Little Pink Starfish

Qiguan Rui had absolutely no interest in the scene before him.
Those people would definitely find enough evidence… Since those who had messy ties to this shell insisted on making his life unpleasant, then let them never disturb him and gege again.

So, Qiguan Rui quickly returned to Gu Bai’s side and stood behind him.
Everything else seemed like mere illusion, to his eyes not even truly real… only that one person was special, the one he loved deeply.

Gu Bai glanced at Qiguan Rui expressionlessly.
Qiguan Rui had an innocent look.
Gu Bai turned his face back, still expressionless.
…Forget it, that dead pervert had always been like this, he should’ve known already.

Qiguan Rui secretly grabbed Gu Bai’s hand, secretly played with his fingers, secretly teased the palm of his hand, secretly…
While everyone’s attention was focused on the soon-to-be-solved “case,” he was having a blast.

Before long, after a thorough investigation, the truth had come to light.
That beta Madam Fang, who was already utterly flustered, was now pale with horror. She completely refused to admit what she had done, but she hadn’t bought herself enough time, and previously, in order to work with that beta boy, she had to become his partner in mutual interest. That beta boy had even cleverly saved their transaction conversation…

If the plan had succeeded, Madam Fang naturally had a way to cover everything up nicely. But the problem was, things didn’t go as expected. All the evidence was there—she had no way to deny it!
Madam Fang’s bright-red lips trembled. In an instant, there was no trace left of her usual forced elegance. She had become just like the ordinary beta she was at first—beautiful but ambitious—and now, she couldn’t find any way out!

After stammering and failing to defend herself, Madam Fang clung to a one-in-ten-thousand hope and turned toward her husband, Duke Fang.
However, what awaited her was Duke Fang’s furious roar: “You vile woman! You actually dared to scheme against my ducal house like this! I have no such wife as you! Officer of the law, take her away! I’m divorcing her—my son can’t have such a disgraceful mother!”

Madam Fang was in despair.
But in that despair, she sensed a sliver of hope.
Yes, the duke would never accept her again, but her son had been protected!

At that moment, Madam Fang took a deep breath and suppressed all her unwillingness deep within her heart.
It’s fine.
Once her son Fang Can gained power, she could return.
She had to prepare a little more, to help pave the way for her son—she must make sure her son was wary of Liu Rufeng!
—Yes, she was certain, that trash bastard couldn’t have the ability to see through her scheme. The one who did must have been that Liu Rufeng!

↑
God! Please stop pretending to be blind!

People who refused to accept the truth were sometimes really tragically pathetic.
╮(╯▽╰)╭

At this point, Fang Can was also standing with Duke Fang. He wanted to step forward and protect his mother, but was stopped by her gaze. Then he noticed, although she still looked disheveled, her eyes had returned to their usual calm.
He let out a breath of relief.
Mother wouldn’t be beaten down just like this!

But…
Just as Fang Can thought that, he suddenly noticed—his mother’s body was trembling even more violently!
What was going on? Could her acting have improved that much?

But what Fang Can didn’t expect was—after his beta mother trembled for several seconds, her expression, when she turned back, had become strange.
Then, a gust of violent wind swept forward.

Fang Can felt a searing pain in his abdomen!
This was—
Something was violently stirring inside—it was so painful he couldn’t think, and his consciousness stopped immediately!
He, he…

Fang Can struggled to open his eyes, only to see a face extremely close to him.
Twisted, terrifying.
It was his mother’s face…

Fang Can’s vision went black, and then, he knew nothing.
He couldn’t even hear the terrifying, shrill scream his mother let out.

“Son—”
“—My son!”

Beta Madam Fang came to her senses—her face was covered in warm blood. That blood came from the person in front of her.
In her hand was a dagger she had hidden for self-defense, and it had turned that person’s organs into minced meat, thoroughly, violently killing them.
And the person she had killed was her own most beloved, most hopeful son!

She didn’t even know what kind of evil had overtaken her, but she had personally killed Fang Can!

This alone drove her into despair.
But what followed was even worse.

Madam Fang realized—she couldn’t control herself anymore.
Though her mind was clear, with overwhelming speed and strength she couldn’t stop, after killing her son, she pounced on her husband!
Just like how close their blood ties were, their deaths were identical.

Where Madam Fang got the strength, no one knew. After killing Fang Can, she also killed Duke Fang!
And all of this—took only a single minute!
No one could’ve imagined that a female beta could do this, nor that she could kill two people back-to-back!

So, nearly everyone,
And once they recovered from their shock, only saw a collapsed, broken female beta…

And in this world, madness could not escape punishment.
Madam Fang was taken away by the enforcers, and the two corpses were taken as well… to be used as evidence.

If Qiguan Rui, now the only direct heir of the Fang family, had strongly objected, the corpses wouldn’t have been taken. But Qiguan Rui at that time seemed extremely afraid, slightly lowering his head, as if unable to answer any questions, showing not a hint of protest.
So, that was that.

This farce, which should’ve only been a scandal, ended up with two corpses.
No one knew why Madam Fang had suddenly gone insane, but after a deeper look, it could only be explained by the emotional collapse caused by her entire scheme falling apart.
What else could explain it?

This was a world with alphas, betas, and omegas, yet still one of science and no supernatural powers~
…Even if the human anatomy wasn’t exactly very scientific.

Marquis Li was in a terrible mood, and all the “connections” who got a face full of blood and flesh were also very unhappy. Since everything had gone to hell, who still wanted to stay here chatting and dancing joyfully?
No matter how well they hid it—even if they didn’t truly care inside—they still had to show regret and grief on the surface, and consider how to console that almost-victim, right?
But that “victim” was a beta, the only heir of Duke Fang, possibly a rare beta duke in many generations… and reportedly had a weak personality.
Could he hold on to the family estate?
If not, how much benefit could they squeeze out of it?

So all that fake grief and pity quickly vanished, replaced only by the greedy, bottomless desire like a pack of hyenas.
Everyone wanted a piece of the pie, and wanted to go home quickly to plan!

And so, the “connections” soon took their leave.
Marquis Li, maintaining his hostly manner, gave Qiguan Rui his condolences: “Please restrain your grief. I believe between us, there will soon be a new friendship.”
He was implying something, of course—and behind that “friendship,” he also wanted to gain something.

Gu Bai: Fucking unbelievable, I haven’t seen a group this naturally shameless in forever! So speechless I can’t even complain…

Qiguan Rui grabbed Gu Bai’s hand.
Gu Bai didn’t shake it off.
This damn pervert, what the hell are you doing.

Then, Gu Bai noticed Marquis Li’s expression had changed.
It became more enthusiastic—that fake social warmth had faded a lot, replaced instead with a kind of… hmm, excitement at spotting prey? I can’t even with this.
Dead pervert, you totally planned this, didn’t you!

Qiguan Rui smiled at Marquis Li, looking slightly weak.
Marquis Li immediately said he wouldn’t keep them longer and welcomed them to visit again often in the future…
Qiguan Rui nodded slightly.
Gu Bai glanced at the acting-dead-pervert and didn’t refuse either.

Marquis Li’s eyes practically lit up like lightbulbs.
Gu Bai: …I better get the hell out of here.

And so, the two of them left that place.
They returned to Gu Bai’s residence.

Once in private, Gu Bai gave Qiguan Rui a dead-fish stare.
He didn’t say anything, but his eyes were filled with very rich inner meaning:
Dead pervert, what the hell are you trying to do! Speak!

Qiguan Rui obediently said: “Gege, from now on I’ll be the duke. Aren’t you happy?”
Gu Bai: “…”
Never expected that the dead pervert would pull this excuse.

—Damn, do you feel guilty at all? You’re a supreme magic emperor and wu zun who can shatter the void at will, even a sky-swallowing black python or whatever from those worlds!
Haven’t you already played in a bunch of other worlds? And now you’re telling me you’re super attached to being some weird little duke in this low-power world?!
Are you kidding me?!

Qiguan Rui saw Gu Bai’s even more conflicted dead-fish eyes, and quickly changed his tune: “Alright gege don’t be mad… actually, it’s because I was unhappy.”
Gu Bai felt relieved: now that’s a more believable reason… Wait no! Why the hell did I just so easily accept this setup again?!

Well, maybe it’s because…
Damn, I’ve got no more words. I give up.

Qiguan Rui leaned over and wrapped his arms around Gu Bai’s waist: “At first, I thought, if they don’t get in the way, I could leave them. But they insisted on getting in the way, even trying to stop me from being with gege! That I can’t tolerate… Gege, you understand, right?”
His gaze was dark.
Why was it that wherever they went, someone wanted to split him and gege apart?
Even knowing it was impossible.
Gege was his—no matter which shell, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand of them—they were all his! After traveling through countless worlds, they would always return to the place they first met!

Those who got in the way…
Even if they were just ants, he’d crush them.

Qiguan Rui leaned his cheek against Gu Bai’s shoulder: “Gege, were today’s fireworks nice to watch?” He sighed lightly again. “If it weren’t too much trouble, I should’ve let the other two fireworks bloom too…”