Crestfall City, outskirts.

  A quiet, elegant hillside villa.

  A young man, barely twenty, hurried down to the basement and knocked on a door.

  His name was Qiang Zhao — raised by the Zhao family since childhood, growing up alongside Liam Zhao. Both Liam and his father, Elias Zhao, trusted him completely.

  Inside, Liam casually pushed away the girl kneeling between his legs, threw on a robe, and opened the door.

  “What is it?”

  Qiang Zhao was still catching his breath.

  “The… the fake young master in Ironhold sent me a message.”

  “Oh?” Liam sounded bored. “Probably begging the family to save him. Where’s the messenger?”

  “I gave him half a million and sent him away.”

  Liam nodded.

  “And what exactly did that knockoff say?”

  “He said he wanted a good meal before he died… and he said something I didn’t understand.”

  “What?”

  “He asked, ‘Where did the doll go?’”

  The moment the words left Qiang Zhao’s mouth, Liam’s expression twisted — shock, fear, rage, guilt — all flashing across his handsome face.

  He slammed the door shut, took several deep breaths, and forced himself calm.

  After a long silence, he asked, “Did you tell anyone else?”

  “No,” Qiang Zhao shook his head. “Not even Minister Zhao.”

  “Good. Leave it to me.” Liam exhaled slowly. “Looks like I need to visit Ironhold.”

  “Young master, your situation is sensitive. Let someone else handle it. Why risk yourself?”

  “No. This is something only I can do.”

  A cold glint flashed in Liam’s eyes.

  Everyone believed he was Elias Zhao’s only son.

  Few knew he once had a younger brother — eight years his junior.

  Before that brother was born, Liam had been the family’s pride, the heir apparent, the one Elias poured all his hopes into.

  But the younger boy was born with powerful evolutionary energy — a prodigy far surpassing Liam. Elias adored him, and the Zhao family pinned their future on him.

  Until tragedy struck.

  At just three years old, the boy fell into a well and died.

  No one knew he had been trying to retrieve a toy doll from the bottom.

  No one knew Liam had thrown that doll down there.

  Who would suspect an eleven?year?old child?

  It was the darkest secret Liam had ever buried — a secret only he knew.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  So when he heard the words Where did the doll go?

  He understood instantly.

  The clone in Ironhold knew the truth.

  Knew he was a clone.

  And was threatening him with the one sin Liam could never allow to surface.

  If he did nothing, the identity verification before tomorrow’s execution would expose everything.

  The consequences would destroy him.

  He didn’t know what Evan wanted — but he had no choice.

  He had to kill the clone.

  Tonight.

  With his own hands.

  If the truth about the clone came out, Elias Zhao would be implicated. Liam would be hunted. The entire Zhao family would collapse.

  And if he sent someone else to kill Evan, Evan would reveal the truth about the dead brother — and that secret would reach Elias.

  Liam had no idea how his calculating father would react to learning his eldest son had murdered his youngest.

  So there was only one option:

  Go to Ironhold. Kill Evan Cole.

  Liam dialed his father.

  “Dad… we have a problem. The imposter in Ironhold knows who he is.”

  “I’m going there tonight. I’ll need you to smooth things over with the prison.”

  “I think he also knows about the princess. I don’t trust anyone else to handle this. I’ll do it myself.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ve completed my first evolution, and I have a second?tier artifact. Nothing will go wrong.”

  ——

  Ironhold Penitentiary

  Just after dinner, Evan leaned back on his cot, wiped chicken grease from his mouth, and let out a satisfied burp.

  His two neighbors didn’t like chicken legs, so — being a generous man — Evan had “helped” them finish theirs.

  The Vampire and the Ghoul, however, were restless.

  Evan’s escape plan had given them hope… but now they were starting to suspect he’d made it all up just to scam their food.

  “Kid,” the Vampire growled, “if you’re lying, I swear I’ll beat the crap out of you before they execute us tomorrow.”

  The Ghoul added coldly, “He’s right. You ate our chicken. Even if it turns to crap, you’ll cough it back up.”

  “Relax,” Evan said lightly. “Just stay awake until midnight.”

  His tone was casual, but his eyes gleamed with danger.

  The best salvation always arrives in the deepest night.

  ——

  Evan understood Liam Zhao better than Liam understood himself.

  He knew Liam would come.

  He knew Liam would choose the quietest hour of the night.

  So Evan rested, conserving his strength.

  His two neighbors grew impatient.

  “It’s past midnight. Not even a ghost has shown up. Are you screwing with us?”

  “Shut up,” Evan hissed. “Listen.”

  All three held their breath.

  A faint sound — the prison’s outer gate opening.

  The Vampire and the Ghoul tensed instantly.

  He’s here.

  Evan inhaled deeply.

  Outside, the massive iron gate slowly opened.

  A figure in a black hoodie, sunglasses, and a mask stepped into the courtyard, swallowed by shadows.

  Liam Zhao.

  Ahead of him loomed the metal monolith of the detention block — a giant iron coffin. Beside it stood the three?story administrative building.

  Liam walked straight toward the detention entrance.

  Three guards stood watch — including a Chrysalis?tier captain.

  None of them reacted.

  None even looked at him.

  The captain turned, checked the interior through the reinforced window, then entered a code and opened the heavy alloy door.

  Liam walked inside without a word.

  Meanwhile, in the surveillance room, the guard on duty stood up, grabbed his phone, lit a cigarette, and walked into the restroom.

  The monitors continued playing footage from an hour earlier.

  No Liam in sight.

  The power of money was terrifying.