Inside a small, cramped single-story house, the Scorpio spirit couple were watching TV when they saw their purple-haired son sling a backpack over his shoulder and step into the living room. The father frowned:

  – “Where do you think you’re going at this hour?”

  The son replied quickly:

  – “This weekend is Huy’s wedding — that centipede spirit, Dad. Tomorrow he asked me and a few others to come help decorate the house. I’m going to get things ready first.”

  The mother nodded but still warned him:

  – “Helping out is fine… but don’t listen to him and stir up trouble with those people from the other day again, understand? Last time they let it go, but if there’s another incident, you won’t have a way back home.”

  The father grew visibly annoyed, his voice hardening:

  – “Did you hear what your mother said clearly? Absolutely no causing trouble. Don’t make your mother and me lose face by having to go beg for forgiveness.”

  The purple-haired young man swallowed, his face turning slightly pale:

  – “Yes, I know… Every time the others think about those royal demons, their faces twist like monkeys eating chili peppers. We’re just going over to help him. I heard he’s marrying into a very rich family — a young lady from a steel construction conglomerate.”

  The mother sighed and waved her hand:

  – “Who he marries is his business. As long as he doesn’t drag you onto a sinful path, that’s all I ask.”

  ***

  In the middle of the boarding-house neighborhood, under a clear moon and a gentle night breeze, Satan stood beside Charles, suddenly recalling a fragment of childhood memory:

  – “When we were young, you were often bullied by kids in your class. Even though I didn’t go to the same school, when I heard about it… I went there myself and taught every one of them a lesson. To the point that even the discipline master was afraid just hearing my name.”

  Charles laughed softly, his eyes glowing with nostalgia:

  – “Back then, I thought enduring it would keep the peace. But the more I endured, the worse they became. When I saw you stand up to protect me, I finally understood… you have to be strong. You can’t bow your head to those who look down on you. After that, I fought back, and from then on they were always wary of me.”

  Master V?nh nodded in agreement:

  – “Only when you can protect yourself do you have the strength to protect others.”

  The memories in Satan’s mind continued to rewind like an old film reel:

  – “I still remember their faces clearly. It’s been so long… I wonder how they are now. Probably old men and women by now, right?”

  Charles replied:

  – “I heard vaguely that some of them are now businessmen, settled on Earth. But I’m not sure which country they’re in.”

  The amber-gold eyes of Satan flashed with amusement as he burst into laughter:

  – “Hmm… there will be a chance to meet them again. I suppose we won’t be fighting like kids anymore. As for each of their current positions… the military satellites already have that covered.”

  At that moment, the sound of an engine echoed from afar, headlights sweeping across the dark alley.

  Master V?nh smiled:

  – “Erion’s group and my junior have arrived.”

  The moment Erion’s group and Trúc Di?n’s group stepped out of the cars, they froze in place. Behind Professor Charles, a pair of enormous angel wings unfurled — so breathtaking they seemed unreal. Moonlight washed over each silver-white feather, making them shimmer as if dusted with starlight.

  Erion’s face twisted as he stammered:

  – “W-What… what is that? The professor is…?”

  Satan burst into laughter, his deep voice filled with pride:

  – “Surprised, aren’t you? He’s my childhood friend. It’s been a few hundred years since we last met.”

  He turned to Erion, his tone turning solemn and authoritative:

  – “That one is a Black Diamond — the bearer of black flames that create ice and snow by reversing the laws of physics — my son-in-law. Trúc Di?n, the Snake King, is the same. And the tomboy girl in that photo, standing next to Erion… that is her true form. The abilities of these two Black Diamonds are identical.”

  Din murmured to himself:

  – “The Lord truly is a cosmic chess master… it feels like everything is already sitting neatly in his palm.”

  Charles inclined his head gently:

  – “Greetings, everyone. I didn’t expect all of you to be people he knows.”

  Satan nodded:

  – “Round and round, we’re all family in the end. And Anh Tú — you likely already know about him. A kind-hearted spirit, much like yourself.”

  Yin curled his lips:

  – “That family of D?ng… a huge upheaval is coming for them.”

  Satan looked at the group:

  – “You’ve already met Bách Di?n, haven’t you?”

  Trang nodded, visibly moved:

  – “Yes. He and Phong Túc protected me for twenty years…”

  Trúc Di?n glanced around:

  – “Then where is the Black Lynx?”

  ***

  At that very moment, light footsteps sounded from the rooftop of a nearby building in the boarding-house district. Moonlight poured down, revealing a lone figure standing tall — long black hair flowing freely, posture relaxed, like a solitary wanderer beneath the night sky.

  He bent one knee slightly.

  A single push.

  His powerful body tore through the air — movements fluid like a dancer’s, yet fast as a phantom. When he landed, it was so light that the ground only trembled with a soft thump, like a feather touching down.

  Then he stepped out of the shadows.

  Streetlight illuminated a face of exquisite, almost unreal beauty:

  ? skin pale and smooth like frosted crystal

  ? refined yet cold features, so perfectly sculpted they were overwhelming

  ? silver earrings on both ears, adding a rugged, worldly charm

  ? a high, straight nose

  ? and most striking of all — his eyes, strange beyond description:

  His left eye glowed ruby red, blazing like hidden fire

  His right eye shone sapphire blue, cold as millennia-old ice

  A beauty that was dangerous, enchanting, and utterly inhuman.

  Chen frowned, caught between jealousy and awe:

  – “This guy’s even more handsome than Bách Di?n! Everyone around the Lord is absurdly outstanding!”

  Phong Túc bowed to Satan, then walked straight up to Trang. His voice was deep and warm, resonating like a cello in the night:

  – “Greetings, Princess. We stood beside each other for twenty years… but only now do we finally see each other’s true forms.”

  The words caused the atmosphere to stall.

  Trang replied shyly:

  – “H-Hello…”

  Meanwhile, Erion clenched his fists, practically smoking with anger:

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

  – “You damn cat! That’s my future wife!”

  Phong Túc raised an eyebrow, his tone cold and blunt, nothing like Bách Di?n’s restraint:

  – “Late to the party, yet so arrogant.”

  Erion ground his teeth:

  – “You… what did you say?”

  Arian jumped in, waving his hands like a firefighter:

  – “Enough! What now — another version of Trúc Di?n? Well… after twenty years versus just showing up, of course he’d be different.”

  L?p Thành covered his mouth, chuckling:

  – “Is the Crown Prince putting out a fire… or setting the house on fire?”

  The lesser demons burst out laughing:

  – “We thought Lord Trúc Di?n was settled with Princess Lita… now there’s this one too!”

  Din cleared his throat, cutting through the tension stretched tight as a wire:

  – “Alright… so where are we going now?”

  Satan smiled, his voice resonant and commanding:

  – “Back to the Bình Chánh Headquarters for dinner. The chefs have prepared everything. After that, Phong Túc will return to D?ng’s house to switch roles with Bách Di?n. Don’t worry… everything is about to end.”

  When D?ng’s family arrived home, he opened the gate while Mr. Tài glanced toward his own house and suddenly said:

  – “The professor still hasn’t come back? I thought he was inside.”

  Join glanced at Mary and quickly improvised:

  – “Earlier, the professor said he was going to meet some friends. He’ll probably be home late.”

  C?u D?ng shrugged:

  – “He’s a professor after all. He must have plenty of friends in Vietnam. Just leave him be.”

  At that moment, Anh Tú walked out of the house:

  – “Dad, Mom, my wife and the younger ones are back.”

  C?u D?ng nodded:

  – “You and Huy go out for coffee now. But come back early. Tomorrow morning the design team is coming — you’ll take my place and work with them.”

  Mr. Tín and Mrs. Nguy?t also said their goodbyes. Mr. Tín replied politely:

  – “Thank you, in-laws, for treating us today. We’ll take our leave now.”

  Mrs. Nguy?t gently followed up:

  – “Tomorrow we also need to clean the house and prepare the betrothal gifts in time. Goodbye to you and Mr. Tài’s family. We’ll head back now.”

  The old Dream motorbike sputtered to life and left the luxurious villa area.

  Huy turned to Anh Tú:

  – “I know a café nearby. Let’s go, brother in law.”

  Anh Tú nodded:

  – “Let me get the bike.”

  M? Linh waved her hand:

  – “Take my scooter, it’ll be faster.”

  Anh Tú turned to Anh ?ào:

  – “Do you want to come with us?”

  Anh ?ào shook her head, her voice slightly cold:

  – “I’m a bit tired. I’ll go upstairs and rest.”

  She walked straight into the house. Anh Tú understood all too well his greedy wife — she had once set him up for his family’s wealth, and now that she saw someone with even greater potential, she cast him aside without hesitation. He had never wanted to stay in D?ng’s house for even a single extra day, but he had his own reasons.

  Huy, on the other hand, was the complete opposite — he only wanted to step into this family so he could seize all of their assets.

  He quickly suggested:

  – “How about you ride with me, Brother? Getting another bike would be a hassle.”

  Anh Tú agreed immediately:

  – “Alright, I’ll trouble you then.”

  Anh Tú got on the scooter behind Huy. As Huy drove, he spoke casually:

  – “Brother must have seen through me already… This is my first time getting close to a high-ranking spirit from such a prestigious clan like you.”

  Anh Tú smiled politely:

  – “You’re flattering me. Just act normally. Now we’re both sons-in-law of the family — like brothers. No need to be so formal.”

  Inside Huy’s mind, however, a different thought brewed:

  – “Even if you’re a noble spirit, don’t think you can ruin my plan.”

  Meanwhile, Anh Tú remained calm on the surface, but his thoughts were completely different:

  – “I’ll even support you in destroying that fortune. That’s exactly what I want… and what those forces want as well.”

  ***

  At the Bình Chánh Headquarters

  The reunion dinner was lively, the table filled with laughter and chatter. Yet one face looked anything but happy — Erion, who kept shooting sharp glares at Phong Túc.

  From time to time, Phong Túc would glare back, his eyes narrowing with blatant provocation.

  Arian crossed his arms, exasperated:

  – “Here we go again. The two brothers-in-law were already fighting nonstop at the Serpent Clan headquarters. Now add this guy — looks like we’ll be living with this mess long-term.”

  Din sighed:

  – “So whose side is Trúc Di?n on now? Standing in the middle, or siding with Phong Túc?”

  H?ng Nhung covered her mouth, giggling:

  – “Looks like Erion is going to be very busy from now on.”

  Trang picked up food and put it into Erion’s bowl, her tone slightly irritated:

  – “I let it slide last time. Do you still want to make people angry again? Eat properly.”

  Yet the two men continued glaring at each other, while Trúc Di?n, seated between them, suffered in silence — his face stiff as a statue.

  The lesser demons burst into laughter:

  – “This is a long-running romance drama! Starring: the Grand General and Lord Phong Túc!”

  The atmosphere was so lively that even the food seemed ready to laugh along.

  Charles laughed when he saw Erion’s jealousy on full display:

  – “In an ancient book I once read, there was a description of the Black Diamond demon. So it really is him. And the female counterpart… is Trang.”

  Satan nodded:

  – “I already told you. When I wandered through the universe — the spiral galaxy Andromeda — I eventually stopped on a planet and chose it as the place to build the empire you see today. In the core of that planet, the temperature was so extremely cold that it froze space and time around it, crystallizing into the first Black Diamond — Erion. Then, on another planet directly opposite it, separated by millions of light-years, the core gave birth to the second Black Diamond — Trang.”

  Charles tilted his head:

  – “That book also mentioned that the Dark Planet possesses extremely advanced technology, yet its society follows a classical style.”

  Satan smiled:

  – “It was accurate. Despite having highly advanced systems and technology, their architecture, clothing, and rituals remain classical. Ladies, duchesses, counts, crown princes — everyone is proficient in IT, yet their appearance, fashion style, even their cities, palaces, and ancient villages resemble Earth during the Victorian era.”

  He then gestured toward Erion:

  – “Erion is known as the French royal demon, because he adores French aristocratic style. As for Din, he is an English vampire count, since he was born and transformed during the Tudor period.”

  Din stood and bowed:

  – “Just as the Dark Lord said.”

  Satan turned to Yin, Trúc Di?n, Phong Túc, Chen, Bách Di?n, and all members of the Serpent Clan:

  – “As for them, their origins trace back to Chinese immigrants who moved into the Southern Six Provinces about three hundred years ago. They preserved Chinese traditions while gradually integrating into Vietnamese culture.”

  He continued:

  – “Trang, however, was brought to Vietnam by me when she had just formed within the Black Core, so her style is purely Vietnamese. Master V?nh is Vietnamese as well.”

  The Grand Matron glanced at H?ng Nhung and spoke gently:

  – “And this is the Dark Lord’s daughter-in-law, a fairy of the Northern Realm. Her ancestors came to Hanoi generations ago and chose that ancient city as their home. She carries the elegance of a Hanoian maiden, while Trang embodies the spirit of a Saigon girl. Each of them is beautiful in her own way.”

  Charles smiled and introduced himself:

  – “I also chose Earth. Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, is where I live. It is a center of economy, tourism, and culture, renowned for the beauty of its islands and historic landmarks such as City Hall and the Royal Palace.”

  Master V?nh replied respectfully:

  – “So you are a physics professor from Sweden. I had thought you were from Canada.”

  Charles laughed:

  – “Join and Mary are apprentice witches and also physics students at a university in Toronto. Since they met me in the very field they study, they call me ‘Teacher.’ More importantly, it’s their eagerness to learn — I’m always willing to teach them whenever I can.”

  Phong Túc stood up and bowed respectfully:

  – “In that case, this subordinate will take his leave now, to switch roles with Bách Di?n. He’s been exhausted all day.”

  Satan nodded:

  – “Go carefully. Perhaps after the wedding, I will bring the role of ‘Aunt T?’ to an end.”

  H?u K? made a request:

  – “This afternoon, Chen attached a tracking device under D?ng’s car. Can you retrieve it?”

  Phong Túc gave a slight nod:

  – “Of course.”

  Arian immediately interjected:

  – “Father, why not let them continue for a while longer, coordinating with Anh Tú to deal with D?ng’s family?”

  Satan shook his head:

  – “There’s no need. Inside, we have Anh Tú. Across the street, we have my children. Now we also have Charles and two apprentice witches. That family… even if they grew wings, they wouldn’t escape the law of karma that’s about to descend.”

  It was already late at night. The villa grounds sank into silence, with only the sound of wind brushing through the trees, like a vague lullaby of the night.

  Inside Dì T?’s room, Bách Di?n had already returned to his true form. Leaning against a pillow, he watched a movie on his phone while munching on snacks when he heard extremely light footsteps outside the window. He curled his lips into a smirk.

  – “That cat is back.”

  The window cracked open. A dark figure slipped inside — light and fast, exactly at the speed of the Black Spirit Lynx. Phong Túc straightened up, brushing a few dewdrops from his shoulder.

  Bách Di?n asked:

  – “You met them already, right?”

  Phong Túc nodded:

  – “I did. Princess Trang… her beauty is wild in a very natural way—full of vitality, unadorned, without any need for embellishment.”

  Bách Di?n shrugged:

  – “But the Grand General, on the other hand…”

  Phong Túc replied immediately, his voice firm:

  – “Ignore him. I’ve been by the Princess’s side for twenty years. Even if she and Erion end up together, I will still remain — serving as her and the Dark Lord’s right hand.”

  Bách Di?n nodded in agreement:

  – “On the Grand General’s side, there are two vampire lords and Chen, who’s excellent at investigations. But on the Princess’s side… there’s no one.”

  At that moment, Bách Di?n noticed Phong Túc holding a small object in his hand. He frowned.

  – “What’s that?”

  Phong Túc lifted it toward the bedside lamp:

  – “Erion’s tracking device, attached under D?ng’s car. H?u K? asked me to retrieve it.”

  Then he added:

  – “And there’s something else. That professor… he’s an angel. The Dark Lord’s childhood best friend.”

  Bách Di?n’s eyes widened:

  – “Seriously? Damn… why is everything so shocking tonight…”

  ***

  Outside in the garden

  Anh Tú had just returned from coffee. As he crossed the lawn, he sniffed the air:

  – “What’s that smell… like a reptile… and there’s also the scent of a wild cat.”

  Inside the room, Phong Túc — his hearing extremely sharp — instantly went on alert.

  – “It’s Anh Tú.”

  Bách Di?n whispered:

  – “Should we let him know?”

  Phong Túc thought for a moment:

  – “We can. He’s on the same side anyway.”

  Immediately, Bách Di?n activated his invisibility technique and quietly left the room. As a Chameleon Spirit, he could move across any vertical surface without being affected by gravity.

  As for Phong Túc, his body was as light as a feather. He glided across the balcony, tree trunks, and walls — graceful like a ballet dancer, light, fast, and silent.

  Down in the yard, Anh Tú already sensed something approaching. He heard a very soft landing on the grass. By reflex, his eyes flashed a faint purple, his claws slightly extending for defense.

  From a distance, a deep male voice — slightly playfu l— rang out:

  – “An acquaintance. We’re subordinates of the Dark Lord.”

  Then another voice followed, low and cold like the night wind:

  – “We’ve been meeting for quite some time already.”

  Anh Tú kept his voice low, knowing this was his wife’s house:

  – “Who are you? Come out.”

  From the shadows, two elegant figures stepped forward:

  Anh Tú almost froze:

  – “What the hell… why do you both look so damn roguishly handsome…”

  A thought flashed through his mind:

  – “If women like Chairman Tu?n’s future wife ever saw this, they’d be completely smitten — probably even more than with Trúc Di?n.”

  Anh Tú stepped closer:

  – “You two are… agents of the Dark Lord Satan, right? What are you doing here?”

  Bách Di?n winked:

  – “We take turns playing a character known as… Aunt T?.”

  Anh Tú’s mouth fell open. He hurriedly covered it to keep himself from shouting:

  – “What!? Dì T?… was the two of you in disguise!? My god, how many secrets are there!? My sister-in-law and her two friends being witches already shocked me. My brother-in-law being a centipede spirit… And now Dì T? is also two people switching roles!?”

  Then he lowered his voice and added:

  – “And Professor Charles… he’s an angel. The Dark Lord’s childhood friend.”

  Anh Tú covered his mouth again:

  – “He’s… an angel!?”

  ***

  Suddenly — the second floor lights turned on. All three immediately hid behind a row of bonsai trees.

  The balcony door opened. Anh Ph??ng, Join, and Mary stepped out to observe the night sky.

  Bách Di?n whispered:

  – “Didn’t the professor say those two Canadian witches were on his side?”

  Anh Tú replied at once, his tone mysterious:

  – “They have to keep up appearances so Anh Ph??ng won’t suspect anything. She’s the most dangerous one among the three sisters in this family.”

  Phong Túc gave a slight nod:

  – “They’re probably discussing something.”