[This chapter: 3000+ words]
Aunt?!
Everyone whipped their heads toward Caleb Miles. Wait, did this guy seriously just call that demoness 'Aunt'?! #PlotTwist
“Hmph, so you do remember I’m your aunt. Vanished for years, never came home to visit, and now you show up just to stir up drama? What kind of nephew are you?” Silver Consort’s voice was all snark, but way softer than before.
“Sorry, Aunt! I was hustling business nonstop, didn’t have a spare minute to drop by. But hey, I’m here now, right?” Caleb flashed a cheeky grin.
“Enough, you’re back, that’s what matters. Now step aside and let your aunt drain their inner power—then we can catch up properly.” With that, she started forward.
“Aunt!” Caleb Miles stepped forward. “After all these years, you’re still working for him? What’s your relationship with him anyway? Don’t you know he’s been using you? You saw it yourself—he sends his own generals to die. One day, he might do the same to you. You still…
“Enough!” Silver Consort was clearly displeased by his words.
“Aunt, I know you don’t like hearing this, but I’ve been around the Jianghu for years. I’ve heard things about him—he’s not what you think. He’s not…
“Shut up! I’m warning you—even if you are my nephew, I won’t let you speak ill of him. Otherwise, don’t blame me for forgetting family ties.” A poisonous gleam flashed in Silver Consort’s eyes again.
Caleb Miles knew that man was her weak spot. He had no idea how his rarely-seen-in-Jianghu aunt had met him, but he knew she cared about him deeply. Even hearing a single bad word about that man would end in a truly miserable fate for the speaker.
“Alright, I’ll zip it. Aunt, all these folks are my buddies—can’t you cut me some slack and let them go?” Caleb said, still not sure why he was sticking his neck out. Maybe the Crown Prince’s whole vibe just rubbed him the wrong way.
“Nope! I’ve been waiting for this day forever. Once I drain those two’s inner power, plus a sprinkle from that so-called general, my cultivation’s gonna skyrocket. Nobody under heaven will be able to touch me!” She was already daydreaming about finally seeing ‘him’ again—seriously, how long had it been? She couldn’t even remember. Enough waiting, she wanted her reunion, ASAP!
“Aunt, I’m married now. That woman is my wife, and they’re all my wife’s husbands—we’re one family.” Normally detached, Caleb Miles was fighting hard for them now.
“You got married?” Silver Consort raised a brow, then smirked. “Gotta say, I’m not impressed with that girl—she’s kinda bland. But if my nephew likes her, fine, I’ll roll with it. For your sake, I won’t kill her. The rest? No mercy!” Her voice was pure boss mode—no arguing allowed.
“Aunt…”
“Enough. When did you get so talkative? I’m doing you a favor here—once I wipe them out, that woman’s all yours. You should be thanking your awesome aunt!”
Caleb Miles could tell she wasn’t budging, so he switched gears: “Aunt, at least let me talk to my wife—maybe I can get her to join your side?” Before Silver Consort could reply, he zipped over to Ivy Shen and whispered, “I’ll stall her—grab Lucian and run, okay?” Then he popped back up and strolled toward Silver Consort, acting all chill.
Ivy Shen was surprised—she had no idea why he was helping them, but there was no time to think. Lucian Vane, lying in Colin Kerr’s arms, looked paler by the second, like a sheet of paper about to blow away.
“Go—now!” Caleb Miles hollered and charged in. Adrian Night threw Colin Kerr a look, and Colin instantly got it—he scooped up Lucian Vane, Ivy Shen, and Liam Willow and bolted like they were speedrunning for their lives.
“Adrian, go! Don’t play the hero!” Caleb Miles yelled, dodging a deadly attack.
“You’re risking your neck for us—like I’d just bail!” Adrian Night shot back, ignoring Caleb’s plea and diving into the fight.
Silver Consort’s face twisted with rage, but even then, she pulled her punches with Caleb. “Wow, Caleb, way to disappoint your aunt.”
“Aunt, stop being an accessory to evil!” Caleb Miles pleaded, all but rolling his eyes at the Crown Prince’s villainy.
“Who are you to judge him?” she snapped, and socked Caleb so hard he hit the ground like a ragdoll. Yup—nobody could diss that man in front of her and get away with it.
“Today, they all have to die. All of them!” Silver Consort attacked viciously, her moves deadly and furious—she wanted them dead, right now!
Adrian Night took hit after brutal hit from Silver Consort, blood spraying, but he gritted his teeth and fought on—just trying to buy a few more seconds for the others to get away…
Just as Silver Consort was about to land her deadliest blow on Adrian Night, Caleb Miles suddenly shouted, “Aunt, I saw Gordon Gao in Jiangnan!”
“What?” The words stunned Silver Consort so much she stopped instantly, spinning so fast she nearly fell. Seizing the chance, Caleb Miles rushed over, grabbed Adrian Night, tossed a smoke pellet, and escaped her sight.
Thanks to Colin Kerr’s legendary lack of direction, they wound up at a sheer cliff. Water thundered down a thousand-meter drop into the abyss—toss a rock, and you’d never hear it land. Nice going, Colin.
“Why’d you drag us here? This is a dead end!” Liam Willow squawked at Colin Kerr, panic rising.
“S-sorry! I have no idea how a cliff suddenly popped up here,” Colin Kerr apologized profusely.
Just then, four black-clad men appeared out of nowhere, heading straight for them.
“Willow, get down!” Colin Kerr shoved Lucian Vane into Liam Willow’s arms, whipped out his sword, and charged—full shounen mode.
“Wife… don’t be scared, I’ll protect you!” With that, he handed the delirious Lucian Vane to her and grabbed a nearby stone, rushing ahead.
“Mess with us? I’ll bean you!” The little white rabbit charged, stone in hand, stumbling and flailing at the black-clad men like a slapstick hero.
“Willow, get back—be careful!” Colin Kerr saw Liam Willow running over and thought he was worried for him, feeling suddenly moved.
“Take this!” Liam Willow used all his strength to hurl the stone at a black-clad man. Unfortunately, the stone—huge for him—barely fazed the man, but instead completely enraged him.
“It hurts… so hot, I’m burning up…” Lucian Vane cried out in pain from Liam Willow’s arms.
“Poison snake, poison snake!” Shen Bingxin called urgently.
“Ugh…” The waterfall smacked Lucian Vane in the face, snapping him awake. He blinked, dazed, and croaked, “You… you okay?” First thing he cared about—was Ivy safe?
“I’m fine. How about you? Does it hurt?” Ivy Shen asked, her heart aching at how much he cared.
“I’m… peachy…” Lucian Vane forced a crooked smile, burning up with fever.
“Lucian, why did you save me? You knew this could kill you, right?”
“Yeah, I knew. But I like you—a lot. Didn’t want you hurt. I just… wanted you to live.” Lucian confessed, no regrets—even if the next stop was hell.
You… like me?
“Yeah. I really, really do…” Lucian Vane was barely hanging on, but his words were pure steel.
“Let’s see where you think you can run.” Two black-clad men slowly approached.
Ivy Shen looked up and saw Liam Willow lying on the ground. “Liam… what did you do to him?”
“Hah, do what? He fainted before I even touched him. What could I possibly have done to that idiot?” The black-clad man sneered, utterly contemptuous of Liam Willow’s clumsy attack.
Hearing this, Colin Kerr—fighting desperately—finally relaxed. No one knew how much it hurt him to see Liam Willow fall, but thank goodness, he was alright!
“Lucian Vane, are you afraid of dying?” Ivy Shen asked, smiling at him in her arms.
“If I was afraid of dying, I wouldn’t have saved you… Everyone dies someday—I’m just going a bit earlier.” The pain made his words slow, but he answered her clearly, one word at a time.
“Then let’s make today our shared death anniversary.” Ivy flashed her brightest smile, hugged him tight, and stepped off the cliff—no regrets.
“No—!” Adrian Night and Caleb Miles finally caught up, only to watch in horror as Ivy and Lucian vanished over the edge. Too far away to do a thing…
Right then, Adrian Night understood what ‘heartache’ really meant. It hurt—like hell.