They stared at each other in silence.
For a brief moment, none of them spoke. The air inside the cell felt heavy, as if it were holding its breath along with them. Slowly, the tension reflected in their eyes faded away. A faint smile—warm yet filled with emotion—appeared on the middle-aged woman's face, followed by the man beside her.
The woman took a small step forward. Her gaze was gentle, carrying a calmness that soothed the heart.
"Of course," she said softly."I will become your mother… and let you feel the love a mother is meant to give."
The man let out a short breath, then nodded firmly.
"I'm willing as well," he said in a steady voice."I will become your father and pass all of my life experience on to you."
I smiled faintly.
"That's good, then," I said calmly."In that case, all that's left is to swear the oath here."
I slowly raised my hand. Spiritual energy flowed out of my body, forming an oath formation on the floor of the cell. A gentle light spread out, enveloping the three of us, as if marking the birth of a new bond.
I stood in the center, looking at the two of them.
"By heaven and earth," I said in a calm yet firm voice,"from this day onward, I—Chu Haoyu—acknowledge you as my parents. I swear to respect and honor you as a child should, as long as I live."
The woman stepped forward and knelt within the formation.
"By heaven and earth," she said firmly,"I swear to accept Chu Haoyu as my own child, to give him love, protection, and guidance, without regard for blood or origin."
The man stepped forward as well, standing beside her. His expression was serious, his eyes filled with determination.
"By heaven and earth," he declared loudly,"I swear to accept Chu Haoyu as my son. I will guide him, protect him, and pass down all my knowledge and life experience to him—without betrayal and without regret."
As the final oath was spoken, the formation flared brightly for a moment, then slowly faded and vanished into the air.
The bond of family was officially formed.
From that moment on, they were no longer strangers—but family.
…Or at least, that was how it should have been.
"Thud."
Before they could even react, I had already drawn my sword from my storage ring. A cold flash swept through the air—in a single clean slash, their heads were severed.
The heads hit the ground with dull sounds, followed by their bodies collapsing slowly. Blood immediately spilled out, soaking the floor of the cell and filling the air with a sharp metallic stench.
'System, how did it go?' I asked inwardly.
[Ding! Mission complete. Host has obtained the reward: Blood Sword Technique.]
I smiled lightly.
So this method worked after all.
Suddenly, a small demon appeared in front of me. Its face was filled with displeasure.
"No!" it shouted angrily."That shouldn't count as success!"
"What do you mean?" I replied mockingly."I already killed both of my parents."
The small demon looked even more frustrated.
"Fine," it said through clenched teeth."I'll give you a new mission. And this time, I'll make sure you kill your biological parents."
My patience was wearing thin. Its forceful attitude made me want to crush it with my own hands.
But before it could continue—
[Mission has already been completed. There is no justification for the host to repeat the mission.][This mission cannot be issued again.]
[Other missions will be assigned at a later time. Please increase your strength to prepare for future missions.]
The system interface appeared, clearly opposing the small demon.
"You—!" The small demon glared angrily, shot me a look, and then disappeared.
'Hoo…''Looks like that little demon doesn't have full authority. The system still holds part of the control.'
I smiled faintly, then turned around and left the cell.
As I walked out, I saw Yan Fei sitting nearby, chatting casually with a guard. When he noticed me, he immediately stood up and came over.
'I hope the protection I used earlier was enough to stop him from knowing what just happened… I almost forgot how much people here love to eavesdrop.'
"I didn't expect you to finish it this quickly," Yan Fei said with a light laugh, patting my back."But then again, that's what I'd expect from a member of the Chu Family."
We walked back toward the main hall while chatting casually. From the conversation, I learned that the Chu Family controlled this city, and that its younger generation rarely interacted with the outside world.
"Alright," Yan Fei said eventually."I'll get back to my work. See you around."
He then left.
In the distance, I saw Lin Xiaoyu standing there with a bright expression. I walked toward her.
"Master," she said as she bowed. Her face was clearly filled with happiness.
"You look happy," I said."Did something happen while I was gone?"
"Master," she replied enthusiastically,"thanks to you, I didn't have to pay a single coin to hire guards! I'm so happy—I can use that money to buy food for the villagers instead."
I smiled faintly.I knew it wasn't that simple. Ever since I entered the city, Yan Fei had most likely been keeping an eye on me.
"Sir," Lin Xiaoyu said softly, her expression turning a little troubled."May I return to my village first to deliver the food?""I know this is rude. I've already received so much from you. If it's not allowed, I'll find someone else I can trust to do it."
I looked at her.Above her head, I could see a golden four-leaf clover.
'System, what's her luck level?'
[Luck Level:]
Black – Cursed luck
Gray – Weak luck
White – Ordinary luck
Green – Stable luck
Blue – Good luck
Purple – High luck
Gold – Heavenly luck
Red Fate – Bloody Fate & Chaos
Multicolored Fate – Primordial Fate (Highest)
'Even if it's not the highest… this level is clearly terrifying.''Could it be that the captured protagonist has multicolored fate…?'
I recalled the Blood Sword Technique I had just obtained. That technique required the blood of many people—blood containing life essence. The stronger the person, the stronger the sword that could be forged.
"Actually," I said softly,"I intend for you to stay in your village for two years. After that, you can come to the Chu Family and serve as my maid."
During that time, I was sure she would cross paths with a protagonist. If possible, I could make use of her luck—without relying entirely on the system's cruel missions.
If not, I could still use Lin Xiaoyu's sense of gratitude to obtain a few valuable items.
Lin Xiaoyu looked at me for a moment, as if weighing something. Her brows suddenly furrowed.
'Wait… can she read my thoughts? Or is her luck so high that she can sense my ill intent?'
A slight chill ran down my spine.
"Thank you, Sir," she finally said with a smile."I will definitely come find you again once I'm worthy."
'System, can she hear my thoughts?'
[No. And if there were any party capable of doing so, the system can block or filter false information.]
I let out a relieved sigh.
"Oh, right," I added."You said your village was attacked by bandits, didn't you? In that case, it's only right for me to deal with them."
I looked at her calmly.
"I'll accompany you—until those bandits are completely wiped out."