"I am Vanta," I answered.
"Niúr..." he said as he was about to bow to me. I held him back up. He said, "This man has been terrorizing everyone for years. You have no idea what you did for us."
I replied, "I did it for my revenge. Hopefully it will force the rest of the Claw Gang out, so I can have satisfaction."
"Tell me who you really are," Li Ming demanded.
"Master, I was just about to tell you," I replied.
"Then go on," he said.
"I am Jun, Jun Wei."
I could see the shock in his eyes when I said that. Immediately, he wrapped his arms around me. "My boy, you've grown. I thought you were dead. How did you survive? I always felt your energy was so familiar. So tell me, how did you survive?"
It took me hours to narrate the whole incident to him—from how both of my parents were killed by the Claw Gang, to how I became Vanta, to how I've survived ever since then, and finally how I got here and my agenda. I could see the pity for me in his eyes.
"The good thing is, now you are back home. Get some rest. We'll talk tomorrow," Li Ming said.
I left his room and went straight to mine. As I stepped in, Wei flew toward me and perched on my shoulder. I smiled, then felt something approaching me from behind. Wei flew upward as I turned to see—it was May, with a smile on her face but tears in her eyes. She jumped on me, hugging me tightly. Looking at the tears rolling down her cheeks from the light coming through the opened door, she whispered "Jun" in my ear.
"Oh my God, it's really you, Jun. I've always thought you were dead. I've trained to this day to avenge you and your family. I can't believe it's really you. Look what you've become... I'll get something. I'll be right back," May said.
I began to think to myself about who she really was, but I was left clueless. Not long after, May came back. From one basket, she pulled out a bowl of soup and asked me to eat. She then sprinkled some grains on the floor for Wei to eat as she sat right next to me on my bed and narrated everything, starting from how she heard everything I said to Li Ming.
"I was eavesdropping," she said.
I then asked her who she really was and why Jun was so special to her. She answered, "I came here as an orphan. Your mom always took good care of me since I was four. Though I stayed here, she came to see me every day. And your dad—always coaching me, encouraging me to be the fighter I am today. And you... you once saved me from a wild dog when I was younger. I've always admired you since then, watching you train every day, until I heard the tragic news. I was angry. I took training more seriously, wanting to avenge the Wei family. You guys are my real family."
"What kind of girl are you? You had a crush on me when I was ten? Weren't you too young for that? The funny thing is, you still wanted to avenge me. We've never really spoken, and you still have feelings for me now that I'm Vanta?"
"Yes... no," she said, confused. She continued, "Hey Jun, don't manipulate me."
As she pulled one of the baskets closer, she pulled out a pair of trousers and light armor. I looked at the basket and saw varieties of weapons. She asked me to pick. After observing, I picked a pair of daggers. I then smiled and told her, "But I won't be able to use any of this."
"Why?" she asked.
"I'm Vanta. But would it be possible to coat all of them in Vanta black paint?" I said.
She thought for a while, then left...
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