Lin Fusheng leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the street scenes speeding by outside the window.
His eyes turned distant, as if traveling through time, returning to that era intertwined with passion and fire.
"Seventeen years ago, I, your dad, and Ye Zhiran, who is now the Professor, were all members of an organization called âIdeal Land.â
"Back then, we were all young and full of energy, feeling that the world was unfair to mutants. Why should we hide like mice? Why should our lives be decided by ordinary people?"
"So, under the leadership of the old leader, we gathered a group of like-minded brothers and sisters, dreaming of establishing the first nation entirely belonging to mutants in this world."
"In this ideal country, all mutants are free from government jurisdiction, free from worldly prejudice, living and working in peace, being their own masters."
Fang Cheng listened quietly, hands clasping the steering wheel, without interjecting.
Lin Fushengâs voice was low, carrying the weight of rolling wheels.
"Those days seem like a dream now."
"Your dad was the youngest, yet he was easygoing and cheerful, the youngest core member of the organization, responsible for communication among members."
"As for me, I was previously in the underworld, pretty good at medical skills, responsible for treating everyone, doing logistical support work."
"As for Ye Zhiran..."
Lin Fusheng paused, a bittersweet smile appearing on his lips:
"He belonged to the intelligence department, participated in many of the organizationâs plans, negotiations, and was a capable assistant to the old leader."
"The organization developed smoothly in the early stages, gathering many mutants from around the world with different abilities."
"Our influence extended to various levels of society, penetrating the central power of the state, and even supporting a small country on the Southern Continent as our backup base."
"But the bigger the scope, the more complex the peopleâs hearts became, and the more problems emerged."
Lin Fushengâs tone suddenly shifted, and the air inside the car seemed to chill a few degrees.
"And the biggest problem lay between the old leader and the deputy leader."
"The old leader was gentle and prudent, tolerant and magnanimous, advocating for gradual progress, accumulating strength, waiting for the right time."
"But the deputy leader, for some reason, suddenly changed temperament, becoming increasingly radical and ruthless, focusing only on results, regardless of the process."
"He often had fierce arguments with the old leader, believing that any sacrifice was necessary to achieve the ideal, even sacrificing our own people."
"After that, he began employing unscrupulous means, even colluding with external forces to achieve his goals, treating his companionsâ lives as insignificant."
At this point, Lin Fushengâs tone became complex, with a sense of sighing that was hard to describe.
"Your father, despite his usual cheerful demeanor, was fundamentally righteous. He felt the deputy leaderâs actions completely violated our original intent."
"But he was insignificant, and his several attempts at persuasion were futile. In the end, he couldnât tolerate the conspiracies and bloodshed, questioning the deputy leader in public."
"In result, he was rebuked as pedantic by the other party and stripped of his position, replaced by another confidant."
"Because of this, your father became completely disheartened and considered withdrawing."
"At the time, with the old leaderâs protection, his departure from the organization went relatively smoothly, without any trouble."
"I still remember visiting him shortly after he left."
Lin Fushengâs gaze landed on Fang Chengâs face, his tense expression softening greatly:
"At that time, you were only three or four years old, just learning to speak, probably without any impression of me."
"We two sat in the courtyard, basking in the sun, opening our hearts, and talked about many things."
"Your dad holding you, told me that he was used to the current life, realizing he had oversimplified everything, was too naive in the past."
"He said, in fact, living a peaceful life itself is already very happy."
"Compared to those distant obsessions from the past, he now realized that being able to wake up every day, seeing loved ones beside him, watching his child grow, was such a joyful thing."
Fang Chengâs eyes slightly darkened, his fingers on the steering wheel involuntarily tightened a bit.
"At that time, I even laughed at him for losing his edge at such a young age, but now I understand he saw things clearer than any of us."
Lin Fushengâs voice carried a sense of longing, and he couldnât help but sigh deeply:
"Just in the two years after he left, the rift within the organization became increasingly large, gradually dividing into two factions."
"The moderate faction led by the old leader and the radical faction gathered around the deputy leader. Although on the surface maintaining peace, in reality, they were already disunited, like fire and water."
"Until the Guangwu Gate incident exploded, the forcibly suppressed conflicts finally ripped open."
"At that time, âIdeal Landâ overnight became an evil organization that everyone yelled to eliminate, wrongly carrying the blame for killing innocent citizens."
"And the real traitor who created that tragedy had long colluded with certain politicians, running amok."
"They, for power and profit, pushed other companions out as scapegoats, as offerings to the new government, even handing over a list of core members directly to the Special Search Team."
Lin Fusheng closed his eyes, his fingertips gripping the armrest of the seat trembling slightly, as if unwilling to recall those hellish days.
"In an instant, it felt like the sky had fallen."
"The first to fall victim was the old leader, his whereabouts leaked by the traitor, he encountered a heavy ambush by the Special Search Team, eventually outnumbered, unfortunately sacrificed."