LABMY CH70 [Arc 3]

Chapter 70: The Poor Boy Who Had His Gland Removed

The Lu family had not been at peace lately. Their heir, the once highly favored and proud Alpha, Lu Qianyun, had his gland removed.

This incident was utterly disgraceful. A top-tier, triple-S Alpha, the elite among the elite, had gotten into a fight over a woman in the underground red-light district and was ambushed.

Even an SSS-level Alpha, before fully maturing, was merely a slightly stronger teenager. When surrounded and attacked, he was helpless and had his gland forcibly removed.

The former prodigy was now a laughingstock in the eyes of the public.

Fighting over a woman and losing his gland — what an utter humiliation. The name “Lu Qianyun” was no longer associated with admiration, but with disdain, like a piece of garbage from the gutter.

The various factions and families across the Empire were also mocking the Lu family. Their carefully nurtured Alpha heir had fallen, and people imagined the old members of the Lu family must be writhing in regret.

“Kneel down!”

Inside the Lu family estate, the white-haired patriarch sat in the main seat, watching coldly as Lu Shao, a member of the Lu family’s main branch, roared at Lu Qianyun to kneel.

The slender boy standing in the center of the hall lowered his head. His neck was wrapped in thick gauze, and his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned pale.

Lu Shao’s anger flared up again, “Did you not hear me? Kneel down!”

The boy loosened his grip, took a step forward, and kneeled down. He still didn’t raise his head, but his back remained straight.

Lu Shao sneered, “Do you think you’re still that triple-S Alpha, Lu Qianyun? You lost your gland over a fight for a prostitute. What right do you have to act proud?”

The boy abruptly raised his head, his eyes burning with suppressed fury. “I didn’t do it!”

“Who was fighting over a woman? As Lu Qianshan’s father, you should know better than anyone!”

The old patriarch tapped his cane against the ground and said in a deep voice, “Enough.”

He didn’t reprimand Lu Shao. Instead, he looked at Lu Qianyun with a gaze full of warning. “Qianyun, stop talking about this matter from now on.”

“The Lu family has already lost face. Even though Qianshan is only an S-level Alpha, he is now the future of the family. If word spreads, it will damage his reputation.”

Lu Qianyun’s lips curled into a mocking smile. So, because he was now a cripple, his reputation no longer mattered. The future of the talented and promising Lu Qianshan, however, must be protected.

Beside him, Lu Qianshan put on a guilty expression and said, “Little brother, it’s my fault. If you hadn’t come to save me, this wouldn’t have happened…”

He reached out to touch his own neck, which was also wrapped in gauze. A flash of hatred flickered in his eyes but was quickly hidden. He then said, “I know you hate me. You want to dig out my gland. I won’t blame you.”

He nearly succeeded in having his gland taken out. Lu Qianshan felt both fear and triumph as he looked at Lu Qianyun kneeling on the ground, unable to hide the satisfaction in his eyes.

“Enough. This matter is over. No one is allowed to speak of it again,” the old patriarch interrupted. “Qianshan, you should stop mentioning it too. If anyone hears about this, you can forget about marrying the royal second princess.”

“From now on, stay away from places you shouldn’t go.”

Lu Qianshan obediently nodded, playing the role of the regretful older brother. However, his eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he glanced at Lu Qianyun.

Suddenly, Lu Qianyun clapped his hands. “Clap, clap, clap…” The sound echoed strangely through the room.

“What a great performance. Truly brilliant acting from everyone.”

With that, he stood up and turned to leave.

“Do you want your sick mother, who’s already bedridden, to worry about you?”

Behind him, the old patriarch’s voice echoed, calm yet carrying an undeniable threat. It made Lu Qianyun feel sick to his stomach.

The old man added, “For now, go live with your uncle. Don’t return to the main house.”

Lu Qianyun clenched his fists so tightly that blood dripped from his palms. The surrounding Lu family members either looked at him with pity or schadenfreude, their gazes like knives, cutting deep into him.

“This place was never my home.”

He wasn’t part of the main branch of the family. He was merely a talented child from a side branch. Now that he’d lost his talent, being cast out like a stray dog was no surprise.

Moreover, this so-called “stray dog” nearly dug out the true heir’s gland.

With fury on his face, Lu Qianyun turned and left without looking back. Yet, inside, he felt strangely calm.

Because he was Lu Qianyun.

And he was also… not Lu Qianyun.

---

In a grand estate, a tall man dressed in a sharp military uniform sat in the garden pavilion, leisurely sipping afternoon tea. Yet, the untouched cup of coffee on the table revealed his restless state of mind.

“You’re saying… I need to complete the mission and help my nephew, Lu Qianyun, become the strongest in the Empire?”

The system, anxious yet holding back its frustration, replied, “Yes, only by completing the mission can you leave this world.”

Jian Yuanbai: “Why should I leave? I belong here.”

System: “You don’t!”

The system wished it could whip him with its tail. It had repeatedly said that Jiang Tang was supposed to say the lines. Traveling through the river of time was already dangerous, and Jian Yuanbai was punished for not completing the mission. Now, he had directly lost his memory.

The system was so anxious it was spinning in circles, while its host remained leisurely, slowly sipping his coffee. “I’m not interested in the mission you’re talking about.”

“Why should I help him? I’m not a charity worker.”

“If he can’t become the strongest in the Empire without my help, then he’s nothing special.”

System: “If you don’t complete the mission, you’ll be trapped here forever.”

Jian Yuanbai frowned, “You’d better shut up in my head. You’re noisy. I don’t want to have brain surgery.”

The system was furious: “Even if you perform brain surgery, you won’t be able to dig me out, you idiot! Did you hear that? I said, you’re an idiot!!”

Letting him go, he refused. Telling him to follow the mission, he insisted on doing it his way. Now, great, he lost his memory and refused to cooperate. It was just an innocent system. What did it do to deserve this?

Jian Yuanbai closed his eyes. His mental sea unfolded before him. A massive serpent raised half of its body, coldly staring at the golden kitten within. “I didn’t catch that. What did you say?”

Facing the dark, cold, and terrifying snake, the golden kitten immediately chickened out. “I said… I’m the idiot.”

The system fell silent, sulking. Meanwhile, Jian Yuanbai leisurely enjoyed his coffee, savoring his rare vacation.

The peace didn’t last long. A round-headed, round-bodied robot approached. “Jian, a guest is at the door.”

Jian Yuanbai: “Got it.”

He had programmed the household robot not to open the door or invite guests in, so when someone came, he handled it himself.

Jian Yuanbai opened the door and saw an old butler from the Lu family, dressed in a formal tailcoat. The butler respectfully said, “Young Master Jian, I’ll have to trouble you to take care of Young Master Lu for the time being.”

Jian Yuanbai responded with a simple “Hmm,” without inviting him in. He looked past the butler and said to the boy behind him, “Come in.”

He knew who he was—Lu Qianyun, the once-glorious top-tier Alpha who had his gland removed. But for some reason, Jian Yuanbai felt that this young master’s eyes were unusually bright when looking at him.

He lost his gland, yet he seemed so full of energy?

The old butler, without stepping through the door, turned and left after delivering the boy. Jian Yuanbai let Lu Qianyun in and closed the door.

As soon as he turned around, a figure launched at him like a little cannonball, clinging to his neck and wrapping his legs around him.

Jian Yuanbai was stunned but immediately darkened his face. “Get down.”

“No,” Lu Qianyun clung to him like a koala, his voice trembling with tears. “It hurts so much, Jian Yuanbai. Please comfort me.”

Jian Yuanbai couldn’t see his face, only the back of his head and the thick bandages around his neck, which were still seeping blood.

“You should call me Uncle. Show some respect.”

Though he scolded him, Jian Yuanbai still supported Lu Qianyun’s waist to prevent him from falling.

He should have thrown the boy off, but seeing those blood-stained bandages softened his heart. After all, he was just a teenager who had suffered such a terrible ordeal.

Lu Qianyun wasn’t just crying over the pain of his gland removal. The emotions from two lifetimes overwhelmed him. The resentment and longing he felt before dying in his past life came flooding back. He cried because he saw Jian Yuanbai again.

Too embarrassed to confess, he could only blame the pain from his gland.

After a while, he lifted his head from Jian Yuanbai’s chest. His eyes were red, glistening with tears. When he looked up at Jian Yuanbai, his wet eyes and flushed nose reminded Jian Yuanbai of a helpless little deer.

Lu Qianyun had many things he wanted to say, but his thoughts were chaotic, and he didn’t know where to start. He could only call out Jian Yuanbai’s name, “Jian Yuanbai.”

Jian Yuanbai’s expression darkened, his tone cold and distant. “I’ll say it again. You should call me Uncle.”

In that moment, Lu Qianyun remembered how, in their first life, Jian Yuanbai forced him to call him “Daddy,” and in the second life, he insisted on being called “Brother-in-law.”

His expression turned awkward as he looked at Jian Yuanbai with a strange gaze.

What’s it like to have a boyfriend who loves playing forbidden roles?

After hesitating for a long time, Lu Qianyun finally compromised. He pursed his lips and reluctantly said, “Uncle…”

Having just cried and now feeling embarrassed, his voice trembled. His teary eyes, combined with his fragile appearance, softened Jian Yuanbai’s heart. “Alright, stop crying. Let me see your wound.”

Jian Yuanbai placed him on a soft stool and gently pressed Lu Qianyun’s head down to check his injury.

At first, Lu Qianyun felt a bit upset. Jian Yuanbai didn’t seem as happy to see him as he was. But when Jian Yuanbai showed concern for his injury, Lu Qianyun realized he was being too sensitive.

Maybe Jian Yuanbai wasn’t as emotionally overwhelmed because he already knew they would meet again.

Jian Yuanbai carefully removed the layers of bandages and saw a neck covered in fresh wounds, still bleeding and scarred with countless knife cuts.

“The Lu family didn’t treat your wounds properly?” Jian Yuanbai asked in a calm tone, but there was a chilling edge to his voice.

Lu Qianyun sneered, “Of course not. The main family can’t wait for me to rot away.”

Jian Yuanbai stared at the bloody, torn flesh on Lu Qianyun’s neck. He said nothing, but the rage in his heart surged uncontrollably.

He couldn’t explain why he felt so protective of this “nephew.” He simply told himself it was out of responsibility as an uncle.

“System, you said my mission is to help Lu Qianyun become the strongest in the Empire, right?”

“Yes, yes!” The system, which had been sulking, immediately perked up.

Jian Yuanbai’s gaze darkened. “I accept the mission.”

He completely forgot how, just thirty minutes ago, he had said with conviction:

“I’m not a charity worker.”

“If he can’t become the strongest without my help, then he’s nothing special.”