Chapter 369 She Couldn’t Read The Fortune Of The Divine Beasts

Xavier’s voice broke through the quiet, smooth and remarkably calm despite the heavy tension lingering in the air. He raised a hand—a simple, polite gesture that felt almost absurdly civilized given the sheer intensity of the men surrounding the table.

?"A fair proposal, April," Xavier said, his saintly golden gaze holding hers with unshakeable composure. A soft, serene smile touched his lips. "However, where there is law, there must also be grace. If there is a punishment system for our transgressions... is there a reward system as well?"

?Nat’s head snapped toward Xavier, a dark, skeptical brow arching as he let out a sharp, amused huff. Alexander’s eyes widened slightly, shifting between Xavier and April as if realizing the staggering implications of that single question.

?Across the room, standing silently by the velvet drapery, Samuel’s lips twitched upward in a barely perceptible smirk. Yes, the man he used to call his boss was always quite remarkable in figuring this sort of structure.

?April didn’t break under Xavier’s gaze. Instead, she leaned back against her chair, letting her hands rest lightly on the polished mahogany arms. A slow, knowing curve touched her lips—the exact blueprint she and Samuel had crafted coming to life right before her eyes.

?"Naturally," April replied softly, her voice carrying a quiet, intoxicating warmth that drew every breath in the room to a sudden halt. "I don’t expect absolute discipline without incentive."

?She let her eyes sweep across the four of them—Nat’s fierce, possessive glare; Xavier’s expectant calm; Alexander’s tense, eager focus; and Oliver’s steady observation.

?"The rules are simple," April declared smoothly. "Respect the boundaries. Maintain harmony in this house. Show me that you can treat one another as equals without forcing me to mediate your childish rivalries. Those who uphold this standard will be rewarded."

?Nat leaned forward, his raspy voice dropping into a low, dangerous purr. "And what, exactly, is the reward, sweetheart?"

?April met Nat’s gaze head-on, her dark eyes flashing with an unyielding, irresistible authority.

?"Me," April murmured, her words falling like velvet over the silent room. "Private dinners. Undivided attention. An evening alone... or a direct privilege of your choosing. Whoever proves they can respect my order gets my time. Whoever disrupts it gets nothing."

?A heavy, electric pulse rippled through the dining hall.

?Alexander’s breath hitched sharply, his fingers tightening against his knees at the sheer prospect of earning her exclusive, unbothered favor. Oliver adjusted his glasses, a quiet, satisfied glint in his dark eyes as he noted the flawless logic of her design.

?Nat’s jaw clenched hard, his eyes burning with a dark, primal hunger as the reality of her system sank in. It wasn’t just a boundary—it was a battlefield where the only currency that mattered was her affection.

?"A masterstroke," Xavier murmured softly, lowering his hand as his gentle smile deepened. "You hold both the leash and the prize, April. I find those terms... more than agreeable."

With the boundaries set and the new dynamic established, the following days passed in a blur of focused, feverish preparation.

Because everyone was scattered across the region finalizing their own arrangements, the estate remained remarkably peaceful—devoid of Nat’s sharp taunts or the brewing friction of clashing egos.

Nat had returned to the underground black market, using his extensive network to distribute more of April’s miracle water, raking in staggering billions in raw capital since the effect of the miracle water was already out and verified.

April immediately funneled a massive portion of those funds to secure the final, restricted batch of high-grade medical supplies under Oliver’s authorized license, keeping the remaining astronomical sum in reserve. After all, the System allowed her to convert direct funds into instant purchases whenever necessary.

Alexander had temporarily departed with his grandfather to oversee the final security sweeps of their personal family shelter. His immature edge was entirely gone, replaced by a quiet, disciplined focus. Nat, too, was away, making last-minute structural adjustments to his own fortified stronghold and make sure his boys weren’t causing trouble.

Meanwhile, Xavier was consumed with his own massive undertaking. Despite April’s repeated warnings about the betrayals that came with the catastrophe, his saintly nature won out in the end.

He refused to abandon the core executives, engineers, and key personnel who had kept Reed Industries afloat. He moved tirelessly to secure them all within his custom-built shelter, determined that when the storm finally cleared, he would rebuild his empire from scratch alongside those who had built it with him.

That left only Oliver, April, Emily, and Samuel at the estate.

Today was the day to finally inspect the completed dome at the fortress.

In the quiet lounge, April stood holding the tiny, soft body of Lily in her hands. The white kitten was still fast asleep, completely motionless. Brows furrowed, April summoned the translucent blue interface, attempting to check the kitten’s fortune.

Nothing happened. The System panel remained blank.

April blinked. She realized then that she had never actually read Lily’s fortune before—only her System description upon the bond. She turned her eyes toward Rufus, who was sitting attentively on the rug, and tried reading his fortune as well. Again, absolute silence from the System.

I can’t read the fortune of divine beasts... April realized with a sudden, quiet jolt. How had she not noticed that limitation until now?

"What do we do?" Emily asked softly, leaning over April’s shoulder with a worried expression. "She isn’t waking up at all. Do you think she’s in a kitten coma?"

April mentally queried the System, asking if there was any item or method to rouse the little creature. The System responded with a concise, neutral line:

[Notice: Target ’Lily’ (Divine Beast) is currently in a state of Natural Sacred Hibernation. No intervention required.]

Hibernation? April thought, staring down at the quiet bundle of fur. It made sense logically, yet a subtle, nagging feeling lingered at the back of her neck.

"Miss April," Samuel’s smooth, raspy voice called from the doorway. He stood in his immaculate suit, leather driving gloves in hand. "The vehicle is prepared. Shall we get going?"

April looked down at Lily, feeling a bit skeptical, but there was ultimately nothing she could do for the sleeping kitten right now. She carefully placed Lily into her plush, cushioned bed on the sofa, then knelt to brush Rufus’s thick, midnight coat.

"Take care of Lily for me, okay?" April murmured softly.

The dog let out a low, confident bark in approval, resting his heavy chin near the kitten’s bed. They get along just fine now that they no longer bicker. I’ll take time to play with Rufus more often after we move into the fortress.

Turning toward the hallway, April caught sight of Oliver leaning against the doorframe, a glass of water in his hand. "Are you coming along, Doctor?"

Oliver tilted his glass slightly, a rare, subtle warmth softening his dark eyes behind his wire-rimmed glasses. "I have cleared my schedule for the rest of the day. So, yes. I will accompany you."

The drive to the mountain fortress was long and peaceful. Shielded behind the tinted glass of the sleek SUV, April sat in the back seat beside Emily, a bright, genuine smile touching her lips.

"We’re heading to our safe haven to see the finished structure," April said softly, holding her sister’s hand. "If everything is fully fixed and sealed, we can move in tomorrow."

Emily smiled back, but then a brief hesitation crossed her face. "Sister... can we push the move-in to the day after tomorrow?"