Anh Tú hurried out into the garden and opened the plastic bag. He himself was curious — he couldn’t understand how black cat fur had appeared here. H?u K?’s group followed closely behind.

  L?p Thành spoke first, his voice low:

  – “You’re Anh Tú… a hidden demon, aren’t you?”

  Anh Tú nodded calmly:

  – “You’ve already seen through me, haven’t you?”

  H?u K? smiled faintly:

  – “His Highness has told us about you. You’re on the same side as him.”

  Anh Tú looked slightly surprised:

  – “Then… you’re people of Trúc Di?n?”

  Nh? Phu nodded in confirmation:

  – “That’s right. We are agents of the Serpent Clan, divine beasts like His Highness. When we entered earlier, we sensed the presence of a spirit beast, but couldn’t identify the species. If we had a fur sample, we’d recognize it immediately.”

  Anh Tú frowned:

  – “I didn’t sense anything at all. But when I heard there was cat fur in a house that doesn’t raise cats, I became suspicious.”

  He opened the plastic bag and bent down to inspect it closely. Sure enough, several black strands of fur were mixed in with the dust.

  H?u K? crouched down, picked up the strands one by one, and used the keen senses of a serpent to identify them. Suddenly, he froze — his expression changed.

  – “This isn’t black cat fur… it’s lynx fur. And not just any lynx — it’s a black lynx, an extremely rare spirit beast.”

  L?p Thành’s eyes widened:

  – “A black lynx? I’ve only heard ancient divine beasts mention that such a creature exists in the human world. I’ve never encountered one myself.”

  Nh? Phu shivered slightly:

  – “If it’s a lynx, then it’s a master of transformation. It can disguise itself as anyone — perfectly copying appearance, voice, and facial features.”

  Anh Tú muttered under his breath:

  – “I’ve lived here with my wife’s family for a while now, and I’ve never seen this kind of fur before. It only appeared today… could it be that this spirit beast has just arrived nearby?”

  ??i Ng?c frowned:

  – “But if it arrived recently, then the only newcomers are Anh Ph??ng and her two foreign friends. They’re witches — we can recognize them instantly. Everyone else has lived here for a long time… including D?ng’s family. Even Dì T? has worked here for twenty years.”

  H?u K? scanned the garden, then carefully placed a few strands of fur into a small paper bag:

  – “I need to bring this sample back to His Highness and the Grand General.”

  Anh Tú asked anxiously:

  – “Then what is that being’s purpose? Why stay so close to this family?”

  At that very moment, inside the house, a single thought flickered — heard by no one except its owner:

  – “…I can’t keep hiding anymore. Sooner or later, they’ll find out.”

  At the Bình Chánh headquarters, after everyone had finished enjoying the Eight-Treasure Congee, the atmosphere grew quiet yet intensely focused. Seated leisurely on the rosewood throne, Satan, the Demon King, was scrolling through the news on his laptop when an agent hurried in.

  The agent bowed respectfully:

  – “My Lord, that IP address is still attempting to breach the royal military-grade firewall of the Satanic royal system. Our cybersecurity team has pinpointed its exact location — it’s coming from an apartment building.”

  Satan showed no reaction at all, his deep voice calm and composed:

  – “Let it try freely. The firewall I created is solid. You only know how strong it is when someone tests it.”

  Arian, polishing his cold, gleaming longsword, scoffed:

  – “Just a bunch of low-tier hackers. Like mosquitoes biting stainless steel.”

  The Grand Matron frowned slightly and stepped forward. There was a question that had been troubling her for some time:

  – “Previously, I heard Your Majesty say that with a single order from you, the memories of D?ng’s family could be controlled at will… Who exactly is capable of doing that?”

  Without looking up from the screen, Satan replied calmly:

  – “My right-hand man. The one who protected my daughter throughout the years she lived with that family.”

  His words stunned the entire hall.

  Trúc Di?n sprang to his feet, disbelief written all over his face:

  – “Father, what do you mean? I don’t understand. Trang once told me about her past — how D?ng’s family beat her, starved her. Are you saying you calculated all of that from the beginning?”

  Satan nodded. A faint curve appeared on his lips, but his eyes were icy to the bone:

  – “I’ve told you before. During the thousand years Erion was imprisoned in the Endless Hell, the second diamond — Trang — was formed.”

  He closed the laptop, set it aside, and slowly descended the steps of the throne. His voice grew powerful and commanding:

  – “From the very moment I carried that child out of the black core of the planet opposite the Dark Planet, everything was already arranged. She is not only the adopted daughter I cherish the most… she is also a crucial link to restrain Erion — the one whose power rivals my own.”

  He narrowed his eyes, gazing into the void:

  – “I once told the Grand Matron this, and today I will make it clear to all of you. In this vast universe, there exist only two black diamonds destined for each other. Only they may marry and give birth to the next generation. If Erion does not show me respect… then he should forget about having an heir.”

  Master V?nh nodded thoughtfully:

  – “I understand now. That’s why Your Majesty protected that diamond at all costs.”

  Satan lifted his head, his gaze fixed on the ancient mural painted across the ceiling of the grand hall, his voice deep and steady:

  – “The child lived with D?ng’s family for twenty years… that too was my will. But did you truly think I would allow them to genuinely abuse her? My most trusted subordinate was always there — silently protecting her from the shadows.”

  The Grand Madam Advisor grew even more perplexed:

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  – “But how does that relate to the memories of D?ng’s family, Your Majesty? Within the Satanic royal system, no one possesses the ability to erase memories…”

  Satan lifted his head, a satisfied and enigmatic smile curving his lips:

  – “There is. But he does not belong to the royal house of Satan, nor is he a demon. He is… like Trúc Di?n — an ancient divine beast. And he, too, comes from a royal lineage.”

  A shiver ran through the grand hall. Everyone’s expressions hardened.

  Trúc Di?n’s eyes widened, his voice rising in shock:

  – “Father… are you saying he is also an ancient divine beast? A male?”

  Satan nodded, his tone slow yet razor-sharp:

  – “He is the crown prince of the Feline Clan. But because he was vastly different from the others, he was rejected and despised from the moment he was born. As he grew older, he was hunted by his own clan — simply because his abilities were too extraordinary. I was the one who saved that child… and granted him a place under the royal house of Satan. Only I know of his existence.”

  Arian set his longsword down on the table, his voice firm:

  – “Then he’s around my age, isn’t he, Father?”

  Satan shook his head:

  – “No. He is the same age as Erion. That is… over a thousand years old.”

  The Grand Madam Advisor stepped forward half a pace, her voice resolute:

  – “Your Majesty has hidden this from your subjects for far too long. Who exactly is he?”

  Satan smiled — a smile of absolute ownership and quiet satisfaction:

  – “A Black Lynx. One who possesses the power to control memories. Not merely to erase them… but to write any script he desires into the minds of others, making them believe they have lived through events that never truly existed.”

  The temperature in the hall seemed to plummet.

  Trúc Di?n shook his head violently, clenching his fists, still unable to believe it:

  – “How can such an ability exist? I’ve been to D?ng’s house several times, yet I sensed nothing at all.”

  Satan replied curtly:

  – “Because of shapeshifting. He can perfectly replicate the appearance, face, voice, gait — every detail — of anyone. He can play another person flawlessly, because he can read memories. He knows exactly how that person lives, how they act, how they move. Shapeshifting also allows him to conceal his energy frequency and the scent of spiritual power.”

  The corner of Satan’s mouth lifted slightly, his voice dropping lower:

  – “A Black Lynx is an extremely rare divine beast. Precisely because of that rarity and his unique abilities, the weaklings of his own clan sought to eliminate him. Those fools feared the rise of true talent… feared losing their throne. And now, that clan has already fallen into ruin.”

  The Grand Madam Advisor sneered with contempt:

  – “A bunch of incompetents trying to be kings. No wonder their clan declined.”

  Satan’s voice grew deep, his gaze piercing as if it could see through all layers of existence:

  – “We will meet him soon enough. And it seems Erion and Trúc Di?n’s subordinates are already closing in on the truth as well… They’re quite sharp, after all.”

  In the garden of C?u D?ng’s villa, Anh Tú vented his bitterness about this marriage. Yet the real reason he had postponed divorcing Anh ?ào and returned here was this:

  – “After the wedding, that centipede demon will move in as a live-in son-in-law. I’ll push him, let his greed grow bigger and bigger. This family created their own karma when they set me up to seize my family’s assets… Now retribution has come for Anh Th?. The same script is repeating itself — with that low-level monster, driven by the exact same motives.”

  H?u K? nodded, his gaze icy:

  – “His Highness and everyone else have already laid out all of this family’s crimes. Ending it too quickly would be far too merciful.”

  L?p Thành let out a half-smile, his voice thick with killing intent:

  – “They deserve to be crushed by karma. Living lavishly on other people’s wealth for over twenty years… the time they spend suffering should be twice as long.”

  Nh? Phu sighed with regret:

  – “Miss Trang’s inherited fortune was squandered recklessly by that family. Even if we reclaim it, there won’t be much left.”

  H?u K? shrugged, as if it were nothing worth worrying about:

  – “Why fret? The Dark Lord is a tycoon of the entire universe. I hear he’s about to give Miss Trang something… with economic value thousands of times greater than that lost fortune.”

  ---

  At the Bình Chánh headquarters, H?ng Nhung, Trang’s close friend, was also talking about the inheritance, her voice filled with both anger and regret:

  – “That family’s second daughter is truly a prodigal disaster. She squandered everything on a life of debauchery — using that very fortune.”

  Satan remained calm, as unmoved as a passing breeze:

  – “Why worry? The assets of the Satan royal family are measured in planets. Minerals are endless. Erion owns black diamond and black gold mines… Even though he is my son-in-law, I won’t allow my daughter to stand beneath him. No matter how little of that inheritance remains, I am determined to reclaim it all. I will return D?ng’s family to where they truly belong… the starting line.”

  ---

  At the Gothic villa, Trang was quietly studying a new foreign language on her laptop, her expression unusually serene.

  Standing outside the window, Din watched her for a moment before speaking softly:

  – “I noticed from the very beginning… she never cared about that inheritance. No anger. No regret.”

  Yin, standing beside him, nodded slightly:

  – “These days, it’s rare to find someone so free of greed, someone who doesn’t cling even to their own money.”

  Erion looked at the girl he loved, his gaze visibly softening:

  – “I won’t let you suffer or feel wronged like before ever again. I’ll protect you at all costs.”

  Din turned his eyes toward C?u D?ng’s villa:

  – “I wonder if they’ve found any clues yet. It’s taking quite a while.”

  Chen, who was reviewing financial reports from Chairman Yin’s restaurant branches, spoke with firm confidence:

  – “They’re agents trained rigorously by the Serpent Clan. Please don’t worry too much, my lords.”

  Then, with a sudden shift in tone, he added warmly:

  – “Miss ??i Ng?c, keep it up — I’m supporting you with everything I’ve got.”

  Yin shot his assistant a sideways glance, his voice thoughtful:

  – “Oh really? Then what about someone else who’s busy worrying about his dream girl?”

  The little demons burst into loud laughter. Seeing Chen’s face turn as red as a tomato, Erion grinned with clear amusement:

  – “You’d better hurry up and confess. She’s surrounded by H?u K? and L?p Thành — all outstanding men. Be careful, or someone else might snatch her away first.”

  Seeing H?u K?’s group and Anh Tú standing in the garden for quite a while, C?u D?ng stepped out onto the porch and called out loudly:

  – “Did you find that cat fur yet? Come inside and have some tea — the tea’s getting cold!”

  H?u K? smiled and replied immediately:

  – “It was just black cat fur, nothing special. We’ll also take our leave early since we have some personal matters to attend to.”

  C?u D?ng called out:

  – “Wait for me a moment!”

  He went back inside, took out a stack of wedding invitations that already had names written on them, then hurried back into the garden:

  – “Here — these are invitations for Trúc Di?n, Master V?nh, and his girlfriend. And these are for all of you. The remaining three, please help me deliver to Din, Yin, and their superiors — the married couple. I’ll trouble you with that.”

  L?p Thành smiled politely:

  – “Thank you. I’ll make sure they receive them personally.”

  Nh? Phu added gently:

  – “We’ll definitely attend. For now, please excuse us.”

  ---

  After H?u K?’s group left, C?u D?ng turned to Anh Tú:

  – “These invitations are for your parents. I just finished writing them. Help me deliver them to your in-laws, alright? Your sister Th?’s wedding is this weekend — we’re extremely busy.”

  Anh Tú replied respectfully:

  – “Yes, that’s no problem, Dad. With only one week to prepare, everything is rushed. If you allow me, I’ll take care of the bride’s ceremonial team, the floral gate decorations, the ancestral altar, and the wedding cars. Since our family already has cars, just decorating them will be the most economical.”

  C?u D?ng nodded, placing a hand on his son-in-law’s shoulder:

  – “Good. Help your mother and me handle those things. If there are any expenses, just tell us — don’t hesitate.”

  Anh Tú answered immediately:

  – “I’ll do my best to keep costs to a minimum. After the wedding, we’ll also need to consider Th?’s childbirth expenses.”

  C?u D?ng smiled in satisfaction, but in his mind he thought viciously about Huy:

  – “The eldest son-in-law is perfect — nothing to criticize. But the second one… truly like a jasmine flower stuck in a pile of buffalo dung. And my daughter just had to fall for that kind of village-wrecking trash… Luckily his parents still have some sense. If they were as ridiculous as him, there wouldn’t even be a wedding. My grandchild — I’ll raise it myself.”

  ---

  At the Gothic villa, H?u K?’s group had just returned. They quickly entered the living room. Trang, who was listening to a foreign-language clip, looked surprised and removed her headphones:

  – “Is something wrong…? You all look urgent.”

  H?u K? lowered his voice:

  – “We’ve made an important discovery. I have a few questions for the Princess.”

  Immediately, Erion, the others, and even the little demons entered the room as well.

  Trang looked around, her gaze focused:

  – “What would you like to ask?”

  H?u K? spoke solemnly:

  – “I heard that the Princess lived with that family for twenty years. Is that correct?”

  Trang nodded:

  – “Yes. Since my adoptive parents died in an accident… which was actually caused by C?u D?ng and his wife. At that time, I was only five years old. They took me in, but it was all just a fa?ade to deceive others — the real goal was to become my legal guardians and seize my assets.”

  ??i Ng?c asked softly:

  – “They treated you very badly, didn’t they?”

  Trang lowered her eyes, her voice sad:

  – “They frequently beat me, scolded me, and starved me. They only let me study until elementary school, then made excuses to force me to quit so I could stay home and work with Dì T?.”

  Everyone listening felt their hearts sink. L?p Thành continued:

  – “You must have been covered in injuries as a child. How could they treat a child like that?”

  But Trang unexpectedly replied:

  – “No. Even though they beat me very harshly… my body never had any wounds. They starved me, but I never felt hungry, nor did I feel exhausted.”

  The room fell silent.

  Chen spoke up:

  – “Perhaps because the Princess is a black diamond like the General, her body healed instantly.”

  Erion shook his head:

  – “That’s not correct. At that time, her powers were sealed by my father-in-law. Essentially… she was no different from an ordinary human. She only awakened when I set foot on Earth — when she was thirty years old by human time.”

  At this point, Din felt something was deeply off:

  – “Princess, do you remember clearly?”

  Trang nodded firmly:

  – “How could I forget those painful memories? Every detail — I remember them all vividly.”

  Yin frowned, his voice turning heavy:

  – “Then… it seems we’ve overlooked something important.”