Cave Refuge-Chapter 338 - 303: The Barrier and the Idea of Returning to Pengcheng_2
So, as long as Robinson William maintains his martial prowess at the top echelon in Pengcheng, his business there will flourish just as smoothly.
Even though he knew Robinson William helped him to break through out of kindness, Dong Tianyu would not break through in front of others, whether he was a Martial Artist of the Inner Breath Realm or not.
It’s like those working as divers at construction sites, who would not entrust their lives to strangers.
Although Dong Tianyu and the Taylor family brothers had known each other for a long time and got along very well, strangers were inevitably strangers.
Watching Dong Tianyu repeatedly make excuses to avoid the breakthrough, even someone as slow as Robinson William would guess Dong Tianyu’s thoughts by then, so he stopped trying to persuade him. After a few more words, he hurriedly left with Madeline and a Martial Artist arranged to protect her.
Watching them rush off, Dong Tianyu knew that after tonight, the once intimate relationship with the Taylor family brothers might encounter some estrangement, especially since Robinson William had placed great trust in Dong Tianyu, daring to break through right in front of him.
When it was Dong Tianyu’s turn, he kept procrastinating and looking around, unwilling to break through. This behavior, in the eyes of others, was clearly a manifestation of distrust.
But Dong Tianyu couldn’t pull them aside and explain that he wasn’t a Martial Artist, but a cultivator, and that he already had a Dantian to store Spirit Energy within his body, so he didn’t need to break through like Robinson William did.
"Ah~~~~."
Dong Tianyu sighed with a sense of resignation regarding the current situation.
When Dong Tianyu returned to the car, his father, Mr. Thompson and his mother, Mrs. Thompson were both inside.
"Son, do you think we should go back for a visit soon?"
Caught off guard by his father’s sudden question, Dong Tianyu immediately asked back, "Dad! What happened? Why do you want to go back to Pengcheng?"
Mr. Thompson glanced at Mrs. Thompson sitting next to him, his expression somewhat helpless, "We’ve been here for quite a while, and your mother is worried about how your uncle is taking care of your grandfather at home.
It’s now a stable period after the earthquake, and it’s unlikely that any natural disasters will occur soon, so your mother and I were thinking of going back to see how our relatives are doing."
Hearing this, Dong Tianyu knew that it must have been his mother’s idea. He was very clear about his father’s character. Even though his grandparents had passed away and his father got along well with his uncle,
Mr. Thompson preferred to enjoy himself. Despite his age, Mr. Thompson might sometimes miss his brothers, but during this period, he certainly wouldn’t take the initiative to suggest a trip back to Pengcheng to visit.
Even though the earthquake had ended, it didn’t mean the danger had disappeared. The Giant Scorpions that had emerged with the earthquake hadn’t vanished with it.
Due to the appearance of gigantic trees, cars could hardly drive normally, so ordinary people were either walking or relying on wooden bicycles for transportation.
Speaking of wooden bicycles, one can’t help but mention the legacy left by our ancestors. Although not as magical as depicted in many movies and TV shows, crafting a bicycle without bearings is still relatively easy.
Don’t underestimate the bicycles that are seldom seen on the streets now; the technology involved is quite complex. Without a lathe, crafting them by hand is particularly difficult.
Particularly the bearings and chains, those two components, without specialized machinery, are very troublesome to produce manually.
The abundance of wood resulting from the gigantic trees has prompted the Imperial Court to begin promoting bicycles made entirely of wood. Although these bicycles wear out parts very quickly while riding,
the easily available wood, along with the simple craft that anyone could produce, has made these bicycles the most popular vehicle of the moment.
Of course, the survivors with substantial family wealth would still go back to purchase pre-disaster bicycles equipped with bearings and chains.
Mrs. Thompson now proposes that they return to Pengcheng for a visit, and Dong Tianyu certainly can’t let Mrs. Thompson ride a wooden bicycle back. He must find a metal bicycle for her.
There are indeed a few in Dong Tianyu’s storage space. Although not many, taking out three at once is fairly easy. However, at this time, bicycles are even more eye-catching than cars.
Since the beginning of the disaster, several rounds of catastrophe have passed. There have been those who hoarded food, those who hoarded valuable supplies, but who has ever heard of hoarding bicycles, which can neither be eaten nor drunk, during the catastrophe.
Even if someone prepared a bicycle or two in advance for survival, who would take bicycles with them to higher ground during a flood?
In Pengcheng nowadays, bicycles are not absent, but most are refurbished using old bikes, with only a small part being manually remade by some technically skilled survivors.
Survivors riding new bikes now are like those who drove sports cars before the disaster. They are not unseen in Pengcheng; it’s just that there are few of them, and each time they travel, they attract the attention of others.
Dong Tianyu ponders how to take his parents back to Pengcheng, not even noticing that he could actually refuse Mrs. Thompson’s proposal and prevent his parents from going back to Pengcheng.
Seeing Dong Tianyu lost in thought, Mr. Thompson feels that his previous suggestion might be somewhat difficult because, in his view, while his son is capable, the outside world is indeed very complicated.
Using an inappropriate analogy, returning to Pengcheng to visit relatives now is like visiting a bakery town before the disaster. Although most risks can be avoided with careful attention, actually making the trip would still involve many unknown risks.
After all, the people in bakery town wanted kidneys, whereas the Bugs Clan in Pengcheng and the Giant Scorpions in Saxon County are after your life, which is not much different in the grand scheme of things.
As Dong Tianyu hesitates about which way to take Father Dong and Mother Dong back, Mr. Thompson feels that his suggestion might be difficult for Dong Tianyu, so he opens his mouth again and says, "If you think it’s too hard to take your mom and me, you can go alone. Just bring something to visit your grandfather; he’s getting old, and just in case... Well, go and see first."
Upon hearing Mr. Thompson say this, Dong Tianyu suddenly remembers that due to the earthquake, the survivors from City Center moved out of the city, so now he is not sure exactly where his grandfather and uncle might be. Even if they all went back to Pengcheng, the three of them would still need to search anew to find out.
Thinking of this, Dong Tianyu promptly says, "Mom, I just remembered, due to the earthquake, the survivors who lived in the city center have moved out of the city and established a new Survivor Camp.
I don’t know which Survivor Camp Grandfather and Uncle are in right now. So even if the three of us go back together, we still need to inquire about their current whereabouts.
So, let’s put off your return for now. I will go back to Pengcheng in the next few days to find out which camp Grandfather is in, and once I confirm his exact location, I’ll bring you both to visit."
Hearing Dong Tianyu say this, both Mr. Thompson and Mrs. Thompson exchange a glance, and Mr. Thompson, understanding Mrs. Thompson’s thoughts from her eyes, then says to Dong Tianyu, "Then make your inquiries as soon as possible, and since you’re asking around, ask about more things."
Although Mr. Thompson does not elaborate, Dong Tianyu understands what his father is thinking, "Understood. Whether it’s Grandpa or my aunt and the rest of the family, I’ll find out everything. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen them, to be honest, I really miss them!"
Seeing Dong Tianyu speak this way, smiles appear on the faces of Mr. Thompson and Mrs. Thompson. Actually, as the old saying goes, the mother knows her child best; some things Mrs. Thompson understands very well in her heart.
Although Dong Tianyu seemed to care greatly for his relatives at the onset of the disaster, being thoughtful of them in every situation, both Mr. Thompson and Mrs. Thompson knew the real reasons.
Furthermore, during their subsequent separations, Dong Tianyu didn’t appear overly angry but instead remained impassive.
It is known in human relations that anger doesn’t necessarily signify dislike but is often a manifestation of caring.
Indifference, on the other hand, signifies emotional distance, because deep down one doesn’t mind what the other party does. As long as it doesn’t harm one’s own interests, any consequences can be met with a calm demeanor.
Through Dong Tianyu’s reactions during their several partings, one can discern his true feelings towards the other relatives.
