Chapter 12

Chapter 12: The Prince Regent Is Mighty and Overbearing—Call Me Shameless and I’ll Make You Kneel and Sing “Conquer”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Adjutant Ai snapped a crisp salute, then hesitated. “In this case… what about Jiang Tea Tea’s side—”

Chong Ming lowered his golden gaze to the dossier photo, his voice deep and authoritative.

“In the empire, humans who haven’t awakened abilities—along with powerless half beastfolk and beastfolk—make up five percent of the total population.”

“Even though the empire’s laws repeatedly emphasize equality between the able and the powerless,” he continued, tone sharpening, “there are always nobles—parasites—who think the powerless shouldn’t exist at all. They believe anyone who hasn’t awakened abilities by age ten should be exiled and executed.”

“This case involves three parties with abilities and social standing plotting against a powerless human. It’s a slap in the face of the empire’s laws.”

He looked up. “Since the Police Bureau’s information indicates the anonymous report call came from Jiang Tea Tea, give her the choice.”

“At noon, during lunch break, call her. Ask whether she wants to sign a settlement, and if she does, how much compensation she wants.”

“And have the Ministry of Justice work with the Police Bureau to report the case as a special example,” Chong Ming added, voice hard as steel. “Make it clear: before the law, ability users and the powerless are equal.”

Adjutant Ai exhaled, both relieved and uneasy. “Yes, Your Highness.”

His Highness had always been a firm supporter—and reformer—of the empire’s laws. He fought for complete statutes, strict enforcement, clear reward and punishment.

This time, he was furious.

And Adjutant Ai knew from experience: once something landed on His Highness’s desk, it didn’t go away easily.

Jiang Tea Tea was absurdly lucky. Her file had passed His Highness’s eyes. Now His Highness intended to make her the living example—give her the right to choose, to protect herself, and to claim what she was owed.

After Adjutant Ai left, Chong Ming flipped through the First Hotel guest files and surveillance footage again.

The footage showed Jiang Tea Tea entering a room.

It never showed her leaving.

The room was empty. She wasn’t there. And yet she was currently in class at the Royal Military Academy, sitting among other students as if nothing had happened.

There was only one explanation: after age ten, she had awakened an invisibility ability. And the Jiang family, for their own reasons, had hidden it.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The sound broke Chong Ming’s train of thought. He lifted his head as the door opened.

Secretary Wen entered with a lightbrain tablet and a stack of paper documents. He saluted and placed the papers neatly on Chong Ming’s desk. “Your Highness, this is your schedule for the next three days.”

Chong Ming scanned it once. “Move the Royal Military Academy inspection speech from the day after tomorrow to tomorrow. Everything else stays.”

Secretary Wen didn’t blink. “Yes, Your Highness.”

He withdrew immediately to adjust the schedule and notify the academy’s principal.

The principal received the notice and instantly convened a high-level meeting to discuss rearranging the welcome and inspection for the Commander-in-Chief and the empire’s Prince Regent, Chong Ming—His Highness.

They hadn’t even finished discussing when the Ministry of Justice and the Police Bureau released a case report publicly, emphasizing that before the empire’s laws, the able and the powerless were equal.

Everyone seated at that conference table was sharp enough to cut glass. After reading it, they immediately adjusted the student lineup for tomorrow’s first welcoming round, adding three more powerless human, half beastfolk, and beastfolk students on short notice.

—

The fake heiress Jiang Tea Tea had always been academically strong. She’d entered the Royal Military Academy’s Pacification Department with one of the top three cultural scores.

Now Jiang Tea Tea, having absorbed the fake heiress like fertilizer, possessed all her memories and learning ability. In class she listened with ease; when the teacher asked questions, she raised her hand first, answered confidently, and even pushed the reasoning into new angles.

The teacher—used to seeing her curled in a corner, stammering whenever spoken to—stared like he’d been struck. Then he started nodding, genuine approval spreading across his face as if he’d only just realized he’d overlooked a promising student for months.

Meanwhile, Lu Ling Er and Lin Feng Feng looked ready to choke on their own rage.

After three classes ended, Huang Da Zhuang twisted around in his seat, clasping his hands beneath his chin like he was praying. His eyes glittered as he stared at Jiang Tea Tea.

“Sis… Sister Tea,” he said reverently, “you’re my real big sister from different parents. You’re amazing. Please take care of your little brother from now on.”

His parents were right—ability or not, potential was endless. Look at Jiang Tea Tea: the bullied little flower had hit rock bottom and bounced back so hard she shattered the floor. Even without abilities, he could still become a beastfolk useful to the empire.

“Impressive my ass,” Lin Feng Feng snapped, unable to hold it in. “She’s just a show-off.”

She’d swallowed a stomachful of toilet water and vomited until she was dry-heaving. This wasn’t over.

The others echoed her bitterness.

“So what if her theory is solid? Practice depends on mental power.”

“No abilities means no mental power. No mental power means trying to soothe riotous beastfolk is suicide.”

“The teacher praises her twice and she thinks she’s some top soothing therapist? Pah. Shameless trash.”

Huang Da Zhuang slammed his hands on his desk as he started to rise. “Don’t you people—”

Jiang Tea Tea pressed her palm over his hand, stopping him with one calm motion.

He froze and looked at her.

Jiang Tea Tea gave him a gentle, reassuring smile. “My business doesn’t need you to fight for me. Stand aside.”

Huang Da Zhuang’s heart nearly detonated.

She was so alpha it hurt.

He was going to fall in love.

Jiang Tea Tea stood, walked to Lin Feng Feng’s desk, and leaned against it with lazy confidence. She opened her lightbrain and projected a video.

“Come on,” she said brightly. “Classmates, take a look. I’m the powerless trash who can only be cursed at.”

The projection played.

Onscreen, a group of “genius” ability users hugged toilets, scooped toilet water, drank it, and licked rims.

“And these talented ability users?” Jiang Tea Tea continued, smiling. “So skilled. So devoted.”

Lin Feng Feng and the others stiffened, eyes going wide. “Jiang Tea Tea—!”

Jiang Tea Tea shut the projection with a flick and looked down at them, her smile sharp as a blade. “Dear classmates, the fact that we sit in the same classroom means we’re fated.”

“What you just said made me feel very disrespected.” She spread her hands. “So here’s the deal. Apologize to me.”

“If you don’t, I’ll post all your videos to the school forum.”

She tilted her head, sweet as sugar. “And I’ll make sure all the males you like get a good, clear look at how well you drink. How well you lick.”

A chorus of shrieks erupted.

They were newly adult girls. Every one of them had someone they secretly liked. How could they let that footage get out?

They were trapped. They didn’t dare curse. They didn’t dare attack. All they could do was rage and tremble in place, stomping and gripping their desks.

Lu Ling Er stared at Jiang Tea Tea with an expression eerily similar to Huang Da Zhuang’s—wide-eyed, dazed, weirdly awed.

Jiang Tea Tea raised a finger. “Enough screaming. I’ll count to three. If you don’t apologize—”

“Sorry!”

She hadn’t even started counting when the girls cut her off, faces twisted with humiliation, voices forced through clenched teeth.

“Sorry, Jiang Tea Tea. We were wrong.”

“Sorry! Okay?!”