Chapter 11

Shen Jin’s sleep was far from restful.

The human bed’s wooden board was too hard, not even as comfortable as the mud in the deep pit. No, the sofa was actually soft and cozy—he could have moved it into the bedroom to sleep on.

Jiang Linchuan must be out of his mind, choosing a hard bed over a comfortable sofa.

But the human bedding was delightful, soft and plush when wrapped around him—he liked it.

A fragrant scent wafted in through the crack under the door. Shen Jin yawned and sat up.

He loved sleeping. In the deep pit, with nothing else to do, he would sleep for years at a time.

But the pit never smelled this good.

Shen Jin licked his lips, got out of bed, and opened the door.

Bright light poured into the room. Shen Jin raised a hand to shield his eyes.

Chen Lanzhi, sitting at the dining table lost in thought, looked up at the sound.

The barefoot boy wore an oversized white T-shirt—clearly the captain’s—making him appear even more slender. Below his shorts, two straight, lean legs emerged. He looked exactly like a high school student.

“Hi, morning,” Chen Lanzhi greeted him.

Shen Jin peeked through his fingers—it was the woman who had drawn his blood last night.

Why was she here so early?

Had the test results come back already?

Once his eyes adjusted to the light, Shen Jin slowly lowered his hand, sauntered over to the sofa, and sat down gracefully. He crossed his legs, folded his arms, and leaned back, exuding a lazy, casual air.

Alright, he was ready to listen to that wretched human man’s cries of agony.

Shen Jin shot the woman another glance. She came too early—it would have been perfect if she’d arrived after buying the clothes.

Chen Lanzhi, having been glanced at twice, looked back at him.

So aloof, huh?

He didn’t look much like the captain. This face was far more delicate than the captain’s, which was weathered by years of wind and sun.

Had the captain ever looked in a mirror before deciding to play father?

Chen Lanzhi walked into the kitchen.

Inside, Jiang Linchuan was unpacking and arranging the breakfast he had just bought. The aroma wafted out as he opened the food bags.

Chen Lanzhi approached and cleared her throat quietly. “Captain, I’ve been thinking, and something still feels off.”

“Hmm?”

“Are you really sure that boy out there is your child? He’s already so grown. Don’t you think that’s a bit too—well—” She shrugged. “Incredible?”

“For now, yes,” Jiang Linchuan said, bending down to take three bowls from the cupboard and rinsing them with water.

He hadn’t been home in almost a year, and a layer of dust had settled everywhere. He’d have to call a cleaning crew later.

“For now?” Chen Lanzhi caught the key word.

“Yes, for now.” Jiang Linchuan set the bowls down and poured soy milk from the bag into them. “First, he’s human.”

Chen Lanzhi nodded. Right, both of them out there were indeed human.

No Anomaly could mimic humans that perfectly.

“Second, he shares my blood.”

“Based on these two clear facts,” Jiang Linchuan looked up at her, “my earlier explanation is the most reasonable one based on what I know now. Even if there are doubts or confusion, these two facts allow for no other explanation.”

He had never seen or heard of an Anomaly using human blood to become human. But he had witnessed women giving birth to children who shared their blood.

He had also seen infants who rapidly aged into adults shortly after birth.

Jiang Linchuan glanced toward the living room. But those children had all died within days. He had never seen one grow up healthy, with a normal human intellect.

Jiang Linchuan looked back. “So, for now, they are indeed my children.”

Chen Lanzhi thought for a moment, convinced. “—Thorough.”

Jiang Linchuan: “You flatter me.”

The ease and calm in Jiang Linchuan’s tone relaxed Chen Lanzhi, who had actually been a bit on edge all along.

For many years, they had followed Jiang Linchuan. As long as the captain remained steady, they were never afraid.

“There’s one more thing I don’t quite get,” Chen Lanzhi leaned against the counter, crossing her arms and tilting her head. Her pretty eyes arched slightly. “Children naturally have parents. You haven’t denied that, Captain. If you believe they’re the children of an Anomaly and a human, then the human involved must be you—Captain Jiang Linchuan. Does that track?”

Jiang Linchuan’s movements paused, his eyes narrowing.

Chen Lanzhi smiled. “As the key figure in such a significant event, you’ve smoothly accepted the children’s appearance without any anger or distress. So, that other party—” She couldn’t help but imagine—an Anomaly and a human, how—bizarre.

“I have no memory of that night,” Jiang Linchuan cut her off, without any embarrassment, stating plainly. “I don’t know what actually happened, nor who the other party was.”

“Huh?” Chen Lanzhi blurted out in surprise, “Like Xuzhu and Meng Gu in *Demigods and Semidevils*?”

“—” Jiang Linchuan was speechless.

Chen Lanzhi stroked her chin, murmuring, “Captain, you’ve always had high standards when it comes to relationships, never fooling around. So there are only two possibilities. First, you were drunk or drugged, losing control of yourself.

“Second, the other party was stronger than you and subdued you.

“In conclusion—” Chen Lanzhi straightened abruptly, staring at him in disbelief. “Captain, you—you—you were assaulted?”

“—”

Jiang Linchuan closed his eyes and pointed toward the door. “Get out.”

“Okay.” Chen Lanzhi drifted out in a haze. “Xuzhu—I mean, Captain, don’t worry, I’ll keep your secret.”

Detective Lanzhi had pieced together the whole story. The truth was clear: Captain Jiang had been forced into a one-night stand by a powerful Meng Gu, resulting in two children.

Even if the powerful Meng Gu was terrifying, Captain Jiang had lost his innocence—

Jiang Linchuan sighed, braced his hands on the countertop, a sharp glint in his eyes.

Assaulted?

Although he had no memory of that night, if something like that had happened, he wouldn’t have been entirely passive.

So, what kind of person—or what kind of "thing"—could have made him give up resisting?

Jiang Linchuan tilted his head and glanced at his left shoulder, where he had been injured by the ink of a squid monster. After the wound fully healed, it left behind a permanent tooth mark.

……

Breakfast was set on the table. Jiang Linchuan brought out the last plate and said to the person who had been posing on the sofa all morning, "Have you brushed your teeth and washed your face? Come eat breakfast. After that, I’ll take you to buy clothes."

?

Shen Jin raised his proud chin slightly, not speaking, but his eyes darted toward Chen Lanzhi’s face.

Haven’t the test results come out yet?

Why is this man so calm?

"By the way, I should tell you—the DNA test results for both of you are out." Jiang Linchuan walked over, stood in front of him, and looked down at him. "Want to know?"

Shen Jin lifted his eyelids and slowly nodded, saying coldly and arrogantly, "You may proceed."

"……" Jiang Linchuan smiled inexplicably. Should he kneel and say, "Reporting to Your Majesty"?

"I’m sorry, but we weren’t able to find a match for your families in the blood bank."

"No match?" Shen Jin’s eyebrows rose slightly, as if he let out a sigh of relief.

Then he sneered.

Humans really are useless. That blood was clearly from the man right in front of him, yet they couldn’t even detect it. Hah.

Jiang Linchuan noted his expression without reacting. "It’s our inability that we couldn’t find your families, so the Special Operations Brigade has decided that the two of you will stay with me for the time being."

"Stay with you?"

"Yes, from now on, I’ll be taking care of you."

Hearing this, the young man’s brows suddenly furrowed. His fair little face instantly darkened, and his pitch-black eyes glared angrily at Jiang Linchuan as he uttered word by word in disbelief, "You said… you want to serve me?"

"You actually dare to aspire to serve me?"

"Hah! What qualifications do you have?"

Absolutely absurd!

Wishful thinking!!

Delusional!!!

A worthless human isn’t even fit to polish his shoes.

"Cough…" Chen Lanzhi couldn’t hold back and choked on her water, turning away to cover her mouth as she coughed violently.

Jiang Linchuan: "……"

Well, there were ten Mariana Trenches between him and Shen Jin.

"……I have the qualifications and ability." Actions were always more effective than words.

Jiang Linchuan skillfully reached out, grabbed the young man by the nape, and lifted him up. "Five minutes to brush your teeth and wash your face. The countdown starts now."

Brought to the sink, Shen Jin picked up his toothbrush with a dark expression and squeezed on toothpaste with a flavor he despised.

"Remember to apply face cream after washing your face." Jiang Linchuan placed a bottle of baby lotion on the counter.

The store clerk had strongly recommended it, but he didn’t dare use it on the baby. So, he’d give it to Shen Jin instead.

Jiang Linchuan turned around, and Chen Lanzhi gave him a thumbs-up, mouthing the words: "Good dad."

Jiang Linchuan had nothing to say. He first went into the bedroom, drew the curtains, and opened the window for ventilation. Then he picked up the slippers from the floor, walked out, and tossed them near the young man’s feet. "From now on, whenever you walk around, you must wear shoes. No going barefoot."

Shen Jin stepped into the shoes disdainfully.

Hah.

He was only compromising for now.

Sooner or later, he would personally strangle Jiang Linchuan.