Chapter 105: Reunion
"Father!"
This voice sounds especially familiar and Xiao Yuan would also be the only one who would call him father— but how could Xiao Yuan be here?
Rosen was stunned and before he had time to react, he saw a young man abruptly burst into the cave and rush towards him as fast as his muscles could carry him.
Rosen: "……………"
The little guy who threw himself into his arms had his excitement written all over his face, his eyes shone as he raised his head to look at Rosen, speaking with joy bleeding through his voice: "I’ve finally found you! You really are okay, I’m so relieved…"
Getting to those words, his voice couldn't help but get choked up. Lin Yuan buried himself in his father's warm embrace and tightly hugged Rosen.
Rosen froze for a moment, feeling the faint trembling of the boy overcome with emotion as he threw himself into his arms. With his heart growing soft, he couldn't help but gently stroke his son's hair and ask in a low voice: "Xiao Yuan, how did you come looking here?"
Lin Yuan spoke through the tightness in his throat: "The Military Department announced the news of your death and said that your funeral would be held three days later. I thought…"
Rosen's heart received even more of a shock— while he was indeed missing for a little over a month, wouldn't the Glory Legion be looking for him all the while? With Lieutenant General Victor’s cautious personality, he would never rashly claim that the Marshal’s life had been lost to the public before his body was found… Oh, did they find the remnants of the Replica Black Dragon and mistakenly think it was his own mech?
Rosen quickly sorted his thoughts out and came to his senses, he couldn't help but tightly hug his son, his distress evident. Burrowing into his hold, he stroked the hair on his son’s head and comforted him with a soothing voice: "I'm okay, don't be sad."
Lin Yuan took a deep breath, he steadied his emotions and said cheerfully: "En, it’s great that you’re okay! It was Berg who saw that the mech was not Black Dragon and came to the conclusion that you hadn’t died, I just searched along the way!"
Rosen frowned: "You went looking by yourself?"
Lin Yuan spoke in a hurry: "No, General Drew sent a fleet to protect me, and Caesar, Brian, and Snow were there too. Even Master and Dr. Fornt came along. I just notified the fleet, they should be landing on this planet soon."
Rosen asked: "Did you run into anything dangerous on the way?"
Lin Yuan shook his head and said: "Everything went smoothly the whole way here."
Rosen gave a small smile before relinquishing his worries. Past every expectation of his, Xiao Yuan had come running to look for him. He was remarkably flabbergasted and surprised. However, since it was Berg and Drew who were backing them up, this was good news on top of good news. He and Ling Yu could return to Naomi Star ahead of plan.
Rosen looked back at Ling Yu, only to find that Ling Yu's face was a bit unnaturally stiff.
Words failed to describe Ling Yu’s frame of mind at this moment. Although he had seen what Xiao Yuan looked like as he grew up in the videos sent by Zhou Yi, looking on now as the child walks in front of him, it is an entirely different feeling than that of the one in the video recordings.
Xiao Yuan had grown up to be so big…
He was a tall and slender boy with clear and bright eyes, his face was still a mirror image of when he was a child, a bit of baby fat still remains. When he smiled, it would give others a feeling of warm sunshine blazing down upon them, so full of life.
Just now the scene of Xiao Yuan throwing himself into Rosen’s arms and Rosen hugging him back and consoling him with a gentle voice gave a great blow to Ling Yu's mind— he had no idea that the connection Rosen and Xiao Yuan had between each other after only knowing one another for a few months would be so powerful.
That scene of this father and son hugging gave Ling Yu's heart an incredible shock.
The blood that runs thicker than water, the love of one’s own flesh and blood is brought to life with the reunion granted to them despite every calamity past befallen— the son's worry and concern and the father's devotion and gentleness converge together, so naturally and so warmly.
This is the nature of the bloodline connections closely interwoven to form the future…
Ling Yu stared at the scene in a daze, unable to say a word.
In order to implement His Majesty’s plan, he founded an underground military base in Naomi Star. Knowing that his child was young and at an unsuitable age to go around living with him in such a dangerous place as the frontlines at Naomi Star, going against every fiber of his being, he sent Xiao Yuan away to a safe place and arranged for Zhou Yi and Fornt to take care of him more than he ever could have.
In the blink of an eye, fourteen years had flown by and the chubby little tot had already grown into a tall and slender young man…
When Xiao Yuan left his side, he was still a four-year-old child. He was ignorant and oblivious to the world. Ling Feng performed a memory removal operation on him. He shouldn’t have any memories at all concerning this dad of his…
Seeing him being so intimate with Rosen, Ling Yu felt the emergence of an inexplicable sense of loss— Xiao Yuan didn’t remember him, he was closer to Rosen. This was a very normal reaction, but the strange sense of loss enclosed around his heart like a pair of invisible hands, causing a sudden seizing pain to wash over his heart.
He even couldn't help but think of this little one when he was a child, he stuck himself to his side all day long, and the moment he saw him, he would go all smiles and hold his arms out in front of him. The scene of him calling out dad with his young and puerile voice would melt him down to his core, he’d then lift him up into his arms and go around looking for something nice for him to eat.
Yet now, he doesn’t even recognize him…
Rosen quickly noticed Ling Yu's mood shift and found that their father-and-son conversation was actually throwing up a wall between Ling Yu. Rosen made a smart move and immediately let Xiao Yuan go and spoke in a low voice: "Come and see your dad."
He then sent Xiao Yuan over to Ling Yu and said with a smile: "This is Ling Yu, your dad."
Xiao Yuan looked somewhat inquisitively at the other man standing beside Rosen— the man still wore a dark blue military uniform. His neat and tidy military uniform makes his figure all the more slender and straight. There was an icy indifference coating his delicate face, his lips were also tightly pressed together, his face seeming to hold no emotions. But in those first few seconds where the man raised his head, Lin Yuan was met with a pair of black and clear eyes, not unlike his own.
The feeling of looking at each other face to face put him on cloud nine…
The other parts of Lin Yuan's body held practically zero resemblance to his two fathers. It was only in his eyes where one could see a trait passed down by his dad, Ling Yu. The moment Lin Yuan met that man's eyes, Lin Yuan immediately recognized him—
He was Ling Yu, that was his dad.
The memories of his childhood flashed through his mind. This man had taught him how to speak and taught him how to read. He even found the time to take him to the beach to play by the sandy seaside, bake nice cakes for him, and when he was sent away, it was with a gentle voice that he explained to him: in the future, you must go on living with everything you’ve got…
Now that he has grown up, Lin Yuan can understand the reason why he had to send him away back then— as a general, taking a young child to the battlefield was a lose-lose situation for both parties. He sent him to a place where he could be safe under the protection of his subordinates. Such a thing is within reason.
It was never that he didn’t want him…
It was that he went through great pains to choose the most suitable environment for his son to grow up in…
Lin Yuan has never blamed his dad for leaving him behind. Seeing him again now, there was not the slightest bit of resentment in his heart. On the contrary, there was only immense joy and gratification in this time of their reunion.
After so many years had gone by, Dad seemed to have never changed at all?
He still looked beautiful and full of youth. His cold indifference was only surface level, Lin Yuan knew his dad was actually warm down in his core. In his fuzzy memories, he was a little gremlin when he was a child, he would go around causing trouble, yet his dad was never willing to give him a beating…
Fourteen whole years of parting may have made the originally close father and son become estranged, but at the moment of this reunion, the kinship in their blood brought their connection closer.
A watery sheen emerged in Lin Yuan's eyes, walking step by step up to Ling Yu, he called out, his throat closing up: "Dad…"
After he finished his words, Lin Yuan warmly threw himself into Ling Yu's arms as if not a day had gone by. He hugged his dad tightly, burrowing his head in his embrace, just as he did when he was a child.
Ling Yu: "…………."
He didn't expect Lin Yuan to be so outgoing and touchy-feely. He went straight into his arms the moment he saw him after so many years of separation.
The expression on Ling Yu's face was stiff, and then stiff some more, and for a while, he was thrown into a loop by his son's hug.
This little guy had such a soft body, being tightly held by him felt very nice. With his head full of hair buried in his chest, the feelings of dependence, trust, and longing for his dad are transferred right to the bottom of his heart, almost instantly knocking down all of Ling Yu’s walls.
Ling Yu awkwardly stood there at a loss for words, Rosen, however, looked completely content off to the side— he knew that Xiao Yuan was a delight, and no matter how cold and detached Ling Yu was, he had to lower his iceberg outer shell in front of such a lively and enthusiastic son.
Sure enough, Xiao Yuan did not disappoint him. Not only did he not lengthen the divide between Ling Yu, he threw himself into his dad's arms full of excitement as soon as they met, making Ling Yu, his haughty dad, also stand as stiff as a statue at a loss.
Seeing Ling Yu's face stiffened by his son's enthusiasm, Rosen's mood grew better and better. Sure enough, things were different having a lively son, their familial connection could no longer be broken off.
Being held by his son like an octopus, Ling Yu could barely breathe, but the little guy in his stomach seemed to want to make itself known. Ling Yu’s stomach was suddenly churned, he almost dry heaved in front of Lin Yuan.
Ling Yu immediately pushed Lin Yuan away, his face turned white as a sheet and he turned to the table, took a glass of water, and drank it.
Rosen noticed that something was wrong with him, so he hurriedly pulled Xiao Yuan over and explained, "Your dad is not feeling well, don't hold him like that."
Lin Yuan gave a committal hum and anxiously looked at Ling Yu: "Dad is sick?"
Ling Yu: "……………"
As a general, Ling Yu had never felt as pathetic as he did at this moment even when he was besieged by the enemy on the battlefield.
His eldest stood in front of him, asking his father deeply concerned about whether he was sick with a serious look on his face, while the little one was still making its existence known with its incessant nausea attacks— Ling Yu didn’t know how to even begin explaining it.
Everyone thought that he and Rosen were in peril. In the end, he and Rosen had actually spent three full days messing around on this strange planet, and even having a child in such dire straits?
If this information got out, the people of the military would surely laugh themselves to death.
Seeing Ling Yu's pale face, Rosen graciously stepped in and explained to Lin Yuan: "Your dad is not feeling too well after eating something bad. He just doesn’t feel well, it’s nothing too serious."
Ling Yu turned around and went back to the bed, he swept his bone-chillingly cold gaze over Rosen, yet Rosen only gave him an innocent smile in return.
Ling Yu looked at Xiao Yuan and found that this stupid son of his had completely fallen for his father's explanation; hook, line, and sinker. He smiled and said, "Oh, then go get some rest, Dad. I'll find some anti-nausea medicine for you later. We’ll be good to go tomorrow."
Ling Yu: "……….."
This big one and this little one will practically be the death of him.
Ling Yu hadn't properly spoken since seeing Xiao Yuan. Lin Yuan knew that his dad’s character had just always been like that so he didn’t take it to heart. He very happily took off the red space button necklace on his neck and held it up to Ling Yu: "Dad, this is Suzaku, I should give it back to you."
Suzaku came out of the space button and shifted into a humanoid mech. It stood in front of Ling Yu and spoke in a near whisper: "Master, I've returned."
Ling Yu: "…"
I've returned.
Just those few words said what even a thousand words couldn't.
I’ve returned, I’ve finally taken my place back at your side. Not once have I forgotten you through all of these years. My master is the sole Omega General of the Empire’s history. I am willing to protect you no matter the cost— my Master, Ling Yu.
Looking at the glaringly familiar plating of red, hearing that familiar voice entering his ears… a smidge of emotion suddenly emerged on Ling Yu's perpetually frozen solid face, his jet-black eyes also moistened.
This mech had once accompanied him through both fire and water and stood by him throughout the years of countless blazing battles in the war. He even placed his life in Suzaku’s hands. It could be said that Suzaku is his most trusted partner and even his closest friend whom he could talk to about anything and everything.
Unexpectedly, after nineteen years of separation, he and Suzaku could actually meet again.
Even more unexpectedly, Suzaku could do so without a scratch.
Suzaku took the initiative to stretch out its hand in front of Ling Yu, the ghost of a smile finally appeared on the corners of his mouth. He gently placed his slender fingers on the large metal palms of the red mech and whispered: "Suzaku, welcome back."
Suzaku nodded earnestly, the flickering of its red eyes seemed to display its happiness.
The tacit understanding between the master and its mech didn't require too many words. Ling Yu accepted the space button and Suzaku immediately returned to the space button at ease, dazzling red streams of light dissipating into the air.
Ling Yu then looked up at his son and said in a low voice: "…Xiao Yuan, you come here."
Lin Yuan walked to his dad's side and sat down obediently, "What's wrong, Dad?"
Ling Yu looked back at him with a serious tone, he asked, "Was it you who rescued Suzaku?"
As far as he knew, Suzaku should have been held captive in the museum. Yet it was taken along with Lin Yuan to Pavo, Ling Yu couldn’t even begin to rationalize it.
Facing his dad’s questioning gaze, Lin Yuan talked through the process of Suzaku's escape from the museum in full-disclosure. Everything from Caesar and Brian using underhanded means to downgrade Suzaku to C-Class and then exchanging it with the prize of the National Mech Competition, to how they ultimately kept the Mech Association in the dark. He carefully recounted the matter of him becoming Suzaku’s provisional master to his dad.
Ling Yu deeply frowned when he heard him and couldn't help saying: "You are too reckless, what if you had been discovered?"
It felt nice for his dad to worry over him. Lin Yuan smiled happily and said: "Not a chance. Brian is very highly skilled, there wasn’t a trace left behind of the modification process. Before we set off for this, Suzaku had also been upgraded back to S-Class. Except for a few of us who were already in the know, no one would ever expect that the prize given to me in the National Competition would be replaced by Suzaku."
Ling Yu heard the name "Caesar" repeatedly mentioned throughout his son's narration, he then asked: "The one you’ve mentioned… the roommate who thought up of the plan to swap Suzaku. Is he His Majesty’s son, the youngest prince Caesar?"
Lin Yuan nodded and said: "Yes, he’s helped me out a lot."
Ling Yu said: "Black Dragon just said that White Feather is also here. Did Caesar come together with you?"
Lin Yuan said: "Yes, they seem to be outside…"
Ling Yu said: "Let them come in."
Lin Yuan ran up to the entrance of the cave and said to the few people waiting outside the entrance: "You guys can come in!"
In reality, the matter of Caesar, Brian, and the others staying outside the cave was not that they didn't dare to enter, but rather that they wanted to give Lin Yuan a bit of alone time and some space. Lin Yuan must have had a lot to say when he met his parents again. It wasn’t good for a bunch of outsiders to crowd in on the scene.
Seeing Lin Yuan coming out to call them in, the three turned and walked into the cave.
Brian and Lin Yuan were nothing more than friends. He naturally didn’t have too much to say upon seeing his parents. He was just a bit curious about the legendary Omega General. He couldn’t help but look at the man standing next to the Marshal, secretly admiring in awe over the unique temperament of this Omega General.
Snow is not acquainted with the Marshal and it is his first time meeting Ling Yu, but Ling Yu is the younger twin brother of his dad, his take upon seeing Ling Yu is very amiable. As one from the younger generation, Snow should naturally greet him. After coming into contact with those black eyes that looked like a cardboard cutout of his own dad’s, Snow took the initiative to walk in front of Ling Yu and smile politely, saying: "So you are Uncle Ling Yu? I’m Snow."
Ling Yu and Snow had briefly encountered one another in the underground city, but the existing state of affairs at that time was pressing and he was knocked out with anesthetic effective immediately. He did not get to see him properly. It was at this time now that he was really looking at him, he found that Snow did not at all resemble his older brother, Ling Feng, but instead inherited Udir's azure eyes and platinum blonde hair. With his fair skin and slender build, he looked very delicate and gentle.
Ling Yu couldn't help but smile, he nodded and said: "Is your dad okay now? Is he with Udir?"
Snow nodded and said, "Yes, he is acting as a doctor and he stays with Father’s Rose Legion. Before setting off, he specially told to me to tell you to please not worry, he is safe now… Also, the Rose Legion’s communication lines are strictly monitored by the military’s defense network. When the moment comes, if you are in need of the Rose Legion’s assistance, you can connect with Dad’s communicator directly.”
He didn’t expect for Ling Feng’s son to be so sensible, Ling Yu felt very delighted. Seeing Snow’s gaze, he couldn’t help but be reassured, he nodded and said: “I see, I will contact your dad when I get back."
Ling Yu turned his gaze to the last tall young man. This youth looked very calm and firm. After entering the cave, he remained silent and the expression on his face was also very placid. So he was probably His Majesty Trent’s son?
Sure enough, after meeting Ling Yu's gaze, the young man was quick to deferentially say: "General, it's a pleasure to meet you, I am Caesar."
Ling Yu nodded, "Listening to what Xiao Yuan had to say, you helped him a lot in school? Saving Suzaku was also your idea?"
Caesar rushed to speak: "I just threw my two cents here and there, for the most part, it was just Xiao Yuan pulling through. Xiao Yuan winning the national competition championship on behalf of the school gave us the in to hide it from the Mech Association and swap Suzaku in."
Ling Yu said insipidly: "There’s no need to be so modest, thank you for taking care of Xiao Yuan at school."
Caesar: "…"
All of these compliments are simply overwhelming!
Although he maintained his composure on the surface, Caesar had already been holding back his cold sweat with clenched fists. The scene of being scolded by the Marshal still lives rent-free in his mind, clear as day. Finding out that General Ling Yu's personality is even more indifferent and proud, Caesar has already prepared himself for a ruthless chiding.
He didn’t expect that although General Ling Yu spoke with a cold indifference, he did not seem to be discontent with him in the slightest? He even thanked him for taking care of Xiao Yuan of his own accord? Could it be that he approved of the existence of this "son-in-law"?
In all reality, Caesar had really just thought too much into it. Lin Yuan hadn’t told his dad that he had been marked by Caesar. Ling Yu still thought that Caesar was a "nice, loyal roommate" and only thanked him out of politeness to express his gratitude. Lin Yuan, who had a thick skull, was too excited when he saw his dad. He completely forgot to tell him that Caesar was his Alpha and accidentally let Caesar escape this calamity unscathed instead.