Chapter 65
Hugh Elvis’s return wasn’t kept secret. It caused ripples not only within the First Star System but also across the star network.
With the current population, a beastman developing a genetic disorder wasn’t unusual. It was a natural occurrence, a fact of life. The Elvis family had downplayed the news at the time, and the few news reports that surfaced hadn’t garnered much attention.
Those who saw the news had simply lamented the young heir’s misfortune, born into immense wealth, only to lose it before even inheriting it.
However, a regressed beastman recovering, regaining his human form and even appearing strong and healthy, was unusual and sparked speculation.
The truth about the beast heart remained a closely guarded secret, those who knew remaining silent, aware of the consequences of revealing it.
So, the public remained unaware of the true cause of Hugh’s illness.
Three months after Hugh’s return and his appointment to a high-ranking position within the Elvis Corporation, the family released a carefully worded statement, claiming that Hugh’s genetic disorder had been relatively mild, with a high probability of recovery, and that his ten-year absence had been a period of recuperation and treatment.
It was common knowledge that the severity of genetic disorders varied, as did the chances of recovery.
The specifics of Hugh’s case remained undisclosed, and since beast hearts were incredibly rare, forming one every thirty to fifty years, most people had only seen pictures online and didn’t connect his illness to the possibility of beast heart consumption.
The public readily accepted the official statement, assuming his disorder had been a mild one, easily treated with the Elvis family’s vast resources.
Some even speculated that Hugh, being young at the time, had been sent away under the pretense of illness by his stepmother and half-brother, who had seized control, only to return years later and reclaim his rightful place.
The rumors and speculation on the star network shifted, then quickly faded. It wasn’t an unprecedented miracle; there were documented cases of genetic disorders being cured.
A few members of the Elvis family, involved in the medical field, knew that Hugh had completely regressed, but they were unaware of the beast heart. They had been intrigued by his recovery and had tried, unsuccessfully, to glean information from him during the family gathering, their curiosity piqued by this living example of a seemingly impossible recovery.
However, seeing Arnold’s signature on the official statement, they abandoned their inquiries, not daring to mention the matter again, either publicly or privately.
A shadowy figure flickered on the virtual screen. Wen Luo Kelaso closed the window and rubbed his temples.
Having consumed a beast heart, his genetic code irrevocably altered, and yet he had recovered, regained both his human form and his sanity. Even now, Wen Luo found it hard to believe, but Hugh Elvis was a constant, unwelcome presence, a thorn in his side.
The brightly lit greenhouse was filled with the fragrant aroma of roses.
Wen Luo lay on a rocking chair, his eyes closed, trying to relax.
The past three months had been a constant struggle, he and Yarlin facing setbacks after setbacks, their occasional victories short-lived, the pressure mounting.
Arnold’s stance seemed unclear, as if indifferent to the conflict between his two sons, but whenever a significant decision was made, it always favored Hugh.
Even the idiots in the other branches of the family had noticed the shift in power, some already aligning themselves with Hugh.
Yarlin’s position as heir was precarious.
Should he manipulate public opinion?
Wen Luo suddenly opened his eyes. No. He bit his fingernails, his face contorted in frustration. He couldn’t reveal the truth about the beast heart. Arnold would never forgive him.
And it had been his idea, his plan, to give the beast heart to a nine-year-old child. If the truth came out, Hugh would undoubtedly use it against him, and he could face criminal charges.
But the fact that Hugh had not only recovered but also developed an ability after consuming a beast heart was a bombshell that could shake the foundations of society.
Even though human experimentation was a serious crime, punishable by death, there would be no shortage of people interested in Hugh’s genes.
If he could create enough chaos, he could use it to discredit Hugh, to strip him of his power.
Eliminating him permanently would be ideal, a final solution to this problem. Only a dead man couldn’t threaten him.
His optical brain chimed, and he glanced at the notification, another work-related issue.
He cursed Yarlin’s incompetence, his carelessness in covering his tracks, then cursed Hugh. That beast, perhaps fueled by the beast heart’s energy, seemed to never sleep, working tirelessly like a machine.
His attempts to spread the truth about the beast heart were repeatedly thwarted. Whether through intermediaries or secret online contacts with underground organizations, all his efforts had failed.
Wen Luo Kelaso knew Arnold had been watching him, but this blatant interference was a new development.
Yarlin’s embezzlement of corporate funds could no longer be concealed, and he was about to be handed over to the authorities. No amount of influence or bribery could save him now.
Desperate, he decided to take a gamble and reveal the truth about the beast heart, a bombshell that would implicate both Hugh and Arnold, preventing them from escaping the fallout.
But before he could leave Rose Villa, a group of security personnel entered, blocking his car.
Arnold Elvis stepped inside, his gaze sweeping over the villa.
Rose Villa wasn’t large, compared to the main estate, but its beautiful rose garden and elegant design made it a prized property among the Imperial Star nobility.
Yarlin had purchased it a few years ago, after a promotion, and given it to Wen Luo as a birthday gift.
Seeing Arnold, Wen Luo blustered, claiming this was his property, and Arnold was trespassing.
Arnold stared at him, his cold gaze unwavering, until Wen Luo’s bravado crumbled, his fear evident.
Wen Luo was placed under house arrest.
In the rose garden, the fragrant aroma of the flowers heavy in the air, Arnold stood alone by the window, lost in thought.
The scent of roses gave him a headache, and he rubbed his temples.
He wasn’t the only one who had anticipated Wen Luo’s actions. Hugh had also been aware of his stepmother’s malicious intentions.
Yarlin’s embezzlement had disappointed him deeply.
Hugh had been only nine when the incident with the beast heart occurred. Wen Luo’s gentle facade had shattered, his greed and ambition exposed, and Arnold, in his anger, had personally whipped him, promising Hugh that if he survived, he could punish Wen Luo as he saw fit.
He had been utterly disappointed in Wen Luo, their relationship irrevocably broken. He had even severed their pheromone bond, their marking removed, though for the sake of the family’s reputation and its interests, he hadn’t divorced him, maintaining a facade of a marriage.
Yarlin had been only four years old at the time, too young to understand Wen Luo’s actions.
Seeing Yarlin always reminded him of Wen Luo’s betrayal, and he had never truly warmed to his second son, though a child was innocent.
Yarlin lacked the strength of character and the business acumen to lead the Elvis family, but he was his only remaining heir, and he had no choice but to groom him, starting him from the bottom, hoping to cultivate his abilities.
He hadn’t expected Yarlin to be so bold, so reckless, his greed so easily tempted by such paltry sums.
Unable to contact his father, Yarlin panicked, barely maintaining his composure as he frantically called everyone he knew, trying to find a solution.
Fortunately, he managed to pull some strings before the authorities arrived.
He had to cover his tracks, plug the holes in his accounts. Otherwise, Hugh Elvis, who had been relentlessly searching for his weaknesses, would find him again.
Yarlin’s face was covered in stubble, his usually meticulously styled hair a mess, a stark contrast to his carefully cultivated image as the confident and capable heir.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul, too busy even to eat, he desperately tried to fix the damage, puzzled by Hugh’s sudden silence.
He knew it was only temporary, but the reprieve, the absence of looming criminal charges, was a welcome relief.
A month later, his desperate attempt at retaliation, a carefully planned assassination, failed, exposing his actions, and as he glared at Hugh, his eyes filled with hatred and resentment, he finally understood why Hugh hadn’t pressed the matter further.
The Polivy Sanatorium.
Crimson roses bloomed profusely on the fence, their petals thick and vibrant.
The garden was filled with flowers of all kinds: roses, hydrangeas, peonies, chrysanthemums, their colors and fragrances mingling, their large, delicate blooms a testament to the meticulous care they received.
A tall, white-haired man emerged from a nondescript black car, a gentle breeze following him as he walked through the garden, rustling the flowers.
Hugh Elvis stopped before a particularly beautiful pink rose, plucked it, his gloved hand gentle, and entered a room on the ground floor.
Wen Luo Kelaso sat strapped to a chair by the window, his gaze fixed on the outside world, his once-vibrant beauty faded, his face lined, a shadow of his former self.
Hugh glanced at the rose in his hand and said calmly, “Rose Villa fetched a good price at auction.”
Wen Luo didn’t react, his gaze still fixed on the rose garden outside.
Rose Villa had been his favorite residence, roses his favorite flowers, their scent mirroring his own pheromones.
Hugh, ignoring his silence, placed the rose on the windowsill, then removed his right glove and opened his terminal, displaying a video.
Yarlin, his face and body bruised and bloodied, was strapped to a chair, clearly having been beaten.
The video was silent, only Yarlin’s pained gasps audible.
A man in black approached Yarlin, gripped his jaw, forced his mouth open, and inserted a small, blue, glowing crystal.
“If you survive, I’ll let you go,” Hugh’s cold voice came from the terminal.
A beast heart.
Wen Luo Kelaso recognized the crystal, his eyes widening in disbelief, his voice filled with rage. “You gave him a beast heart?! How dare you! You monster!”
Hugh ignored his outburst, turning up the volume to drown out his screams.
He fast-forwarded the video, and Yarlin’s screams of agony filled the room. His body began to transform, his hands becoming wolf paws, his size changing.
Like a balloon inflating, his muscles and bones expanded rapidly, the veins bulging beneath his skin, and within moments, he had become a large gray wolf, its eyes bloodshot, its body convulsing, its hoarse howls echoing its agony.
Two minutes later, the wolf’s eyes changed, the human consciousness gone, replaced by a feral, predatory glint.
As the wolf lunged, a metal cage descended from above, trapping it.
The sound of metal against metal, the wolf’s furious roars, filled the air.
The feral wolf, its mind gone, thrashed within the cage, its howls echoing its desperation, its dignity lost, reduced to a mere beast.
Wen Luo Kelaso’s curses abruptly ceased.
Hugh paused the video, and Wen Luo looked up sharply, about to scream, when several men in black appeared outside the window, carrying a metal cage.
The cage, and the gray wolf inside, were identical to the ones in the video.
Wen Luo howled and thrashed, his struggles futile against the restraints.
The wolf in the cage lay motionless, its body limp.
Hugh Elvis closed the terminal, put his glove back on, and said with a hint of regret, “Unfortunately, he didn’t survive. I had a doctor examine him. He had a genetic disorder. His cells were rapidly deteriorating. He didn’t have much time left.”
“Monster! You’ll rot in hell!” Wen Luo’s face was contorted in rage, tears streaming down his face.
Hugh looked at him, a cruel smile twisting his lips, then turned and left, not even bothering to offer a word of comfort.
From the hallway, he could clearly see the cage in the garden and the restrained figure in the window.
He lit a cigarette, leaning against a pillar, his expression casual.
He was actually a law-abiding citizen, adaptable and pragmatic. He had readily embraced the brutal reality of the primitive planet and the black market, requiring no adjustment period.
Returning to civilized society, following its rules and laws, hadn’t been difficult. Yarlin’s petty schemes and his clumsy attempts at embezzlement had been…beneath him.
Laws weren’t constraints, merely guidelines, tools to be utilized, and their proper application could also yield benefits.
However, when it came to punishing Wen Luo and Yarlin, he preferred a more…direct approach.
The garden was vibrant with life, birds perched on the flowering branches, their movements causing the delicate blossoms to sway, bees buzzing around the colorful flowers, butterflies flitting through the air.
The sun shone brightly. The sanatorium was quiet and peaceful, few people around.
A sense of calm settled over him.
He hadn’t taken the time to appreciate the beauty of his surroundings in a long time, his pace slowing unconsciously.
Wu Wu would love this place, chasing birds and butterflies, perhaps even befriending the bees.
His son was always so energetic and playful. At a year and a half old, he must have grown even more, perhaps even running now.
Shi Nuo also liked flowers, especially these vibrant blooms.
He stopped, his gaze drawn to a delicate white tea olive blossom, swaying gently in the breeze.
There weren’t many tea olive trees here, and this one had only a single bloom, the rest still buds.
The sweet floral fragrance, with its subtle hint of bitterness, was identical to Shi Nuo’s pheromones.
He quickened his pace, leaving the sanatorium. The estate had been prepared, Wu Wu’s room, their room, and the tea olive trees in the garden, planted three months ago, their buds about to bloom.
He had also set up a small playground for Wu Wu. His son would love it.
The sanatorium held a sick wolf and a madman, one prone to violent outbursts and feral roars, the other to fits of weeping and curses.
Neither survived for long.
The staff claimed their conditions were too severe, beyond treatment, and that dying surrounded by flowers, in a peaceful environment, was a humane end.
After five months of struggle and conflict, a victor emerged, and the secrets remained buried.
In the vastness of space, countless stars twinkled.
A dark gray starship emerged from a jump point and, without pausing, set course for its destination, its engines accelerating.
