After tossing and turning all night, the Ling family’s eldest young master finally came up with a new plan to capture Mei Yanlan.
It was despicable.
But it would work.
Since Mei Yanlan had already seen through the clones, dead people like Wen Can and Mei Feiying could no longer affect her. In that case, they would use living people to force her hand.
“Send an invitation to the Wen family. Invite them to visit our home,” the eldest young master instructed.
“Will using the Wen family really work?” another Ling family member asked. “Didn’t she marry that Xiao Cheng guy?”
The eldest young master’s face darkened.
“Does she look like she cares about Xiao Cheng?”
He was displeased that anyone dared question him.
It was all his father’s fault.
After Ling Song’s death, the position of Young Family Head had never been formally established. Ten years ago, his father had even declared that whoever found Mei Yanlan would become the next Family Head.
Because of that, he held little real authority within the Ling family.
“Well… that’s true,” the other man admitted. “According to our investigation, she only married Xiao Cheng for fun.”
“The Wen family is different. Their son was the man she loved most. He died because of her. She must feel guilty toward them. If we threaten to kill them, do you think she’ll just ignore it?”
No one could argue with that.
The eldest young master lifted his chin proudly.
Once the Wen family received an invitation from an Atavist family, they would definitely come running. When that happened, the Ling family could use them as leverage against Mei Yanlan.
If she refused to come and surrender, they would simply drug the Wen family.
He considered the plan flawless.
Unfortunately, at that moment, disastrous news arrived.
“Mei Yanlan has gone viral online!”
Immediately afterward, calls started pouring in from families that had already agreed to cooperate with them.
“Is Ling Yilan actually that Mei Yanlan from the Tribunal Division?” they asked in hushed, vague tones, as though sharing some shameful secret.
The eldest young master’s expression stiffened.
“Haha, of course not. You’re joking. Does she look like someone who’d obediently follow our orders?”
The other party muttered for a moment before saying, “Fair point.”
Others who didn’t know the truth also called to ask:
“That Mei Yanlan from the Tribunal Division is a Succubus Atavist too. She’s not from your family, is she?”
“Haha, of course not. If she were one of ours, how could she have joined the Tribunal Division?”
Mei Yanlan had entered not only the public eye.
She had also entered the sight of the Atavist families.
Everyone had noticed her.
“How did this happen?!”
The eldest young master slammed his fist against the table, his head throbbing.
Why had she chosen this moment of all times to become famous?
Why not sooner?
Why not later?
Was heaven doing this on purpose?
“In this situation, how can we even make a move against her?” another Ling family member said. “The moment we do, it’ll be the same as telling everyone she really is Ling Yilan.”
And even if they managed to capture Mei Yanlan, what then?
Before their plan could even begin, the more powerful Atavist families would interfere.
The Ling family had no ability to resist them.
Among the Succubus families in Hualan, the Ling family was currently the only known one.
But nobody could guarantee that some long-dormant atavist bloodline wouldn’t suddenly awaken somewhere.
Besides, there were several Succubus families in Western countries as well.
The Ling family’s bloodline wasn’t unique.
Very few Atavist families knew what the Ling family had done back then. Most of those who did were lower-ranking families, and after so many years, nobody talked about it anymore.
But now the still waters had been disturbed again.
Mei Yanlan’s fame was growing rapidly.
If word leaked out, the truth could spread everywhere.
The Ling family had no intention of giving up the path to wealth and power that Mei Yanlan represented.
That meant they had to proceed with extreme caution.
“We’ll have to lie low for now. Don’t make a move against her. We’ll wait for this wave of attention to pass.”
In the end, the eldest young master could only accept reality.
But at that moment, the family butler suddenly rushed in.
“Young Master, the Tribunal Division…”
Before he could finish speaking, people from the Tribunal Division were already approaching.
“We have evidence that the Ling family has been conducting illegal human cloning research. Please come with us.”
The faces of the Ling family members instantly changed.
How had they been discovered?
Then it clicked.
Last night!
During their escape, they had completely abandoned those clones.
The clones had already been torn apart by the monsters.
Wen Can and Mei Feiying had both been ordinary humans. It was impossible to determine through scientific testing that they had been cloned.
But everyone knew that cloning technology could not replicate atavist genes.
If investigators examined the DNA of Ling Song and his wife and discovered that the samples lacked any atavist genes, they would immediately know those bodies belonged to clones.
Decades ago, human cloning technology had been banned worldwide because of the severe ethical, human rights, and moral concerns surrounding it.
Hualan was one of the countries with the strictest prohibitions.
It was a major criminal offense.
Even the Atavist families had to obey that law.
In fact, when cloning technology first emerged, the Atavist families had opposed it more fiercely than anyone else.
They feared and hated the idea of atavist genes being cloned.
So now that the Ling family had secretly engaged in cloning research, the Tribunal Division had every reason to arrest them.
In terms of image rehabilitation, the first episode of Great Families had been a tremendous success.
The internet was no longer filled with nothing but people cursing the Atavist families and demanding the abolition of the Atavist Management Regulations.
Some members of the Atavist families had minor complaints because the documentary’s biggest star, Mei Yanlan, worked for the Tribunal Division rather than an Atavist family.
But it wasn’t a major issue.
Mei Yanlan’s personal charisma hadn’t overshadowed the Atavist families as a whole.
The footage of countless Atavists receiving notification from the Tribunal Division and racing across the skies above the city, leaping from rooftop to rooftop while epic music played in the background, was exhilarating.
It carried the feeling of people coming from all directions to aid those in need.
Many viewers were moved to tears.
Later, during the operation to drive back the monster horde and slaughter the monsters, they performed the best as well.
And Jing Pei’s scene, standing alone and guarding the rear like a lone warrior capable of holding back ten thousand enemies, was so impressive that internet users were calling her “husband.”
A message appeared on Jing Pei’s phone.
Walking her dog, she glanced down at the screen.
[The Ling family has been arrested.]
A slight smile curled her lips.
Her deep, feline eyes shone with intelligence and mischief.
Although she had changed the storyline in which Mei Yanlan killed the Ling family, the timeline itself had not yet concluded.
The plot would still try every possible way to make Mei Yanlan kill the Ling family.
That was difficult to control.
So Jing Pei had prepared a backup plan.
For Mei Yanlan to kill the Ling family as revenge, two conditions had to be met.
First:
The Ling family had to make the first move.
Even if they had to be manipulated into doing so.
Because Mei Yanlan had no intention of being buried alongside trash like them.
Second:
The Ling family had to push things too far.
They had to do something so outrageous that Mei Yanlan would lose all rationality, stop caring about the first condition, and choose to perish together with them.
Now, however, the Ling family would no longer dare move against her.
If information leaked out, the Atavist families, the Tribunal Division, and the government would form a balance of power.
As the person at the center of everything, Mei Yanlan would actually become the safest one.
The first condition could no longer be fulfilled.
The second condition was much less likely to happen.
Even so, there was still risk.
So Jing Pei had prepared a second layer of insurance.
She simply had the Ling family thrown into prison.
In this larger struggle, the Ling family was merely expendable cannon fodder.
Despicable.
Weak.
Not worth a second glance.
Opening her inbox, she saw an email she had sent several days ago.
[Hello, Mr. Bentley. We’ve already had a brief exchange, and I believe we’ve gained a basic understanding of one another. As you know, I’m an information broker who makes a living selling information about others. I currently need more people. Are you interested in joining me?]
The reply read:
[I look forward to meeting you in person.]
Jing Pei’s smile widened.
She really looked forward to it.
“This is bad, Miss Hong. The Ling family was discovered creating clones and has been arrested by the Tribunal Division.”
News of the Ling family’s arrest quickly reached the Atavist Genetics Research Institute.
The messenger rushed over to report to a woman with strange tattoo-like markings at the corners of her eyes.
Dressed in a professional black skirt suit, the woman picked up her handbag.
“That family is completely useless. They couldn’t even avoid making such a basic mistake.”
The cantaloupe-tattooed man soon arrived as well.
“The Ling family has been arrested. What about Mei Yanlan? Even if this crime won’t destroy the Ling family, it’ll delay our plans.”
Miss Hong replied coldly.
“You don’t need to concern yourself with that. Just wait for further instructions.”
“Where are you going?”
Miss Hong ignored him.
She put on a large pair of sunglasses that concealed the markings around her eyes and walked out.
The cantaloupe-tattooed man was furious.
Both of them were leaders of branch organizations.
Fine, the real boss of the Atavist Serum Organization was the Doctor.
But he was still the public leader and the actual second-in-command.
Yet she showed him absolutely no respect.
Watching her leave, he couldn’t help remembering what the information broker had told him.
The broker claimed to possess information about someone who might be capable of creating the Atavist Serum they wanted.
Was it true?
And how could he possibly know who could create it?
Even the Doctor couldn’t.
But what if it really was true?
After all, none of the information the broker had provided so far had ever been wrong.
Miss Hong, meanwhile, paid no attention to his thoughts.
After changing taxis multiple times and even riding a shared electric scooter, she eventually arrived at a shabby little guesthouse.
The place looked obviously shady.
There were no security cameras.
Identity checks were barely enforced.
In the sweltering heat, the building felt like an airtight balloon filled with stagnant air.
The moment an elegant, professional-looking beauty walked in, the young receptionist nervously set down his phone and didn’t dare say a word.
He could only watch as she ascended the stairs in black high heels.
She stopped in front of a door and knocked.
The door quickly opened.
A young man wearing glasses and a white dress shirt appeared.
He looked exactly like a stereotypical programmer.
It was Bentley of the Trident Mercenary Corps.
“Hello, Bentley.”
Bentley shook hands with his client.
The two entered the room.
“Let’s get straight to the point,” Miss Hong said. “You’re quite clever. You managed to locate me through our organization’s offline identification codes and even delivered a message directly to me.”
Removing her sunglasses, she fixed him with a pair of snake-like eyes.
“You’re talented. No wonder that information broker wants you.”
“Thank you.”
“I accept your terms. If you can help us identify that information broker, I’ll give you what you want.”
For a long time, their organizations had always operated from the shadows while everyone else remained in the light.
Then this information broker appeared out of nowhere.
His intelligence network seemed to have penetrated even their own organizations.
Yet from the highest ranks to the lowest, they had failed to uncover a single suspected mole connected to him.
They all despised him.
He had already extorted enormous sums from them.
From the Atavist Serum Organization to the Atavist Genetics Research Institute, and even the higher organization above them, he had demanded outrageous fees to keep information exclusive.
Yet the very confidence with which he acted made them hesitate.
Whenever someone else tried to locate him, they secretly interfered.
If that information broker were captured by some outside party, who knew what information he might reveal that could implicate them?
Never before had they been forced into such a humiliating position.
Just when they were at a loss, this mercenary named Bentley had approached them.
The information broker had actually invited him.
Which meant Bentley might get the chance to meet the broker face-to-face.
After finalizing the details and establishing a method for future contact, they parted ways.
Both sides were extremely cautious.
They avoided phones and the internet entirely.
After all, nobody knew how the information broker gathered his intelligence.
After Miss Hong left, Bentley sent an email to the information broker asking when they would meet.
“Sorry, but as mysterious and powerful as you are, you can’t give me what I want,” Bentley muttered to himself.
It was a pity Isaac and Lolita had turned down his invitation to join him. If they had agreed, his chances of achieving his goal would have been much better.
Still, it didn’t really matter.
The people from that organization would help him anyway.
Not long afterward, he received a reply from the information broker.
[Hello, Bentley. Before we meet, you must first complete a test.]
Bentley froze for a moment before replying:
[You never said there would be a test before we could meet.]
The information broker replied:
[But I never said there wouldn’t be one, either.]
Bentley went back and reviewed their previous conversation.
The information broker had extended an invitation. Bentley had deliberately tried to be clever and replied that he looked forward to meeting in person.
The other party had neither rejected nor agreed to the request.
It was true.
He had never promised Bentley a no requirement before meeting.
Bentley felt annoyed.
He had tried to play games, but the information broker was just as slippery. No rejection, no confirmation. Reel someone in first, then explain things however you liked afterward.
But at this point, he had no choice except to play by the man’s rules.
[What’s the test?]
[Find out the weakness of the person attracting the most attention right now: Mei Yanlan.]
At the Wen residence, the atmosphere in the living room was heavy.
The Wen family sat there with blank expressions as they looked at the woman before them.
“I’m sorry.”
Mei Yanlan lowered her eyes rather than meet their gazes.
“He wasn’t the real Wen Can. He was an illegally created clone. During last night’s monster attack, he was killed by the monsters.”
“How would we dare blame you?” Madam Wen said with reddened eyes, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
“I’ll take my leave.”
Mei Yanlan turned to go.
“Stop right there!”
Madam Wen’s voice suddenly turned shrill.
“Answer me this. Ten years ago, did my son die because of you?”
“…Yes.”
“I won’t ask why. People like us probably aren’t worthy of knowing the truth anyway.”
Her voice grew more hysterical.
“I just want to know how you dared marry Xiao Cheng!”
Deep down, Madam Wen probably knew the cloned Wen Can wasn’t real.
But he had still been a source of comfort, so she had pretended not to know.
Now even that comfort was gone.
The clone had died too, and once again it happened after leaving with Mei Yanlan.
She rushed forward and began pounding on Mei Yanlan.
“You should spend your entire life alone! You should spend the rest of your life loving my son and feeling guilty about him! How dare you get married?”
“You’re so powerful, yet you couldn’t even protect the person who loved you!”
“You don’t deserve happiness!”
“Mom!”
“Honey!”
Miss Wen and Mr. Wen hurried forward to stop her.
But someone moved even faster.
A figure rushed in through the doorway, shoved Madam Wen aside, and stepped in front of Mei Yanlan.
“Please stop.”
Veins stood out on Xiao Cheng’s forehead as he fixed the Wen family with a cold stare.
Mei Yanlan took a deep breath, not wanting to make the situation even worst.
“I owe your family.”
“If you ever need my help, you can find me at the Tribunal Division.”
“Let’s go.”
With that, she grabbed Xiao Cheng and quickly left the Wen residence.
After they got into the car, Mei Yanlan was about to speak when Xiao Cheng spoke first.
“Mei Yanlan, you deserve happiness.”
“Even though I don’t know what really happened, Wen Can died protecting you because he wanted you to live on and find happiness.”
“If even that isn’t enough, then what was the meaning of his death?”
Mei Yanlan stared at him in surprise.
The veins along his neck were bulging, and he looked really angry about what Madam Wen had said.
Those words had come from the heart.
Unexpected.
Suppressing the bitterness rising within her, she asked,
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to find you.”
“What for?”
“I made an appointment at the Atavist hospital. Come with me for a prenatal checkup.”
Xiao Cheng looked awkward as he spoke, but his gaze was firm.
At last, he had made up his mind.
He was no longer afraid of people finding out that a grown man was pregnant.
There had been a previous appointment, but it never happened because Mei Yanlan hadn’t shown up.
Back then, he’d secretly felt relieved.
Now things felt completely different.
Behind his confident façade, however, there was still a trace of nervousness.
Before learning Mei Yanlan’s true identity, he’d assumed he was the better catch.
He had money, after all.
More than enough for a weak, poor Atavist who couldn’t even secure an official position.
But now he knew how powerful she really was.
Suddenly, he felt as though marrying Mei Yanlan had been far above his station.
His confidence vanished.
Fortunately, he still had one advantage.
The child.
As the saying went, the father rises with the child.
The heavens really favored him.
“I have to admit something.”
“When I married you, I had ulterior motives. It wasn’t sincere.”
“Right from the beginning, I planned to divorce you someday. I’d already worked out how much compensation I’d give you and how many houses you’d get.”
“But now I’ve fallen in love with you.”
“I don’t have any feelings left for Fang Bihe.”
“I want to live a proper life with you.”
Mei Yanlan glanced at him with surprise.
Then she started the car.
Instead of driving to the Atavist hospital, however, she headed toward his company.
“Mei Yanlan?”
“Don’t let anyone know you’re pregnant.”
Her voice was calm.
Her plans to take revenge on the Ling family had been completely disrupted.
For the near future, she likely wouldn’t be settling accounts with them.
But if news of Xiao Cheng’s pregnancy reached the Ling family before she dealt with them, both Xiao Cheng and the child he was carrying could be in danger.
She had assumed Xiao Cheng would flee overseas, just as he and his parents had originally planned.
Instead, he seemed ready to openly accept his pregnancy.
And she’d also realized something.
Perhaps he possessed a conscience after all.
At the Atavist hospital’s obstetrics department, the scheduled patient failed to appear yet again.
“It’s that Xiao Mei person again.”
The doctor looked at the records and sighed.
“That’s the second time, isn’t it? He keeps standing me up. That’s really irresponsible toward the baby.”
A nurse replied,
“You’re always hung up on the patients who miss appointments. Plenty of people stand you up. With a memory like yours, you’d be better off spending more time reading medical journals.”
Another nurse added,
“Maybe something urgent came up.”
“Anyone getting prenatal care at an Atavist hospital is probably an Atavist outside the major families. There’s a good chance they’re with the Tribunal Division.”
“Especially since the Tribunal Division has been so busy lately.”
“Who knows…” the doctor said.
