Thinking of this, her expression changed, immediately adopting a look of surprise mixed with a hint of joy. Her voice softened, and she said in a deliberately flattering tone, "Ah—it's Young Master Qi! Forgive my ignorance, I didn't recognize you!" As she spoke, she took a few steps forward, suppressing the nausea churning within her, and gently placed her hand on the tall young man's arm.
Although Qi Maojin was addressed as Young Master Qi, it was nothing more than flattery from someone trying to curry favor with him.
There are twelve leaders in the Dark Zone. His father is ranked eleventh, and the one at the bottom is an old man in his seventies or eighties who has difficulty walking and is essentially just a mascot. However, perhaps knowing his own lack of strength, in order to find another way to show off his "masculine charm," Qi Maojin's father has made procreation his primary goal since taking office. He has fathered a large number of children, and over the years, the number of his illegitimate children is too many to count on one hand.
With too many monks and too little porridge, things were bound to get turbulent. His children fought each other openly and secretly, all wanting to take over their father's position as leader. So, one would poison another's food today, and another would hire an assassin to kill this one tomorrow... Over time, some died and some were injured, and in the end, only a few survived in this vicious environment that resembled breeding grounds for venomous insects.
Qi Maojin was an exception. He was almost entirely uninvolved in the power struggles between his half-siblings, yet he ultimately became his father's most trusted and valued son, even overshadowing the eldest son of the legal wife at one point.
It's all because Qi Maojin has a secretive biological mother.
He was the illegitimate son of his father and an orphan girl when his father infiltrated the human world to gather intelligence. As a half-human, half-demon, he was not well-liked in the demon world, which places the greatest emphasis on the purity of bloodlines. He was even discriminated against and maliciously suppressed, let alone inherit the position of leader. Therefore, his brothers and sisters did not regard him as an opponent at first.
Until more than half a year ago, the first leader of the Dark District died suddenly at home under mysterious circumstances. His children fought each other for the throne, causing chaos throughout the district. While everyone watched the drama unfold, they also placed bets on who would emerge victorious. To everyone's astonishment, not long after, the most favored "candidates" died one after another due to various bizarre reasons, and in the end, the one who sat on the throne was none other than the youngest daughter, who had always been the most unassuming.
She was a half-demon, and even more so because the human part of her bloodline was dominant, so the demonic aura on her body was very faint.
A half-demon, and a female half-demon at that, actually became the first leader!
How can this be!
Many demons were very dissatisfied with this result, especially those who were old-fashioned and rigid in their thinking, who believed that only male demons could take on great responsibilities. Even though whoever was sitting in that position had nothing to do with them, they still felt deeply offended. So they colluded to launch a protest, trying to force the half-demon girl off the stage.
The half-demon girl didn't even give them a second chance. She ended all the conflict with the most ruthless methods—she killed all the protesters and then razed the area where the protests had taken place to the ground.
This action was shocking even in the entire demon and monster realm, and once the news spread, it caused an instant sensation.
As a result, no one dared to oppose her anymore.
Since taking office, her series of measures have been implemented precisely, causing the Dark Zone's profits to double in just six months. In particular, the revenue of the area under her jurisdiction far exceeded that of other areas. The residents of the Dark Zone have benefited tangibly, and no longer caring whether she is male or female, human or demon, they have all become her most loyal supporters.
In this way, the atmosphere in the Dark Zone began to change slowly. Half-humans and half-demons were gradually able to stand on equal footing with ordinary demons, and it was no longer uncommon for female leaders to take office.
At this moment, Qi Maojin's mother, who had been missing for more than half a year, suddenly reappeared and brought explosive news—
The current First Leader, the girl who wiped out the entire rebel race overnight, is actually the child she had with the former First Leader many years ago.
In other words, Qi Maojin now has a half-sister from the same mother but a different father, and this sister, whom he has never met, now holds a position of greater power than his biological father.
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