Arian shot a sharp glance sideways, his icy blue eyes glowing like shards of frost under moonlight:

  – “Father said that the one who used disguise magic to protect my royal sister for twenty years was Black Lynx. So why does this Chameleon show up now?”

  Chameleon lowered his head, his voice slightly strained, his face flushing from being exposed so abruptly:

  – “I’m Bách Di?n. Black Lynx is H?c Phong Túc. We… like the Serpent Clan, are all people from Ch? L?n.”

  Yin blurted out in shock:

  – “What? You’re from the same place as me?”

  Bách Di?n widened his eyes slightly:

  – “Then this vampire gentleman here is also from Ch? L?n? So it turns out we’re all… acquaintances.”

  Erion grew impatient, his ruby-red eyes flaring like sparks:

  – “I’m waiting for your explanation about Black Lynx… and why you disguised yourself as dì T?.”

  Bách Di?n let out a long sigh, his voice dropping lower.

  – “It was Lord Satan’s order. After the Princess was adopted by D?ng’s family, His Lordship could not rest easy. Phong Túc and I took turns disguising ourselves as dì T? to enter the household as helpers. Whenever Phong Túc went to report to the Lord or receive missions, I replaced him — and vice versa.”

  Din nodded slowly, visibly relieved:

  – “So you were simply taking turns protecting Princess Trang. We should be thanking you.”

  Bách Di?n smiled faintly and stepped back a few paces. Instantly, a shimmering mist like a rainbow spiral rose around his body. The light on his skin shifted continuously, like a CGI effect, as layers of illusion peeled away and shattered like glass fragments.

  When the disguise completely vanished, “dì T?” transformed into a strikingly handsome man with a radiant presence.

  Short, wavy hair with an ombre gradient — black at the roots, glowing green at the tips under the moonlight.

  Heterochromatic eyes: The left a mint green, the right a turmeric gold, shimmering like crystal reflecting firelight.

  Sharp features, fair skin, a high refined nose bridge, and thin, keen lips.

  Chen sniffed loudly:

  – “Why is he this handsome… and with that other guy too, how are we even supposed to compete?”

  The little imps covered their mouths and whispered:

  – “H?u K? and L?p Thành were already big rivals… now there’s this colorful guy too. Looks like Chen has a tough fight ahead.”

  Bách Di?n stepped forward and bowed respectfully:

  – “Greetings, Princess Trang and Crown Prince Arian. I was taken in by Lord Satan long ago, but had to remain hidden until today… and I have now been exposed.”

  Trang frowned slightly:

  – “Father mentioned that Black Lynx possesses the ability to erase memories… and even write scripts to implant into other people’s minds.”

  Bách Di?n nodded:

  – “Phong Túc truly is an ‘editor’ of memories. Whenever D?ng’s husband and wife attempted to use physical punishment on the Princess, I hypnotized them to immobilize them for a few minutes, while Phong Túc implanted false memories, making them believe they had already acted.”

  Din shook his head, his voice filled with indignation:

  – “D?ng’s family is truly vicious… I suspect there are still many secrets in that house yet to be unearthed.”

  Bách Di?n turned toward Yin, his voice low but steady:

  – “D?ng’s eldest son-in-law — Anh Tú — is also a yokai. But he’s a good person. I possess invisibility magic, so when Phong Túc disguised himself as dì T?, whenever he wasn’t summoned by the Lord, I always stayed nearby to assist. I saw Anh Tú seize every opportunity to search for clues.”

  Yin narrowed his eyes, a trace of disdain flashing through his gaze:

  – “Anh Tú is also a victim of D?ng and his wife. They plotted with Anh ?ào to set him up, then used a staged ‘bedroom accident’ to force him into marrying their daughter. Their sole purpose was his family’s fortune.”

  Trúc Di?n nodded:

  – “He found an album, documents renouncing inheritance with Trang’s signature — all fabricated by D?ng and his wife… and there was also a vial of arsenic.”

  A flicker of rage flashed through Bách Di?n’s eyes:

  – “They wanted the Princess to die together with her adoptive parents in that accident years ago. But the Princess is a Black Diamond. Even though her magic and abilities were sealed, her biological body remained unchanged — capable of recovering from even the most severe injuries. That’s why they devised another method: putting arsenic into the Princess’s food, every day… in extremely small amounts.”

  The air seemed to tighten. Everyone trembled with rage. Erion roared, his ruby-red eyes erupting like molten lava:

  – “They were that cruel?! Poisoning a five-year-old child with arsenic… intending to let her die slowly like that?!”

  Trang froze upon hearing this, her eyes widening as they turned blood-red:

  – “They dared… to poison me?”

  Nh? Phu and ??i Ng?c covered their mouths to suppress sobs. Both girls turned pale, choking on their fury. H?u K? ground his teeth.

  – “The Lord wanting them to die slowly… is more than deserved.”

  Bách Di?n looked at Trang, his voice softening but heavy with sorrow:

  – “Phong Túc and I had to take turns guarding the Princess. When Phong Túc played the role of dì T?, I monitored everything using invisibility. Every time the Princess’s meals were finished, the couple would find excuses to send Anh Tú out to buy things, then secretly add arsenic.”

  He exhaled heavily, as if releasing years of pent-up anger:

  – “I discarded every single portion… and replaced it with another. That’s why they were never able to poison the Princess. When they realized it was impossible… they discarded the vial of arsenic into the wooden mirror in the storage room on the rooftop.”

  Arian raised an eyebrow, his voice cold as an ice-forged blade:

  – “That centipede demon becoming their son-in-law fits perfectly. Anh Tú will cooperate to push him into gambling — he and Anh Th? once gambled away five billion, then forced D?ng to pay the debt.”

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  Din curled his lips, the calculating glint in his eyes unmistakable:

  – “If he’s addicted to gambling… then I have a way. I own a chain of casinos.”

  Chen glanced at his watch:

  – “Earlier, the Lord summoned Mage V?nh to the boarding house area. I wonder if something’s going on.”

  Bách Di?n replied immediately:

  – “Phong Túc is there as well. I heard the Lord wants to meet an old friend.”

  Moved by the fact that Bách Di?n and Phong Túc had protected her for so long, Trang spoke softly:

  – “Then let’s go there. I want to meet Phong Túc… and thank him in person.”

  The little imps buzzed noisily, one of them calling out:

  – “General, don’t forget to retract that spell!”

  A dark violet magic circle spiraled open beneath Erion’s feet. Threads of arcane light shot outward like woven strands, forming a mysterious ring. He lightly raised a finger and touched the air.

  Instantly—inside the barrier, time stood frozen like a crystal glass painting. Space began to fracture, sharp lines spreading outward with crisp crack… crack… sounds, like shattering glass. Then—boom.

  The entire frozen space shattered, exploding into thousands of tiny crystalline fragments that dissolved into the air like glowing ash.

  Time resumed its flow. Everything stirred gently, as if awakening from a deep sleep that had lasted only a blink.

  The sight alone was enough to send chills down anyone’s spine.

  ***

  Nh? Phu looked toward the restaurant:

  – “Bách Di?n is still playing the role of dì T?. He should stay behind, or they’ll grow suspicious.”

  Bách Di?n nodded:

  – “Then you all go to the boarding house area. The Lord, Phong Túc… and his childhood friend are all there.”

  Erion frowned slightly:

  – “A childhood friend? Probably another demon.”

  At that moment, a swirl of rainbow-hued smoke wrapped around Bách Di?n’s body. Colors flowed across his skin like living silk — mint green, violet patterns, amber red — then layers of disguise formed one by one, like paint carefully applied by an artist.

  In just a few seconds, the handsome Bách Di?n transformed into dì T?, a sixty-year-old woman with a gentle face, neatly tied hair, and deep wrinkles that looked as though they had existed for decades.

  The effect was like living CGI unfolding before their eyes. He took a few steps inward, then turned back and bowed:

  – “Phong Túc and I will be making our exit soon as well. We’ll meet again.”

  The figure of dì T? quickly disappeared into the restaurant. Trúc Di?n clenched his fist, urgency in his voice:

  – “Let’s go to my father-in-law.”

  ***

  The Boarding House Area – A Reunion of Two Extremes

  In the wide alley, the atmosphere was warm and emotional, tinged with an indescribable sadness.

  Demon King Satan and Angel Charles — like darkness and light standing at opposite poles — faced each other. Childhood friends who had not forgotten one another for centuries. Though their choices and lives had diverged, their bond remained unchanged.

  Satan told the entire story of Trang. With every word, Charles’s expression grew colder.

  – “They’re too cruel… it’s unimaginable,” he said, his voice sinking.

  Satan nodded, lips curling into a joyless smile:

  – “Even demons on the Dark Planet would have to call that couple ‘ancestors.’ I told you — there was a photographer who captured the moment the car plunged off the cliff… but that wasn’t the truth. The image came from a military satellite.”

  Charles suddenly understood:

  – “I felt the story didn’t match the way you told it back then.”

  Satan laughed loudly:

  – “There are things that force me to construct a script. Three of your friends were there — how could I tell them it was a military satellite image? And they still don’t know who you are, do they?”

  Charles shook his head:

  – “I revealed nothing. Even the two apprentice witches, Join and Mary, are furious as well. They’re on my side, helping me punish that family.”

  He paused, then asked:

  – “And the boy earlier? When did you meet him?”

  Satan lifted his gaze to the star-filled night sky, his voice slowing as if opening a door of memories.

  – “He is Bách Di?n — a chameleon. Talented. Loyal. But fate never smiled upon him. He never knew who his parents were, abandoned as a newborn. He grew up among street gangs… yet never became corrupted. He kept his innate dignity.”

  A trace of sadness crossed Charles’s eyes:

  – “I’ve seen many cases like that. Talent without a starting point, without opportunity… often gets discarded.”

  Satan continued:

  – “As a child, he stole food. When he grew older, he tried earnestly to find work — but no one hired him. No education. No credentials. No background. Eventually, he and his street brothers became vendors — selling snacks, fruit, shining shoes, some collecting scrap.”

  Satan’s amber eyes glimmered faintly as he recalled the memory:

  – “One time, I was on patrol with my agents at a night market. While walking through, my wallet went missing. I knew someone took it, but I couldn’t see anyone… because he had invisibility magic. But body heat can’t be hidden.”

  He chuckled softly:

  – “I had my agents follow the trail… and caught him red-handed, right as he was rummaging through my wallet for money.”

  Satan smiled, his gaze sinking into memory:

  – “When I captured him, his skin color was very strange. At first, he was a fair-skinned boy, but in the blink of an eye, it darkened — some parts turned black, others a deep brown. The secret agents clutched their stomachs, laughing uncontrollably. That was when I realized — every time he felt fear, his skin would change color like that.”

  Charles tilted his head, curious:

  – “So his personality must change constantly as well, right?”

  Satan burst into loud laughter:

  – “He could be cheerful one moment, but just hearing a sad song would make him gloomy. Watching a movie, if a touching scene appeared, tears would fall. And every single time, his skin changed color according to his emotions. Luckily, he is highly skilled in disguise techniques; otherwise, humans and other forces would have discovered him long ago.”

  He paused slightly, his voice growing lower:

  – “Bách Di?n and Phong Túc took turns disguising themselves as Aunt T?, the maid, protecting my daughter for twenty years. The curtain is about to fall now. I will give the reason that Dì T? has grown old, her health weakened, so she has returned to her hometown.”

  Charles nodded in agreement:

  – “It is time for them to rest. And Black Spirit Cat… under what circumstances did you meet him?”

  The amber-gold light in Satan’s eyes suddenly turned cold:

  – “Phong Túc is also a genius possessing a special ability. That is precisely why the clan hunted him down. They want to eliminate talent — afraid of being replaced, afraid of losing their grip on power.”

  Charles sighed, as if this were nothing new:

  – “Talents born into poverty are cast aside. Those born into nobility are eliminated because their power rivals others. It’s that simple.”

  He glanced around the boarding-house neighborhood:

  – “Phong Túc is here as well, isn’t he?”

  Satan gave a slight nod:

  – “He is circling the base to inspect it. This boarding-house area, and all the working-class people living here… are royal secret agents of the Satan lineage. This place is used to observe the human world. People like that D?ng family don’t bother wearing masks in front of the lower classes. They reveal their true nature without restraint.”

  Charles curled his lips, bitter:

  – “As for those friendly masks… they only wear them in front of the wealthy elite. Before people with money and power, they must flatter, must curry favor. What do the poor have to be taken from? With no benefit to gain, they show their ugliest faces.”

  Satan smiled softly:

  – “Those two owe me a debt of gratitude… and I cherish them as well.”

  Satan looked at Charles, his voice deep yet warm:

  – “This time, stay. Return to the Bình Chánh headquarters with me. Continue researching physics, keep teaching and supporting poor students as a professor… and at the same time, help me deal with people like the D?ng family. I am the dark god who enforces the law of karma. And you — an angel — are fully capable of doing the same.”

  Charles paused slightly, clearly weighing the offer:

  – “Give me some time to think.”

  Satan nodded patiently:

  – “Take all the time you need. Time, to us… has never been an issue.”

  At that moment, a black Maybach gently stopped in front of them. The car door opened, and Master V?nh stepped out. Satan introduced him:

  – “?ng Phúc is actually Master V?nh in disguise. In the beginning, because he couldn’t see through everything and didn’t fully understand the true nature of that family, he inadvertently helped them. But later on, both he and his junior disciple — Trúc Di?n, who is also my son-in-law — clearly distinguished right from wrong. From that moment on, they stood by my side and became part of my family.”

  Master V?nh stepped forward and bowed politely:

  – “Greetings, Professor Charles. I was also surprised to learn that you are the Lord’s childhood friend… and an angel.”

  Charles smiled gently:

  – “Greetings, pháp s?. There are many coincidences in this world that we simply cannot explain.”

  ***

  Inside the VIP room of Mr. Quy’s restaurant, time resumed its flow immediately after Erion’s ability disappeared. No one noticed that anything had happened. Bách Di?n, in the role of Dì T?, remained flawless and without a trace of imperfection.

  C?u D?ng spoke cheerfully:

  – “Tomorrow is perfect for decorating the house. Even though Anh Tú is handling the main arrangements, we should still help him set a few things up.”

  He turned to Dì T?:

  – “I’ll hire a cleaning company to come over. You just need to supervise them.”

  Dì T? (Bách Di?n) nodded calmly:

  – “Thank you, sir.”

  ?ng Tài chimed in with a nod:

  – “That plan makes sense. Mrs. T? is already getting on in years, and your villa is too large — she can’t manage it all on her own.”

  ?ng Tín then glanced at Huy.

  – “Tomorrow, help with the cleaning, then take care of decorating the house so it’s all done. We still have other matters to deal with after that, you hear?”

  Huy nodded:

  – “Tomorrow I’ll call a few friends to help, then treat them to coffee.”

  At the mention of coffee, he suddenly remembered something:

  – “Oh right, at noon today, Mr. Tú said he’d invite me out for coffee tonight.”

  Bà Nga smiled in satisfaction:

  – “Anh Tú is also your brother-in-law. When brothers-in-law get along like this, the household is lively and harmonious.”

  M? Linh placed food into c?u D?ng’s bowl, her tone caring yet firm:

  – “Then we’ll finish eating and head home to rest. As for you two sons-in-law, go wherever you like — but no heavy drinking, understand? Tomorrow will be a busy day.”