Or, from everyone's perspective, the hardship isn't that important.

Just like those teachers and students who died unjustly in that incident, can a simple explanation be enough to cover everything up when facing their families?

Old Hu didn't seem to expect a reply from Shen Qian. After finishing the last sip, he threw down the bottle and suddenly said seriously, "Shen Qian, can I ask you for a favor?"

"You flatter me, please speak," Shen Qian said with a sigh, having already vaguely guessed what was going on.

"Let's go to Jiangzhong Military Base."

Old Hu said with utmost sincerity, "Now that the military has reopened, perhaps... perhaps it is possible to find out the truth of what happened back then. This matter is definitely not over yet. I have a strong feeling that Cheng Ye might still be alive."

"Still alive?" Shen Qian was taken aback.

"Before the 'door' closed, the woman brought the unconscious Cheng Ye inside, which is why I made this judgment."

He remained silent for a moment before sinking.

He suddenly realized that Old Hu's ten years of living in Jingcheng with a hunched posture, reduced to the lowest level of security guard, was not a sign of despair.

He was just waiting.

Waiting for the day when military operations reopen.

Perhaps, even in his heart, there lingered a vain hope that the woman he loved was still alive…

"If you agree, this old man is willing to give everything to help you."

Old Hu let out a sigh of relief and said, "At least Yu Shouji still remembers some favors. With the reopening of the military, I've also found a job."

"Still working as a security guard?" Shen Qian asked in surprise.

"I don't know anything else. Of course, this time when I go back, I'll be guarding the gate, but I won't be sitting in an office anymore," Old Hu said with a self-deprecating laugh.

"Mountains and seas guard the gate"—that sounds rather strange.

Shen Qian rubbed his temples, thought for a moment, and said, "Uncle Hu, I really want to agree, but..."

"Let's go to another place and see if it can change your mind!" Old Hu interrupted Chen Qian, stood up and walked out.

Shen Qian shook his head, put down the white chrysanthemum in his hand, took one last look at the mottled tombstones that seemed to be silently watching him, and followed them.

The two, along with Dao Jiu who followed at a distance, walked in silence all the way back to the South City, and finally arrived at an urban village.

Shen Qian was somewhat taken aback, because although the southern part of the city was economically backward and had many urban villages, those as dilapidated as the ones in front of him were still a minority.

The houses, of varying heights, were scattered haphazardly without any order, and many even had doors and windows simply covered with plastic sheets.

The stinking ditch that stretched along the road emitted a slightly pungent smell, and there were piles of garbage everywhere. Even the cats and dogs on the roadside were thin and bony.

As the three of them walked deeper into the cave, they sensed many curious yet wary gazes.

This made Shen Qian feel somewhat complicated, because in the past few days, there were not many people in Jingcheng who didn't recognize him, but here there were countless.

Finally, Old Hu stopped at the entrance of a narrow alley.

"About ten families live here, all of whom are from the same group of children from back then. They still remain in Jingcheng."

Seeing the look of surprise on Shen Qian's face, Old Hu said calmly, "It's hard to imagine, isn't it? Why have you fallen to such a state?"

"You've never been a parent, so you probably can't understand that feeling. Your own child is gone, and you don't even have the right to know the truth. They've suffered so much just to get some so-called justice..."

"From the city lord's perspective, he wouldn't sympathize with them either. Whether it's Jiang Chengye or the others, they carried so much of Jingcheng's fortune, and in the end, not only did they not receive anything in return, but they even caused a backlash against Jingcheng's energy."

Old Hu gave a simple explanation of cause and effect.

"Weren't there seventeen people in total? How come there are only ten households left?" Shen Qian asked in confusion.

“Some scattered, some went mad, and some died. This is also the result of being burdened by fate. The fate of Jingcheng... will not favor them either,” Old Hu said in a low voice.

Shen Qian nodded knowingly. Their child had damaged Jingcheng's fortune; it was like a cause and effect in the dark.

Those who stayed to seek the truth will be subtly and negatively affected by their fate.

"If I hadn't been trying to help them all these years, we might not even have ten households left," Old Hu sighed.

Shen Qian then realized a problem he hadn't been able to figure out before.

That is, although Old Hu is lame and has lost his position, he is still a powerful expert in the Mountain and Sea Realm. How come he is so poor that he can only afford to smoke five-yuan cigarettes and doesn't even have money to buy a burial plot? It turns out that he spent all his money on this.

After Old Hu finished speaking, he led Shen Qian to the deepest part of the alley.

"here it is?"

Shen Qian keenly sensed that this was the house Old Hu really wanted to bring him to.

"Go in and you'll see."

Old Hu pushed open the unlocked door and saw a simple courtyard enclosed by a fence. It was plain and clean, much more pleasing to the eye than Shen Qian had imagined. There were even some lush green potted plants in the corner by the door.

There were two adjacent bungalows in the courtyard. Old Hu led Chen straight to the one on the right and then pushed open the wooden door that couldn't hold anything back at all.

The cramped space of less than ten square meters was arranged like a bedroom, with a dressing table and a single bed covered with clean white sheets, and a teddy bear on the bed.

Old Hu went inside, but Chen Qian was very resistant.

This is clearly a young girl's boudoir.

It's really strange that he just sneaked in like that when the owner wasn't around.

Shen Qian was about to ask a question, but when his gaze fell on the wall beside the bed, he suddenly froze in place.