Why are the Protagonist Gong and Shou Fighting Because of Me?

Chapter 23 - “I know, I love you.”

Grandpa's weapon research room was Tang Bai's childhood paradise.

The weapons research room in his memory was very large, so large that it became a universe of its own. The silver-gray walls were painted with a starry sky oil painting according to his preferences, and the cold floor was covered with his favorite thick wool carpet.

He liked to run around in the weapon research room barefoot, and he liked to stand on his toes and reach out to touch the weapons in the floating sphere.

Those weapons were cold to the touch, with sharp lines, monotonous color schemes, and a combination of extreme mechanical and violent aesthetics. Each weapon was suspended in a gleaming floating sphere, like an endless galaxy in the vast universe.

When the lights were turned off, the starry sky oil painting would emit a little bit of gloom. Tang Bai liked to lie on the soft wool carpet, looking at the “starry sky” that his grandfather had built for him.

Grandpa said that at the beginning of the universe there were only two elements: hydrogen and helium. Then more elements were nurtured by the nuclear fusion reaction of stars, and gold, a heavy metal element, came from supernova explosions. The gold mines we see are actually the glory of the planet hundreds of millions of years ago.

Tang Bai happily picked up the pure gold longevity lock on his neck, and said with a grinning voice: “Then am I wearing a star on my body?!”

However, after the child put on the omega neckband, he never said anything stupid about wearing stars.

Looking at the familiar and unfamiliar research room, Tang Bai looked in a trance, there were still weapons on display in front of him, but there were more on the shelves, densely piled up. Except for the first row of the shelves, only the first row of the shelf was particularly empty, with only a simple butterfly robot placed on it.

Compared with other weapons in the weapon research room, this butterfly robot was out of place. Its production method was simple, the color was dreamy, and it was uniquely painted pink and purple.

It was as beautiful as an ornament. It’s the first and only mimicry robot that Grandpa Tang taught Tang Bai to manufacture.

The six-year-old Tang Bai had the ability to build mimicry robots independently, and his grandfather asked Tang Bai to choose an animal as inspiration.

Tang Bai had too many favorite animals. He likes little milk cats, little rabbits, puppies, birds...

Why are there so many cute things in the world? Why doesn't anyone install bunny ears on mecha helmets? Why doesn’t anyone consider meowing when their combat light brain is activated? Why doesn’t anyone paint the Star Warship pink?

He had so many questions, but grandpa told him helplessly that no one had ever done this type of thing before.

So Tang Bai held up his fingers proudly and swore to this boring world: “Then I’ll be the first weapon manufacturer to do this~”

At this moment, a beautiful butterfly happened to fall on his fingertips. Maybe the butterfly mistakenly thought that the rose-shaped light brain ring was a real flower, or maybe it was that Tang Bai smelled delicious.

It was a pink butterfly.

Tang Bai happily decided to manufacture a butterfly mimicry robot.

He drew the design layout under the guidance of his grandfather, bought the raw materials from his own small vault, and successfully made the butterfly robot with his grandfather's accompaniment.

After he was done, he deliberately controlled the butterfly robot to fly towards his mother and praised the smell of his mother, who attracted butterflies.

He and his grandfather chose the iron shelf together. Grandpa said that this shelf was bought specifically for him, and every time he completes a work, he’ll put it on the shelf.

That was originally an agreement between them…

Tang Bai reached for the light and fluttering butterfly robot. When he was a child, he always felt that the iron frame was so high that he needed to move a stool to reach the top shelf, and it would take a long time to fill the shelves.

But now, he merely raised his hand gently and touched the top shelf. As he looked around the weapon research room he found that it wasn’t as big as he remembered.

Tang Bai slowly walked to the weapon manufacturing table. When he was nearly there, he almost tripped over something. He looked down and saw that it was a small stool.

It was a small stool exclusively for Tang Bai.

Because the weapon manufacturing table was too high, Xiao Tang Bai had to step on a small stool to get the crafting table.

At that time, grandpa would still hold him nervously, fearing that he would fall and collapse onto his butt.

But now he doesn't need this small stool.

Tang Bai stood in front of the wide and elongated weapon manufacturing table, and his nostalgic eyes flowed from the bending force to the folding bed, the electric fence lock rod, the intelligent cantilever beam...

These high-precision tools were difficult to buy on the market. For so many years, Tang Bai could only buy some low-level substitutes to get addicted.

He......

In fact, he has had countless dreams where he was a master of weapon manufacturing——

Turning cold metal into a bullet that penetrates through the enemy's chest, creating a magnificent battleship that can hold the dead souls of one’s ancestors, and inheriting the weapon research institute that was the condensation of grandpa's lifelong efforts.

He will be a master of weapons manufacture who is admired, endowed with a metal soul, and recorded in the annals of history.

His innovation can change the entire weapon era, and his will can shake the battle between the Federation and the empire. With his order, the huge weapons research institute will immediately be put into operation, engulfing the long night of the empire divided by the Wanjun Thunder——

He had dreamed of these magnificent and splendid scenes countless times.

The fingertips slid across the ice-cold tools, moving softly, as if afraid of disturbing a dream.

Tang Bai gently picked up the long-lost mechanical pliers and found that an old photo was pressed in between the mechanical pliers. The color of the edge of the photo was worn, with discoloration, as if it was often rubbed by someone.

In the photo, a kind-looking old man was holding a three or four-year-old child, standing in front of the towering silver-gray weapons research institute.

They were like an ordinary grandparent and grandchild who occasionally took pictures, the two smiled very brightly.

——“Tangtang, this is Grandpa's Weapon Research Institute. It will be handed over to Tangtang in the future, okay?”

——“Then I’ll paint it pink!”

After a while, a teardrop fell on the photo.

*

“Dad, should I ask Tangtang to come out?” Mother Tang asked, seeing that Grandpa Tang's expression was wrong.

Grandpa Tang silently stared at the figure of Tang Bai operating in the research room. In a daze, he seemed to see the dough-like dumpling that stepped on a small stool and threatened to fill the entire shelf with works.

At first, he thought it was an alpha grandson, an alpha grandson who would perfectly inherit his weapon manufacturing talent.

His name is Tang Rong, and he’s a master weapon manufacturer who has been recorded in the annals of history and written in history books.

During the Federal Uprising, he was known by the world for his amazing weapon manufacturing talent. One-third of the arms of the Federal Uprising were made by himself.

The Federation was very poor, and one energy bar needed to be broken into two pieces. For this reason, he developed a low-energy combat mecha.

There was a shortage of talents in the Federation. High-precision technicians could be counted with one hand. For this reason, he has taught thousands of students throughout his life.

He was called a mobile arsenal by the empire. His head was worth a hereditary title. The people of the empire tried every means to kill him, and the Federation desperately protected him, leaving the empire with nowhere to start.

During those war-torn years, his assistant had been by his side, taking care of his work and life.

It was a female beta, taciturn, gentle and kind, thin and not stunning, but he thought she was very good-looking.

They were together.

There was no proposal, no wedding, or even a sentence of “I love you”, and his wife was willing to marry him.

Because of his special status, she couldn't even call herself Madame Tang.

His wife admired him, respected him, and regarded him as a hero. Although he was always busy with work and devoted almost all his time and energy to the Federation, his wife had no complaints.

The beta’s fertility rate was very low. They only had a child when they were forty years old.

Late that night, his wife had a terrible stomachache. She was afraid of disturbing his work, so she went to the hospital by herself. She acted softly and didn’t wake up the sleeping child.

Naturally, she didn't disturb him who was working at the desk.

Later, many times when he dreamed back at midnight, he wanted to drag his purely working self out and punch him hard.

His wife was kidnapped by the people of the Empire, a traitor appeared in the Federation, and the traitor revealed the address of his home and his wife's information.

The empire knew that he loved his wife deeply and tried to kidnap his wife to coerce him to betray the Federation, and then...

In order not to embarrass him, his wife chose to commit suicide.

He dedicated his life to the Federation.

His wife had dedicated her life to him.

His wife left only one child.

His wife said that she wanted their children to be heroes like him.

He worked hard to teach their children, forced that child to study mechanics intensely, and forced that child to give up his dream of doing business. His child was very distressed, and his child tried so hard to learn, but he could never do well.

He forced the child for twenty years, and the child was going crazy because of him. He wanted to jump off a building and cut off his father-son relationship with him.

The most distressing sentence was that the child said, if my mother was alive, she would definitely not force me like that!

Is that so?

Is that right?

The figure of his wife appeared in front of his eyes, the amber eyes soaked in tears looked at him tenderly, and then she laughed and cried.

When they went to get the certificate, she was smiling and crying like that.

A marriage letter with the words “Whether it’s good times or bad times, wealth or poverty, health or disease, happiness or sorrow, I will always love you, cherish you, and be loyal to you forever and ever.”

She fulfilled her vow with her life.

He didn’t have time to say “I love you”.

He was always busy with work and his career. He didn't have time to take care of his wife or their children. When he regretted it and wanted to make it up, there was a life and death between them.

He was tired.

Looking at the child who hated him, he shivered and let go of his hand.

His child went into business as he wished, and his child was very business-minded and became a business predator.

Then he had a grandson.

His grandson had the same amber eyes as his wife, and his grandson had astonishing weapon-making talents like him, even the color was better.

He devoted too much effort to this grandson. He thought he could finally realize the last wish of his dead wife, but God seemed to play a joke on him.

This was an omega grandson.

He has always known that Tang Bai was very good, but he knew that this kind of excellence shouldn’t appear in an omega, free-spiritedness will incur criticism, and the road to becoming a top weapon manufacturer is too difficult.

On the day the differentiation came out, a huge quarrel broke out between him and his son.

He was disappointed that Tang Bai couldn’t inherit his legacy.

His son pointed to his nose and cursed: “Dad! Even if my son is an omega, he can live well! I will try my best to earn money and save him a large dowry! I will let him have more than any other omega in the world. Everyone wants a happy life! Please don’t sigh in front of Tangtang, okay? Please don’t regard inheriting your legacy as the most important thing in a child’s life, right?! Not everyone wants to live according to your ideals!!!”

He owes too much to his son, and he disturbed his son’s life.

His son said that Tangtang should choose his path in the future without any interference.

But he rejected his son's suggestion.

He locked himself in the weapons research room for a day and night. He kept thinking that the road to becoming a top weapon manufacturer was so difficult and dangerous. The war between the Federation and the Empire had never stopped, and the hunt for weapon manufacturers also never stopped, as an omega, Tang Bai would be in a more difficult position than normal alpha if he took this path.

He needs to work dozens of times, dozens of times better than an alpha, before he can block that leisurely voice, he then has to block the bright spear and the dark arrow.

Tang Bai should have a stable and happy life. He would grow up carefree, marry without care, give birth to a bunch of children in the future, and live an easy life.

Why choose a road full of thorns?

He has made his son hate him, should he let his grandson hate him again?

So he chose to seal everything up. He hoped that Tang Bai could live happily and gleefully throughout his life, without having to bear the heavy expectations of his bad old man, without being accused by other people in society, and without worrying about his life in the future.

He as a failed husband, as a failed father, should he be a failed grandfather in the end?

He told himself that it was right to make Tang Bai a carefree omega. He didn't tell Tang Bai why, so he just rudely took away all his mecha toys.

He thought he was right to do so.

Just as he once thought it was right to force his son to learn mechanics.

It's just that he only thought, never asked Tang Bai.

If he had asked Tang Bai's wishes to truly understand Tang Bai's hobbies, would everything be different?

It turns out that his son really didn't make a mistake. From beginning to end, he was a bad old man who didn't care about other people's feelings and made his own decisions.

Muddy eyes stared quietly at the figure operating in the weapon research room, tears blurred his vision, and he seemed to see his wife in a trance.

She opened her lips slightly when she pressed the secret self-detonation button.

——“I have a boring and bleak character, I’m cynical, and I don't know how to be considerate, plus I won't have time to take care of you in the future. Are you sure you want to be with me?”

——“I know, I love you.”

At the last moment of her life, she said I love you.

*

"Dad?" Mother Tang was startled by the tearful appearance of Grandpa Tang. She had never seen Grandpa Tang cry before, she was so scared that her hand holding the tissue was trembling slightly.

Yaoshou! My Tangtang made my old man angry! Sob! I’m finished!

“I, I will call him out!”

“No, since he likes it, let him.” Grandpa Tang crouched down as if he was a ten-year-old all of a sudden.

Mother Tang tremblingly took out a quick-acting heart-relief pill, ready to deliver the medicine at any time.

Grandpa Tang waved his hand and sat on the sofa silently. Mother Tang didn't dare to speak, so she had to send a message to Father Tang: “Husband! Tangtang entered the weapon research room of dad by himself. Dad seemed to be crying because of Tangtang! What should I do now?!”

After waiting for more than a long time, the husband who was busy with work didn’t reply. Mother Tang was in a hurry. At this moment, the lights in the weapons research room dimmed. Tang Bai walked out of the weapons research room, in one of his hands was the beautiful “butterfly”.

Grandpa Tang's eyes sharpened suddenly, staring closely at the transformed butterfly robot, his muddy eyes suddenly burst into light.

He thought that these years of wastefulness would delay Tang Bai and waste Tang Bai's amazing weapon manufacturing talent, but the freshly released work before him was a portrayal of Tang Bai's strength!

Mother Tang didn't know how to use one’s naked eye to identify the quality of a weapon. She just felt that Tang Bai in front of her suddenly became stranger, very different from before, but she couldn't tell where the difference came from.

“Tangtang, what are you going to do?” Mother Tang asked cautiously.

Tang Bai, who was bending over looking for a sack, said softly after hearing the words: “Hit someone.”

Mother Tang: “......?!”

My son is rebellious! It breaks my heart! I’m too old for this! I’ll be crying soon too!!!

Tang Bai found an abandoned bag, and when he was about to go out, he was suddenly stopped by an old man’s voice.

“Sugar.”

Tang Bai's footsteps stopped in place, his fingers moved while holding the sack, and he didn't turn his head around. He could guess what grandfather was going to say again, the “omega rules” that made his ears wear out. Those shackles that put on him layer after layer——

“You like mechanics, don't you?”

Tang Bai clenched his fists and said dully, “Can't it?”

Is it not ok?

Can't I like Pallu jewelry and weapon-making at the same time? Can't I live as I like? Can't I use law and violence to punish bad guys?

I don't want to be twenty years old, because then I lose my right to choose the future I want because of my gender. I am not afraid of failure now. What I am afraid of is that I’ll stay in place and do nothing with my life.

Then he heard Grandpa Tang's response with a vibrato: “Of course you can.”

“As long as you like it, just go ahead. No matter what you do, I have this old bone for you.”

T/N: I still don’t like the grandpa. He’s like: “I’m a failure as a parent and grandparent” then proceeds to cry. And then he’s like “Oh yeah, go ahead do whatever you want, I totally didn’t restrict you your whole life and cause you countless amounts of grief and pain”.

Longevity lock – a bracelet/necklace of some sort that a baby/toddler will bear on its hand or neck. It expresses people’s good wishes through the lock hoping to bring health and good luck to the baby.

Leisurely voice... - 悠悠众, refers to the mouth of the people in the world, it should represent a kind of public opinion. The entire sentence most likely means that before he’s able to prove himself as a proper weapon manufacturer, Tang Bai will be spit on by prejudiced people.

Yaoshou - a popular word on the Internet. The word is pronounced “yao shou la”. In Hokkien, it means short-lived ghosts and short-lived. It originally means to die of life. Later, it was used as an exclamation word. It’s the same as the “I’m going to die”, “Damn it”, “It’s terrible”, “Oh my God”, and “Oh my lord” that we often say when a disaster or event occurs.