BTTH : The Fallen Genius

Chapter 63: Disappointment

The three bandits stared heartbrokenly at the storage ring, now shattered beyond repair, lying in the dent.

"Our... hard-earned loot..."

No matter the weather, whether day or night, hot or cold, they had staked out this roadside tirelessly. Yet everything they had painstakingly accumulated turned to dust in an instant.

"This is too cruel!"

As the three men were on the verge of tears, Xiao Yan emotionlessly retracted the Heavy Xuan Ruler, casting a cold gaze at them.

"Even people like this should now understand how it feels to be robbed," he thought.

This was also their final chance to change.

"Stop robbing others. If you want money, find a proper job." Xiao Yan stepped past them and left a faint warning, "Don't force me to kill."

With the Heavy Xuan Ruler strapped on his back, Xiao Yan walked farther away. Inside his ring, Yao Chen's helpless voice echoed in his mind.

(Xiao Yan, aren't you tired of this routine?)

Whenever Xiao Yan encountered bandits before, his approach was always the same.

First, he would administer a brutal punishment to one of them. Then, he would destroy their belongings right in front of them as a psychological blow. Finally, he'd leave them with a warning.

Although Xiao Yan disliked this approach, it was the only method he could think of to steer these people toward the right path.

"This will be the last time," Xiao Yan said solemnly. "If this doesn't work, then my method is fundamentally flawed. Most people can't be redeemed this way. If so, I'll find another approach."

With that, Xiao Yan glanced back to ensure there was no problem, then turned into the nearby forest, doubling back quietly. Before long, he returned to where the three bandits were.

Hiding himself within the forest, Xiao Yan's dark eyes locked onto the trio, brimming with a deep sense of expectation.

"Please, the three of you..."

Inwardly, Xiao Yan prayed. A hint of melancholy flickered across his face.

"Don't disappoint me again..."

The three bandits were completely unaware that Xiao Yan had returned. The two lackeys nervously persuaded the bald leader.

"Boss, why don't we... just stop this?"

"Yeah, we were lucky this time to only lose our loot. Next time, we might lose our lives!"

Although they didn't understand why Xiao Yan had only destroyed their belongings and spared their lives, they still felt as though they had narrowly escaped death.

Hearing their words, the bald bandit fell silent for a long time before sighing deeply.

"You're right... Everything we had is gone now. Consider this our retribution. Who would've thought it would feel this bad to have your own things taken?" The bald bandit stood up, turning to look at his two lackeys. "Let's head back and find proper jobs."

"Yes!"

The two lackeys nodded in agreement. Hidden in the forest, Xiao Yan's face lit up with joy upon seeing this scene.

These three were the only bandits this week he had successfully persuaded!

(Teacher! It worked!)

Although Xiao Yan still disliked his methods, this success proved that even robbers could be brought back to the right path!

However, unlike the excited Xiao Yan, Yao Chen remained silent.

"My disciple is still too young..."

Human thoughts and habits couldn't be easily changed by a single phrase or experience.

Just as Xiao Yan was reveling in his success, a commotion came from the distance. Turning his head, Xiao Yan saw a carriage approaching from the end of the road.

It was a passenger carriage traveling between two towns, usually carrying ordinary people with no combat ability.

In that instant, an ominous feeling crept into Xiao Yan's heart. He shook his head vigorously, fixing his gaze on the three bandits who had seemingly decided to reform.

Xiao Yan held his breath.

The three bandits noticed the carriage, exchanged glances, and—under Xiao Yan's expectant gaze—moved to the roadside to let the carriage pass. They stood aside, allowing it to drive through unimpeded.

"Yes!!!"

Xiao Yan was so elated he nearly jumped for joy.

He could feel it: his righteous path had taken a huge step forward!

If even people like them could be redeemed, then surely others could as well!

Next, Xiao Yan planned to teach them the principles he had once shared with the Xiao family. He wanted them to deeply understand the wrongs they had committed, make amends, and lead upright lives.

As Xiao Yan thought this, he prepared to step out of the forest and put his plan into action.

However, a sudden remark from the bald bandit left him frozen in place.

"Why don't we... do one last job?"

!!!

That single sentence caused Xiao Yan's heart, which had soared to the clouds, to plummet into the abyss.

His heart gradually grew cold.

Xiao Yan watched in despair as the three bandits rushed forward to stop the carriage that had already moved some distance away.

Clenching his fists tightly, his shoulders trembled uncontrollably.

"Why...?"

"You had already come back... Why go back to this again?"

"One last job? As if it would really be the last!"

"It has to start today! It has to start now! Only if you begin today can you continue tomorrow!"

"Why don't you understand?!"

Inside the ring, Yao Chen frowned, sensing the black aura reemerging from Xiao Yan. Her heart sank.

"Sure enough, it's happening again..."

During their travels since leaving Wu Tan City, Yao Chen had been closely monitoring the frequent emergence of this black aura, trying to comprehend its nature.

She realized it always appeared when Xiao Yan felt deep disappointment toward the bandits he encountered.

This disappointment, Yao Chen believed, was the trigger for the black aura.

Through recent experiences, Yao Chen had come to understand what exactly Xiao Yan was disappointed in: the depravity of human nature.

When Yao Chen first awakened, she had been puzzled by Xiao Yan.

"Can someone truly be so flawless?"

"Such righteous behavior, such a pure heart—could a mere teenager possess these qualities?"

Over time, Yao Chen found the answer.

Xiao Yan was not flawless. He, too, felt resentment, anger, and hatred.

However, as someone pursuing righteousness, he firmly believed in humanity's potential for redemption. Whenever these negative emotions surfaced, he forcibly suppressed them. This was why Xiao Yan could interact kindly with others.

But suppressing them didn't mean they disappeared. These feelings remained buried deep within, only surfacing when Xiao Yan was truly disillusioned by the depravity of humanity.

Just like now.

(End of Chapter)

Review please

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(Author's Note: My writing might not fully convey what I intended, and it may come across as overly sentimental. I hope readers will forgive me.)

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For every 100 power stones = 1 chapter

300 power stones = 5 chapter

500 power stones = 8 chapter