Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Buddhist Dad 9
Gu Chengzong's deep voice contained a hint of intimidation. "Ayan, do you have any ideas?"
Zhuozhuo listened with her eyes blinking, remembering what Gu Yan had said earlier. She thought angrily, "Why are you being so fierce? The spirit-detecting stone's intelligence has vanished, so of course they won't find it again. Even if they come to ask Gu Yan, it's already gone."
But before Zhuozhuo could say anything, Gu Chengzong's gaze fell on her again, and he spoke to Gu Yan, "Ah Yan, I'm not doubting you. I guess it's because the newborn's intelligence is too weak, so it can only respond to certain special people. Before coming here, I had already tried with some people with lower qualifications, but they all failed."
Gu Yan's face turned slightly cold. They both knew the reason Zhuozhuo had shown poor aptitude during the test. To maximize his chances of success, Gu Chengzong would undoubtedly try to replicate the exact conditions. Gu Chengzong was saying that he had already used another drugged child to attempt to awaken the spirit stone's intelligence. However, Gu Chengzong didn't know that Gu Yan had long since erased the spirit stone's intelligence, so no matter how hard he tried, he wouldn't get a response.
Gu Chengzong's presence here was clearly intended to help Zhuozhuo awaken his spiritual consciousness. When Zhuozhuo failed to do so, the exasperated Gu Chengzong was left wondering what he would do.
Zhuozhuo suddenly felt a pat on the head. She looked up at Gu Yan, who nudged her toward the house. Sensing the tense atmosphere, she didn't confront him. Instead, she clung to his hand and quietly, looking back every few steps, walked toward the small building. Then, leaning against the window, she peeped out and asked anxiously, "Tongtong, what are they talking about?"
Seeing Zhuozhuo enter the house, Gu Yan's expression turned cold, and he looked at Gu Chengzong indifferently. Gu Chengzong's eyes flashed with understanding, and he said with a smile: "Ayan, it's my fault for not noticing that you would be lonely living here alone. If you like children, there are many suitable children in the family. They have been well educated since childhood and at least they are not too noisy."
His tone was so casual, as if he was not talking about living people, but objects that could be picked at will.
Gu Yan's heart suddenly became angry, and he said bluntly: "No matter how hard you try, you can't awaken the spiritual wisdom of the Spirit-Jian Stone, because I have already erased it."
Gu Chengzong's smile faltered, his facial muscles twitching. His eyes flashed with murderous intent, and he said in a ferocious tone, "Ayan, I know you might have developed feelings for Zhuozhuo, so you're deliberately trying to piss me off. You're a member of the Gu family, and you know what the Spirit-Jian Stone with intelligence means to the family. Father believes you won't do anything to it. Let me guess, its newly born intelligence was too weak, so after visiting Zhuozhuo, it fell into a deep sleep to recover its strength, right?"
Gu Yan: "If you think so, I can't help it."
Gu Chengzong's face twisted, and instead of uttering the self-deprecating words "Are you really going to stop me from taking Zhuozhuo away?", he angrily swung his sleeves and left. He hadn't taken a few steps when he heard a childish voice saying, "Uncle Gu Yan, why is Gu Chongchong so impatient to leave?"
Gu Chengzong nearly collapsed in anger. What did he mean by impatient? He simply wanted to return to confirm the status of the Spirit Detection Stone. After all, he knew his son's character well enough to know if he was capable of such a thing. Furthermore, Gu Yan's life in the Gu family wasn't comfortable. He was forced to voluntarily relinquish his inheritance and was confined to a small courtyard for six years. If he harbored resentment towards the Gu family and was constantly seeking revenge, the possibility of him erasing the Spirit Detection Stone's intelligence would be greatly increased.
From the beginning to the end, Gu Chengzong had never considered whether the so-called spiritual intelligence really existed. Although this was only Gu Yan's words, no one else had ever seen it. It was not because Gu Chengzong trusted Gu Yan's character, but since hearing this news, his greed made him unable to think calmly, and he subconsciously ignored all possibilities he didn't want to see.
Zhuozhuo ran towards Gu Yan and hugged his legs, looking at Gu Chengzong, who was running even faster, with confusion. 9972 had just refused to broadcast their conversation live, saying, "Gu Yan doesn't want you to hear it; we have to respect his privacy," leaving Zhuozhuo bewildered. After a moment's thought, Zhuozhuo asked worriedly, "Uncle Gu Yan, did Gu Chongchong bully you?"
"Don't be afraid, he can't bully me."
"But you don't even dare to leave the yard."
Gu Yan was silent for a moment, then his expression changed. He seemed to have become a completely different person, and with a determined look in his eyes, he said, "Zhuozhuo is right. I can't keep giving in. Otherwise, I'll just have to retreat again and again until there's nowhere left to retreat. I have to pull myself together, for myself and for you!"
Zhuozhuo was full of questions, "Huh?"
She called 9972 in her mind, and 9972 was also very puzzled, guessing, "Maybe Gu Yan was stimulated and suddenly woke up and decided to resist?"
9972 was a little worried. Gu Yan didn't look very strong in combat. What if all this trouble caused him to die faster? He hoped he would cherish his life for Zhuo Zhuo... Well, Gu Yan wouldn't deliberately seek death just to avoid raising a child, right?
9972 was worried, but when he thought about Gu Yan's performance this morning, he felt that he was worrying too much, haha.
Gu Yan quickly made a decision: "Zhuozhuo, let's pack up now and move out tomorrow!"
He carried Zhuozhuo back to the house, acting decisively, as if his body was burning with fighting spirit.
Zhuozhuo stood on the sofa, watching as Gu Yan pulled out two suitcases from nowhere, spread them out on the carpet, and began walking around filling them with things. Her little head spun around, her bright eyes filled with confusion, as if she had missed eight hundred episodes of the show.
The same is true for 9972!
Even if you need to move, you don't have to rush, right? Where to move, what means of transportation to take, how to successfully escape the old house, all of these need to be carefully planned step by step, right?
9972 frantically searched through the mission descriptions and plot, but couldn't find a single instance where Gu Yan had ever left the courtyard before his death. However, with Zhuo Zhuo's involvement, it was normal for the mission target's life trajectory to change. So, 9972 calmly said, "Baby, Gu Yan is very proactive. You can ask him now if you want to go somewhere."
By this time, Zhuozhuo had already accepted the result, putting aside all doubts and showing great joy. She jumped off the sofa and rushed over to hug Gu Yan before he could say anything. She said in a soft and sweet voice, "Uncle Gu Yan, you are so nice! Let's go somewhere to play!"
Gu Yan said, "Let's go to the Demon Hunting City."
He looked like he had planned it out long ago.
9972 was surprised. The Demon Hunting City was the city closest to the Warcraft Forest. It was responsible for observing the Warcraft, issuing early warnings of beast tides, and blocking the Warcraft outside the human living area. When the beast tide came, the Demon Hunting City was also the first line of defense. Usually after each beast tide, the casualties in the Demon Hunting City were at least 80%, and at most all the staff were killed.
Because of this unique situation, there are almost no permanent residents in the Demon Hunting City. They are composed of rotating military personnel and warriors who volunteer to hunt monsters. These warriors live a life on the edge of life in the Demon Hunting City, forming an ecosystem that is different from modern society.
Leaving the Gu family home was easier than expected. That night, Gu Yan let Zhuo Zhuo sit on the suitcases, pushing and pulling them, and they walked on and on in the night until Zhuo Zhuo was almost asleep and walked out of the Gu family home. No one noticed them, and no one chased them.
This must be some trick used by Gu Yan, which means that he is not as weak as he looks. This makes 9972 think of pretending to be a pig and eating the tiger, and he feels a little relieved.
After traveling by plane, cruise ship, bus, and taxi, Zhuozhuo and Guyan finally arrived at the Demon Hunter City. Modern cities had long since shed the confines of walls and gates, but the city itself was surrounded by a ring of jagged boulders. Dried blood clotted on the seemingly pristine stones, it felt as if civilization had regressed two thousand years. Entering the Demon Hunter City evoked a sense of disconnection, as if transported to a remote, Western fantasy town populated by mercenaries and adventurers.
Zhuozhuo subconsciously hugged Guyan's neck tightly, put his little head against his face, and looked at the buildings and people in the Demon Hunting City curiously.
Gu Yan thought Zhuo Zhuo was frightened and patted him on the back. He seemed to be influenced by the rough style of the Demon Hunter City and said with a smile, "Don't be afraid, I'm a good fighter."
"Zhuozhuo is not afraid."
Seeing various animal bones for sale on the roadside stalls, Zhuozhuo suddenly looked into the eyes of a skull. The dark eye sockets seemed to be connected to the abyss. She was so frightened that she shrank back into Guyan's arms, her ears pressed against his chest, listening to his steady and powerful breathing.
Seeing this, Gu Yan quickened his pace and crossed the streets, turning several corners before arriving at a small villa.
"Uncle, we live here?"
"Yes." Gu Yan was putting things away and pondered for a moment, "Zhuozhuo, can you call me dad?" It is inevitable to deal with people here. A father-daughter combination is safer than an uncle-nephew combination and can reduce a lot of unnecessary trouble.
"Sure, Dad." Zhuozhuo said without hesitation. After spending so many days together, in her heart, Gu Yan was no different from her father.
Gu Yan swallowed back the reason he had prepared, the corners of his mouth tilted back, his heart pounding because of these two words. He coughed lightly, subconsciously took out the tea set and made himself a cup of tea to calm himself down.
"Gu, Dad!" Zhuozhuo watched Gu Yan's series of actions, occasionally interfering with him. Suddenly, she shouted, "Your heart stopped beating!"
Gu Yan nearly spit out a mouthful of hot tea. After hearing what Zhuo Zhuo said, he felt helpless again, but still said calmly: "It's beating. I'm still alive, so how can my heart not be beating? Zhuo Zhuo, come and feel it."
Zhuozhuo had already run over, his ear pressed against Guyan's chest. He listened attentively for a moment, then looked up at him worriedly and said childishly, "Dad, it really hasn't been beating. Just now it was thump-thump-thump-thump, and now it's thump-thump. It's missing a beat."
"Okay, Daddy knows. Zhuozhuo, don't worry. Go play..." Gu Yan paused while wiping the table, then suddenly remembered something. He turned back to Zhuozhuo, who had just turned and run away. To avoid scaring Zhuozhuo, his expression and voice were normal. "Zhuozhuo, when did you start hearing the 'thump, thump, thump' sound?"
"Just now, on the street." Zhuozhuo took a step forward and leaned into Guyan's arms, shrinking his body to restore the posture of the two at that time.
Gu Yan immediately remembered it, and his heart sank, but he didn't show it.
Zhuozhuo asked: "Dad, why does your heartbeat change?"
"Because the human heart rate is not fixed. When you are nervous, afraid, excited, or even after strenuous exercise, your heart rate will get faster. Think about it, Zhuozhuo, if you run faster, your heart rate will also get faster, right?" Gu Yan said calmly.
Zhuozhuo tilted her head and thought about it, but she had never noticed such details before and couldn't remember anything. However, this did not bother her. The little girl smiled and said, "Zhuozhuo, run now. You will know after you finish running."
"Okay, you can only run inside the house, not in the yard."
"I know." Zhuozhuo rushed to the nearest room like a happy puppy, and soon forgot his purpose, and began to rummage through drawers and explore up and down.
Gu Yan lowered his eyes, his palm slowly covering his chest, making a grasping motion, as if trying to pull out the beating heart within. The sunlight shone through the glass onto him, but it couldn't illuminate the shadow behind him.
"Dad, Zhuozhuo wants to eat beef brisket stewed with potatoes!" Zhuozhuo suddenly poked his head out from behind a door and ordered food on a whim.
"Okay." Gu Yan looked at Zhuo Zhuo who was running away again and reminded him loudly, "Run slowly and don't fall."
"good--"
The strange feeling just now disappeared. Gu Yan took out his mobile phone to buy ingredients, then picked up a rag and went to the kitchen to continue cleaning diligently.
Zhuozhuo leaned over the French window of the greenhouse and looked out into the yard. All she saw was a withered lawn and a bare, crooked tree. The air was filled with a chilling, desolate atmosphere, a far cry from the courtyard once filled with vibrant flowers and lush trees. She wondered, "Tongtong, why does Dad want to live here?"
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