Heavenly Simulation: Tales of Demons and Gods

Chapter no.9 Father vs Son part 1

Nie Ming was in a state of panic.

To say he was freaking out would be putting it mildly.

The very thought that his son, Nie Li, could be dead in a week was enough to send shivers down his spine.

What father wouldn't be terrified by such a prospect?

He couldn't help but blame himself.

He had always encouraged Nie Li, never once trying to curb his dreams or tell him they were just fantasies.

Nie Ming wished he had been more stern, told his son that achieving greatness was a far-fetched dream.

Perhaps then, Nie Li wouldn't have found himself in such a dangerous situation, challenging the Patriarch on a whim.

But regretting the past wasn't going to change the present.

Nie Li was now set to compete in a tournament with a mere soul force of 5 against the elite youths of the Heavenly Marks Family.

These were opponents who had been rigorously trained from childhood, had access to the best medical pills, weapons, and armor.

Meanwhile, Nie Li... his family could barely afford to buy him a dagger.

The odds were overwhelmingly against him. The thought of Nie Li losing and facing execution was unbearable.

Nie Ming wanted to break down, to let out the tears that were threatening to fall.

But he knew that wasn't an option. He had to stay strong, to think of a way—any way—to save his son from this impending doom. There had to be something he could do to stop this madness and ensure Nie Li's safety.

The clock was ticking, and Nie Ming knew he didn't have much time.

The weight of his son's life hung heavily on his shoulders, a burden he was desperate to lift.

...

The wagon creaked as it moved over the cobblestones, the only sound in the growing darkness.

Nie Li sat in the back, his fingers moving over a wooden talisman, each groove reminding him of the bold bet he had with the Patriach.

Nie Ming, driving the wagon, looked worried, his face tense.

They hadn't spoken, the silence heavy with fears neither had voiced.

As dusk turned to night and the first stars appeared, Nie Ming finally broke the silence. "Nie Li, I've thought of a way to fix this," he said, his voice filled with a fear so deep it seemed to tighten around Nie Li's heart.

"You should say sorry to the Patriarch. I'd even give my arm to make things right. You... you..." Nie Ming's words stumbled, choked by his fear.

Nie Li saw the pain in his father's eyes, a pain sharper than any knife.

"Father, I can handle this," he said quietly but with a strong belief in himself.

Suddenly, Nie Ming stopped the horses, turning to face Nie Li with a look of pure anguish.

"No, you can't! Do you realize what you've done? In one week, I could lose you, my only son!"

Nie Li understood his father's fear all too well.

In Nie Ming's eyes, the situation was straightforward and harsh: his son, with his weak soul force, was walking into danger, like a lamb among wolves.

How could Nie Li explain that he wasn't the same boy his father thought he was?