After My Death, I Became a Heartless Madman - Chapter 39.2

A wooden table was brought forward, and Chairman Chen’s assistant placed the Metapower Measuring Instrument upon it.

“Supervisor Bai is likely the highest-ranked Superpower user among the younger generation,” Chairman Chen said smoothly. “Place your hand on it.”

Following instructions, Bai Ruowei slowly rested her hand on the device.

The precision instrument erupted with a resonant hum upon contact, its readings skyrocketing to a staggering number.

While ordinary Alphas typically registered between 1,000 to 1,500, Miss Bai’s measurement froze at an astonishing 12,000.

Chairman Chen nodded approvingly. “Mr. Bai has repeatedly recommended you. It seems you’re indeed qualified for the Vice-Chair position…”

“You flatter me,” Bai Ruowei replied flatly.

Though Chairman Chen’s smile radiated warmth, Bai Ruowei detected something unsettling beneath it, a dissatisfied scrutiny.

Mia’s congratulatory voice blossomed in Bai Ruowei’s mind before she could respond, as Chairman Chen continued:

“Emignas have always been precious yet fragile.”

“This rarity stems from their ability to bear stronger mutations. However, while many differentiate into Emignas, most remain unstable without Council intervention unable to safely pass through adulthood, leaving their capabilities inferior to average Alphas.”

“Previously, the Council had only successfully intervened with one Emigna case. But today, I’m honored to announce we’ve found our second candidate.”

A figure slowly approached from the entrance.

Council-intervened Emignas were extraordinarily valuable and never revealed until their safety was confirmed.

The Council’s specially designed interference device obscured the newcomer’s face from the crowd, for none were privileged to know their true identity before testing was complete.

Yet Bai Ruowei felt an inexplicable familiarity.

As the faint scent of night-blooming cereus wafted through the air, her heart leaped into her throat.

“Those with insufficient Superpower levels shouldn’t attempt measurement carelessly, or they might…”

The next second, the person had already placed their hand steadily on it.

The testing device remained silent for two seconds before an overwhelming force surged forth at a terrifying speed, swiftly surpassing the record Bai Ruowei had previously set on the instrument.

A deafening wave of energy exploded in the minds of every superpowered mutant. Mr. Bai, gripping his cane, stood abruptly from his seat, his face ashen.

Li Ningzhi nearly collapsed to her knees.

Compared to the high-level humans with superpowers, ordinary people weren’t so fortunate. Song Nianchu felt a wave of dizziness, the invisible energy rendering him immobile he couldn’t even vomit if he wanted to.

“It will… backlash…”

The unfinished words slipped slowly from Bai Ruowei’s lips.

Chairman Chen smiled, waving his hand to remove the troublesome interference device.

“Let me introduce everyone to Song Shizhou, a rare Emigna.”

Chairman Chen’s voice softened, as if the latter part of his statement was insignificant compared to the former.

“To have such a daughter…”

Was her honor and hers.

Thankfully, Madam Song Lanyi hadn’t received an invitation to the banquet. Song Fengyu’s hand clenched abruptly, while Song Nianchu, who had been watching beside her, felt his legs weaken, nearly buckling to the ground.

Song Fengyu grabbed his shoulder.

“Useless.”

“Stand up!”

A delicate wine glass fell to the floor, its sharp shattering sound drowned out by the lazy jazz music, no one noticed.

Bai Ruowei’s expression shifted.

She looked up. Amidst the crowd, Song Shizhou stared blankly at her own hands.

It was only natural for the person with the highest superpower index to assume the position of Vice Chairman.

But this, what kind of joke was this?

She let out a disbelieving laugh.

She knew Chairman Chen’s return meant the Vice Chairman position wouldn’t be handed to her easily. She had thought her competitor would be Lan Chi, she had thought Lan Chi wasn’t dead.

Just yesterday, Song Shizhou had been on the phone with her. The day before, she had rejected her marriage proposal in front of countless people.

And now, in front of countless people again, she had become her superior.

The Surveillance Institute controlled the entire intelligence network of the Inner City. Nothing escaped the eyes of Bai the Inspector.

She could only think the world had gone mad.

A scorching sensation spread through her palm. In truth, this wasn’t the first time she’d felt it. Song Shizhou’s underdeveloped gland had always given her strange sensations during every checkup since returning to the Inner City.

Song Lanyi had never paid attention to her abnormalities. She held no hope for Song Shizhou’s gland to recover, so Doctor Lin’s treatment plan had always prioritized stability.

Now, it was hard to say whether Song Lanyi had been indifferent to her gland or too invested, deliberately hiding something.

She, too, felt that terrifying energy wave. She had always claimed Miss Bai possessed the power to move mountains and drain seas perhaps she had been wrong. Song Shizhou smiled faintly. Whether Bai Ruowei truly had such power was unclear, but the force the detector had just registered was undeniably…

Terrifying.

Like a thick, suffocating malice.

Su Ziqing had once asked her how she would react if she woke up one day to find she had grown wings. After a moment’s thought, Song Shizhou replied, “What else could I do? Just go about my day as usual maybe break traffic rules once in a while.”

Su Ziqing was thoroughly amused by her response, saying, “You really are such a T-person, utterly lacking in imagination.”

Lacking imagination?

Why did she feel the same way now?

She lifted her hand from the detector, a viscous, lingering sensation slowly spreading through the air like pulling her hand free from a sticky slab of chocolate. She wasn’t surprised by this power because she knew she had coexisted with it for a long, long time.

Like a priceless, legendary manual finally dusted off after years of neglect yet that didn’t mean it had been worthless before being discovered.

Her expression remained neutral as her amber eyes swept over the crowd.

A familiar scene.

Just days ago, in a similar banquet hall, with nearly the same people, she had stood encircled by curious gazes just like this.

The difference was, back then, she had appeared as Miss Bai’s wife. The reverence and fear in those eyes weren’t directed at her but at the woman behind her. Now, however, the terror and panic in their expressions were undeniably because of her.

Did it feel good?

Song Shizhou smiled faintly.

Not bad.

Ever since Song Lanyi brought her back to the Inner City, whispers had followed her like shadows. They called her a distant relative of the Song family, the true “heir” who should have died in exile twenty years ago. They said she should know her place, that she could never measure up to Song Fengyu, so why embarrass herself?

But now, it seemed she had proven herself.

Chen Ting rested a hand on her shoulder.

“Good girl, go rest for a while. I’ll handle what comes next.”

Song Shizhou lowered her gaze slightly.

A faint night-blooming cereus fragrance had unknowingly filled the banquet hall. To others, this pheromone was a challenge, a claim from a high-ranking Emigna. But Bai Ruowei, the only one here who had ever exchanged pheromones with Song Shizhou, instinctively wanted to follow her.

Just to say something, anything.

As if sensing it too, Song Shizhou dressed in a simple, washed-out shirt with sleeves rolled up to her forearms, the lean lines of her arms faintly defined paused.

Mia stopped Bai Ruowei in her tracks.

“Miss Bai, wait.”

She didn’t even know what expression to wear. (Mia: Living every day in the middle of you people’s insane drama, I swear.)

“Trust me, Miss Song will speak to you alone later.”

“But now is clearly not the right time.”

If Song Shizhou had heard that, she would have agreed wholeheartedly.

The lounge wasn’t far from the banquet hall. Chen Ting affectionately wrapped an arm around her waist, but sensing resistance, eventually let go.

Song Shizhou lifted her eyes slightly, studying the woman before her whose features bore some resemblance to her own. Chen Ting gazed at her tenderly, eyes brimming with guilt and overwhelming love. Yet, Song Shizhou only felt… uneasy.

The modestly sized lounge was already packed with people.

All familiar faces.

Father Lu, Mother Lu, their youngest son Lu Dabao, and his sister, Lu Qi.

Secretary Sun spoke up, asking—

“The charges against the Lu family couple for child abduction and abuse have been confirmed. This is the receipt from the Surveillance Institute accepting the case. Please review it.”

Meeting again after twenty years, Father Lu never imagined it would be under such circumstances.

Their family had been driven out of District 14 by Miss Bai months ago, enduring a long, turbulent life of hardship nearly a hundred days. Wasn’t such suffering enough to atone for what Song Shizhou had endured?

Chen Ting’s voice was cold. “No.”

“What you did to my daughter can never be repaid in just three months.”

A single sentence left the Lu family couple utterly humiliated.

The faint but oppressive aura around Chen Ting made Lu Dabao burst into tears, the little fatty was as spineless as ever. Mother Lu fell to her knees before Song Shizhou, desperately trying to grasp her hand.

“Shi Zhou, I’m your mother! I raised you, after all. Don’t be so heartless. Do you really want to see us locked up?”

Song Shizhou calmly withdrew her hand from Mother Lu’s grip.

Secretary Sun smiled mockingly.

“Mrs. Lu, please mind your words. Chairman Chen and Madam Song are Miss Song’s birth parents. You, on the other hand, knew her true identity from the start. Since you never treated her as your own daughter for even a day, how dare you call yourself her mother?”

Secretary Sun’s smile turned sharper.

“Truly, you disgrace the word ‘mother.'”

Several attendants steadied Mother Lu as they helped her up, their expressions filled with disdain.

“This is the Council. The Council’s tribunal is no place for forced confessions. You’d do well to speak properly.”

Seeing this, Father Lu dropped to his knees with a thud.

“Miss Chen, Miss Chen! We admit our mistakes from back then. We’ll accept the Council’s judgment. But my son, he’s still at the age where he needs to go to school. Whatever happens to us adults is fine, but please don’t let it affect him!”

He nudged Lu Qi.

“You used to be closest to Miss Chen, didn’t you? Say something! Plead for us!”

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