Chapter Thirty-Four: Wagering Oneself on the Game

"How... how is this possible?" Old Meng asked, at a complete loss.

He stared fixedly at the yellow-furred mouse in his hand, utterly bewildered, feeling as though his understanding of the world had been overturned.

Meng Fan grinned and chuckled, "Dad, how about that? Did I scare you?"

Meng Fan grabbed the yellow mouse, Huang Feng, by the scruff of its neck, lifted it from Old Meng's hands, and placed it securely back onto his own shoulder. He then looked at his father and said, "Dad, I’ve found another path for Beast Masters, and Huang Feng is the best proof of that."

Old Meng looked at Meng Fan, his emotions surging. "Good... that's wonderful, Xiao Fan! You really did it!" Tears of joy welled up in the corners of his eyes, and he wiped them away with his hand.

"Dad, if you want to learn it, I have the complete notes..." Meng Fan began to offer his insights and techniques, but Old Meng cut him off.

Old Meng shook his head and said earnestly, "Xiao Fan, tall trees catch the wind. While you shouldn't harbor ill intent toward others, you must always be on guard. With me being a Beast Master, the higher-ups already pay enough attention to our lineage. If you expose yourself now, I fear you will be... ah!"

"They say that if you aren't envied, you're mediocre. You should understand what I mean—some people would rather destroy what they cannot possess than leave it be. In short, now is not the time for you to reveal yourself. As your father, I’ll stand as the target and shield you for now."

"I’m already a big enough target as it is. If I were to master the methods you’ve developed, the danger to me would only increase. The outcome would be self-evident."

Old Meng had a clear grasp of the situation he faced, which was the very reason he refused his son. To the "Who's Who" organization, he could only be tolerated as a temporary employee as long as he had weaknesses and attachments. His mastery over beasts was his strength; by comparison, his lack of combat technique was a visible weakness. Just as Meng Fan had said, if you are too strong, others will grow wary, suppress you, alienate you, or guard against you. This was the silent understanding between Old Meng and the upper echelons of the organization.

Meng Fan nodded at these words, though what he truly thought was a different matter. He couldn't just cower behind his father while he faced the storms. Hiding and skulking was not his nature. For the sake of his future, perhaps it was time to play a risky move.

***

Company Secret Bunker.

Unable to resolve the physical condition of the Gu-Body Saint Child, Liao Zhong had to shift his focus. Especially after the Gu child showed a different reaction upon meeting Chen Junyan, Liao Zhong felt he had stumbled upon a breakthrough.

A subordinate explained, "The people of the Medicine Immortal Society trained the Gu child to ignore even her basic biological instincts to obtain the Gu. She is merely interpreting the world around her, and the basic element of that interpretation is distinguishing between her own kind and others."

Liao Zhong said impatiently, "Spare me the professional jargon. What is your conclusion?"

"In her worldview, there are only two categories: herself, and the dozens of children who were trained just like her."

Liao Zhong mused, "You mean when she saw Chen Junyan, she thought she had found one of her own? No wonder!"

"Not exactly. If you compare Chen Junyan and the Gu child, they are similar in age and appearance, but Chen Junyan’s spirit, temperament, movements, and vibrant vitality are things the Gu child has never seen and cannot comprehend. In her worldview, he is a brand-new third type of existence. Boss, if you permit it, I have an idea, but the subsequent plan would require approval from the Board of Directors..."

***

One day, while Meng Fan was accompanying Old Meng to the market—with a crowd of cats and dogs trailing behind him as he bargained with the vendors—Old Meng’s phone suddenly rang.

"Hello, Brother Liao? I'm at the market... It’s really not convenient to talk in detail!"

"Alright, send me a text, and I'll get back to you in a bit."

After reading the message, Old Meng couldn't help but glance at Meng Fan, who was haggling over a few cents for vegetables with an elderly woman.

Back home, Old Meng carefully closed the door, and the father and son sat down to discuss the matter in private. Old Meng told him about the Gu-Body Saint Child and asked if he was willing to participate in Liao Zhong’s plan.

Meng Fan stroked his chin, feigning hesitation for a moment, then asked, "Will there be danger?"

"There shouldn't be. Brother Liao has always been reliable; I can vouch for that."

Meng Fan shrugged and said, "Then what’s there to talk about? Let’s just go. Uncle Liao has such a good relationship with our family, we have to help him out, right?"

Old Meng squinted his eyes and smiled kindly before heading off to reply to Liao Zhong, leaving Meng Fan alone in the room to think.

Interesting. He had been wondering how to approach Chen Duo, and now the path had opened up on its own. Meng Fan already had a plan for his future, and the focal point of that plan was Chen Duo. In other words, Meng Fan needed to leverage her future identity to complete his own transformation—this would be the start of his grand design.

With the bloodline of the Li Tang dynasty in his veins, he was not the type to settle for peace. He certainly wouldn't give up on the *Painted Assassin* world either. What belonged to him, no one could take away! If Li Xingyun was a hopeless case, he would do it himself!

The first step in this *Under One Person* world was to jump onto the chessboard, enter the game himself, and become a piece. A smile curled on Meng Fan’s lips as he looked at the Manggu Zhuha toad in his hand, which granted longevity.

"I’ll use you to build this connection!"

***

Three days later, accompanied by Old Meng, Meng Fan traveled to the South China region, where Liao Zhong had specially prepared a site for the plan.

"Boss, I never expected the Board to approve your plan!"

Liao Zhong stepped off the helicopter, pulling down the brim of his hat. "It wasn't easy. I argued with them for a long time, but they finally supported me!"

"Is everything ready?"

"Don't worry, Boss. The participants are all top-tier, and their families have been informed of the necessary information and risks. Our best people are stationed around the perimeter. No problems!"

The Gu-Body Saint Child descended from the helicopter, wearing ear muffs and a blindfold. The moment she took them off, all she saw were dozens of children of her own age, representing various sects and clans from the world of the supernatural.

They were full of vitality and energy—so very different from her.