The Heartless Alpha Just Wants to Follow the Plot - Chapter 59

Su Mo was inside for only a brief moment. Major Song’s men flanked her the entire time, treating her more like a flight risk than a cooperative citizen.

The second she emerged, the bustling noise of the lobby died down. Necks craned and eyes widened; everyone was desperate for the first bite of the impending drama.

Major Song’s gaze was fixed on her. Su Mo, already certain of the outcome, stood tall and met his eyes with a look of absolute, unshielded confidence. Seeing her so composed, Major Song felt his heart sink. She’s too calm. Was my intel wrong?

Su Mo curled the corner of her lip in a provocative smirk, and the weight in Major Song’s chest grew heavier.

Pu Ying let out a long breath of relief when she saw Su Mo walk out looking completely unfazed. She hurried over and pulled Su Mo to her side, determined not to let these people drag her away again.

Su Mo patted Pu Ying’s hand soothingly. “I’m fine.”

Pu Ying’s eyes were slightly rimmed with red, her expression a mask of self-reproach. How could she have been so careless as to leave Su Mo alone at the hotel? She knew these people were always circling the Su family like vultures.

If something had happened to Su Mo, how could she ever face the Old Man?

Su Mo gripped Pu Ying’s trembling hand. “It wasn’t your fault,” she whispered. “You couldn’t have known this would happen.”

“If I hadn’t left.” Pu Ying bit her lower lip.

“The result would be the same.” Su Mo knew the truth even if Pu Ying had stayed, Major Song would have eventually found a way to bring her here. Why let Pu Ying carry the burden of guilt?

Despite Su Mo’s reassurance, Pu Ying remained distraught. Even the Old Man, standing nearby, looked grim, though he remained steadfast in his conviction.

Ten minutes later, the results were ready.

Major Song stood up even faster than Su Mo, but he hesitated before taking a step. His gaze flickered toward her, and he pursed his lips. “Miss Su, why don’t you do the honors of revealing the results?”

“With pleasure,” Su Mo replied.

She started to step forward, but Pu Ying caught her arm, her eyes flashing with resentment. Major Song had been arrogant enough to haul Su Mo in for testing; now he wanted to order her around like one of his soldiers or a common servant to read out the verdict?

Pu Ying would not allow her to be humiliated further.

Su Mo squeezed her fingers gently. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll be fine.”

“But.” Pu Ying was still reluctant.

Su Mo was pragmatic. “The results have to be seen eventually. If I don’t open them, no one else is in a position to do so.”

Pu Ying gritted her teeth and slowly let go.

Su Mo walked gracefully to the medical droid and took the folder. She opened the specialized document with ease, this paper was directly imprinted with the results by the testing AI and retained a secure barcode. It was a closed-loop system; tampering was impossible.

The room held its collective breath. Su Mo scanned the file, the smile on her face deepening. The System was indeed principled; the result was exactly as she had anticipated.

“Probability of biological relationship: 99.99%.”

Major Song read out the line confirming Su Mo’s identity. The bystanders were stunned; they finally realized that this high-stakes military escort was actually about a paternity dispute.

How absurd, the whispers began. The Old Man has raised her for over twenty years. How could she not be a Su? Did they really need a test for that?

“Spiritual Power Grade: A.”

Seeing the grade, the frown on Major Song’s face relaxed slightly. A hint of a smirk returned to his voice. “Miss Su, is this the ‘potential’ you guaranteed earlier? Hmm?”

Su Mo tilted her chin up, looking at him with pure arrogance. Suddenly, she released her spiritual power.

The pressure hit Major Song like a physical blow. Caught completely off guard, his knees buckled. With a sudden stumble, he crashed down onto one knee.

Su Mo let out a soft, melodic laugh. “Major Song, there’s no need to offer such a grand gesture. I really can’t accept this.”

“Even though you slandered and humiliated me, I am a broad-minded person. I wouldn’t dream of holding a grudge against a Major, I’d settle for a simple apology. But for you to actually kneel, your sincerity is truly overwhelming.”

“You!”

Major Song’s face flushed a deep, angry crimson, the veins in his neck bulging. His dignity had been shattered in front of everyone.

“What about me?”

Su Mo leaned down, her eyes turning ice-cold. “Major Song, didn’t you want to experience my ‘true’ strength for yourself? Tell me, are you satisfied with what you feel?”

Major Song gritted his teeth, struggling to stand. But the spiritual pressure was too immense. No matter how hard he strained, his face turning purple with effort, he couldn’t rise. He didn’t even have the strength to resist.

This kind of crushing pressure, he had only ever felt it while standing behind the Marshal. But back then, the Marshal was merely inspiring the troops, not exerting force on them.

This was retaliation. Su Mo was punishing him for questioning her identity and for his earlier threats.

He ground his teeth, forced the words out: “I admit you’re strong, Su Mo. But if you continue to disgrace the military like this, there will be consequences.”

“Are you threatening me again?”

Su Mo narrowed her eyes. “Are you warning me that your superior is targeting the Su family? Hmm?”

“You aren’t very bright, are you, Major Song?”

With just a few words, Su Mo deftly shifted the blame onto his commanding officer, Major General Guo Wenjia. Major Song wanted to scream that it wasn’t like that, but he couldn’t move.

Fortunately, Su Mo wasn’t entirely reckless. Her voice dropped until it was a mere whisper, audible only to the two of them as she leaned in close to his ear.

To a casual observer, the two looked as if they were sharing an intimate confidence. In reality, Major Song was terrified, feeling as though his career and his rank were slipping through his fingers at Su Mo’s mercy.

“The person who sent you clearly wasn’t clever enough,” Su Mo whispered, her breath brushing his ear. “Using a ‘borrowed knife’ to kill is a classic move, but your acting was amateur at best.”

She straightened up, patted the Major on the shoulder, and said loudly with a beaming smile, “My goodness, it’s not even New Year’s yet! You’re far too early with these New Year greetings. I haven’t even prepared any red envelopes.”

“Tell you what, let’s consider this an early celebration. This is for you.”

Su Mo stuffed the physical test results into Major Song’s hand. “Give my thanks to your superiors. This free screening saved me at least a few dozen Star-credits!”

Major Song’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. He desperately wanted to hurl the report in her face and order his men to arrest her for insulting a military officer.

Instead, he was forced to stand there and watch her successfully pull off a PR masterstroke. The surrounding crowd, influenced by her cooperative attitude, began to murmur in her favor. Her reputation for being a “troublemaker” was rapidly being replaced by an image of a reasonable citizen willing to clear her name.

“I’ve totally misjudged her. This industry really is a mess, how could they spread such nasty rumors about such a good person?”

“Exactly! If someone questioned my identity like that, I’d be furious, but she just came along without a fuss. She didn’t even mind the military’s mistake. That’s remarkable.”

“I think I’m actually becoming a fan.”

Su Mo’s smile was as innocent as a child’s. “I wish you a very Happy New Year in advance, Major Song.”

Major Song ground his teeth so hard they nearly shattered. He wanted to devour her alive, but on the surface, he could only squeeze out a strained response: “You are welcome.”

Satisfied, Su Mo turned and walked away with a triumphant smile.

The moment she was gone and the crushing spiritual pressure lifted, Major Song stood up. His gaze was dark and predatory as he swept his eyes over the crowd. The bystanders quickly looked away, pretending they hadn’t seen a thing.

Pu Ying crossed her arms and scoffed, “He deserved it.”

“Yes,” Su Mo replied meaningfully. “He certainly did.”

However, she knew that by humiliating him so publicly, the road ahead for the Su family would be even rockier. They were already under scrutiny; this act of defiance, while satisfying, made things complicated.

The Su Patriarch, however, didn’t seem to care. He let out a cold snort and led Su Mo and the rest of the party out of the institute without another word. As he passed Major Song, he snorted again in blatant disdain.

“Since the Second Army thinks so little of the Su family, then our future investments and donations will be terminated. Please convey that message.”

With that final blow, he departed. Major Song stood frozen, his face a mask of absolute fury.

“Back to headquarters,” he barked.

He couldn’t even throw away the test report; it had to be brought back as evidence. As he thought back to Su Mo’s knowing eyes and that eerie, knowing smile, he felt a chill. He felt as though she knew everything exactly whose side he was on and what the true objective was.

Her words today made his skin crawl. He was terrified of being exposed, and even more terrified that she might start talking.

On the way back to the hotel, the Old Man’s voice suddenly turned cold. “Activate the scrambler.”

Pu Ying hesitated for a fraction of a second. “Yes, sir.”

Sitting beside the Old Man, Su Mo knew the moment had arrived.

She had been waiting for this. She had tried her best to hide her differences, acting one way at home and another in public, but this was the man who had raised Su Mo from birth. Anyone else might be fooled, but not him. He was a “shrewd old fox” whose life revolved around his granddaughter; even the most minute shift in her personality would eventually be noticed. It was the very reason she had been reluctant to return to the ancestral home—the constant, exhausting vigilance required to maintain the facade.

In truth, she had intentionally allowed him to see the cracks. She wanted to save this old man.

A transparent film shimmered into existence around them. While the air inside remained the same, the privacy shield ensured that no sound could escape to the outside world.

The Su Patriarch looked at Su Mo’s clear, steady eyes and suddenly offered a kind smile. It was a rare expression for him, making it look slightly awkward on his weathered face.

He reached out, stroking her head gently. “Are you afraid?” he asked in a low voice.

Su Mo was momentarily stunned. This was not what she expected. By all rights, if a grandfather discovered his beloved granddaughter had been replaced, he should be consumed by rage. Why was he treating her with the same tenderness he showed the original Su Mo?

Su Mo’s mind raced as she tried to find the right words. “You.”

“Shh.”

The Old Man raised a hand, gently silencing her before she could continue.