Forty Millenniums of Cultivation Chapter 3518: Side Story: city of trapped beasts (Ⅵ)

"I-is that so?"

Ding Lingdang mused, her mind drifting in a daze.

"Xiaoling, I understand that accepting such a brutal reality is difficult for you."

In a sincere voice, Yang Yi patted her shoulder and continued, "However, the tragedy has occurred. Regret and sorrow are futile now.

If the guilt of being the sole survivor weighs on you, there is a simple solution. You must redouble your Cultivation efforts in the future. One day, you will be able to slay more demon beasts and take revenge for the comrades you lost in Leizhe City!"

His words sparked a fire in Ding Lingdang's eyes.

That was right. Her mother always remarked that the world offers no medicine for regret. The past is unchangeable; only the future remains within our grasp!

The young girl stared at her tight fists and swore an oath, "From this moment on, I will give my everything. I will cultivate like a madwoman and slaughter hundreds of millions of demon beasts to avenge my fallen comrades from Leizhe City!"

She swung her fist as she spoke.

The small strike produced a faint echo of wind and thunder within the subterranean chamber.

Seeing her spirit return, Yang Yi let out a breath of relief.

"But Uncle Yang, with only the two of us remaining, how do we make our escape?"

Ding Lingdang added, "I recently ventured to the surface and saw fires everywhere. The cries of demon beasts fill the air. It looks as though the entire city has been overrun."

The Story of the Hyena

"We will move toward the northwest. A mining and technical school is located there. Its campus features a large field, which is the most open area in all of Leizhe City."

Yang Yi wet his finger and sketched a crude map on the floor. "The Grand Desolate Plateau is immense. The nearest urban centers and military outposts are hundreds of miles from here. The Air Force's crystal warships will be the first to arrive."

He explained that crystal warships require wide, open spaces to identify ground signals, deploy airborne units, or perform forced landings.

"Because of that, I believe the mining school will be the primary objective for the reinforcements."

"However, there is no need for immediate haste."

"It is still deep in the night, the peak hour for nocturnal demon beasts."

"The thunderstorm surrounding Leizhe City hasn't let up yet. Communications are blocked, and it is nearly impossible for crystal warships to penetrate the storm zone."

"We are both famished, injured, and drained."

"We have to save our strength and wait for the sun to rise!"

Ding Lingdang gave an obedient nod.

Sitting together, the pair finished their meager meal.

Afterward, they tended to each other's injuries and inspected the magical equipment and tools Ding Lingdang had retrieved from the surface.

"Go to sleep. I will stand guard."

Yang Yi told her, "In a few hours, you will face the longest dawn of your life."

"I can't sleep."

Ding Lingdang's eyes remained wide as she studied the web-like fractures in the dark ceiling. "Uncle Yang, please tell me your story. I want to learn more about the person who saved me."

Yang Yi was briefly stunned.

"I don't have much of a story. I'm just like any other hunting police officer—training, waiting, and pursuing," he replied dismissively.

"That isn't fair."

Ding Lingdang's cheeks puffed out. "I've shared everything about myself with you, yet I know nothing about you. How can I introduce you to my parents once we get out of Leizhe City?"

"..."

Yang Yi sighed with a wry smile. "I am merely a common police hunter. There aren't many thrilling tales to tell."

"The stories kids enjoy, about grand battles between lawmen and outlaws or relentless chases, are mostly fabrications. They are created by literary-type cultivators. You understand, right?"

"Uncle Yang, you promised not to treat me like a typical child!"

Ding Lingdang's cheeks puffed further, looking like a cat with its fur bristling. She pressed him, "Tell me why you're in Leizhe City then. You're on a mission, aren't you? You're hunting a powerful wanted criminal, right? That criminal must be a very dangerous villain!"

The girl's eyes sparkled as she imagined the image of a solitary hero tracking a killer across tens of thousands of miles.

Yang Yi remained quiet for a long time.

"You're right. I am indeed on a mission to apprehend a fugitive known as 'Hyena'."

He finally sighed and began to speak, even taking the time to explain to the girl, "It's 'Hyena,' not 'Hound.' He's also called 'Coyote' or even 'Carrion Dog'."

"I know what hyenas are."

Ding Lingdang looked disgusted. "In the wilds around the Grand Desolate War Institution, there are many scavengers like hyenas and vultures."

"Those creatures are the worst. They are filthy, hideous, and sneaky. Even though the teachers and students have held several massive hunts, they can never wipe them all out."

"This criminal calls himself 'Hyena,' so he must be a terrible person!"

The girl felt it was her duty to stand with her savior and condemn his target.

However, Yang Yi shook his head. "Not exactly. He uses that name primarily because he originated from the Artifact Tomb. Xiaoling, have you heard of the Artifact Tomb?"

"I've heard my father mention it."

"It's a specialized junkyard for discarding magical equipment," Ding Lingdang recalled. "He said it was chaotic and dangerous."

"Dad didn't go into detail. He just said those treasure tombs are a mess. The scavengers there are greedy and violent, willing to kill each other over a broken watch. He told me good children shouldn't go to such places."

"He's right. The magical equipment graveyard is no place for a child like you. But for those with nowhere else to go, or those born there, there is no choice."

Yang Yi continued, "To survive in such a place, children are forced to become ruthless and brave. They learn to lie and manipulate, using any means necessary while living off city trash and the remains of magical equipment. They are no different from scavengers."

"And the most notorious scavengers, besides hyenas, are vultures."

"Most scavengers lack education and can't think of creative names. That is why you will find a 'Hyena' or a 'Vulture' in nearly every major garbage plant in the Star Glory Federation."

"So that's how it is..."

Ding Lingdang believed her father wouldn't lie to her.

Her savior, Uncle Yang, also seemed to have no reason to deceive her.

Yet, the way they described the magical equipment graveyard felt so different.

She wondered what the real place actually looked like.

"So, what crime did the Hyena you're chasing commit?" she asked.

"Nothing extraordinary. Just a robbery," Yang Yi said coldly.

"He was an orphan from the graveyard with a rare talent for Cultivation, but he lacked the resources to develop it."

"After endless struggling, he was crushed by the harshness of reality."

"Fearing his talent would waste away, this orphan—who had no one to rely on—chose to take a risk amidst the mockery and neglect of others. He committed a crime to get his first bit of capital and prove his worth. From then on, he spiraled further down the path of villainy."

"Such things happen every day in every corner of the Star Glory Federation. It isn't anything special."

Ding Lingdang was captivated by the tale.

"Uncle Yang, you seem to know this Hyena very well," the girl whispered.

For a fleeting second, Yang Yi's eyes flashed with ferocity.

Then, he let out a heavy sigh, and the intensity faded.

"I've been hunting this Hyena for seven years."

Yang Yi laughed self-deprecatingly. "How could I not understand him?"

"Seven years?"

Ding Lingdang's eyes widened. "That man is truly skilled at running away!"

"It's true. Hyena is one of the Federation's most elusive criminals. He fled the interior for the Grand Desolate Plateau, hiding by posing as a miner or a laborer."

Yang Yi explained, "The Federation's development of the plateau is booming. Mines, bases, and cities are appearing everywhere. There is so much work that background checks for laborers are often ignored."

"The Hyena spent two years in peripheral construction sites, building his experience and contacts. Eventually, he managed to get a job as a 'junior mining engineer' in Xichuan City to the west and settled down."

"He even married the daughter of a local restaurant owner and started a family. It seemed he intended to start over and become a decent man!"

"A pity. Hehe, the moment he stepped onto that path of no return, he should have realized a hyena is always a hyena. Being an upright person isn't that easy."

"Six months ago, after a long investigation, I finally tracked his location and confirmed his identity."

"At that time, his wife was over five months pregnant."

"Unfortunately, despite his peaceful life, he remained as jumpy as a startled bird. He vanished again the day before I could coordinate with local police for the arrest."

"Luckily, he left in such a hurry that he dropped many clues."

"I found his trail easily. We chased each other through several cities until we both ended up here, in Leizhe City."

"I see. So, Uncle Yang, did you catch him?"

Ding Lingdang felt tense for him.

She imagined such a clever criminal would be incredibly dangerous when cornered.

"I caught him," Yang Yi nodded. "When I finally stood before him, it was simple. The Hyena didn't fight back; he just surrendered."

"Eh? Why?" Ding Lingdang was shocked.

"Because I told the Hyena his wife had given birth."

Yang Yi smiled. "He had a daughter."

"This..." Ding Lingdang was confused. "That's all it took?"

"Yes, it was that simple."

"And then? What happened to him?" she asked.

"Then, the beast tide hit."

Yang Yi shrugged. "The Hyena is dead. He was unlucky and got swallowed by the tide."

"..."

Ding Lingdang was clearly disappointed by the ending.

Real-life struggles between police and bandits were definitely different from the stories cultivators wrote.

There was no epic final battle or satisfying conclusion.

Moreover, this felt more like the Hyena's story than Uncle Yang's.

The clever Uncle Yang had used a police secret to distract her!

"The story is over, now sleep!" Yang Yi said abruptly.

Sensing his strange frustration, the girl curled up in her corner.

However, ten minutes later, just as Yang Yi thought she was asleep, she spoke up again. "Uncle Yang..."

"What is it now? Why aren't you sleeping?" Yang Yi frowned.

"I was thinking about the Hyena's wife. I feel so bad for her!"

Ding Lingdang continued, "The Hyena got what he deserved, but what did she do wrong? That restaurant owner's daughter was just tricked by him, right?"

Yang Yi froze.

He took a long breath and slowly nodded. "You're right. She was a kind, innocent girl. She was definitely deceived."

"That Hyena is horrible."

Ding Lingdang said angrily, "Knowing you're a criminal but still hurting people like that!"

"Indeed."

Yang Yi stared into the dark. "The Hyena failed his wife. He should never have involved her, and he should never have lied."

"And their child," Ding Lingdang added. "I'm thinking, when she grows up and learns her father was a villain who died a miserable death, won't she feel awful?"

"You're right."

Yang Yi squeezed his fists, his teeth grinding. "I should have captured him sooner, or just shot him!"

"If that beast in human skin had been killed earlier, none of these tragedies would have happened!"

"Uncle Yang, I didn't mean it like that."

Hearing the deep regret in his voice, Ding Lingdang panicked. She quickly added, "You worked so hard and did your best. It's only because that Hyena was too sneaky. It's not your fault!"