Clan Building System: I'm not the Protagonist?! - Chapter 318

Chapter 318: 318- Lin Zhaoyue [I]
The silence that followed was terrifying long, it was so terrifying to the point that Fang Yuan’s soul even prepared to leave his body.

But then Zhao Lusi took a long and tired exhale.

“Alright…” she muttered.

“Fine. I’ll let this one slide. It’s survival of the fittest after all. Whatever.”

She pointed sharply at Fang Yuan.

“But you owe me one. A big one.”

Fang Yuan nodded in an instant.

“One month,” Zhao Lusi said firmly, stepping backward as the sky rippled behind her.

“I’ll return exactly one month from now. Be prepared.”

She glanced once more at Fang Yuan, smiling wickedly.

“Take care, my disciple.”

And then she vanished.

After making sure she had really gone for good, Xuanwu lowered his massive head.

“Human Fang Yuan…”

His voice trembled across,

“I apologize. I truly did not intend for you to be wrapped into her schemes.”

Fang Yuan gave a weak exhale but Xuanwu wasn’t done.

“I wish you luck… and longevity.”

He bowed and then slowly retreated, vanishing into the distant ruins with surprising quietness.

The moment he was gone Fang Yuan’s body sagged and his knees buckled.

“—!”

Lin Zhaoyue reacted instantly, diving forward to catch him before he hit the ground.

“Patriarch Fang!” she cried, wrapping her arms around him.

He let out a long, exhausted breath, half-conscious, half-dazed.

The Saberfang beast lowered its massive body next to them and gently curled one paw around both Fang Yuan and Lin Zhaoyue, like a protective parent shielding its cub.

Its warm breath washed over them in steady, grounding waves.

Lin Zhaoyue held Fang Yuan close, her fingers trembled and her lips quivered.

But when she spoke—

“Dear husband…” she whispered, smiling brightly.

“I’ve missed you.”

Fang Yuan’s eyes snapped open instantly.

That tone… that was no longer the innocent, the confused nor the gentle one at all.

This was—her?

Before he could respond, her expression twisted just a little, too bright around the eyes, too sharp at the edges.

She leaned in closer, breath brushing his cheek.

“I can’t believe,” she murmured sweetly, “you were all lovey-dovey with the other girl…”

Fang Yuan blinked.

Other… girl? Zhao Lusi?

Before he could clarify, she tightened her hold around his neck just a bit, too tight to be normal, too tender to be threatening.

Her smile stretched.

“The bitch,” she whispered.

“—who tried to steal you… by acting innocent… and gentle…”

Her fingers dug into his robe.

“Using my body.”

Her eyes darkened into something gleaming and wild.

Fang Yuan’s mind raced in horror and disbelief.

That bitch is you, you crazy woman—

he screamed internally.

But instincts told him those words must NEVER leave his mouth.

So instead… he let his body go slack.

He was currently too overwhelmed and drained to deal with this.

He closed his eyes and let sleep take him, sinking into unconsciousness within her tight embrace.

Lin Zhaoyue held him like a treasure she had found again after lifetimes.

Her smile softened, still twisted at the edges.

“Sleep well, dear husband…” she whispered lovingly.

The Saberfang purred deeply beside them, curling tighter around its “mother.”

The quiet of Coldwind’s ruins shattered as two figures sprinted through the rubble.

“Brother Fang!!”

Xiao Pei’s voice cracked somewhere between panic and despair. “BROTHER FANG, WHERE ARE YOU?!”

Du Juan ran beside him, tugging on his sleeve.

“Calm down! Stop shouting—”

But the moment they turned a corner,

Xiao Pei froze on the spot while Du Juan’s jaw dropped.

Because lying peacefully on the ground, head cradled in Lin Zhaoyue’s lap, was Fang Yuan, fast asleep.

And behind them… The mountain-sized Saberfang had curled its massive body around them like a loyal pet, acting as the world’s most gentle bed.

Xiao Pei choked.

“BROTHER FANG IS DEAD—!”

Du Juan smacked his arm.

“Calm. DOWN. He’s sleeping.”

Xiao Pei blinked rapidly.

“Oh… oh. Right. Sleep. Haha… yes. I knew that.”

Du Juan stared at him with visible disappointment.

Xiao Pei then turned toward Lin Zhaoyue, who was gently rubbing Fang Yuan’s hair, her expression soft… but her eyes sharp and unsettlingly intense.

“S-Sister Lin! How are yo—”

Her head snapped toward him so fast even the Saberfang flinched.

“Sister Lin?” she repeated, smiling in a way that was definitely not a smile.

“Do you have a death wish?”

Xiao Pei’s soul left his body.

“I—I—I meant—! I mean—! I mean—!!”

Lin Zhaoyue leaned forward, voice dangerously sweet:

“Call me Matriarch Lin.”

Xiao Pei vanished behind Du Juan in a single terrified blur.

“MATRIARCH LIN!” he squeaked from behind her shoulder. “M-M-My bad! My deepest apologies! PLEASE DON’T KILL ME!”

Lin Zhaoyue’s expression instantly shifted back to gentle serenity as she resumed stroking Fang Yuan’s hair.

Her voice lowered into something soft… but possessive.

“Good. As long as everyone understands…”

The Saberfang purred approvingly behind her, its giant tail curling protectively around Fang Yuan and her both.

Xiao Pei leaned toward Du Juan, whispering.

“No no no… the Matriarch has recalled her memories—what do we do? Am I going to die? Is she really going to kill me?”

Du Juan clicked her tongue and elbowed him lightly.

“Act like a man,” she muttered… but her hand tightened around his, giving him a discreet squeeze of reassurance.

When Lin Zhaoyue’s sharp eyes flicked in their direction, Du Juan quickly stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

“Matriarch Fang,” she said, maintaining perfect formality, “congratulations on recovering your memories. But now is not the time for celebration.”

Lin Zhaoyue kept stroking Fang Yuan’s hair, her expression soft.

Du Juan continued, voice steady:

“The Qin Royalty has issued a kill order for the beast behind you. Their elites will arrive in a few hours. Would you like to move with us to the new Fang estate?”

Lin Zhaoyue froze.

“…Move?”

Her fingers paused mid-stroke on Fang Yuan’s hair.

Her eyes widened.

“This—this is the Fang family’s territory,” she said slowly, disbelief rising with every word.

“Since when was Coldwind City not ours?”

Lin Zhaoyue’s aura flared.

“What happened while I was away? How long was I gone? Who dared to step into Fang lands—?!”

She gritted her teeth.

“No… no, it’s that bitch, isn’t it?”

Her eyes darkened.

“That bitch took over my body for a few days and the whole Fang Family fell into chaos. Tch.”