“My parents are actually cousins?”

Feng Xiu shook his head at once, and a chuckle escaped him. “Well, not biologically. There was no blood relation between them at all.” He met Lin Fang’s gaze directly. “Legally, however, they could be considered cousins.”

Lin Fang let out a slow breath, his thoughts racing.

“However, neither of them knew the truth about their relation either,” Feng Xiu continued. “Your father grew up in the Lin family Household while your mother, Rachel, grew up abroad as her mother was too busy with the company matters. They grew up apart, under different identities. Years later, they both enrolled in the same academy. They met. And then they fell in love.”

A faint softness crept into Feng Xiu’s otherwise neutral tone. “When they eventually discovered each other’s family backgrounds, they broke up for a while.”

Lin Fang’s fingers pressed into the couch.

“But feelings don’t disappear so easily,” Feng Xiu said. “They eventually listened to their heart and reconciled in secret. They married without anyone’s knowledge. And then, you and your sister were born.”

Feng Xiu’s expression hardened. “That secret, however, could not be kept forever. When both Sky Groups learned the truth, they made a joint decision.”

Lin Fang’s heart sank before the words even finished forming. He could see what happened next.

“They forced your parents to divorce as your grandfather and your biological maternal grandmother were prepared to go to war with a string of assassinations involved,” Feng Xiu continued. “In the end, the Southern Sky Group kept you, and you were recognized as their rightful heir. The Northern Sky Group, on the other hand, took your mother and your twin sister.”

Lin Fang’s breathing grew heavier.

“To make sure your parents don’t reunite again, your mother was then forced into another marriage,” Feng Xiu said quietly. “To the heir of the Echo Group, which by then, was the biggest shareholder of Northern Sky group.”

Lin Fang’s hands clenched.

“But she refused to accept that fate,” Feng Xiu went on. “Right before the wedding day, she ran away with your twin sister.”

For a moment, the room felt unbearably silent.

Feng Xiu then let out a sigh, “A few years later, your sister was eventually brought back. As for your mother… the records are unclear. Some claim she died. Others say she disappeared.”

He looked at Lin Fang with a serious expression. “No one knows her current status.”

The words settled heavily between them, each one cutting deeper than the last.

Lin Fang lowered his gaze. His mind tried to picture her, a woman he had never met, choosing to run rather than surrender, choosing her child over power and safety. The image stayed with him, heavy and unresolved.

“At present,” Feng Xiu continued, “the Northern Sky Group is still in partnership with the Echo Group. But in reality, Echo Group is controlling Northern Sky from the shadows. And also, you were the main target of Northern Sky Group at the moment. After all, your sister is in their hands. And as long as you die, your sister could make a legitimate claim over the Southern Sky Group. Your existence is a threat they cannot tolerate. That is probably why you were forced to grow up in a humble household, far away from the eyes of Northern Sky.”

The words landed with brutal clarity.

Feng Xiu went on, “As for your sister, she is currently engaged to Xerneas, the President of the Canglan Guild based in Southern Wu.” He added calmly, “That guild is also under the management of the Echo Group.”

Everything connected.

The pressure. The hidden hostility. The attempts on his life that never quite made sense before.

Feng Xiu straightened slightly, signaling the end. “That is the full extent of the information I can give you. What you choose to do with it is entirely up to you.”

He hesitated for a fraction of a second before adding one last thing. “oh and also, your sister is an S-rank hunter. Codename: Eon. Her official registered name is Grace Li.”

Lin Fang’s breath slowed.

“And this is a friendly warning. If you reveal your name or your relationship to her… based on her psychological profile, I can say this with confidence.”

He met Lin Fang’s eyes directly, his eyes turning dead serious. “She will try to kill you before she ever considers embracing you as her brother. And she isn’t the only enemy you have. There is an impostor placed in your place at Southern Sky headquarters, who is taking all the attention. Even though he is an imposter, he was still legally adopted by your grandfather, and hence, if you die, and with your twin sister away in the Northern sky, he can claim the inheritance too. There were also company shareholders who would be willing to see your family’s doom so that they can split the company between themselves.”

Lin Fang remained silent for a long time.

The room felt strangely still, as if even the ship itself had slowed to give him space to think. Feng Xiu didn’t rush him. He simply waited, hands folded, eyes calm.

Lin Fang let the truth settle.

He would be lying if he said he felt nothing. There was curiosity, yes. A faint pull toward a mother he had never met and a sister bound to him by blood alone. But that pull was weak, like a distant echo. His heart did not ache for them. It did not race. It did not yearn.

People who had never been in his life could not suddenly claim his emotions just because of blood.

Lin Mei’s face surfaced in his mind. Her worry when she watched him fight. Her quiet pride. The way she squeezed his hand earlier, wordlessly telling him she was there. That bond was real. It had weight. It had warmth.

Blood might be thicker than water, people often said.

But what he shared with the people who stood beside him now was not water.

It was honey.

Thick, sweet, earned through time, pain, and choice.

As for the so-called inheritance and threats and whatever… Lin Fang never thought about them.

Lin Fang finally stood up, breaking the silence. His expression was calm, clear.

“Thank you,” he said to Feng Xiu in the end without commenting anything on the truth. “If what you and my jiejie told me about the Southern Sky Group is true… then you took a great risk by telling me all this.”

Feng Xiu smiled faintly, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. “I know,” he replied. “But this is as much as I can do for a friend’s son.”

Lin Fang stepped forward and extended his hand. Feng Xiu took it, their handshake firm and unspoken understanding passing between them.

“Someday, Mr. Feng,” Lin Fang said quietly, “Someday, I will definitely repay this favor.”

He turned to leave.

“Wait,” Feng Xiu said.

Lin Fang paused and looked back.

“We’re not done yet,. I only told you about your family, not the second thiing” Feng Xiu added, gesturing lightly. “Sit.”

Lin Fang hesitated for only a moment before returning to the couch. Feng Xiu’s demeanor softened, the heavy topic giving way to something closer to a personal conversation.

“To be honest,” Feng Xiu said with a small smile, “I originally invited you to this Rift for only one reason.”

Lin Fang listened.

“I wanted you to reunite with your sister,” Feng Xiu continued. “Not for the Rift itself. At the time, even though you were already stronger than most, your mana reserves were… barely acceptable for a world like Aquilonis. I was worried.”

He leaned back slightly. “But now, I see your reserves have grown to nearly ten times what they were three months ago. That alone told me something important.”

Lin Fang’s eyes narrowed slightly in thought.

“You’ve completely refined Master Li’s legacy,” Feng Xiu said, more statement than question. “Seeing that gave me relief.”

He paused, then chuckled softly. “And then I heard about your match with Zack Walter. I watched the footage.”

Lin Fang remained quiet.

“We can’t draw many conclusions from that battle alone,” Feng Xiu admitted. “But it showed me enough.” His gaze sharpened slightly. “At the very least, it convinced me that you can protect yourself in this Rift.”

Lin Fang nodded once, acknowledging Feng Xiu’s earlier words. The tension in the room had eased slightly, but the conversation was clearly not over. Feng Xiu leaned forward, his fingers interlaced, his tone turning more businesslike.

“There’s something else you should know,” Feng Xiu said. “Another Red Cloud mercenary team is already on this ship. They’ve split up and disguised themselves as independent hunters from different regions. Once we enter the Rift, they’ll regroup and operate together.”

Lin Fang listened without interrupting.

Feng Xiu continued, “If you choose to join them, it will significantly increase your safety. You won’t need to worry about coordination, intelligence gathering, or large-scale threats. And as for your sister, Ms. Lin, she will be protected regardless of your decision.”

“So, what do you say?”

The offer hung in the air, heavy and tempting.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep