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Before she had abandoned her family and vanished without a trace or clue as to her current whereabouts, Keqing Chen was considered a worthy heir to inherit her mother’s place as a prominent matriarch within the dynasty.


She was the only child of the great Daiyu Fang, with no sisters or brothers to share her inherited riches and status with. As such the home that had been constructed especially for her was grand. More like a palace than a mere mansion, it was filled with many gardens, countless bedrooms and every amenity imaginable. The home had been designed with the vision that one day, an entire branch of the family would be conceived and raised inside its many walls.


Instead the sole descendant of Daiyu, now returned to her ancestral home for the first time since had also left the family a year prior. To Jisoo, her mother’s home was as alien to her as it was to Eren. In her absence the property had been meticulously taken care of by a staff of maids and groundskeepers who kept the home prim and tidy. At Jisoo’s direction they moved her belongings taken from Norwich into storage elsewhere, while she and Eren explored the palace. 


Past one of the gardens was a small pagoda, which was home to a shrine dedicated to the Buddha. Jisoo paused before she reluctantly entered the serene little place, which had been the last place her mother had been seen before she disappeared.


Keqing was never a particularly spiritual or religious woman. Jisoo ruminated and took a seat on a handwoven mat before an incomplete wooden carved statue of the Buddha in the center of the pagoda. Yet she constructed all of this by hand, and spent hours each day for weeks sealed away here… was this how she mourned Daiyu?


Her grandmother’s death long before Jisoo’s birth was less impactful for her than it had been for many older members of her family. Daiyu was a kindred soul, who unfortunately succumbed to illness before she and Baochai perfected the Peach of Immortality. Jisoo knew practically nothing of her grandmother, except that apparently she looked almost identical to her when Daiyu had been her age. Aside from that, Jisoo knew of Daiyu’s reputation as perhaps the most brilliant person to ever live, as it was her mind that first conceived the formula needed to begin The Diminution. 


Baochai never fully recovered from the death of her older sister and became withdrawn from the world. Even as she grew older and the Peach was developed, she instead chose to wither away to join her sister once more in the next life. By doing so she entrusted the fate of the world to her many children, who pledged to see her vision for a beautiful world realized. One free from the tyranny of mankind’s destructive nature.


Did you sit here as well mother? Is this where you lost your will to embrace the Heavenly Duties? Jisoo thought and contemplated the wooden statue before her. It was rather crude, clearly a first attempt and paled in comparison to what a master could carve. Perhaps it was further from completion than she imagined. What did you meditate on here? What was it that drove you to betray the family? Why was I even born? Who is my father really?


Jisoo sighed. “I had forgotten how much I abhor this little alcove…” She murmured to Eren, who sat quietly upon her lap while she stared at the statue. “Perhaps I should simply burn it to cinders.”


“You should find your mother. And ask her why she built this place.” Eren suggested quietly. She had ventured to tell him a little more of what she knew of Keqing, or lack thereof.


Perhaps I will. Before I kill her… I will look her in the eyes and learn the truth behind it all. 




One of the few benefits to an excessively massive home was the ease at which Jisoo could have company over. There was an abundance of space to the point none of her guests felt cramped by her personal living arrangements, which while it had never been an issue for her in Norwich was perhaps only because she never expected guests to begin with. 


Although Lihua had offered to have a crew of world class chefs prepare a big feast for everybody to celebrate Jisoo’s return, she declined the offer and instead decided to spend the majority of the day before her family came over to cook dinner by herself. 


From a nearby kitchen counter Eren watched with interest as his girlfriend prepared a banquet for six people entirely on her own, without any assistance. His contribution was to select songs from Jisoo’s kitchen playlist, and taste test every dish she put together. Not that he minded the mouthfuls of delicious food right out of the wok.


It’s nice to have fresh ingredients for a change. Jisoo thought happily and shook her hips rhythmically to the fast paced music that Eren played while she cooked. Norwich lacked well-stocked Asian supermarkets, and she refused to buy anything online to have it imported. With a much bigger kitchen and every seasoning she could need right at her fingertips, she was back in her element.


Of course everything she made was plant-based and used almost exclusively natural, healthy ingredients. However, since she knew Lily could be a slightly fussy eater, Jisoo made some deep fried tofu katsu and oyster mushrooms with a savory sauce to go with them. She also made Eren’s favorite dish, jjajangmyeon especially for him. Lots of smaller dishes, like gyoza and ddeokbokki were much easier to prepare rather than spend time on more complicated platters. 


“Here… try a bite of this.” Jisoo insisted and used a pair of chopsticks to expertly dip a small sliver of steamed bok choy into a bit of homemade chili oil. She watched with a bemused expression as her tiny boyfriend, less than half the height of the utensil approached the chopsticks. 


He bit into the rich, aromatic spices of the chili oil which contrasted the more neutral flavor of the bok choy and chewed carefully to properly taste it. “Wow… that’s really good!” Eren replied and wiped the corner of his cheek with a blanket sized napkin. “Did you change your recipe at all? It’s much richer than I recall.”


“It’s the same recipe, but the ingredients are almost all from the gardens outside.” Jisoo replied and also took a bite. “Way better than from a grocery store.”


“One thing I’ve wondered for a while now…” Eren asked while she began to cut up some spring onions to garnish one of the platters. “When did you learn how to cook? In Northside ovens and stovetops were reserved only for specialists.” He asked.


“Byung-ho taught me how. After my ascension, I returned to him and Tae-yeon for the first time as I am now… he had some mixed feelings. However the next morning he saw me in the kitchen struggling to make myself breakfast and decided to teach me how to cook properly.” Jisoo smiled. “It’s one of the few times I really felt close to him.”


“That must have been a surprise to both him and your sister. Suddenly you were normal-sized after all that time.” Eren mused.


Jisoo shrugged. “Byung-ho already knew a lot about my family’s involvement with The Diminution. He was a friend of my mother’s after all, and she told him more than she probably should have.” She replied. “Tae-yeon on the other hand was in a state of disbelief to see me. Suddenly even on her toes she couldn’t look me straight in the eye without craning her neck.” 


“How did she react otherwise?”


“After the initial shock wore off she bombarded me with questions, but also she hugged me for the first time.” Jisoo responded. “It was a strange feeling for us both… I almost preferred it when I was smaller and could nuzzle against her chest and feel safe from all the world’s troubles.” She admitted.


It’s hard to believe that day was over a decade ago. I still remember it so vividly.  Jisoo reminisced. “Your mother and father… did they ever cook for you?” She asked. 


It was a touchy subject, but one that she felt Eren should be able to open up about around her. He rarely discussed his family or old friends. Out of grief and trauma that still lingered from that fateful night. Every memory Eren had of her parents were permanently ruined by the thought of their deaths, and therefore he chose not to relive them. 


She wanted him to remember the positives; all of the good memories he had with his mother and father. That was the best way to heal.


He thought for a few moments. “My mother was the better cook of the two. We never had much of anything sweet, but for my birthday she would make a cake of some kind.” Eren recalled distantly. “I remember some of the ingredients, there weren’t many. Brown sugar, flour, raisins, cinnamon, and a few other seasonings.” 


“She sounds like a very wonderful woman.” Jisoo noted softly. “I would have loved to meet her.” 


“I think you two would have gotten along very well.” He said with a faint smile. 





Lihua Chen arched a delicate brow as the door to her private study flung open carelessly with enough force to disturb the neatly organized documents on her expansive desk. A quick glance upwards confirmed her initial thought that the only person rude enough to waltz so brazenly into her office was none other than her own daughter, who plopped down in a chair across from her. 


Shortly afterwards there was a slight commotion at the door as a red-faced young woman dressed in a handsome suit and slacks burst into the room as well in pursuit of Grace, but was stopped in her tracks by a hand gesture from Lihua who exhaled deeply and set aside her work for now.


She rubbed her temple. “It’s alright Yanlin. You may leave us be.” Lihua dismissed her secretary, who bowed apologetically and briskly left the study. Once they were alone, Lihua cleared her throat and reclined in her seat. 


“Must you really barge in here like that?” She asked in an exasperated tone. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”


Her daughter simply crossed her arms and scowled. “You know damn well why I’m here.”


“Well I would hope you are here to submit your full report regarding why Lianfei has been running around like a maniac covering for you and your cousin in America…” Lihua replied condescendingly. “However as always I expect you will let someone else do that for you-.”


“Why did you transfer Xiangling?” Grace cut in, her tone as sharp as knives. 


Don’t tell me you really stormed in here for such a silly reason. Lihua thought incredulously, but nonetheless maintained her composure. She had long since given up on raising her voice at her eldest daughter, who would have brushed her off regardless of how she tried to approach her. 


She did not respond immediately, and instead reached across her desk for a cup of tea which she had nursed for some time now. It was still quite hot, so Lihua had to blow away some of the steam that rose from the peach colored liquid. Grace grew even more impatient, her fingers gripped her sleeves tightly. 


Finally Lihua responded. “I was informed that Xiangling performed admirably while attached to your team. A woman of her talents would be wasted babysitting you. So I promoted her.”


“Who told you that me and her were intimate?” Grace practically snarled. “It had to have been someone in my entourage.” 


“Grace, I suggest you watch your tone-!” Before she could finish her sentence, Grace shot out of her seat and clutched the part of the office desk closest to her.


With remarkable ease she lifted the massive table off the floor with only a single hand, and effortlessly swung it through the air across the study towards a nearby bookcase. The desk crashed into the wooden shelves with enough force to knock the entire piece of furniture through the wall. Loose papers and books alike fluttered in the air in a whirlwind of notes, ripped from innumerable destroyed file folders.


The desk was left in splinters on the ground, and the shelf completely collapsed in a heap beside the now broken concrete wall. Many other nearby pieces of furniture, such as a small table with a vase and a lamp were broken as well. Picture frames and framed awards were also among the wreckage.


“Go to hell. Stay the fuck out of my life.” Grace barked and turned on her heel.


Lihua remained unfazed by the outburst, and remained seated as her daughter stormed out of the office. The double set of doors were left hanging by their hinges in her wake, and from her vantage point and the end of the hallway Lihua could see several of her employees give Grace a wide berth as her daughter disappeared from sight, fearful they might be next.


She sighed and glanced at the damage done to her office. “Yanlin, could you send for a crew to clean this mess up?” Lihua asked as the young secretary from before once more sheepishly entered the room. “And bring me another cup of tea… please.”






No sooner had Jisoo finished the last dish when there was a knock at the front door. 


Swiftly she cleaned her hands with a towel and tossed her smock over a chair. Eren inspected his reflection with his phone while she sauntered away to welcome her guests in. To her surprise, only Lihua and her youngest daughter Lily were there.


Where’s Grace? Jisoo thought with a twinge of concern as she nevertheless welcomed the two inside. She glanced outside to see if she was still in the limousine, but saw now sign of her anywhere. 


Lily bounded towards her and jumped into her arms. “Aunt Jisoo! I’m so happy to see you again!” She squealed while Jisoo spun her around.


“Aww Lily I missed you too.” Jisoo replied and set her back down. “How have you been? I’m terribly sorry I missed your big recital last year.” She asked and led Lily into the home.


She was quite similar to her elder sister, but had her father’s very expressive eyes. Lily eagerly shared everything she had done over the past few months in Jisoo’s absence, namely her improvement with the violin. Unfortunately Jisoo had not been able to attend one of Lily’s biggest performances last Chinese New Years, which she regretted deeply.


Jisoo led the pair into the dining room, where she had already set the table. Lihua nudged Lily into a seat next to her, while she sat down at one bed of the table.


Her eyes widened as she saw all the platters of food laid out before them. “This all looks incredible! You didn’t need to go to so much trouble for our sake.” Lihua chided.


“Oh it was no issue at all, I haven’t been able to cook for my family in so long.” Jisoo replied as tea was served. “Is Grace preoccupied? I had expected her to come as well.”


“Unfortunately we had a minor disagreement earlier today.” Lihua murmured. “I’m afraid she will not be joining us.” She remarked.


Hmph, so nothing has changed in that regard then. Jisoo thought. For as long as she could remember, Grace and her mother had never seen eye to eye.


Grace was something of a rebel by the family’s standards. Her tattoos were one quirk that could easily be looked past, but her tendency to underperform intentionally seemingly out of spite was another matter altogether. Whenever she was assigned a task by Aunt Min she completed it with optimal efficacy. However, if the person who took charge of her duties was her own mother, Grace always found a way to make even the simplest things an ordeal.


It was not so long ago that Grace had finished her college degree, and attended the prestigious Nanyang Business School. Her mother demanded she graduate valedictorian, which was a goal that almost anybody who knew Grace well would know she could accomplish easily. Instead Grace in her final semester while on track to fulfill her mother’s wishes intentionally flunked just enough assignments to drop her from consideration of the achievement. What Lihua could not understand about her daughter was that Grace absolutely despised being told what to do. Especially if it was to do something she didn’t really care about. Unless the decree came straight from Aunt Min’s mouth, she would almost always refuse.


Tea was served, and everybody began to fill their plates with food from the bowls closest to them first. Eren sat right next to Jisoo, across from Lily who eyed him curiously. She clearly wanted to ask him a question, but had to wait until her mother, the eldest in the room, spoke first.


“So Eren, tell me a bit more about yourself.” Lihua asked in English. She dipped a vegetable dumpling about the same size as Eren was into a small saucer of hoisin sauce and tossed it into her mouth. “What is life like for smaller individuals in the United States? We hear dreadful things in the news.”


“Life is fraught with difficulties for specks there. If not for Jisoo’s intervention I would not be alive.” Eren responded smoothly. “I will always be grateful for what she has done for me.”


“Were you able to attend a university?” Lihua asked. “There are extremely prohibitive policies in place designed to bar specks from entry.”


“I was able to qualify for enrollment. I graduated from MIT.” 


Lihua’s eyes widened. “That’s incredible.” She replied, clearly impressed. Since the Diminution, many top American universities had fallen behind in worldwide ranking systems, however their reputation as top schools still carried weight.


Before Lihua could continue, Lily was unable to restrain herself any longer and cut into their conversation in heavily accented English. “Mr. Eren! Why is your hair so long?” Lily asked.


Her eyes were fixated on Eren’s considerably longer than average hair, which was currently tied into a bun. Lily noticed her mother’s icy glare and recoiled somewhat, distinctly aware of how rude it was to speak out of turn like that. Nevertheless she continued.


“I-I only ask because I’ve never seen a boy with really long hair…” She elaborated softly. 


Eren smiled and turned to face her directly. “My father was our commune’s barber surgeon. So he was always the one to cut my hair. After he passed on I decided to leave it untouched.” He explained. “I guess it’s my way to remember him.”


“A ‘barber surgeon’?” 


“In America surgical tools are extremely rare in speck communes… anybody trained to safely handle a razor blade was indispensable. So that same person would need to perform medical procedures such as amputation, and also basic grooming.” Eren told her. “My dad studied surgery and learned how to use scalpels, so he would also use them for haircuts and the like. It’s a practice similar to the Middle Ages in Europe.” He continued.


I never knew that was the reason. Jisoo thought. Before today Eren had never spoken about his parents other than their brief conversation in Norwich about their deaths. Lily considered his answer carefully and nodded, thankful for his honesty. No doubt the darker implications of an entire civilization deprived of medical necessities had not been on her mind when she had thought to ask him.


The rest of the dinner went by without another interruption from Lily. Lihua had a few more inquiries, however it was evident by the end of the night that she was incredibly impressed with Eren’s accomplishments. A graduate from a top ranked school, surprisingly self-sufficient with his own career aspirations unrelated to Jisoo, and conversational in Mandarin Chinese. Surely with all that in mind it would be a breeze for her marriage proposal to be approved.


There is one hiccup… I need to establish that Eren is already aware of some family secrets. Jisoo thought as they began to say their farewells. She hesitated as Lihua escorted Lily to the front door.


No. I’ll tell Aunt Min directly when I speak to her next. I should avoid spreading any rumors.






Huang Wei was well aware that it would be futile to flee China to escape the wrath of his longtime employer. There were no places in the developed world that could possibly hide him. Even if he could somehow manage to remain undetected throughout his journey past the border, the reach of the Amrita Corporation enveloped the entire planet. Their agents were in every country and kept constant vigil for fools who attempted to run. 


As a former operative he had a better understanding than most to the degree which the company dominated the world. There was no major politician in western superpowers elected into office without the tacit approval of Chen Min, and no privilege withheld from those that carried on her bloodline. Some wisened individuals such as Lukas Ehrenreich understood the limitless nature of the Amrita Corporation, which transcended politics and legality alike. Others such as the current American President Bauchmann were unwitting puppets in a grand game of chess, in which Chen Min controlled both sides. If she willed it, powerful nations that had stood strong for centuries could crumble to dust at her feet whenever she so wished.


Therefore the moment he and the rest of the security team assigned to ensure the absolute safety of Chen Grace returned to Beijing, he set his affairs in order. 


Wei divided his wealth evenly between his son and daughter, and asked that they take care of their mother. His parents were elderly, but in excellent health and had plenty of funds saved away for retirement. It had been years since Wei had heard from his older brother, however he chose to leave him a tidy amount as well. Once he was satisfied with his will, he reported directly to work for an unscheduled appointment. This time he decided to take the scenic route. He wanted to see his hometown one last time. Wei never cared too greatly about food, so his last meal was a simple dish of noodles with spices and chopped spring onion. 


Grace’s security team typically worked in shifts, and were dispatched to her current location around an hour before the previous team was allowed to leave in order to prevent gaps. Most notably Commander Xiangling was not around as she usually was at this time. If the rumors were true she had been told to report to Paris for a new assignment immediately, and been whisked away halfway across the world before she had a chance to stop and rest. That was unfortunate. When Wei had informed Chen Lihua that her daughter had a ‘new favorite’, he had hoped Xiangling would have been granted some time to recuperate from their trip to America before her inevitable dismissal.


Wei stepped into one of the many homes Chen Grace owned, he found it devoid of the usual security team. Instead the stone faced heiress sat patiently alone in the atrium. Her cold gaze immediately focused on Wei, who for the first time felt a chill run down his spine. His fate had been sealed the moment he sent that message to Lihua, so he had many days to make peace with his inevitable demise. However when faced directly by his executioner it was difficult to remain calm.


Grace brushed a stray lock of dark brown hair away from her eyes as Wei bowed to her in reverence. “You came here willingly.” She noted. 


It was very slight, but Wei thought she sounded just a tad bit impressed that he had not run away. There had been no effort to maintain any secrecy in the matter. He had simply received a message which informed him that his role in Xiangling’s dismissal had been discovered and he was to report to Grace herself immediately for execution. Many others might have taken that opportunity to flee, futile an effort as it would have been. Wei simply nodded his head in response. He was unworthy to exchange words with Grace. A lowly mortal man such as himself could never hope to deserve such an honor.


She continued. “You betrayed me, Wei.” Grace said very matter-of-factly.


I did not betray you. I simply did what your mother tasked me. Wei thought, but once more he remained silent. It would be uncouth to contradict what Grace had said or to defend himself. This was not a trial. It was simply a formality.


He simply nodded in agreement as Grace retrieved a small syringe of amber colored liquid from a small box upon her lap. She selected it and with a simple hand gesture allowed him to walk towards her. With a glance she stopped him once Wei had reached arms length and bid him to kneel before her. 


From the corner of his eye, Wei could see her tapping her heel against the floor idly. Although he had come to peace with his death, Wei still wondered how she would accomplish the deed. No doubt she would make it as unimaginably painful as possible. Perhaps she would pull his limbs off one by one? Or she would peel the skin from his bones until there was nothing left but nerves and bones? Or she would slowly crush him beneath her foot, body part by body part to drag out his suffering? Whatever she intended however would no doubt be a greater mercy than what Grace could do. Unlike a few others in the family, she had no need for Yao Grass to bend and twist the human mind to her desires. With enough time she could transform any mere human into whatever pathetic organism she wished.


That was not how Wei wanted to be punished. To be a stain on her foot was one thing, to become a mindless drone twisted in the mind past the point of insanity was a fate he did not wish upon his worst enemy. Yet if that was the divine judgement Grace decided on, he would of course accept it without hesitation. However even a damned man still had his preferences.


He did not flinch as she inserted the needle into his neck. The pain was slight, but he had experienced far worse before. Extended time in armed forces and paramilitary groups prepared Wei for that much at least.


Before she pressed the plunger, Grace paused for a brief moment. “Your family will be informed you died heroically to save my sister’s life from an assassin. I will ensure they are well taken care of.” She murmured. 


Wei felt a flare of hot pain in his neck which elicited a grunt. The room began to spin wildly above his head, and soon he felt the ceiling begin to stretch farther away than should be possible. It was a very painful experience, the area around Wei’s neck was aflame with hot searing pain which throbbed endlessly. Fortunately it did not last for more than a few tense seconds, at which point Wei reopened his eyes to see a dark leather wall placed before his eyes.


From seemingly miles above Grace looked down upon him apathetically, her heel placed directly in front of where he had shrank to around three inches tall just past the rim of his shirt collar. He had no time to gather his bearings, as Grace swooped down to pluck him off the ground. Wei was hit by a strong urge to vomit, but found it impossible to do anything but think of how enormous everything had become. Effortlessly Grace turned and twisted his body within her palm until she could wrap her fingers around him possessively.


Callously she tossed him into her purse and zipped it closed, which left Wei in the dark interior alone while she took out her phone. It allowed Wei to contemplate the simple choice that had led him to this moment. Soon he would be dead. However he felt oddly at ease with it.


There were fates far more cruel than death at the hands of a goddess.








It took courage to accept the punishment Huang Wei undoubtedly anticipated the moment he received his orders to report directly to her. Grace could admit that much. Although there were many talented individuals who were true believers in their cause, they were far from unified in their expression of such. 


Some expressed their loyalty through impeccable records and performed indispensable services to the dynasty, however outside of their duties were still very much driven by ambitions and desire. People like Xiangling and Lianfei fit that description. They excelled at their duties, but were not slaves to them. As such they were terrific leaders. 


Meanwhile many others were like Huang Wei. Obedient. Taciturn. They were the ones who did not see the descendants of the Fang Sisters as mere humans subject to the same weaknesses that had held their species back for millennia. Instead they were enlightened people who recognized the divine nature of their overseers. While that made people like Wei phenomenal as a collective unit of loyal followers who would happily march into a slow and painful death if commanded, it also made them overly rigid in their actions. Unable to branch away from the rules set forth by family tradition even when it was to their own benefit to do so. 


Perhaps it’s for the best that mother sent Xiangling away when she did… I was becoming too close to her for my own good. Grace thought. It was rare for her to spend so much time with a single lover. Normally after a few fun nights of pleasure she grew bored and moved on to someone else. Grace always made that clear with anybody who shared her bed well in advance; she could not commit to any relationship. Another part of her lifestyle Lihua disapproved of.


She browsed her long list of contacts in search of ‘entertainment’ for the night. Xiangling was still on her mind, which made Grace feel an uncomfortable blend of emotions. Sadness to see her moved far away out of her reach, anger with her mother to go behind her back like this, and a desire to relieve her more base needs. 


Briefly she contemplated extending an invitation to Jisoo as well. In the past she had enjoyed the parties Grace threw from time to time whenever she was in the mood. Eventually she decided against it and allowed her to spend more time with Eren. It would be good for him to spend some time in his new home for a while, now that Norwich was forever behind him. They were an adorable couple. Perfect for each other.


Although their relationship might have played a role in her mother’s decision to send Xiangling away. While Jisoo has found a strong candidate for marriage, I’m still womanizing. Grace thought as she got off the couch and strolled into the kitchen to grab a drink. Hmph. That’s what mother would say anyways.


Less than half an hour later, her entertainment began to arrive. 


They trickled in over the course of the next hour, sometimes alone and sometimes in pairs or more. Gorgeous women from all across the city who had dealt with Grace in her infamous parties in the past. Some she had met at bars, others she had danced with at clubs. Normally in the aftermath of a wild night they left their numbers with Grace in case the scion ever wanted to party with them again whenever she was back in town. These particular girls were simply the ones local to Beijing, identifiable in her contacts list by area code. 


A few ladies brought her gifts. Expensive bottles of wine and baiju were chief among them. Grace led the first few to arrive outside into the center of the enormous home, where there was ample space to dance to loud music and drink to their heart’s content. Outdoor couches and patio furniture provided places to sit to ensure nobody was uncomfortable, while others happily stripped down to hop into the pool.


With a gesture Grace commanded one of the house staff to grab her purse. Along with the additional hors d’oeuvres for the evening. Small wooden boxes sealed away in hidden places of the palace, filled with the most unique kind of fun that made her parties so popular among her private cabal. 


The introduction of specks into the meteoric atmosphere of the party only intensified the euphoria. Grace leaned back on a couch beneath the night sky and sipped on a glass of wine while she watched the pathetic little things squirm and scream for mercy in the adventurous grip of the beautiful woman in the seat next to her. The poor little thing screamed manically in a foreign tongue unknown to Grace, his eyes wide with terror as the rather drunk young woman played with him. 


None of the specks present amongst her toys were ‘real’ specks so to speak. Every single one of them had been turned into one as a consequence for some transgression. Convicted criminals guilty of heinous crimes few would miss, former enemy combatants in a few of China’s expansion projects across the world taken as trophies, or delinquents similar to Alice Evans who had been sent up the ladder to wind up in a pantry here in Beijing to await their use some day. The one thing they had in common aside from that shared trait was that they were all male, typically in good health and nicer to look at than most. 


Grace watched with great interest as the speck continued to struggle endlessly against the girl’s mammoth fingers, which threatened to crush him in her drunken stupor. Frequently she accidentally dropped him onto her lap, where he would always try to run across the expanse of her soft, supple legs towards the freedom of death that would come from leaping to the floor. As always, she was just lucid enough to catch him every time. 


It looked quite enticing, so Grace decided to join in. She leaned across the couch and plucked the speck from the girl’s clumsy hands. “Open your mouth.” She cooed.


The young woman giggled and licked her lips eagerly. She was not supposed to eat anybody without express permission from the host. Grace chuckled at the specks' expense while he continued to fight against her vise-like grip, before she dropped him unceremoniously onto the girl’s soft, wet tongue with a splat. Before she could swallow, Grace surged forth and embraced the woman in an intense open mouthed kiss and they took turns wrestling the diminutive man around between their mouths, like candy passed between two lovers.


As the speck trapped between their warring tongues was battered around from mouth to mouth, Grace wrapped her arms around Meili’s waist and groped her curvaceous figure. Meili swiftly reciprocated the gesture and began to sloppily unbutton Grace’s dress shirt. Once it was gone, her bra came next and Meili cupped either one of the taller woman’s firm breasts in her hands. 


Grace coaxed Meili onto her back, where she carelessly smushed three or four hapless specks who had been left there by a few other women who had stepped away to dip into the pool. Their bodies exploded against her insurmountable weight, unnoticed by Meili who cared more about grinding her hips against Grace’s chiseled figure. Aggressively she ripped off Meili’s skirt and panties, and Grace expertly worked her fingers into Meili’s slit.


Soon Meili’s cries of ecstasy joined the countless others present at the party, who were also engaged in very lewd acts. Grace would enjoy leaving each and every woman present panting and exhausted to satiate her own lust for more. Occasionally the squeal of a hapless speck swirled around in a shot glass or used as a ball in a pool game would be just loud enough to be audible. There were around twenty or so guests over, and a little over double that in specks brought out to entertain them. Grace continued to work her fingers into Meili for several more minutes, until she could feel Meili buck her hips wildly as she neared climax. 


Just before she finished, Grace thrust her tongue deeper into her lover’s mouth and pushed the helpless speck further down Meili’s throat. By reflex Meili swallowed, and the tiny figure was dragged down into the depths of her stomach. It was the nudge to push her over the edge of orgasm and Meili squealed loudly as her entire body shook and her breaths became ragged. Grace smiled from ear to ear and traced the lump that was the speck on his passage into Meili’s belly, and planted kisses along the pathway.


Huang Wei is probably dead already. Although perhaps I could look for him and make sure of it? Grace thought and glanced around her party, where the girls had become considerably less gentle with the specks. Whether as additions to drinks or used to satiate more carnal desires, most of them would not last much longer. No matter, she could always have more retrieved. 


As Meili recuperated, Grace hopped off the couch and sauntered towards another group of women. At her feet a few more specks who had taken refuge beneath the couch lost their nerve and ran. She chuckled and raised her foot over the nearest one. A former gangster of some kind covered in admittedly fascinating tattoos. It was almost a shame to see his body burst like a berry beneath her sole as Grace brought it down on him. 


If she did find Wei, she would be sure to find a creative conclusion to his story. 


Jisoo and I used to hang out like this all the time… She thought and crushed another man who had been foolish enough to stop and beg for mercy. I hope after she’s married she still finds the time to have some fun. Although as per the Heavenly Duties, it’s mandated she continues the bloodline. 


Truthfully it was difficult to ever see Jisoo as a mother. It seemed like just yesterday she had been a shy, tiny girl mistreated by every wretched person she had ever met. Forever trapped in her adoptive sister’s shadow and scorned by her father at every misstep. It was no wonder why she had become such a devoted member of their family once she had been discovered. 


As a representative of the Northern Chinese branch of the family, Grace was almost certain she would be elected as a candidate to consider Jisoo’s proposal when she requested Eren as her husband. However two more relatives not part of the immediate lineage, preferably from a different cadet branch altogether would be required to form a unanimous opinion. There were nine cadet branches of the Chen family, all descended from Baochai Fang but localized to the respective country. 


Depending on who is elected to monitor Eren and Jisoo, the process could take as little as a month to several years. But since Eren already knows so much… that will change things.


Grace shook those thoughts from her mind and joined several beautiful women who beckoned her over. For now this was a better use of her time than thinking so heavily on the future.

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