I Am Your Natural Enemy

Granny Fox was on the phone. The old lady on the other end burst out laughing as soon as she heard this.

”Oh my, it’s only been a decade or so since we last met, and your temper has really grown.

What, are you planning to storm into the White Fox Clan’s territory?

Every day there are demons, ghosts, and monsters crossing over the line, and nothing ever comes of it.”

”I’m not going to argue with you about this. I’m only telling you, this isn’t just one or two people crossing the line.

It’s certain decision-makers within the White Fox Clan territory, bringing a whole group of White Foxes to cross over.

If it were just my turf they crossed, I wouldn’t be asking you for a token.

It’s those people, they’ve crossed a lot of people’s lines.

I just thought, after all we were once acquaintances, knew each other when we were young.

Since they’re about to die, I’ll go see them off, at least give some face.”

Granny Fox sounded quite reasonable, as if she really was just going to a funeral.

Only, the people weren’t dead yet, and she was already heading to mourn them. Even her gentle words carried another meaning underneath.

”What actually happened? Who did they provoke?” the old lady on the other end pressed.

Granny Fox thought for a moment, then said,

”They crossed one of the Three Mountains and Five Ridges, went sneaking into someone’s home to kidnap a child.

They messed with the Scorching Sun Department, not only broke into a detention center for a jailbreak, but even attacked one of their archaeological camps.”

At those words, shock crept into the old lady’s voice on the other end.

”Which detention center?”

”Which one do you think? The ones who went to break in—dug up from dozens of meters underground. And even then, they didn’t even touch the outer walls of the detention center. Didn’t see a single person before they were completely wiped out.”

”Are they crazy?”

”You’re missing the point. The Scorching Sun Department plays by the rules—they’re out in the open about them.

But those people went to Virtue City, took advantage of the adults being out, and kidnapped a child from their home.

But those aren’t Scorching Sun Department people, and they won’t follow the Scorching Sun rules.

I can’t persuade them, and I wouldn’t even try to.

Because the one kidnapped is my grandson.

But now, the nature of this thing isn’t for me to decide anymore.”

”Virtue City? Which Virtue City? The one in Nanwu County?” The tone of the old lady on the other end grew shrill at the name.

”What do you think?”

”Tsk... I underestimated just how nuts those people are.”

”I’m telling you, just get the token to Virtue City as fast as possible, and take a stance.

I don’t want the innocent to get dragged in, but I also don’t think any White Foxes in White Fox Clan Territory are going to be that blameless if they do.

What you do is up to you.

If you want to tip them off now, that’s your call.”

”I... got it. The token will be in Virtue City before dawn.”

In the County Town of Southern Sea County, an old lady got up, picked up the phone, called someone over, then took off a necklace and put it in a box, instructing them to send it to the Scorching Sun Department’s logistics office as urgent mail.

The old lady put on some makeup, changed into winter clothes, threw on a cashmere coat, got a cab, and headed straight for the airport.

She took the soonest flight to the northernmost region of Divine Land. After landing, she made her way straight to Old Linzi.

Not long into Old Linzi, she arrived at a temporary wooden cabin, the kind forest rangers stayed in.

Inside lived an old man, who was out front splitting firewood.

”Fifth Brother.” The stylish old lady called out, looking at the old man with a complicated expression.

The old man splitting wood turned for a look, a bit dazed, almost failing to recognize her; the person before him differed so much from his memory.

”It’s me, Fifth Brother,” the old lady called again.

The old man dropped the axe at last, hurried over a couple steps, glanced at his hands and clothes, and was about to wash up and change when the stylish old lady rushed over and hugged him tight.

The old man kept his arms half-raised, looking awkward, not daring to lower them.

”Fifth Brother, why are you on doorkeeper duty here?”

The old man moved his lips, hesitated, and just said,

”It’s peaceful here.”

”Where’s Fourth Brother?”

”Fourth Brother... passed away at the start of the year.”

”Huh?”

”Now it’s just me left. Fourth Brother’s folks left the clan lands too. I didn’t go to school much and I’m old, so I can only stay here to find some peace.”

”How come... no one told me?” The stylish old lady was full of disbelief.

”I only found out three days after Fourth Brother was gone. Everything was already done by then, and that’s when they told me.

Besides, my phone’s been broken, and I had nowhere to call you from.

In the end I figured, telling you wouldn’t change anything.

If you came, you’d just get grief, might start a conflict, and get the worst of it.

I think... Fourth Brother definitely wouldn’t have wanted that.”

As the old man spoke, he sounded nervous, his eyes always straying to the fresh stain on the old lady’s clothes.

The stylish old lady’s eyes reddened as she hugged the old man tightly.

”I was wrong. I shouldn’t have left by myself back then. I should’ve taken you all with me.

Come on, Fifth Brother, come with me. We’ll go to Southern Sea County—it’s warmer there.

Winters are better for your legs, you’ll have an easier life.”

”I... I’m really fine here.”

The stylish old lady gave him a fierce glare, and the old man didn’t dare refuse her directly.

”I don’t even have my ID with me, I haven’t changed clothes, and I still have to look after this place.”

”We’re leaving now, you don’t need to bring anything. I’ll get your ID sorted.”

The stylish old lady dragged the old man off with her.

She’d come with her heart set on seeing her family, only to find a year had changed everything.