The next day, Lian Qiguang emerged from the bathroom, casually grabbed a jacket lying on the bed, and threw it on. His head was still spinning from the previous night’s hangover, and waves of nausea churned in his empty stomach.
His smartbrain beeped with another notification. Lian Qiguang glanced at the screen, swiped it away without a second thought, and turned to leave the dorm.
Elsewhere, Xiahou Shaoxuan stared at the call that had been rejected countless times, his face ashen. A low, oppressive chill in the air dropped the room’s temperature to freezing.
Lian Qiguang rubbed the corners of his eyes as he walked through the academy, only to bump into Qing Yi and her two friends head-on.
“Kumu, we’re on our way to the cafeteria. Want to join us?” Feng Qingyang greeted him, sounding a bit awkward.
“Mm.” Lian Qiguang nodded indifferently; the nausea in his stomach made him desperate for some food.
“Where’s Mi Xiaobao?” Lian Qiguang glanced around but didn’t spot Mi Xiaobao’s chubby figure. After a moment’s hesitation, he asked.
“He went home yesterday. We just got a message from him saying he’s not feeling well and won’t be coming to the academy today. He asked us to excuse him,” Lan Qi said, holding up his lightbrain.
‘Not feeling well?’ A sense of unease stirred in Lian Qiguang’s mind, but his foggy head caused him to instantly brush aside that fleeting sense of something being off.
The four of them arrived at the cafeteria. Lian Qiguang led the way to a quiet corner and sat down, slumping lazily back into his chair.
“Kumu, what kind of nutritional supplement do you want?” Feng Qingyang walked up to the serving counter and turned back to ask.
“No nutritional supplement—I’ll just have a meal.” Recalling the sour, astringent taste of the supplements, Lian Qiguang furrowed his brow.
Qing Yi walked up to a machine, opened the virtual screen, and looked back at Lian Qiguang. “What do you want to eat? Come over and pick something.”
“Whatever. As long as it has meat.”
Lian Qiguang’s listless attitude made Qing Yi roll her eyes. She randomly selected a few items, swiped her Star Card, and returned to sit beside Lian Qiguang. “If you can’t drink, just don’t. Are you feeling sick now?”
“Come on, let’s eat first.” Lan Qi pushed the meal that had just been served toward Lian Qiguang.
Lian Qiguang took the chopsticks Feng Qingyang handed him and silently shoveled food into his mouth.
“Deadwood.” Feng Qingyang, with a nutritional supplement hanging from her lips, leaned on the table, her eyes sparkling as she stared at Lian Qiguang, unable to resist asking the question she’d been holding back all day.
“Um, last night, that Xiahou family you were talking about—is it the Xiahou family from District 1?”
“Mm.” He nodded faintly.
“Re… really?” Feng Qingyang couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise, but she quickly glanced warily around the room, suppressed her excitement, and whispered.
“Who was that domineering woman from last night?” Qing Yi’s eyes widened, her face betraying a rare sense of excitement.
“Her?” Lian Qiguang paused in his work, tilted his head, and thought for a moment. “Xiahou Luoyu, I…”
Before he could finish the words “my aunt,” Qing Yi leapt to her feet and exclaimed, “Xiahou Luoyu!! That female super-powerhouse? The leader of the Scorpion Mercenary Group?!”
“What are you doing! Keep your voice down!” Lan Qi grabbed Qing Yi by the arm, forcing her back down. Glancing at the curious stares all around them, he snapped.
“Xiahou Luoyu! She’s my idol!” Qing Yi cupped her chin, her face flushed with excitement. “She’s the kind of person I aspire to become.”
“Kumu.” Ignoring Qingyi, who had completely lost her composure, Lan Qi lowered his voice. “So, that old… ahem! Grandpa you mentioned last night is…”
“My grandfather.” Having swallowed a piece of spicy meat and feeling a bit better in his stomach, Lian Qiguang was in a much better mood and, unusually, didn’t brush off the group’s questions.
“Kumu, I’ll ask one last question,” Lan Qi said, his voice trembling slightly. “The ‘Grandpa’ you mentioned—it isn’t by any chance Marshal Xiahou of Lanxing, is it?”
“It is,” Lian Qiguang replied, lifting a cup of hot drink and leaning back comfortably in his chair as he nodded lazily.
“……” Qing Yi and the others were all stunned. They exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.
“But… isn’t your last name Lian?” Feng Qingyang swallowed hard and asked stiffly. “The Marshal’s last name is Xiahou. How could he be your grandfather?”
“Why wouldn’t he be my grandfather?” Lian Qiguang was a bit confused. He was in a relationship with Xiahou Shaoxuan—wasn’t Xiahou Shaoxuan’s grandfather his own grandfather? Xiahou Shaoxuan even called Lian Yucheng “big brother.”
Lian Qiguang’s offhand question instantly threw the three of them into a state of confusion. A “Void-Rank” powerhouse not yet twenty years old, with such brutal and bloodthirsty methods—how could such an extraordinary being possibly be just an ordinary commoner? Moreover, every time Lian Qiguang caused a major scandal, he always managed to walk away unscathed in the end. And even if he really were just a commoner, with his talent, he would have been recruited by District One long ago.
Wealthy families are always rife with drama—and what about a major clan like the Xiahou family?
In an instant, Qing Yi and the others quickly conjured up a melodramatic tale of feuds and romantic entanglements within a wealthy family in their minds, and their gaze toward Lian Qiguang immediately took on a note of pity.
Poor kid~~~~
Noticing the trio’s strange stares, Lian Qiguang’s hand holding the cup stiffened, and a chill ran down his spine. He tensed up, alertly unleashing his psychic powers to scan the surroundings, but detected no signs of danger, which struck him as odd.
“Have any of you seen Qiu Limò recently?” Lian Qiguang set down his cup and asked.
“Qiu Limò?” Feng Qingyang scratched his head. “That guy’s always been a mystery. You can count the number of times he’s been to class on one hand—let alone back to the dorm. His ability is very strong, and he has special privileges at the academy that let him choose his own courses, so hardly anyone pays him any mind.”
“What’s wrong?” Lan Qi asked, puzzled.
“Nothing.” Lian Qiguang shook his head indifferently, rubbing his knee with his fingers as a faint sense of oppression welled up inside him.
“You guys should head back to class first.” After thinking for a long time, Lian Qiguang seemed to have made up his mind; he stood up and walked toward the exit of the cafeteria.
“Kumu, where are you going?” Qing Yi and the others downed the nutritional supplements in their hands in one gulp and ran after him.
“To the Dean’s office. I have to go to Zone 1 tomorrow.” He’d originally planned to wait a few more days before confirming what was on his mind, but the growing sense of tension and oppression was making him anxious—he had to deal with this matter quickly.
Mi Xiaobao was curled up in bed, wrapped in a blanket, holding a lightbrain in her hands. Her round little face was tense, and her bright red eyes still held traces of unwiped tears.
Suddenly, the sound of the door opening came from outside. Mi Xiaobao startled, quickly stuffing the optical computer under the covers, and watched the man walking in with a wary expression.
“Little Chubby, awake?” The man sat down by the bed, a smirk playing on his lips, his slender, fox-like eyes sparkling with a thousand charms.
“I’m going to kill you,” Mi Xiaobao growled, glaring at the man with hatred.
“Hmm, sure. But it seems like you can’t beat me,” the man said, extending his long, slender fingers to pinch Mi Xiaobao’s chubby little round face—only to have Mi Xiaobao duck away, shrinking back.
“I have a really good friend. He’s super strong. He knows you’re picking on me, and he’ll definitely chop you to pieces.”
“Ah, I’ll try my best to live a long life. I certainly don’t want such a cute little chubby girl snatched away by someone else.” Ignoring Mi Xiaobao’s evasive movements, the man stretched out his long arm and pulled her tightly into his embrace.
“You—what are you doing?! Let me go!!” Enveloped by the man’s breath, last night’s nightmare replayed in his mind. Mi Xiaobao’s eyes widened in terror as he struggled violently to break free.
“Little chubby, if you keep moving like that, I can’t guarantee I’ll keep playing this game with you.” The man’s hand slipped under the blanket, like a cold, venomous snake, slowly making its way to Mi Xiaobao’s lower body. He pressed down hard, his red lips curving into a seductive, alluring smile.
“Ah!” The pain from last night, which hadn’t yet subsided, was suddenly triggered by the man’s icy fingers. Mi Xiaobao let out a startled cry and collapsed limply.
“You—you big jerk! You pervert!!” Mi Xiaobao lay sprawled in the man’s arms, panting heavily, her small eyes glaring fiercely at the man before her. But she didn’t realize that her rosy, round little face, paired with her pouting, indignant expression, looked just like the little steamed buns she often ate. The sight made the man’s eyes darken, and his hand beneath the blanket began to grow restless once more.
“No, don’t!” Feeling the icy coldness being forced inside her, that place—already tortured beyond words—sent a sharp pang of pain through her once more, and Mi Xiaobao turned pale with fear.
“I—I… I’m a minor! What you’re doing is illegal! I’m going to send you to prison!!!”
“Hehe…” The man’s red lips pressed against Mi Xiaobao’s ear, his warm breath brushing against her neck, melting her limp body until she could only lean weakly into his embrace. “Little chubby, you really are naive. So naive that I can’t help but want to torment you.”
“You… you pervert…” Mi Xiaobao gasped, glaring at the man’s beautiful yet venomous features. “I’ll definitely send you to prison.”
“Don’t worry. That place can’t hold me. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“Who’s worried about you?!!” Mi Xiaobao roared.
“Mi Xiaobao—what a cute name.”
“Huh?” Mi Xiaobao struggled to lift her head and immediately spotted the light computer in the man’s hand. “Give it back to me!!”
The man raised his hand to dodge Mi Xiaobao’s grab, one hand roaming freely over her body while the other slowly and deliberately turned on the light computer.
“Little chubby, how about I call you ‘Baby’ from now on?” The man leaned down, blew a breath on Mi Xiaobao’s neck, and chuckled softly.
“No!!” Mi Xiaobao squirmed, trying to break free from the man’s grip. “How dare you turn on my lightbrain? It’s already bound to me!”
“Pfft, big deal.” The man snorted dismissively, his eyes filled with disdain.
“You… let me go!”
“Don’t move!” The man pinned Mi Xiaobao down with a single hand; the pain from the forceful movement made Mi Xiaobao gasp.
“Baby, it seems you’re not quite satisfied with my efforts from yesterday, are you?” The man narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the small, delicate, pale-green bud that had half-emerged as Mi Xiaobao struggled, his tone slightly sharp. “Still so full of energy, huh?”
“You… what do you want to do?” Mi Xiaobao’s eyes widened in terror.
“Baby, let’s play a game,” the man said with a faint smile, like a poisonous flower. “This game is called… having a little baby.”
The man’s icy fingers traced circles on Mi Xiaobao’s smooth, fair belly. Looking into the man’s eyes—which, despite his smile, sent a chill down his spine—Mi Xiaobao couldn’t help but shiver.
The man’s hands grew increasingly bold on his body. Mi Xiaobao was terrified and wanted to dodge, but there was nowhere to hide.
Mi Xiaobao’s little face was tense, and he stared at the man with reddened eyes. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, he burst into tears with a loud “Waaah!”
“You big meanie!! You’re picking on me!! I’m going to get Lord Kumu to beat you up! Waaah… Dad! I want to go home! I want meat buns!!”
“Stop crying.” The man frowned slightly.
“Waaah~~~” It would’ve been better if the man hadn’t said anything—the moment he spoke, Mi Xiaobao started crying even harder. “I want to go home! I want to go home… You’re picking on me!! Dad, I’ll never say you’re fat, ugly, and unattractive again! Come pick me up right now!!”
Mi Xiaobao was crying his heart out, wailing as if his life depended on it, and hiccupping as he went. The man frowned as he looked at Mi Xiaobao’s tear-streaked little round face and listened to his jumbled rambling. After what seemed like an eternity, he suddenly burst out laughing.
“Hey! Stop crying.” The man reached out to tuck the blanket around Mi Xiaobao, his long fingers gently tapping the boy’s round forehead. “I was just messing with you. If I’d kept going, you really wouldn’t have been able to stand up for a whole month.”
“You big meanie! You big meanie!! I want to go home! I don’t want to play with you anymore…”
“Stop crying!” the man said in a stern voice. “Cry one more time, and I’ll make you have a baby.”
“!!!” Mi Xiaobao fell silent instantly, shrinking his neck and looking at the man timidly.
Seeing Mi Xiaobao’s pitiful little expression, the man really couldn’t help but feel a bit amused.
“Beep…” The optical computer in the man’s hand lit up. His eyes darkened slightly as he glanced at Mi Xiaobao, gently let him go, turned away, and walked to the side to open the device.
“Bunch of good-for-nothings!” For some reason, the man suddenly flew into a rage, causing Mi Xiaobao to tremble in fear and burrow his head deeper into the covers.
The man glanced at Mi Xiaobao out of the corner of his eye, curved the corners of his mouth, and lowered his voice.
“Okay, I got it. I’ll be right over.”
After finishing the call, the man put away his lightbrain and walked over to Mi Xiaobao.
Mi Xiaobao poked his head out from under the covers and looked at the man timidly.
“I need to go out for a bit. You just stay here and rest.”
“I—I want to go home. Please let me go home, okay? I’m begging you.”
Looking at Mi Xiaobao’s pitiful little eyes, the man’s heart suddenly softened, but he still shook his head. “No.”
“Why?!!” Mi Xiaobao flew into a rage, leaping to her feet. Water spears coalesced in her hands as she lashed out at the man like a madwoman. “I’ve done nothing to you—why are you treating me like this?!! Let me go! I want to go home!! I never want to see you again!!”
The man dodged Mi Xiaobao’s attack, and a purple lightning barrier surged around his body, deflecting Mi Xiaobao’s strikes.
The man stepped forward and placed a hand on Mi Xiaobao’s forehead.
“Little Chubby, remember my name. I’m Zhelang.”
Exhausted from the fight, Mi Xiaobao collapsed onto the bed, staring weakly at the man, his eyes filled with a slow-burning anger and hatred.
“Little Chubby, get some rest.” Zhe Lang smiled faintly as he tucked the blanket around Mi Xiaobao. “I’ll be back soon—I’ll bring you a toy.”
With that, Zhe Lang turned and left the room.
As the door closed, Mi Xiaobao—who had been lying limp on the bed—suddenly opened his eyes and sat bolt upright.
After listening intently at the door for a while to make sure the man was gone, Mi Xiaobao retrieved his optical computer, his eyes flashing.
Zhe Lang was overly confident. He believed Mi Xiaobao didn’t have the guts to ask an outsider for help, and even if he did, no one could break in. But in this world, there were always countless unexpected twists.
After a long silence, Mi Xiaobao gritted his teeth, turned on his optical computer, and sent a message to Lian Qiguang.
‘Help!’