The Villains All Fell in Love with Me After Rebirth : Chapter 50 - Substitute
Chapter 50: Substitute
Ji Ling stared blankly at Carlos, unable to process what had just been said.
Carlos looked into the boy's confused eyes and smiled slightly. His lips curved elegantly, but the words that came out were cruel. He spoke in a calm and chilling tone. “Since you’ve remembered the events of the previous life, I can no longer deceive you. I don’t love you. I’ve only been using you.”
Ji Ling: “...”
Ji Ling: [Why isn’t he playing by the rules? : ) ]
System: [... Hasn’t he always been like this?]
Ji Ling was almost caught off guard by Carlos’s words. In this critical moment, he didn’t have time to consider whether they were true or not. Either way, since Carlos had said something like that, it gave him a perfect excuse to get rid of him.
Maybe Carlos had figured out he’d been reborn and realized there was no hope, so he gave up?
That wasn’t entirely impossible.
Though he felt secretly elated, Ji Ling maintained a heartbroken expression on his face, looking at Carlos in disbelief. “Uncle Carlos…”
Carlos gazed at him gently and said, “You must have suspected the truth for some time. Why do you look so surprised?”
Ji Ling: I thought you’d keep up the act. Who knew you’d break character so abruptly? Of course, I’m surprised! But this works out just fine. I was feeling a bit guilty before, but now there’s no need for that.
Tears shimmered in Ji Ling’s eyes, as though he was deeply hurt yet still stubbornly holding it together. With a look of resignation, he turned his head away and said coldly, “What’s there to be surprised about? I should have seen through this in my previous life... I’ll have my father negotiate the annulment of our engagement.”
Carlos stared at him deeply, then suddenly chuckled. There was a trace of pity in his eyes. “You’re still so naïve.”
Ji Ling frowned, pressing his lips together. “What do you mean?”
Carlos rested his hands on his cane and sighed. “You’ve realized I was only using you to oppose His Majesty. You know I deceived you. How could you not consider that my agreement to annul the engagement at any time… was also a lie?”
Ji Ling’s eyes widened slowly.
Carlos’s lips curled into a deliberate smile, his tone unhurried. “This engagement with you was merely a means to involve your father’s forces and provoke His Majesty. You’re a critical piece in my game. Now, His Majesty is using your situation to frame me. Do you think I would willingly annul our engagement at a time like this? That would be tantamount to admitting guilt and handing over my leverage to him.”
Ji Ling stared at Carlos in shock. Oh, so this is where the trap was set! In just a few sentences, you’ve taken me on a rollercoaster of twists and turns!
To sum it up: Carlos admitted to deceiving Ji Ling, which means he had no intention of annulling the engagement, as doing so would harm his position. So, they were back to square one—Carlos wouldn’t annul the engagement.
This was unacceptable!
Never mind all the scheming you have in that devious mind of yours—just based on what you said earlier, whether it's true or not, I can't continue to stay engaged to you!
Given Carlos’s scheming and sinister nature, Ji Ling knew he was capable of anything. He finally felt a tinge of panic. Back then, in his desperation to escape Jing Sui, he had impulsively agreed to Carlos’s terms. He’d naively believed it was just a private matter between them. Carlos’s reborn self had seemed so genuine that Ji Ling had unknowingly let his guard down.
Moreover, regardless of whether it was their past life or this one, and no matter what Carlos did behind the scenes, he always pretended to be a gentleman with a gentle demeanor in front of him. It wasn’t until this moment when he tore off all his disguises and revealed his true nature, that Ji Ling truly realized—how terrifying this man was.
He still underestimated the depth of this man’s heart.
Common sense couldn’t judge this kind of villain, who had no moral compass and treats.
Ji Ling’s eyes reddened in frustration. He glared at Carlos, trembling with anger. “You—”
Carlos looked at the boy’s furious and disappointed gaze. Coldness seeped through his chest like icy tendrils, freezing his heart into shards, yet his expression remained composed. Smiling faintly, he said, “This situation isn’t entirely without alternatives. If you agree to one thing, I’ll consider annulling the engagement.”
Ji Ling’s chest heaved. He gritted his teeth. “What do you want?”
Carlos chuckled lightly. “Although I’ve been using you, the ones who kidnapped you were the rebels, not me. You’re well aware of this. I want you to publicly clarify the facts and confirm that the rebels were behind your abduction. If you can do this, I’ll agree to annul the engagement.”
Ji Ling’s expression changed slightly, quickly grasping Carlos’s intent.
He understood he was a key player in this. The rebels had abducted him and framed Carlos, but Jing Sui didn’t want to escalate tensions with the rebels now, as it would interfere with his promotion of the genetic evolution agent. So, Jing Sui had gone along with the framing. This had left Carlos in a precarious position.
If Ji Ling publicly clarified the truth, the focus would shift to the rebels. Carlos could then pressure Jing Sui to take action against them, further hindering the agent’s rollout and tightening his grip on the empire.
Ji Ling’s face betrayed his concern.
Though he despised Gabriel, he couldn’t deny that the man had always released him unharmed. If he’d fallen into the hands of other rebel factions, he’d likely have been tortured or killed. While Gabriel was despicable, his actions hadn’t reached the level of mortal enmity.
However, this wasn’t about Gabriel alone.
It was about the countless lives at stake. Carlos would stop at nothing to maintain his rule, even if it meant rivers of blood.
Even if he disliked Jing Sui and Gabriel, even if this world wasn't his own... in this matter, he could never assist Carlos in committing such atrocities.
That way, even if he went back in the future, he would still have trouble sleeping and eating because of today’s decision.
Ji Ling’s gaze turned icy. “I will never agree to this.”
Carlos sighed as if disappointed, his eyes filled with pity. “I understand your loyalty to His Majesty. Asking you to oppose him is indeed difficult. However, since you’re unwilling to maintain the engagement, let’s try another arrangement. If you can agree to this, I’ll grant your request.”
Ji Ling frowned. “What arrangement?”
At that moment, the door burst open. A man with dark red hair, clad in a black military uniform, stormed in. With lightning speed, his fist aimed for Carlos’s face!
Carlos narrowed his eyes slightly and raised his cane to block, stepping back calmly. He lifted his gaze and spoke with indifference. “What brings you here, sir?”
Brandon stood in front of Ji Ling, shielding him firmly. His gray eyes gleamed with an icy light. “You shouldn’t be here.”
Carlos raised an eyebrow mockingly, his lips curling into a meaningful smile as he said, “Why can't I come to see my fiancée? But as for you, Marshal, on what grounds are you stopping me?”
Brandon glared at him, his voice heavy as he replied, “I will not allow you to continue deceiving and hurting him.”
Carlos suddenly let out a low chuckle. He no longer looked at Brandon but instead turned to Ji Ling and said, “If you’ve made up your mind, you can come see me anytime, anywhere you choose. So, there’s no need to worry that I’ll do anything to you.”
With that, he turned and left, not lingering a moment longer.
Brandon coldly watched Carlos’s retreating figure. Only after confirming he was truly gone did he turn back to look at Ji Ling with concern. His men stationed outside the Ji family residence had immediately informed him when Carlos arrived, prompting Brandon to drop everything and rush over, fearing Carlos might harm Ji Ling.
Brandon spoke in a low voice, “Don’t believe anything he says, and don’t go see him—it’s too dangerous.”
Ji Ling was silent for a moment before suddenly saying to Brandon, “I know because he just admitted to me that he’s only been using me and deceiving me.”
Brandon’s expression shifted to one of surprise, genuinely caught off guard this time.
Although he had been worried about Carlos sweet-talking Ji Ling, he had to admit that in this life, Carlos seemed to have some genuine feelings for Ji Ling. Could it be... he had misjudged?
That said, if Carlos had truly revealed his true colors, Ji Ling no longer trusting him might not be such a bad thing.
But to be betrayed by someone he had trusted again… What kind of blow must this be to the boy? Looking at the young man’s dim, emotionless eyes, Brandon felt his heart ache. “Don’t be sad. I will protect you from now on.”
……………
After Brandon left, Ji Ling sat alone in the room, a thoughtful expression finally surfacing on his face.
Earlier, to deal with Carlos, his nerves had been stretched taut. Now, reflecting on the situation, he found it deeply contradictory. Why had Carlos said such things? Was he truly just using him?
Ji Ling couldn’t help but doubt it. If Carlos were merely using him, the cost seemed far too great. But if Carlos had genuine feelings, then his words made even less sense.
Either way, this old fox couldn’t be trusted. Ugh, he blamed himself for acting impulsively at the time, never expecting Carlos to be such a duplicitous, treacherous scoundrel! He had completely misjudged him!
It was easy to board a pirate ship but hard to get off!
Ji Ling sighed dejectedly: [System, do you think Carlos’s words were true or false?]
The system pondered for a moment before replying seriously: [Both are possible.]
Ji Ling: [......]
He decided to give up on discussing such a complicated issue with the system.
Two weaklings brainstorming together wouldn’t suddenly become brilliant.
………………
Ji Ling continued to stay at home, passing the time by browsing the internet to keep up with outside developments. The online world was in constant uproar.
Netizens overwhelmingly supported Jing Sui, denouncing Carlos and the conservative aristocratic faction he led. Demonstrations erupted in various regions, accusing Carlos’s faction of disregarding public interests.
Carlos, however, maintained complete silence online, refraining from making any statements and letting the public debate rage on.
Jing Sui, meanwhile, sealed off the planet where Ji Ling had been rescued and launched a series of investigations. Many high-ranking nobles under Carlos’s command were arrested, and a quiet purge began to unfold.
It was a silent contest of wills.
Ji Ling, still in the eye of the storm, was not spared from speculation online. Because he remained out of sight, rumors abounded. Some said he was injured, others claimed he had been humiliated, and some even speculated he was dead. The guesses were as wild as they were varied.
But Ji Ling wasn’t concerned about these things. What troubled him was whether the engagement could truly be dissolved...
Thinking it over carefully, the engagement itself didn’t really matter. After all, it wasn’t an actual marriage. Now that everything was out in the open, the engagement was practically meaningless. As long as he employed delaying tactics, it didn’t seem like a pressing issue.
What worried him more was the potential for this engagement to implicate his family.
Even though they weren’t his real family, their care for him was genuine, and that filled Ji Ling with guilt.
Day by day, time passed.
Ji Ling remained on edge, constantly fearing that Carlos would pull something unexpected. But after Carlos left, he made no further moves, leaving Ji Ling increasingly confused.
Could it be that Carlos’s words were just an empty threat? All bark and no bite?
That didn’t seem like Carlos’s style.
One day, after finishing a meal, Ji Ling lounged in bed playing games to pass the time.
In this advanced interstellar world, gaming technology was incredibly developed. With a simple headset, one could immerse themselves in fully holographic online games. It was a fun and time-consuming distraction.
Just as he was engrossed in his game, the system spoke up.
System: [Check the Internet. Something seems off.]
Ji Ling immediately paused his game and nervously opened the web. Overnight, the tide of public opinion had shifted dramatically. For the first time in a long while, Carlos appeared, granting an interview with a prominent media outlet in the empire.
In the footage, the elegant and handsome man seemed slightly haggard. He told the reporter he had endured a great deal of baseless accusations and pressure recently, lamenting that he couldn’t even see his beloved. He hinted that the emperor was using the excuse of the gene evolution agent to eliminate political rivals and insisted he had no intention of opposing the emperor—he just wanted to see the one he loved.
The ‘devoted lover’ act was so convincing that Ji Ling was stunned. To the uninformed, it seemed like Carlos was a hopeless romantic willing to forsake power for love.
Bah! Only a fool would believe him!
But to Ji Ling’s disbelief, Carlos’s performance actually swayed some people.
Soon after, rumors emerged about connections between Madam Marina and Madam Saman, and secret meetings between Grand Duke Ji Ting and the emperor, suggesting that the Ji family, outwardly neutral, had long since allied with the emperor. The narrative claimed that despite Ji Ling and Carlos’s love, the Ji family had forcibly broken them apart.
Photos of guards stationed around the Ji family residence, arranged by Brandon, began circulating. Brandon’s unwavering loyalty to the emperor further reinforced the claim that the Ji family had sided with the emperor.
Overnight, the Ji family’s neutral and lofty position crumbled, and they were forced into the emperor’s camp.
Some conspiracy theorists speculated that the Ji family was hedging their bets, courting both sides by aligning with the emperor while keeping the engagement with Carlos intact as a fallback option.
For online spectators, it was merely drama, but for the Ji family, it was a significant blow.
When a neutral faction that stood with no one suddenly became a wavering fence-sitter, it was clearly not a good thing. Their once lofty and detached position was lost, and probing and pressure from all sides came one after another, leaving Grand Duke Ji Ting overwhelmed and exasperated.
Ji Ling followed the news with growing anxiety. As public opinion turned increasingly unfavorable for the Ji family, with no signs of abating, he realized Carlos was forcing his hand. This was just a small test; if he remained unresponsive, the next move would be far more severe than mere public opinion.
If they wanted to escape the maelstrom, dissolving the engagement was the best solution. Ji Ling also knew that, as a just ruler, Jing Sui would ultimately prevail. If he had to choose, he’d rather the Ji family align with Jing Sui.
But Carlos wouldn’t let him go so easily.
One day, in a moment of despair, Ji Ling asked the system: [What do you think Carlos will ask for in return?]
The system, understanding Ji Ling was pondering Carlos’s earlier proposal, replied: [I don’t know what conditions he’ll set, but you’d best not fall for it. He might just be lying again.]
Ji Ling thought so too. But to let the situation spiral unchecked, hiding at home like a coward while his family bore the brunt of the pressure… made him feel deeply guilty.
The boy hung his head dejectedly.
The system said: [Don’t take it too seriously. It’s just gossip. Grand Duke Ji Ting knows what he’s doing and can handle it.]
Ji Ling forced a faint smile.
In the evening, he sat down at the table with his parents for dinner.
Madam Marina kept piling food into his bowl and gently said, “Eat more. You've gotten thinner lately; it makes me feel heartbroken to see.”
Ji Ling silently poked at the food in his bowl before suddenly saying, “Dad, Mom, Uncle Carlos is refusing to dissolve the engagement, isn't he?”
Madam Marina’s expression stiffened as she said, “Your father and I will handle this. Don’t worry about it.”
Grand Duke Ji Ting smiled and said, “It’s just some baseless rumors online. Don’t take them to heart. I’ll keep negotiating with him.”
Ji Ling glanced at his father’s somewhat tired eyes and said nothing more.
After dinner, he returned to his room and couldn’t fall asleep all night.
………………
The next morning, Ji Ling got up early, opened his communicator, and decisively sent Carlos a message: “10 a.m., Central Plaza. Meet me there.”
The system was shocked: [You’ve decided to meet Carlos?]
Ji Ling replied calmly: [Yes. It’s just a meeting. Who’s afraid of who?]
Knowing Carlos wasn’t trustworthy, Ji Ling didn’t make the decision impulsively. Central Plaza was the busiest commercial area in the Emperor Star, teeming with people. He wasn’t foolish enough to go to Carlos’s home. Meeting in Central Plaza meant Carlos couldn’t try anything reckless unless he’d completely lost his mind.
To be extra cautious, Ji Ling brought not only the family’s guards but also those stationed outside by Brandon.
He made a grand exit with a full entourage!
At 9:50 a.m., Ji Ling arrived at Central Plaza, walking and mulling over whether his arrangements were foolproof.
Ji Ling: [Are there any flaws in my plan? Think it over for me.]
The system thought for a moment: [Doesn’t seem like it. I think you’ve covered everything.]
After some thought, Ji Ling instructed the guards following him, “If I don’t come out in 20 minutes, come in and find me.”
He then entered the arranged meeting spot and began waiting patiently.
At exactly 10 a.m., Carlos arrived punctually at the location.
Today, Carlos wore a double-breasted vintage suit, exuding charm and elegance. A slender, seemingly frail servant followed behind him, head bowed respectfully, standing quietly in his shadow.
Ji Ling glanced at Carlos coldly and got straight to the point. “What’s the second proposal you mentioned last time?”
But Carlos wasn’t in a hurry to answer. Instead, he leisurely surveyed the surroundings, a hint of amusement in his voice. “You’re quite cautious today.”
Ha, as if I’d fall for your tricks again! Against a sly fox like you, I can’t be too careful! Ji Ling proudly lifted his chin and huffed, “Say what you want to say.”
Carlos strolled up to Ji Ling, lowering his gaze to look at him. Suddenly, a teasing chuckle escaped his lips. “Too bad you’re still a little too naïve…”
Ji Ling met his gaze and suddenly felt tense, masking his nerves with bravado. “Don’t you dare try anything! My men are waiting right outside. If you so much as touch me, everyone will immediately know all your previous words were lies!”
Carlos sighed softly. “How could I bear to harm you?”
Ji Ling frowned, his wariness intensifying as he stared at him.
Carlos gazed at the boy. Ji Ling’s blue eyes were full of distrust and vigilance, like a wounded, wary little beast that no longer dared to trust anyone easily.
Yet, he had still come.
That tender heart and kindness were weaknesses he could never abandon—and the very reason Carlos loved him.
A faint smile surfaced in Carlos’s eyes, his voice softening unexpectedly. “I’ve missed you…”
Ji Ling bristled instantly, standing up on reflex, but the next moment, Carlos’s arm wrapped tightly around his waist, pulling him into a firm embrace! One hand restrained him, while the other covered his mouth. Warm breaths brushed against his ear as Carlos chuckled in a low, magnetic voice. “I’m truly happy you came to see me today.”
Ji Ling’s eyes widened in shock, unable to make a sound.
How dare Carlos!
Just as Ji Ling was reeling from disbelief, the seemingly timid servant standing behind Carlos stepped forward. Slowly, the servant removed their hat and took off a disguising device hidden behind their ear.
He looked up to reveal a stunningly beautiful face with golden hair and blue eyes.
Ji Ling’s pupils shrank suddenly.
He froze in utter shock.
No way!
The boy gave Ji Ling a shy smile. The face was so identical that even Ji Ling couldn’t tell them apart. He watched as his doppelgänger respectfully bowed to Carlos and said, “Master, I’ll leave now.”
Carlos nodded, smirking. “Go ahead.”
Then Carlos lowered his head, brushing his lips lightly against Ji Ling’s ear as he whispered, “See? You’re back with me again.”
The author has something to say:
Ji Ling: I thought blackening myself would solve everything QAQ.
Author: Turns out, there’s always someone darker than you XD.
Ji Ling: Uncle Carlos, this author is too evil! Can you take her out for me? I’ll give you a kiss QAQ.
Carlos: Sure, darling.
Author: ???
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