RAGING FATE (Hiatus)

Chapter 70

THE LONG RIVER

No matter how many years passed, he was still not used to his elder brother, whose temper was short, being this caring, and yet he always let his elder brother finish what he started, fearing that the other would become angry or offended if he refused or did not accept his small gesture of care.

Also, he can't deny that he enjoys it when his brother becomes overly concerned with him. It makes him feel like he belongs, that he isn't alone, that he is accepted despite his disability, and that he is loved despite his differences from everyone else. It put him at ease and satisfied him.

Wei's heart can't stop feeling warm and cozy on the inside. His lips curve up in a slight smile, expressing his gratitude for having such a kind elder brother in this strange world.

"I'm glad to hear that they're fine, but this is the first time they have not greeted me. Are they seriously hurt? Are they currently asleep in the room? If so, in what room are they staying? Come on, A-Cheng, lead me to them. I want to see them at least, promise I won't make a sound, I won't bother them," He swore and was about to enter inside but was stopped by his elder brother's right hand, which was now tightly gripping his left arm.

"They're not here," Jiang Cheng replied, his eyes now looking down at the floor as his face gradually revealed a guilty expression, confusing his younger brother who turned to face him again.

"Not here? What exactly do you mean? Sizhui informed me that they will also be present with you. Aiya, A-Cheng, are you already tired? Don't worry; just tell me which room, father and mother are staying in, and I'll go alone. You can go back to your room and rest. Okay?" Wei's said, lightly patting him on the left shoulder, oblivious to his silent battle that slowly bottled up and burst, causing him to shove his younger brother's hand away from him and raise his voice as if the other had done something that triggered his temper to erupt.

"I told you they weren't here!"

Wei looks at him, shocked and frowning.

"A-Cheng, why are you suddenly raising your voice, I didn't-"

"I'm sorry," Jiang Cheng hurriedly said, tilting his head to look straight at his brother, tears in his eyes and a guilty expression on his face, making Wei even more perplexed and deeply frowning as he now sobbed in a mess.

"A-Cheng, why are you acting like this again? The last time you acted like this, our clan was destroyed by those..." Wei pauses in the middle of his sentence, realizing something. His eyes gradually widened and his heart began to beat with trepidation as his mind jumbled through possibilities that made him nervous and unsettled.

He stares at his elder brother's messed-up and wet face, gulping down the anxiousness and negative voices that his mind keeps mumbling inside him before saying.

"A-Cheng, you said they were fine, didn't you? You mentioned that our parents are fine; where are they? A-Cheng... tell me where they are right now. "

Jiang Cheng looks deeply into his brother's eyes, tears fall, resisting the urge to weep loudly in front of his younger brother, and slowly shakes his head left and right.

"A-Cheng, I don't understand what you mean when you just shake your head like that; you have to tell me, explain it to me, they're fine, right? They're alive, right? Our parents are alive, right?" Wei asks, trying to ignore the feeling of unease deep within him, while his elder brother responds, choking in sobs.

"F-forgive me; I failed to bring them here alive..."

Wei's breath caught in his throat as he heard his elder brother say such words, and the world around him spun. He felt dizzy, but he remained still as if something strong was holding him down to his feet to stand still, his eyes wandering in disbelief and his lips opening and closing in shock.

Emperor Fen's second son felt cold, couldn't breathe properly, and couldn't move. He felt heavy as if a stone had fallen on top of his head and landed on his shoulder; he felt empty, and his brain felt as if it had stopped working.

He couldn't think of anything but being at a loss and feeling this unbearable heaviness inside his chest that wanted him to lose control, shout, and become violent, but his body refused to move or do so.

What's the point?

My parents are no longer alive, and it's all because of me.

Wei closes his eyes, but no tears fall; he touches his cheeks with his right hand, opens his eyes again, and feels no wetness.

Cry?

Could crying even mend the hole in my heart?

Could crying heal the pain and unbearable rage that my heart is experiencing right now?

Wei stared dazedly at his right hand, while Jiang Cheng, who saw his face gradually losing its vibrant color and eyes becoming lifeless, couldn't help but feel guiltier inside his heart and drew him back into an embrace.

"Forgive me..." he sobbed, repeating the same words to his younger brother over and over.

Wei remains in his position, not moving or back hugging his elder brother, as his eyes no longer hold any emotions and his face becomes dull as if he is now just a walking shell devoid of soul and emotion.

"A-Cheng... tell me, did they die together? Did they die by each other's sides?" He asks lifelessly, his voice no longer sturdy and sharp.

Emperor Fen's first son cradled his brother in his arms tighter, nodding in response while sniffing and sobbing messily.

"That's good to know, where are they now? A-Cheng, I'd like to see our parents remain," he said, and Jiang Cheng nodded again, breaking his embrace and staring straight at his younger brother's face, which had lost its radiance.

This broke his heart into pieces and caused him to bawl his eyes out even more, mewling.

His long-foreseen fear had now come true.

He had asked their people and Xichen to keep the fact that he had arrived at the cloud sect alongside his parents' dead bodies because he knew his younger brother would be the most affected by this.

Jiang Cheng knew that once Wei learned that their parents had died, he would blame himself, causing him to be distressed and become like this as if he had lost the only reason he had to live life.

Emperor Fen's first son thought he was doing the right thing by keeping their parents' death hidden, and he was right.

But, as the saying goes, no matter how deep your reasoning or how great your sacrifices are, a secret will always be figured out, no matter how long you keep it.

"Please, Wei. You are free to yell, hurt me, or even kill someone to express your rage and grief; I will not stop you. Just, please, don't do this to yourself; let everything out; please allow it to flow. It hurts me to see you like this; it breaks my heart to see you like this so much; please, I beg you," Jiang Cheng begged helplessly, while Wei only smiled at him, a lifeless smile devoid of brightness.

He reached out his right hand, lightly stroking his elder brother's left cheek with his right thumb, and said.

"A-Cheng... it's all right, lead the way,"

Jiang Cheng whimpers deeply, sobbing loudly, and painfully closes his eyes as anguish tears fall out messily to his cheeks, wetting his younger brother's right thumb with teardrops, while his right shaking hand held his younger brother's cold and fragile hand that held his cheeks.

In the end, the light he sought to protect still fades into darkness, and Jiang Cheng is still unable to keep his younger brother from being destroyed by their circumstances.

"I'm sorry..." he mumbled between sobs.

To be continued.