Chapter 64: Love You, Mom, See You Tomorrow

What happened next hardly needed much telling; thanks to the advantage of the martial soul fusion skill, Huo Yuhao entered the candidate list for core disciples.

However, compared to the original trajectory, having grown and experienced much more, he did not take this too seriously. Anyway, he would not be staying in Shrek for long.

Ning Wuque could tell that he was deeply reluctant to part with Wang Dong. It seemed that after learning the other person’s true identity as a girl in advance, the bond between this boy and Wang Dong had grown even deeper.

"Brother Wuque, I am truly sorry to disturb you so late, but there is a matter I cannot make up my mind about, and I would like to ask your advice."

On the second night after the match ended, Ning Wuque was working out on the academy playground when he saw Huo Yuhao walking over with a somewhat embarrassed expression.

Smiling, he paused his workout, stretched and loosened his muscles, and replied:

"It's fine. The seven-day short break exclusively for first-year students is just around the corner. What is it? Do you have no arrangements for these few days and want to consult me about it?"

He made a small joke because he knew what would happen next.

The seven-day break was a privilege for first-year students at Shrek Academy, serving as a period of adjustment during the gap following the freshman assessments. Afterward, the students who remained in the academy would attend classes as official trainees.

Aside from this, Shrek's only other break was the annual enrollment period, during which a uniform month-long vacation was granted.

Opposite him, Huo Yuhao raised both hands and shook his head along with them, saying hastily:

"No, no. I originally planned to sell a few more barbecue snacks during this holiday, but..."

Slowly, Huo Yuhao recounted to Ning Wuque what had happened to him that afternoon—the exact plot from the original story where he went to the Soul Guidance Department and accepted the status of a core disciple of that department.

Only, because of Ning Wuque's influence, Huo Yuhao understood that he probably did not belong to Shrek, so he hesitated when Fan Yu offered to take him as a disciple.

After making up an excuse, he sought out Ning Wuque that very night, wanting to consult him on whether he should form a deep tie with Shrek.

"I see. Then, Yuhao, what are your own thoughts?"

"Me? As for me..."

Huo Yuhao said with some hesitation on his face. To be honest, he actually quite liked his current life, but he always remembered the two sources of hatred burning in his heart.

One was the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, and the other was the fiery senior sister whose target he had now clearly identified.

Only two choices lay before him now:

Take revenge, or live a peaceful and fulfilling life?

"I don't know, Brother Wuque. I don't know. Would you be willing to listen to my story?"

Raising his head, Huo Yuhao's eyes were filled with confusion. He lacked the courage to reject either of these paths; he wanted to avenge his mother, yet at the same time, he was reluctant to give up this hard-won, precious life.

In response, Ning Wuque nodded calmly, took Huo Yuhao by the arm, and they sat down together on the Soul-Nourishing Jade.

He understood, but at this moment, he was merely a listener.

*(For those interested, you can check out chapters 1 and 29 of the manga, or look up Huo Yuhao's backstory.)*

"Brother Wuque, I..."

After finishing his story, Huo Yuhao was already bathed in tears. The process of actively tearing open the scars hidden deep within one's heart was by no means pleasant.

Even Ning Wuque, who had known about Huo Yuhao's experiences long in advance, could not help but be touched by the atmosphere while listening to the story with his own ears. Yet he remained rational, unswayed by this wave of sorrow and indignation:

"Yuhao, if I were the one making the choice, I would choose to seek revenge. No amount of grief compares to letting a mother who loved me grieve once more, and no joy compares to the satisfied smile my family shows me.

"But this is merely my personal opinion. In my heart, these words are the truth, yet no one's life should be confined within hatred and a cage. If you cannot make a choice, why not think back on the warmth you once felt?"

As he spoke, Ning Wuque handed the power of choice back to Huo Yuhao. He did not say that choosing peace was wrong, nor did he praise revenge as a virtue.

Life consisted of countless choices, but the power of choice always remained in the hands of the individual. Just as he himself had not chosen a comfortable path—in truth, he had more than one way to live out his remaining years in ease.

Whether letting Zhang Chan take him into seclusion or doing business in the Sun Moon Empire, many roads had once been laid out before him.

Yet he had deliberately chosen the most difficult one, and acted upon it!

Rather than forcing a clear direction onto Huo Yuhao, Ning Wuque was more willing to guide him in striving for his own life. He could give Huo Yuhao a clear direction, but he could not deprive him of his right to choose as a human being.

It was perhaps overly meddlesome, but this was precisely Ning Wuque's code of conduct.

Beside him, Huo Yuhao fell silent. Memories of his past began to surface in his mind. Although life had been hard, every day spent with his mother had been fulfilling and joyful. His mother's love seemed to linger constantly by his side, warming his body and supporting his willpower.

Gradually, Huo Yuhao's gaze grew firm. He said nothing more, only offering his gratitude to Ning Wuque:

"Thank you, Brother Wuque. I think I understand what I need to do now."

"Yuhao, choosing peace is not a sign of incompetence, and revenge is not a moral act either.

"Peace is the most cowardly yet beautiful form of kindness; revenge is the simplest and most direct form of hatred. I will not support any of your actions, nor, by the same token, will I oppose any of them."

At last, as Huo Yuhao stood up, Ning Wuque added:

"Overcoming fear and gaining awareness are both extremely difficult tasks, but the courageous are always bright-spirited, and the enlightened are always happy. The only thing I can do is to bless you to live in a daily routine that keeps you bright and happy, and, as a listener, to hear you recount your choices and experiences."

"Brother Wuque, grand kindness defies words of thanks. I will strive not to let your blessings go to waste, and not to let your help come to nothing. I will prove that I am no worse than anyone else!"

At this moment, Huo Yuhao found his courage, and he found his awareness.

He understood what he truly desired in his heart: a simple and direct act of vengeance! A revenge that would draw a complete and final period for his mother and his once-weak self!

He would make that dead scoundrel Dai Hao regret ever provoking his mother, and regret having produced a 'son' like him!

After all this was over, perhaps he truly could live the bright and happy life that Brother Wuque had described.

This would fail many people—his friendship with Wang Dong, the expectations of Teacher Fan Yu, the help of Zhou Yi, and so on. These were not all the things he would fail.

Yet there was one thing alone he would not fail: the mother who had once given him warmth!

If he could, he truly wished to say once more:

"Good morning, Mom."

Huo Yuhao departed, carrying within him the awareness to suppress his revenge entirely deep inside his heart, as well as the courage to tear open his memories.

At the same time, as Ning Wuque rose to resume his workout, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.

*(Ah... awareness, and courage? What you said is so right, child, so right. My memories have grown hazy, yet I am still moved by those two sentences you spoke.)*

*(To formally introduce myself, my name is Elric, a... wandering remnant soul adrift in a foreign land.)*