C1 Chapter 1, Punishing the Mother

In the heat of July, the moat's waters were boiling under the relentless sun.

Luo Yun's eyes fluttered open amidst the soaking embrace of the moat, greeted by the gentle sway of willows and the lively chatter of the crowd—a vision of peace and prosperity.

A fleeting disorientation clouded his vision. Where was he?

He was meant to be on the Southern Territory's battlefield, amidst the ranks of a million-strong army!

He had vowed it!

Where his soldiers were, he would be!

Where his soldiers perished, he too would fall!

When the enemy launched a missile aimed at annihilating the entire army through him at its core, he, in a pivotal moment, embarked on a nocturnal dash across miles of terrain, drawing the missile away to a barren wasteland.

Now, it seemed, victory was his.

With his sacrifice, he had carved out a golden opportunity for his troops to vanquish the enemy.

A victor's smirk played at the corner of Luo Yun's mouth as he finally took a moment to assess his predicament.

Drenched, his skin slightly swollen from the water's touch, he peered through the watery reflection to see a face marred by hardship, his beard unkempt—a visage weathered by fate.

But his eyes were different.

They held a calm, measured look, bearing the wisdom of one accustomed to command. This was the distinctive gaze of the God of War of the Southern Territory!

A gaze that had once inspired legions to follow him unto death.

A gaze that had struck terror into the hearts of countless foes.

Now, mirrored on this haggard face, it exuded an oddly harmonious, enigmatic quality.

Had he crossed into another world?

Confusion seized him for an instant, but clarity swiftly followed.

He had died a worthy death.

As a famous poet once said, some people live on even in death.

He had been reborn as another, granted the chance to live anew in the very nation he had defended with his life, but now as an ordinary man.

Luo Yun rose from the water, indifferent to the astonished onlookers, and strode from the moat.

The moat lay at the heart of the city, its banks flanked by bustling streets.

A nearby uproar caught Luo Yun's attention.

"Old man! Trying to scam me? You don't even realize what car you're messing with! A scratch on this paint costs more than your miserable life! You couldn't pay it off even if you sold your blood and kidneys!"

A middle-aged woman, around fifty, had stepped out of a sleek, new convertible, hands on her hips, berating the elderly man before her.

"I... I didn't mean to..."

The old man trembled, his eyes brimming with sorrow, seemingly in pain, barely able to stand.

Yet, he clutched a square box to his chest as if it were his very soul.

"What do you mean, 'didn't mean to'? Recognize this car? It's a Maserati! Over three million! You've never seen that kind of money in your life, have you?!"

The woman's words flew like bullets, giving the old man no quarter to explain.

The scene quickly drew a crowd, their phones out, recording the spectacle, ready to serve as evidence should the police arrive.

Seeing no one come to the old man's defense, the woman's demeanor grew even more brazen.

At that moment, she noticed a gray scratch had mysteriously appeared on the front of her car, and she completely lost it. "I can't believe this! You actually had the nerve to scratch my car!"

"Madam, it wasn't me. I didn't touch your car just now..."

"If it wasn't you, then who? It's that box you're clutching! You're holding it so tight; it must contain your entire family's ashes!"

The old man's face fell when the woman insulted the box he held so dear. "Madam, please show some decency!"

"Decency? You not only hit my car, but you also deny it. Where's your decency? You're not leaving here until you pay up today!"

The woman's anger escalated, and fearing the old man might try to flee, she lunged to grab the treasured box from him. "Give it here! I'm going to see what's so precious inside!"

With a thud, the old man couldn't dodge in time, and the box fell to the ground, revealing itself to be an urn, draped with a bright red flag.

Luo Yun's gaze sharpened.

It was the flag of the Southern Territory Divine Army, the sacred symbol of faith for all its soldiers, a flag that only heroes who had sacrificed their lives for their country deserved to rest beneath.

Clearly, the urn held the remains of a soul who had valiantly defended the nation.

"Really an urn, huh? Talk about bad luck! If your whole family is dead, you shouldn't be out here bothering people!"

The woman sneered in disgust, no longer trying to take the urn but instead seizing the old man's arm. "Pay up!"

The old man, desperate to retrieve the urn, struggled to bend down.

But the woman aimed a vicious stomp at the military flag. "What trash! Carrying such an unlucky thing around in public... Ahh!!!"

Her scream pierced the air as her foot nearly desecrated the flag.

"Nice one! Brother, give her what she deserves!"

"Damn, where did this guy come from? He's so quick!"

"Some people just need to be taught a lesson. Brother, you're a true hero!"

Luo Yun's kick landed on the woman's ankle, causing her to recoil in pain. His vice-like grip then forced her to release the old man.

The old man immediately cradled the urn, covering it with the flag as tears streamed down his face.

"Mister, thank you, thank you so much..."

"Are you okay?" Luo Yun asked, helping the old man to his feet with a swift, supportive hand, his gaze quickly scanning for any serious injuries.

Thankfully, the man wasn't badly hurt.

Luo Yun then turned his piercing gaze to the woman. "Do you even know who he is?"

"Do you realize what that flag he's holding stands for?"

"He's a retired veteran!"

"The man who sacrificed his life for our country is in that urn!"

"Without him, without his sacrifice..."

"Where would our country be?"

"Where would our homes be?"

"Where would you be?"

With each question, Luo Yun's grip tightened, turning the woman's hand a dark shade of purple.

Her face contorted in agony.

Luo Yun's words struck deep, igniting a fiery passion among the onlookers. "Exactly! How dare someone disrespect a veteran like this!"

"Where is the justice in this?"

"Give her a piece of your mind! Make her apologize to the gentleman!"

A collective sense of justice can be contagious.

With Luo Yun leading the charge, those who previously hesitated to stand up for what's right were now rallying in support!

Some even set aside their phones to spontaneously salute the elderly man and the fallen heroes with a military salute!

Tears streamed down the old man's face.

It had been so long since he had received such respect!

The woman was both shocked and in pain, completely stunned by the turn of events.

But when she got a good look at Luo Yun's face...

Her expression shifted from fear to anger, and she slapped him across the face. "You little rascal, I should have known you'd be the one meddling! You live off me, eating and drinking at my expense every day! And now you think you're something, siding with a stranger against your own mother-in-law!"

...

The atmosphere turned electric with tension!

No one saw that twist coming!

The crowd erupted into chaos a moment later.

"That guy is incredible! Talk about sacrificing personal ties for the greater good!"

"A son-in-law hitting his mother-in-law! This is wild! Why didn't I capture this moment on video!"

In the midst of the uproar, Luo Yun himself was momentarily taken aback. Mother-in-law?!

This woman was actually his mother-in-law?