Chapter 219
by Need_More_SleepChapter 219: Annulment (Two-In-One)
The rainy season was long, and the air was perpetually damp—this was the norm in Fanzui City. If interrogation wasn’t part of the equation, then troublesome enemies like this were best dealt with on the spot. Heavy rain during transport felt like an omen that something would go wrong.
The armored prisoner transport truck rumbled through the muddy roads, its outer shell likely as thick as a tank’s. Another vehicle led the way in front, while a third followed behind, sandwiching it in the middle.
A metal collar clamped around his neck, its chain extending down to the cuffs binding his hands behind his back. Unlike ordinary handcuffs that allowed some movement, this position left him almost completely immobilized. Any attempt to break free by force would trigger an electric shock, paralyzing his entire body.
Not that he had the strength to resist anyway. The artificial heart the hospital had installed in him was a shoddy piece of work to begin with. Why would they waste transplantation or regeneration technology on a death row inmate?
The seating was arranged in rows. Two burly men sat on either side of him, while two or three more faced him from the opposite side—with the Devil sitting right in the middle.
The Devil repeatedly ejected and reloaded his magazine, gesturing at Charuk with the gun.
“Feel honored. This treatment is only one rank below what the Red Prince got.”
“Oh? And yet you still let him escape in the end. A little girl was the one who finished him off.”
Though, in truth, both of them had fallen to the same girl. Even now, he couldn’t figure it out—without relying on Blue Flame, how the hell had that girl managed to capture him?
“You seem to know a lot. Don’t worry, we’ll pry it all out of you soon enough.”
Suddenly, the Devil stiffened. “Stop the car.”
The driver didn’t obey. Instead, the vehicle veered off its intended path.
The truck ahead plowed straight through the greenbelt, clearing the way before their own vehicle suddenly accelerated.
Realizing something was wrong, one of the officers near the front punched through the bulletproof partition separating them from the driver’s cabin, reaching for the driver’s collar—
Only for both the driver and the passenger to leap out of the moving truck, one from each side. The officer who had smashed through the glass didn’t retract his fist. Instead, he stared blankly ahead.
“Enemies—”
Before the Devil could finish, his expression also went slack.
The armored truck crashed into the greenbelt, toppling a small tree before coming to a halt. Only the windshield wipers and headlights remained active. Inside the cabin, the men slumped over, their eyes open but vacant. A few moments later, the rear door swung open.
The woman who had been sitting in the passenger seat stepped inside, using a key to unlock Charuk’s restraints. The original keys for these cuffs weren’t in the possession of anyone on this truck—she had carved this one from scratch in under two minutes.
“Easter has infiltrated the FBI to this extent?” Charuk flexed his wrists. “Are there others besides you?”
“Me too.” The driver walked in as well, holding an umbrella.
LV3 [Common Sense Erasure]
A hypnotic-type ability that temporarily made people increasingly unfamiliar with things they knew well—the more familiar, the more alien it became.
“Good.”
Just to be safe, Charuk immediately subjected both of them to a [Great Silence], eliminating them as threats.
His gaze then turned to the dazed officers scattered around the cabin. He pulled a dagger from one of their belts—
But before he could act, a sharp pain exploded in his chest, sending him crashing to the floor with a metallic clang.
“What—?” Charuk’s mind reeled in confusion. At first, he thought the two Easter operatives had betrayed him, but they too collapsed beside him.
Then he realized—the sound had been a bullet striking the truck’s metal exterior. In an instant, he understood what was happening.
Ignoring the bizarre, inexplicable situation, he forced himself up and slammed the rear door shut before slumping back down, gasping as he felt his life slipping away.
The bullet had struck his heart. The other two had been shot clean through the forehead, dying instantly.
For a normal person, a heart shot meant instant death. The only reason he was still clinging to life was thanks to that worthless artificial heart.
With the dagger still in hand, he sliced open his own chest in a desperate attempt to save himself—but all he could feel was his consciousness fading.
“He’s dead.”
The voice of the Hermit’s sister came through, confirming the situation.
In a rundown building some distance away, Hayato Shigenobu lowered his sniper rifle.
“Mission complete.”
Sniper rifles weren’t as easy to use as they were in video games.
—
Meanwhile…
“Who’s Riels? I don’t know him. I didn’t even see him at my own wedding.”
This was Okulet’s response when Yiwen questioned him.
“Earlier, I went to see the Night Demon. He told me my father was a mole planted in the police by Night Hawk. I just want to know—is that true?” Yiwen asked, frustration heavy in her voice.
Okulet fell silent, then gently patted his daughter’s back in reassurance.
She had dragged him back from next door. After a rushed shower, she’d thrown on clothes without even drying her hair, shivering as she buried herself against him. He didn’t need a guide to tell she was terrified.
Yiwen had already started drinking Xiaoliu’s soup.
“Why is everyone keeping this from me? Is there some deeper reason, or are you all just afraid I’ll be heartbroken if I find out my dad was a bad guy? Right now, I just want to beat the crap out of him. He left without a single word—how could he do that to his family? Was marrying and having kids just another part of his undercover mission?”
Yiwen squatted down, covering her face with her hands in an emotional outburst.
Okulet looked down at her.
“I don’t know what’s going on behind all this—I resigned six years ago. But Riels definitely loved you and your family. He wasn’t the type who could hide his feelings well.”
“I see. Thanks, Uncle.”
Yiwen lowered her hands and gazed out the window at the pouring rain.
“So… Can I stay here tonight? The weather forecast says this rain won’t stop until tomorrow noon.”
Her eyes flickered subtly toward Mi Xiaoliu. She needed Xiaoliu’s kisses to soothe her wounded heart. Before coming here, she had repeatedly reminded herself—sternly, resolutely—that her main purpose was to ask Uncle about her father.
But then Mi Xiaoliu had been taking a bath… and had dressed right in front of her, piece by piece. She’d even run out in slippers, her pale soles and slightly flushed heels peeking out with every step…
Damn it, Mi Xiaoliu! You’re doing this on purpose to tempt me!
Okulet promptly turned away, shielding Mi Xiaoliu from Yiwen’s gaze.
“What’s the big deal, Uncle? We’re in love!” Yiwen declared bluntly, laying their relationship out in the open.
Okulet glanced at his daughter, who was still hiding behind him. He didn’t sense any mutual affection. His expression turned stern. “Have you told Raven about this?”
“Not yet…”
Okulet shook his head. “Heli isn’t coming home tonight. You can stay in her room. Misha has the key.”
Yiwen went home. Who the hell wants to sleep in their future mother-in-law’s room? A 33-year-old spinster—ugh!
At the same time, she realized that if she wanted to be with Mi Xiaoliu, the most important thing was to make sure both families knew—and, ideally, approved.
When she arrived home, Raven—who was in the middle of making soup—immediately darkened.
“Didn’t the doctor tell you to stay in the hospital for observation? Why are you back?”
The second examination had revealed something, during the zero-gravity incident, Yiwen had hit her head, causing a minor cerebral hemorrhage.
She wasn’t smart to begin with, and now she’s got brain damage too.
“I’m fine.” Yiwen shook her head.
She’d mostly recovered at the hospital, and after eating Mi Xiaoliu’s apple, she was basically back to normal. But the hospital staff had insisted on keeping her for observation.
Such is the power of love.
Raven didn’t believe her. She marched over and yanked at Yiwen’s collar, checking if she was wearing anything… unusual.
Faced with such a strict mother, how could Yiwen possibly tell her the truth?
—
Morning Class.
Yiwen poked Mi Xiaoliu’s side with a pen—only to get swatted by a cat-like retaliation.
Mi Xiaoliu was extremely ticklish, especially under her arms. If Yiwen caught her off guard and poked that soft spot, she’d let out the most adorable little noise.
But she couldn’t go too far at school. The classrooms had cameras, and the school chairwoman had a habit of monitoring Mi Xiaoliu’s campus life. If Yiwen tried anything, she’d probably get disciplined before her hand even left Mi Xiaoliu’s side.
Mi Xiaoliu refused to look at her. “I’m not playing with you anymore.”
“Huh?” Yiwen was baffled.
It was just a sip of bathwater! I’ve done way worse before!
“You want to eat me.”
Holy shit, she actually noticed?! Yiwen was stunned.
Mi Xiaoliu was usually so clueless! Panicking, Yiwen spun a web of lies, swearing up and down that she would never eat Mi Xiaoliu.
The tiger-girl sitting in front of them overheard their conversation and couldn’t help but rub her thighs together, her face flushed.
—
After Class.
Yiwen rushed to the school’s mini-mart to buy a mountain of snacks, hoping to win back her girlfriend’s favor—and, more importantly, her after-school hand-holding privileges.
But Mi Xiaoliu was nowhere to be found.
“Some blond guy called her out earlier. They’re probably in the back field,” the tiger-girl quickly informed her.
Blond guy?
BLOND GUY?!
Yiwen dumped the snacks on Mi Xiaoliu’s desk and bolted. Jim, seizing the opportunity, immediately started scarfing down the offerings meant for Mi Xiaoliu.
The back field was crowded during breaks, but its vast size meant few students strayed too far. Yiwen found Mi Xiaoliu at their usual hideout—with Dias.
She didn’t step forward immediately. Instead, she crouched behind a small mound, eavesdropping.
Then she turned her head and locked eyes with Okulet, who was also hiding and listening. The two stared at each other in silence.
“Yiwen said I can’t play with you.” Mi Xiaoliu’s words were brutally honest.
“N-No, no! I just wanted to be friends… Have you tried jianbing outside school? It’s really good! Wanna go together after class?”
“Okay.”
Yiwen nearly died on the spot.
Luckily, Sasha intervened, reminding Mi Xiaoliu she couldn’t agree.
“No.”
Accepting now would only give the blond guy false hope—something Mi Xiaoliu clearly didn’t understand.
“So… are you really dating that white-hai—I mean, that white-haired guy?”
“Mm.”
“I just wanna be regular friends. Let’s exchange WeChat! Maybe we can hang out sometime—just as friends!”
The class bell rang, and Mi Xiaoliu dashed back to the classroom.
Teacher Gao was merciful—students had a grace period after the bell before being marked late. Unlike some teachers who loved dragging out classes and expected everyone to be seated before the bell.
—
Later on.
Yiwen beat up Jim, then used the remaining snacks to coax Mi Xiaoliu into forgiving her. After swearing repeatedly that she wouldn’t eat her, Yiwen successfully reclaimed her hand-holding rights.
But did Mi Xiaoliu actually give Dias her WeChat?
Yiwen had no idea. Asking directly felt too possessive, though. It gnawed at her. In the past, she would’ve just snatched Mi Xiaoliu’s phone to check.
But seeing a boy show interest in Mi Xiaoliu made her doubt herself. As a girl, can I really call this a proper relationship?
Back in middle school, she and her girl friends had jokingly called each other “wifey” and “hubby.” Nobody took it seriously, right?
Even though they were desk mates, Yiwen typed her next question on her phone.
“Xiaoliu, you know what dating really means, right?”
She didn’t want the others overhearing.
Mi Xiaoliu: “Mm.”
Yiwen: “And you know you can only date one person, and it leads to marriage?”
Mi Xiaoliu: “Mm.”
Yiwen: “Xiao Liu… you’re sure you like me, right?”
Mi Xiaoliu: “Mm.”
Yiwen: “From now on, you’re my wife. Don’t just say ‘mm’—say ‘okay.’”
Mi Xiaoliu: “Okay.”
Perfect.
—————
The main issue was the thought of facing her parents… the pressure was just too overwhelming.
She piled all her textbooks on the desk as a barricade and lowered her head to play with her phone. It was practically an “ostrich burying its head in the sand” move, but many students in the back rows did the same.
She tried reading some yuri novels and mangas for answers, but they didn’t really excite her—because she wasn’t interested in other girls. What she really wanted was to see how the protagonists in the stories dealt with parental approval.
Telling her mom was way too early. She had originally planned to wait until at least university before bringing it up.
But the pressure from Mi Xiaoliu’s male suitors, combined with the guilt of hiding it from her mother, created a double burden that weighed on her until—in a moment of impulsiveness—she made a bold, borderline crazy decision.
————–
After School.
Yiwen marched up to Okulet and declared in front of him and Mi Xiaoliu.
“I’m going to tell my mom about us dating.”
Maybe it was too soon, but she couldn’t take the pressure anymore. If her mom didn’t approve, she’d just move out—it’d even make future missions easier without parental interference.
That’s how fearless she was. Not only was she dating a girl in high school, she was even daring enough to tell her parents. What the hell do you have to compete with me, Dias?
Okulet frowned. Was she provoking him?
He’d already spoken to Misha privately but hadn’t gotten any response. Personally, he just thought this was puppy love.
He wanted to stop it, but then he remembered his own twelve-year-old self chasing after his wife. He couldn’t exactly scold her with a straight face. She might only have less than ten years left to live. Shouldn’t she be happy?
He stayed silent, so Yiwen took it as tacit approval of her relationship with Mi Xiaoliu. If even Uncle doesn’t have a problem with it, maybe Mom will be okay too? She’s pretty open-minded about this stuff.
Her confidence grew. Outside the school gates, Dias—who had been lying in wait to offer Mi Xiaoliu a jianbing as tribute—watched the two of them, their intimacy unmistakable, even seeming to have parental approval from Okulet.
Gritting his teeth, he turned and ran.
Blond hair wasn’t just for playboys—it was also for losers.
—
At Home.
Yiwen looked around but didn’t see her brother. Regular schools let out later. Good. Mom’s face might not be too pleasant later.
“Mooom!” She yelled loudly.
After a brief pause, Raven emerged from the kitchen, frowning. The childish “Mommy”—most kids grew out of it as they got older.
Yiwen tugged at her apron, grinning. “Mom, I need to tell you something.”
Her tone was sugary sweet.
Raven wiped her hands on her apron and checked her phone to see if Yiwen’s homeroom teacher had messaged about her beating up a classmate again.
She hasn’t acted this clingy in eight hundred years. Something’s up.
“Not that. It’s just… remember when I said I was dating someone? Well, first of all, I really like someone.” Yiwen fidgeted awkwardly.
Back then, she hadn’t even known Mi Xiaoliu well—she’d just said it to piss her mom off.
Raven’s frown deepened. She raised a hand, aiming for Yiwen’s forehead, but remembering her injury, settled for smacking her butt instead.
No mercy. Two sharp slaps. The force was enough to leave overlapping red marks. Yiwen hissed in pain. She was stunned.
Raven lowered her voice, but her anger was barely contained—almost growling.
“How old are you?! I told you to take care of yourself! Some smooth-talking brat sweet-talks you, and now—who’s the father?!”
She turned toward the kitchen, probably to grab a cleaver. Yiwen was still processing. It took her two full seconds to realize what Raven was implying. She yanked her back.
“No! I’m not pregnant! It’s just—” She twirled a lock of hair near her temple, eyes darting away, voice tiny as an ant’s.
“It’s just… my partner’s a girl.” She wouldn’t say it was Mi Xiaoliu yet—better to bear the brunt of the anger alone.
Raven’s expression softened.
Yiwen: “???”
Okay, compared to pregnancy, this is manageable. Raven glanced at the kitchen, then pulled Yiwen to the couch.
“Does she know you’re a girl?”
“Yeah.”
Yiwen was lost. Why is she so calm?!
“She’s the only one you’re usually with, right? And she only hangs out with you? You two are very close?” Raven continued.
Yiwen thought about it.
Well, not just Mi Xiaoliu—she still messed around with Barrett and dragged Jim through impossible co-op games.
But closest? Definitely Mi Xiaoliu. Watching her mom’s unnerving calm, Yiwen nodded, rubbing her sore butt. Why did I even get hit?!
“This is just a normal phase when you lack other friends and become overly dependent on one person. Like kids saying ‘if you’re my friend, you can’t play with them.’ It’s not real romantic feelings.”
Raven patted her head. “You’ve been dressing as a boy for too long. You don’t have a normal social circle with girls, so you’re misinterpreting things. Just talk to her properly and stay regular friends. I went through something similar at your age—”
“No, we are actually in love with each other.” Yiwen shook off her hand.
She was certain. Every time she thinks of Mi Xiaoliu…
She got ideas.
“You’re too young to tell the difference between—”
“But every time I think about her, I get ideas.” Yiwen mumbled, too embarrassed to look up.
Raven’s eye twitched. Her hand inched toward the Psychology textbook on the armrest. Finally, she stood up, glanced at the kitchen again, took a deep breath, and said.
“Who is she? Bring her here. We need to talk.”
Yiwen studied her face. Raven just looked exhausted, not furious.
“It’s Mi Xiaoliu.”
“What?”
“It’s Mi Xiaoliu.”
“……”
Raven pinched the bridge of her nose and sat back down. Somehow, it made too much sense.
“You’ve got the nerve telling me this! Are you sure she likes you? She’s thirteen! Look at you—what are you doing, leading her on?!” Raven glared.
Why does it sound like I’m not good enough for her?! Raven looked genuinely pained and delivered another round of spanks.
Yiwen: “???”
She was fine with it being a girl! Why do I get hit for Mi Xiaoliu?!
Damn it, I acted on impulse because of the pressure! Mi Xiaoliu’s too young—I should’ve waited until college!
Raven was convinced Yiwen had tricked Mi Xiaoliu. “You’re corrupting someone else’s kid while your brother is right here—what’s he supposed to think?!”
Yiwen’s face burned.
“Her parents know!” She cut in.
Silence.
They sat across from each other, neither speaking.
Finally, Raven sighed. “I should remind you… you do have a fiance.”
“SINCE WHEN?!” Yiwen’s mind short-circuited again.
“I only found out recently. Apparently, your father drunkenly agreed to it ten years ago.”
Yiwen: “????????”
Why are we even looking for this man?! Of all the cliche, novel-tier nonsense to happen in real life—how awkward was this for everyone involved?!
What now? Mi Xiaoliu slaps faces, unleashes her protagonist aura? Thirty years east of the river? War against the three great families? The clown fiance appears, the battle for Yiwen begins, the winner takes her?
Noooo, why does my life need this kind of plot?!
“If you’re sure about this, I won’t interfere. But you’re too young to understand what ‘love’ really means. I’ll inform Mrs. Heli. If you want to break off the engagement… you deal with it.”
Raven grabbed her phone and headed to her room to call Heli.
Then—
The person hiding in the kitchen couldn’t take it anymore.
An absurd engagement. An absurd rejection. Did they think he was nothing?! Never mind that he’d also mustered the courage to ask for the annulment.
Dias stormed out, fists clenched, and pointed at Yiwen.
“Jingyin Lamorette, I challenge you to a duel! The winner takes Mi Xiaoliu!”
Yiwen: “?????”
[Translator’s Note: See the index page for this Novel if you want to see the Amazon Link for the eBooks.]
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