Chapter 2223 - 75: Ten Years Ago

"Your uncle was in Eteliria at the time, and the Stargate temporarily lost contact with the other world due to the upgrade in Zone C, so he didn't get in touch with your uncle."

"Who was that person...?"

"Not clear at the moment, it might not necessarily be related to this matter."

"What do you mean?"

"Because from your parents' identity, we discovered another thing, which I will tell you next, but you must stay calm."

Fang Hong nodded.

"The truth behind your parents' death might not be that simple."

Fang Hong's pupils dilated suddenly, wanting to speak instinctively, but Su Changfeng immediately held him down and said: "Listen to me first, your parents died in the Russia airline flight 1031 crash eleven years ago, you might not know, but the cause of that crash remains a mystery to this day."

Fang Hong's mouth fell open, looking at Su Changfeng involuntarily and said: "But..."

Su Changfeng nodded, slowly replied: "Yes, the mainstream media's speculation has always been navigation errors and engine failure, I understand your confusion, but the official narrative has remained silent from the start."

"...The black box recorded what happened just before the crash, and the plane was maintaining a very steady stance until the captain shouted in terror to other crew members: 'They have come in!'. But who this 'they' are has puzzled us for nearly a decade. Were they simple hijackers, or radical extremists? Yet before the incident, the plane made no requests to the tower, and no extremist group took responsibility afterwards..."

"The only clue we have is the passengers on board, about half of whom were Invokers going to Russia for an exchange event. The upper echelon speculated that it was a targeted terrorist action by radical opposition of the Stargate, but there's been no evidence."

At this point, Su Changfeng paused before speaking again: "I'm sorry to bring this up, but being related to Stargate affairs, I happened to experience the investigation ten years ago, and when I found out your parents were on that plane, I realized the problem was more serious than I thought."

Fang Hong was stunned for a long time before asking in a somewhat dry voice: "But... how does this relate to the matter at hand?"

"Do you remember what happened in Eteliria ten years ago?" Su Changfeng asked.

Fang Hong's mind was a mess, instinctively wanting to shake his head, but suddenly something clicked, thirteen years ago, the Battle of Bain occurred between Colin Ishurian and the Osh Empire, shortly after which Prince Coleman started purging Dragon Worshippers in the Southern Region.

The upheaval dragged on for many years; he was still young then, so he only had fragmented memories of the events from that time. But from others' accounts, he learned of the unrest's longevity and wide-ranging impact.

It didn't just happen in Eteliria, it even once affected Earth, leading to several bloody incidents. He learned about the consequences of that great war from Mr. Kroid and others, but it felt like a distant story, and when it became personal, Fang Hong had a moment of unreality.

What he wanted to say underwent several hesitations before it finally came out as: "...Are you saying... my parents' death is connected to it?"

"Do you remember our conversation long ago? The turmoil between the two worlds after the Battle of Bain was actually due to the back infiltration by Dark Followers into our world. At the time, nations united to handle some large cult groups, but this also caused a series of bloody conflicts."

Fang Hong was silent for a good half a moment: "And then...?"

"The key to the problem lies in this person, Rekehtopa. Do you think he would be an ordinary person?"

Fang Hong shook his head.

Su Changfeng looked at him, "The group you joined has typical characteristics of cult activities. Think carefully, why did they choose you, specifically, and not someone else?"

"I don't quite understand either."

"It's normal that you don't understand; in fact, we've investigated your background thoroughly—don't misunderstand, anyone with experiences like yours would receive such treatment—after all, since the 'Stargate Law' was promulgated, people as daring as you are few. But as an individual, before reaching Stargate Port, you seemingly had no interaction with these people in your sixteen year life history..."

He paused for a moment: "Your only connection is actually your parents. Of course, there's also the possibility of your uncle."

For a long time, there was no sound in the room, except for the crackling of the fire in the fireplace.

Su Changfeng patted Fang Hong's shoulder lightly, the implication was clear—that's precisely why he brought him here and said these things.

After a while, Fang Hong finally raised his head, dark eyes flashing with a faint glow: "Are you suggesting my parents' plane crash was orchestrated by these people, or at least they had a part in it?"

"This isn't for you to go seek revenge, and you likely won't find them; that's our job," Su Changfeng replied rather calmly: "Don't worry, justice is relentless, they won't escape, and we will eventually seek justice for your parents and all the victims."