Chapter 35: The Liu Family Jenny: The Liu family members aren’t good people, you…

“Captain Yun Zhou, if you’re here, doesn’t that mean——”

Jenny was also stunned when she saw Yun Zhou. Should this be considered good luck or bad? Their side was fine, but the other group happened to be paired with Liu Ming and Mute, who feared him the most.

Jenny’s expression turned grim, as if she had thought of something terrifying. She unconsciously shivered, completely losing the confidence and ease she had as a powerful spatial ability user: “That’s really terrible. Mute is probably going to be in big trouble…”

Yun Zhou didn’t like hearing this: “What do you mean by that? Although Liu Ming can be harsh with his words sometimes, he’s just like us. What’s more, he’s a Guide. You question his stance… I should be asking whether the District Chief can protect Liu Ming!”

Yun Zhou, rarely putting on his captain’s airs, was supported by Ying Huo and Du Shui. The latter’s voice remained calm and collected, but carried an undercurrent of threat: “If Liu Ming gets hurt, not only us, but the First District and Chairperson Black Swan will also be very troubled.”

The implication was clear: you’d better pray that Liu Ming remains unharmed.

“Liu Ming is an indispensable member of our team. What you’re saying… are you dissatisfied with us reaching into the Fifth District?”

Ying Huo’s words were sharp. They had already endured enough baseless accusations and sarcasm at Tree Tower Academy due to Yun Zhou’s wanderer status, so they were particularly sensitive to unfounded accusations against others.

Especially when that person was their comrade-in-arms. Though he never had a kind word to say, he was still their comrade-in-arms!

Moreover, Liu Ming wasn’t as arrogant and domineering as he appeared. They had initially thought his dislike for their Spiritual Bodies was just a case of “young master syndrome,” but it turned out there was a layer of “bloodline oppression.” Plus, during the Third District incident, Liu Ming had contributed greatly, risking his life to stop the Anomaly King. He was a true Corrector. Hearing Jenny’s sudden criticism, they couldn’t accept it.

“Specialists… I apologize for causing your displeasure, but please understand, I have my reasons for saying this.”

Jenny sighed, pulling out a stack of documents from her bag, along with an old notebook that blended seamlessly with the mine’s environment—the notebook was covered in thick copper ore fragments that were still burning, clearly just picked up from a nearby tunnel.

“Please take a look at these. To be honest, before coming here, I never imagined my worst fears would come true…”

Jenny sighed and began to explain.

Mute’s fear wasn’t just directed at Liu Ming, but at the Liu family as a whole. As long as a Liu family member was present, no matter who it was, he found it hard to remain calm. For this thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy, the Liu family were like monsters from horror stories, ready to jump out from unexpected places at any moment and take his life in some bizarre way.

Ying Huo twitched his mouth: “…If that’s the case, I think I understand why Mute is afraid of Liu Ming.”

Jenny remained silent, giving Ying Huo the floor. After a moment of thought, Ying Huo spoke: “Because that’s the truth—leaving aside the Seventh District, the Liu family’s reputation in the Fifth and Sixth Districts is akin to the big bad wolf in stories, the kind that scares children into silence.”

Du Shui and Yun Zhou widened their eyes.

They knew the Liu family’s reputation was bad due to their profit-driven ways, even as the First District’s leading family, but they hadn’t realized it was this bad.

Scaring children into silence… That’s practically the embodiment of childhood trauma for kids in the Fifth and Sixth Districts!

“Honestly, it’s unavoidable. What they’ve done is just too underhanded.”

Ying Huo shrugged and began recounting the “Great Fire Incident,” a story almost universally known in the Fifth and Sixth Districts.

When the current Sixth District Chief first took office, for some reason, he had a major falling out with Liu Lin, the First District Chief and fellow Tree Tower Academy graduate. The Liu family withdrew all aid to the Sixth District, and without the First District’s support, the Sixth District experienced an unprecedented and terrifying fire.

No one knew how the fire started. By the time it was discovered, the eerie dark yellow flames had already consumed vast stretches of forest, reducing the Sixth District’s territory to ashes, turning it into a barren wasteland. The desert extended from the heart of the Sixth District, reaching near the border with the Fifth District. From above, it looked as if the Sixth District had ceded half its territory to the Fifth District.

The fire destroyed everything in the Sixth District, even the Hunter Tribe passed down through generations by the forest guardians. Naturally, rumors spread among the people of the Fifth and Sixth Districts: the fire was the Liu family’s revenge against Ying Zhu, the forest guardian.

Liu family didn’t offer any explanation, as if the family had indeed done it. However, Chairperson Black Swan clearly stated her position, denouncing the rumors.

But the Liu family’s silence was too suspicious, leading some to believe that if the Liu family wanted to, even Ying Zhu, a fellow District Chief, could be burned to ruin.

They not only controlled the First District but held the lives of other districts in their hands.

Ying Huo looked puzzled: “But I remember Chairperson Black Swan clearly stated it was just a coincidence, right? The fire that caused such massive damage to the Sixth District was clearly caused by someone deliberately moving Y006 Surtr’s Anomaly Core—”

Du Shui suddenly looked up: “Wait, Surtr’s Anomaly Core?!”

Yun Zhou also had a moment of realization: “Right! The flames from the Great Fire Incident were also a strange dark yellow. This time, though the flames are yellow, there are many similarities… If the culprit behind the Great Fire Incident was also Y006’s Anomaly Core, then——”

This was the limit of his reasoning. Yun Zhou scratched his head, unable to continue. Seeing this, Du Shui sighed and took over: “Then the source of the yellow flames we’re looking for in the activity room below might also be Y006’s Anomaly Core. It disappeared from the Sixth District, suggesting someone deliberately moved it to the Fifth District, placing it under the largest copper mine in the Fifth District… plotting a conspiracy.”

Du Shui’s expression turned serious as she thought of the Third District’s Elder Council.

Y007, the Wraith of the Earth, Hela, had awakened at some point, even controlling the Second Elder of the Elder Council in the Third District, inciting them to conduct forbidden experiments.

Would she really only use her powers to control one high-ranking official in the Third District?

Had the high-ranking officials of the Fifth and Sixth Districts also been under Hela’s control for decades? Was her long-term conspiracy in these two districts aimed at awakening her fellow Anomaly Kings, just like in the Third District?

Du Shui didn’t dare to think further.

“That’s the crux of the problem.” Jenny’s tone grew more earnest and serious: “If Mute’s fear of Liu Ming was solely due to the Liu family’s reputation, I wouldn’t be so concerned. After all, no matter what the Liu family has done, Chairperson Black Swan hasn’t reacted. We once thought perhaps the Liu family wasn’t as crazy as the rumors suggested, that they at least followed Chairperson Black Swan…”

Jenny took a deep breath: “But please look at this page in the notebook and these pieces of evidence.”

Jenny flipped to a specific page in the documents, where Sander’s notes clearly stated: “Thanks to the assistance of the First District’s leaders, I was able to conduct more in-depth research on the yellow flames.”

Similar information was scattered throughout the notebook picked up in the mine.

【Record: Today’s exploration data…

Flame intensity…

Flame combustibility range…

Flame provider: Thanks to the great First District and the Liu family for their financial support and trust.】

At the end of the records was a familiar seal.

Yun Zhou and Ying Huo had once run through the Third District’s heavy rain with that familiar pattern in hand. They immediately recognized it—the seal was identical to the one on the family crest Liu Ming had thrown at them in the Third District.

“How could… how could it be the Liu family supporting Sander’s research into the yellow flames?”

Ying Huo seemed deeply shaken. His fingers trembled uncontrollably, and his eyes darkened ominously, his green eyes resembling a forest at night, heavy with terrible oppression.

How could… how could it be…

How could the Liu Family be truly connected to these flames?

Yun Zhou didn’t change his stance, still indignant: “But even so, that doesn’t necessarily mean Liu Ming is colluding with those Liu Family members, does it?”

Jenny’s expression instantly turned stern: “How many Liu Family members have you dealt with? How dare you trust a Liu Family member so easily? Moreover, that… that child is the heir of the Liu Family. As the heir, do you really believe he knows nothing about everything the Liu Family has done?”

Yun Zhou persisted: “I believe there’s more to the story. My companion has been with me day and night, and I believe he’s not that kind of person!”

Du Shui nodded vigorously, while Ying Huo didn’t chime in. He spoke in a cold voice: “…Do you have any other advice for us?”

Jenny, seeing Ying Huo’s grim expression, sighed again: “Let me remind you once more, if the Anomaly Core of Y006, or the source of these yellow flames, was indeed provided by the Liu Family to Sander and placed here, then it means… the force that transferred the Y006 Anomaly Core from the Sixth District to the Fifth District during the Great Fire Incident, the culprit behind the tragedy, is the Liu Family.”

“They deceived Chairperson Black Swan, far from being as innocent as she claimed.”

Ying Huo’s body trembled violently.

On the other side.

The scorching yellow flames burst through all visible space, the roaring tornado of fire vanished abruptly after encircling them. As he fell, Liu Ming extended his hand, silver-blue threads spreading from his palm. The threads swiftly and neatly wrapped around protruding parts of the mine structure, looping around two or three times until they stabilized his balance in mid-air.

The silver-blue threads traced a graceful arc in the air, temporarily slowing Liu Ming’s descent. But just as he breathed a sigh of relief, he saw a shadow plummeting past him.

“Woo-hoo—! This is awesome!”

It was the still-excited Beagle¹.

Liu Ming glanced down. They weren’t far from the mine’s floor, but falling from this height wouldn’t feel awesome—it’d be crippling.

Liu Ming rolled his eyes, too lazy to look at Mute, and extended his other hand. Silver-blue threads shot out, carrying their owner’s exasperation and resentment, wrapping the Beagle, who was trying to accelerate his descent and weld himself to the ground, into a cocoon.

He released his grip on the threads, landing lightly on the ground with the help of various utility anomalies Liu Lin had stuffed into him.

Mute was still in a daze, suddenly bound tightly by the incoming threads. Though the threads appeared abruptly, sensing no killing intent, he didn’t struggle, allowing himself to be wrapped into a cocoon, dangling mid-air with wide eyes swinging back and forth.

Liu Ming leaned against the mine wall, arms crossed: …He looks even more like a Beagle now, the kind with a mean streak.

But the Beagle soon noticed Liu Ming beside him, his eyes widening in shock, too frightened to make a sound.

“Liu… Liu Specialist…”

Mute trembled, swinging in the air, forcing out a nervous laugh, finally managing to stammer three words.

“I’m really curious now.”

Liu Ming stepped forward, standing directly beneath Mute, gazing up at the excessively young District Chief swaying above him, remarking meaningfully: “Why are you so afraid of me? I don’t recall ever visiting the Fifth District, and I definitely haven’t met you before.”

Mute tried to tough it out: “Oh, Liu Specialist, you’re exaggerating—”

Liu Ming didn’t bother arguing. He snapped his fingers, and the silver-blue threads crawled up Mute’s body, scaring him into spinning like a top in mid-air.

“Kids shouldn’t lie, or they’ll get cavities.”

Liu Ming clapped his hands, retracting the threads that had frightened Mute, making him even more terrified: “I admit it! I admit it, okay! I admit I’m scared of you, please don’t eat me, wuwuwu—”

Liu Ming: …Huh?

Has the Liu Family’s reputation outside really become this bad? What? Since when did he start eating people?

Liu Ming menacingly raised the threads: “I suggest you think carefully before you speak.”

Mute wisely surrendered instantly: “I’m sorry!!! I’m really sorry! But I was so scared!!! All the stories I heard as a kid told me the Liu Family eats people, wuwuwu!”

Liu Ming: …He didn’t recall the Liu Family doing anything particularly heinous. How did their reputation outside become like this?

Liu Ming frowned. Judging from Mute’s case, his fear of the Liu Family didn’t start after his grandfather was controlled by the Plot Strings, but before that…

After a moment of thought, Liu Ming could only think of the “Great Fire Incident” many years ago.

But the “Great Fire Incident” had nothing to do with the main Liu Family. At that time, the one who used the Liu Family’s resources to lead the incident was clearly…

And the real culprit behind the catastrophic fire was the Anomaly Core of Y006. At that time, The Tower planned to conduct deeper research and containment of Y006’s Anomaly Core, but before the official transfer, a traitor obtained the key to Y006’s vault.

That traitor, or more likely someone controlled by Y007 Hela, quickly bypassed the patrols in an extremely bizarre manner and stole Y006’s Anomaly Core.

Honestly, that was the Anomaly Core of the King of Anomalies. After being illegally transferred by the traitor in The Tower, it only caused a massive fire instead of directly awakening Y006, which was already quite fortunate.

Liu Ming always adhered to the principle of asking questions when in doubt, ensuring he never remained confused. Instead of releasing Mute immediately, he spoke seriously: “Tell me, is the reason you’re so afraid of me related to the Great Fire Incident?”

After the Great Fire Incident, the Fifth and Sixth Districts indeed had grievances against the Liu Family, but they were all suppressed by The Tower headquarters. So even in children’s fairy tales in these areas, the Liu Family is cast as the honorary villains.

The protagonists’ heroics vary, but the villains are always played by the Liu Family.

Liu Ming could almost imagine the literary prosperity of the Fifth and Sixth Districts, now a fixed trope.

“Haha… Brother Liu Ming, you guessed it spot on.”

Mute didn’t know what to say. He forced a nervous laugh, then resolutely stared at Liu Ming with watery eyes: “So Brother Liu Ming, could you let me down? Staying up here, I can’t do anything! It’s really uncomfortable!”

Normally, using this tactic on Jenny would only earn him a beating from his elder sister, but he had no better option now. After all, what if Liu Ming fell for it?

Though the Liu Family didn’t seem like the type to fall for such tricks, driven by sheer survival instinct, Mute felt he had to try. He couldn’t just be eaten without a fight.

Once he was let down, he was determined to escape from Liu Ming.

Fighting was out of the question—just seeing Liu Ming made his legs go weak, and he didn’t dare touch the bombs he usually threw with precision.

Liu Ming, seeing Mute’s overly flattering starry eyes and blinking lashes, took a step back, trying to remain unaffected.

Mute, seeing Liu Ming’s indifference, looked even more dejected, his entire demeanor wilted, almost as if his ears and tail drooped.

“Ahem, once you’re down, answer whatever I ask, and absolutely don’t run around, okay?”

Just as Mute thought Liu Ming would ignore him or indeed treat him as a meal, the silver-blue-haired youth below, with his back turned, suddenly spoke, his voice awkwardly trying to hide something.

Mute’s eyes widened.

No way? Did he really fall for the act?!

Before he could speak or agree, he could only nod frantically as Liu Ming, still facing away, waved his hand, as if the question wasn’t directed at him but rather a justification for himself.

The next second, the threads that had nearly cocooned Mute vanished, leaving only one dangling thread that dropped him to the ground.

Mute rubbed his eyes. He now suspected he was still dreaming. Otherwise, how could he see Liu Ming almost gently lowering him? He must be going crazy.

“Mute… I have a question for you.”

Liu Ming turned around. Surrounding him were the yellow flames burning in the mine, but he himself was more dazzling than those flames, making Mute feel that with Liu Ming present, even the yellow flames caused by Y006 were no longer dangerous.

“Your sister Jenny has worked hard to manage the family factory to its current top-tier status in the Fifth District. Why did you decide to become the District Chief?”

Liu Ming asked very seriously, his words almost deliberate and measured.

Mute was momentarily stunned. His instinct was to turn and run, but remembering the promise he had just made, he forced himself to stay rooted in place.

“I… I just didn’t expect it,” Mute stammered, fidgeting with his fingers like a child who had done something wrong. “I really just heard that District Chief Sander was incredibly powerful, so I wanted to challenge him… After all, fighting against a strong Sentinel is truly exhilarating—”

As if struck by a sudden thought, Mute grew excited and continued, his voice tinged with childish pride. “But I never expected… I actually won! I knew I was strong! My sister always said—”

Liu Ming raised his hand. “Stop. I’m not here to listen to your meaningless boasting. When Sander was sparring with you, was there anything unusual?”

Mute blinked. “Unusual? Well… there was something. Even though I defeated him in the end, he could clearly still stand, but he just conceded. Though I think he wouldn’t have beaten me even if he continued…”

Mute sighed. “I didn’t want to take the position of Fifth District’s Chief, so after the match, I caught up to him, but I never expected…”

“…he refused.”

Liu Ming finished Mute’s sentence.

“Huh?! How did you know?!” Mute’s eyes widened.

“Not only do I know that, but I also know he must have already been aware that the Carnival Brass mines in the Fifth District have all been consumed by the Yellow Flame. The source of these flames is likely the Anomaly Core of Y006. It’s possible that Y006’s core is now absorbing energy from the brass mines to nourish the Anomaly Core. Sander has been working hard for a long time using the materials he left for you, but he couldn’t find a solution. That’s why he deliberately lost to you—without putting up any fight.”

Liu Ming sighed. This explained the unusually swift and bizarre change of District Chiefs in the Fifth District.

“Because Sander had long wanted to pass off this hot potato.”

This time, it was Liu Ming who was surprised.

Even after he had laid bare Sander’s intentions, the young boy before him didn’t show much astonishment.

It was as if he had already known. He nodded in agreement. “About that… I knew. I’ve known for a while, which is why I’ve been searching for Sander’s whereabouts. But I never expected that District Chief Sander would go missing…”

Liu Ming was taken aback. “Then why did you take the position of District Chief…? Now, as the District Chief of the Fifth District, you’re the one with the greatest responsibility.”

Mute shrugged. “But precisely because of that, I couldn’t hand it over to someone else. My sister and I wouldn’t feel at ease.”

He looked up at Liu Ming, the fear in his eyes vanishing in an instant, replaced only by seriousness and vigilance.

“Don’t you know, Young Master Liu…? Your sister has already taken control of all the shares of the factories in the Fifth District. Except for mine and my sister’s factories, not a single one has been spared.”

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Translator’s Notes

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1. Beagle: A slang term or character trope in Chinese web fiction (比格) referring to a character who is hyperactive, energetic, and perhaps a bit chaotic or ‘dumb-cute,’ much like the dog breed’s reputation. ↩