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Chapter 421: Granddaughter
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Kidnapping is a serious crime in any country.
Rex didn’t have any opportunity to butt in before Amanda told them, “Mom, Dad… in the accident, it’s not only Rex that survived, he also had a baby brother. He’s 3 years old and he was taken away from the hospital I was working for on the same night Rex went missing and the news of the Kingsley Doctors dying in the road accident went global. Rex, show them… show them what you showed me last time.”
Rex hesitated and looked at Amanda, then to her parents, then clenched his fists and stood up.
He went to the metal railings of their stairs and with a simple reaching gesture, he twisted the metal rail with the thickest width as if it was sponge.
The thing is, the metal sponge didn’t turn back to its original shape and remained ‘twisted’ with Rex’s hand size and shape clearly seen in it.
The husband and wife’s eyes went wide in shock at the sight of it. Rex just twisted a 4in thick metal railing as if it was nothing.
“How did…”
“Right now, my strength should be around thrice than that of an ordinary man’s. My thinking ability and reaction speed are also the same. Although I haven’t tried it, I think I can run for almost an entire day at full speed and only sweat a little. But in exchange for all these gifts... I have difficulty trying to sleep as my senses are sharper and my thoughts are just too fast as the input of information from my surroundings are too many. I… I had to use special means just to get a good night’s sleep.”
Although Rex only told them half-truth for these so called ‘gifts’ are all product of Cortana’s 1.2% integration of the NanoMechs left in his body, it’s still not far-offed to the truth. In fact, it was a jacket to cover the truth of the matter regarding his gifts.
He went back to his seat and told them, “With the limits of the brains unlocked, the body should also follow. Before, I was only 1.6m high but right now, I am already 1.8m high and I think I’m still growing, the more food I consumed.”
Anna became interested. It’s as if her initial shock was only temporary and that she was now looking at an animal from the zoo seated on her furniture.
“What’s the connection with your food to your… unique condition?”
Rex, forcing a calm face, replied, “Using the law of equivalent exchange… the brain needed to make the body adapt to its capabilities so it had to model it according to its necessity. The resources needed for this to be done are an enormous amount of food… that I had to consume everyday until I reached saturation point, and the remodeling of my body reaches its peak state and limits.”
Russell was still looking skeptical but he also can’t deny the fact that that railing Rex just twisted was a real solid piece of metal.
“Considering your situation… and if all of it are all in fact…… facts… you mean to say that amongst us normal men, you are the only exception?”
Rex’s brows cringed. He felt the implying meaning to these words meant that he was a freak of nature that shouldn’t even associate to their daughter.
He felt scared but he knew he had to face it so he steeled his determination to fight for Amanda.
“For now, yes.”
“For now?” Russell raised a brow.
Rex explained, “Just like what Amanda said earlier, it’s only a matter of time before there are others like me emerge from the players of Terroa.”
Russell massaged his eyes, “You have a brother who’s still a hostage. And your parents are alive but I assume that they are in the same condition as you were four years ago… so with all these things given, I suddenly had the urge to believe you. And now that I think about it… Sanity… Prison… don’t tell me that being a ‘God amongst mortal men’ is not a good thing…”
Rex raised his head and looked at him, “It’s a good thing… if the procedure was completed.”
“What do you mean?”
“I… am not a complete and flawless product. I have a huge flaw.”
Amanda grabbed his hand from behind him as her expression showed sadness and pain. It was this action of hers that prompted them to rethink what ‘good news’ they assumed to be at the end of this.
Rex inhaled and calmly exhaled, “56 years ago, in Terroa’s time… at the last moments of my time as an Immortal and a God in the Terran Universe, I… I fought a Devil God who corrupted me.”
“Corrupted you?” Anna was frowning, “In what way were you corrupted by that… Devil God?”
“It inserted a kind of will into me… shortening my patience and rendering me sometimes unable to control my emotions. Although it makes me strong inside and even outside the game, here in the real world, it is still a dangerous flaw that can lead to me being unable to control my actions. Given that my strength is increasing greatly as the days passed by, there is a great chance that one day I may do something that I might regret for the rest of my life if I don’t have a means to control it.”
Realization dawned on Russell’s face as he looked at his daughter behind Rex, “and the one who can control this… side of you… is my daughter?”
“To be exact, she is the only one who can stop it.”
“It?” Russell prompted, “How?” he added at the same time as Anna asked, “Why?”
The parents asked at the same time. They were really curious. Since it pertains to their baby girl, of course it was normal for them to dig deeper into a serious mater such as this one… regardless if Rex is her lover or not.
Rex didn’t look behind him but he tightened the hand that held Amanda’s.
He said, “I don’t know how it works as well but the effect is just like an anti-virus to a virus program.”
Rex paused and cleared his throat. “She was the recipient of Mother Terra’s legacy and as well as Janus’s legacy. As to whom those two are, put it simply, in the entire Terran Universe to which the game world of Terroa exists… there are only three Gods that can control whether that entire Universe will continue existing or end in destruction; first of them is Janus, the God of Fate and Destiny… and the second was Mother Terra, the Weaver of Time and Preserver of Life.” Rex spoke with utter surety it was hard to dispute this phantasy.
“You said there are three Gods,” said Anna, “who is the third God?”
“Me... Siva. Though I don’t know exactly what I am representing in that universe.”
Skeptically doubtful and incredulously unbelievable was the impression they got. But then again, would their daughter lie to them about something like this and would she actually betray them for a man? The two parents were hands-on when they brought her up so they knew that Amanda will never do it. Even if she was capable of actually doing it, she would still have some hesitation in her expressions.
But right now, she doesn’t have any of it.
On the other hand, what if it’s true? When the two thought of this, they looked at Amanda in a way an ordinary employee looks at their company’s CEO dining up at the KFC beside him.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
It was out of their expectations that their daughter was this ‘cool’ in the game.
“And using your analogy of an anti-virus to a virus program; you mean to say that just her voice alone, once you are out of it, she can always control your impulses with a single word… just like how she did calm you down earlier? Is that how it works?”
“Yes. It can be said that she is my kryptonite. And in this world and in Terroa, she is the only one with that kind of power.”
Two ‘highest-tiered’ Gods’ legacies were actually on her hands. They aren’t gamers but it wasn’t hard to realize that their daughter was someone very special in RPG: Terroa —and this was outside of her identity as the Fairy of the Lake who holds a force, different, but still powerful, inside the game.
Sitting down with frowns, the husband and wife looked at the two as if they were looking at an ancient painting, weird but had a certain charm into their unique appeals which is their circumstances as young lovers.
Russell then asked, “Since when did you, uh, start going out?”
Rex and Amanda blinked, exchanged looks, blushed, and then thought hard… for a long time that Russell began to click his tongue in frustration.
“Aiiiiiisssh… forget about it if you can’t answer it.”
Anna laughed motherly and looked at the two in front of her as if they were a cute drawing.
No words were said but Rex felt that he had gotten the consent and blessing of the parents of his love using his honesty card.
Still, he could feel the sweat on his back. It was a very risky move. What if he didn’t manage to make them believe? Then again, this success was all due to Amanda’s speech earlier. Her sincerity was the hammer that broke the wall of recognition barring him and her parents.
Russell kept on clicking his tongue and ordered for a servant to bring him black coffee.
Anna poured another cup of tea and happily asked questions at Amanda. Rex was there, in front of Russell, quietly eating wafers while listening to the mother and daughter’s heated conversations about Scion’s in-game experiences.
“Rex…” After a while, Russell, unable to hold it in, abruptly spoke in between a topic, “I would like you to clear something for me. How does Terroa work as a prison to your family? Don’t answer yet. I may not be a gamer but I am no ignorant fool. The truth is still out there, people want you dead and I don’t want my daughter be dragged into it.”
“Dad…” Amanda’s voice broke into a sad tune.
Russell lifted his hand to stop her, continuing, “My stance is clear in this. Depending on your answer, I will decide the proper course of action for the sake solely of my daughter’s safety. So I will say it again, how does Terroa work as a prison to your family?”
Summoning up his conviction, Rex decided to put it all in the table. His visit this time was only for the parents of his girl to know about his existence but now that things were in this situation, hesitating will only worsen the state of affairs.
He said, “Just like how I became trapped in Terroa four years ago that lasted millions of years only to my own perception, the 1:3 time ratio is currently the environment that supports my family’s minds. It was a slow process to heal their minds with this for I, with a similar degree of injury, had to experience millions of years before being healed. The amount of time my family, especially my brother, needed to heal in their coma has to also be the same extent.”
Of course, his parents’ condition worse than what he was telling them but there was no need to tell them this detail and only generalizing it would have to be enough.
Pausing, Rex caught his breath and said, “Right at this very moment, aside for my brother, my parents are confined into a sealed room where they cannot even contact anyone outside of it, but is the safest place in the entirety of Terroa to put their minds.”
“And you’re looking a way to accelerate the entire healing process?”
“Yes.”
Russell thought for a time. The silence made the young lovers antsy. Anna remained silent. She was his wife and she knew her husband better than any person. She dotes heavily on Amanda despite how strict he may look so knowing that he didn’t flare up the second time, things are pretty much already decided at this point.
In her eyes, her husband was only being stubborn out of his unwillingness to actually give away his baby girl.
After all, the problem concerning their daughter’s “marriage” has always been a father’s bane but with the Senator’s meandering over the matter, the stubborn guy became loose at the idea of it.
Rex’s appearance was only an added factor for him to consider the matter… with the difference being that his only baby girl was in love with one faction wooing her hand.
After some time past, Russell spoke, “I will handle the Senator myself and reason it out to him. But in exchange, you will have to listen to my conditions as well. If you don’t want to, then I will not allow this relationship to continue after this day, do I make myself clear to you?”
Anna smiled silently beside him. Russell wasn’t one who prioritizes material benefits over his baby girl’s happiness. Good job, dear. Anna has always been on her daughter’s side in the matter of the heart.
Rex was elated but he controlled his emotions and nodded at him, “Yes. As long as I can do it, I will never let Amanda get the short end of the stick in our relationship.”
“Fair enough.” Russell’s tone was fatherly proper which made his wife look at him with some curiosity added into her gaze, “So I will be honest here. I’m really against for the two of you having a relationship built upon only this skeptical theory of yours about your being a God and whatnot. But….. I know that my daughter is a sensible lady and she isn’t stupid enough to be unaware of what’s right and wrong….”
“Dad…”
Russell didn’t stop, “…and I also don’t want to stop her as well since I know that she’s happy with your relationship, no matter how ambiguous the attached circumstances are between your situation and her capability, or if you can call it responsibility... even……”
“Dear, where are you heading with this?” Anna couldn’t help but ask this while putting a gentle hand on her husband’s back.
Russell firmly continued, “But the fact still remains; there are still people out there going after your life and I don’t want my daughter be caught in it. So, in order to allow you two to continue your relationship while also keeping her safety a matter of concern, I want you two to never meet in the real world… at least until the day that you, Rex Kingsley, clears all your knots and can confidently declare that there will be no danger befalling my daughter.”
It was a fair deal. Rex wasn’t against it. But…
“Dad, how can you call it a relationship if I can’t see him personally?”
“I’m not yet finished.”
Amanda shut her mouth and listened, “So, Rex, I’ll never compromise on this but will still allow you to see my daughter and continue your relationship. Is this acceptable to you?”
Rex didn’t hesitate, “Yes.”
Russell nodded, “Then that’s good.” and went on to drink his already cooled coffee quietly.
Amanda was still in a daze, Rex smiling, while Anna sipped her tea with a composed ‘happy’ and very contented expression plastered on her face.
“Rex, I don’t understand what dad meant. How can we still go on dates if we can’t see each other?”
“Girl, your father meant that we can still go on our dates online… in Terroa. This is for the better as well. At least now, we have your parents’ consent so you don’t have to be afraid of anything.”
“Ah!” Amanda blushed and leaped out from her seat and embraced her dad, “You’re the best dad in the whole world!” she happily yelled and went upstairs to do something.
When she went away, Russell hurriedly put down his cup which surprised Anna. Then he faced Rex with a serious expression, hesitating at first before asking the question he’d ALWAYS wanted to ask.
“Rex…”
“Sir.” this time, he was very respectful.
“Is that…. ehem… is that… God genes of yours hereditary?”
Pfffttt…
Anna sprayed the tea on her mouth, spilling pale red stains on the carpet, and tried very hard not to burst out laughing. Her noble air disappeared.
Rex, beamed widely and then turned serious to match the ‘urgency’ on Russell’s expression.
He answered with a straight face, “It should be.”
Suddenly, a common ground was established for the two men to meet their gazes. Their eyes both showed the intent of the other. A flicker flashed at the corner of their left eyes.
“Granddaughter.” Yet before the men could even say another word, Anna already cut through the entire chase part and uttered the entire crux of her husband’s concern. “I want a cute granddaughter.”
“H-Hon… I want a grandson to accompany me for when I go out fishing and hiking…”
“Granddaughter. It’s unnegotiable.”
“But…”
“But what? Do you want sleep in the carpet?”
“Granddaughter it is.”
“Hehe… hubby is the best. So Rex, you have to do your best to clear all obstacles as fast as you can, alright?” Rex could only helplessly nod.
Now he knew where Amanda’s [Force] came from.
Obstacles? If Angus still dared to have his eyes at my woman, then I can only allow him to experience hell on Earth.
*****
With a burning hate and indignation, Angus drove his car through the speedway like a madman, the cars honked and yelled at him as he passed by.
It was an eight-way road, sixteen in total, and even if one maxes out the speed of his vehicle, going at it for an entire minute was still a satisfying run.
Angus drove the car for that entire time frame just before he calmed down and lighted his feet that floored the pedal.
Although significantly slower, the red customized Camaro streaked through the road as he recalled the face of the bastard that humiliated him in front of Amanda… the person named “Rex”.
“Just you wait… I will make you regret this!”
Eyes on the road, mind on revenge, he drove at the end of the speedway until he entered the toll gates where he received a prompt for a video call.
Looking at the projected caller ID, he swiped the air and the video call displayed Howard Gregory’s face frowning at the young lad.
“What?” Angus asked on his silent Uncle.
Angus’s curiosity was provoked, “Who?”
Angus’s face distorted, “And here I thought you’ve already dealt with him after I left the scene. FUCK THIS! Just who the fuck is that guy?”
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The enemy making his move!
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Next Chapter: Trouble is approaching...