Chapter Sixty-One: Mother and Son Reunited

Eastern sector of the Jingmen Safe Zone.

After the official announcement a few days prior, a rare string of sunny days had arrived. The villa district where Yi Shen's family lived was a particularly tranquil area, and since he was familiar with the surroundings, he quickly reached a vantage point from which he could observe his home, hoping to catch a glimpse of his mother.

What he hadn’t expected was that he really did spot his mother there—but there was another woman in the living room with her.

And the moment Yi Shen locked eyes with this woman, both instantly realized the other's presence.

"Hmm?"

"Jiang Jinying?"

Although Yi Shen had never had direct contact with Jiang Jinying, after days of gathering intelligence, he had already memorized the profiles of the key figures in the major guilds.

Jiang Jinying was one of the vice-presidents of the Blood Reaver Guild, and she was among its more prominent figures. He had once suspected that his mother might be in the hands of the Blood Reaver Guild, but he hadn’t expected such a chance encounter under these circumstances.

Upon meeting Jiang Jinying’s gaze, Yi Shen felt an immediate urge to vanish and retreat, but quickly steadied himself.

From what he knew, Jiang Jinying’s public identity was that of a level 57 Ranger—a physical-based, long-range attacker with enhanced observational abilities. If Yi Shen fled now, it was highly likely Jiang Jinying would deduce he was the Black Mage.

Moreover, aside from Jiang Jinying, there seemed to be no one else near his family’s villa.

Judging by his mother’s demeanor, she didn’t seem to be held captive. Yi Shen couldn’t tell whether Jiang Jinying was friend or foe.

He weighed whether he should take this opportunity to return home and see for himself.

Most of his information these days came from scattered forum posts; even news about Bai Hongjiang was sporadic at best. If he could return to his mother’s side, he would surely gain a much clearer understanding of the current state of the Jingmen Safe Zone.

Furthermore, after recent tests, Yi Shen’s abilities had likely reached above level fifty. Coupled with a range of skills, even if Jiang Jinying was his adversary, he had a fighting chance should a direct confrontation arise—perhaps even an opportunity to rescue his mother.

Though it seemed a period of hesitation, in reality only a few seconds had passed. Jiang Jinying reacted quickly, darting forward in a few agile moves and leaping from the balcony. Though a Ranger, she was more nimble than anyone Yi Shen had ever seen, moving toward him as if unhindered.

Yi Shen’s mother followed behind Jiang Jinying.

Yi Shen decided there was no point in hiding any longer; he vaulted over the railing and walked toward his front door.

"Yi Shen?"

Before Jiang Jinying could take action, Lin Putao had already recognized her son’s figure. Even though he had changed into a gray-white hoodie and wore a mask, Lin Putao still recognized him at a glance.

...

Inside the Yi family villa.

Yi Shen had returned to this familiar home.

Most of the previous chaos had been tidied up, as if the past month had been nothing but a fleeting illusion. Lin Putao looked him over again and again, only finally convinced her son had truly returned home safe.

There was much she wanted to say, but the presence of Jiang Jinying held her back.

This rendered the atmosphere in the villa somewhat awkward.

"Yi Shen, why don’t you go upstairs and rest for a while? This is Aunt Jiang. I have some things to discuss with her."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lin Putao hadn’t realized Yi Shen’s abilities had changed significantly—after all, only a little over half a month had passed. She assumed he’d been hiding outside all this time and had only recently sneaked home.

"Why call me 'Aunt'? Can’t you call me 'sister'? I’m not that old, am I?"

Jiang Jinying eyed Yi Shen several times, then grumbled.

She had only just turned forty and took excellent care of herself—the cell vitality of a high-level explorer was formidable. Her physical prowess likely surpassed that of most people in their twenties.

Given Yi Shen’s age, calling her “Aunt” wasn’t unreasonable, but Jiang Jinying would never admit she was old.

In fact, the moment Yi Shen appeared, she had used her appraisal skill on him.

The information was all question marks—access denied.

Still, Jiang Jinying knew Yi Shen was only about seventeen or eighteen; his strength shouldn’t be remarkable, so she didn’t think much of it. Perhaps, she thought, Yi Qinfei had left him some special items.

Yet another voice whispered to her that perhaps Yi Shen was not as simple as he seemed.

"I’ve had enough rest lately—can’t seem to rest any longer," Yi Shen replied, shaking his head, pointedly ignoring his mother’s suggestion, his words making the awkward air even colder: "I want to know if the news about my father is true."

As Jiang Jinying observed Yi Shen, he was also sizing up this self-proclaimed “sister.”

From what he’d learned, the events at Peach Blossom Dock were most likely the result of a collaboration between Anqing and the Blood Reaver Guild.

But at present, Jiang Jinying didn’t seem openly hostile; on the contrary, his mother’s relationship with her appeared cordial, with even a hint of friendly banter.

At the mention of Yi Qinfei, Lin Putao’s expression faltered.

A subtle sadness flickered in her eyes.

"Yes," Lin Putao nodded, but managed to hold back her emotions in front of both her son and an outsider.

Jiang Jinying noticed Lin Putao’s discomfort, patted her shoulder, and answered for her:

"It’s half true, half false."

"The situation in the Moonlight Lands is complicated. The Moonchaser Secret Realm there collapsed so severely it affected the world’s progression. Out of everyone, only Zhao Weimin’s death has been confirmed. Your father and a few others stayed behind to cover the retreat."

"You can choose to believe he’s dead, or choose to believe there’s still a chance he’s alive."

Jiang Jinying explained in Lin Putao’s stead. Though she didn’t think Yi Qinfei had much chance of survival, she was willing to offer this gentle lie.

As she spoke, she watched Yi Shen’s reaction.

Something about his composure and tone felt out of place for a teenager.

Despite all the Blood Reaver Guild’s efforts, there had been no information about Yi Shen—only that he might have been taken by people from Jingbei Industries. She had even called in favors to inquire, but not a shred of news had surfaced.

Now that Yi Shen had suddenly reappeared, she was caught off guard.

The reason she had persuaded Lin Putao to join the Blood Reaver camp was to have her serve as their spokesperson and help consolidate their influence in Peach Blossom Dock.

To that end, Jiang Jinying had even moved in to live with Lin Putao.

They had talked at length, and the most important condition was to find news of Yi Shen and ensure her son’s safety.

But if Yi Shen had now returned home, Jiang Jinying’s plans would be somewhat disrupted.

For example, if Lin Putao, out of concern for safety, decided to take Yi Shen away from the Jingmen Safe Zone, it would have a significant impact on the Blood Reaver Guild’s plans.