Chapter 113: The Bad Father

The American Concord Association, much like the Chinese Protectorate Manor, is one of the world’s top-tier powers. Every supreme faction has its unique foundation for existence. Many Eastern nations inherit martial arts and mystical practices; the West, particularly Europe, follows the legacy of the Church. The United States, however, is in a peculiar position. With a history of less than three centuries, though part of the Western bloc, it considers itself the world’s leader. Yet, what good is trailing behind others? The Church certainly won’t relocate its headquarters to America. The only way forward is to cultivate an asymmetric advantage. What, then, is America’s greatest edge over other nations? Technology.

Yes, technology—this is where America confidently claims its world dominance.

Guided by this entrepreneurial spirit, the Concord Association defined its path: you have divine arts, I have technology; you have immortals, I have superhumans. The first step is to poach talent. As the world’s most powerful nation, America can certainly attract martial arts masters or individuals with extraordinary abilities from other factions. The second step is to study their principles, interpret cultivation through technology, and mass-produce experts whose strength surpasses ordinary humans. Through constant experimentation and refinement, they aspire to advance humanity’s evolution once more, creating so-called “superhumans.”

This is the Re-Evolution Project.

Acquiring the DNA of renowned experts is a critical part of this endeavor. They firmly believe that the genes or constitutions of these masters differ from the norm. By researching and analyzing them, then employing genetic modification and cloning technologies, they aim to cultivate their own elite fighters. Remarkably, they have achieved significant results. In recent years, two breakthroughs have begun to emerge prominently: cyborg technology and superpower-activating serums.

Given the current situation, after killing Aiden, the Concord Association has developed a keen interest in Jiang An.

At first, Jiang An did not suspect Guo Xuanying’s true identity or intentions. But as her behavior grew increasingly erratic and blatant—seemingly desperate to spend a night with him—he had a sudden realization, connecting the dots. He then tested her with a ruse, and as expected, his suspicions were confirmed.

However, is his DNA that easy to obtain? Currently, whether he walks or sits, he leaves no trace of DNA. Moreover, due to special circumstances, any blood or hair separated from Jiang An’s original body automatically annihilates all biological information. This is why Jiang An refused to leave blood samples at the manor’s headquarters—once blood leaves the body, it vanishes without a trace.

As for not killing Guo Xuanying, it wasn’t just because she was a powerless weak woman. The key reason was that Jiang An had left a contingency plan…

No, given this twisted and unpredictable situation, it’s time to prioritize Song Wanshuang’s cultivation when they return. No matter what, she must gain some self-defense ability.

…

In the capital city, at Huishi Garden.

Last night, a heavy winter snowfall blanketed the city. When morning came, the world outside was wrapped in a pristine layer of white, a breathtaking silver spectacle.

This scene filled Xixi, who had always lived near the city, with delight. Having never seen such heavy snow, she dragged Song Wanshuang outside immediately after breakfast, eager to build a snowman. As soon as Wanshuang agreed, Xixi and her tiger companion dashed out, leaving tiny footprints and scattered plum blossom imprints along the way.

Before long, Xixi found her group. Cheerful and lively, she quickly adapted to her new surroundings and made new friends.

“Ming Xuan, Fatty, let’s build snowmen! Let’s see who builds theirs the fastest!” Xixi called out as she stumbled onto an open patch where a ten-year-old boy and a chubby little girl were already playing in the snow.

Ming Xuan was Song Chengzong’s son, the legitimate eldest grandson. Raised under strict discipline, he usually wore a serious expression, acting like a little adult. Only on rare occasions did his childlike innocence emerge. The chubby girl was his cousin.

“Alright, Xixi, let’s make it a competition. I’ll build three snowmen—Dad, Mom, and me,” the chubby girl said with a smile.

Xixi’s eyes sparkled like a little sprite as she exclaimed loudly, “Then I’ll make three too—Dad, Mom, and Xixi!”

Ming Xuan glanced at their small arms and legs, smiling faintly. “Building snowmen is hard work. You two little rascals don’t have enough strength.”

“Who says? Xixi is very strong!” the girl pouted. “Besides, Ming Xuan, you can help us, right? Oh, and there’s Little Tiger too. Little Tiger is awesome; he’ll definitely help!”

“Woof! Woof!” The clever tiger barked at just the right moment, affirming its presence.

Ming Xuan and the chubby girl both looked on with admiration. Having played together for days, they knew Little Tiger’s special nature—so intelligent, it seemed to understand every word. What child wouldn’t adore such a lovable pet?

“Alright, I’ll help you,” Ming Xuan said, crouching down to stroke the tiger’s head. As an older brother, raised with medicinal baths and martial training alongside his father, he had plenty of strength to build snowmen.

In fact, among the hundreds of Song family members at Huishi Garden, there were many children. But due to strict hierarchical divisions, the kids usually played separately. So this patch of ground belonged only to the three of them.

“Ming Xuan is so nice,” Xixi giggled, then crouched down to shape snow with her little hands. Losing her balance, she plopped onto the ground and laughed heartily, rolling over like a tiny white bear.

“Woof!” Suddenly, the tiger barked twice and ran off, catching Xixi’s curiosity. She looked toward the distance and saw a tall figure slowly approaching.

“Daddy!”

In that moment, Xixi’s world was filled with the man walking toward her. She scrambled up and ran as fast as she could, though the deep snow and short legs made it difficult. Nearly in tears, she kept calling out “Daddy.”

Truly a little rascal from a past life. He had arrived in the capital city at dawn but only came over in the morning.

Jiang An’s heart warmed. Striding over in a few long steps, he bent down and scooped the chubby child, dressed in a down jacket, into his arms. As was his habit, he kissed her rosy cheeks.

The little girl smiled brightly, but suddenly her expression stiffened as she raised her tiny fists and gently pounded Jiang An’s chest twice. “Bad daddy, why did you leave Xixi alone?”

Jiang An was stunned—who taught her that?

“Sweetheart, you really sound like a little grudge-bearer. Daddy was working and kept thinking of my most adorable Xixi. But since Xixi was mad at Daddy, it made Daddy very sad,” Jiang An said, humorously coaxing her.

At this, the girl’s anger vanished. She wrapped her arms around Jiang An’s neck and pressed her red lips to his cheek. “Daddy, don’t be sad. Xixi’s not angry anymore, just teasing you.”

“That’s my good girl!” Jiang An lifted her high until she was giggling uncontrollably, then set her down. He crouched and stroked the tiger’s head. “Little Tiger, you’re lucky. As my spirit beast, you’re still too weak. I just came back with some good stuff, and it’s just for you!”

The obedient tiger extended its pink tongue to lick Jiang An’s hand, nodding with delight and excitement in its eyes.

“Daddy, what are you saying? I don’t understand,” Xixi asked, puzzled.

“You’ll understand later! By the way, has anyone bullied you?”

“No, Ming Xuan and Fatty are very nice to Xixi. Xixi even shared the candy you gave with them. Mom says good things should be shared.”

“Alright, you little landlord,” Jiang An teased.

“What’s a little landlord?”

Father and daughter, laughing and chatting, approached as Ming Xuan took a few steps forward and respectfully greeted, “Ming Xuan salutes my uncle-in-law.”

“Uncle-in-law?” Song Chengzong must have told him to say that. Jiang An didn’t bother to correct it and accepted it calmly, secretly amused. Ming Xuan? Sounds a lot like Ming Xuan, the old man.

To be honest, his relationship with the Song family was growing increasingly complex. At first, he felt uneasy, even disdainful. But for now, to ensure the safety of Song Wanshuang and her mother, he had to entrust the Song family with their care. With the deliberate goodwill from Song Han and Song Chengzong, relations were slowly thawing.

Well, he would just let things be for now. Everything would be settled after the New Year and his battle with Master Shengu.

The New Year was approaching. Jiang An planned to stay in the capital to celebrate. It was convenient—no need to travel back and forth between the capital and the city—and quieter. If he spent the New Year near the city, the Yumen gang would surely come in waves to pay their respects, and Jiang An didn’t want to invite trouble. With some free time, he would take his wife and child to stroll around and spend more time with family. This was the basic cultivation of an immortal.

After the New Year, preparations would begin for the battle at Great Solitary Reef. Though confident in his strength, Jiang An had never truly faced a third-tier grandmaster, let alone an old expert like Master Shengu. Caution was essential. However, with just over a month left, boosting his cultivation was impossible. Still, he had gained many valuable items from his recent journey, enough to prepare several powerful techniques.

He had a strong premonition: after the battle at Great Solitary Reef, he would truly become renowned worldwide, striking awe both at home and abroad, resolving many lingering threats with ease.