Just as he thought, the managers agreed. They were going to let the research institute people wheel the machine inside. “Just for one night, alright? You have to bring it back tomorrow.”
“Of course, of course. Thanks, brothers.”
At that moment, the project managers from the various families finally noticed Jiang Qing. They paused, then politely called him over to explain the situation and ask if he was okay with it.
The researchers stared at Jiang Qing, their eyes sharp and cold.
Jiang Qing looked at them, then at the machine. He already knew what they were planning. Lowering his eyes, he quickly weighed the pros and cons. Wu Ying’s face flashed through his mind, and his slender fingers tightened slightly.
“It’s no big deal,” he said flatly. “Do whatever you want.”
The researchers immediately grinned, the coldness vanishing from their eyes. “Thank you so much!”
With that, the doors to Bubble 109 were thrown wide open. The machine was wheeled in and placed right by the entrance before they turned it on.
A few managers watched curiously from the side, but they couldn’t make heads or tails of what the buttons meant. Jiang Qing simply went about his daily work.
By the time he finished, the other family managers had already dispersed, and the researchers were long gone. Only the tiny warning light on the machine flashed silently—a countdown to disaster that no one else recognized.
The machine sat right at the entrance, and soon, project managers from other families saw it too, but none of them thought much of it. Meanwhile, Long Qingyan, the Long family’s manager, had been sitting in a nearby crane from the very beginning, smoking a cigarette and keeping her eyes glued to the scene.
“He walked up to the machine… now he’s leaving… The light? Still flashing, turned yellow, hmm… okay…”
The phone call didn’t end until Jiang Qing had walked away and the doors to the bubble were locked.
Long Qingyan didn’t quite understand why Jing Pei wanted her to watch Bubble 109 so closely and report every single detail immediately, but as the young heir and the family’s only Atavist, her orders naturally carried deep meaning. She was just glad to be useful.
Jing Pei hung up the phone and let out a small sigh of relief.
In the original novel, those people had planned to destroy Bubble 109 last night, but because Jiang Qing secretly altered the instructions, they failed.
Thanks to Wu Ying, Jiang Qing still had a sliver of a conscience left, but not much. After stopping it once, he realized that interfering again would bring him more trouble than it was worth, so he washed his hands of the matter.
So, the collapse of Bubble 109 was still set to happen tomorrow night. Preventing it seemed simple enough—either stop the machine from entering or get everyone out of the bubble beforehand.
But evacuating everyone would cause a massive scene, immediately drawing the attention of the major Atavist families and organizations. To fix the plot, that rebellious child of hers might make someone in the organization come up with an even worse plan, which would be impossible to guard against and mess up her future plans, leading to that hopeless future.
In other words, this was a battle where one hundred thousand lives were on the line. The window of time from the machine’s activation to the bubble’s collapse was a mere three hours. They couldn’t make a big scene or cause panic inside or outside the bubble; they had to handle it quietly.
Fortunately, she had her strongest helper and her ultimate trump card.
Tens of thousands of kilometers away in another city, the local branch of the Tribunal Division was currently handling a case.
Under the cover of night, every officer on duty was very tense, their faces flushed and foreheads slick with sweat. But this wasn’t because they were arresting an international fugitive; it was because their big boss, Qiu Fa, was standing silently in the shadows behind them, staring with only half of his face visible.
They had long known about their director’s eccentric habits. It was probably a physical instinct from his very high Atavist purity, like walking without making a sound or liking to peek out from corners.
But even knowing that, it was still terrifying! Given his massive build, commanding aura, and overwhelming strength, he wasn’t some harmless little cat you could just pet—he was a bloodthirsty tiger. In ancient Hualan mythology, he would be the god of war guarding an entire region.
Qiu Fa didn’t plan to intervene; he was just there as a high-level official on an inspection tour. He refused to tolerate any corruption or let the Tribunal Division become the playground of the great Atavist families under his watch. That was why he often traveled to other prefectures, making sure no one was left without a voice just because they were far from the capital.
And the one who was even more terrified, practically dripping with sweat, was the criminal they were targeting.
It was Bentley, a member of the Trident Mercenary Corps, who was currently wanted all over Hualan.
At the time, Bentley didn’t know Miss Hong had been captured. He was still waiting to meet the information broker so Miss Hong’s people could catch him red-handed, only to receive the devastating news that her base had been completely wiped out.
Then, the information broker sent him an email.
[You played with my feelings, Bentley, and now you have to pay for it.]
When Bentley received that email, he knew things had gone very wrong. Cold sweat instantly soaked through his shirt. He began running and hiding all over Hualan, desperately looking for a chance to escape the country. Now, he was finally cornered.
He was filled with regret. If he had known the information broker was capable of this, why did he ever choose Miss Hong? If he had gone with the broker instead, maybe he would have had the power to achieve his dreams.
Unfortunately, there was no medicine for regret.
With a loud bang, the door of his hotel room was kicked open. “Tribunal Division! Don’t move!”
Since everyone knew Bentley was just an ordinary human, there was no need to use Atavist powers, even though the case fell under the Tribunal Division’s jurisdiction.
Bentley didn’t resist. He closed his eyes in despair and surrendered. It wasn’t because he wasn’t prepared, but because he knew Qiu Fa was waiting outside. In the face of absolute power, any struggle was completely pointless.
Watching the suspect get apprehended, Qiu Fa didn’t ride back in the police car. Instead, he strolled slowly along the highway by himself.
He lit a cigar and took in the city at night, enjoying the peace and quiet. His sharp, handsome face remained calm and distant. At some point, he had wound a green silk ribbon around his long fingers. It looked like the ribbon had him tied down, yet he was also holding it firmly in his grasp.
A number flashed in his mind—the date of his death, an intelligence report Jing Pei had bought for him from the information broker.
That day was drawing closer.
Most people would cry upon learning their expiration date, but Qiu Fa felt absolutely nothing. He only cared about whether the enemies who slaughtered his entire family would be dead before he was.
There was no way a man that tall and handsome could walk down the street without attracting attention. People kept turning to look at him, but none of the girls dared to approach. His presence was simply too intimidating, and his blank expression made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with anyone. Anyone bold enough to approach him would probably get a harsh “Beat it,” or, if he was feeling polite, a cold “Go away.”
Just then, Qiu Fa’s phone rang. The same familiar impossible-to-trace virtual number appeared on the screen again.
A spark of fire lit up in Qiu Fa’s cold eyes. This information broker was really bold, more than often dancing on his last nerve, yet he couldn’t catch him. It was infuriating.
“Hello there, Director Qiu,” a lazy male voice came through the receiver. It carried a mocking undertone, almost like saying catch me if you can. It was very annoying.
Qiu Fa sneered, “Finally tired of living?”
“You’re joking, Director Qiu. A living dog is better than a dead lion, and I value my life very much.”
“Cut the crap. What do you want this time?” Qiu Fa knew this broker never called without a reason.
Qiu Fa immediately went on high alert, scanning his surroundings as though he were facing a high-purity Atavist criminal.
Yet, despite his preparations, the broker’s next words caught him completely off guard.
“Let’s meet up, Director Qiu.”
After setting a time and place to meet Qiu Fa, Jing Pei hung up.
“Are you really going to meet him alone? It’s too dangerous!” Chu Xusheng was very anxious, already imagining the worst possible scenarios.
Qiu Fa was the strongest fighter in Hualan, a true national war god whose name was known around the world. Jing Pei might have the potential to catch up with him someday, but right now, the gap in their age and combat experience was far too wide. If they fought head-on, Jing Pei wouldn’t stand a chance.
“Besides, he’s very prejudiced against the information broker. We just messed with him last time and snatched Isaac and Lolita right from under his nose. Will he really listen to you, or will he just arrest you on the spot?”
This meeting had to be a private one between Jing Pei and Qiu Fa. Jing Pei’s current subordinates were either too weak to help or too prominent; if they showed up, it would be easy to connect the dots and expose that the broker was actually the young heir of the Long family. None of them could be present.
Because he couldn’t go, Chu Xusheng was even more worried.
“Don’t worry, I have a plan,” Jing Pei said.
Her calm voice washed over Chu Xusheng like a gentle spring breeze, gradually putting him at ease. “Alright, then what do you need me to do?”
“Tomorrow, bring Isaac to see me, then head over to the Nevergone District. Find a girl named Min Yue and stay by her side. If I fail, tell her immediately. She’ll know what to do.”
Chu Xusheng nodded without hesitation. “Understood.”
So, was this Min Yue the reason she had gone out alone last night without him? Was she really that capable? If telling her upon failure could turn the tide, then his master would be much safer.
Jing Pei went over her plan one more time in her head to make sure it was foolproof. Even if something went wrong, she had backup measures. Only then did she relax and collapse onto the bed. The weight of saving one hundred thousand lives right now was different from the despair of the distant future.
And now she was about to meet Qiu Fa face-to-face while pretending to be the information broker. She wasn’t even an actress, yet she was about to give the performance of her life with absolutely no room for mistakes. One slip, and her cover would be blown.
It was very exciting.
Inside a warm, humid room, two bodies tangled together in a long, breathless embrace before finally coming to a rest.
Wu Ying had grown used to this. After they finished, she was too exhausted to move and simply stayed the night. The skin-on-skin contact felt warm and comforting, perhaps because no one had hugged her enough when she was a child.
For such a powerful Atavist, she looked no different from an ordinary girl on the outside. Her soft, fair skin flushed a beautiful pink, damp with sweat. Pinning her hands above her head while pressing down against his chest, the submissive posture was enough to make anyone’s heart race.
But everyone knew it was just an illusion. If she wanted to, a powerful Atavist like her could take his life in an instant. Her current indulgence was purely out of trust.
Jiang Qing stared at her. Without his glasses, his elegant, cold phoenix eyes were fully on display. The passion from moments ago had faded, replaced by something far more complex.
Trust… He had spent years building that trust, yet it could be destroyed in a single night.
Jiang Qing knew the organization inside out. He knew exactly what they were planning. Although he had secretly changed the instructions tonight so Bubble 109 could pass the night peacefully, the danger wouldn’t just vanish; it was only delayed.
With the 8.20 Conference approaching, this disaster was bound to happen, and no one would be allowed to stop it. Tomorrow, that machine would definitely reappear in Bubble 109, and the organization would send their top fighters to guard it, ensuring the three-hour countdown finished smoothly.
He didn’t need to risk his life for strangers. Besides, wasn’t destroying the Atavist families exactly what he wanted anyway?
Jiang Qing closed his eyes as a vivid, blood-red scene flashed through his mind, accompanied by agonizing screams. A cold chill wrapped around his heart, and he held Wu Ying tighter out of habit.
Wu Ying frowned in her sleep, reaching out to pat his back. Feeling his muscles stiffen for a moment, she was suddenly kissed by him.
The room, which had only been quiet for a short while, grew wild once again.
“Are you… out of your mind?”
“My dear sister, are you exhausted already?”
“…Like hell I am!”
“Ah… gentle, baby…”
The next day.
The moment the gates opened, the researchers moved the machine out. After checking it over, they realized they had input the wrong command—only a single digit was different. They thought it was their own careless mistake that had spared Bubble 109.
However, the daytime shift managers were much stricter and more uptight than the night shift. When the researchers tried to wheel the machine back in, they were refused. They had no choice but to wait for nightfall when the shifts changed.
“Forget it, we still have time. Let them enjoy themselves a little longer. The fall will only hurt worse.”
They were referring to the government. The government was trying to amend the Atavist Management Regulations while maintaining peace with the Atavist families. With their goals almost within reach, they were probably falling asleep with smiles on their faces. When they woke up tomorrow to the devastating news of Bubble 109, their reactions would be priceless.
So, when Jiang Qing arrived that evening, just as he had expected, the machine was back. And this time, a few more people had accompanied it—people he recognized as monsters.
He lowered his eyes and walked away without a word.
On the other side of town, Qiu Fa quietly returned to Yunjin Prefecture without telling anyone. Leaving the docks, he hailed a cab and headed straight to his meeting with the information broker.
Jing Pei looked at the man sitting across from her in a three-piece suit.
He had dark green eyes and the handsome, sharp features of a Westerner. He was Isaac.
Isaac was also sizing up Jing Pei and Chu Xusheng, who stood behind her. Not long ago, his new boss had messaged him to assist a client, but he hadn’t expected it to be her.
Though on second thought, it wasn’t that surprising. According to the files his former comrade Bentley had shared, the Long family’s young heir had risen to fame mostly due to her deals with the information broker.
If they had worked together before, a deeper collaboration made sense.
“Well, you already know my ability, guest. What would you like me to do?”
“Make me ten years older,” Jing Pei said. “How long can the effect last at a distance?”
“About four hours.”
Jing Pei nodded. “Alright. Let’s do it.”
Under Chu Xusheng’s cold, watchful gaze, Isaac reached out and placed his hand on Jing Pei’s shoulder.
The Atavist power of the Lighthouse Jellyfish flowed into her body. A sharp, excruciating pain shot through her, her bones creaking and popping. Her vision shifted higher, her pants suddenly became too short, her hair grew longer, and the fabric across her chest tightened, exposing a sliver of her slender waist…
Chu Xusheng’s face flushed red, but since he had to keep a close eye on the mercenary to prevent any tricks, he couldn’t look away.
Isaac withdrew his hand.
The seventeen-year-old girl had transformed into a mature, stunning twenty-seven-year-old woman. Jing Pei pulled out a mirror and looked at herself, surprised to find that her twenty-seven-year-old face actually looked fifty to sixty percent like her past life. Her round, cat-like eyes had elongated slightly, her lips were fuller and flushed with color, and the tiny mole on her chin—which she had always loved—was back.
Everyone knew that a mole on the chin rarely made someone more attractive, compared to a beauty mark under the eye or on the nose. But Jing Pei seemed to be one of heaven’s favorites. The mole didn’t take away from her beauty at all. Instead, it gave her a strange, almost magical charm. Without it, she would have been just another stunning beauty. With it, however, she was completely one of a kind.
In her past life, countless imitators had tried to replicate that mole and failed in misery; it only ever looked right on her face. That sheer, captivating beauty and uniqueness was probably the main reason her angry readers hadn’t beaten her to death back then.
Why was she growing to look like her past self? Was it a reflection of her soul? This worked out perfectly, though—the less she looked like Long Jin, the less likely Qiu Fa would recognize her.
Even Isaac looked briefly surprised, probably because he hadn’t expected the young heir to look so completely different once she was fully grown. She had truly transformed.
But he quickly looked away and bowed politely. “My work here is done.”
“Thank you,” Jing Pei replied.
Isaac vanished quickly. Jing Pei took the bag from Chu Xusheng’s hand and said, “You should go too.”
Chu Xusheng disappeared from her sight—not because he ran off, but because he used his illusion magic to turn himself invisible. After spending over a month with Mei Yanlan, his strength had grown rapidly. Mei Yanlan was an excellent teacher, and he was a very hardworking genius.
Jing Pei went into a public restroom to change into the clothes from the bag. She pulled out a mask, hesitated for a moment, then tossed it back inside.
