Chapter 52: I'm Sorry, Daddy Doesn't Have That Ability

Yu Yan and the Tang father and daughter had only known each other for a handful of days. Though Tang Yan had tried his best to prepare food for them, there were still the demands of sleep, travel, and refining blood crystals to consider. As a result, the supply of cooked food was truly limited. The thought that soon she and her daughter would have to return to a tasteless existence left Yu Yan feeling melancholy.

Her gaze swept over the six people and one dog perched on the branches nearby. She wondered, did any among them know how to cook? If there was someone who could… Yu Yan fell into silent contemplation.

Near the Fuzhu Rocky Forest, at the Lu family villa.

Unaware that his position as the group’s chef was about to be threatened, Tang Yan lay tossing and turning in bed. He couldn’t tell if leaving the boss behind had been the right decision.

Beside him, Zhang Quan’s thunderous snoring filled the room. Tang Yan sat up in irritation—not because he minded Zhang Quan or his snoring. Back in the army, he’d slept in crowded dorms, where the noise was far worse than this, and he always managed to fall asleep in minutes.

What truly bothered him was that his daughter, Tang Siqi, seemed to have lost her innocence. Back outside the "Giant Crocodile Island" instance, he too had hesitated, but hadn’t made a final decision. It was Siqi’s words that had solidified his resolve to stay.

Looking back, it was natural for him to consider the boss’s needs, but why had Siqi chosen as she did? He’d never felt that his daughter was particularly grateful to Yu Yan and her child. Outwardly, she acted moved to tears, but only Tang Yan, as her father, knew that something had changed in her heart. He had watched as the once-timid Yun Duo’er, who used to hide behind Siqi and cry, grew stronger day by day.

Their roles had reversed—the protector and the protected had switched places. Strictly speaking, it was Yun Duo’er who had saved him and his daughter. Without Yun Duo’er, Yu Yan would never have met them, nor gone to Eaglesorrow Ravine to find them.

Siqi couldn’t accept this reversal, which was why she’d gone behind his back to ask Yu Yan for fire rhinoceros meat, hoping to become an ability user—all in defiance of his wishes. Tang Yan could understand all this. What he couldn’t grasp was his daughter’s motivation in persuading him to stay.

If not for the fear of dragging the boss down, it was obvious that following Yu Yan would have been the optimal choice for them. In terms of survival and potential benefits, it was far superior to staying behind.

“Dad, are you asleep?”

Speak of the devil—Tang Siqi’s hushed voice came from outside the door. For some reason, Tang Yan frowned instinctively.

Nevertheless, perhaps out of long habit, he got up and opened the door.

“I’m still awake, Siqi. What is it?”

“Dad…” Tang Siqi bit her lip. By now, she would have to be truly dense not to notice the change in his attitude toward her. But she quickly pulled herself together. “Dad, Mom called me before—she’s back from overseas!”

Tang Yan fell silent. So that was her plan.

She wanted him to go look for Li Xinru, that cold, heartless woman who had abandoned both husband and daughter? She was even willing to let down the person who had saved them both, just for this? Tang Yan felt a pang of disappointment. “Siqi, your mother and I are over. We’ll never get back together in this lifetime.”

“I’m not about to imitate the boss and storm through instance after instance to find her.”

“But she’s still my mom!” Tang Siqi’s tears fell like heavy stones, each one striking Tang Yan’s heart.

“I know you’re divorced, and it was Mom’s fault. But she’s still my mom! The instance worlds have descended—don’t you worry about her at all? Even if you don’t, can’t you do it for me?”

“Aunt Yu can go search for her parents—why can’t I look for my mom?”

“If we don’t go, she’ll die for sure!”

“Dad, my mom will die… she’ll die. I don’t want to end up a motherless child… Dad, please, take me to find her. I’m begging you.”

Tang Siqi sobbed uncontrollably.

A wave of sympathy washed over Tang Yan, but he hardened his heart. “Siqi, I’m sorry.”

If Li Xinru had only betrayed him and run off with a rich man, as a grown man, he might have let it go. After all, even a night as husband and wife meant something. Perhaps he would have nursed a sliver of affection for her. But when Li Xinru left, she took all his parents’ savings with her.

Because of that, his father couldn’t afford hospital care and had to be brought home to die. Not long after, his father passed, and his mother soon followed, overdosing on sleeping pills to join him.

Because of Li Xinru’s selfishness, Tang Yan lost both his dearest loved ones in an instant. He would never be able to let go of that pain.

For Siqi’s sake, he hadn’t made a public scene or spoken ill of Li Xinru in front of his daughter all these years. But to ask him to go in search of her—impossible. He was not Yu Yan; just because Yu Yan could do something didn’t mean he could as well.

Did Tang Siqi think he was some kind of omnipotent father?

To emulate Yu Yan, braving instance after instance to find Li Xinru? How absurd—she had too high an opinion of him!

If he truly had that ability, he wouldn’t have feared becoming Yu Yan’s burden, and chosen to stay behind as he did.

Tang Yan forced a bitter smile. “Dad doesn’t have that kind of power.”

“If I took you to find your mom, the most likely outcome is that we’d both die on the road.”

“Finding her is an impossible dream, and I think you know that too.”

The light in Tang Siqi’s eyes slowly faded with each word.

“Dad, can’t we at least try?”

“Just… just try. We could start with lower-level instances—work our way up, get stronger…”

“Siqi.”

Tang Yan put his hands on his daughter’s shoulders. “You’ve grown up now, and there are things I should tell you.”

In a few words, Tang Yan laid bare the truth about Li Xinru’s actions years ago. Then he said, “So, Siqi, do you understand? Even if your father had the ability, he would never risk his life for your mother. She’s not worth it.”

“If I ever become strong enough, I’ll seek out Aunt Yu to repay the life debt we owe her.”

He would not waste his time or his life searching for Li Xinru.

Tang Yan’s unspoken meaning was clear to Tang Siqi. The last glimmer in her eyes went out, and she murmured blankly, “Dad, am I really destined to be a motherless child?”

“Don’t dwell on it, Siqi. In this life, everyone has regrets that can never be mended. Go back to sleep. Tomorrow, I’ll take Uncle Zhang Quan and the others to Fuzhu Rocky Forest to work on our teamwork. Like you said, I have to get stronger as soon as possible. If I can’t clear instances alone, I’ll build a strong enough team!”

If, in half a year, Yu Yan still hadn’t returned to find him, Tang Yan resolved to lead his own team to search for her.

Only Tang Yan knew how genuine his words to Yu Yan had been. He owed her two lives, and she had given him and his daughter the courage to survive these instance worlds. Such debts could never be repaid by a few cooked meals.