Chapter 159

Chapter 159

Bai Jin wasn't having it. He watched Bai Sheng carrying Little Bai Nuo over to the refrigerator — they'd prepared this place well too, with plenty of ingredients inside. Although Bai Sheng was a kitchen disaster, he could at least heat up a cup of milk for the little one.

Bai Jin finally set down his spoon, abandoning the chocolate that looked really sketchy in the bowl.

He texted back in the group chat.

Bai Jin: You better have actually mistyped that.

Bai Qi: ?

Bai Qi: What? If I said I didn't mistype it, you wanna fight?

Bai Qi: Then just take it as me not mistyping it.

Bai Jin: ...

Bai Jin sized up the odds of fighting and hesitated for two seconds.

But he wasn't a kid anymore.

Bai Jin: Fine, bring it on!

Bai Liang: Are you two kids? Picking fights now?

Bai Qi: ?

Bai Liang: Fine, I'll stay quiet, but aren't you looking for the root of the problem? Shouldn't this be on the oldest brother?

If it weren't for Bai Jingyun's photo, the group chat topic wouldn't have gone down this path.

Bai Jin gripped his phone, thinking of the culprit. He looked up at Bai Jingyun, who sat there looking calm.

Meanwhile, Bai Sheng was holding a milk carton and heating milk for Little Bai Nuo. He heard the commotion and turned back with a puzzled look toward the living room.

What the heck are they doing?

Are they both crazy? Coming all the way abroad just to fight?

"Daddy? What's wrong with Big Uncle and Little Uncle?"

Bai Nuo had been leaning out of his dad's arms, watching him pour hot water, and now he curiously looked over at the noise outside.

"Nothing, don't mind them."

Bai Sheng listened to the clattering sounds outside, walked over, and casually closed the kitchen door, blocking out the noise, before asking.

"Want some sugar?"

The good kid hesitated, glancing at the sky outside.

"It's late. Grandma said eating sweets before bed will make bugs eat your teeth."

"It's fine. Nuo Nuo was really good on the plane today, so you deserve a reward. Want some sugar?"

"Yes!"

The little one instantly stopped caring about the chaos outside between his uncles, his eyes lighting up as he watched his father look for sugar, launching into a stream of sweet talk.

"Thanks, Daddy. Daddy's the best. Nuo Nuo loves Daddy the most."

By the time the little one was sipping his milk, the fight outside was already over.

Bai Sheng took the little one to get washed up.

"Go to sleep early. Daddy's got stuff to do tomorrow. There's a scenic spot nearby with a mountain you can climb. If you're interested, get Bai Jin to take you there. If not, wait until I get back. There are some pretty spots and craft souvenir shops. Didn't you want to take pictures and buy gifts for your friends?"

"Mhm."

Bai Nuo nodded enthusiastically.

He lay down quietly, ready to sleep.

But as for tomorrow's plans.

The little one thought it over. Although the adults hadn't told him much, Bai Nuo had a pretty good idea of what his father was going to do.

It was that lab, wasn't it?

And that uncle, too.

The little one really wanted to help, and he really wanted to ask.

But he also knew he was still too young, that there was little he could do, so he behaved himself and didn't cause trouble for the grown-ups.

Still, clutching his blanket, Little Bai Nuo thought for a moment and asked again: "Can Uncle take Nuo Nuo to look around nearby?"

Bai Sheng thought for a moment.

"Where do you want to go? It's different here from back home. You can't go into dangerous areas."

The little one thought, then said softly again.

"Daddy, is there a big river around here?"

Bai Sheng automatically looked at the little one, who was lying down quietly.

"There are three rivers here. Two small ones, and one big river that runs from north to south through this country. The current is usually fast, and the temperature here doesn't get that cold, so the river doesn't freeze. The big river's current is pretty strong."

Bai Sheng bent down, observing the little one's expression: "Aren't you scared of rivers like that? Do you want to go see it?"

Bai Nuo honestly wasn't sure.

That dream had been too abstract, unlike the more concrete ones he'd had before. He could only see that man sinking.

But... that man had reached his hand out to Nuo Nuo.

So the little one thought about it, then looked up at his father.

"Can I, Daddy?"

He motioned with his hands.

"Uncle can hold Nuo Nuo's hand. Nuo Nuo will just take a look."

He needed to see it to feel better.

But after thinking about it, Bai Sheng still shook his head.

"No."

Bai Sheng tucked the little cub into bed.

"M country's too spread out—not safe."

Unlike Z country, M country's got tons of land and hardly any people. Besides the people they brought along, they couldn't trust a soul. Plus, guns and drugs are legal, and who knows what could pop up in some places.

Even if Bai Sheng was all for letting the little cub grow freely, he'd never let his kid be in that kind of danger.

If they were gonna make a move, it had to be somewhere safe, no question.

But he added, "Dad'll scope it out for you then."

The cub froze, then quickly shook his little head.

"Dad just said it's very dangerous."

Bai Nuo pressed his lips together, thought a second, then spoke.

"Dad's gotta come back safe. Nuo Nuo'll wait right here for Dad."

Dad can't just not care about himself. Nuo Nuo's waiting here for Dad to come back.

Your little cub's worried sick about you.

Bai Sheng looked at the little one's face. This wasn't the first time the kid had fretted over him. "Alright."

Bai Sheng's voice went soft.

"Time to sleep."

...

About half an hour later, Bai Sheng headed downstairs.

The lights were on. The whole Bai family had gathered, scattered across the big living room. At the sound, they all looked up at Bai Sheng like wild beasts sensing an intruder—rows of similar eyes lifting.

Being stared down like that should've been intimidating, but Bai Sheng just strolled down.

"Asleep?"

Bai Jingyun checked the time.

"Yeah, but he's got something on his mind, so he'll probably be up early tomorrow."

Bai Sheng paused, glanced at Bai Jin.

"Tomorrow, you take Nuo Nuo to play around here. I'll text you if anything comes up."

Bai Jin clicked his tongue, clearly not thrilled with the arrangement—he wanted to handle those guys himself—but he still answered.

"Got it."

Then he rubbed the back of his neck.

"They're locking down internally tomorrow? What's that about? Think they'll actually snag a big fish?"

"Beats me."

Bai Liang's lips curved into a smile.

"With Bai Zhize and Bai Wan stirring the pot in there, and if you think about how these guys got their intel, they probably don't know Bai Wan got along with Nuo Nuo at the old man's place, right?"

"They'll probably just see them going after the Bai family's overseas assets."

Bai Jingyun let out a light snort.

"We've got Dad to thank for keeping their attention elsewhere."

"So what's Bai Ye? Enemy? Ally? I don't think a few words from Nuo Nuo are enough to clear him."

Bai Jin propped his chin on his hand.

"And aren't the joint warrants from Z country about to drop? So we can't go for the kill, huh?"

"Are there?"

"I haven't seen them."

"What's that?"

"As for Bai Ye, one thing at a time. We'll sort it out when we bring him back—judge what needs judging, punish what needs punishing."

After saying that, Bai Liang looked around, amused.

"No one's thinking of switching careers to become a civil servant, right?"

"No problem. We'll move on the plan tomorrow."

Bai Sheng laid down the final word.

"Bai Qi, block them off. Bai Jingyun, you grab Bai Zhize and Bai Wan. Bai Liang, you handle the outside contacts—make sure our people move carefully and don't tip anyone off."

"Sure."

"No worries."

"Ha, this circus is about time to wrap up."

...

One by one, these alphas who usually stayed under the radar were genuinely fired up now.

Honestly, it was the alpha pheromones themselves—they made them impulsive, hot-tempered, and territorial, historically the secondary sex trait that loved stirring up wars.

They'd just toned it down a bit in civilized society.

But now, the Bai family's top alphas had been held back for months, and that helplessness—not being able to get into the cub's past—had finally found an outlet.

Of course, the ones hiding under the Bai family's noses overseas, watching the infighting all these years, had no clue they were about to face the Bai family's first big reunion.

The next day,

at the research institute's hidden base,

a car slipped in quietly.

R was already waiting outside. When the person arrived, he stepped forward to open the car door.

"K."

"Mm."

The other looked up, revealing eyes that held a smile.

Anyone who'd run in M country's upper circles would likely recognize this person.

He was a well-known insurance tycoon in the global market, and also a behind-the-scenes shareholder of a pharmaceutical company, working the capital market like a shell game, raking in money hand over fist.

However, few would connect this person to these organizations, as he came across as a kind, generous philanthropist.

"Is the guy waiting inside?"

K let his secretary help him into his coat, put on his hat, and slightly adjusted his collar, hiding that kindly old-man face behind it, then looked around.

"Sweep the perimeter and keep at least one escape route open. Remember what I told you?"

"Of course, we've already swept the area multiple times. The Bai Family has been chasing the decoy targets we gave them, and with their overseas business hitting trouble lately, they're probably dealing with that mess right now. This place is totally safe."

R spoke again.

"Moreover, we've already started the official paperwork here. You'll need to keep an eye on the higher-ups' approvals. Once the process is complete, the Bai Family will think it's all been handled, and we'll still have plenty of time to make other preparations."

"Good work."

K nodded. Here, coming back from the dead was standard practice—just grease a few palms, and the info in files and records wasn't that hard to change.

"But that doesn't make up for the bad call you made earlier."

R lowered his head.

"I'm sorry. I'll do my best to make it right over the next few years."

"Mm, relax."

K smiled, patting R on the shoulder as he walked ahead.

"What I mean is, yeah, you slipped up, but you did good overall. After all, if it weren't for that mistake, we wouldn't have found out how much research value this test subject has. Paying a price for that? I think it's worth it."

K continued walking inside.

"I've gone over the files and the data analysis. I think it's got serious research value. Shen Ye, right? I remember him—used to go by Bai Ye, didn't he? Haha, his dad was a guy with wild ideas too, but unfortunately, the Bai Family never learned to keep their heads down, and he died way too young. When his son was sent to me, the kid looked pitiful, and I had a bionic arm put on him later. Guess that makes me his benefactor. I'm pretty happy with this risk-reward deal."

Bai Ye had brought something convincing enough to the table, and K naturally gave the guy the right to make demands.

After all, K figured he was a decent boss.

And of course, there were Bai Zhize and Bai Wan.

K still had his doubts about those two, but he had to admit that they moved fast and clean against Bai Qian's crew. If they were on his side, they'd be a huge asset.

Of course, differences of opinion would still arise, but seeing how the last generation of the Bai Family tore itself apart, K figured that compared to others, they'd be even less keen on seeing Bai Qian and his bunch get power.

Bai Ye, Bai Zhize, and Bai Wan sat in the room, not saying a word.

The room was full of research staff, but Bai Zhize and Bai Wan stayed cool as cucumbers, totally unbothered.

To be precise, all their focus was locked on Bai Ye across the table.

But nobody said a word until K walked in.

Even though K was big in M country's high society, he kept a low profile and rarely showed up at the organization.

So even Bai Zhize, looking over and thinking for a moment, couldn't place this K as anyone he knew.

It was Bai Ye who slowly sat up straight. He had met K a few times when he was first brought to this research institute.

And K smiled, giving an elegant gentleman's bow.

"A pleasure. You two can call me K."

Meanwhile, people watching from a distance with professional gear shared updates on the channel.

"The car has driven in. We can block them. See if we can sneak in; if not, we'll have to force our way through. Be careful not to let them escape—looks like a big fish."

"Copy that."

The Bai Family side also received the information simultaneously.

Catching this big fish was unexpected, after all, the Saviors Organization was already cautious enough, and its founder was even more mysterious, leaving only a code name.

"Did someone deliberately summon that guy?"

Bai Jingyun straightened up, looking at Bai Sheng standing behind him.

"Or maybe there's a bargaining chip that could sway him."

Bai Sheng said, adjusting his clothes and touching the firearm behind him. Apart from Bai Wan, the Bai Family members weren't particularly familiar with guns, but they had undergone relevant training.

"I don't think Bai Ye went back to the country last time just to observe the situation and slip away silently without getting anything. He must have secured some kind of leverage."

It's just that Bai Ye's stance couldn't be determined.

"Let's go."

Bai Sheng's brows lowered.

"We've been searching for so long—time to clean them out."

And he also needed to find all the files about their young cub, to see clearly what these people had done to him.

...

The negotiations and maneuvering inside the research room continued.

Until the alarm suddenly blared.

K's eyes shot up.

"What's going on?"

"Boss! They say someone is storming the research institute's gates. I can see international organization shields and M country uniforms! Could it be a joint operation?"

"Impossible!"

R stood up in an instant.

"Quick, let's get out of here now."

Bai Ye's brow twitched as the alarm blared. He shot a glance at K, then at Bai Zhize and Bai Wan across from him.

Bai Wan had remained silent the entire time, but at this moment, his hand moved to his lower back, his dead blue eyes lifting, pupils darting as they swept the room.

The next second, Bai Wan moved—but so did Bai Ye.

Bai Wan had a gun stashed on him, and it should've caught them off guard.

But K had been on guard and blocking them the whole time, plus he was wearing a bulletproof vest, so Bai Wan's shooting angle was crap.

Before K could react, Bai Ye shoved him aside, the bullet grazing his shoulder and tearing through.

Everyone around them instantly went into chaos.

"Damn it."

Bai Zhize kicked away the guy behind him who was about to shoot, grabbed the gun, and ducked behind cover with Bai Wan. He cursed under his breath at the blaring alarm.

"Did Bai Sheng and his crew track us down? And they brought the cops? Are they out of their minds? How the hell did we get no warning? They're not covering for each other, are they? Shit, these bastards actually got those little punks to team up?"

He'd just gotten away with those three chefs, hadn't he?! And now he was about to get caught again?

And he still hadn't figured out what the hell happened to that little kid.

He shouldn't have come wading into this mess just because he was curious about the name Xiaobai Nuo, but whatever, he was already in.

From K's few words earlier, he'd pieced together a bit of the picture.

Xiaobai Nuo came out of this research institute, and he was tied to Bai Ye.

Bai Zhize's face had been getting darker as he listened, and he'd already blocked Bai Wan's attempts to draw his gun a few times. Honestly, he wasn't that rational either.

And not just laying hands on a five-year-old—from the moment that kid was born in this institute, had he been getting abused by adults?

Bai Zhize had wanted to dig for more info, but the alarm threw everything off.

He looked at Bai Wan, who'd already grabbed a gun and was firing, his brow furrowed in a dark scowl.

Bai Wan had gone from clearing out the people around them to aiming at Bai Ye.

"He's too fast—can't keep up."

Even with his gland completely destroyed, Bai Ye was still a Bai Family member, with all the agility and physical prowess that came with it. Blindly aiming at him wasn't smart.

And it wasn't the kind of call Bai Wan would usually make.

Bai Zhize reached out to stop him, saying as much.

Then he clearly heard Bai Wan let out a furious curse, followed by a gunshot—R took a bullet to the forehead and dropped flat on his back.

Even now, Bai Zhize couldn't help glancing at Bai Wan.

Bai Zhize and Bai Wan didn't hold out long—the main door got busted open.

Bai Zhize raised the gun, then put both hands up.

"We've got nothing to do with this place. Is Bai Sheng here?"

Before he even saw anyone, he heard footsteps.

A figure turned in from the doorway, dragging a mid-level Saviors member behind her. Her black hair was pulled up high, her movements sharp and efficient, and her fierce eyes swept the room.

Bai Qi tossed the person she was dragging forward for the others to watch, then turned to Bai Zhize.

"Bai San's not here; he's searching along the riverbank. The guy's already cornered in this area—he can't get away."

Searching along the riverbank?

Bai Zhize didn't get it at first.

"It doesn't matter if you don't get it," Bai Qi said, walking over. "Right now, I need to figure out what's going on here."

She narrowed her eyes, studying them.

"Third uncle, cousin, play nice."

K had been tearing through the area with his men, caught completely off guard, and he hadn't brought many people.

He cursed under his breath: "Damn it, what the hell's going on? They couldn't have found this place."

Bai Ye stayed right by K's side, shoulder still bleeding, and echoed darkly: "Yeah... they shouldn't have found this place..."

"Boss, boss!!! It's over—all the roads are sealed off. We can't use the car anymore. We gotta find another way!"

The driver shouted in panic.

"Boss."

Bai Ye snapped back to reality, looking at K.

"Head northeast—there's a river. Cross it, and it leads to the mountains beyond. If we can make it into the mountains, we can break their blockade."

"Alright, let's do that."

Because Bai Ye had taken a bullet for him earlier, K had let his guard down.

As a top-tier alpha, K wasn't afraid of a few people chasing him, but if both countries' officials were involved, even he had to back off.

He shrugged off his jacket, leaving just the bulletproof vest, still cursing as he moved fast toward the river. Along the way, they shook off several more waves of pursuers, and before he knew it, only Bai Ye and two underlings were left with K.

"You've done well. Saving you back then was the right call. Don't worry about the gland damage—I'll find a way to fix it. Even if I can't, with me and the institute, you'll live a long life."

Bai Ye stayed close behind him, grunting in acknowledgment. He could already see the river in the distance when he suddenly spoke up.

"Boss, there's something I've always wanted to ask."

"Go ahead."

K looked up at the young man, who seemed almost like a stranger.

"Before my father died, what did he tell you? Was he already planning to send me here?"

"Your father was a man of wild ideas—sometimes even I was impressed. Of course, we made some deals about you, all for the Bai Family's genes. And hey, no need to get upset; that's in the past. In the future, whatever you want, you'll have it."

"..."

Bai Ye got the answer he wanted. He let out a laugh, thinking: Just as I thought.

He kept wondering why he hadn't been allowed to die in that accident too, and how it was that he'd ended up in this organization's hands.

"What I want... is it really everything I could ask for?"

He asked softly in return.

"Of course. You should know that the upper echelons of M country are divided into multiple factions. This batch of officials doesn't mean my influence at the top has collapsed. Let them wait and see who wins in the end."

Before K could finish speaking, he instinctively dodged, his smile freezing. A few gunshots rang out, and K saw the two lackeys beside him drop, unable to dodge in time.

"What are you doing?!"

A streak of blood appeared on K's face as a bullet grazed his head. He raised his gun in an instant, and within a breath, the two had traded several blows. Their guns were knocked out of their hands and sent flying.

K's intense, top-tier alpha pheromones seemed to have zero effect on Bai Ye.

The scarf around Bai Ye's neck was riddled with holes, with threads hanging loose. By the river in winter, among the withered branches, the two wrestled and tumbled, rolling right to the water's edge.

K gripped Bai Ye's neck tightly, while Bai Ye blocked with one hand and shoved K's head underwater with the other. His voice was strained and hoarse, but he seemed to realize something, then spoke with difficulty, laughing—a laugh of triumphant scheming, tinged with the boyish pride of a secret finally being found out.

"Ha... ha... Are you hoping... to use pheromone suppression on an alpha with a destroyed gland? Ha..."

"You... don't need to... do this..."

K struggled fiercely, unable to understand what Bai Ye wanted or what he was trying to do, still attempting to negotiate.

"You know what?"

Bai Ye pressed him down with all his strength, forcing his mouth and nose underwater, nearly exhausting every ounce of his own power.

"When your bastard son held that rabbit toy and had the others shove that little useless thing into the chemical solution..."

Back then, because his partially damaged gland was suppressed by high-level pheromones, he could do nothing—couldn't even speak a single word. Listening to Xiaobai Nuo's choking coughs and his bastard son's innocent, malicious laughter, Bai Ye thought he had forgotten all of it. He hadn't. He remembered it clearly, vividly, even the weather that day—another bone-chilling winter.

Bai Ye's skin seeped blood, his throat nearly unable to produce sound, yet his smile grew even more terrifying.

"That little useless thing felt just as awful... No, even worse than this..."