Su Chenzhu's words struck like a thunderbolt, leaving the Chen family speechless for a long moment.
As people of status, they never expected Su Chenzhu to speak so bluntly—his words practically declared to everyone present that no matter how unreasonable Chao Musheng acted, he would stand firmly by his side.
Chen You couldn’t understand it. Even if Chao Musheng was a once-in-a-century genius, there was no need for Su Chenzhu to go this far. Something about the situation felt off to him.
Glancing at his grandfather’s grim expression, Chen You didn’t dare speak.
If Chao Musheng wanted to go up, let him. If he wanted to burn incense in the middle of the night, so be it. Why would his grandfather risk offending Su Chenzhu over such trivial matters?
"President Su, it’s not that I’m deliberately making things difficult, but Mr. Chao’s request…"
"Old Master Chen, if you’re so reluctant, is there something in there you don’t want us to see?" Chao Musheng tugged at Su Chenzhu’s sleeve, whining, "When we arrived, you said we could explore freely. Now suddenly, we can’t go here or climb there."
The sleeve wrinkled under his grip, yet neither the one pulling nor the one being pulled seemed to mind.
"Mr. Chao." Chen Yue suddenly spoke up. Her gaze swept over Old Master Chen and Chen You before settling on the wooden tower. "You and President Su are the most honored guests of the Chen estate. You may go wherever you wish."
Chen You was stunned. He never expected his sister, who usually cared only about dresses and handbags, to speak up now. He stared at her in confusion, unsure of her intentions.
Ignoring his look, Chen Yue snatched the keys from the butler’s hands.
Under Su Chenzhu’s watchful eye, the butler didn’t dare take them back, instead looking to Old Master Chen for guidance.
"Chen Yue." Old Master Chen fixed his suddenly rebellious granddaughter with a cold stare. "The elders have not finished speaking. This is not your place to interfere."
"Grandfather." Chen Yue clung to his arm, smiling sweetly. "I know you’re worried about Mr. Chao’s safety. Don’t worry—I’ll take good care of him."
Without waiting for a response, she dashed toward the wooden tower’s entrance.
Old Master Chen’s face darkened. "Xiao You, stop your sister!"
"Big Brother, Aunt’s memorial tablet is also in that tower. Don’t you want to offer her incense?" Chen Yue’s innocent smile twisted into something more complicated as Chen You blocked her path. She turned back to Old Master Chen, whose composure had finally cracked. "Right, Grandfather?"
His mother’s memorial tablet?
Chen You turned back in confusion. Since childhood, his grandfather had told him the wooden tower housed the tablets of his great-grandmother and grandmother. But because his birth chart was weak, he was forbidden from going near it.
Neither his grandfather nor his father had ever mentioned his mother’s tablet being there.
His memories of her were faint, but he remembered her gentle voice—how she would hold him while playing games, how she would cup his face and call him the best child in the world whenever he brought home a gold star from kindergarten.
But one morning, she simply never woke up. She was gone.
Even now, he didn’t understand. Just a day before, she had played with him and promised to share dinosaur-shaped bread if he got up for school without fuss. Then, overnight, she was gone—claimed by a sudden, fatal illness.
Gradually, the traces of her in the house vanished, and he grew accustomed to life without her.
Old Master Chen’s expression was unreadable as he met Chen You’s questioning gaze. "Xiao You, you are the heir of the Chen family. Do not disappoint me."
Chen You didn’t know what to say. His lips parted, his hand hovering stiffly—neither pulling Chen Yue back nor withdrawing completely.
Creak—
The rarely opened wooden door slowly gave way under Chen Yue’s push.
"Chen Yue!" Old Master Chen’s eyes turned icy, his gaze no longer that of a grandfather but of a man facing an obstacle.
Chen You, who had grown up under his grandfather’s watch, recognized that look instantly. There was something in that tower that couldn’t be exposed.
He stood frozen, staring into the dark maw of the doorway, his mind conjuring an image of his mother lying pale and motionless on her deathbed.
Snap—
A powerful beam of light flooded the tower as a bodyguard switched on a high-intensity lamp.
"Go ahead." Su Chenzhu reached out, smoothing down the stubborn tuft of hair on Chao Musheng’s head. "I’ll wait right here. Don’t worry."
"Thank you, President Su." Chao Musheng released Su Chenzhu’s sleeve, his earlier arrogance fading as he strode into the tower.
"Stop—"
"Master Chen." Su Chenzhu lowered his gaze, his voice cool. "It’s rare for Chao Chao to take an interest in something. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interfere."
Old Master Chen’s eyes sharpened. "President Su, are you truly willing to oppose the Chen family over an assistant’s unreasonable demands?"
Su Chenzhu chuckled softly. He removed his glasses, looking down at Old Master Chen without another word.
Despite the summer heat, Old Master Chen felt an unnatural chill seep into his limbs, as if he’d been plunged into an icy abyss.
Hah… hah…
Only when Su Chenzhu turned away did he stagger back, gripping his cane as he gasped for breath.
"Cough—so much dust." Chao Musheng waved a hand in front of his face. "The Chen family’s ancestors must feel neglected. No one even bothers to clean this place."
The first floor held nothing unusual—just a few screens and calligraphy scrolls. After a quick glance, Chao Musheng headed upstairs.
Chen Yue shot a look at Chen You, who had followed them inside. Gone was her usual sycophantic demeanor.
The second floor had two rooms: an ordinary-looking bedroom and another housing the memorial tablets.
Three tablets stood in perfect alignment on an altar carved with sigils. Chao Musheng searched the room but found no cushions, incense burners, or even offerings.
Chen You’s eyes locked onto the tablet on the far right. With a strangled cry, he lunged forward, clawing at the iron chains wrapped around it, desperate to break them free.
But the chains held fast. Even as his hands bled, the tablet remained unmoved.
"Stop." Chen Yue, though no fan of her cousin’s usual pretenses, couldn’t hide her pity. "That tablet is cast in black iron. The chains are welded to it."
"Who did this to her?!" Chen You roared.
Chen Yue said nothing. Who else in the Chen estate had the authority to do such a thing but their grandfather?
Upstairs, Little He tensed at the enraged shouts below. Unsure if it was an ally or another Chen family member, he glanced at the unconscious Chen Fang on the bed before slipping underneath it.
In the darkness beneath the bed, he found himself face-to-face with You Jiu.
"…"
The door creaked open. Both men turned toward the sound, their view limited to the intruder’s feet.
"Second Brother!"
A woman in flat-heeled shoes rushed toward the bed—as if she already knew someone was there.
Chen You had yet to recover from the shock of the ancestral tablet incident. Now, seeing Chen Fang lying on that strange bed surrounded by eerie symbols, he stared blankly around the room. "Why is he here?"
The room carried a peculiar scent—something between blood and incense.
"It’s agarwood," Chao Musheng said, glancing at the oddly shaped incense burner in the corner. Inside, a half-burned stick of incense had already extinguished, leaving a layer of ash on the burner’s lid.
Noticing the puzzled looks from the bodyguards, Chao Musheng explained, "Many practitioners believe this incense can connect humans to the divine, facilitating communication with spirits. My father studied religious literature and once brought some home for research."
Of course, no spirits ever communicated with his father.
"Mr. Chao," Chen Yue said, struggling to pull Chen Fang up from the bed. "Please help me take Second Brother to the hospital."
"I thought you wouldn’t care about him," Chao Musheng remarked, watching Chen Fang remain unconscious despite the rough handling. He motioned for the bodyguards to help carry him.
"He may be impulsive and sharp-tongued, but when others mocked me for not having a father as a child, Second Brother chased them halfway across town." Chen Yue wiped sweat from her face, only smearing more dirt across it. "Without your help, I can’t get him out of Chen Manor."
"Chen Yue, what do you mean by that?" Chen You snapped his head up to glare at her.
"What do I mean?" Chen Yue sneered. "Second Brother was chosen by Grandfather as the sacrificial offering."
"Sacrificial offering?" Chen You’s eyes flickered uneasily.
"You know Grandfather used to set up altars in Chen Manor," Chen Yue scoffed. "This time, the chosen offerings were you and Second Brother. You were deemed more useful, so he became the final sacrifice."
Now that the truth was out, Chen Yue dropped all pretense. "Next time, the offering might be you."
"Impossible. I’m Grandfather’s eldest grandson," Chen You reflexively argued.
Unconsciously, he hadn’t denied the claim about Chen Fang being a sacrifice.
"Officially, Grandfather only has you and Chen Fang as grandsons, but we all know there are illegitimate children waiting to step in," Chen Yue said. "This place is the altar set up by Mr. Xuan and Grandfather."
Chen You: "How do you know all this?"
"Because I’ve been monitoring Chen Manor ever since my mother died in that car accident." Initially, Chen Yue suspected her uncles were behind it—only to discover the mastermind was their seemingly kind grandfather.
She pointed under the bed. "There’s a bronze mirror down there, originally Mr. Xuan’s ritual tool. I replaced it with a listening device."
Hearing this, Chen You immediately bent down to look beneath the bed.
"Ah!" He screamed in terror, scrambling behind Chao Musheng’s bodyguards.
Seeing this, Chen Yue grabbed a candlestick from the altar and aimed its sharp end at the bed. "Who’s under there? Come out!"
Chao Musheng’s expression turned odd. Could it be Little He hiding under the bed?
"Hey, good evening. What a coincidence," Little He crawled out from under the bed, dusting himself off awkwardly under everyone’s stares.
"You work at Chen Manor?" Chen Yue scrutinized him. "Why were you hiding there?"
"There’s someone else under the bed," Chao Musheng crouched down, peering beneath it.
You Jiu silently emerged.
"You’re from Grandfather’s courtyard," Chen You recognized him, standing up. "Why are you here too?"
His system remained silent, meaning there was still a chance…
Ding! "Warning: Detected a critical NPC obstructing the dungeon’s progression. Eliminate Mr. Chao to exit the dungeon."
You Jiu smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets without moving.
The system had never issued such a nonsensical task before. He wasn’t foolish enough to think this was a good sign.
Critical NPC?
An NPC with no dungeon stats yet pivotal to the storyline?
After clearing countless dungeons, he’d never encountered a native like Chao Musheng.
When he didn’t act, the system repeated its command incessantly, escalating into a shrill screech in his mind.
The system… hated Chao Musheng?
How interesting. A system created by the Main God—devoid of emotions or life—shouldn’t harbor hatred for an NPC within its own dungeon.
Clutching his throbbing head, You Jiu stayed silent.
"Are you alright?" Chao Musheng noticed his sudden pallor and steadied him. "Should I arrange for someone to take you to the hospital?"
"No need. Just low blood sugar," You Jiu muttered, feeling the warmth from Chao Musheng’s hand. The system’s screeching abruptly stopped.
"Mr. Chao, let’s prioritize getting Second Young Master Chen to the hospital," You Jiu said, avoiding explanations for his presence. Fortunately, Chen You and Chen Yue were too preoccupied to interrogate him, and Chao Musheng didn’t press further, giving him a moment to breathe.
Chao Musheng turned and kicked over the bizarre incense burner. "What kind of proper deity would answer a sacrifice of one’s own kin?"
A bodyguard rushed forward in concern. "Mr. Chao, be careful!"
"It’s just an incense burner," Chao Musheng scoffed. "Filthy people like this—even if gods existed, they wouldn’t bless him."
"As for evil spirits?" He delivered two more kicks, sending the burner clattering. "Our people don’t tolerate useless gods or malevolent ones. Stay the hell away!"
You Jiu stared at the dented burner, barely daring to breathe.
Once Chao Musheng left the room, You Jiu retrieved an SS-tier rare item from his backpack—a Forced Dungeon Exit Card.
"Never thought I’d waste such a precious item on this dungeon," he mused, flicking the card before activating it without hesitation.
His instincts screamed that harming Chao Musheng wasn’t an option.
[Warning! Warning! Dungeon destabilized due to external interference. Imminent collapse!]
"What’s happening?" Brother Hu, hiding in the woods outside the wooden building, turned to Xiaojuan in confusion.
"Nothing much. The police are on their way," Xiaojuan smiled, checking her phone’s "Sent Successfully" notification. "When a supernatural dungeon loses its supernatural elements, and the villains face legal consequences, the so-called dungeon can’t sustain itself."
"Xiaojuan, what did you send?" Brother Hu gulped. If he wasn’t mistaken, that was the police reporting platform.
"Just some minor evidence collected from the Chen family," Xiaojuan said, watching the distant building as Chao Musheng descended with the bodyguards. "Thanks to Mr. Chao’s influence, the Chen Manor staff treated me well, making it easier to gather proof."
The system was despicable, but using it to exchange for stealth recording devices was undeniably practical.
“So what do we do now?” Brother Hu asked anxiously, listening to the countdown of the dungeon collapse echoing in his mind.
Xiaojuan put away her phone. “We should leave.”
“Aren’t we going to say goodbye to Chao Ge?” Brother Hu was reluctant, unsure if they’d ever enter this world again in another dungeon or see Chao Musheng.
“No.” Xiaojuan recalled the awkward encounters in recent dungeons and wiped her face roughly—she didn’t want to embarrass herself again.
“Mr. Chao, Chen Fang is my grandson. You can’t take him away.”
Seeing Chen Fang being carried down by the bodyguards, Old Master Chen finally dropped his kindly facade.
“Grandfather, it’s not Mr. Chao taking Second Brother away. I’m the one bringing him to the hospital,” Chen Yue interjected. “Mr. Chao is just helping.”
“Chen Yue, are you defying me?”
“Grandfather, he’s your grandson. Don’t you feel even a little reluctance?”
“If you and your mother still want to stay peacefully at Chen Manor, get back inside now.” Old Master Chen remained unmoved. “As for Mr. Su and Mr. Chao, our hospitality has been lacking. Please take your leave.”
“Mr. Su, he’s kicking us out,” Chao Musheng said, grabbing Su Chenzhu’s arm, his palm burning hot. “I’m so scared.”
He hadn’t quite shaken off his villainous persona yet.
“The affairs of Chen Manor are our family’s private matters,” Old Master Chen said, no longer concerned about offending Su Chenzhu. “Outsiders should not interfere.”
“My apologies, Mr. Chen. We’ve received reports of numerous illegal activities committed by the Chen family. The police currently possess substantial evidence. Please cooperate with our investigation.”
A group of uniformed officers flooded in, their badges gleaming under the moonlight.
Secretary Liu stepped out from behind the officers and took his place beside Chao Musheng, smiling pleasantly. “Good evening, everyone.”
“You’re the one who provided evidence to the police?” Old Master Chen, seeing Secretary Liu standing beside Chao Musheng without hesitation, pieced it together instantly.
“Old Master Chen, you flatter me. Xiao Chao and I merely fulfilled our civic duties,” Secretary Liu replied, resting a hand on Chao Musheng’s shoulder. “As for the rest, you can explain it to the police.”
He hadn’t slept for two days and nights while investigating the Chen family’s crimes, and Chao Musheng had dug up plenty of information online—all for this very moment.
Let’s see who dares touch his job now!
“Secretary Liu.” Su Chenzhu removed Secretary Liu’s hand from Chao Musheng’s shoulder and took his place beside him instead.
Noticing Chao Musheng’s flushed cheeks, Su Chenzhu reached out to check his temperature and immediately panicked. “You’re running a fever!”
“Huh?” Chao Musheng touched his own forehead—it did feel a little warm.
He’d been fine just a moment ago. How did he suddenly get sick?
