Assassin Dad and His Genius Daughter

Chapter 78 The Boy Who Could've Lived

Ren Ye finally came to a decision!

After checking all of the candidates, he found the who had liked out of these potentials. Although it had been unexpected Ren Ye felt it was more reasonable to choose it.

He had chosen the drawing of a former soldier whom a boy in his mid-10s had drawn for him. The boy appeared to be rather immature and inexperienced but who could have expected that he had immense talent?

Somewhat it reminded him of his own daughter who had an innate talent for drawing.

He turned his eyes to glance at the drawing before looking at the boy, he curled his lips into an indifferent smile, "How old are you?"

"16 years old," The boy replied calmly, devoid of emotions.

Ren Ye's eyes slightly shook and sighed inwardly, "What a shame he had died so young or else he might have been a renown artist."

Ren Ye nodded his head and replied, "You have great talent."

The boy nodded his head gently as he raised his head to meet Ren Ye's calm eyes, his eyes were clear and bright as they once were while he was still alive.

"My family likes drawing," He replied, "I like to draw."

Ren Ye asked, "What is your name?"

"Kang Lei," The boy replied with earnest eyes, "My Papa's name is Kang Fan and my Mama's name is Ruo Lan."

After saying this, Ren Ye fell into deep silence as he looked at the boy who had the potential to become an artist and finally understood how he acquired such talent in youth.

Kang Fan.

The renowned oil painter who had drawn pictures of world leaders. Coincidentally enough, he descended from a family of immensely talented painters whom Ren Ye came to know of through his father.

Kang Fan had two wives if Ren Ye remembers correctly. One of whom died in children while his current one is still alive. From inside sources he had accumulated through them, his second wife used to be a mistress he had while he was still a teenager.

Their family had their roots way back to the imperial days when Kang Wei, a legendary artist back then, was an official in the imperial palace. Many portraits he had drawn back then were in today's history books. Naturally, they took pride in raising all of their descendants to be independent artists in many fields of the industry.

Ren Ye's nudged his hand as he curled his lips and admitted, "I know your father."

Kang Lei momentarily shook, "Really?"

"Yes," Ren Ye replied gently, "Sadly, he is on his deathbed."

Kang Lei didn't reply for an extremely long time. Ren Ye sensed he was at a loss.

"How long has it been?"

Ren Ye hummed, "Mm?"

"How long has it been since my mother was gone?" Kang Lei asked with his head lowered.

Ren Ye raised his head upwards, trying to remember.

"A rather long time."

Kang Lei nodded his head before grasping the corner of Ren Ye's clothes, "Uncle, I want to meet him."

Ren Ye was somewhat flabbergasted by his use of 'Uncle'. Considering how long he was alive and compared to this boy whose father was in his late 90s, he should be calling this boy 'uncle' instead.

Ren Ye coughed awkwardly, "Is that your wish?"

"I had chosen your picture due to it reminding me what a modern hero looked like," Ren Ye smiled, "Perhaps, it came from an inspiration?"

Kang Lei nodded his head, "I went to see a film with my Papa."

"What film?" Ren Ye was intrigued.

"The Legendary War," Kang Lei replied with a nostalgic smile, "I remember seeing him in one of the scenes."

"I aspire to be like him one day," Kang Lei chuckled.

The Legendary War? Isn't that a film from 1975?

Ren Ye concluded this boy might have met his end somewhere between 1976-1980. Ren Ye hadn't been born at that time yet and his father was still a teenager.

The coincidence was it was his father's favorite film as well!

Kang Lei might have been the same age as his father had he been alive long enough.

Ren Ye wanted to ask how the boy had died but knowing the many rules of the underworld, he held himself back. It wasn't a good idea to ask one how one died.

Not many died in peace or naturally. It brings back horrible memories and might turn one into an evil specter who wishes to unleash hell upon those who asked such ridiculous questions.

"Never ask a spirit how they became a spirit."

A rule he remembered subconsciously.

Ren Ye pitied Kang Lei as he entertained the boy, "I liked the film as well."

"You do?" Kang Lei was momentarily surprised.

"Yes, I like the main character," Ren Ye smiled calmly, "A modern definition of a hero."

Kang Lei's eyes turned bright as he looked at Ren Ye, "Uncle, you are so cool."

"Uncle? I should be the one calling you uncle," Ren Ye mocked sarcastically inside his head.

He glanced at the picture at hand.

The man in the picture was a mixed-race warrior who had high-arching brows and soft facial features. His eyes were extremely expressive as they told a story of their own; pain and suffering from those years he was at war.

His lips were pursed tightly and a scar was slit on the corner of his jaw. He was a man in his mid-40s whose life was filled with misery and helplessness but he still retained a gentleness for those around him.

Ren Ye liked the drawing as he asked Kang Lei, "Is there something you'd ask of me in exchange for this drawing?"

Kang Lei smiled cheekily, "Due to Uncle's awesomeness, I was going to let you off."

"…"

"But I have a wish I have yet to fulfill whilst I was still alive," Kang Lei's eyes were filled with light.

"Mm?" Ren Ye was certain he was able to fulfill his promise to the boy as long as it was something in his power.

"I want Uncle to go to HeWuan Forest," Kang Lei's eyes became deathly silent, "Dig a hole nearby a bear's nest."

Ren Ye was momentarily speechless but he nodded his head attentively, "What else?"

"Take my skeletons and give them to my Papa," Kang Lei's eyes were about to burst into tears as he said with regret, "Papa will leave this world soon."

"I don't want Papa to have any regret."

"Especially, I don't want him to blame himself all those years."

Ren Ye nodded his head, "Don't worry, I will be able to achieve it."

"When it is in his hands, tell him to have no regret," Kang Lei asked of him, "Or else, I will never be able to rest in peace."

Ren Ye's mouth trembled slightly.

"As you command," Ren Ye made a gesture that he understood what he needed to do.

After a while, Kang Lei raised his hand and waved back at him.

"I hope I will meet Uncle again," Kang Lei smiled widely.

Ren Ye snorted gently, "I hope so."

Ren Ye immediately deactivated the portal to the underworld and silently returned to the cemetery. After a while, his eyes shrunk significantly.

"How exactly did I communicate with this boy if his remains weren't even here?" Ren Ye finally came to a realization.

"Didn't it say that only those whose remains lay upon the soil your feet are on are able to communicate with you?" Ren Ye's lips trembled.

Old Yi churned into his conversation as he somewhat tacitly confirmed his suspicion, "It could be this kid has a special connection with you."

"Karmic ties."

"Pfft! Please," Ren Ye responded strangely, "Although he did remind me of my own daughter."

"He might have sensed the special connection you have with your daughter thus allowing him to barge into your consciousness," Old Yi said in a somewhat uncertain tone.

Ren Ye felt his palms pressing something as he raised it and unfolded it, he discovered a piece of paper in his hand.

At first, it had been a white piece of paper but as soon as it met his eyes, a picture began to conjure. A man in his 40s appeared right in front of his eyes, whose eyes were still and tranquil.

Ren Ye placed it into his pocket as he planned on going to HeWuan Forest tomorrow. Currently, he had to come up with a unique identity for this new version of himself.

From the conversation he had with Kang Lei, he was certain that he shall be a former soldier who had returned from war.

What name shall he give him then? What background?

A man whose ideals were above the sky, his name shall be Qi Yun.

Ren Ye picked this name and for his background, he shall choose one who is filled with sadness and misery.

A former soldier who had returned from a long-lasting war in another country came back home to find both of his parents had long passed. His wife whom he had married had perished as well as a result of his neglect for her health while at war.

A man who was an orphan and a widower.

Ren Ye didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he sensed this background giving was too depressing.