I Became Spider-Man's Cousin in Anime Crossover

Chapter 589 Stealing one's own offerings in front of others

"Hurry! Hurry! It's just ahead!"

Just then, Zhang Jianguo's voice suddenly came from the end of the stone path. It was hurried, breathless, and trembling without him even realizing it. It was completely unlike the Zhang Jianguo who was usually so authoritative and dignified in the provincial government's conference room.

"Hey...hey...I'm telling you, old man, can't you slow down a bit...what...what's the rush?!"

Liu Weiguo was chasing after him, panting heavily, his uniform epaulets all askew.

He had just finished his inspection and hadn't even had a sip of tea when Zhang Jianguo called him over, and he still hadn't figured out what was going on.

But their long-standing friendship was enough for him to understand that for his old friend to behave so distraughtly, something terrible must have happened.

In particular, there was a tremor in Lao Zhang's voice that he hadn't heard in many years.

The last time I heard this tone was at that child's memorial service.

So, although he was grumbling and complaining, he still supported his aching back and staggered up the stairs, his movements no slower than Zhang Jianguo's.

"Exactly, you called us over in a hurry just because of a guess... How old are you? How can you still believe such a ridiculous thing?"

Chen Zhijun, who once served as the head of the police force and is now retired, lagged behind, still wearing his home slippers.

My shoes slipped several times on the smooth stone pavement, which seriously slowed down my progress, so I simply picked up my slippers and ran barefoot to catch up.

His hair was a mess from the wind, and a few pine needles that had somehow gotten stuck to his trousers were stuck to his legs. He was also muttering complaints under his breath.

But his eyes had been stinging ever since he left the house.

He simply refused to admit that he, too, would run barefoot to this martyrs' cemetery he had visited countless times because of the same absurd thought.

"We're both getting on in years, can't you slow down a bit? The brat's just sleeping there, he's not going to suddenly get up and run away!"

At the very back of the line was a kind and gentle old man with gold-rimmed glasses.

His name is Jia Wenhe, and he has served as the commander-in-chief of numerous large-scale operations. He has been Riley's mentor in strategy since childhood.

It was under his influence that Riley was able to display the style of a modern-day Jia Xu in front of others.

However, after completing the command mission that led to Riley's sacrifice, the old man retired to the rear, citing the need to "give the opportunity to the younger generation." Every now and then, he would come to the martyrs' cemetery to volunteer, working as an ordinary sweeper.

"I...of course I know...I know! But I won't accept it without seeing it with my own eyes...!"

Listening to my brothers' complaints, I knew they were worried that their expectations were too high, and that they would suffer an even heavier blow if they were slapped in the face by cold reality. That's why they were deliberately making sarcastic remarks to give themselves a psychological boost.

But the thought of that payment information made Zhang Jianguo's heart ache as if a thousand ants were crawling on it. He responded curtly, but gritted his teeth and quickened his pace even further.

However, after taking only a few steps, Zhang Jianguo suddenly stopped.

He saw the person standing in front of the graves of the Peng family father and son.

Although the other person's back is turned, you can only see their back and not what they look like.

But the young man was bowing to the tombstone.

The movements were precise and slow, as if performing some long-overdue ritual.

Their every move was filled with the shadow of that brat they longed for.

For a fleeting moment, Zhang Jianguo felt as if time had turned back…

Let's go back to that age when he still believed in miracles...

Back to that brat, to ensure the operation went perfectly, he argued with him one last time, refusing the suggestion to withdraw early, and patted his chest to assure him: "Uncle Zhang, don't worry, I'm almost the second-in-command of the team, nothing will go wrong! I guarantee I'll be back safely! Just wait and get me a big meal to nourish my body!"

This made his eyes widen and his mouth open. He subconsciously wanted to call out the name that had been buried in his heart for many years, a name he thought he would never have the chance to call out to face to face again.

It was at this moment that the young man seemed to hear the noise behind him, his body stiffened noticeably, and then he slowly turned around.

This allowed Zhang Jianguo and the others to see the other person's appearance clearly, but their previously lively hearts once again turned lifeless.

It wasn't him...

Not to mention that this young man and the brat sleeping here bear absolutely no resemblance whatsoever...

The other person looked to be no more than fifteen or sixteen years old.

And that disobedient brat was already older than that when he secretly applied to the police academy.

This silently extinguished the spark that had just ignited in Zhang Jianguo's eyes.

His tightly clenched fist slowly loosened, and his shoulders slumped slightly.

It wasn't him...

He knew all along that it couldn't be that brat...

But after seeing it with his own eyes, the obsession that had sustained him since he left home was ultimately crushed by a deeper disappointment. He swayed a few times and almost fell to the ground.

"I knew it! That brat turned to ashes, how could it be... how..."

He lowered his eyes, his lips moved, and he murmured something with a self-deprecating tone.

Liu Weiguo and the others who followed behind, though wanting to offer comfort, didn't look much better than their old friend.

In an instant, the once noisy stone path fell silent.

Until, the young man moved.

Hearing the noise behind him, Riley intended to pretend to be a stranger and leave.

But gazing at the familiar figures he had longed for day and night, seeing their expressions filled with loss and sorrow, the words that were on the tip of his tongue remained stuck in his throat, impossible to utter.

By the time Riley realized what was happening, emotion had completely overwhelmed reason. He bent down and picked up an apple from his own grave. Under the astonished gazes of his uncles, he boldly took a bite.

The crisp sound of fruit breaking apart was particularly jarring in the quiet cemetery. Juice dripped down his chin; he casually wiped it away with the back of his hand, chewed a couple of times, and frowned slightly.

"Tsk tsk, Apple products these days are so bland and tasteless..."

His voice wasn't loud, but in the quiet cemetery, every word was clear as if striking the heart.

Then, Riley looked up, stepped a few paces away, and grinned at the four old men frozen in place at the end of the stone path.

That smile lacked the restraint of someone stealing offerings in public, the superficial politeness and fawning due to the other person's status, and the necessary courtesy and distance between strangers and elders...

There was only one kind of familiarity that bordered on unrestrained intimacy.

It was as if he had said countless disrespectful things to the owners of these faces, and he was already used to being laughed at and scolded by them, and having his head slapped.

"Uncle, considering I've finally come back... how about you bring me something special next time you visit? Like, how about bringing me a bottle of your treasured item hidden behind the bookshelf in that secret compartment?"