The mansion was a battlefield-turned-hospital. Broken furniture, unconscious attackers tied up like sacks, bloodstained marble, and a thick tension that refused to ease.
Yanyu sat in the lounge, wrapped in a silk robe, staring at the empty teacup in her hand. Her lips were still warm from the kiss she gave Li Tian, and she hated herself for remembering how steady his heartbeat had been under her palm.
Across the room, Li Tian stood silently as Fox re-dressed his cracked ribs.
"You should've killed Qian Bei," Fox muttered. "Mercy doesn't earn you points in this world."
"I wasn't showing mercy," Li Tian replied. "I was sending a message. To Wu Gang."
Fox smirked. "What message is that?"
"That I'm not trash anymore."
System NotificationNew Trait Acquired: [Dominance Mark – Lv. 1] ▸ Enemies who witness host's victory in combat suffer -15% morale when confronting host again. ▸ Passive intimidation increases.
Bond Status Update: Yanyu – Suspicion: 50% → 30% ▸ She is watching you. ▸ She is unsure if you're her shield... or another sword.
The Council of Shadows – Wu Gang's LairFar from the Li mansion, deep in the Red Fang territory, Wu Gang slammed his fist onto a table made of bone.
"You're telling me Qian Bei was defeated by that failure?!"
A hooded figure stepped forward. Her voice was calm, almost amused.
"He wasn't defeated," she said. "He was... tested. Li Tian has awakened. The system inside him is adapting fast."
Wu Gang turned to her.
"High Priestess Yue. You promised me that system was dormant. That we neutered it the day he was cast out."
Yue smiled beneath her hood. "The system isn't the problem."
She tossed a folder onto the table.
Yanyu's Bloodwork. Marked with a golden seal. Forbidden.
Wu Gang's eyes narrowed. "Explain."
"Yanyu's mother wasn't just a concubine. She was a member of the extinct Fenghua line—descendants of the Oracle Flame."
Wu Gang stiffened. "That bloodline was wiped out in the purge."
"Or so we believed. Until now. Yanyu's blood is waking up. If she bonds with Li Tian fully, their child—"
Wu Gang slammed his hand again, veins bulging.
"There will be no child."
Back at the Mansion – Forbidden ScrollsLi Tian stared at the secret vault Yanyu had opened for him. It was beneath her father's old study—untouched since his death.
"Why are you showing me this?" he asked.
"Because I need to know who the hell you really are," Yanyu said, arms crossed.
He stepped forward and unfurled one of the scrolls.
The Seven Root SystemsRank: God-Class Forbidden KnowledgeStatus: Lost / Sealed
▸ System 1: Void Emperor Core ▸ System 2: Oracle Memory Seed ▸ System 3: Shadow Puppet Crown ▸ System 4: Warlord's Pulse (Broken) ▸ System 5: Frostweaver Thread ▸ System 6: Death-Veil Contract ▸ System 7: Origin Flame – Linked to Fenghua Bloodline
And below all that...
System 0: ??? (Unnamed Prototype)
▸ Last known host: Li Tian
Yanyu's hands trembled slightly.
"This is why Wu Gang wanted you erased. You're not a mistake. You're a threat."
Li Tian's jaw tightened.
"And you?"
She met his eyes.
"I don't know yet."
System Override Triggered[Hidden Root Path Discovered] – Syncing with scroll fragments…System Evolution Unlocked: [Phase 2 – Directive Functionality] ▸ Host may now issue one directive to the system every 24 hours.
Example: "Enhance my vision," "Locate traitor," or "Neutralize toxin."
Warning: Misuse may trigger system backlash.
Li Tian blinked.
"System," he whispered. "Directive: Show me the hidden traitor in this house."
Searching… … … Target Identified: Lin Bao (Head Butler)
Betrayal in the HallsJust as Li Tian turned toward the door, the explosion rocked the west wing.
Fox's voice screamed through the earpiece.
"West Hall! Ambush! It's an inside job!"
Li Tian sprinted through the corridors, vision sharpening, adrenaline burning hot.
He kicked the library door open.
And saw Lin Bao holding a blade to Yanyu's neck.
"I never meant to hurt her," the butler said calmly, "but Wu Gang promised freedom. Do you know what it's like to serve a dead family for twenty years?"
Li Tian raised his hand.
"Let her go, and I'll make it quick."
Lin Bao laughed. "You can't kill me. You're soft."
Then something in Li Tian's eyes shifted.
"No. I'm done being soft."
He moved like lightning.
Execution Mode[New Skill Acquired: Shadow Execution Style – Lv. 1] ▸ Speed burst for 3 seconds ▸ Silent step technique unlocked ▸ Critical strike chance: 70%
Lin Bao didn't even feel the blade until it was buried in his side. He dropped, gasping.
Li Tian leaned close.
"There's no freedom in betrayal. Just an early grave."
Yanyu stood trembling. Blood on her cheek.
But her voice was steady.
"Thank you."
Li Tian nodded. "We're not done. This was just the beginning."
System NotificationBond Progress – Yanyu: Suspicion 30% → 15%New Trust Level: Fractured AllianceShe does not love you.But she knows she needs you.And you… you're starting to care.