“Bai Siyuan went to the Federal Bureau of Investigation again today.”
Jiang Nuan stood in the middle of the study and got straight to the point.
Bai Suting sat behind the broad desk, reading a document. Only after reaching the final line did he calmly set down his signature.
“Members of the Bai family have a duty to cooperate with investigations.”
He said it so casually, as though Bai Siyuan had merely gone to attend an ordinary meeting rather than take on a problem that could land him in prison at any moment on behalf of the Bai family.
Jiang Nuan curled her fingers into tight fists.
Before coming here, she had already imagined Bai Suting brushing her off—or even having someone escort her back to the side compound.
Yet when she actually stood before him, her whole body still tensed.
Bai Suting did not even raise his head. He was certain Jiang Nuan could not change anything.
“But why is it always him who has to cooperate with the investigation?” Jiang Nuan could not help asking.
They were all his sons. Why was it always Bai Siyuan?
Bai Suting glanced up at her. “The Federation is investigating matters he handled. Naturally, he should be the one to go.”
“Those matters didn’t have to be assigned to him in the first place.”
Jiang Nuan met his gaze without backing down.
“You brought him back to the Bai family not to acknowledge him as your son.
“You simply wanted to give Bai Zhengze an opponent he had to defeat, and give the Bai family another blade that could be used at any time.”
The study fell silent for a moment.
Bai Suting leaned back in his chair, his gaze finally settling fully on her.
“Only those who survive have the right to discuss whether they are a blade.”
He said it in a completely matter-of-fact tone.
As though the exclusion, harassment, and danger Bai Siyuan had endured these past few days were all merely an inevitable test.
If he endured it, he would prove useful.
If he did not, it could only mean that he was unworthy of remaining in the Bai family.
“Aren’t you afraid he’ll die out there?”
“People die in the Bai family every year.”
Bai Suting looked at her.
“Since Siyuan wants something, he should prove that he deserves it.”
“The Bai family has no shortage of people who think they can trade affection for leverage.”
Jiang Nuan took a step forward. “I’m here to discuss a partnership.”
Bai Suting studied her for a moment before tugging at the corner of his mouth, clearly unconvinced.
“What could you possibly have to discuss with the Bai family?”
“A project that can win the Bai family the chairmanship of the Qiming Foundation.” Jiang Nuan looked directly into Bai Suting’s eyes.
The mocking smile on Bai Suting’s lips faded somewhat.
This time, he did not immediately refute her.
Although the Bai family was considered one of the prominent families within the Qiming Foundation, it could not even break into the top five, let alone claim the chairmanship.
Jiang Nuan took two more steps forward and placed both hands on the edge of the desk. “Do you know what kind of medicine ability users need most right now?”
“Ability enhancers?” Bai Suting answered without hesitation. It was the most commonly used drug on the market.
Jiang Nuan shook her head.
“Ability enhancers are too potent. They can indeed increase the strength of an ability in a short period of time, but the user’s body may not be able to withstand it.”
“Especially for those who frequently enter restricted zones. After exposure to anomalous energy, they are already prone to ability instability. Using enhancers on top of that will only make their mutation levels rise faster.”
“Compared with drugs that make their abilities stronger, what they need more is a stabilizer.”
Jiang Nuan watched Bai Suting and saw his eyes growing brighter.
“It would have a mild effect, soothing and restoring abilities that have been overused, while reducing the erosion of the body by anomalous energy caused by depleted abilities.”
“If the Bai family can be the first to develop such a drug, it will become the medicine ability users need most. Enhancers will no longer be the preferred option, and the Bai family’s position within the Qiming Foundation will become unshakable.”
None of this was mere speculation.
Whenever she had her blood drawn at regular intervals in the laboratory, she had overheard the researchers discussing the energy inside her body.
Her purifying power had not yet fully awakened, but she could actively draw on the energy within her and merge it into her blood, giving the blood the ability to stabilize and restore supernatural powers.
Someone had mentioned that if an appropriate research method could be found, her blood might become the starting point for an entirely new pharmaceutical development pathway.
It might even replace the overly potent ability enhancers currently dominating the market.
The disdain had disappeared from Bai Suting’s face. “Since you dared to propose developing this drug, you must already have an idea of how to do it.”
Jiang Nuan knew she had caught his interest.
“Yes. I’d even say success is all but guaranteed.”
The laboratory personnel from the Lighthouse Team had said as much, so it was probably reliable.
She took out a small vial containing a sample of her blood. “This is a sample of my blood. You can have someone analyze its effects first.”
Bai Suting immediately summoned the laboratory staff and had them take the vial away.
It took only a few minutes for him to receive a call from the researchers.
After ending the call, Bai Suting was visibly excited.
For several seconds, Jiang Nuan wondered whether he was already considering locking her up and drawing her blood every day.
But Bai Suting quickly regained his composure. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll hand you over to the laboratory?”
Of course. It would have been strange if he had not considered it.
Jiang Nuan did not panic.
“The results you just obtained were only possible because I actively drew on the supernatural power within my body, which gave my blood its effects.”
“As for what you just suggested, you’re welcome to try.”
“But without my cooperation, no matter how much blood you draw, it will be nothing more than ordinary blood. It cannot serve as the core sample.”
Bai Suting narrowed his eyes.
After a moment, he made his decision. “What do you want? A share of the profits? Cash? Or I could formally adopt you and make you a member of the Bai family.”
Jiang Nuan shook her head. “I don’t want any of those things.”
“My condition is that Bai Siyuan must be placed fully in charge of this project, and that all the credit must be attributed to him.”
“Once the drug goes to market, a certain percentage of the sales from every drug developed from this sample must be deposited into my account.”
“I can provide a sample of my blood only once a month. In addition, I require all information related to me to remain confidential, with the highest level of contractual penalties for any breach.”
Bai Suting narrowed his eyes. “You’re negotiating terms with me?”
Jiang Nuan nodded.
“That’s right. I’m negotiating terms with you.”
“You were right just now. Affection cannot be exchanged for leverage. So now I’m using something that can profit the Bai family to negotiate with you.”
“Bai Siyuan no longer needs to prove his worth by cleaning up other people’s messes. As long as this project succeeds, the benefits he brings to the Bai family will be enough to silence everyone.”
Bai Suting stared at her for a long time.
Jiang Nuan did not look away.
She had never taken part in a negotiation like this before. Her palms were even slick with cold sweat. But she knew perfectly well that if she showed the slightest hesitation now, Bai Suting would immediately seize control of the negotiation.
“Once a month is too infrequent.” Bai Suting tapped his index finger against the desk. “Three times every two months.”
Jiang Nuan shook her head firmly. “Once a month. That is my bottom line.”
Bai Suting thought for a moment. “Once the project begins, it won’t be something you can simply stop whenever you want.”
“Then put the restrictions, along with my conditions, into the project agreement,” Jiang Nuan said.
“You certainly have thought everything through for him.”
“He’s thought things through for me plenty of times, too.”
Bai Suting stared at her, as if he were seeing her for the first time.
After a moment, he took a blank project agreement from the drawer and pushed it toward her.
“Siyuan can be listed as the person in charge of the core project.”
“I can also agree to the restriction of once a month.”
“But if the project makes no progress at all, the Bai family has the right to terminate the partnership.”
Jiang Nuan picked up the pen.
“Agreed.”
Bai Suting watched her fill out the agreement carefully. Then he suddenly said, “You’re more like a member of the Bai family than Siyuan is.”
“I’m nothing like any of you.”
She just… didn’t want her brother to have to work so hard.
Jiang Nuan didn’t look up. After confirming once more that there were no problems with the agreement, she signed her name after the name of the core donor.
The next moment, Jiang Nuan’s eyes flew open.
Qi Sui was standing in front of her, concern in her eyes. “Nuannuan, what’s wrong?”
She lowered her head and stared at the signature on the yellowed document before her. It took a long while before she spoke.
“I just remembered some… things from the past.”
…
So it turned out that the ability stabilizers routinely carried by Unit Zero—and even by the Federation investigation squads—had been developed by the Bai family through a drug pathway based on her blood from all those years ago.
The drug could quickly calm the chaotic powers that followed excessive use of an ability, bringing out-of-control forces back within manageable limits. It also bought the injured precious time to evacuate and receive treatment.
Later, it was sent out with one investigation squad after another, accompanying ability users through the darkness of the restricted zones.
Some relied on it to awaken from the brink of contamination. Others depended on it to hold on until they made it back to base—to the place where the lights were still on and people were still waiting.
