Chapter 89: Chapter 74: To the Female Master, May Your Wish Be Granted

Even contained within the bottle, the Strong Male Induction Agent filled the air with an unsettling, anxiety-inducing presence.

However, the faint, clean scent from the soft, pure-white blanket lying next to it effectively mitigated the effect.

The malicious words swirled endlessly in his mind.

’Don’t you like our young miss? Then prove it to her!’

’Young Master Li, you wouldn’t want to make our young miss unhappy, would you?’

A long moment passed.

The Black Panther standing in the iron cage finally moved.

In that brief instant, the deathly stillness surrounding him vanished, replaced by a calm and gentle demeanor.

He took a tentative step, his gait elegant and mysterious, a testament to his noble breeding. The effortless poise of a great predator at the very top of the food chain was on full display.

The Black Panther walked slowly to the Strong Male Induction Agent. In no hurry, he first bent down and nuzzled his furry head against the soft, pure-white blanket beside it.

The familiar, light scent reached him, making it feel as if the beautiful young female was still by his side, bringing Li Yucheng a profound sense of peace.

Then, he tilted his head and drank the entire Strong Male Induction Agent in one go, not leaving a single drop.

’If this is what you wish.’

’Then, as you wish.’

’Female Master.’

The luster in those beautiful, cerulean beast eyes instantly grew dim and faded.

The next second,

The Strong Male Induction Agent coursed wildly through his body, draining away his life force.

The tall, powerful, and robust Black Panther instantly collapsed to the ground with a heavy THUD.

A pain that felt like it could tear everything apart surged through him, rolling and ripping through every meridian with the flow of his blood.

But from beginning to end, the Black Panther did not make a single sound.

He just lay quietly beside the soft, pure-white blanket.

His cerulean beast eyes closed, quietly welcoming the arrival of death.

If not for his heart, which spasmed and throbbed erratically with pain, one might have truly mistaken him for being peacefully asleep.

"This is bad! This is bad! Something’s happened to Young Master Li! Something’s happened to Young Master Li!"

A Li Family guard, detecting the scene from outside, rushed in. His expression changed drastically the moment he smelled the scent of the induction agent in the air.

The Li Family initiated a level-one, high-alert state.

Rushing to the scene, Mrs. Li’s legs went weak at the sight, and she collapsed to her knees.

"Yu Cheng!"

The sound of pained cries echoed above the Li Family estate.

"Go find Yu Lan! Find Yu Lan."

Mrs. Li struggled to get up from the ground. Li Yufei, having watched the video, was now both anxious and furious.

"Mother, what’s the point of looking for her at a time like this?"

"A female that vicious should be made to accompany Big Brother in death."

But now, Li Yufei knew that was impossible.

Yu Lan had proven herself with the Hope Potion. This was her moment of unlimited glory, a time when she was dazzling and brilliant.

Not even the Li Family could openly defy public opinion and forcibly take Yu Lan away.

As if he had heard someone cursing the female he cherished, the Black Panther on the ground forced his eyes open and whispered weakly,

"Don’t... don’t hurt her."

"I did this of my own free will. It has nothing to do with her."

"Mother, I... I haven’t wanted to live for a long, long time."

Forced to live day after day in beast form, locked in an iron cage, waiting for that one-in-ten-thousand, one-in-a-hundred-million chance of a Human-shaped Recovery Potion.

’It’s just so exhausting.’

When Yu Lan appeared before him—like a blazing fire carrying sunlight, a gentle breeze, and the scent of flowers—his heart soared, but he couldn’t help feeling inferior.

But she appeared too suddenly, and the time they spent together was too short.

So short that he would have to spend a lifetime slowly savoring the memory.

Fortunately, this life would soon be over.

’Lanlan, may all your wishes come true.’

*

At that moment,

Yu Lan, on her way back to the villa with Huo Zhanting and the other two, suddenly froze.

As if through some psychic bond, a sharp, sorrowful pang gripped her heart.

Yu Lan, who had been walking perfectly fine just a moment ago, was now stock-still. She raised a hand to her chest, her face pale.

"What’s wrong, Lanlan?"

Su Xingye’s voice, full of worry, rang out.

Yu Lan looked up at the men’s faces. Huo Zhanting and Shen Zueran also wore expressions of deep concern.

"I don’t know."

Yu Lan shook her head, her voice low. "Just now, my heart... it hurt so much."

"I feel like crying."

Before Yu Lan herself even realized it, tears began to stream down from the corners of her eyes.

In the eyes of the three men standing beside her, the beautiful young female’s eyes were filled with tears, and she looked utterly lost and bewildered.

The sight was enough to make their own hearts ache in sympathy.

"It’s starting to rain."

Yu Lan looked up toward the distant sky.

A dark cloud drifted over from the distance, and a light drizzle began to fall.

Huo Zhanting immediately took off his jacket and held it over Yu Lan’s head, not forgetting to comfort her.

"It’s alright, Lanlan. It’s just rain. It’ll be fine once the sky clears up."

"Is it?"

Yu Lan’s voice was thick with uncertainty.

It was as if she were asking them, and at the same time, asking herself.

’If everything will be alright once the sky clears...’

’...then why hasn’t this intense panic in my chest gone away?’

’Instead, it’s only getting stronger with the rain.’

But no matter how hard she wracked her brain, Yu Lan couldn’t figure out what could have possibly happened. She could only clutch her chest as Huo Zhanting and the others shielded her on the way home.

As she stood at the villa’s front door, about to open it,

a sharp, sorrowful cry suddenly erupted from behind them.

"Yu Lan!"

The Sword of Damocles hanging high above had finally fallen.

In that instant, her anxious heart braced for the verdict.

Would it bring peace, or would it shatter her?

This was the moment of truth.

Yu Lan, protectively encircled by the three men, turned to look behind her.

In the midst of the downpour, a thick mist filled the air.

Mrs. Li was looking at her, her eyes streaming with tears. Li Yufei stood by her side, and behind them followed the fully armed private soldiers of the Li Family.

A massive, advanced Starship hovered above them, its presence overwhelmingly oppressive.

"Mrs. Li, why have you come here—"

Before Yu Lan could finish her last word, she saw Mrs. Li fall to her knees right in front of her.

"Your Excellency Yu Lan, I am willing to offer everything the Li Family has. I beg you, please go see my son one last time."

"I’m begging you."

"What?"

Yu Lan’s eyes widened slightly as she stared at the scene in confusion.

’What on earth is Mrs. Li talking about?’

’What does she mean, see Li Yucheng one last time? What happened to Li Yucheng?’

’His condition was perfectly fine when I left.’

Yu Lan didn’t understand.

The confusion and bewilderment on her face were so genuine.

Seeing this, Mrs. Li’s heart sank further into despair. She then glanced at the three men standing guard behind Yu Lan with tense expressions.

Each one of them was a prominent figure in the Empire, a young, noble, and favored son of heaven. And now, they stood behind Yu Lan like stars revolving around the moon.

With such outstanding prodigies pursuing her, how could Yu Lan possibly have any interest in her son? Mrs. Li misinterpreted all of this as Yu Lan’s silent refusal.

Li Yufei, who had come with Mrs. Li, finally couldn’t hold back any longer. Her brother’s departure and her mother’s groveling made the proud female burst into tears.

She roared at Yu Lan:

"Yu Lan, stop pretending! If you hadn’t sent someone to give my brother that Strong Male Induction Agent, he wouldn’t be dying!"

"Now we’re just asking you to see him one last time, why won’t you go?"

"How can you be so cold and heartless?"