Chapter 31 – The Traitor Among Us
Morning came too quickly. The golden light streaming through the window felt like a lie to Zhang Wei. It didn't belong in a house filled with veiled intentions and smiling enemies.
He stood in the hallway outside the dining room, listening. Clinking dishes. Light chatter. Laughter that sounded rehearsed.
His father-in-law's voice echoed: "You've really changed, Wei. That foolish look in your eyes is gone. You're becoming… a man."
Wei smiled politely as he entered the room, but inside, he was already scanning—watching every movement, every twitch. One of them… was the traitor.
"Morning," he said, taking his seat.
His wife, Ruolan, looked up. "You're early today."
Wei nodded. "Had some thinking to do."
"Oh? Planning your next career move?" her cousin mocked, sipping tea. "Or do you need us to hand-feed you another job?"
The room chuckled. Wei didn't react. He'd stopped caring about their verbal jabs. Let them mock. Wolves wear sheep's clothing when they think the real predator is asleep.
His system flickered silently behind his eyes.
---
[New Quest Unlocked: Expose the Traitor.]
Clue 1: "They always speak last, but know the most."
Reward: Shadow Cleaver Skillbook + Unlock Partial Seal on Mother's Memory]
---
Wei's eyes narrowed slightly. They always speak last... but know the most?
He glanced around.
Uncle Zhou? Too loud. Ruolan? Always snappy. The head maid? Quiet—but clearly clueless. Then… Miss Wu.
The literature teacher.
She always observed. Rarely spoke. Yet she knew things she shouldn't. She once asked about his mother—offhandedly. Then about his pendant. Now that he thought about it… she had never once laughed at him. Nor helped him. Just watched.
Wei filed that away. You're first on my list.
The day passed slowly. He made excuses to walk the estate, check the servants' quarters, pass by the study. A few strange traces turned up—notes written in code, symbols matching the ones in his system's skillbook. All of them hidden beneath harmless poems or family records.
But what shocked him most was what he found in the old greenhouse: a black feather, scorched around the edges. Not from a crow. From something else. Something… infernal.
He clutched the feather tightly. "So it's true. A demonic familiar is in the mansion."
As the sun dipped into the horizon, Wei prepared.
---
That night, while the family dined, Wei skipped the meal. He told them he wasn't feeling well. Another excuse. Another lie.
He crouched in the study, shadows wrapping around him. Thanks to the [Silent Step] skill he'd unlocked earlier, no one heard a thing.
9:47 PM
The door creaked.
A figure entered—long robes, tied hair. Miss Wu.
She looked around cautiously, lit a candle, then reached behind the bookshelf. Her fingers moved with precision, tapping a pattern into the back panel.
Click.
The wall shifted. A hidden compartment. Inside: scrolls, talismans, a vial of dark red liquid, and… a black stone glowing faintly.
Wei's breath hitched.
A devil's eye. She's summoning.
He stepped forward.
"Lose something?"
Miss Wu froze.
She turned slowly, expression unreadable. "You shouldn't be here."
"I could say the same. But I'm guessing the family's safety isn't your concern tonight."
She said nothing. Just looked at him. Then—
"I didn't want to hurt anyone. But your mother was the reason this all started. She interfered with the natural balance."
Wei's fists clenched. "Natural balance? Is that what you call cursing a child?"
Miss Wu's eyes flickered red.
"I did what I had to. You were born with a divine aura. If we hadn't sealed you, the cult would've come themselves. We—" she hesitated "—I was trying to buy you time."
Wei's heart pounded.
"Then why betray me now?"
She stepped forward, carefully placing the stone back into the compartment.
"Because it's too late. They're coming. The moment your seal cracked, they sensed it. If I don't finish the summon tonight, they'll burn this entire estate to the ground to get to you."
Wei inhaled sharply.
"What's the price of the summoning?"
Her silence was answer enough.
"A life," he said bitterly. "You were going to use someone."
She looked down. "I picked myself. That was my deal."
Wei's rage softened—just a little.
"You're dying either way. Why?"
"For your mother. She saved me once. It's time I returned the favor."
Wei walked toward her slowly. "Then let me be the one to carry the burden."
Miss Wu shook her head. "The system wouldn't allow it. You still haven't unlocked your Divine Name."
The system chimed silently.
---
[New Memory Fragment Available: Liu Mei – Part II]
[Unlock Divine Name: 92% Progress]
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Wei stood in front of her. "Then summon it. But I'll be the one to face whatever comes through."
Miss Wu handed him a talisman, blood-stained and warm. "Place this in your mouth when the gate opens. It's the only thing keeping your soul anchored."
She raised her hands, chanting in a language older than time.
The circle on the floor glowed red.
The air thickened. The shadows writhed. A shriek echoed from beyond.
Wei closed his eyes.
> For my mother. For the truth. For every lie I've swallowed.
The ground split open. Flames curled around the summoning circle.
The gate… opened.
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[End of Chapter 31]