Lin Fang's tone grew quieter, distant — the kind of calm that comes after years of struggle. "Because I've spent most of my life running from debts. Owing people, borrowing, paying off one just to fall into another. I sold my home recently just to clear what I could… and ended up living in a shared flat. And now, I'm once again in debt to you." Staring at her seriously, he said, "No matter what, I will pay you back in one week, i.e., by next Sunday."

Vivian looked at him for a long moment with various thoughts in her head. She then poured herself a glass of water and sat beside him, crossing her legs. All this while, she seriously pondered his words. Taking a sip of water, she set her glass down and said with a faint grin, "How about this then—forget the debt. Think of that forty-four million as an investment in your store."

Lin Fang raised his brows.

"Investment?"

Vivian nodded, her tone playful but her eyes sharp with business instinct.

"Yes. In exchange, give me… hmm, Fifty—no, Forty-four percent of your company at 100 million valuation. Make me a shareholder. That way, you won't owe me anything. We both gain something out of it."

Lin Fang leaned back, quietly studying her. He could tell she wasn't joking.

Inside, his thoughts turned fast — about Zhi Yan's planned 30 million investment he was going to discuss after getting the guild license, about clearing the system's debts, about the ownership balance he'd been carefully plotting.

But then again… Vivian was different. She had already helped him when she didn't have to.

However, he doesn't want to lose that much of the company to Vivian either. He doesn't want to give more than forty percent of profits to her, even though she showed so much generosity.

Taking a slow breath, Lin Fang replied, "I can't give that much to you, Vivian, because I have to raise funding in the future. But to show my sincerity for what you did, I will give you 20% equity for 14 million at a 70 million valuation, and the rest, 30 million, is considered a loan, which I will repay you in a week."

Vivian blinked.

"You're giving me more than I asked for? But when I researched the store, I found that you were raking in millions of credits in a matter of days… That earlier 44% itself for that one egg feels like it is truly selfish of me…"

"Nothing compared to the help that comes in need, Vivian." He said with a smile. Then, he further added. "However, I still have two conditions."

"Go on."

"First — you can never ask me or force me to reveal the source of the products we sell. That's a line no one crosses."

"Second — you can't sell or transfer your shares to anyone without my permission. If you ever want to leave or liquidate your stake, I'll be the one to buy it back — at the valuation at that time. Deal?"

For a moment, Vivian just looked at him — and then smiled that slow, confident smile of hers. "Just those two?"

"Deal." She extended her hand. Lin Fang hesitated just a second, then took it firmly.

"Looking forward to doing business with you, partner," she said with a chuckle. After a few seconds, she then got up from the couch and stretched her body. "Anyway, I'm dead tired. *yawn* I'll go and take a shower."

While she was in the shower, Lin Fang pulled out his smartphone and texted Li Liu, becoming busy with chatting for a while, until she came out in a loose pajama set and directly climbed the bed instead. Lin Fang blinked in mild surprise. "You're not heading back tonight? Is it tomorrow? When is the flight?"

Vivian smiled casually, toweling her hair as she sat down. "I was going to, but… I think I'll postpone my return. Now that we're partners, I should spend some time understanding how my investment works, right?"

Lin Fang chuckled softly. "Fair enough. But I'll be leaving tomorrow morning for some personal reasons, as I told you before."

"Ah, right," Vivian nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I'll let our store manager know about you. You can stay at the store's private residence — it's part of my office. You'll also get to see the operations and sales firsthand. By the time I return, you'll know how everything runs."

Vivian grinned, leaning back on the pillow. "Perfect. We can finalize the contract when you return, then."

"Exactly," Lin Fang said, smiling faintly.

The night quieted down. The city lights flickered through the curtains, painting faint glows across the room.

Vivian drifted off first, her breathing calm and steady. Lin Fang lay awake a little longer, staring at the faint shimmer of the Prehistoric egg inside his system inventory… "Let's not do it now. Or else, I would be forced to wake up the entire night, checking out that gallery index."

Moments later, he too closed his eyes, letting the soft hum of the city fade into silence.

*

Meanwhile, deep within the red-light district of the capital city, neon lights flickered lazily above the narrow streets where brothels and love hotels stood shoulder to shoulder, their walls echoing with muffled laughter and music.

But inside one such brothel, the scene was entirely different.

A woman was screaming in labor with a glowing scarlet trident mark on her forehead. Sweat drenched her face as she clutched the sheets beneath her. Around her, a handful of sex workers hurried frantically — boiling water, fetching towels, praying under their breaths.

"Push! Come on, you're almost there!"

"Hold on, just a little more—!"

"I'm telling you. Let's go to the hospital instead. It's too risky for natural birth…"

"No…" The woman screamed right away. "I'm nearly there… But listen, the moment the baby is out, you've got to kill it."

"What?"

"Kill it?"

"What's this fool spouting?"

"Forget about her. She didn't like being pregnant in the first place."

"Ugh… what kind of mom would say to kill her child…"

"This bi*ch…"

"She was fine until a month ago. What happened?"

"She must have met the father of her child, who doesn't want the child. She must have wanted to use the baby to get with her lover…"

"But, still, she bore the child for nine months. She must have affection for the baby. Which mother in the world would hate her own baby?"

"Hey, stop murmuring… Get another set of towels, bring hot water, now…"

The madam had already cleared the house, sending every client away with refunds and excuses. Her face was pale as she stood near the door, muttering nervously, "What kind of cursed night is this…"

And soon…

With a final, heart-wrenching scream, the baby slid into the world.

*Uwaaa* *Uwaaa*

For a heartbeat, everyone exhaled in relief. Smiles emerged from the women around.

But that breath turned into horror in just four seconds.

The newborn didn't cry. Instead, its tiny body was enveloped in crimson-black energy as it floated — slowly, eerily — above the bed. The air turned heavy; the walls began to vibrate.

"W-What's happening?"

"The baby—!"

The madam reached forward — and instantly froze, her body turning pale as her life was drained from her. One by one, the women around her collapsed, screaming as their vitality was sucked into the growing sphere of scarlet light that surrounded the child. Not even the mother was spared.

Their blood turned to mist. Their souls flickered like candles before being devoured. The demonic light expanded, cracking the floorboards, melting the lantern glass.

And then—

A deep, monstrous laughter echoed through the chamber.

"HAHAHAHAHA…"

The light burst apart with a shockwave, throwing splinters of wood and debris in all directions.

When the glow faded, the baby was gone.

Standing amidst the carnage was a towering adult, his body sculpted and naked, skin glistening like obsidian. Two curved horns jutted from his head, and a pair of massive bat-like wings unfurled from his back. His eyes burned red, and the air around him warped with power.

"I'm finally reborn…" he growled, his voice deep and resonant. "After centuries in that cursed seal… I, Satan, have returned at last!"

He threw his head back and laughed — a sound that split the night like thunder.

A pillar of demonic energy shot up from his body, piercing the brothel roof and ripping through the sky, turning the clouds above into swirling blood mist.

At once, the entire city trembled.

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