Chapter 96: Give Him Five Billion
Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
Editor: Karai
Curator Zhao looked troubled. The museum’s reception room was usually used to receive visiting scholars and had recently hosted many sponsors. In the museum’s ancient and heavy cultural atmosphere, visitors always behaved elegantly and courteously, showing respect and curiosity toward the staff. However, the meticulously dressed Duke Chu in front of him looked like he was here to cause trouble.
“Duke Chu, you wanted to see Dr. Lin Xu. I have brought him here. I wonder which aspects of the Ancient Earth Natural Science Museum you are interested in? Dr. Lin specializes in ancient book restoration, ancient text translation, and some ancient Earth art…”
“Curator.” Lin Xu stopped him. The anxiety Curator Zhao felt towards Duke Chu was clearly evident in his increasingly rapid speech.
“I will discuss the details with Duke Chu, so as not to take up more of your work time.”
“Ah, this…” Curator Zhao hesitated. Lin Xu patted his shoulder, finally persuading him to leave the reception room, turning back every few steps. The guards following Duke Chu and Chu Xiu also left the reception room at Chu Xiu’s command, carefully closing the door and leaving all secrets within the room.
“Please sit, Dr. Lin,” Duke Chu said, lifting his chin in a seemingly polite manner, which, due to this gesture, bordered on arrogance.
Lin Xu did not move, his expression unchanged. “Duke Chu, I also have work to do. If you have any questions, please speak directly. There’s no need for pleasantries.”
Duke Chu’s face stiffened, and for the first time, Chu Xiu, sitting beside him, took a serious look at the small museum researcher. On the Victoria, Heinrich had not deliberately concealed his intimate relationship with Lin Xu. However, the Abyss Fleet was far outside the Einstein Galaxy, making communication difficult. Once back in the Crescent District, it was easy to find out from the accompanying personnel who had been around Heinrich recently.
When Chu Xiu looked up Lin Xu’s identity based on clues, he had hurriedly glanced at his photo. The facial features were decent, quite good-looking. At the time, the somber temperament exuded by Lin Xu in the photo made Duke Chu frown, not understanding why Heinrich would be interested in such a person. There were many beautiful and more amiable omegas and betas among the Imperial nobility.
But upon meeting in person, when Chu Xiu unexpectedly met Lin Xu’s gaze, it was as if a blunt knife had pierced through his skull and into his brain. However, Duke Chu mistook Lin Xu’s distant demeanor as a challenge to his authority. Lowering his brows, he stared intently at Lin Xu, his every move radiating the control that came from years of being in a high position.
“Then I will speak directly, Dr. Lin. You should know, Heinrich is not young anymore.”
This sounded like a question, but Duke Chu had no intention of waiting for Lin Xu’s answer and continued, “Ordinary Imperial nobles would have been married long ago at his age. His years of warfare have delayed things.”
Duke Chu knew in his heart that Heinrich’s long delay in marriage was more because the nobility were waiting to see if he, as the world’s first human-dragon hybrid, had any functional issues. But now, the existence of a lover and an illegitimate child had quashed all rumors. Nobles were almost breaking down the Chu family’s door to inquire about their intentions.
Duke Chu hoped Lin Xu would realize that, despite his efforts to get into Capital Star University and climb to a socially respected position, he was ultimately just a D-Class beta commoner from the frontier, separated by an insurmountable gap from the noble-born Imperial Marshal Heinrich Chu. His biggest use was to be a bed toy. If a child was born, it would become a big problem.
Duke Chu hadn’t yet discovered where Lin Xu was hiding Heinrich’s illegitimate child, but this bloodline had already become a source of trouble for the Chu family. “The Chu family knows about your relationship with him. If he wants to keep you by his side, I won’t stop him. But he needs to marry another noble.” Duke Chu said, “I hope you can persuade him to make plans soon. I know Heinrich currently doesn’t have a particular emotional preference for a marriage partner, but there are several suitable candidates from a benefit standpoint.”
“I am telling you this in advance for your good. At least if you persuade him, you can influence his choice of partner. Otherwise, if you find out after he settles on a marriage, the future Marshal’s wife might not tolerate your existence.”
Lin Xu hadn’t heard such absurd statements so righteously spoken in many years, causing him to doubt the Imperial education system that Duke Chu had received. He thought it was probably a good thing Heinrich had never received formal Imperial education. But Duke Chu took Lin Xu’s silence as tacit resistance and provocation, coldly snorting, his face turning dangerously grim.
He was the legitimate heir of the Chu family, accustomed to the reverence from side branches and younger generations. With two renegades like Chu Sui and Heinrich, there was no way he would allow a mere lover to trample on his dignity.
“Dr. Lin Xu, what I just mentioned is your best option. There are several other ways that don’t require your choice. In the Crescent District, making a commoner from the frontier disappear is easy.”
Duke Chu’s method of first offering a carrot and then showing a stick was astonishing, but even the “carrot” was insulting to both Lin Xu and Heinrich. Lin Xu’s indifferent face showed no emotion, but Chu Xiu vaguely sensed that he was not so much angry as irritated by the nuisance of a clown.
“Father…” Chu Xiu began, but Duke Chu shot him a stern glance and turned back to Lin Xu, “Look at how thin you are. Beta males are not suitable for childbirth. You are just a bed toy. Losing you is no big deal; another can always be found. Do you really expect him to always remember you?”
Lin Xu paused and asked, “Your Grace, do you like me?”
“Are you talking nonsense…” Duke Chu was baffled by Lin Xu’s strange question.
But Lin Xu didn’t give him time to think and immediately followed up with a string of questions, “Or is it you who slept with me, and we are giving Senator Chu a younger sibling?”
Chu Xiu was shocked, and if not for Lin Xu’s indifferent tone, clearly making a chilling joke, he would have almost questioned his father. After all, Imperial titles were inherited by legitimate heirs, and Chu Xiu was Duke Chu’s only legitimate son, making the duke title his rightful inheritance.
“Rubbish!” Duke Chu trembled with anger.
“Indeed,” Lin Xu replied, “since that’s not the case, what gives you the right to issue orders on Heinrich’s behalf?”
“Because I know he is rational!” Duke Chu raised his voice, “He knows what choices to make for the family! If he truly cared about you, why would he hide you and the child? Do you really think he can love anyone? You can give him nothing, stop being naive! If you continue to be stubborn…”
Lin Xu frowned, child?
Before Duke Chu could finish his threat, a loud bang echoed as the reception room door was suddenly slammed open. A figure stumbled in, grabbing Lin Xu’s hand tightly. The Chu family’s guards rushed in immediately, but this figure, though neither agile nor strong, was someone the guards did not dare to touch or stop. Lin Xu recognized the person and helped him stand firm.
Chu Xiu stood up abruptly, both shocked and respectful. “Principal Zhou?”
Zhou Pingbo ignored him, nervously clutching Lin Xu’s hand to ensure he hadn’t grown claws in anger at the Chu family and that there wasn’t a bloodbath in the reception room. Only then did he dare to breathe, straighten up, and nod towards Chu Xiu and Duke Chu as a greeting.
“Duke Chu, Senator Chu.”
Chu Xiu waved to the guards, signaling them to leave immediately, then stepped forward a few paces toward Zhou Pingbo. “Principal Zhou, what are you…”
Zhou Pingbo smiled warmly at him, “Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but I have an urgent matter that requires Dr. Lin’s assistance. I apologize for the intrusion.”
Chu Xiu dared not show any displeasure towards Zhou Pingbo. “Principal Zhou, you must be joking. You know Dr. Lin Xu?”
“Dr. Lin is highly accomplished in his research. I have always admired him.”
Duke Chu’s chest tightened with anger, but he could not lash out in front of Zhou Pingbo. His face muscles stiffened like stones in a latrine. How could this Lin Xu even make Zhou Pingbo speak words of admiration?
Zhou Pingbo, though of common birth, was an E-class alpha and even physically weaker than a beta. Apart from their places of birth, his early experiences were strikingly similar to Lin Xu’s. High academic qualifications and a researcher’s position meant nothing to the Chu family, an old noble household. But Zhou Pingbo was not just a lab worker!
He was an academician at the Imperial Academy of Sciences, head of the Zerg Weapon Development Project, and directly responsible to the Emperor and the Supreme Military Council. He was also the lifetime honorary principal of Deep Blue Military Academy. Notably, the principal position at Deep Blue Military Academy rotated every five years, but Zhou Pingbo had a permanent position there, wielding considerable influence.
As if not noticing the peculiar expressions of Duke Chu and Chu Xiu, Zhou Pingbo spoke as warmly as a spring breeze, “Have you finished your discussion with Dr. Lin? If so, I would like to borrow Dr. Lin’s time. By the way, I remember that Senator Chu’s youngest son is studying at Deep Blue Military Academy, in the mecha department, correct?”
Duke Chu, hearing Zhou Pingbo mention his grandson, suppressed his chest pain and said, “That’s right. Thank you, Principal Zhou, for your concern…”
Zhou Pingbo chuckled, “It’s not a concern, just that I happened to pass by during their training. He has good skills among that group of kids.”
Chu Xiu’s face brightened slightly, but then Zhou Pingbo changed his tone, “But it seems peace has made people lax. The mecha department students at Deep Blue Military Academy have been mediocre these past few years, far from the standards when General Chu Suifeng was there. If Senator Chu has time, he should talk more with his child.”
Instead of spending all his time meddling with Lin Xu.
“Alright, alright.” Chu Xiu could only nod. His own son was still under Zhou Pingbo’s supervision; what else could he say?
“Then we’ll take our leave. Dr. Lin, this way please.”
After they left and walked through a deserted corridor, Zhou Pingbo dropped his earlier threatening demeanor and sighed in relief, “That really scared me.”
“Professor Zhou, why are you here?”
“I do have something I need your help with, but when I heard the Chu family was talking to you, I got worried.”
Zhou Pingbo was afraid that if Lin Xu got upset and lashed out, the Chu family members would be in trouble. He had rushed to the reception room door. Recognizing him as the principal of Deep Blue Military Academy, the Chu family guards dared not stop him but were also under orders not to open the door. In the end, Zhou Pingbo had to shoulder the door open himself. The door was indeed very sturdy; Zhou Pingbo’s shoulder was still faintly aching.
“What did the Chu family say to you?”
He could guess it wouldn’t be anything good. Lin Xu’s tone was flat, “They said Heinrich should marry a noble lady or lord.”
“And?”
He didn’t believe that saying just that one sentence would require two high-level alpha guards to stand by the reception room.
“Duke Chu suggested I persuade Heinrich to get married quickly and become his secret lover, or he would silence me and make me disappear from the Crescent District.”
Lin Xu took Duke Chu’s words as background noise. Zhou Pingbo laughed upon hearing this, “Is that all he said? I thought he would pull out a five-million-dollar check to make you leave Marshal Chu.”
Lin Xu glanced at him, and Zhou Pingbo corrected himself, “Given your situation, five million might not be enough…”
The public did not know the details of Marianna’s will, nor that half of it was in the hands of a small researcher at the Ancient Earth Natural Science Museum. Thinking about the assets of the Perseus Group…that would be…
Forget it, Zhou Pingbo couldn’t calculate it. He suggested, “Why not give the Chu family five billion and have Marshal Chu marry into your family?”
—
Author’s Note:
Hahaha, some misunderstandings:
. Who’s waving a check?
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