In the dead of night, an old man draped in a scarlet robe and a beautiful boy in similar attire floated in mid-air beneath the Jiayuan District. Strangely, despite the sweltering summer heat, many people passed underneath without noticing anything unusual.

"Cai Peishen, is this the place where you found the ideal stand-in?" the old man asked, not looking at the boy beside him but rather speaking to his own body.

As soon as he spoke, a stream of blood flowed from his sleeve, snaking up to whisper softly in the old man's ear, "Yes, Father." If Du Guangyuan were present, he would surely recognize this voice as that of Little Vlad who lost to him in battle.

"Tsk tsk tsk, brother, have you twisted your mind after being betrayed? If you want to resurrect by possessing a body, never mind this world, in our homeland there are people lining up for you to choose from. Why choose a young girl? Am I to gain another sister now?" The beautiful boy beside the old man chuckled lightly.

"It has to be her—it only makes sense with her! Besides, I have my own plans!" Little Vlad Cepesh growled, then leaned closer to his father's ear, complaining, "Father, why didn't you tell me before I came that the lowly Blood Servant carries our family's bloodline! Otherwise, I wouldn't have been so careless and fallen for his trick."

"What's the use of saying this now? He was merely a wild experiment I left behind. Your current state is ultimately the result of your arrogance. Rest assured, I will find him for you and give you a chance to prove yourself. Since you've already chosen your target, act quickly; we have many things to accomplish next."

"Yes, Father!"

A month after the battle for the source at the Divine Desire Base, many events unfolded. Domestically, the remnants of Divine Desire were largely purged, with bases and secret nodes uprooted one by one. Known key figures were either captured or on the run. The rebuilt Secret Prison became overcrowded for a time. The Equipment Department engaged in close cooperation with an alternate dimension and conducted comprehensive research on an artifact in the warehouse capable of stripping and transferring superpowers, achieving significant breakthroughs. A new headquarters for the Investigation Hall was erected in the western mountains of the country; larger and better-equipped than before, it no longer needed to hide behind a company name due to the maze's role, allowing it to openly undertake its duties.

Pei Jin completed resignation procedures and officially joined the Investigation Hall, starting with a department head's salary. However, this mattered little to her as she devoted her energy to tending to the comatose Pei Yan. Over a month, Pei Yan's wounds mostly healed, but his consciousness remained unreachable despite the efforts of the Investigation Hall's best psychics. He lay in bed like a vegetative state.

During this time, the Investigation Hall also maintained strict control over Pei Yan, making his room into a sealed zone. Various seals from three dimensions filled nearly the entire room. In case of abnormal awakening, they could immediately activate and contain him.

Amidst this chaos, the gruesome family massacre and missing girl case at Jiayuan District seemed less significant. Nevertheless, the bloody incident stirred quite a commotion, drawing the attention of Gu Shenghui and Mei Simiao. The disappearance of the Superpower Girl, with her memory erased and sent home, certainly wasn't an isolated incident. Initially, they suspected it to be an abduction by remaining Divine Desire forces, but deeper investigation showed that Divine Desire was thoroughly eradicated in the area, suggesting little connection. The investigation stalled and had to be shelved temporarily.

On another sunny day, Pei Jin pushed Pei Yan in his wheelchair to the window for some sun as she trimmed his growing hair, recounting childhood antics and how desperately their parents missed him, urging him to wake up soon.

As she muttered to herself, Pei Yan's finger twitched, bringing joy to Pei Jin, who was preparing to cut his nails. She knelt beside him, clutching the wheelchair, and repeatedly called his name.

Perhaps her calls and prayers finally worked, as Pei Yan's finger moved again, and his eyelid twitched, causing tears to stream down Pei Jin's face after steadfastly guarding him for over a month.

Half a month later, Pei Yan was in bed, sipping porridge fed by his sister, struggling to swallow. During the month and a half, he felt like he was in a long dream, hearing the surrounding conversations yet unable to respond. It felt like a moment because after making a deal with Lin Junzhao, he seemed to find himself in the hospital room as soon as he opened his eyes.

This sense of time and space dislocation left Pei Yan disoriented for a long while, only recently improving. Yet new issues arose; long bedridden and previously severely injured, he lost control over his body. He depended on Pei Jin for his daily needs, a struggle for him despite his sister being his caregiver.

Wiping porridge from his mouth, Pei Jin smiled and set aside the bowl and chopsticks, then turned coldly towards Gu Shenghui, Elder Lin, and others who crowded the room. Since Pei Yan had awakened, they checked numerous times daily, insisting on verifying that his consciousness was truly his. They longed to learn what happened on that fateful day from Pei Yan.

After brief pleasantries, ignoring Pei Jin's glare, Gu Shenghui sat boldly by Pei Yan's bed and asked with a smile, "Pei Yan, how are you feeling today? Any better?"

Pei Yan nodded, struggling to sit up. With only one arm, his effort resulted in weakness, almost causing him to fall back. Alarmed, Gu Shenghui quickly said, "No need to get up; you can lie down!"

However, the stubborn Pei Yan refused to give up. After declining his sister's help, he strained to sit up, eventually leaning against the bed, exhausted and sweating, and glanced at Gu Shenghui, panting, "Let's say I'm grateful for your ongoing concern. We both know why you're here—let's be direct!"

He turned his head, whispering, "Got a smoke? I'm dying here!"

Gu Shenghui glanced at Pei Jin, who was on the verge of exploding, shook his head helplessly, and spread his hands to show he had none. Knowing nothing would come of it, Pei Yan sighed deeply, leaned back, and said mournfully, "Ask whatever you want."

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