Chapter 30: A Perfect Ending Part 2

That was one big reason Su Shang got branded the ultimate vicious side character in the original work. He didn’t devote himself wholly to loving Shen Changqing or proving his loyalty. Instead, he went around seducing other men, using them to sabotage Su Mingyao. The betrayal of his betrothal vows was unforgivable!

However, Luo Shang completely ignored this bit of plot.

He already had a boyfriend, and he had no special fetish for group activities.

Shen Changqing was only a temporary fiancé, and they would annul the engagement later. That was something he could tolerate to a degree. But actively seducing someone and asking them to help frame Su Mingyao? That was something Luo Shang simply couldn’t do.

He thought it over. In the original work, it was because he’d projected a photo of Su Mingyao that he’d offended Li Qingshu and Su Tiancheng. Having lost their trust and favor, and without the strength to frame Su Mingyao himself, he’d naturally needed someone else’s help.

But now, he didn’t need Li Qingshu or Su Tiancheng at all. He could handle framing Su Mingyao personally, so there was no need to slavishly follow the original plot by debasing himself to seduce Li Lingran.

Truth be told, Luo Shang had never learned how to seduce men, nor did he know how to play the green tea bitch.

When he’d had the Su Family’s backing before, he’d been free to act as arrogantly as he pleased, so he’d never needed to fawn over anyone.

In the original work, Su Shang had picked up those two skills only after learning he wasn’t a biological child of the Su Family. Realizing that Su Mingyao would inevitably squeeze him out of resources down the line, he’d reined in his temper and deliberately studied how to ingratiate himself with others.

Thus, Su Shang had seamlessly switched from spoiled young master to green tea vicious side character—what others saw as him “finally behaving himself.”

By contrast, Luo Shang’s survival in the Reincarnation Space clearly hadn’t required learning any such things. There, he’d honed skills like combat, killing, body disposal, and soothing his partners…

If he had to seduce a man, the only method that came to mind was something straightforward and brutal, like sprinkling Succubus Scale Powder on himself.

As for how Ke Yanjin had been drawn to him in the first place, Luo Shang still didn’t fully understand it.

Back then, they’d been assigned to the same mission. Both harboring intensely negative feelings toward their birth families, they’d become temporary partners for that job.

They soon discovered their abilities complemented each other perfectly—Luo Shang handling raw combat suppression while Ke Yanjin managed the strategic planning. What started as a temporary pairing evolved into a long-term one, then a permanent bond.

Somewhere along the way, as partners, they’d tumbled into bed together. Things had blurred from there, drifting along for years until they’d reached their current level of intimacy.

He’d once joked, “We should have met the parents ages ago, but our birth families are such a mess—we don’t need their approval. As long as you and I know it’s real, that’s enough.” And Ke Yanjin had actually brought his own wind-dried father to meet him, fulfilling the “wish” in the most literal sense.

Ke Yanjin’s implication had been: “I might not take you to meet my parents, but I can bring my parents to meet you.” Luo Shang had promptly clamped his mouth shut. It wasn’t like he could turn the Su Family couple into human jerky to give Ke Yanjin in return—he still had a shred of humanity left.

Besides, Ke Yanjin belonged to a mythical species. Corpses of his kind made excellent transcendent materials, highly sought after for crafting protective talismans. Luo Shang figured he was just gifting him a life-saving item, albeit one made from his own father.

But the Su Family couple were plain old humans. Turning them into jerky would only horrify Luo Shang without any practical use!

Well, it might make Ke Yanjin happy… but no, better not. There were so many other ways to please him. Worst case, he’d just agree to let Ke Yanjin use his true form a few times during their romps. He could endure that much…

Realizing his thoughts had wandered back to Ke Yanjin again, Luo Shang reined them in.

He’d been back less than a day, yet he was already missing the man.

I clearly don’t have separation anxiety… Luo Shang pulled a wry smile.

None of these thoughts reached the Su Family members or Shen Changqing. The Heart Voice they could hear consisted only of the mental exchanges between Luo Shang and the System.

As for the inner monologue Luo Shang kept private from the System, they were equally in the dark. All they could see was Luo Shang sitting in the Wheelchair, seemingly lost in a daze, a mysterious smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

He must have passed, Su Mingyao thought.

Of course, he hadn’t forgotten that Luo Shang still had other business to attend to.

And so, when Luo Shang wheeled himself up onto the stage and passed by Su Mingyao, he directly snatched the microphone from his hand.

Su Mingyao didn’t resist. He let him take it, feeling a wave of relief wash over him—this farce was finally coming to an end!

Luo Shang faced the audience below, their gazes laced with sarcasm, pity, longing, and a host of other complex emotions. He offered them a faint smile and spoke.

“By now, everyone knows that I’m not a biological child of the Su Family.”

“I am deeply grateful to Mr. Su Tiancheng and Ms. Li Qingshu for raising me all these years, from a helpless infant into a grown man. And to Mr. Su Bingyao, my brother, who has always protected and encouraged me.”

“But that’s not what I want to talk about today. I was born into this world because my biological parents loved me. They gave me life, and they saved my brother, Su Mingyao.”

“Therefore, to honor their memory and keep them in my heart, I’ve decided to revert to my original surname. From this moment on, I am Luo Shang.”

Holy shit, this gossip was explosive!

Why mention that they saved his brother Su Mingyao? There had to be a story behind it!

The guests in the audience relied entirely on their good breeding to keep from whispering among themselves. The entire hall buzzed faintly with the revelation.

This wasn’t going to be easy. Why was Su Shang suddenly doing this? Li Lingran instinctively glanced at Li Qingshu—Lady Li.

In the Su family household, Lady Li’s word was law. Even Su Tiancheng deferred to her.

Would Li Qingshu agree to something as major as Su Shang changing his surname?

He might not be their biological son, but he’d lived with that name for so long. How could he just cast it aside?

Most of the guests shared the same thought. Su Shang’s announcement was far too abrupt and rebellious. It was obvious he hadn’t discussed it with the Su couple ahead of time—otherwise, he wouldn’t have seized the microphone like this!

Sure enough, Su Tiancheng’s expression darkened, and so did Li Qingshu’s.

Up on the stage, Luo Shang gazed steadily at them.

Agree, or disagree?

Just as the crowd braced for the Su couple to erupt in anger and berate Luo Shang for his outrageous behavior—

Li Qingshu spoke first. “That’s only right.”

What??? No one could believe their ears.

What did she mean, “that’s only right”? Had they heard her wrong?

Li Qingshu continued, “That’s your original surname. If you want to change it back, then do so—just like we changed Mingyao’s surname to Su. It’s perfectly normal for you to revert to yours.”

“But even so, you’ll always be the Su family’s Third Young Master. You’ll always be our son.” Li Qingshu added.

She couldn’t let Luo Shang think she undervalued him by agreeing so readily. No, she had to show they respected his wishes. Do whatever you want, kid!

“Exactly.” Su Tiancheng chimed in.

He wasn’t much for words and usually left the talking to his wife, but he needed to make his stance clear now.

He had to speak up.

“We’ve actually been mulling this over ourselves,” Su Tiancheng went on, “but we didn’t want to pressure you or make you overthink it. In the end, your feelings on the matter are what count most.”

Luo Shang nodded.

[It really went through.]

[I told you to give it a shot,] the System replied.

[See? No need to destroy the world or bother with all that troublesome mental magic.]

[True enough.]

Good. Finally, it was time to wrap things up!

Su Bingyao and Su Mingyao were thrilled—the world hadn’t ended, and the recognition banquet plot had concluded perfectly.

Li Qingshu and Su Tiancheng were pleased; they’d played out the script without a hitch.

Shen Changqing—Changqing—was relieved to still be breathing.

The guests had feasted on the Su family’s latest drama and gotten their fill of gossip-fueled entertainment.

Even Luo Shang’s inner voice seemed content, with no objections.

Su Bingyao let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Everything was falling into place at last. He was already mentally sorting the order in which the guests would depart—

When the sunlight pouring through the windows suddenly dimmed. A chill welled up from the depths of his heart.

Death. Eternal slumber. Tranquility. Darkness. Fear… A torrent of such dread sensations accompanied the aura, surging through him. The hall’s lights began to flicker erratically.

“Found you!”

A girl’s voice slithered into his ears, cold and insidious as rot clinging to the bone.

The hellish timbre sent a shiver through every soul in the room, chilling them from within.

Gusts of yin wind swept through. The fruits on the tables withered in an instant, shriveling into dry husks.

A massive bone claw slammed against the wall. Its curved joints rapped politely on the window.

With a crash, the double-paned glass shattered under the force of those knuckles. Shards rained to the floor as the eerie bony digits pushed through the broken frame, jagged bone spurs glinting ominously.

One of the guests let out a scream and promptly fainted.

Holy shit—what the hell was this? Su Bingyao froze in shock.

His first instinct was to whip his head toward Luo Shang.

Brother Shang—even if I’m calling you “brother” now, didn’t we follow your plan to the letter and play out the whole thing straight? So why the fuck was something this bizarre happening?!