Chapter 29: Making Amends and Visitors Part 1

In the original plot, Su Shang had stubbornly clung to that name even after being publicly exposed as not the Su family’s biological son. He never reverted to his original surname, which left him open to endless mockery afterward—clearly no blood relation to the Sus, yet shamelessly keeping their name.

Luo Shang, however, was far more accustomed to his true name.

After entering the Reincarnation Space, he had promptly changed his surname, casting aside his old identity as Su Shang to start fresh as Luo Shang. It had gotten to the point where, upon his return, hearing people call him Su Shang still threw him off for a moment.

Luo Shang was not the type to compromise with himself. If Luo Mingyao could become Su Mingyao, then he had every right to reclaim his own surname.

Announcing it here offered one key advantage: the name would spread with the end of the banquet, rippling through every social circle he moved in and cementing his identity as Luo Shang on a societal level.

A mere rebuttal at the Su family banquet would mean correcting outsiders over and over again later—far too much hassle.

Luo Shang swept his gaze over everyone present who might try to stop him, mentally tallying them up.

[My Mental Spells are rusty. Twisting their thoughts to make them agree sounds straightforward, but in practice, I always risk turning them into vegetables…]

It was no doubt because his Native World was so remote. Without aura as a potent medium, every spell lost much of its power.

No, no, no—we’ll absolutely agree! We won’t object at all! Just give it a try and see!! Come on, try it!!

The Su family members’ minds rang with desperate shrieks.

[If my spells turn them into vegetables, I’ll have to wipe out the world and reload to before I cast them.]

Luo Shang ran through the scenario in his head.

[Even if I’m out of practice with Mental Spells, enough attempts are bound to land one success.]

It was like grinding probability events in a game with save points—save, reload, repeat. That was precisely what Luo Shang had in mind.

For a player pulling the strings, it was a minor annoyance at worst.

But what if the game’s NPCs kept their wits about them?

They’d be forced to relive the same moments endlessly, enduring the agony of each reset.

Su Bingyao and Su Mingyao stared in abject horror, their faces ashen. Li Qingshu and Su Tiancheng hadn’t endured that particular nightmare, but they had been cast into a ruined world afterward and tortured there firsthand.

If it happened more than once—even with some inexplicable mechanism preserving their sanity—their minds would shatter all the same.

What torment in this world could possibly be crueler?

As it turned out, something could.

[That’s pretty troublesome,] the System piped up. [You might want to consider an easier approach.]

[An easier approach, huh.]

[Or I could have Sophia bring a few more Corpse Manipulation Scrolls.] Luo Shang pondered.

[Killing them all and puppeteering their corpses wouldn’t blanket the whole world—just four or five targets. That’s manageable for me.]

…

No, not like that! If it’s a hassle, then don’t do it! Just step up and declare the name change—we’re 100% on board. Anyone who objects, you won’t even need to dirty your hands; we’ll take care of them ourselves!

The System’s interjection only ratcheted up the peril.

At first, the Su family had merely been tense at the thought of turning just Shen Changqing into a corpse—no immediate life-or-death threat. Now the System had opened its mouth, and suddenly everyone was on the chopping block!

Li Qingshu harbored zero doubts about Su Shang’s willingness to follow through. She and Su Bingyao had felt that bloody, terrifying aura radiating from him up close, a killing intent so thick it was practically tangible—far beyond what one or two murders could account for.

In that moment, she shot a glance at Su Bingyao: You’re his brother—do something!

Su Bingyao caught the silent plea: ?

No, you’re his mom! Why aren’t you stepping in?

Luckily, before they could scramble for a plan, the System spoke up again.

[No, no, no,] it said hastily.

[Why not try doing absolutely nothing?]

[What if they all agree? Luo Mingyao became Su Mingyao without issue. Changing back to Luo Shang should be fine too.]

[Do nothing?] Luo Shang echoed, a touch of surprise in his tone.

[That feels… off.]

Please, just follow the System’s advice for once. Do nothing—we swear we’ll agree!

Although they knew Su Shang—no, Luo Shang—couldn’t hear their inner thoughts, they still prayed in unison.

[The scroll hasn’t arrived yet. If it fails, you can always restart the world,] the System said.

[I can,] Luo Shang replied.

The others heaved a long sigh of relief. If Luo Shang had held out just a little longer, sweat would have broken out on their foreheads. This truly was a life-or-death moment.

Aren’t you supposed to respect me? Is your idea of respect to kill me off and then use my corpse for your little performance…? Su Bingyao felt a pang deep inside.

I’d rather end up a drooling idiot than have my dead body turned into a puppet. At least as an idiot, I’d still be alive.

[In all honesty, I don’t really want to kill them. My emotions haven’t grown that cold yet,] Luo Shang said.

Otherwise, he could have done it from the very beginning instead of waiting until now.

[I was just messing with you earlier, System. Look at you, all spooked.]

[Master, I’ve always sensed you have a knack for dark humor,] the System replied.

Joking? Cut it out—we’ll really lose our minds under this torment! the Su family members thought.

You’re not scaring the System; you’re terrifying us half to death!

Sometimes they even wondered if it might be better to die in blissful ignorance, never hearing Luo Shang’s heart voice at all.

The Su family had relaxed, but Shen Changqing—who wasn’t one of them—remained cloaked in the shadow of death.

Su Shang… no, Luo Shang. Even in his own mind, Shen Changqing found himself instinctively correcting the name to match Luo Shang’s preference.

He was genuinely terrified of Luo Shang.

Two minutes left.

He still hadn’t gotten his hands on that so-called No Blood Relation Certificate, much less figured out the Projection.

In two minutes, he’d be dead—and no one would even know. His corpse would be puppeteered by someone else, making it look like he was still alive, fully replacing him in the eyes of society.

Once the act was done and Luo Shang got what he wanted from the plot, he’d vanish without a second thought. Only then would anyone learn of Shen Changqing’s death…

His mind swirled with these grim visions.

He tried reaching out to Su Mingyao, hoping to snag the No Blood Relation Identification Document from him.

As expected, picking him as my partner last life was the right call. So attentive and kind, nothing like that Luo Shang, who just wants to murder me and toy with my corpse… In his anxiety, Shen Changqing’s thoughts spiraled into nonsense.

Truth be told, Su Mingyao had only mentioned it to him in part for his sake. Mostly, it was for Luo Shang—to nudge the plot along Luo Shang’s desired path. That meant Shen Changqing would handle the Projection. But from his perspective, it all twisted into proof of undying love.

Right now, though, Su Mingyao was onstage. Li Qingshu was introducing him to the crowd, and under all those watchful eyes, he had no chance to check his phone or send over the digital certificate.

Have you ever risked your life for someone?

Shen Changqing felt he could answer yes.

He’d risked it all for Luo Shang.

Not for Luo Shang’s life, mind you—his own. One slip-up, one moment too slow, and Luo Shang would’ve ripped out his soul, turning him into a lifeless puppet!

One minute, thirty seconds…

That’s it—Big Brother-in-Law! Driven by sheer desperation for survival, Shen Changqing had a sudden brainstorm at the eleventh hour. He remembered another Su family brother: Su Bingyao.

Back in the Su Family’s Back Garden, Su Mingyao had mentioned that Su Bingyao could hear Luo Shang’s heart voice too—and that Luo Shang held him in high respect.

Big Brother-in-Law might be his lifeline!

As B City elite heirs, they had each other’s WeChat anyway. Sure, there was that rivalry between them as the perennial “perfect kids from other families,” and they’d never actually messaged privately. But this wasn’t the time for hang-ups.

Big Brother-in-Law, save me!

Shen Changqing: Big Brother-in-Law!

Su Bingyao: …?

What the hell was Shen Changqing on about? Su Bingyao had never liked him.

It wasn’t just the messy engagement—with Luo Shang, no less—only for him to end up married to Su Mingyao. No, it was also Su Mingyao’s stories painting Luo Shang’s previous-life death as tied to Shen Changqing.

The first issue made Su Bingyao doubt the man’s morals. The second planted a seed of outright grudge.

Shen Changqing: I desperately need a No Parent-Child Relationship Certification right now. Big Brother-in-Law, got one? Did Mingyao send it your way?

Su Bingyao: ?!!

What? This idiot didn’t even prepare?!

He’s scrambling for it now?!

If this didn’t hinge on whether Luo Shang would reset the whole world, Su Bingyao wouldn’t lift a finger for his little brother-in-law.

What took you so damn long? Mingyao straight-up told you to follow Luo Shang’s lead, but nooo. You ignored it, skipped prep, and now you’re paying the price.

You just won’t listen until it’s too late. Only now that Little Shang threatens to turn you into a walking corpse are you panicking and finally willing to obediently follow the plot. Serves you right!

Su Bingyao had no interest in bantering with a corpse like Shen Changqing. To be precise, he had no desire to lay eyes on a walking corpse at all.

The thought of Luo Shang puppeteering that corpse from behind the scenes filled Su Bingyao with a strange sense of unease, as if the little brother he’d watched grow up had turned into a cannibal—though Luo Shang was far more terrifying than any cannibal these days.

Saving Shen Changqing was inevitable, then.

Shen Changqing was going to marry Su Mingyao someday, after all. Even if it was just for his other little brother’s future marital bliss, Su Bingyao had to lend a hand.

Fortunately, Su Mingyao had sent him that electronic certificate.

Mingyao must have known this guy’s stubborn streak all too well—known he wouldn’t turn back until he slammed headfirst into a wall. That’s why he’d sent it… As Su Bingyao mused to himself, he forwarded the contact info for the projection agent he’d prepared, along with it.

Truth be told, if Shen Changqing had stubbornly refused to act, Su Bingyao had a backup plan. With the electronic certificate from Su Mingyao, he could’ve had the agent he’d lined up in advance perform the projection instead.

It didn’t matter who did the projecting, anyway. Little Shang had already assumed it would be Shen Changqing, and once he saw the projection, he’d pin the blame on him regardless. Why would it have anything to do with Big Bro?