Chapter 199 - A Promise Between Men (2)

The day passed quickly as Cassius spent most of his time lying on the wooden bed. Though the medicinal water was effective, his injuries were severe and it would take a few days before he could even think about getting out of bed.

He spent the next three days in bed. Some nights, his body would suddenly start to spasm, throwing his entire body in excruciating pain. Sometimes, in broad daylight, strange hallucinations would appear before his eyes, and occasionally, he would hear someone whispering in his ear, followed by a sharp, unbearable headache.

Cassius truly felt just how much torture Li Wei had endured. The fact that he had survived that long was a testament to his immense willpower.

On the fourth day of his time-travel, Cassius, as usual, went through the black medicine bath treatment. This time, he could perform simple movements like getting out of bed on his own so he no longer needed the children's help.

His strength was slowly returning, and he didn't feel as weak anymore. Once again, Cassius soaked in the foul-smelling tub.

As he endured the pain, his chest rose and fell in sync with the rhythmic flare of his nostrils. This was another function of the Lion's Roar Breathing Technique, which helped regulate vitality and aid in healing. While its impact wasn't huge, it did speed up his recovery, which was always welcome. Cassius was now able to use some basic Secret Techniques again.

Beside the cabin, Xiala and Toma sat side by side on a rock with their chins resting on their hands as they watched Cassius. Their faces were smudged with dirt, making them look somewhat endearing.

Sensing their gazes, Cassius turned to look at them. Six eyes looked at one another, and the surroundings fell into a quiet stillness. For some reason, Cassius couldn't help but think of Xiala and Toma as two little stray dogs who had been taken in by a kind owner.

He didn't mean it as an insult. When he looked at the two children's pure, sincere eyes, his thoughts couldn't help but wander. There were no complicated emotions in their eyes—just simple concern for Cassius and a desire for their "uncle" to get better.

Another day passed, and Cassius's condition further improved. He was able to do some light work, though heavy tasks were still beyond him.

At noon, Cassius finally stepped out of the cabin to soak up some sun. He sat on a rock near the fire pit to take in the day's beautiful weather. Fluffy white clouds were stacked against a backdrop of bright blue sky and blended perfectly together. The clouds provided some shade, preventing the sunlight from being too scorching. With the added breeze, the temperature was just right.

Wherever he looked, he saw the bright sunlight streaming through the gaps in the forest, forming golden beams that illuminated the uneven ground. The sunlight bathed his body and reflected off in a blinding white halo. Cassius took a deep breath of the fresh air. The pain and gloom of the past five days slowly left his body. Slowly, but surely, he was getting better.

The sound of rustling leaves filled his ears as a gentle breeze brushed against his face. White dandelion seeds floated slowly in the air, one landing on Cassius's nose. He brushed it off lightly with his hand.

He caught sight of the black vein on his wrist. "Hmm?"

Cassius wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he could swear that the vein had grown longer and thicker. After examining it for a while and coming to no conclusion, Cassius calmed himself again and focused on detecting his body's changes.

Besides the presence of the three forbidden techniques, a cold current flowed through his body, while a hot energy lingered in his abdomen. He concentrated on them. The cold current seemed to have weakened significantly, shrinking from the thickness of a thumb to that of an index finger, and its length had reduced as well. The hot current, however, had not changed much.

"Maybe the vitality that I've recovered is counteracting the dark creature's energy," Cassius muttered to himself, lowering his head. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his head like needles jabbing at his brain. The pain quickly intensified.

Tch, it's happening again.

Cassius groaned, clutching his head as sweat formed on his back. He could hear several voices whispering in his ears. The pain continued to grow, far surpassing the usual few minutes, lasting almost ten minutes. In the final minute, Cassius felt as though someone was sawing through his brain, slowly turning it to mush.

Finally, the pain began to fade. Face pale, Cassius lifted his head. His forehead and eyelids were covered in beads of sweat, as though he had just washed his face with water.

With his senses a bit blurred and his eyes clouded by sweat, he could vaguely see the two children standing at the cabin's doorway, one on each side, watching him with concern.

"

Hu...

"

Cassius took a deep breath and forced himself to stand. He struggled to take a few steps forward, his sense of direction slightly off, seemingly disoriented from the earlier brain pain.

His steps faltered, drifting off course before he finally managed to correct himself and head toward the door.

Li Wei had rescued and taken in the two children temporarily because, for various reasons, Toma and Xiala were unable to live independently and had to stay by Li Wei's side.

However, Li Wei hadn't allowed them to fall behind in their education. They were learning both through self-study and his guidance. Xiala was usually more obedient, while Toma was naturally a bit mischievous as a boy. Sometimes, he couldn't stand the boredom of studying and liked to dawdle.

"Xiala, Toma, no slacking off. It's time to study," Cassius said, putting on a stern expression. However, his pale sweaty face didn't carry much authority, and his forced deep tone couldn't hide his fragility.

"Mm." The two children pressed their lips together and nodded, slowly turning their heads back to their books.

That night, when the sky darkened, a bonfire roared in front of the cabin with a pot of mushroom soup, sprinkled with leafy greens, simmering over it. The faint scent of Li Wei's previously stored smoked meat wafted through the air. The pot bubbled away, spreading its aroma through the night air.

Sitting on the nearby stones, Xiala and Toma couldn't help but swallow impatiently. Toma, especially, whose eyes were fixed on the pot. He loved mushroom soup, especially when it had meat in it. Also, it had to be made by their "uncle." That was the only way it tasted right.

Toma remembered that day six months ago when his "uncle" had carried him on his shoulder out of a burning house. Later, in the smoky ruins, he had made a pot of mushroom soup. Sobbing uncontrollably, Toma had gulped it down, finishing more than half the pot by himself. It was the best soup he had ever tasted.

"Here, one bowl each." Cassius, having recovered enough to move around, handed each child a bowl of mushroom soup. The two of them carefully took the bowls. Toma, in particular, was especially cautious, as if afraid that even the slightest breeze might cause the soup to spill.

Cassius smiled at Toma's careful demeanor. "Drink slowly, especially you, Toma. Don't burn yourself."

"Okay, Uncle," Toma replied. Holding the bowl with both hands, he started to drink.

Cassius's lips twitched, and he absentmindedly touched his chin. How strange. Since when had he started voicing such concern for other people?

It must be because of Li Wei's memories, he decided. It certainly wasn't his usual behavior. Lowering his head, he took a small sip of the mushroom soup and silently nodded. Li Wei's one skill in cooking soup was indeed impressive.

He took a couple more gulps and then furrowed his brow. The surface of the soup rippled from his slightly heavy breaths. It was happening again... That all-encompassing pain. Li Wei's mental exhaustion was severe; the name "Demon Worm" certainly fit the creature well.

Cassius silently endured the pain, his whole body stiffening in place.

Next to him, Toma had polished off his bowl of mushroom soup. As he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, he was about to excitedly ask for another serving but swallowed his words upon seeing Cassius frozen in place. He rubbed his face with his hands, his expression pained and frustrated. Toma knew he couldn't help his uncle; Cassius had to overcome it on his own and bear the relentless suffering alone.

Night fell, and it was time to sleep. Cassius lay alone on the small bed, while Toma and Xiala shared the larger bed, a pile of books between them.

Cassius still felt some lingering pain in his body, and a sense of emptiness filled his heart. Half an hour passed, and he couldn't fall asleep. Eventually, his mind drifted into a hazy state. Just as he was on the verge of falling asleep, he suddenly heard a faint sobbing. It sounded like a child.

Startled awake, Cassius listened closely. It seemed to be coming from Toma's side of the large bed. The sobbing came in small, quiet intervals, and it sounded deeply sorrowful.

Cassius shook his head, thinking to himself,

He's just a child. He must be missing his parents late at night.

He quietly got up and walked over to the bed. Both children were sleeping beside the window, with Toma on the outside. His shoulders were shaking as he cried silently.

Cassius reached out and gently patted him. "What's wrong?"

Toma flipped around, his face a mess of snot and tears. "U-Uncle? Why are you up?"

"Are you missing home? Missing your parents?" Cassius asked softly, not wanting to wake Xiala.

Toma shook his head. "I've thought about that a few days ago. Last night, I even dreamed about that night. My house was on fire, flames were everywhere..." He paused, and his eyes locked onto Cassius. "I'm worried about you, Uncle."

"Worried about me? Why?" Cassius asked, smiling faintly.

"Can you promise me one thing? Just one," Toma said, his eyes meeting Cassius's with an inexplicable intensity.

"Go ahead," Cassius replied.

"Please, don't die, Uncle. I see how much pain you're in, and it scares me. I'm scared you'll leave me like my family did, that you'll end up buried in the ground, unable to breathe, speak, or feel anything around you," Toma said, his voice trembling as he worked to repress his tears.

Cassius looked into Toma's eyes and saw the boy's raw, unfiltered hope and desire. He wanted to tell him that he wasn't the Li Wei who had saved him from the fire, but...

"I promise you," Cassius said, extending his thin, wrinkled hand and gently ruffling Toma's golden, fluffy hair. "This is a promise between men."

As he stood up and turned away, he thought he saw Xiala's shoulders tremble slightly in the corner, as if she had been listening to their conversation.