Hovercar disappear into the distance.

It was understood, even without saying, that continuing to drive would only expose their exact location; they might even blow up while on the move.

Although the secrecy protocols of the Gospel prevented direct tracking of Ashe and the others’ locations, it was possible to attempt tracing their vehicle. And since all automated vehicles utilize the Gospel’s data analysis, it was only a matter of time before things went awry, especially with the Moonlit Harmony Home Firm’s enthusiasts who loved meddling with others’ vehicles.

Switching transportation was inevitable. However, now in the seventeenth century, not just in the Gospel, but even the Blood Moon Kingdom was pushing for transport automation. Thus, when they prepared to flee Azura, the only safe mode of transportation available was—bicycles.

Aside from single-rider bikes, there were options for two or three riders, and with a Holographic Screen mounted on the bike canopy showing images of Orc and Elf families enjoying a trip, it was clear these bicycles were meant for leisurely countryside excursions, not for escaping danger.

It begs the question, is the Orc and Elf couple the officially endorsed model family by the Gospel?

This turned the scene rather comical: everyone riding bicycles to escape the pursuit of the Red Cap and the firm, with Annan in pajamas and Ashe in slippers...

Fortunately, there weren’t many vehicles on the highway outside the city core at night; otherwise, anyone seeing them might think they were some bizarrely assembled family.

Ashe was responsible for carrying Lise. Although there were children’s bicycles available, they were slow, and besides... Lise couldn’t ride.

So Lise had no choice but to sit on the back seat of Ashe’s bike. However, she seemed to think this was a spontaneous outing and couldn’t keep still, squirming around constantly. After scolding her, Ashe finally felt her settle down and he could breathe a sigh of relief. As he rode into the brisk night air, his mind wandered to their current predicament.

Undoubtedly, the reason they had abruptly switched from a peaceful working life to a fleeing drama tonight was because of him.

Although he hadn’t done anything, his very existence had been branded by the Gospel as a violation of public decency.

Ashe still couldn’t figure out why he had appeared on the Art Ranking, and as an art piece no less—he could only be thankful that the creator was Annan and not Harvey. Although the Gospel had ranked his portrait first, making it look like it was from a fanatical admirer, it actually seemed more like a backhanded compliment.

Even though the Gospel didn’t explicitly write that Ashe had done anything, the nine artworks ranked before him all depicted the Kingdom facing calamity. With his portrait ranked first, anyone with a bit of imagination wouldn’t see Ashe as a mere innocent bystander.

He was either seen as a salvational Angel or the root of all evil—there were no other options.

Clearly, the Imperial Core believed the latter, and Ashe tended to agree—not that he thought he had the mettle to save the world.

But he didn’t really believe he was destined to leave behind a legacy of eternal infamy either; he simply felt his resume had been tainted by Annan and Eternal Calamity.

Yes, Eternal Calamity—Ashe still remembered that colleague who didn’t know how to clean up after herself, leaving him with the new Occupation of ‘Calamity Walker’. Ashe strongly suspected his appearance on the Art Ranking was probably due to ‘Calamity Walker’ finally taking effect, triggering a “critical moment Luck Check -50”, which led the Gospel to label him as a disaster of this world.

It was like a project going so badly that it split open, and an angry boss wanting to randomly fire someone to vent, so he just pointed at Ashe.

Moreover, Annan was also highly suspect. According to her, to disrupt the future narratives woven by the Gospel, she had been embellishing the resumes of Ashe and others. Although it was unlikely that the Gospel would believe it, what if it did?

Now was that unlikely scenario.

Who knows if Annan had added something like “This is a never-give-up, passionate Sorcerer who is good at rallying partners and whose ideal is world peace and mutual understanding among all people”—If that was the character setting, then Ashe being wronged by the Gospel wouldn’t actually be unjust at all.

However, Ashe now had another problem to consider.

Would Annan turn him in to ensure her own safety?

Despite Annan’s rapid escape, she actually didn’t need to flee. If she agreed to cooperate with Moonlit Harmony Home Firm to develop Igor and others, the firm would immediately back her up.

She had an exit strategy.

But Ashe had nowhere to retreat. Now that the Imperial Core believed the Gospel’s slander, convinced that Ashe, a zero-star nobody, could indeed bring disaster to the land, once caught by the Red Caps, it would be a dead end for him. Even the Gospel’s talk of human rights wouldn’t help.

Imprisonment? After a few years, he would surely harbor resentment and bring disaster!

Exile? Being cast out would certainly breed anger and a desire for revenge!

Once it was believed that Ashe’s future would only bring disaster, any path leading to that future would be seen as nourishing. The only way to save Ashe was to ensure he had no future.

If it were someone else, Ashe would surely agree to sacrifice one for the happiness of many, but since the sacrifice was himself, he naturally wouldn’t just surrender.

He needed to prepare for the worst...

“And when you approach Miss Annan...”

Lise couldn’t listen anymore; she grabbed his sleeve, tugging and twisting it.

“Aren’t you going to care about me anymore?”

Ashe raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you say the game was over? From now on, we are strangers, at most bound by the Contract to come to your rescue if you’re in danger.”

“I didn’t mean it was over forever,” Lise muttered.

“So what are you saying? Ashe when you need something, Daddy when it’s convenient, a comrade in danger, and a father when things are calm?”

Lise fidgeted and pouted, “Can’t it be like that?”

Ashe responded, “You already said you think I hate you, so why should I cooperate with you? You don’t listen to me; why should I listen to you?”

Tears welled up in the little girl’s eyes as she pulled out a small mirror and looked down without speaking. After a while, she reluctantly handed over the handgun. Ashe reached for it, but it didn’t budge at first; he had to pull harder to take it from her.

While examining the handgun, he asked, “Have you learned any Gun Technique?”

Lise didn’t reply, or rather, she refused to speak, her nose twitching. It wasn’t until Ashe asked a second time that she unhappily exclaimed, “I haven’t learned!”

“Hmm—do you want to learn?”

“Hmm?” Lise looked at Ashe, puzzled. “Will you teach me?”

“I haven’t learned either; I can’t teach you.”

Lise didn’t say anything, just gave Ashe a ‘are you picking a fight?’ look. Ashe shrugged, “But we could learn from Banjeet. Once things settle down, how about we go learn Gun Technique from him together? I wonder if Banjeet has any tricks marked ‘definitely teach the kids someday’...”

Lise also remembered Banjeet’s cabinet full of games labeled “to play with the kids someday,” and couldn’t help but giggle. “Banjeet might let us play Gun Technique games.”

As he ejected the Shot Bullets from the chamber and checked the safety, Ashe handed the handgun back to Lise under her astonished gaze. “Unless it’s really an emergency, don’t use the handgun. Even if you don’t trust me, you should trust the Contract. Anyone who wants to harm you has to get past my Corpse first.”

“...Aren’t you going to take it away?”

“You just said I wasn’t sincere, but in fact, it’s you who has never shown your true heart.” Ashe reached out and ruffled Lise’s hair. “You never trust that adults will protect you; you only trust yourself.”

“That’s really sad,” he said softly. “Just like Igor and Harvey.”

Lise blinked in surprise, then shook her head forcefully. “I am not pitiful!”

“Since you refuse to trust adults, then keep the weapon that can protect you. Lise, you are a smart kid, and I believe you know what’s important.” Ashe smiled, “But you’re too smart sometimes, so you might get things wrong.”

“What did I get wrong?”

“You said no one would want a daughter who only brings trouble. In fact, that’s true.”

Watching Lise’s mood quickly drop, Ashe flicked her forehead gently: “But there isn’t a single child who only brings trouble to adults.”

Ashe couldn’t help but remember when he went back to his hometown, his older brother would always complain about the mischievous kids at home, hoping Ashe would discipline his nephew a few more times since visits were rare—after all, his brother’s wife and parents lived together, and with grandparents around, his nephew was as cocksure as a crab, walking sideways. His brother had been blocked several times from disciplining him, and a new belt bought for the purpose had never been used.

However, when the two sat down for a late-night snack and chat, his brother couldn’t help but boast about his nephew entering some competition, and showed Ashe photos from a family outing. Last Father’s Day, his nephew had given him a gift, and he was as thrilled as if he had drawn a rare card in a mobile game.

Although Ashe had long become a cold, money-making worker, seeing the joy that he couldn’t hide on his brother’s face, he felt he could empathize.

“What do you mean?” Lise, covering her forehead, was still puzzled.

“It means you won’t even call me ‘Dad’,” Ashe said, standing up with a smile.

What used to be a casually spoken title now made Lise feel embarrassingly shy, but she kept clutching at Ashe’s sleeve.

“We’ve found it.”

With Banjeet’s joyful voice, a doorway suddenly appeared on the hillside, leading to a staircase that went underground. Everyone quickly pushed their bicycles inside, and as they stepped down the stairs, the lights flickered on one by one, like a belated knocking that woke the sleeping host.

When they reached the end, a fully equipped basement appeared before them.

“At last, we can rest.”

Annan let out a long sigh of relief, went over to lie on a makeshift sofa, lazily rolled around a few times, then sat up and addressed everyone: “Welcome to my grandfather’s tomb.”