Chapter 55: Wis.h.i.+ng to Descend the Mountain
Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
After being interrupted by Pang Wei, Wu Hai began to doubt his eyes. Although he was puzzled, he did not wish to return. With that, the duo left.
As for Han Xiaoguo, his bones were almost frozen from the biting cold. His lips had turned purple, and his face was white. There was despair in his eyes, but he was indignant. He clenched his teeth. Everything was a blur in front of him. In his reverie, he seemed to see a few figures. One of them was the armored carrier personnel. He looked really familiar…
At that moment, Han Xiaoguo was enlightened. He crawled up from the ground and yelled, “Master, I know my fault! I shouldn’t have killed. I shouldn’t have killed that armored carrier personnel!”
After Han Xiaoguo said that, there was no reaction from Fangzheng. He began wondering. Had he made a mistake again?
At that moment, Fangzheng was actually manning the fire stove.
Phew—Phew—
“Darn it. The timber is a little moist. It’s so hard to light it.” Fangzheng was squatting and blowing at the fire stove. Black smoke billowed, and if not for his White Lunar Monk Robe, he would have gone from a white-dressed monk to a black-dressed monk.
Fangzheng spent a great deal of time before succeeding in igniting the fire. He stretched out his legs and while kindling the flames, he felt a lot more comfortable.
“Sigh, it’s still not as comfortable without shoes. I’m still poor. The only umbrella I have is broken. If it weren’t, it could block the rain and my shoes wouldn’t be soaked so quickly,” Fangzheng grumbled.
At that moment, Lone Wolf ran in while wagging his tail. He whimpered a few times.
“What? He said he has regretted killing? What an obedient child. He has finally awoken! Let’s go together!” Fangzheng hurriedly got up and walked out. After such a long wait, he was also afraid that Han Xiaoguo would freeze to death. If that happened, he would have committed a grave sin. Therefore, he had instructed Lone Wolf to watch over Han Xiaoguo. If Han Xiaoguo could not take it anymore, he would bring him in.
Indeed, when Fangzheng came to the door, he heard Han Xiaoguo shouting feebly, “Master, I know my fault! I shouldn’t have killed. I shouldn’t have killed the armored carrier personnel. I shouldn’t have been some bullsh*t mercenary soldier. I have killed too many people in my life. My hands are stained with blood. I deserve death! Indeed, I deserve death! But I can’t die now-”
Creak!
The door opened. Han Xiaoguo had his back leaning on the door so when the door opened, he fell backward.
As Fangzheng looked down, he noticed that Han Xiaoguo’s eyes had already begun to glaze over.
As for Han Xiaoguo, he vaguely saw a monk s.h.i.+mmering with the light of Buddha in an extremely sacred manner. At that moment, he knew he had been saved! At the same time, the sacred white-robed monk left a deep impression on him.
Fangzheng brought Han Xiaoguo into the room in the backyard where a fire stove was burning intensely. He took off Han Xiaoguo’s clothes and hung them up to dry. A bucket of hot water that had been heated ahead of time poured down on him, cleansing Han Xiaoguo’s body. Then, Fangzheng used his only blanket to wrap him in it.
Han Xiaoguo finally woke up. Seeing the fire stove in front of him, the blanket as well as a bowl of water and rice, Han Xiaoguo immediately cried.
Plop!
Han Xiaoguo knelt in front of Fangzheng and repeatedly kowtowed, “Thank you, Master, for saving my life! Thank you, Master!”
Fangzheng accepted it but at the same time felt wistful. He had only been trying to see if he could make Han Xiaoguo turn for the better, hoping that he could repent and be saved. However, he never expected that as things developed, he would find it difficult to handle it as if it were just a mission. The fickleness of human nature was something one would only know through experiencing it.
Finally, after Han Xiaoguo fainted, Fangzheng simply did whatever he believed was right. As for making Han Xiaoguo change for the better, that became unimportant.
At that moment, Han Xiaoguo was kowtowing from the bottom of his heart. It made Fangzheng feel satisfied and proud.
“This is the joy that comes from helping others. Indeed, a master’s happiness is not simply measured by money. It really feels good,” Fangzheng thought to himself.
“Amitabha. Saving a life is better than building a seven-storied paG.o.da. This Penniless Monk is only doing what should have been done. Patron, please get up,” said Fangzheng.
Han Xiaoguo sat up but did not dare sit on the stool. Instead, he respectfully left the stool for Fangzheng. He realized that the house only had one stool.
In fact, Fangzheng’s temple did not have a real stool. Usually, he would use a rock as a stool when he was outside. Stools were truly rare items. As for chairs? Those were even more extravagant. There were none!
Fangzheng did not stand on ceremony. Han Xiaoguo had fainted, and the stove had not fully heated up yet. Therefore, he had let him sit by the stove. He had been wrapped in a blanket and Fangzheng had to hold him up to prevent him from falling down.
Now with Han Xiaoguo awake, Fangzheng naturally sat down.
“Drink some water and eat some food.” Fangzheng pointed to the water and rice by the side. The water was from the Buddha Vat, while the food was gruel made from ordinary rice. However, the gruel made from the Buddha Vat’s water was still a lot more fragrant than ordinary rice.
Han Xiaoguo was also famished. After a word of thanks, he wolfed down on the gruel, eating it clean. He exclaimed that it was the best rice he had eaten his entire life.
Fangzheng wanted to agree by saying, “You are right!”
But if he said that, it would appear like he was posturing. Therefore, he gave up that thought.
After Han Xiaoguo finished eating, Fangzheng said, “Since you know you are at fault, what do you plan on doing in the future? Are you going to continue running? Are you going to hide in the deep woods, never to come out?”
Han Xiaoguo hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. He said, “Master, to be honest, I have to go down the mountain tomorrow. I won’t be going to the back mountain as I’m betting that they will search for me in the back mountain. I can take that opportunity to return to the city. I have used chemicals to adjust my scent, so it will be useless even if they have police hounds. As long as I can hide from them for two days, it will be over. I just never expected them to block the way down…”
“The mountain path has been blocked by the police. How are you going to go down the mountain?” Fangzheng was a little displeased. This fellow was still bent on running! Can’t you repent?
Han Xiaoguo said with a wry smile, “Even if they have blocked the path, I still have to go down. I will storm through it if I have to do so! I will set off at dawn.”
Fangzheng did not speak a word. He was pondering if he should smack him unconscious after Han Xiaoguo remained impenitent. He could then hand him over to Wu Hai, allowing him to receive a commendation.
Han Xiaoguo did not know what Fangzheng was thinking. Seeing how he was silent, Han Xiaoguo frowned slightly. He knew his actions had likely hurt the master’s feelings. He could not bear it further as he said, “Master, I have my reasons. There’s no choice. I have to go down the mountain.”
Fangzheng looked up and looked at Han Xiaoguo suspiciously. However, he did not say a word as though he was waiting for him to continue.
Han Xiaoguo sighed and said, “Master, I have been a mercenary soldier for several years. In fact, I’m already sick of the b.l.o.o.d.y days. I also want to live a peaceful life, but the heavens do not permit it. Half a month ago, my daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She’s just three! Three years old! You do not know how beautiful she is when she smiles. She’s like an angel when she does! That pureness. That beauty. But… The doctors say that she won’t live long. The price of the medicine needed to keep her alive is not something we can afford.”