Golden liquid slid down the clear crystal glass toward Liu Yin‘s lips. The conspirators held their breath, their eyes gleaming with malicious anticipation.

They failed to notice that just a second earlier, Jing Pei had subtly flashed a glance at Long Yiming.

“Everyone, please hold your glasses for a moment,” Long Yiming’s voice suddenly rang out, drawing the attention of the entire room.

Everyone watched as the champagne about to enter Liu Yin’s mouth came to a sudden halt, returning to the bottom of the glass as Long Yiming’s interruption cut in. Liu Yin, like everyone else, turned his gaze toward the front stage.

Those harboring dark intentions groaned in frustration, cursing Long Yiming in their hearts for speaking up at the absolute worst possible second.

Long Yiming had already taken his place behind the podium microphone on the raised platform. “Thank you all for taking the time to attend our young head’s birthday banquet tonight. This is a special day—not merely a birthday celebration, but a coming-of-age ceremony. On this day, the position of Long Family Head, vacant for two hundred years, will finally no longer stand empty…”

The crowd was forced to gather closer.

Even a seasoned business tycoon like Long Yiming couldn’t hide the swelling emotion in his voice. He spoke with deep feeling, tracing their lineage from the ancient ancestors to the thousand years of glory, down to the two centuries of decline. The Long Family members present listened with mixed emotions, tears welling in their eyes.

However, for the representatives of the other atavist families who were itching to execute their dark scheme, the Long Family’s rise and fall meant absolutely nothing to them. They were here for Liu Yin, not to listen to a lecture about Long Jin.

“Ah Jin,” Long Yiming turned with a warm smile, reaching out his hand toward Jing Pei.

“Alright, drop the ancient history already! Wrap it up, nobody wants to hear this!”

An rude, booming male voice shattered the atmosphere, easily drowning out Long Yiming’s words.

The entire hall fell dead silent.

Long Yiming’s outstretched hand froze in midair, the smile on his face instantly stiffening.

The other guests, who were equally impatient but knew better than to cause a scene on such an occasion, turned in shock toward the speaker.

It was a family head from a small atavist family from another prefecture—the kind of lower-tier family that rarely even got a seat at major conferences. They had only been invited this time because the great families needed extra muscle for their plot.

In other words, his vision and information were far below the rest. His mindset was still stuck in the past: the Long Family hadn’t produced an atavist in two hundred years, so any atavist family could step on them, and the Longs would just have to swallow the insult.

“What an idiot,” Chen Mo muttered, trading shocked looks with Feng Yilian and Tang Qiaoqiao.

Nobody had ever seen such bad manners. This was the Long Estate, and tonight’s banquet was all about the family’s new head coming of age. Even if the ceremony lasted two hours, it made total sense. Who goes to a birthday party just to complain that the host is talking too much? If you don’t want to listen, stay home!

Nobody had anticipated such an outburst. Some of the younger generation began feeling embarrassed for Jing Pei, while the older adults, after their brief shock, took sips of wine to hide their mocking sneers.

Sometimes, it helps to bring fools along to use as cannon fodder. They feared Jing Pei because she was such a wild, reckless lunatic, but they still held a deep grudge against her. Seeing her put on the spot gave them a secret thrill.

Besides, this forced Long Yiming to shut up, speeding up the ceremony so their plan could get underway.

In the awkward silence, Jing Pei didn’t seem rattled at all. She set down her glass and walked forward.

The crowd split like the Red Sea to clear a path. The elegant girl walked with ease, calm and collected, showing a poise far beyond her years.

Behind Long Yiming stood the famous Azure Dragon Throne—a masterpiece carved from deep green jade, adorned with two dragon heads embedding golden eyes, their serpent bodies intertwining to form the grand seat that only the Family Head was permitted to occupy.

Jing Pei placed her hand into Long Yiming’s slightly cold palm. Guided gently by him, she stepped up the short flight of stairs and, under the intent gaze of every guest in the room, slowly seated herself upon the Azure Dragon Throne.

Long Yiming suppressed the fury in his heart and maintained a smooth expression. “Allow me to formally introduce to you all—our Long Family Head, Long Jin.”

Thunderous applause filled the room, but after that rude break, the mood felt awkward. Many people thought the whole celebration was a mess. Even if their own plans were going to ruin it later, this start was just embarrassing.

Yet, Jing Pei showed no sign of embarrassment, nor did she have any intention of wrapping things up quickly. She stepped down from the platform and spoke in a leisurely tone: “Everyone, now that I have assumed the responsibility of Family Head, it is my duty to look after our family’s interests. There are a few items I intend to reclaim tonight, and I hope you will all grant me face by signing this agreement promptly.”

Several lawyers stepped out from the crowd holding legal documents.

The conspirators, who were burning with impatience to get the ceremony over with so Liu Yin would drink the drugged champagne, froze in utter confusion. They stared at Jing Pei, completely unable to grasp her meaning. Reclaim? Return what?

It wasn’t until they flipped open the documents and saw the items listed inside that their faces turned a chaotic shade of blue and red.

“Years ago, when the Qiu Family—one of the Four Symbols families—suffered a tragic massacre and their sole survivor, Qiu Fa, was imprisoned, everyone here utilized certain clauses in the Atavist Management Regulations to divide up the Qiu Family’s entire fortune. According to those very regulations, the Long Family, as a major atavist family, was legally entitled to a share. But because the Long Family hadn’t produced an atavist in two centuries, you decided we were unworthy of the title and pocketed our portion as well.”

As Jing Pei spoke, many members of the Long Family recalled the humiliation of those years, their faces flushing with indignation.

“My presence today proves that the Long Family remains a proud member of the atavist families,” Jing Pei continued, her gaze turning toward the small family head who had interrupted Long Yiming earlier. “Family Head Liu… your family took a cut of our share as well, didn’t they? Though it might seem trivial to the great families, what belongs to the Long Family is ours. Please return it.”

Family Head Liu’s face turned deathly pale. A small fraction was insignificant to a great family, but to a small clan like his, it was a massive fortune.

The Qiu Family had once stood at the pinnacle of all atavist clans, possessing wealth that rivaled nations. The other families had carved up every last penny, leaving Qiu Fa—the rightful heir—with nothing.

Even after Madam President arranged for Qiu Fa’s release from prison, she had tried to reclaim some of his family’s property. But the families claimed there was insufficient proof that Qiu Fa was innocent and flatly refused to give anything back. They wouldn’t even return cheap personal mementos left behind by his parents.

The atavist families had long thrown that matter to the back of their minds. Who could have guessed that Jing Pei would demand debt collection on her own birthday? Caught entirely off guard, their smug satisfaction evaporated, replaced by the stinging sensation of a harsh slap to the face. With their grand plot weighing heavily on their minds, anxiety and frustration began to cloud their judgment.

“This involves too many details to settle tonight. We can discuss it later.”

“That’s right, tonight is a birthday banquet. We shouldn’t be discussing official business.”

“On the contrary, it is rare for everyone to gather under one roof, especially on the day I assume the mantle of Family Head,” Jing Pei said with a slight smile, leaning back against the tall backrest of the Azure Dragon Throne, clearly signaling that she wouldn’t step down until this was resolved. “It is freezing cold tonight, so we have prepared piping hot longevity noodles for our guests. How about we enjoy a bowl while we talk?”

As her words fell, servants filed into the room carrying bowls of fragrant, steaming longevity noodles. One of the servants walked right up to Liu Yin and, under the horrified gazes of several conspirators whose faces were practically cracking, politely took away his champagne glass and replaced it with a hot bowl of longevity noodles!

!!

Long Jin!!

You wicked girl!! Did you do this on purpose?!

“Since you will all have to return these assets sooner or later, what difference does it make whether we sign tonight or tomorrow? We are all fellow atavist families who ought to support one another. We’ll be seeing each other around, so surely you wouldn’t refuse to return what isn’t yours?”

Jing Pei maintained a gentle, pleasant smile. Though she certainly had ulterior motives, this was her birthday banquet and her domain. Did they really think they could cause trouble on her turf without paying a venue fee? Did they think ruining her special day came without a price tag? There was no such free lunch in this world.

She was simply collecting a down payment first.

Hearing her words, the conspirators felt a wave of dizziness. Her tone sounded suspiciously like a threat—we’ll be seeing each other around sounded an awful lot like if you don’t sign this agreement now, don’t expect the Long Family to back you up if your Plan A fails and you need Plan B.

Under normal circumstances, they would never have surrendered so easily. It was like tearing a chunk of meat off their own bodies. Even if that meat originally belonged to someone else, once it entered their pockets, it belonged to them. Reclaiming it usually required months of stubborn negotiation or an arduous lawsuit lasting over a year.

However, their minds were entirely consumed by the conspiracy tonight. They reasoned that since they would eventually have to return it anyway—and knowing how relentless Jing Pei was—delaying it wouldn’t change the outcome.

Compared to losing a small fraction of wealth, capturing Liu Yin was infinitely more important. Now was certainly not the time to ignite an open feud with the Long Family.

Grit teeth and cursing Jing Pei as a merciless debt collector, while silently vowing never to bring fools along again, the family heads reluctantly picked up their pens. Under the guidance of the lawyers, they signed their names and stamped their thumbprints on the documents.

Family Head Liu turned white as a sheet. He hated doing it, but facing the glare of the other family heads—their eyes screaming, ‘Why did you have to open your big mouth?! This is all your fault!’—he didn’t dare say another word. Blood dripped from his heart in agony as he signed. Why couldn’t he have just kept his mouth shut?

Having achieved her objective, Jing Pei stood up satisfied from the Azure Dragon Throne. “Very good. Thank you all for giving me this face. I, Long Jin, will remember it. Please enjoy the food and drink, and forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality.”

The tense mood in the banquet hall broke. The Long Family members beamed with joy, their frustration gone. Having a strong leader felt amazing!

As Jing Pei walked toward her friends, Feng Yilian stepped forward, blocking her path. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Long Jin, something is wrong. I’m afraid something big is about to happen at your estate.”

Jing Pei put on a serious expression. “What do you mean?”

“I wasn’t sure at first, but seeing them sign those agreements so easily just to get the ceremony over with made me certain,” Feng Yilian whispered. “They are definitely plotting something tonight.”

Granting Jing Pei face? What a joke. He knew those old foxes inside out. If they weren’t desperate to speed through the ceremony, they would never have handed over those assets without a fight.

“Here? Tonight? What could they possibly be planning?”

“My family deployed everyone tonight—all atavists and retainers were called out,” Feng Yilian said. “They all headed toward the Long Estate, but only a handful actually walked through your doors. Where did the rest go? And it’s not just my family—Chen Mo and Tang Qiaoqiao’s families are in the exact same situation.”

Not only the Feng, Chen, and Tang clans, but all the allied atavist families had mobilized their full forces. They had marched toward the Long Estate, yet only a small delegation had entered to pay their respects. Where were the rest hiding?

Along the outermost perimeter of the Long Family’s private land, a cluster of high-end apartment buildings currently under construction stood quiet in the night air.

On the roof of one building, Black Iron and his squad members stood or sat in silence. Inside the other unfinished buildings, members of the various atavist families lay in wait, silently encircling the entire Long Estate.

Several atavists capable of erecting barriers and illusions combined their powers, cloaking the entire area in a subtle boundary. Should a battle break out inside the Long Estate, no sound or unusual sight would leak into the outside world.

---

Back inside the banquet hall, Liu Yin once again became the hidden focus of attention.

Tao Ying slurped down her bowl of longevity noodles, sampled a bit of Liu Yin’s soup, and leaned back in her chair with a satisfied, warm belly. Seeing that she was finished, Liu Yin signaled for the waiter to clear the dishes.

Exchanging subtle glances, a young man from the Tao Family made his move.

Holding two glasses of champagne, he walked over to Liu Yin and whispered, “Liu Yin, I have something I need to tell you.”

This guy was a known playboy in the family who rarely did anything productive. Liu Yin gave him a indifferent glance and walked out to the quiet balcony with him.

“Speak.”

The young man said, “Liu Yin, you saw how Long Jin demanded the Qiu Family’s assets from the others. Don’t you think our family should also…”

Liu Yin’s brow furrowed. “Must we copy everything others do? Are you a parrot?”

Years ago, during the division of the Qiu Family’s fortune, the Long Family had been bullied because they lacked an atavist heir. The Tao Family, on the other hand, had abstained solely because Liu Yin had forbidden them from taking a share.

The young man harbored deep resentment in his heart, thinking to himself that Liu Yin could afford to be generous only because he wasn’t a true blood relative of the Tao Family—that was a monumental fortune he had given away!

Fortunately, they would be rid of him very soon.

Putting on a apologetic smile, he offered one of the glasses of champagne. “Don’t be angry, don’t be angry! It was just my petty greed speaking. Consider this my apology—I’ll drink first as a sign of sincerity!”

He drained his glass in one gulp and turned it upside down to show that not a single drop remained.

Liu Yin didn’t bother entertaining his games. To him, this young man was merely an incompetent junior, and as an elder who could technically be his ancestor, there was no need to drink with him. He turned to leave.

Panicking, the young man grabbed his sleeve, his expression stiffening slightly. “Liu Yin, isn’t this giving me no face at all? I finished my glass, and you won’t take a single sip?”

Liu Yin stared at him, his brow furrowing slightly. Raising his glass, he symbolically touched his lips to the liquid. “Satisfied? Don’t push your luck.”

“…Alright.” Fearing he might slip up if he pressed further, the young man could only watch as Liu Yin walked away.

A moment later, Tao Ying’s eldest uncle stepped in to take his place. “My nephew lacks discipline; please don’t take his foolishness to heart. He was simply blinded by envy seeing what the Long Family reclaimed. Allow me to offer an apology on his behalf. Drink as much as you like, haha.”

Saying so, he downed his glass of red wine.

As Tao Ying’s eldest uncle had always been relatively well-behaved, Liu Yin raised his champagne and took a proper sip to give him face.

Watching the liquid go down his throat, the uncle’s face lit up with a brilliant smile. “Good, good! Then my mind is at ease. Thanks to your care over the years, our Tao Family has flourished. In the future… we will continue to rely on your guidance.”

In that instant, it wasn’t just the Tao Family who breathed a sigh of relief—every conspirator in the room let out a collective breath before surging with wild joy. The most crucial step was complete! Liu Yin had ingested the drug. In thirty minutes, he would fall unconscious, allowing them to quietly carry him away without causing a scene or increasing the risk of failure.

When Jing Pei emerged from her private conversation with Feng Yilian, she happened to catch sight of Liu Yin taking that sip. Feng Yilian suspected a plot was underway, but having no idea that Liu Yin was the target, he showed no reaction.

Jing Pei, on the other hand, curled her lips into a subtle smile.

Ten minutes before the drug was set to take effect, the Tao Family members acted again.

“Liu Yin, there’s something we’ve deliberated over for a long time, and we feel it’s time to discuss it with you.”

Liu Yin’s brow knitted tighter. Tao Ying poked her head out, looking at them in confusion. “What are you guys doing? Today is Ah Jin’s birthday, yet you keep bringing up family matters. Can’t we discuss this at home?”

It’s a special day, so we have things to discuss. Just eat your food,” a Tao Family elder snapped.

“I want to listen too,” Tao Ying said, making to follow them.

“Didn’t you just say it’s Long Jin’s birthday? Don’t you need to keep her company? You’ll find out when we get home,” her uncle replied.

“Oh.” Tao Ying thought about it and decided not to push. She wasn’t into back-and-forth drama. If someone tried to give her a red envelope and she said no, but they insisted, she’d just take it. It was the same if someone turned her down—she wouldn’t bother asking twice.

She stood in place, watching Liu Yin walk out of the banquet hall accompanied by several Tao Family members.

Then, turning her head, she saw Jing Pei raise her hand and curl her fingers into a distinct hand gesture.

Feng Yilian and the others looked at her in confusion.

Wu Ying asked, “Ah Jin, what are you doing?”

Jing Pei lowered her hand and smiled. “Nothing.”

Yet, sharp observers like Jiang Qing and Feng Yilian noticed that the number of Long Family members in the hall was gradually thinning out. Following Jing Pei’s hand gesture, they seemed to receive a silent signal, exiting the hall one by one without making a sound. Even Long Yiming was no longer in sight.

In truth, the Long Family members didn’t know what was happening either. They simply slipped away as instructed, heading toward the West Courtyard.

“What on earth is going on?”

“Did something happen?”

They had no idea what was going on. Earlier today, Jing Pei told Long Yiming to gather the whole family and give them these orders: “Tonight, watch what I do and pass the word. As soon as I raise my hand like this, head to the West Courtyard.”

“Why?” Long Yiming had asked.

“I want to test your obedience to me as the Family Head,” Jing Pei had replied with a laugh.

Long Yiming: “…” I’d have to be crazy to believe that. You evil girl, spinning lies without blinking an eye.

Yet no one dared disobey. Even if she was just playing a game, they had to humor her—especially after she had miraculously reclaimed their lost family assets from the other atavist clans just moments ago.

They had been thoroughly won over, and now their obedience was absolute.

The Long Family members quickly assembled in the West Courtyard, where Long Qingyan was already waiting. “Follow me. The young head—the Family Head—wants us underground immediately.”

This only heightened their unease. “Underground? The bomb shelter?”

“Second Master, what is the meaning of this?” They turned to Long Yiming.

Long Yiming wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, a tight, artificial smile playing on his lips. “You’re asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?”

Deep beneath the Long Estate lay an old bomb shelter, constructed after the war by traumatized ancestors to protect non-atavist family members in times of extreme danger.

“I don’t know the reason either, but since the Family Head ordered it, get inside quickly,” Long Qingyan urged.

She was nervous, yet thrilled. The last time she had assisted Jing Pei was during the Bubble 109 incident, though she still didn’t understand the full background of that event. Being entrusted with an order again made her feel valued, setting her status apart from the rest of the clan.

As they filed into the shelter like dumplings dropping into boiling water, panic began to creep in. A bomb shelter was meant for war—sending them down here, could it mean a war was about to erupt? No, surely not… everything was fine just a moment ago…