Plan B

Outside the Gu family mansion, the sky over Rain City was shrouded in pitch-black clouds. A cold wind blew gently as three men and one woman strode toward the mansion, their gazes filled with arrogance and disdain.

As they walked, a young man spoke in a dissatisfied tone. "Uncle, are we really giving ten trillion credits to these low-class people from a lower-tier city just to get that worthless servant girl back?"

The middle-aged man leading the group chuckled lightly before replying. "Of course not… They won't get a single credit from us, even if we have to deal with Guang Yue."

His words made the others laugh with satisfaction. They didn't care who overheard them.

Upon reaching the mansion gates, they encountered a guard on patrol. The guard turned to them and asked in a calm voice, "Do you have business at the city lord's mansion?"

The youngest man in the group furrowed his brows in displeasure before speaking. "Can't you see who I am? I am—"

Boom!

A loud impact echoed as the middle-aged man leading the group smacked his nephew on the head with full force. "Apologies. My nephew lacks social etiquette."

The young man, now clutching his head, his face red with pain, muttered, "That hurt, Uncle… Why do we have to be polite to these low-class—"

Boom!

Another impact, but this time, it wasn't from his uncle's palm. Instead, an unseen force struck the young man violently, sending him flying across the courtyard.

"Oops, my bad. Food poisoning."

A deep voice rang out as Gu Long stepped out from the shadows. His icy gaze made the middle-aged man and his companions freeze in place.

"What is the meaning of this?" the middle-aged man asked in confusion, but before he could react—

Shlick!

A sharp sound sliced through the air, followed by the splatter of liquid. The middle-aged man turned his head, looking at his nephew, who had been struck earlier. Now, he lay motionless, lifeless. And when he turned to check on the other two companions—

Their heads rolled onto the ground.

Blood pooled across the pavement. The middle-aged man immediately realized the danger he was in. His body trembled, and he hastily tried to summon his beast.

But before he could act… Gu Long was already upon him.

Tap!

A light flick of a finger landed on the man's forehead… and his body collapsed, lifeless, in an instant.

At that moment, a shadow emerged from the void. Gu Mo stepped forward, followed closely by Guang Yue, who walked in with an air of calm.

"Guards, take a break," Gu Mo ordered.

The guards, who had witnessed the scene, showed no signs of shock. Without hesitation, they obeyed the former city lord's command and left the area immediately.

Guang Yue approached the corpses of the four individuals, her voice carrying a playful lilt. "Little Deer."

A brilliant white light illuminated the area.

A massive white deer with luminous antlers, appearing as if sculpted from pure light, materialized in midair. It released a glowing white energy that enveloped the lifeless bodies.

In mere moments, the torn bodies were restored to their original state. Though the restoration did not bring them back to life, it left them without any visible wounds, making it appear as if nothing had happened.

Gu Mo smirked before speaking. "Obsidian Demon Crow."

A small crow let out a sharp cry before perching on Gu Mo's shoulder. Suddenly, its body split into four dark silhouettes, each darting toward the mouths of the four corpses.

In the blink of an eye…

Their bodies moved once more.

They opened their eyes and stood as if they were still alive, yet their gazes were empty, devoid of any soul or consciousness.

"Perfect," Gu Mo said calmly before using his power to store their bodies into the void.

"All done?" Guang Yue asked with a faint smile.

"Yes," Gu Mo replied briefly. The three of them exchanged nods before going their separate ways.

Except for Gu Mo, who headed straight to see Gu Tian…

Inside Gu Tian's Secret Laboratory

The expansive laboratory was dimly lit, illuminated only by the glow of floating holographic screens. The reflection of a young man could be seen as he diligently recorded notes. The scratching sound of a pen against paper echoed through the silent chamber, as if he were completely absorbed in his thoughts.

Gu Mo entered soundlessly, his sharp gaze observing his grandson, who was writing furiously. Without hesitation, he spoke.

"I have taken control of the four Meng family members. What do you want me to do next?"

The sound of Gu Mo's voice made Gu Tian pause. Slowly, he put down his pen and walked toward a corner of the room, retrieving a ring from a secure storage case. Inside the ring were valuable beast resources of diamond rank that Gu Long had gathered earlier.

"At exactly 3:00 PM, we will send those four to sell these items at the Star Commerce Guild. I will have my special personnel from the main branch buy everything at an absurdly inflated price. After that, they will be ambushed and killed by 'Sunlit Dawn,' or at least, that's the cover story. My men will pose as their members. Once they're eliminated, we will fabricate reports and exaggerate the stolen amount significantly."

Gu Tian spoke in a measured tone, his voice devoid of emotion.

"I'll handle the finer details myself. You just need to escort them to the Star Commerce Guild. When you arrive, show this ring to the staff, and they will take you directly to my contact."

Gu Mo nodded in understanding and turned to leave. But just before he stepped past the door, Gu Tian's voice called out once more.

"Have you chosen the last two beasts for your contract yet?"

Gu Mo paused for a brief moment. Since reaching the Epic rank, he had gained the ability to form two more beast contracts. He had considered it for a while before finally answering.

"I'm certain I want a demonic beast. The Ashura Dragon is my first choice. But for the other… I haven't decided yet."

Gu Tian's lips curled slightly. "I have a list of demonic beasts with the potential to reach peak Emperor rank. Would you like to take a look?"

Gu Mo turned back to his grandson, intrigued. "Is your ability only to see a beast's details, or is it something more?"

Gu Tian smiled. "That's right. Something like that. But I can also see their evolution paths."

Silence filled the room. Then, without warning, Gu Mo burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! I had a feeling you could see evolution paths, but hearing it straight from you still fills me with joy! Hahaha!"

His laughter echoed through the laboratory, filled with pure satisfaction.

Gu Tian remained composed before offering, "Would you like me to analyze your current beasts as well?"

Gu Mo hesitated before speaking. "Are you busy right now? You can check for me later. You still have to prepare for your university entrance exam, don't you?"

Gu Tian let out a quiet chuckle. Without a word, he touched the ring on his middle finger.

Gu Mo's pupils contracted in shock.

"Power level… Bronze Low Rank? Since when…!?" Then, after a brief moment of stunned silence, he laughed again, this time even louder.

"Hahaha! Absolutely incredible! Who in this world could possibly compare to my grandson?"