Chapter 63

Chapter 63

The toxin affecting Lu Mingxuan was unique, unlike anything ever seen in real life. No one knew what effects the toxin from the monster, born from the horror novel "Reverse Time," would have on a person.

After Zhuang Yufeng cleansed the contamination in Lu Mingxuan's body, some residual toxins remained.

Old Mr. Lu received the news while at home playing chess. The butler approached and whispered a few words in his ear. Old Mr. Lu stood up: "My apologies, I have some matters to attend to."

His opponent, the elder of the Qin family, stroked his beard and said, "Go ahead, go ahead."

This gave him a chance to study the chessboard carefully—perhaps he could turn the tables.

Old Mr. Lu moved aside to take the call.

"Dad."

His youngest son's voice came through the phone.

"What's wrong? Are you not planning to come back for dinner tonight?" It was already afternoon, and Old Mr. Lu couldn't imagine why his son was calling at this hour.

"Well, something came up that will delay us for a bit. Mingxuan won't be back today. I'll explain in detail when I return."

It wasn't something to discuss over the phone, so Lu Yanzhou only told Old Mr. Lu that an accident had occurred at the anime convention, but they were all fine and he shouldn’t worry.

How could Old Mr. Lu not worry?

Especially when he recalled the future of Lu Mingxuan as foreseen by the Paranormal Special Affairs Office. He steadied himself and asked gravely, "Tell me honestly, did something happen to Mingxuan?"

Lu Yanzhou knew his father's temperament and simply handed the phone to Lu Mingxuan.

"Grandpa, I'm perfectly fine. Don’t worry."

Hearing his grandson's vigorous voice, Old Mr. Lu felt half his worry disappear: "That’s good. Have fun out there, but don’t stray too far from your uncle and his husband."

"I know, Grandpa," Lu Mingxuan replied obediently.

After chatting for a while longer, they hung up.

Preoccupied with the matter, Old Mr. Lu just barely won the subsequent chess game.

The Qin elder tapped the table: "Old Lu, did something happen?"

Old Mr. Lu shook his head.

The Qin elder's expression turned serious, with a displeased look: "Old Lu, we’ve been friends for many years. Are you not treating me as a friend? I may be old, but these old bones can still move."

The Qin and Lu families had been close in the early years. Later, as the younger generation of the Qin family entered politics and the military, their relationship had cooled. It wasn’t until the Qin elder retired that the two families resumed some contact.

Knowing his old friend’s character, Old Mr. Lu sighed: "It’s really nothing. It’s just that my troublesome grandson, Lu Mingxuan, ran into some trouble. His uncle and his husband are both there, so I don’t need to worry."

"His husband? The man you married to Yanzhou?" The Qin elder knew about Lu Yanzhou’s coma and had even recommended several famous specialists during that time.

"Yes, him," Old Mr. Lu said, a hint of a smile in his eyes at the mention of his youngest son’s husband. "With him around, I don’t need to worry too much about Mingxuan."

"It seems you’re quite satisfied with this son's husband." If Old Mr. Lu hadn’t truly accepted him, the Qin elder knew he would never say such a thing.

"Of course. The best decision I ever made was marrying Yanzhou to him."

That day, Lu Mingxuan left with the people from the Paranormal Special Affairs Office. Lin Juan, uneasy, went with him to the special hospital.

"There are superpower holders guarding this place, so it should be safe. Your uncle and I will visit you whenever we have time," Lin Juan said.

"I can defend myself now," Lu Mingxuan said, extending his hand. His superpower materialized into a sharp wooden dagger floating above his palm. "Uncle's husband, Uncle, you don’t need to worry about me."

Whether Lu Mingxuan’s deadly crisis was over, Lin Juan didn’t know.

In that book, the past misfortunes of the antagonist’s family were only briefly mentioned. It only said that Lu Mingxuan would die in a paranormal incident, without specifying when.

Before the summer vacation ended, Lin Juan wouldn’t let his guard down.

After settling Lu Mingxuan, Lin Juan and Lu Yanzhou returned to Lu Manor.

They were driven by a taciturn superpower holder who didn’t say a word throughout the journey.

Lin Juan and Lu Yanzhou sat in the back seat, discussing Lu Mingxuan’s situation.

"Now that he’s awakened as a superpower holder, are you planning to let him join the Paranormal Special Affairs Office?" Lin Juan asked Lu Yanzhou.

After learning that Lu Mingxuan had awakened as a superpower holder, Director Liu called Lin Juan personally to ask if Lu Mingxuan would be willing to join the Paranormal Special Affairs Office.

Lin Juan didn’t give an immediate answer. To prevent the toxins from affecting his superpower level, Director Liu would conduct a comprehensive test on Lu Mingxuan once the toxins were fully cleared.

"It’s up to him," Lu Yanzhou replied. In the original plan, Lu Mingxuan would enter the Lu Corporation when he came of age, undergoing training and evaluation to see if he could shoulder the responsibility of the Lu Group.

The vast Lu Corporation was now mostly run by Lu Yanzhou alone.

"Mingxuan has a certain acumen for business. I originally intended to train him as my successor."

Lin Juan tilted his head: "When did you start planning this?"

"I planned it from when I took over the Lu Corporation. Originally, my eldest brother should have inherited it, but he wasn't interested. When Dad forced him to work, he’d email me every day to complain."

Lu Yanzhou still remembered studying abroad and receiving international calls from his eldest brother every few days, complaining about his troubles.

"At first, Brother would pretend to care, asking about my studies and whether I was settling in. He’d say if I wasn’t used to it, I should come back. Later, he dropped the act and started urging me daily to return, saying he couldn’t take the job anymore."

"I never would’ve guessed your eldest brother was so amusing," Lin Juan said, recalling the friendly Eldest Brother Lu he had met. He didn’t seem so unreliable in his youth.

"There’s more," Old Mr. Lu interjected, unable to help joining in as his son and son-in-law reminisced. "He thought I didn’t know, but he’d constantly take unresolved proposals to trouble Yanzhou. From then on, many of the group’s decisions were made by Yanzhou."

Eldest Brother Lu initially tried it out, sharing his work difficulties with his younger brother. Within half an hour, Lu Yanzhou would send back a detailed solution. From then on, it became a habit—any indecisive or unresolved issues were bundled up and sent to his brother overseas.

As soon as Lu Yanzhou returned to the country, Eldest Brother Lu eagerly handed over the reins.

Now, living on dividends without worrying about the corporation, he couldn’t be happier.

His actions left those who expected the return of the Lu heir to cause internal strife within the Lu Corporation utterly bewildered.

The transfer of power within the Lu Corporation went smoothly, without any upheaval.

Many tried to exploit Eldest Brother Lu to stir up internal conflict, only to find he had no interest in working and had long been waiting for his younger brother to take over.

Seeing Lin Juan’s interest, Old Mr. Lu shared many amusing stories from Lu Yanzhou’s past, which Lin Juan listened to with great interest.

After their chat, Lin Juan told Old Mr. Lu about Lu Mingxuan awakening as a superpower holder.

He also recounted the events that had taken place at the anime convention that day.

“Fortunately, you went with them, Xiao Juan.” Old Mr. Lu shuddered inwardly, unable to fathom what might have befallen Lu Mingxuan had Lin Juan not been there.

It could well have unfolded exactly as Dr. Zhuang had predicted—dead at the hands of the supernatural.

“Don’t worry—I won’t let anything happen to him while I’m here,” Lin Juan assured.

Beyond the Lu family’s extraordinary generosity, Lin Juan had resided at Lu Manor for years; Old Mr. Lu had always treated him with exceptional kindness, sparing no luxury. And then there was Lu Yanzhou. For both personal and pragmatic reasons, Lin Juan would never stand idly by while Lu Mingxuan came to harm.

“With you here, I feel reassured.” Old Mr. Lu patted Lin Juan’s hand. “It’s good that he awakened a superpower. In today’s world, possessing the ability to protect oneself is a true blessing.”

Lin Juan wholeheartedly agreed.

No matter the era, strengthening oneself never hurts.

Old Mr. Lu had long worried about his younger family members. Now that his eldest grandson had awakened a superpower, his mind was somewhat eased.

As for his youngest son—well, with Lin Juan around, he wasn’t overly concerned.

Judging by Lin Juan’s demeanor, it seemed his youngest son’s feelings were reciprocated. Excellent. Excellent indeed.

“I’ll inform the eldest brother and his wife about Mingxuan. You and Xiao Juan have had a long day—go back and rest early.”

Returning to his own courtyard, Lin Juan washed up, changed clothes, and settled comfortably onto the bed.

In such sweltering heat, stepping outside an air-conditioned room meant instant perspiration. A shower left him feeling significantly refreshed.

Opening the Revelation Forum, Lin Juan received a private message from Chu Jifan.

Messages sent via the Revelation Forum were leak-proof—making it the preferred communication channel among superpower holders.

[Chu Jifan: I’ve extracted some toxins from your nephew’s body. They aren’t purely pollution-based—no wonder Dr. Zhuang couldn’t fully purify them.]

[Chu Jifan: Give me seven days, and I’ll develop an antidote.]

To be fair, Chu Jifan truly excelled at her work. A relentless workaholic herself, she’d transformed her entire research team into one as well.

New findings emerged every few days.

The pollution-blocking agent they developed had already entered practical use—primarily supplied to superpower holders. Currently, they were optimizing production capacity. Once mass production became feasible, the agent could be widely distributed, drastically lowering the likelihood of ordinary people mutating into pollutants after encountering supernatural incidents.

The hospital where Lu Mingxuan was admitted was special. Thanks to Lin Juan, Old Mr. Lu, along with Eldest Brother Lu and his wife, secured a single visitation opportunity.

“Grandpa, Dad, Mom—why are you all here?” Lu Mingxuan reined in his power, slightly embarrassed.

“Everyone was worried about you, so they came to check on you,” Lu Yanzhou said, stepping in behind them.

“I’m perfectly fine—no need to worry. Besides, I’m now a superpower holder, hehe.” Lu Mingxuan remained remarkably relaxed, showing no confusion whatsoever about his new identity. “Have a seat—I’ll use my superpower to brew tea for you.”

Wooden vines extended, coiling around the teapot and cups, slowly pouring hot water. Then several vines branched off, simultaneously lifting five cups and handing one to each person present.

Lin Juan accepted the cup offered by the vine and took a sip. “Your control over your superpower is quite impressive.”

“Of course! Dr. Zhuang told me to get used to it, so I’ve been directing them to handle chores daily. Ah—extra hands really come in handy! I can tidy up the room without even getting out of bed.”

Old Mr. Lu curiously touched the wooden vine before him. It felt cool—more like metal than wood. “Do you feel anything through this vine?”

“Not really. Dr. Zhuang had me cut off a small section for testing, and I felt no pain when it was severed.”

“That’s because I suppressed your pain perception,” Dr. Zhuang said, entering the room with preliminary test results. “Lu Mingxuan’s superpower is codenamed ‘Wood Delusion’ [Mù Wàng], an A-rank ability. It possesses formidable offensive potential—an outstanding superpower.”

“More detailed data will be gathered once Lu Mingxuan has fully recovered.”

“A-rank?!” Lu Mingxuan gaped. “Am I really *that* awesome?”

Thrilled, Lu Mingxuan insisted Lin Juan spar with him using his superpower. Unable to refuse, Lin Juan summoned the “Forest Cabin.”

It was an ideal opportunity to instill some humility—to remind him that awakening an A-rank superpower didn’t mean he could afford complacency.

They chose a clearing for the sparring session.

Zhuang Yufeng immediately grasped Lin Juan’s intent and asked, “Mr. Lin, may I invite other superpower holders to observe?”

It was rare for Mr. Lin to fight for pedagogical purposes. Even observing from the periphery would prove invaluable for superpower holders.

Lin Juan saw no issue with spectators and waved generously. “Invite as many as you like.”

By the time they reached the field, a large crowd had already gathered around the perimeter.

Seriously—this was *Mr. Lin!* They’d have crawled there if necessary!

Though both were wood-type abilities, the “Forest Cabin” and Lu Mingxuan’s “Wood Delusion” differed markedly in appearance—the former lighter in hue, the latter darker, gleaming metallically under the sun.

Lin Juan made the first move.

Since the purpose was instructional, Lin Juan naturally held back—not overwhelming Lu Mingxuan but steadily pressuring him while guiding him to counter.

The observing superpower holders watched intently, instinctively imagining how they themselves might respond to such maneuvers.

Half an hour later, Lu Mingxuan collapsed onto the ground, “Forest Cabin” vines wrapped snugly around him. His own “Wood Delusion” vines drooped limply, like a spent hound.

“I can’t go on,” Lu Mingxuan gasped, breathless. “Uncle—I’ve got nothing left.”

Lin Juan walked over—still immaculate, not a speck of dust on him.

He stood over Lu Mingxuan, looking down. “There are ranks far above A. Don’t grow arrogant.”

Lu Mingxuan looked up.

Blinding sunlight poured down from behind the young man, outlining him in gold. At that moment, his expressionless gaze resembled that of an indifferent deity.

Lu Mingxuan nodded dumbly.

“Did I hit you too hard? Why do you look so dazed?”

Lu Mingxuan snapped back to reality, leapt up—then forgot the “Forest Cabin” still restrained him. With a yelp, he tumbled back down.

“Ouch.” When you fall, you stay down—though Lu Mingxuan dared not actually lie flat before Lin Juan. He sat upright, respectful. “Uncle—the way you just looked at me… it wasn’t human.”

“Hmm?” Lin Juan narrowed his eyes.

Realizing his words could sound insulting, Lu Mingxuan hurried to clarify: “No, I’m *not* insulting you! Honestly—from my angle, you looked utterly divine.”

The other superpower holders nodded in agreement. When the young man gazed at others with that detached expression, he truly resembled a deity descending.

“Stop talking nonsense,” Lin Juan released Lu Mingxuan and helped him up. “To train your superpower effectively, you can’t rely solely on trivial tasks. You need real combat.”

"Got it." Lu Mingxuan nodded obediently.

A young superpower holder took the chance to come over: "Um, Mr. Lin, could you give me some pointers?"

How did he beat us to it!

If looks could kill, that superpower holder would have been riddled with holes by the glares from the others.

Feeling everyone staring, Lin Juan thought for a moment and asked, "Who else wants guidance? You can all come at me together."

"Me!"

"And me!"

For a moment, voices called out one after another, filling the space.

The superpower holders knew full well that Lin Juan could wipe the floor with them, but who wouldn’t want to spar with a top-tier expert? This was Mr. Lin, after all. Being able to spar with him would surely make everyone super jealous.

"Alright, all of you, at once!"

Without hesitation, the superpower holders activated their superpowers and charged at Lin Juan.

Lu Mingxuan got up from the ground, only then starting to feel the pain all over his body. Grimacing, he walked over to his family members who had come to watch.

He didn’t receive a single word of concern.

Lu Mingxuan wasn't bothered and turned to watch the scene unfolding ahead.

Calling it a "battle" wasn't accurate. Even though so many had taken the initiative to attack, they were no match for Lin Juan. This fight was more accurately described as a one-sided beatdown.

When dealing with these people, Lin Juan didn’t have the same patience he’d shown Lu Mingxuan. In under five minutes, the fight was over.

A group of superpower holders lay on the ground. In the center, the only one still standing—a young man with long hair—was especially noticeable.

Lu Yanzhou’s eyes held an unrecognized fascination.

So powerful, so dazzling, just standing there was enough to capture everyone’s attention.

"Little Uncle is really strong!" Lu Mingxuan’s jaw dropped as he realized for the first time just how vast the gap was between himself and Lin Juan.

His superpower was already A-rank, yet his Little Uncle had handled him as if he were nothing. How strong must his Little Uncle be?

When Director Liu heard what happened, he hurried over and sent Lin Juan a red envelope as a teaching bonus.

Lin Juan received the red envelope with surprise. "Why the red envelope?"

"Your guidance today will give them plenty to digest."

The experience gained from fighting a powerhouse like Lin Juan was immeasurable.

Lin Juan happily accepted the red envelope.

After checking on Lu Mingxuan, Lin Juan stopped by to see Xiao Ling.

After a few days of treatment, the thread-like patterns on Xiao Ling’s body had almost faded away completely, and the skin on her hands was gradually lightening. In a little more time, she should fully recover.

Chu Jifan’s treatment had been very effective.

Since he was already there, Lin Juan decided to look around. The experimental base was divided into two zones: Zone A was the original area, while the newly added section where Chu Jifan and others were stationed was called Zone B.

In Zone A, Lin Juan saw the pollution suppressors they had developed—they were designed like collars.

Lin Juan picked up one of the black collars and looked it over.

A researcher nearby explained, "Mr. Lin, this is our first-generation product. This collar can instantly release 100,000 volts of electricity, quickly incapacitating any out-of-control wearer."

Of course, it could also kill them outright.

This device was intended for out-of-control superpower holders and anomalies, primarily to ensure the safety of others.

For some reason, from earlier until now, Lu Yanzhou had been sticking close to Lin Juan, not saying a word, but his gaze was different from before.

How to describe it?

It was as if feelings he was deliberately hiding could no longer be contained and, despite his best efforts to control them, had still leaked out.

After touring Zone A, Lin Juan and Lu Yanzhou went together to Zone B.

Hearing that Lin Juan had arrived, Chu Jifan set down the test tube she was holding and came out.

The moment she saw the man behind Lin Juan, she was suddenly hit by a wave of inexplicable terror, but it quickly faded, as if it had just been a momentary illusion.

Chu Jifan discreetly observed the man following right beside Lin Juan.

No matter how she looked, he seemed like an ordinary human.

Not even a superpower holder.

How could he evoke such fear in her?

It must have been an illusion.

Considering that Lu Yanzhou was just an ordinary person, Lin Juan didn’t stay long in Zone B.

Lu Yanzhou’s unusual behavior continued into the next day. Seeing him return to normal, Lin Juan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Being stared at by the man with that indescribable gaze, Lin Juan hated to admit it, but it had made him uneasy.

It felt like being targeted by some large predator.

If Lu Yanzhou hadn’t returned to normal, he would have directly voiced his protest.

Fortunately, Lu Yanzhou’s odd behavior lasted only that one day.

After that day, Lu Yanzhou never again showed such emotions, and Lin Juan gradually put the matter out of his mind.

He was someone content with the status quo, especially since his current life was so comfortable. Unless absolutely necessary, he wouldn’t easily disrupt his current rhythm.

That evening, after Lu Yanzhou finished showering, Lin Juan tugged on his clothes.

This was a new method Lin Juan had developed to get Lu Yanzhou’s attention—no need to speak, and it worked every time.

After all, having so many people hear him ordering their top boss around was too embarrassing.

It had started one afternoon when Lin Juan woke from a nap feeling thirsty. Too lazy to move, he saw the man sitting not far away and instinctively called out, "Lu Yanzhou, I’m so thirsty."

Seeming surprised by the sudden call, Lu Yanzhou paused for a moment before getting up to get him some water.

After drinking the water, Lin Juan asked Lu Yanzhou to get his clothes for him.

Then he mumbled something, only to have the man cover his mouth.

Lin Juan widened his eyes, confused.

Lu Yanzhou said helplessly and whispered, "I'm in an online meeting, and my mic was on."

Lin Juan's face flushed bright red.

What had he just said?

Did Lu Yanzhou’s subordinates hear everything?

Ahhhhhh, this is so embarrassing!!!!

Lin Juan slowly slid down, burying his head under the blanket like an ostrich.

"Wait for me a moment." Footsteps moved away from the bedside.

Lin Juan stayed buried under the covers, unwilling to come out.

After a while, Lu Yanzhou came back with clean clothes: "Juanjuan, I've turned off the microphone now."

He didn't expect Lin Juan to call him at such an inconvenient moment.

"Don’t talk to me," Lin Juan refused to face it.

"Staying under the blanket for too long isn’t good," Lu Yanzhou pulled him out from under the covers.

Lin Juan went limp and pliant, letting the man handle him like a ragdoll.

Whether from being buried under the blanket or out of embarrassment, his face turned deep red, as if brushed with high-quality rouge.

Lu Yanzhou’s heart melted, and he spoke gently, "Let me help you change."

Coming back to the present, Lin Juan realized Lu Yanzhou had already sat on the bed beside him.

"What’s wrong, Juanjuan?"

Feeling his face heat up again, Lin Juan quickly pushed the memory away and cleared his throat. "I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?"

Having been interrupted earlier, Lin Juan had been curious about this for a long time: "You mentioned before that when you first took over the Lu family business, you were already prepared to mentor Lu Mingxuan. Did you never consider having your own child?"

Back then, Lu Yanzhou probably didn’t know he would end up marrying a man.

Lu Yanzhou didn’t respond right away. Instead, his gaze traveled downward, lingering on the young man’s flat stomach.

He had touched this spot before. Perhaps because it had grown familiar with his scent, sometimes when Lin Juan was deep asleep, he would roll into Lu Yanzhou’s arms. With a simple stretch of his arm, Lu Yanzhou could easily wrap it around the young man’s slender waist.

The man’s eyes held a hint of heat. Feeling uncomfortable under the gaze, Lin Juan grabbed a pillow to shield himself. "What are you looking at?"

"Can Juanjuan give birth?" Lu Yanzhou blurted out.

Lin Juan was startled. "I know I’m capable of many things, but giving birth? As a man, do you really think that’s possible?"

"Then that settles it," Lu Yanzhou withdrew his gaze. "If Juanjuan can’t give birth, how would I have a child?"

"But you didn’t know me back then," Lin Juan wondered aloud. "Or did you already know you liked men?"

"I didn’t like men back then. I didn’t like anyone."

Lu Yanzhou paused, his gaze fixed intently on the young man before him.

From beginning to end, the only person I’ve ever loved is you.