HNYWEF -Chapter 126 Silent Resistance

The rain was still falling.

Li Shimin crouched in the mud, holding his head, completely still.

Rain poured over him—over his back, over his hands clasped around his head. His mind buzzed loudly, unable to think, unable to hear anything at all.

Until a hand landed on his shoulder.

“Shimin.”

Li Shimin lifted his head.

Qin Qiong stood in front of him, soaked through. On his face, it was impossible to tell whether the moisture was rain or something else.

He looked at Li Shimin without speaking, but his gaze made it clear—you have to do something.

Li Shimin suddenly came back to himself.

He couldn’t stay crouched here.

He had to stand up.

He took a deep breath and pushed himself up with his knees.

His legs were weak, unsteady. Qin Qiong steadied him.

Li Shimin finally stood firm and wiped the rain from his face.

He looked around.

In the rain, torches flickered on and off. People were digging, shouting, crying—everything in chaos.

Those buried under the collapse—some had been dug out, others were still being frantically dug for.

Then he saw Zhou Xiong.

Still crouched in front of that pile of rubble, still digging.

With his hands.

One hand was still stuck between the stones, hanging there motionless.

Li Shimin’s throat moved.

At this moment, there was something that urgently needed to be handled.

If it wasn’t dealt with properly, his relationship with the Wagang stronghold would be completely ruined.

Not just hostility—utter collapse.

And there was the Bronze Flag Formation.

The battle was about to begin. Morale was already fragile. If something like this spread now, who would still have the mind to fight?

He had to explain.

He had to apologize.

He had to—

He took a step forward.

The moment he moved, Zhou Xiong stood up.

He turned and looked at Li Shimin.

Before Li Shimin could even react, Zhou Xiong had already rushed at him.

A kick.

It landed squarely in Li Shimin’s chest.

Li Shimin fell backward into the mud, splashing water everywhere.

His chest ached, breath knocked out of him. He struggled to get up—but Zhou Xiong was already charging again.

The second kick never landed.

A hand shot in from the side and grabbed Zhou Xiong’s arm.

Qin Qiong.

Another hand came from the other side, wrapping around Zhou Xiong’s waist.

Dan Xiongxin.

“Xiongzi!”

Dan Xiongxin’s voice cut through the rain.

Zhou Xiong struggled once—he couldn’t break free. He tried again, still couldn’t.

He was held between them, arms restrained, his whole body suspended and immobilized.

But he kept struggling.

Dan Xiongxin’s face turned red, teeth clenched as he held on with all his strength.

Qin Qiong wasn’t doing any better—his entire body was being pulled off balance.

Li Shimin climbed out of the mud and stood there, watching.

He wanted to speak.

His mouth opened.

But nothing came out.

The man in front of him didn’t want to hear any explanation now.

Suddenly, Zhou Xiong stopped struggling.

He went still.

Just stood there, held between them, motionless.

Rain poured down his body, his face, his eyes.

Those eyes were empty.

Completely empty.

He looked at Li Shimin for three breaths.

Then lowered his gaze.

And stopped looking at him.

Dan Xiongxin and Qin Qiong exchanged a glance, then slowly let go.

Zhou Xiong did not move again.

He turned around.

Step by step, he walked away.

Over there stood several old nannies, holding children close under a sheet of oilcloth, sheltering from the rain.

The children were crying, frightened by the rain and the shouting. The old women soothed them, patting them, trembling themselves.

Zhou Xiong walked over.

He stopped in front of one of the old women.

She was holding a child.

The child didn’t cry. He just stared—at the rain, at the chaos, at the approaching man.

Zhou Xiong stood there, looking at that small face.

For a long time.

Then he reached out and took the child.

The baby was calm, clutching his clothes, smearing his little hands against his face.

Zhou Xiong lowered his head and looked at the child’s face.

This was his son.

Rainwater ran down his face and dripped onto the child’s cheeks. The child blinked but still didn’t cry.

Zhou Xiong lifted his head.

He didn’t look at anyone anymore.

Holding the child, he turned and walked into the rain.

Limping.

Qin Qiong reached out again to stop him—but Zhou Xiong shoved him away with a single palm.

Li Shimin stood in the rain, staring in that direction.

Completely still.

Dan Xiongxin stood behind him and suddenly spoke, his voice low.

“Shimin.”

Li Shimin didn’t turn around.

Dan Xiongxin said, “This… isn’t your fault.”

Li Shimin said nothing.

He just stood there, watching the rain curtain.

Watching the direction that man disappeared in.

“But Xiong’s wife died… because of me…”

Dan Xiongxin turned his head away. He didn’t know what to say anymore.

After a long while, he suddenly crouched down.

Back into the mud.

He held his head.

Completely still.

Rain poured over him.

Over his back.

Over his hands holding his head.

He didn’t move.

Just stayed there crouched in the mud.