Chapter 6: The Guardian's Oath
Later that day.
Lin Yuan arrived at the alley, where the stench of dried blood warned him of the worst. He wasn't prepared to see Roman in that state. He had been searching for him all morning until a stone struck the window of his cabin. Attached was a note that read:
"If you don't want to lose one of your children, go to Salomon Street. Be ready. This is just the beginning."
Lin didn't hesitate. He ran out, with Zhenglian insisting on accompanying him. It didn't matter if they weren't warriors. They were guardians.
When they found Roman, his face was swollen, his clothes in tatters. He was barely breathing, lying in a pool of his own blood.
"Roman!" Zhenglian screamed, falling to his knees.
Lin immediately took action. He exchanged everything he had left for bandages, antibiotics, painkillers, and clean clothes. The system left him with nothing. He managed to lift Roman from the blood and assess his condition.
Then, Roman awoke and the first thing he did was... cry. Not from physical pain. He cried because something inside him had broken. Shame overwhelmed him.
"I can't hold on... I'm not like you, Chief Lin. I'm falling apart."
"You don't have to be like me," Lin whispered as he cleaned him. "You just have to be here. Breathe. Recover. The others are waiting for you. With hot soup. With Ben's nonsense. Let's go home first."
Lin gave him a painkiller, hoping Roman could tell him where the worst injuries were. But he fell unconscious after swallowing it. Lin Yuan, without waiting for instructions, started with the arm. His hands trembled, but not his resolve. He said nothing. Only his face, hardened by helplessness, spoke for him.
Lin Yuan carried Roman on his back to the orphanage. Each step echoed in his body like a broken promise. Roman weighed more for what he represented than for his injured body: he was a child, one of his own, reduced to rubble by a world that showed no mercy.
Zhenglian, by his side, kept the bandages tight with steady hands and a face hardened by others' pain. Neither spoke. There were no words sufficient.
When they arrived, Ben and Xiao Lian were waiting in front of the cabin. Seeing Roman's body hanging from Lin's back, they froze. The air grew heavy. Xiao Lian covered her mouth with her hands. Ben said nothing. He just stepped aside, leaving the path clear.
That night was long, endless. Roman screamed in his sleep, amidst fevers and spasms that pulled him from unconsciousness. His body arched as if still receiving blows. No one slept.
Lin Yuan, Zhenglian, Xiao Lian, and even Ben took turns caring for him. Each of Roman's cries was agonizing. Xiao Lian gently changed the cold cloths on his forehead. Zhenglian kept the bandages dry, pressing softly where blood seeped through. Ben tried to apply medicine to the open wounds, failing to hide his own tearful eyes. And Lin Yuan... watched the children caring for each other, staying by their side as a pillar that everything would be okay.
Lin Yuan understood. For the first time, he felt his strength wasn't enough. They called him leader, but he hadn't foreseen this. He had always managed to face common dangers and escape those he couldn't confront, but today he realized that protecting required more; it wasn't just about enduring or surviving... it was about instilling fear so that no one dared harm his people. Protecting meant having power. Real power.
That same night, while changing Roman's bandages, he began to devise a plan.
At dawn, Roman still had a fever but was more stable. The children were exhausted but alive. During the Tranquil Willow breathing training, they learned to use it to regain energy and continue with the day.
When Roman finally woke up, his voice was barely a whisper:
"I'm sorry... I was an idiot."
Lin only asked him to speak. And he did. From the frustration over his ignored art to the disdain of his closest friend and the beating by the gang members along with Falcon's message.
Lin Yuan tensed upon hearing it but didn't let the children notice.
Xiao Lian lowered her head. She couldn't speak. But Lin called her, along with Ben and Zhenglian.
"You say it."
24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZV7AKwFQI
