Chapter 525

The house was huge, bigger than he had expected. Two floors, multiple living rooms downstairs with an office that he could use to look out into the separate garden that his mother had taken over to grow vegetables. There were quite a few raised vegetable beds out there, some with the look of being newly installed. Arthur wondered what their negibhros thought of something like that, decided he didn’t care. If his mother felt more secure with vegetable gardens growing, he wasn’t about to make a complaint.

Upstairs were separate rooms for each of them, another extra guest room and the garage was converted so that the training room could be utilized. Their cars were parked outside, which was a change. That they had even cars, but Arthur ignored that thought for the most part.

Not far away, connected in the gated community was the rest of the various amenities that were part of living in a gated community like this. Big outdoor community hall with gas fireplaces for BBQs, even an old school place for charcoal BBQs so if you wanted to make satay or something like that, it was possible. Tennis courts, a mini golf area and even a pool which Arthur was rather looking forward to using.

All of which was great, but Arthur was finding out one problem…

“What do you mean they can’t deliver the food to us?” Arthur said, frowning at his sister. Zoey was seated across from him in the living room, sprawled all out and relaxed. Even so, he noted that she had not left to go out with friends or study or even left, indicating how much she truly had missed him.

“Gated community lah,” Zoey scoffed. “You think so easy to come in?”

“Zoey, talk properly,” Arthur said.

“Why ah?”

“Because you know better.” His mother came in, bringing a tray of tea. Arthur jumped up only to be waved back down as she handed him a can of pop and then another for his sister before taking her cup of coffee to her own seat. The furniture was new too, and quite comfortable, even if it lacked the familiar impressions. “And Arthur and his Master are trying to teach you to talk properly.” A frown. “You’ll need it if you work with more of the international people.”

“I’m not going to be a bureaucrat, Maaaa!” Zoey whined.

“You think we won’t eventually have to deal with the gweiloh?” Arthur scoffed. “Rick is just the start.” Then he paused, added. “Or the Chinese. Or Koreans.”

“Or Japanese?”

“We shouldn’t work with the Japanese,” his mother chimed in, her lips curling up in a sneer. “They can’t be trusted.”

“Maaa, they’re not that bad anymore,” Zoey whined.

“Really? Then they can apologise.” Her mother leaned forward. “The West at least apologized, or try to. They won’t. Even say it never happened.”

“What do you want them to apologise for?” Arthur said.

“Their comfort women. The killings? How many mass graves are there? The beatings and torture?” His mother shook her head. “Look at what they did in Nangking!”

“I know,” Arthur held a hand up. “And I get it. Them removing it from their history books isn’t exactly great. Same with the way the genocide in the West is downplayed, or our own civil war.”

“Emergency,” scoffed Zoey.

“Exactly.” Arthur sighed. “But they’ve been… better? At least, not as bad.”

“Soft power,” Zoey said, and at the look Arthur shot her, she shrugged. “Something a friend said. Like the West – their anime, their mecha, Coke – it makes people think they’re nicer. China bought infrastructure, built up power plants. Started pushing their danmei and hanfu.”

Arthur smiled a little since he actually liked the look of the modern interpretations of hanfu that was moving around. It looked – felt – nice to wear, made him feel more connected to his past nd culture. Which, he guessed, was the poit of pushing it – and the way China had started making it easier for some of their overseas members to return.

“You think they will say something about my accent?” Zoey said, seeming to follow his line of thought, but veering in a different way.

“Your terrible Mandarin?” Arthur nodded. “Definitely.”

“Yours isn’t that much better, you banana!”

“It’s actually improved,” Arthur grinned, mockingly. “All these upgrades,” he tapped his head, “it makes it easier to remember and learn new languages. Even picked up some Bhutanese.”

“A lot?” his mother asked, curiously.

“No,” he sighed. “I spend too much time in the Tower for that.”

“That’s why I want to be a Climber!” Zoey said, stridently. “Even if I only upgrade my Mind, it’ll make working so much better. And I won’t be stupid like kor kor, Mama!”

“What do you mean, stupid?” Arthur said, hurt.

“I’m going to use a gun,” Zoey said.

“Oh.” He frowned, drumming his fingers. “Not a bad idea, especially with the Clan buildings in Bhutan. But you should still train close combat.”

“I know, lah!” she said, exasperated. “I’m going to specialize in knives.”

“Knives and pistols, and rifles?” He raised an eyebrow, and his sister nodded. “Yeah, that can work.” He frowned, thinking. “Work on the basic Energy Dart too, not the Refined Energy one. It has more knockback effect, so it’d open up space for you if you need it. Especially if you work out an impact version.” He rubbed his chin, thinking. “I’ll try to create one so you can learn that…”

“Wah, so fast change your mind already ah?” Zoey said, only to get a glare from Arthur. She relented, bobbing her head. “Why’d you change your mind?”

“You’re old enough to be an adult. I can’t stop you, not really.” He sighed. “And my friends were right, there are advantages to being a Climber.” If nothing else, it would keep her safer.

“You want me to go to your new place? Or Malaysia?”

“I don’t know,” Arthur had to admit. “I’ll let Tsifu decide when you’re ready. Once he clears you, we can talk. A lot could change between then.”

“Like the TG Group?” Zoey said, softly.

“They cause you all trouble?”

His mother shook her head but Zoey hesitated, just long enough for Arthur to catch it. He changed the subject, to their initial one, making sure they had a good order put through for claypot chicken rice. It was only later that evening, when they were alone that he managed to get Zoey to spill.

“They didn’t hurt me. They just, well, they tried to bribe me,” Zoey said. “And threaten a little.” Arthur growled, hard enough that she hurried on. “They offered a lot of money, for information. I told them I’d think about it, but they… well…” She sighed. “They threatened to make my life… difficult. And then proved it.”

“How?”

“My university applications. They got ‘lost’.”

“That’s why you’re not in uni anymore?” She nodded, and he cursed softly. Of course his actions had consequences. “How about overseas?”

“Same…” She said. “None of the UK or Chinese ones are taking my application. A few of the US and Australian ones but…”

“Yeah, they’re not particularly nice to people like us.” Arthur grimaced. “Local ones aren’t great either, eh?”

She nodded and added. “I’m taking online courses with Harvard though.”

“Harvard?” His jaw dropped.

“Not that great, really. Standards have dropped a little, and it’s only online. They always tag that on, you know…” Then she shrugged. “But if I’m a Climber, won’t matter, right?”

“Yeah, fair.” Arthur hesitated for a moment, sighed. “Sorry. For messing your future up.”

“Okay lah. You were doing your best.” Then she waved a hand around. “Also, you got me this.”

“I did, didn’t I?”