Chapter 12: The Marshal’s Son, Mimicry Summoning Snowy Owl and Black…

Chapter 12 The Marshal's Son Summons a Snowy Owl and Black [Creature]...

Per Leader Xie's arrangements, half an hour later, Qi Heyin met the subject of her research project in the reception room downstairs—the fabled son of the Marshal.

The man was dressed in a regal black-and-gold military uniform, with thick black eyebrows and strikingly handsome features.

His imposing frame—broad shoulders, powerful back, and narrow waist—was seated on the sofa with long legs crossed, radiating an intimidating aura, like a silent iceberg.

At the sound of the door opening, the man's half-lidded eyes flickered slightly as he lifted his gaze, icy and penetrating.

His narrow, smoke-gray eyes were filled with predatory intensity, like a colossal beast roused by prey.

Meeting his gaze directly, Qi Heyin felt his piercing stare like needles—aggressive and penetrating.

Most people would be instantly overwhelmed by his formidable aura, recoiling instinctively.

Even someone as composed as Qi Heyin was briefly frozen by the sight of his ruthless, arctic expression.

Regaining her composure, she quickly realized that the man before her was a natural alpha and authority figure.

...So this was Li Chen.

Earlier, when Leader Xie had mentioned his name, Qi Heyin had vaguely recognized his identity.

Li Chen, the son of the Marshal, was also one of the male leads in the original novel. Moreover, among the Celestial Nobles male leads, he was the one the female protagonist feared the most.

If Shang Wenze's defining trait was cold arrogance, then this man embodied utter ruthlessness.

Li Chen came from an old aristocratic family in the capital, with generational military and political influence. His father was the current marshal of the Empire's military, commanding the entire Imperial Army with immense power. From childhood, he had been groomed as his father's successor, subjected to rigorous training and education.

First, he underwent psychic enhancement to become a powerful Mimic Warrior, then honed his tactical mind through numerous battlefield experiences, evolving into a formidable commander...

Li Chen was now in his senior year. He studied at the Military Department of Faro Academy and, upon graduation next year, was destined for immediate military commission.

He was the most fitting successor forged by his father's merciless methods—an embodiment of military discipline and will. He operated like a meticulously calibrated machine of command and combat, stern and unyielding, devoid of all warmth.

In the original novel, Li Chen had frequently performed acts of cold-blooded violence, terrifying the female protagonist to the point of avoidance.

One scene Qi Heyin remembered most vividly was when he had emotionlessly snapped the necks of several thugs right in front of the female protagonist, then proceeded to gun down fleeing criminals with precise headshots, splattering blood and gray matter across the ground amid her screams.

Qi Heyin: "..."

No wonder the female protagonist had been terrified—even the mental image was chilling. She was certain the female protagonist had been left with lasting trauma.

Who would have thought that Qi Heyin would one day choose to engage with this feared man from the original novel for a research project?

Come to think of it, did the original novel mention Li Chen achieving advanced psychic mastery? ...She couldn't quite recall.

Dismissing her wandering thoughts, Qi Heyin steadied her breathing and swiftly regained her usual composure.

She took a few steps forward, calmly meeting the man's arctic gaze with an unreadable expression, and introduced herself in a measured tone: "Hello, I'm Qi Heyin, an S-rank Mimic researcher at the Velitas Research Institute."

"I'm the lead on this joint project between the military and the Institute. In the coming period, I'll be working closely with you to observe and study the evolutionary changes in your Mimic."

With that, she extended her hand toward him.

The air grew still.

The man seated on the sofa raised an eyebrow slightly, his initially icy and scrutinizing gaze softening into something more ambiguous—an aloof yet curiously intrigued expression directed at the young woman standing before him.

"So you're... Dr. Qi?" His face remained expressionless, his voice cold and deep. "I think I've heard your name somewhere before."

Then he stood up and shook her hand formally. "Li Chen."

As the man rose, a huge shadow fell—his towering frame was like an unbreachable wall.

Qi Heyin guessed his height might be nearly two meters.

His long, broad hand completely enveloped hers. Unlike his icy exterior, the heat from his palm was intense—an aggressive warmth that seeped through the thin black leather gloves he wore. This intense heat pulsed through their clasped hands, strong and unrelenting.

Qi Heyin's fingertips stung from the heat, curling slightly before she quickly withdrew her hand.

Li Chen sat back down, his sharp gaze fixed on the young woman before him. His words were brief and direct: "How can I help?"

"Let's start by adding each other on our phones," Qi Heyin said after a moment, pulling out her device from her bag, opening her QR code, and extending it toward him. "This will make it easier for us to stay in touch later."

Li Chen didn’t respond, only giving her a cold look.

That look made Qi Heyin wonder if she had said something wrong.

Fortunately, though he remained aloofly silent, Li Chen eventually took out his phone and added her.

Qi Heyin had originally planned to meet him, exchange contact information, and then leave. But now that she was already here, she decided she might as well get more work done.

This man was clearly difficult to deal with, and since he was a dangerous protagonist from the original story... she should accelerate the research progress and finish the project faster.

Having made up her mind, Qi Heyin spoke again: "Mr. Li... before we officially begin the project, I’d like to get a basic idea of your Mimic."

She added: "Could you summon your Mimic now so I can observe it?"

The man remained silent, shooting her another icy look.

Qi Heyin was unmoved. With military orders backing her, he would eventually comply.

Sure enough, after a moment, Li Chen summoned his Mimic silently.

A dazzling white light flashed between the man's brows, followed by a massive black shadow ripping through the air and thudding onto the ground.

A majestic adult black wolf suddenly appeared in the open area of the reception room.

The black wolf was enormous, occupying nearly a quarter of the room's space upon its arrival. Its build was sleek, with smooth, dense fur and powerfully muscled limbs, radiating raw power.

So, Li Chen's manifestation was this black wolf before her.

Qi Heyin carefully observed the wolf's face and noticed that, much like its master, this spiritual black wolf carried a glacial presence.

Its pitch-black eyes were sharp and piercing, burning with feral intensity as they indifferently sized her up from a distance.

To observe more closely, Qi Heyin hesitated for a moment before summoning her own Mimic as well.

A radiant white light burst forth in the air as a plump Little Snowy flapped its snow-white wings, emerging from the fading glow.

The moment the Mimic appeared, Qi Heyin's auditory and visual abilities, along with her environmental sensitivity, sharpened to supernatural acuity.

Under the influence of the Mimic summoning, her raven-black hair gradually turned silvery-white from the tips upward, her irises shifting from golden-brown to pale gold, while pristine white feathers sprouted behind her ears.

The ordinary researcher girl seemed to transform instantly into a white-feathered spirit.

Watching this scene, a ripple of astonishment passed through Li Chen's indifferent dark eyes.

As if remembering something, he reached up to touch his bangs, where a pair of black wolf ears had also emerged due to Mimic summoning.

So that was the reason for his changes...

Little Snowy, adorable and well-behaved, didn’t make a peep after being summoned by Qi Heyin. It simply stood in place, curiously turning its head to observe its surroundings—only to suddenly meet an icy, predatory gaze.

Little Snowy: "?"

It tilted its head, puzzled, and gazed at the imposing black wolf in the distance with an innocent, clueless look.

The black wolf stared down at it coldly, then lowered its head to lick its paw, coiling its muscles.

"Snowy, look out!" Qi Heyin suddenly shouted.

But it was already too late.

Little Snowy stood frozen, unable to evade in time. The next second, it was slammed into the ground by the charging wolf.

Having caught Little Snowy, the black wolf lifted its chin arrogantly, its untamed eyes burning with satisfaction.

First, it lowered its head, scrutinizing the quivering little owl in its grasp with an unreadable wolfish expression. Then, to Qi Heyin’s utter shock, it suddenly bent down and gave the little owl a big, slobbery lick.