「Young Master Sun, if you are reading this letter, I am already dead…」
「The fact that Qi Wei has handed this letter to you proves he is temporarily trustworthy—but the human heart is unpredictable. Always be on your guard…」
「I do not know if the 'contact mission' you spoke of is true or false, but at this point, it no longer matters…」
「Young Master Sun, there is something of utmost importance I must tell you.」
「You left in such a hurry that you never learned Su Meng had something to say to you. In the end, he had no choice but to confide in me.」
「Su Meng said that as your double, he suspected he would soon be in danger. He has a younger sister, and he begged me to arrange for her protection.」
「I agreed.」
「I secretly went to Su Meng's home to fetch Su Mei, but to my astonishment, I discovered the little girl possesses the legendary Cursed Hex Pupil!」
「The Cursed Hex Pupil is one of the Ten Great Divine Pupils—a rare hybrid physique born of human and eerie blood, found once in a million. It grants the user the power to curse and kill cultivators far above their realm. But each curse exacts a terrible toll: shortened lifespan, and the risk of the pupil shattering beyond repair…」
「Young Master Sun, this little girl has an extraordinary bloodline. Her Cursed Hex Pupil has already awakened. Her father or mother must be some powerful Eerie Alien. Once unleashed, even a Heavenly Realm powerhouse would fall victim if caught off guard…」
「Su Mei's Cursed Hex Pupil is this terrifying? It can even take down Heavenly Realm experts!」
Sun Qian stared at the letter's contents in the simulator, stunned.
In that moment, he suddenly recalled his last simulation—how the Ghost Physician Venerable had been so wary of Su Mei's eyes that he'd struck first, tearing them out without hesitation.
Now it all made sense. Back then, the Ghost Physician Venerable had recognized the threat Su Mei posed to him.
Otherwise, with that eunuch's arrogant, disdainful attitude, he would never have bothered to act so hastily.
Come to think of it, during this simulation, "he" had been so obsessed with seizing the Nine Steps to the Heavens that he'd completely overlooked Su Mei—the hidden female protagonist of destiny.
It was Sun Zhong who'd noticed her instead.
No one was perfect, after all.
He was human, not a god.
With that thought, Sun Qian continued reading.
「Young Master Sun, I have hidden her away. This is a trump card I have kept for you—and for the family. In our hour of greatest need, it will surely turn the tide of battle…」
「The enemy's assault is about to breach our defenses. I can faintly sense the oppressive aura of a Heavenly Realm powerhouse drawing near. A Heavenly Realm elder is coming. I will surely die tonight…」
「To safeguard this secret, I will erase all memories of Su Mei from my mind. I will also tamper with Su Meng's memories of her…」
「Even if we are captured and subjected to soul searches, this secret will never be exposed…」
「Young Master Sun, the clan elder bestowed the name 'Zhong' (Loyalty) upon me and granted me the Sun surname. I will never forget this honor for as long as I live…」
「For the family. For you. I am ready to sacrifice my life. Whatever happens—do not come to save me…」
「Live well.」
Sun Zhong's Final Farewell.
Whoosh!
The letter burst into flames the moment he finished reading it, turning to ash in his palm.
You fell into a deathly silence, standing frozen in place, unable to utter a single word. Sun Zhong's final words echoed endlessly in your mind.
You could almost picture the despair he'd faced in his final moments.
Yet even then, he'd gone to extraordinary lengths, sacrificing his own life to leave you with a trump card.
A trump card capable of taking on a Heavenly Realm powerhouse.
「Sun Zhong truly lives up to the meaning of the character 'Zhong' (Loyalty).」
Even though you knew you were trapped in a simulation—that everyone around you was nothing more than a product of the system—how could you not be moved by these vivid, sentient beings with their own hopes, fears, and loyalties?
But the silence was only temporary.
Above all else, you had to survive.
You resolved to head to the hidden location Sun Zhong had mentioned and find Su Mei at once…
According to the information in the letter, Sun Zhong had hidden her in an abandoned warehouse…
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Just as you were about to set off, a sharp, urgent sound cut through the air.
The Bloodline Communicator in your storage pouch was ringing.
Clearly, someone from the silent Sun Family had finally responded to you.
You fumbled for the communicator, your hands trembling slightly as you checked the message. It was from your eldest brother, Sun Shou.
Sun Shou: Do NOT return to the Imperial Capital. Head south. Go to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. Enter the mountains, cross the pass, worship at the temple, and sail into the river. Someone will protect you…
Your face paled instantly at this cryptic, frantic message. For your normally calm eldest brother to urge you to run for your life like this, something catastrophic must have happened in the Imperial Capital.
The Sun Family's situation must be truly dire.
Otherwise, he would never have used such a panicked tone…
But what did it mean—enter the mountains, cross the pass, worship at the temple, sail into the river, and someone will protect you?
If the Sun Family itself couldn't protect you, what other power in the world could? One even stronger than the Sun Family? You'd always known your eldest brother was a man of unshakable composure, never flustered no matter how dire the situation.
In the past, no matter how much trouble you'd stirred up in the Imperial Capital—even when you'd beaten the Gu Family's brats half to death—he'd always waved it off with a smile, saying, "It's nothing. I'll handle it."
But now, he was in such a state of panic… The situation must have escalated far beyond anything you could imagine.
Countless questions swirled in your mind, making your head throb with pain.
It seemed everything was spiraling in an unpredictable direction.
All your carefully laid plans had been thrown into disarray.
「Elder Brother! What exactly happened in the Imperial Capital? Are you alright? How is the Sun Family faring…」
You hastily sent a reply, desperate for more information.
You dared not use electronic devices to contact the family—they were far too easy to track, tap, and locate. Great clans like yours always relied on their own secret channels of communication…
But this time, there was no response.
After a long, agonizing wait, the Bloodline Communicator in your hand beeped once more.
Your heart leaped with joy—only to plummet into ice-cold terror as you read the message. Your pupils constricted, and a chill ran down your spine.
Sun Shou: Hahaha! Little Brother, it's all fine! Long time no see—just pulling your leg earlier. Everything in the Imperial Capital has been taken care of. You can come home now. The whole family misses you…