Lei Zhengyang was unaware his family awaited him. By the time he returned, night had fallen. Holding Liu Weiwei's soft, fragrant body, reluctant to part, he'd even switched off his phone to avoid interruptions.
It was past nine when he reached home.
Having lounged in bed, skipping dinner, Lei planned to have the maid whip up some noodles. But stepping into the hall, he found it packed. Besides Patriarch Lei Yunbao, his father, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, and Fourth Uncle were all there, staring at him intently.
Sensing the odd atmosphere, Lei quipped, "Uncles, so busy you're still here this late? Careful, your wives might get annoyed."
Lei Qiuping smirked, "Busy? Not like you, ignoring your phone. People might think you were too swamped to eat."
"Third Uncle, you're so considerate—I haven't eaten," Lei admitted casually. At that, Xu Miaoli sprang up. Unlike the stern adults, she'd never scold her hungry son. Food came first, and she hurried to prepare it.
Lei Yunbao had intended to chew him out but held back—pressing matters took precedence. He'd save the lecture for later. Standing, he said, "Dinner can wait. We haven't eaten properly waiting for you. Zhengyang, to my study. I have questions."
Lei knew what the patriarch wanted. He'd mulled it over all day but had no solutions. In his memories, Golden Dragon power countered beastified warriors, but the Longteng system was barely launched, and the superbrain—key to unlocking Golden Dragon's potential—was years away. He was powerless.
Following Lei Yunbao to the study, trailed by his father and uncles, Lei took a seat and said calmly, "Grandpa, no need for pleasantries. Ask what you want. I'll share what I can, don't worry."
"What can't you tell your grandpa? Grown wings, defying us now?" Lei Chunping bristled. As a father, he hated the idea of his son keeping secrets.
Lei ignored his father, eyes on the patriarch, awaiting his questions. He didn't want to dwell on beastification.
"Did you kill a bald man in the Yilin Mountains?" Lei Yunbao finally asked. The matter was critical, prompting an emergency high-level meeting today. Such high-tech evolutionary power posed a grave threat to every nation.
Lei Qiuping added, "Yeah, the big guy whose head you chopped off. Zhengyang, remember? Can you describe what happened?"
Lei smiled faintly. "Alright, I know what you're after. It's about human beastification, right?"
Lei Yunbao and Lei Chunping's faces shifted. Chunping barked, "Zhengyang, how do you know the term 'beastification'? Did you sneak into my files?"
"Big Brother, what's beastification?" Fourth Uncle asked, puzzled.
Lei Yunbao nodded slightly at Chunping, who sighed and explained, "Fine, since beastified warriors have appeared, I won't hide it. Beastification is a Western drug that boosts human energy. It doubles physical potential instantly—though not for long, it's immensely powerful. The drug fuses wild beast genes with human DNA, triggering explosive strength. But it turns people into savage beasts, addicted to killing. Despite many flaws, some nations are already deploying it."
Lei Qiuping exclaimed, "Big Brother, you mean the bald guy Zhengyang killed was a beastified warrior?"
Chunping nodded. "Correct. This is the first we've seen in our country. Zhengyang's fight gave us insight into their strength—and his own, which surpassed our expectations."
All eyes turned to Lei Zhengyang. Scratching his head sheepishly, he said, "Dad, you're too kind. I'm average, really. Just handled a few small-time crooks."
Qiuping and Dongping chuckled. Xiaping, focused on the gravity, snapped, "Zhengyang, this is serious. No jokes. Tell us exactly what happened."
Lei waved dismissively. "Alright, here's what went down. When I arrived, Hua Yunyue was on the brink—she couldn't handle the bald guy. I heard he was just a lackey of that 'International Eagle' Lian Si. I saved her and faced him. At first, he seemed ordinary, but when my bayonet struck his chest, I noticed thick armor-like skin. He sprouted beastly fur, and his cold eyes gleamed with savage killing intent. That's when I knew—he was a beastified warrior."
"And he was only a low-tier one, boosting strength two or three times. I've heard peak beastified warriors can amplify power over a hundredfold—the ultimate beast kings."
Before he could finish, Dongping pressed, "Zhengyang, how do you know this?"
Lei knew well: a hundredfold beastified warrior matched a Golden Dragon eighth-tier war king. Forty years later, Golden Dragon power had only eighth-tier masters, while the West birthed a beastified warrior exceeding three hundredfold. The East's ninth-tier war emperor never emerged.
He couldn't say this, so he deflected, "Don't ask how I know. I'm warning you—our strongest soldiers can't match beastified warriors one-on-one. You need to take this seriously, push for national strategies, or we'll be crushed."
Lei Yunbao's face darkened. "Zhengyang, is this true?"
Lei nodded. "I thought about it all day, but I've got no solutions. My ideas require things that don't exist yet."
"What's missing? Third Uncle will get it!" Qiuping offered.
Lei shook his head, smiling wryly. "It doesn't exist in this world. How can you get it? That's all I've got. I'm hungry—time to eat."
Patting his rear, Lei sauntered out, leaving the patriarch and his sons to debate in the study. When they emerged, Lei Yunbao, heedless of the late hour, summoned his secretary and driver to visit the No. 1 Chief. He knew this was no small matter—the Chief needed to know now.
Seeing the patriarch's urgency, Xu Miaoli eyed her son. "Zhengyang, what did you tell Grandpa? He looks so grim. Don't bring up such upsetting things—Grandpa's old, he can't handle the stress."
Lei was speechless. Did he want to talk nonsense? The elders forced it out of him. Knowing explanations wouldn't work with his mom, he buried himself in his food, pretending not to hear.
"Watching Zhengyang eat, I'm hungry again," Qiuping said. "Big Sister, got more? I'll have some." Shaken by the beastification threat, he sought solace in food.
Xu Miaoli replied, "Plenty left. Want some? I'll serve you!"
As she brought more, Chunping and Xiaping joined the table, all claiming hunger, though it was really the weight of the news. Only Lei Zhengyang ate with gusto.
For national leaders like Lei Yunbao and the No. 1 Chief, rest was tightly scheduled. Alerted to Lei's late-night visit, the Chief's secretary didn't delay, rousing the groggy leader. After splashing cold water on his face, the Chief met Lei in his study.
"Old Leopard, disturbing my sleep at this hour?" the Chief said. "What's the emergency?" Though unusual, leaders of their caliber maintained calm, even in crisis.
"Chairman, I have grave news about the beastified warriors we discussed yesterday," Lei Yunbao said. "I've got new intelligence."
This was the nation's top concern. Beastification, perfected in the West despite its flaws, offered massive power boosts, tempting many to defy international biochemical laws for private research, spawning diverse bio-warriors.
Previously mere rumors or intel, the bald man's beastification in the Yilin Mountains brought the threat to the East's doorstep—an issue impossible to ignore.
With beastification spreading globally, how would the East counter this invasion? This urgent question loomed over every national leader, demanding immediate action.
Thus, Lei Yunbao's midnight visit.