Westerners don’t have the whole 'legitimate vs. illegitimate child' thing—instead, they just call someone a 'bastard' or a 'love child.' Honestly, 'bastard' is way harsher than the Chinese term for a child born to a concubine. At least in China, those kids are still considered part of the family, even if they’re not top-tier. But in the West, being called a 'bastard' is a full-on family disgrace, right up there with being called a 'street brat' or a 'mongrel' during a screaming match.
Donald Zade, a major player in the Pacific Isle Incident and son of the Zade patriarch, isn’t exactly a star in the family. Still, when he looks at Jonathan Black, he does it with that special brand of snobbery reserved for 'illegitimate kids.' Of course, this arrogance is really just a loser’s coping mechanism—if you can’t be top dog, at least you’re not the bottom of the pack.
But you can’t deny that Donald, always lurking in the Zade House power circles, has way more inside scoop than Jonathan, who got shipped off to the other side of the ocean ages ago. Even if Donald’s just a mid-level bureaucrat in the Zade world, he’s still got the connections to sniff out the big secrets.
Sometimes, he even gets the exclusive dirt. Honestly, Donald knows more about the family’s core secrets than Deborah Zade does, even if she looks like she’s running the show.
After the Pacific Isle Incident, Jack Young dragged this wild Zade kid back to Hong Kong and handed him off to Jonathan Black. Blood’s thicker than water—Jack decided not to meddle in family business and let his cousin handle it.
Jonathan didn’t kill him.
So Donald started his long, glamorous career as a prisoner.
Piece by piece, Donald spilled Zade House secrets, and Jonathan got busy fact-checking and prepping. The juiciest tidbit Donald let slip was about the Zade House’s connection to the SD Syndicate.
According to Donald, the Zade House and the SD Syndicate are thick as thieves. Sure, Donald paid top dollar for that Green Tyrant Old Veteran bioweapon—no family discount—but he swears there’s some deep, mysterious bond between the Zades and SD.
"Maybe SD Syndicate is just another one of the old man’s backup plans. Maybe one of those ancient Zade council geezers is secretly running SD. Or maybe SD is just some side hustle my siblings set up to prove they’re worth something—who knows? Who cares? SD’s inner workings are a black box to me, but I do know this: SD and Zade House, they’re tangled up real deep." — That was his statement back then.
And sure enough, everything that happened next proved the intel was legit.
Donald probably knew his only value was the secrets he held, so after that, he zipped his lips—no more useful info. Jonathan wasn’t sweating it either. When it comes to cracking the Zade House, Donald is the keyhole for all the juicy secrets—and you can bet the Zades know it too.
But before you fight the enemy, you gotta get your own house in order. Self-growth comes first. With the master strategist on board, Eternal Night Holdings hit the fast lane. Jonathan threw himself into building up the company and didn’t bother wasting time on Donald—just locked him up and moved on.
Donald’s cage was set up on a private island, dangling out over the ocean—he was bait, and Jonathan was the fisherman. The fisherman waited, cool as a cucumber, to see what would bite. Would it be commandos storming in to snatch Donald? Some superpowered chosen one? Or maybe a missile flying in from across the sea to blow everything sky-high?
No matter how they came, Jonathan was confident he could follow the clues and reel in a piece of the Zade House’s real story. Going up against the Zades is a long-haul fight—you’ve gotta be patient and play it smart.
But—surprise—nothing happened. It was like the Zade House had completely forgotten about him, like Old Man Zade had wiped his own son from existence. Not a peep. The family kept hiding behind thick curtains, not showing a single crack.
This battle of wits, patience, and strategy should’ve dragged on, but with how things are now, Jack Young couldn’t wait any longer.
Thunder rumbled, massive energy building up over the ocean—global warming had cranked up the subtropical pressure system. Through the huge glass window of the cell, you could see terrifying storm clouds twisting and raging over the distant sea. Waves crashed in, smashing against the rocks below the window. The roar was constant, with spray exploding everywhere, making the world outside look shattered and bleak.
Crack! A pale bolt of lightning split the sky, making the cell feel even colder and creepier.
Donald wore a straightjacket—pure white, the kind you see in psych wards—standing by the window, staring out at the chaos. Teacher Yang had sealed off all his blood and energy with Internal Martial Arts, so this Zade kid who used to have dragon-elephant level power now looked pale and washed out, just like a frail old man.
After all this time locked up, Donald’s hair was wild and his eyes were sunken—but when he stared at the raging sea, you could see a spark of madness and obsession burning deep in his gaze.
He kept waiting.
In this game, it’s all about information. Donald had more cards in his hand, so he refused to believe things wouldn’t turn around.
BOOM—thunder rattled the cell, shaking the walls with its roar.
But it wasn’t just thunder—a shout cut through the noise, even more intense.
"DON-ALD!!"
The crazy, triumphant look in Donald’s eyes finally exploded—he spun around with a wicked grin. He was sure his big moment had finally arrived!
CRACK—a flash of pale lightning split the sky. Before it lit up the room, there was nothing there. But as soon as it flashed, a woman appeared in the center—dressed all in black, her hair shock-white. She wasn’t as tall as Donald, who was over six feet, but when she stood there, staring him down, Donald felt like he was being eyed by some ancient beast.
That beast radiated rage and wild energy, just like the thunderclouds outside—it made Donald’s scalp tingle. But he just started laughing, breathless and wild, like he’d already won: "Ha ha ha! Just as I thought—the bastard, the loser, the illegitimate son finally reached the end of the line. He’s about to meet his demon mom, ha!"
"You wanna die?!" Yang Qi’s forehead veins popped as she roared. BOOM—Donald’s face turned purple as he slammed into the wall and collapsed. CRASH—the glass and all the bulbs shattered, leaving the place in darkness. The sea wind blasted in, and nature’s fury filled the cell, making everything feel heavy and furious.
Splash! Waves crashed through the window, drenching Donald as he sprawled on the floor. He struggled, shards of glass cutting his hands. He was floored by the power of that shout—his idea of 'chosen ones' and 'powerhouses' was still stuck in the Pacific Isle days. But times had changed.
Still, Donald wasn’t scared.
"Die? Ha! No way. You won’t kill me, no matter what I say, no matter how much I mock you, because I’m too valuable to die right now!" He dragged himself up against the wall, looking at Yang Qi, half nostalgic, half snarky: "I always knew that witch had family left in this world. I just didn’t expect to see a face so much like hers."
Yang Qi looked down at Donald, her face cold as iron: "Looks like you saw this coming."
"Ha! Who do you think I am? I’m the head honcho at Tiberius Laboratory! I could spill every secret about the Zade House’s business and it wouldn’t matter. As long as I’ve got this one ace, I can win it all! I wasn’t sure at first, but seeing you today—I know I bet on the right horse." Donald stared at Yang Qi, a vicious smile on his lips: "Jonathan, that damn bastard, he crossed the line. Now he’s totally screwed."
Thunder rolled, making the gloomy cell feel even heavier.
Yang Qi didn’t flinch: "Whatever deal you want to make, you’ll have to prove you’re worth it first."
"OK, OK, so you’re reasonable—this’ll be easy." Donald was half-soaked, but didn’t care. He started talking like he was back on that deserted island, spinning his story with a mix of absurdity and sarcasm.
"I don’t know how many Zade kids you’ve met, but you must’ve noticed—we’re not like regular people. All my hard work making super soldiers just turned into crap, but us Zade kids? We’re born super! Strength, speed, stamina, healing—you name it, we’ve got it. We’re extraordinary from day one!
But do these powers come from that half-dead old man’s genes? Nope, not at all. We owe it all to your relative—the witch, Susan Morrow. Maybe it’s genetic engineering, maybe it’s dark magic, maybe something else—whatever she did, it worked.
But with all those perks comes one nasty curse—the witch’s genetic upgrade has a fatal flaw!