Top-Tier Omega: Chasing Alpha to the Crematorium – Chapter 60

Nightmare

Song Qingpei considered herself someone who didn’t like to wallow in self-pity.

She had survived such a difficult life in the past, yet the things she faced now were things she could neither accept nor even comprehend.

            

The President, Military Headquarters, power struggles and old grudges…

All of it was entirely beyond her understanding. She could only try hard to digest the information she had received, attempting to figure it all out as quickly as possible so she wouldn’t become a blind clown in the dark.

Did her mother, Rong Cen, truly commit treason? And why was her Auntie arrested?

            

Whether due to Murong Ruixue’s appearance or her own inner thoughts, she refused to believe that her mother was a traitor, or that she herself carried some original sin.

Therefore, she had to find out the truth, understand her own stance, and figure out exactly what she could do next.

Calming down slightly, Song Qingpei lifted her head from Ming Yu’s embrace and asked hesitantly, “Ming Yu, did… my mother, Rong Cen, really commit treason?”

            

Not expecting her to suddenly ask this, Ming Yu froze for a moment before saying, “Qingpei, that matter is too far in the past. It happened twenty-six years ago; I’m not entirely clear on the details.”

Song Qingpei felt a wave of disappointment, though she understood it was normal for Ming Yu not to know.

Seeing her brow furrowed in a helpless, panicked expression, Ming Yu’s heart ached as she comforted her, “Qingpei, I will first try to find a way to ask around about your Auntie’s situation. You get some rest, and don’t make me worry about you, all right?”

            

“Mhm,” Song Qingpei replied numbly.

Ming Yu’s communicator suddenly rang. She glanced down at it—an emergency call from Military Headquarters.

She frowned. After answering and giving a few brief responses, she hung up and turned to Song Qingpei. “Qingpei, there’s an emergency at Military Headquarters, and I have to head over immediately. I don’t feel comfortable leaving you home alone.”

            

Song Qingpei shook her head, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible. “I’m fine. Go on.”

Hesitating for a moment, Ming Yu contacted Ming Rui. “Ming Rui, are you free right now? Come over to my place and keep Qingpei company.”

Not long after, Ming Rui hurried over.

            

As soon as she walked in, she saw Song Qingpei sitting on the sofa looking dazed, her eyes hollow, as if her soul had been completely drained.

Ming Rui walked up to her somewhat awkwardly and asked softly, “Qingpei-jie, are you… all right?”

Song Qingpei forced her head up and squeezed out a smile. “I’m fine. Just a little tired.”

            

Ming Rui scratched her head, trying to find a topic of conversation. “Um… have you eaten? Do you want something to eat?”

“No need, I’m not hungry.” Song Qingpei shook her head, her voice exhausted.

Ming Rui wanted to say more, but found that Song Qingpei had already stood up and was saying in a low voice, “Ming Rui, I’m a bit tired, so I’m going back to my room to rest. You can head back.”

            

With that, she turned and walked toward the stairs, her figure looking exceptionally frail.

Ming Rui stood rooted to the spot, somewhat baffled, but ultimately could only sigh and sit back down on the sofa.

What was wrong with her? She had been perfectly fine at Marshal Song’s birthday banquet just two days ago. So hard to deal with.

            

The living room fell into dead silence. Ming Rui idly toyed with her communicator.

Suddenly, she received a call from her mother.

“Ming Rui, how are things on your cousin’s end? Your grandmother has been wanting to ease relations with her. You should help persuade her,” Ming Yuandai’s anxious voice came from the other end.

            

“Mom, don’t add to the mess.”

Ming Rui rolled her eyes helplessly. “Let me tell you, Cousin is obviously in a bad mood these past two days, so don’t go provoking her. Besides, how many more years does Grandma have left? Even if you want to cling to someone’s thigh¹, you should be looking for Cousin; she is the future of the Ming Family.”

Ming Rui’s mother cursed angrily, “You child, how can you talk like that? Don’t spout nonsense!”

            

With that, she hung up the phone.

Ming Rui tossed her communicator aside and sprawled out on the sofa. Without Ming Yu’s permission, she didn’t dare leave on her own, so she could only numbly count the patterns on the ceiling.

Until a burst of light footsteps came from outside the door, and Song Song skipped inside with her schoolbag on her back.

            

“Auntie!” The moment Song Song saw Ming Rui, she threw herself at her. “Why are you here?”

Ming Rui caught her in a hug and ruffled her hair. “Darling, you’re finally back! Auntie was bored to death. Hurry up and chat with me.”

Song Song sat beside her with a giggling smile and asked, “Where’s Mama? Why didn’t she come pick me up?”

            

Ming Rui pointed upstairs. “Your Mama is a little tired. She’s resting in her room.”

Song Song frowned, a bit worried. “Is Mama sick? I’m going to check on her.”

“Don’t go bother her, let her get some good rest,” Ming Rui quickly pulled her back. “Come on, tell Auntie, what fun things happened at school today?”

            

Song Song blinked and enthusiastically began recounting the amusing things from school.

As Ming Rui listened, she chimed in every now and then, though she still felt a lingering worry for Song Qingpei upstairs.

Why hadn’t she come down after so long?

            

Meanwhile, Song Qingpei was lying in bed, a fine layer of cold sweat seeping from her forehead, her brows tightly locked, her breathing hurried. Dreams shifted through her mind like a silent film, sometimes vivid, sometimes blurry.

The dream began with warm sunlight spilling over her. Auntie held a book in her hands, a gentle smile gracing her lips.

Song Qingpei remembered this as the most familiar scene from her childhood.

            

Auntie was always so gentle, reading her stories in a soft whisper, teaching her to read and write.

Her fingers would lightly stroke through Song Qingpei’s hair, carrying a faint fragrance, as if all her troubles could dissipate within that embrace.

“Qingpei, you must remember, no matter what happens, you must be strong,” Auntie’s voice echoed in the dream, gentle yet resolute.

            

However, the scene suddenly shifted. The sunlight vanished, replaced by a dark, damp cell.

The air was thick with the suffocating stench of blood and rot.

Her heart clenched violently. She saw Auntie bound to an icy iron chair, her body covered in scars and bloodstains. Her face was as pale as paper, her lips chapped, and her eyes brimming with agony and despair.

            

“Qingpei… why aren’t you coming to save me?”

Auntie’s voice was hoarse and piercing, as if rising from the very depths of hell. “You ungrateful wretch… how could you abandon me?”

Song Qingpei wanted to rush over, wanted to break free of her restraints, to save her, to hold her, but her body felt as though it was tightly bound by invisible chains, unable to move a muscle.

            

She could only watch helplessly as Auntie was roughly dragged, a whip lashing viciously against her body with a grating crack. Every strike of the whip felt like it was lashing against Song Qingpei’s own heart, hurting so much she could barely breathe.

“Auntie!” Song Qingpei cried out helplessly in her dream, tears sliding down silently.

Her hand reached out desperately, as if by doing so she could grasp onto something and stop this from happening.

            

However, the nightmare did not stop there.

Auntie’s interrogations grew sharper and more piercing: “Qingpei, have you forgotten who raised you? Have you forgotten who protected you, who took care of you? How could you just watch me suffer? How could you… how could you abandon me?”

Song Qingpei’s heart felt as though it was seized tightly by an invisible hand. Her chest he heave violently. She wanted to explain, wanted to tell Auntie that she hadn’t meant it, that she hadn’t abandoned her, but her throat felt blocked by something, unable to make a single sound.

            

Suddenly, Auntie’s figure gradually blurred and faded into the darkness.

Song Qingpei jolted awake and sat up in bed, her chest heaving, her forehead slick with cold sweat.

Her fingers remained tightly clenched. Auntie’s cries echoed endlessly in her mind, each question like a blunt knife repeatedly carving into her heart.

            

It took a long time before her breathing slowly steadied.

Looking utterly desolate, Song Qingpei went downstairs and saw Ming Rui playing with Song Song in the living room.

Seeing her come down, Ming Rui immediately asked with concern, “Qingpei-jie, are you okay? You don’t look so good.”

            

Song Qingpei forced a faint smile and shook her head. “I’m fine, just a little tired.”

Song Song ran over, tilting her little face up to ask, “Mama, what’s wrong? Are you sick?”

Song Qingpei crouched down, gently stroking Song Song’s head, and said softly, “Mama’s fine, just a bit tired. Be good, Song Song, go play with Auntie.”

            

Song Song nodded obediently and ran back to Ming Rui.

Song Qingpei stood up, walked to the window, took out her communicator, and dialed Ming Yu’s number.

“Ming Yu,” her voice carried traces of exhaustion, “can you come home early today? I have something I want to tell you.”

            

On the other end of the communicator, Ming Yu’s voice sounded slightly hesitant: “Qingpei, there’s quite a lot going on here at Military Headquarters, but I’ll try my best to head back early. Are you… all right?”

Song Qingpei offered a strained smile. “I’m fine. Focus on your work, I’ll wait for you.”

Disconnecting the call, Song Qingpei’s gaze fell on the scenery outside the window, her heart a sea of confusion.

            

Just then, the doorbell rang. Ming Rui ran to open it and found Li Man standing there.

“Military Doctor Li?” Ming Rui looked slightly surprised. “Why are you here?”

Li Man smiled, her tone calm. “I’m here to give Miss Song a medical follow-up. A few indicators need to be reconfirmed.”

            

Ming Rui nodded and stepped aside to let her in.

Li Man walked into the living room and saw Song Qingpei standing by the window, looking dazed.

She stepped forward and said softly, “Miss Song, let’s talk in private.”

            

Song Qingpei snapped back to reality, nodded, and followed Li Man into the study.

After closing the door, Li Man’s expression instantly turned serious. She looked straight at Song Qingpei and asked in a low voice, “Song Qingpei, does Murong Ruixue’s arrest have anything to do with you?”

Song Qingpei jerked her head up in disbelief. The military doctor standing before her, who had always served Ming Yu, was actually a member of Black Kite.

            

“You… how do you know Murong Ruixue? Are you and her—”

“That’s right. Murong Ruixue and I are both people of Black Kite.”

Li Man admitted it directly, a questioning edge to her tone: “Her arrest—did it have anything to do with you or not?”

            

“…No.” Song Qingpei quickly shook her head, answering truthfully, “She tried to attack me at the time. After being discovered, she told me the truth and urged me to leave with her. I refused and told her to leave first, but before she could, Wu Lan’s people showed up.”

“As long as it wasn’t you.”

Li Man visibly sighed in relief, but her demeanor quickly grew urgent again. “Qingpei, I know your mind is in chaos right now, but there’s not much time left. With Ruixue captured, Zhan Li’s people will soon uncover your identity. We have to act as soon as possible.”

            

Song Qingpei’s brows furrowed tightly. She subconsciously took a step back. “What… what exactly do you want me to do?”

Li Man took a step forward, her tone even more pressing. “Come with me to see my teacher, Murong Xia. She is an old friend of your mother’s, the leader of Black Kite, and the only person who can overturn your mother’s case. Only she can clear your mother’s name.”

“Overturn the case?” Song Qingpei’s voice trembled slightly. “Are you saying… my mother was truly framed?”

            

“Of course!” Li Man’s tone filled with anger. “President Rong Cen was framed by the upper echelons of Military Headquarters! To cover up their own crimes, they didn’t hesitate to sacrifice your mother. Qingpei, you are her daughter. Clearing her name and seeking revenge is your mission!”

Song Qingpei naturally wanted to believe her mother had been wronged, but at the thought of leaving, her first reaction was to think of Song Song and Ming Yu. How could she leave them behind…

Instinctively wanting to evade the question, she asked quietly, “Then what about my Auntie? Can you save her?”

            

A flash of sorrow crossed Li Man’s face as she urged, “Qingpei, now is not the time to be emotional. The Military High-Level Prison is not a place we can just break into. Now that Murong Ruixue has been captured, Zhan Li’s people will quickly trace it back to your identity. Our only option is to leave first and plan our next move. If you hesitate any longer, you’ll only end up dragging yourself down with her!”

“But, is there really no way at all?”

Song Qingpei couldn’t accept it. With so many people out there, could absolutely no one save her Auntie?

            

Li Man said urgently, “Don’t you understand yet? The people at Military Headquarters all have vested interests! No one will help you, including Marshal Song! She was willing to abandon two of her daughters for the sake of power back then, why would she bother saving anyone now?”

Song Qingpei’s heart abruptly sank as Marshal Song’s cold, detached face surfaced in her mind.

A note of struggle entered her voice. “But… Ming Yu… she said she would help me.”

            

“Ming Yu?” Li Man sneered, a hint of mockery in her tone. “Qingpei, what kind of fantasies are you still harboring? Ming Yu is a person of Military Headquarters. Her stance was decided long ago. Do you honestly think she would betray Military Headquarters for you? Throw away the power and status she worked so hard to obtain? Stop being naïve!”

Song Qingpei’s face turned pale. She clenched her teeth tightly, not saying a word.

Seeing her like this, Li Man softened her tone slightly. “Qingpei, I know this is incredibly hard for you, but reality is just this cruel. Come with me. Go see my teacher, Murong Xia, and clear your mother’s name. That is what you should be doing.”

            

Song Qingpei’s lips trembled. “But… I…”

“Qingpei, we don’t have much time.”

Li Man’s patience seemed to have reached its absolute limit. Unable to mask her urgency, she said, “Two days. We only have two days. If you decide to come with us, contact me at any time. Our people will completely withdraw on the day the military academy is established, and as for you… you’ll just have to fend for yourself.”

            

“Think it over carefully. I’m leaving now.”

With that, Li Man turned and walked out of the study, leaving Song Qingpei standing alone in a daze.

Her heart was filled with conflict and struggle—especially the sound of Auntie’s cries echoing in her mind, like a nightmare from which she could never awaken, carving out her heart piece by piece.

            

She had to make a choice, but could she really just abandon Ming Yu and Song Song like this? No, she couldn’t do it.

Song Qingpei hesitated, wondering if she should tell Ming Yu everything truthfully.

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