| PN | Kill | 116
Qi Chao originally thought that the kids at home would go out to meet their friends within a day or two.
However, in reality, they stayed home every day, diligently studying. Every time Qi Chao went upstairs, he saw the children with their heads down, fully focused.
"Aren't you planning to go out in the next few days?"
When Qi Chao asked, Li Bai happened to come across a word he didn't recognize. He was racking his brain, flipping through a dictionary, trying to figure out its pronunciation.
Upon hearing his dad's question, he immediately put down the dictionary, revealing two little tiger teeth as he cheerfully responded, "No, we're not going out."
In the next few days, they weren't planning to meet with Cheng Qi and Xiao Que. The study progress of the two puppets wouldn't be significantly affected even if they didn't go.
The most urgent task at hand was to finish their own assignments, because over the past few days, their dad had been spending a lot of time playing with them.
Even the most diligent among them, Xiang Yue, had piled up a lot of unfinished work.
All the puppets thoroughly enjoyed spending time with their dad. To them, there was nothing more important than Qi Chao.
As a result, they didn't even tell Qi Chao that they were catching up on their progress, but instead, worked extra hard on their studies while their father was busy with work.
When Qi Chao heard Li Bai's response, he simply assumed that they didn't want to go out. After pausing for a moment, he smiled and said, "Alright, then keep studying at home. Dad's going out for a bit, I will be back later."
"Going out?"
Lan Luo had always kept in mind that Moss had warned him someone might try to harm their dad. Upon hearing that Qi Chao was about to go out, he instinctively asked, "Dad, can I go with you?"
"Not studying anymore?"
Qi Chao looked down at Lan Luo, not directly refusing, but instead asking with a smile.
"Yes, Lan Luo wants to go out with Dad."
Lan Luo tugged on the corner of Qi Chao's clothes, his face lighting up with a smile as radiant as an angel’s, making it hard for anyone to refuse his request.
He was worried that his father might be harmed by the association when out of his sight.
Qi Chao’s dark brown eyes held a faint smile as he gently ruffled Lan Luo's hair. "Okay."
With that, Qi Chao turned to the other four puppets in the house and asked, "Do you all want to come with me as well?"
No puppet would refuse a chance to be with their father.
Xiang Yue and the others immediately nodded.
Originally, Qi Chao was heading out to the mother stone mine to look for a suitable mother stone. Since the children all wanted to come along, Qi Chao was more than happy to spend time bonding with them.
Before leaving, as he always did, Qi Chao took out his light-brain and informed Shen Yuxi of his whereabouts.
The light-brain vibrated briefly. After seeing the message on the screen that reminded him to "be careful on the road," Qi Chao smiled.
He put the device back in his pocket and piloted the aircraft, taking the children to the mine.
"Young Master Qi, you're here."
The agent in charge of the mine had received news of Qi Chao's visit and was waiting at the entrance.
Upon seeing Qi Chao step down from the aircraft, he hurried forward to greet him.
Noticing the several puppets following behind Qi Chao, the agent couldn’t help but glance at them a few more times.
The boss really has this many puppets, the agent thought to himself in amazement.
The livestream from back then had made quite a stir, and it was almost impossible for anyone in the industry not to know about it. Even colleagues who hadn't been in touch for a while reached out to him, subtly probing for the secret behind how his boss could create so many S-class puppets.
How would he know?
Other than reporting the mine’s monthly revenue at the end of each month, he barely ever saw the young, wealthy heir of the family business.
How could he possibly know such crucial information?
However, thanks to that livestream, quite a few puppet masters began to believe that the reason the boss could produce so many S-class puppets must have been due to the high quality of the mother stones in the mine.
Orders for the mine’s mother stones surged, and even after the prices went up, sales remained strong.
The agent's bonus had increased significantly, far surpassing that of his peers. Thinking of the extra credits in his pocket, his smile deepened.
"Young Master Qi, are you here to pick a mother stone this time?"
The boss rarely visited the mine, and the few times he did, it was usually to select a mother stone.
Qi Chao glanced at the agent and smiled politely. "Yes, that's right. You've done well. You can go back to work now; no need to keep an eye on us. If I need anything, I'll call for you."
He preferred not to have outsiders around, as it made the children at home nervous.
"Understood."
The agent had a very positive impression of Qi Chao, who never displayed the typical arrogance of someone from a wealthy family.
Upon hearing Qi Chao’s words, he nodded and turned to leave. As he did, he noticed Qi Chao gently ruffling the heads of each puppet, his smile warm and his eyes filled with a tender, parental affection.
The thought suddenly struck the agent: The boss really loves puppets.
He had seen many upper-class individuals purchase puppets just to follow trends, but never had he encountered someone like Qi Chao, who treated his puppets with such genuine care and kindness.
Qi Chao had no idea what the agent was thinking. After leading the children into the mine, he focused on finding a suitable mother stone. Based on the puppet's body proportions, the heart for the fifth puppet should be about half the size of a regular mother stone.
"You all started out like this too," Qi Chao said in a warm, low voice as he casually picked up a mother stone. "You all gradually shed the dull, gray color, and finally transform into a brilliant red crystal."
Apart from Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian, the other puppets had all witnessed how Qi Chao had awakened mother stones in the basement.
Upon hearing his words, their eyes instinctively shifted toward the mother stone, each gazing at it with a certain intensity.
Lan Luo pressed his lips together.
He had personally seen Li Bai’s entire creation—from a concept drawing to a fully formed body and finally awakening. He had also seen the long hours Qi Chao spent tirelessly creating the puppets, working day and night.
As he noticed the soft smile in Qi Chao’s eyes, Lan Luo clenched his lips and fidgeted with the pocket of his pants. He silently vowed to himself that he would protect Qi Chao no matter what.
When Qi Chao crouched down to search for more mother stones, Lan Luo and the others stayed close by, helping him look.
Although small-sized mother stones were rare, they weren’t impossible to find—especially in a mine filled with mother stones.
After two to three hours of searching, Qi Chao finally found the heart for the fifth puppet buried in a pile of debris.
This pile of rubble was, in fact, discarded waste rock.
The pile of waste rocks had been cleared out by robots the previous day, and was scheduled to be collected the next day.
If Qi Chao hadn't found this particular mother stone, its fate would likely have been the same as the waste rock—ground into powder and used as a foundation on a construction site.
Gently running his hand over the small mother stone, Qi Chao carefully placed it in his pocket and smiled at the children. "Let's go."
The hands of the puppets were a bit dirty, evidence of how seriously they had been helping their father search for the stone.
Qi Chao noticed their grimy hands and couldn’t help but chuckle softly. He ruffled each of their heads in turn. "I'm really happy you all helped me."
In truth, the puppets hadn't been much help, and it was Qi Chao who had found the mother stone himself. However, upon hearing his words, all five puppets beamed with joyful smiles.
As Qiao Sheng walked into the mine from outside, he was greeted by this heartwarming scene. His lips twitched slightly, and a trace of sarcasm flickered in his eyes.
What a beautiful picture, he thought.
But how long would this peaceful scene last? That remained uncertain.
This was the seventh day since Lu Chen had gone missing, and also the seventh day since Qiao Sheng and Shen Yuxi had parted ways.
Qiao Sheng had always believed that he and Shen Yuxi shared a mutual, unspoken understanding: he wouldn’t expose Shen Yuxi to the association, and likewise, Shen Yuxi wouldn’t harm Lu Chen.
However, the situation frustrated Qiao Sheng deeply. There were moments when he considered going to the association and reporting Shen Yuxi, bringing his daughter with him.
But he knew that doing so could lead to Lu Chen’s death.
He could refrain from betraying Shen Yuxi, but he certainly wouldn’t let Shen Yuxi get what he wanted.
Looking at Qi Chao, who was gently interacting with the children in the mine, Qiao Sheng smiled. The association had its uses—especially when it came to tracking people, a task they executed flawlessly.
"Long time no see," Qiao Sheng called out.
Qi Chao turned his head at the sound of Qiao Sheng’s voice. It had been nearly half a year since they last met. Qiao Sheng was still in a wheelchair, but he looked different from the lazy, passive person he used to be.
Although he still had a languid air about him, there was now a fierce, almost violent energy in his expression.
"Long time no see," Qi Chao responded politely, stepping forward as if to engage in conversation.
At the same time, he subtly positioned himself to shield the puppets behind him, keeping them out of harm’s way.
Qiao Sheng raised an eyebrow at this. He signaled to the beast-girl Chao Yang behind him with a glance. Chao Yang's tail swayed in the air before she pushed her father’s wheelchair closer to Qi Chao.
"Has my junior brother been in contact with you lately?" Qiao Sheng's hair was disheveled, and with his unkempt appearance and lab coat, he looked like a professor consumed by his research. "I upset him recently, and he hasn’t spoken to me since."
As he said this, he sighed, appearing genuinely troubled.
Qi Chao recalled that Qiao Sheng had once claimed to share the same teacher as "Brother Shen."
Hearing this, Qi Chao remained silent. He knew Brother Shen had a kind and gentle nature, so for someone to make Shen Yuxi upset enough to ignore them meant they must have crossed a serious line.
"Is that so?" Qi Chao smiled politely. "In that case, you should reflect on your mistakes. Brother Shen is very forgiving—if you apologize sincerely, he’ll surely forgive you."
Qiao Sheng was momentarily taken aback by Qi Chao's response. Normally, someone would have asked what happened, not jumped to the conclusion that he was in the wrong.
Despite how much Qi Chao seemed to idolize Shen Yuxi, wasn't there a limit to his bias?
Qiao Sheng's smile faltered briefly, reinforcing his belief that Qi Chao was hopelessly naive when it came to Shen Yuxi.
"Perhaps I truly did make a mistake," Qiao Sheng replied with a pale, bitter smile. Coupled with his wheelchair, it gave off the impression that he was harboring some unspeakable pain.
The mine fell into a sudden silence.
Qi Chao stood quietly, observing Qiao Sheng, trying to figure out what game he was playing.
Behind Qi Chao, Lan Luo’s expression darkened the moment Qiao Sheng arrived, his eyes gradually filling with hostility.
What is Qiao Sheng planning? Lan Luo wondered.
In his mind, Qiao Sheng wasn’t directly part of the association, but he had close ties to it.
The moment Qiao Sheng appeared and began talking about Qi Chao, an internal alarm went off in Lan Luo. The fact that Qiao Sheng was discussing his father, of all people, made his wariness grow.
Seeing his father fall into a contemplative silence after just a few words from Qiao Sheng, Lan Luo, initially unsure, quickly regained his composure.
A bright smile spread across his face. "Uncle Qiao, you really did make a mistake, so you should reflect on it properly."
He wouldn't allow anyone to disrupt the happiness of his father and Qi Chao.
Qiao Sheng glanced at Lan Luo, letting out a weak cough, but his lips curled into a malicious smile. Sensing that Qiao Sheng was about to say something inappropriate, Lan Luo quickly stepped forward from behind Qi Chao, adopting a tone of concern.
"Uncle Qiao, are you alright? Although you’ve treated Father poorly, he still respects you deeply. How’s your health now?"
Lan Luo, pretending to be worried, hurried over to Qiao Sheng’s side, as if to support him. But as he turned his back to Qi Chao, his eyes flashed with a cold, deadly intent.
The dark mist slipping from beneath his clothes gave off a chilling aura, as if ready to snap Qiao Sheng’s neck at any moment.
Everything happened so quickly.
The moment Chao Yang sensed Lan Luo's killing intent, her nails extended instinctively, swiping toward him. She only wanted to protect her father, but just as she moved, the sinister look on Lan Luo's face vanished, replaced by a radiant smile—one that barely masked the malice beneath.
Damn it, I’ve been tricked, Chao Yang realized too late.
Her extended nails had already slashed across Lan Luo’s face, leaving a long, deep gash on his pale face.
The instant the wound appeared, a sharp pain shot through Lan Luo, leaving his mind blank for a moment. Although he had anticipated some sort of retaliation, he hadn’t expected Chao Yang to strike so viciously.
His smile quickly faded, and he gasped for breath as he crouched down, trembling, looking utterly fragile.
Qi Chao, who had tried to stop Lan Luo the moment he rushed forward, was still a step too late. In the next second, he saw Chao Yang’s sharp claws rake across Lan Luo’s face.
“Lan Luo!” Qi Chao cried out in alarm, his heart seizing.
From his perspective, Lan Luo had only been trying to show concern for Qiao Sheng, but had been attacked by Qiao Sheng’s puppet in return.
A noticeable black crack appeared on Lan Luo’s once angelic face, stretching from his left temple across his nose and spanning most of his face—it was an unsettling sight.
Tears of fear and pain filled Lan Luo’s eyes.
As Qi Chao rushed to his side, he buried his face in his father's embrace, his voice sounded choked as if he were a child seeking comfort after being wronged.
“Dad, it hurts so much.”
The pain was indeed excruciating. Lan Luo pressed his head against Qi Chao’s shoulder, but thinking about how he had managed to stop Qiao Sheng eased the intensity of his discomfort, if only slightly.
Qi Chao's hand rested on Lan Luo’s hair, his deep brown eyes cold as he shifted his gaze from Chao Yang to Qiao Sheng, fury simmering just below the surface.
Li Bai reacted swiftly; after Lan Luo was injured, he immediately ran to his side.
Like Qi Chao, Li Bai had no idea that Lan Luo’s actions were deliberate. Upon seeing the gash on Lan Luo’s face, his golden eyes glowed with a crimson light, clearly enraged.
If Qi Chao hadn’t been present, he might have rushed forward to take revenge for Lan Luo.
Realizing she had disrupted her father's plans, Chao Yang felt a pang of panic. She turned to her father and said, "Dad, I didn’t mean to! I thought he was going to hurt you!"
“Hmm, I understand,” Qiao Sheng said, appearing remarkably calm in the moment.
He looked at Qi Chao apologetically. “I’m sorry; my daughter was only trying to protect me. Lan Luo’s abilities are too strong, and she mistakenly thought I was in danger.”
“You should know he has abilities, right?” Qiao Sheng’s words were laced with a pointed jab.
The matter of Lan Luo’s abilities was something he hadn’t had the chance to inform Qi Chao about, and upon hearing Qiao Sheng’s statement, Lan Luo felt a shiver run down his spine.
“Very interesting,” Qi Chao replied, cradling Lan Luo in his arms as he looked down at Qiao Sheng in his wheelchair. “My child was hurt by yours, and instead of reflecting on your actions, you’re blaming my child’s abilities?”
Qi Chao’s focus was far from the topic of abilities; his mind was solely preoccupied with the fact that his child had been wronged.
“Mr. Qiao, I think we need to have a serious discussion.”
Qi Chao tugged at the corner of his mouth, his voice cold as he spoke, "I hope you don’t plan on leaving anytime soon."
Everyone who knew Qi Chao was aware of his unusually calm and easygoing nature—until someone crossed a line. It had been a long time since he’d felt this kind of anger, the kind that now darkened his expression.
His normally warm brown eyes had turned cold and stormy.
Lan Luo, the sweetest, most obedient child, now bore a jagged scar on his face.
Which parent could possibly tolerate that?
Qi Chao’s thinly pressed lips hinted at the simmering rage just beneath the surface.
Years ago, he had put someone in the hospital for bullying his brother. He had calmed down with age, but at his core, some things hadn’t changed.
This wasn’t going to end easily.
Qiao Sheng remained outwardly calm, but inside, irritation brewed. He could sense how things were spiraling out of control, and his plan wasn’t going as smoothly as he'd hoped.
Originally, he had come here to sow discord between Qi Chao and Shen Yuxi, hoping to create trouble for Shen. However, instead of achieving his goal, he had only succeeded in provoking Qi Chao's wrath.
If he had known it would turn out this way, he would have been better off collaborating directly with the Association to undermine Shen Yuxi.
But now, it was too late for regrets.
Qiao Sheng could only slouch in his wheelchair, clicking his tongue in frustration.
No wonder these puppets are so troublesome; they really are a product of Shen Yuxi's creation, he thought.
Sometimes, he just wants to toss them all into the fire and be done with it.
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