Chapter 41: The Tyrant’s Jealousy
To this day, Tǎlǐ’ěr still felt a suffocating chest pain whenever he recalled his father’s malice-filled words.
He struggled to swallow the bitterness in his heart, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from spilling over.
Suddenly, a small, pale hand with a faint pinkish hue tugged at the hem of his clothes.
Tǎlǐ’ěr turned his head and saw the little cub. He instinctively forced a smile, trying to smooth over his emotions so his expression wouldn’t look so strained.
“Bǐngbǐng, what’s wrong?”
Shěn Lín waved the small shovel in his hand.
Tǎlǐ’ěr looked down and realized the handle of the toy shovel had snapped.
“Wait here, Bǐngbǐng. I’ll go get you a new one.”
Shěn Lín obediently handed him the broken shovel.
The cub hadn’t had his fill of fun during their trip to Hǎiwān Island last weekend. This weekend, he had pestered Shěn Zéjué, expressing his desire to visit the island again.
As soon as Shěn Zéjué heard that the cub wanted to play, he naturally agreed without a second thought. He immediately contacted Tǎlǐ’ěr, and the two of them brought the cub to Hǎiwān Island.
It was another beautiful, sunny day.
The sea remained a brilliant azure, the sand was golden, and the breeze carried a hint of salty brine. Beneath the trees heavy with red tassels, the previously built sandcastles still stood firm.
Shěn Lín knocked them down to start rebuilding.
He had accidentally broken his shovel and was about to get a replacement when he sensed an overwhelming wave of bitterness.
He turned to look. His Third Brother, Shěn Zéjué, was digging sand like a silly husky, radiating pure joy.
Tǎlǐ’ěr, standing next to him, was different.
That bitter, aching emotion was surging directly from Tǎlǐ’ěr.
Shěn Lín stood in place for a moment of thought before waddling over on his short legs. His small face was taut, his tiny brows furrowed, and his voice was soft and milky as he asked, “Someone… bullying you~?”
Strangely enough, Tǎlǐ’ěr seemed to understand the cub’s underlying meaning perfectly. He shook his head. “No. I’m an adult now; no one dares to bully me.”
“Really~?”
Shěn Lín’s little eyes kept peeking at Tǎlǐ’ěr, his gaze lingering on the purple bruises on his neck that hadn’t quite faded yet.
They looked like finger marks.
Tǎlǐ’ěr self-consciously pulled up his high-collared shirt.
He didn’t know what Shěn Zéjué and Bǐngbǐng had discussed with Councilor Shěn after returning last weekend, but the very next day, Councilor Shěn’s personal secretary had invited Tǎlǐ’ěr’s grandfather to a conversation in a discreet private tavern.
With the Shěn family’s protection, his grandfather’s businesses were no longer being suppressed by Tǎlǐ Yào, and a smile had finally returned to the old man’s face.
When he received word that Bǐngbǐng wanted to play at Hǎiwān Island again, Tǎlǐ’ěr had rushed to the Shěn residence to pick them up.
However, shortly after leaving his house, Tǎlǐ Yào had suddenly appeared around a corner.
“Your grandfather is insane! How dare he associate with Shěn Zéxī? Does he not know the Shěn family is currently like a clay Buddha crossing a river, unable to save even themselves? Go back and tell your grandfather that as long as he hands over the Mǎbāng communication tokens, I will stop trying to annex the Hóngsōngshǔ Industry. I’ll even pay extra for your mother’s medical treatment.”
Tǎlǐ Yào continued to bark orders at his second son as usual, completely indifferent to his feelings.
Tǎlǐ’ěr remained silent.
Tǎlǐ Yào had never looked his second son in the eye.
To him, this son was a badge of shame—proof of the time he had to bow and scrape before the Hèlǐ family.
He disliked his second son and wanted to raise him as a failure, or better yet, have him die somewhere far away.
When he learned his second son was in the same class as the Shěn family’s Third Young Master, and he happened to have connected with a Fifth Council Elder, he knew his chance had come.
To gain favor with his superiors, he used his second son as a tool. He constantly compared him to the Shěn family’s Third Young Master, dragging him into the mud.
He had succeeded.
The relationship between his second son and Shěn Zéjué had become like fire and water.
It was just a pity that Shěn Zéjué hadn’t actually killed him.
They said the Shěn family’s Third Young Master was a dangerous-grade Fierce Beast who could destroy a small planet if his bloodline power fully erupted. Why was he so soft-hearted toward an enemy?
Fortunately, his second son still seemed to loathe Shěn Zéjué. He couldn’t even stand to hear the name without exploding.
So, Tǎlǐ Yào took every opportunity to fan the flames, engraving that hatred deep into his son’s memory.
He was very satisfied with his son’s performance.
But he never expected that Shěn Zéjué, who was supposed to be his son’s rival, would actually set aside his grievances to help him. It was illogical!
Tǎlǐ Yào had tossed and turned all night, unable to figure it out.
Thus, he had shown up early in the morning with dark circles under his eyes to find his son.
Seeing his son standing there with his head bowed and silent, a surge of misplaced anger rose in his chest, and he shoved him.
“Speak! Are you a mute?!”
“What do you want me to say?”
Tǎlǐ’ěr finally looked up, staring directly at the man who was his father in name only.
“As long as your grandfather hands over the Mǎbāng tokens, I’ll stop the suppression…”
“And then what?” Tǎlǐ’ěr interrupted.
“What?”
Tǎlǐ Yào was stunned. He hadn’t expected his usually submissive son to talk back.
“I will never let my grandfather compromise with you. Give up on that—”
Before Tǎlǐ’ěr could finish, his throat tightened. He was slammed against a wall with immense force. His head hit the brickwork hard, leaving him dizzy and gasping for air.
“Don’t think you’re safe just because you’ve climbed onto the Shěn family’s lap. Let me tell you, the Shěn family is already walking on thin ice. Letting your grandfather jump into that mess is suicide. Tǎlǐ’ěr, you will be the one who kills your grandfather and your mother!”
Tǎlǐ Yào’s words hit Tǎlǐ’ěr like a heavy sledgehammer.
After Tǎlǐ Yào finished his threats and left, Tǎlǐ’ěr took a long time to steady his breathing and fix his composure before picking up the Shěn brothers.
In his rush, he had forgotten to cover the bruises on his neck.
Unfortunately, the cub had spotted them.
Tǎlǐ’ěr felt a wave of regret.
Shěn Lín shifted his gaze from the bruises to Tǎlǐ’ěr’s face, leaning in closer.
“I can… save you~”
“Mama~”
Buzz—
A loud ringing sound exploded in Tǎlǐ’ěr’s brain.
He instinctively grabbed the cub’s small shoulders, staring at him intensely.
His voice was dry as he asked, “Bǐngbǐng, are you… are you serious?”
Shěn Lín tilted his head. “Want to~?”
“Yes!”
How could he not?
He dreamed of curing his mother. Even though Interstellar medicine could cure almost any cancer, it was powerless against Bloodline Frenzy.
His mother had been living in a medical facility for ten years.
He had seen her suffering with his own eyes.
He had watched her turn into a distorted, agonizing, and frenzied monster.
Tǎlǐ’ěr had witnessed every stage of her madness.
He knew her despair all too well.
During her moments of clarity, she had even begged him to give up on her.
Tǎlǐ’ěr knew her time was running out; the Federal Bloodline Management Bureau had already sent a notification.
If her frenzy worsened again, she would be forcibly sent to the Blood Abyss.
His grandfather had spent vast amounts of Star Coins searching for any healer who could save her.
Bloodline Frenzy was a genetic flaw in Beastmen that no medical scientist in the galaxy had been able to conquer.
Tǎlǐ’ěr’s excitement cooled instantly.
That was right—if the entire galaxy couldn’t solve it, how could Bǐngbǐng?
He was just a cub who still needed to drink milk.
He must have lost his mind to actually believe a cub’s words.
Squeezing the cub’s chubby, cloud-soft arm, Tǎlǐ’ěr’s throat moved. He forced a difficult smile and declined, “Brother appreciates the thought, Bǐngbǐng…”
“You don’t believe~”
Tǎlǐ’ěr opened his mouth to speak.
Shěn Lín held up a chubby finger, the dimples on his knuckles clearly visible.
“Chance~”
“Only~”
“Once, okay~”
The refusal Tǎlǐ’ěr was about to voice died in his throat.
He didn’t believe the cub could cure a disease, but looking into those bright, resolute eyes, he didn’t dare to say no.
A voice in his heart was screaming: Agree! Agree now! Or you’ll regret it!
Tǎlǐ’ěr was lost.
Time seemed to stand still.
It was a long while before his raspy voice sounded.
“I… I want to cure Mama. Bǐngbǐng, I don’t want to be a stray child without a mother!”
Tǎlǐ’ěr pulled the cub into a hug, burying his face in the little one’s chest.
At this moment, he looked like a child who hadn’t grown up, starving for love.
He was like a tiny Red Egret bird thrown into a man-eating forest, erecting its sharp feathers with all its might just to survive.
On a thunderstorm-filled night, drenched and shivering, his body temperature was fading, bringing him to the brink of death.
Suddenly, the rain that hit like hammers stopped.
The little Red Egret looked up and saw a small pink umbrella blocking out the storm.
A little cub with pink hair and black eyes didn’t mind the mud on its body, picking it up and using his own warmth to dry its feathers.
That was a warmth Tǎlǐ’ěr had never felt before.
Just as he was about to sink into that warm embrace, a sharp pain shot through him. He was thrown to the ground by a massive force.
Tǎlǐ’ěr whipped his head around. Beast markings appeared on his cheeks, wine-red feathers sprouted from his skin and eyelashes. He entered a semi-beastified state, ready to attack.
A red-haired boy held the cub tightly in his arms, his eyes—as crimson as the sun—glaring at Tǎlǐ’ěr.
The crushing SSS-grade pressure bore down on him without mercy.
Tǎlǐ’ěr’s face went pale. His knees slammed into the ground, and his spine groaned under the weight.
The veins on his forehead bulged, and the markings on his face were already obscured by layers of feathers…
Crack, crack!
Tǎlǐ’ěr’s limbs twisted into unnatural angles as they were snapped by the pressure.
Pfft!
Tǎlǐ’ěr vomited a mouthful of blood mixed with internal fragments.
“Lì Héng Majesty, stop!”
“Lì Héng, if you don’t stop, you’re going to kill him!”
Shěn Zéjué finally snapped out of it and shouted.
Lì Héng made no move to stop.
Shěn Zéjué grit his teeth and sprinted across the sand. Silver markings appeared near his eyes, and a pair of white ears sprouted from his head as his hands turned into wolf claws. He blurred into a silver shadow, grabbing the unconscious Tǎlǐ’ěr and fleeing the area.
Boom!
The sand collapsed. Web-like cracks radiated outward in all directions.
In the blink of an eye, a massive sinkhole appeared.
A fountain of water sprayed upward. The surrounding sand continued to cave in until the cracks reached the sea.
The previously calm ocean surged, and waves poured into the abyss.
At this moment.
The ocean looked as if it had been sliced by an invisible blade, revealing the shells, plankton, and jellied creatures on the seabed.
The rift didn’t stop, extending further into the deep.
A moan rumbled from the earth, and the ground shook violently.
“Not good! The island is sinking! Run!”
Panic erupted across the island.
One by one, starships took to the skies.
Hǎiwān Island was sinking.
Even the floating buildings weren’t spared; they all plummeted into the depths.
The SSS-grade pressure was too strong. Many Beastmen were forced into their beast forms, so most of those escaping were animals; very few remained in human form.
Animals that couldn’t fly struggled pathetically in the rising waters.
The surface of the sea was dotted with animals bobbing in the waves.
“Save them!”
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