the bitter truth

Damian was abruptly jolted from the realm of dreams, harshly thrust into the stark reality of his aged and deteriorating form, a drastic contrast to the youthful vigor he once embodied. The day prior had been a maelstrom of confusion and fear, a psychological tempest that left him feeling adrift in a sea of uncertainty. He yearned for the comforting presence of his family, their guidance in this unfamiliar world he was abruptly thrown into. Questions swirled in his mind, inquiries about the serum his father had mentioned, about the limitless potential it was purported to unlock. Yet, the mirror reflected a stranger, an old man who had lost 42 years to a coma. This was not the future he had envisioned.

In his disarray, he sought the company of Judy, a nurse who had become a beacon of familiarity in the foreign landscape of his existence. He requested her to call for the police officer, a man he had come to regard as an uncle despite their age disparity. Judy, despite her escalating exasperation with the peculiarities of Damian's conduct, empathized with the shock he must be undergoing. She was aware that his amnesia and adolescent demeanor were likely the aftermath of a significant trauma.

When the officer finally arrived, he found Damian anxiously picking at his fingernails, a clear sign of his internal turmoil. The officer knew that this case would be challenging, but the evidence he had uncovered hinted at a deeper mystery. He began to share his findings with Damian, preparing him for the harsh truths he was about to reveal.

"Mr. Grimston," he initiated, "the information I'm about to divulge may be challenging for you to assimilate. I comprehend that patients with memory loss often grapple with accepting their reality, but I implore you not to overanalyze things. With time, I believe you will recover your lost memories."

He then unveiled the tragic destiny of Damian's family, who had succumbed to a house fire 42 years prior. This revelation, extracted from an old newspaper article, struck Damian like a blow to the stomach. His family, his home, and his past were all incinerated while he lay in a coma, oblivious to their fate. The officer elucidated that the fire was suspected to be the handiwork of a terrorist organization, and that Damian had been adopted by the first young master who had pledged to safeguard him.

The officer's revelations left Damian staggered. He was engulfed by a profound sorrow, a sense of loss that was nearly insurmountable. He held himself accountable for his family's demise, convinced that his father's perilous experiments, intended to secure a bright future for him, had instead precipitated their downfall. But amidst his grief, a new piece of information caught his attention. The officer mentioned that Fire City had been lost in a war. This was news to Damian, who remembered the city being well-guarded.

The officer explained that two years prior, Fire City had been besieged by powerful beasts. A war had broken out between the beast and the cultivators, leading to the evacuation of all civilians. The Fire Clan, however, had chosen to stay and fight. Damian was likely attacked by a beast and secretly sent out of the city by the Fire Clan Lord, which would explain the lack of information about him. The officer suggested that Damian's identity had been kept secret to protect him from potential assassins.

Damian was left speechless by this revelation. He struggled to comprehend the reality of a war between humans and beasts, and the fact that he had been sent away by the Fire Clan. He questioned why the other cities hadn't come to Fire City's aid, to which the officer replied, "Humans are not as united as you might think. Wars are being fought all over the realm. Perhaps the Fire Clan Lord had angered some powerful individuals." The officer advised Damian to keep his identity hidden and handed him a new ID card. He was now John Deo, a resident of Star City. As for employment, the officer had managed to secure a job for Damian as a taxi driver, despite his disability. Damian was overwhelmed by the officer's kindness and asked why he was going to such lengths to help him. The officer simply replied, "By helping you, I am aiding my own cultivation. I follow the path of karma. The more good I do, the easier my life will be. You don't owe me anything".

Unbeknownst to both Damian and the officer, this would be their last conversation. Shortly after, the officer was found dead at his desk, the cause of death was ruled as a natural heart attack.

This marked the first death indirectly caused by Damian, a consequence of the officer's decision to erase Damian's records and keep his investigation secret. The officer's cultivation journey had come to an abrupt end, his failure to grasp the ultimate truth preventing his enlightenment. His last moments were filled with the sound of a voice, a voice that held an air of majesty and apathy, a voice that made him feel insignificant. "Karma runs in both ways and no good deed ever goes unpunished," it said, as his heart ceased to beat and his life flashed before his eyes. He realized too late that this was the voice of God.

Meanwhile, Damian, oblivious to the events unfolding around him, was grappling with his own reality. His mind was a whirlwind of memories and future uncertainties as he entered his new home. The small, 15-meter room was modest but well-equipped for a disabled person, with everything within arm's reach. As he transferred from his wheelchair to the bed, he was hit with the realization that he was truly alone. He tried to hold back his tears, but they flowed freely, a testament to his grief and loneliness. His family was gone, his home was lost, he was old and disabled, and he had even lost his name. He sobbed uncontrollably, his heart heavy with sorrow and regret.

In an attempt to distract himself from his grief, he pulled out a phone that he had recently purchased, hoping to find some news about his city. He was met with a headline that read, "The Fall of the Fire Clan." The article stated that all the descendants of the Fire Clan had been killed three days ago, and the direct family members had been publicly executed. They were labeled as criminals, accused of hoarding important research that could benefit all of humanity, with the intention of monopolizing the future and establishing themselves as royalty. The royal family and all the sects had besieged them but had failed to obtain any significant results. Damian realized that this had to do with his father's work. His father had been working on a serum that could enhance human cultivation. The Fire Clan had been destroyed in an attempt to obtain it, but they had failed to find any data about the research.

He decided to search his name to look at what his past self had done, but found that there was no mention of his name anywhere. All his old social media profiles were gone, and only his old email was still functioning. He opened a link in his email, which led to a video. The video showed him sleeping in his room, then being dragged out of his house and into a van. It showed his parents sleeping, and then their house being consumed by a massive fire. Damian's eyes turned blood-red, and a dreadful aura emanated from him. He continued to watch the video, determined to find out whom he should take his revenge on. He saw a middle-aged man with red hair radiating power. The man introduced himself as the Fire Clan Lord. "If you are watching this video, it means that the Fire Clan has fallen." The man revealed that Damian's father had conducted secret research without his knowledge, and for that, he had been punished. As for Damian, the target of his father's research, he had been taken back to the lab to compensate for what he had stolen from the clan. Damian roared in anger, vowing to kill the Fire Clan Lord.

The man continued his speech, revealing that Damian's awakened ability has been strengthening his soul, to which had been used to create and sell nine elixirs. These elixirs had been used to form alliances and help the talented young generation of other families and sects strengthen their souls and shorten their cultivation time.

However, they had grown fearful and had come to take the Fire Clan's secret. The man knew that negotiating with them was pointless. "After they were done with the Fire Clan, they would come for you, Damian, the progenitor of the elixirs."

"In a dog-eat-dog world, either you are supreme or you are dead. After you have opened the video, a countdown would begin, and in one year, your information would be made public. Go and seek advised from all-knowing God, search for a solution to your problem. And avenge the Fire Clan, destroy those who had betrayed us, because if you didn't, you would die too.

From now on, Damian, you should believe nothing and trust no one. As your only friend in this world is Death, he either comes to visits you or he received your enemies as guest and let you live to see another day."