[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-anomaly-beyond-the-system":3,"chapter-the-anomaly-beyond-the-system-the-anomaly-beyond-the-system-chapter-16":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Anomaly Beyond The System",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},337369,599,"Chapter 16: Both of them are crazy","the-anomaly-beyond-the-system-chapter-16",16,"\u003Cp>Chapter 16: Both of them are crazy\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, Lucian's mind spiralled into many dark thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He really wanted to take his mother out of that place, but he couldn't for many reasons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn't even if he wanted to, since legally she was labelled as a criminal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A woman convicted of abusing her own son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn't just barge into the facility, saying, 'I am her son, give her back to me,' and take her home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because her son was legally dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was legally dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one would believe him, and even if he claimed to be a relative, he had no documents to substantiate his claims.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No birth certificate, no DNA tests, nothing that connected him to his mother, to Seraphina Cross.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if he claimed to be a relative?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would laugh—and kick him out of the building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no proof. No documents. No name that connected him to Seraphina Cross.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clenched his jaw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't know whether his father was keeping tabs on her or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing that man, and considering his character, it wouldn't be surprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had only one way to take her out with him, and that was legally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for that,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I need money and connections.\" He muttered to himself while walking down the street, his hands in his pockets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The evening sky hung low, washed in dull shades of orange and grey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wore a white hoodie over a black T-shirt, slim black joggers clinging to his legs, and worn running shoes that had seen better days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing about him stood out—at least, not at first glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His apartment was far from the place his mother was kept so he had to take a public transport to come here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Lia is going to kill me if she found out that I went out this far without telling her.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was difficult to remember that he was the elder sibling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lia still scolded him whenever he was stayed out too long, even though he was already fit and capable enough to go outside without worrying about fatigue or dizziness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she had a reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had felt dizzy during the first few days, and due to overwork, even fainted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, Lia had practically locked him indoors, refusing to let him step outside for days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been training for a month now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't a long period of time for him to gain the physique of a Greek god, but it was enough to make a change from his previous form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He now looked better, and didn't look like someone who might fly off by the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving his bodybuilding transformation for later, he had done one other thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He bought lottery tickets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before his regression, he remembered a handful of events—and this lottery result was among them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hated asking Lia for money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made him feel small. Useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he asked anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't the time to be controlled by ego or pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lia, though surprised, gave it to him without even asking why he wanted it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Is my sister an angel?' He wondered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Yeah, your sister is the angel and I am the devil.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akasha grumbled, sulking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Oh, come on. Stop being jealous.' Lucian rolled his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever he complimented on Lia, Akasha always said something to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I am not jealous. I literally gave you another life and she is the angel?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her irritated voice further strengthened his theory that she was being jealous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'And dear, I am grateful for that. Now, should I bow down to you so you believe me.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[No need for that. As long as you acknowledge I'm the most important one.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Yes, yes, my dear angel.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[HEY—!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small smile tugged at his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few men glanced at him strangely as he passed. A few women slowed their steps, their gazes lingering longer than necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He ignored them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time he reached his apartment, the sky had darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He unlocked the door and stepped inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he entered, he was greeted by an aroma of delicious food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm home,\" he said, closing the door behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he walked into the kitchen, he saw Lia cooking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her slender figure stood over the stove, hair tied up in a loose ponytail that swayed as she moved. She was humming a tune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment she sensed him, she turned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She rushed at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Welcome home!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whoa—Lia—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She jumped straight into his arms, legs wrapping around his waist, arms locked tight around his shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact made him stagger back a step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lia, I just came from outside.\" He said, trying to pry her off gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn't loosen her grip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything, she tightened her arms around him and pressed her face into his neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[She's sniffing you like a dog.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akasha's voice rang in his head, sounding genuinely disturbed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucian blinked and glanced down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lia's nose brushed against his skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tilted his head slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'She looks more like a cat.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Akasha went silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Are you worried about that. Didn't you hear?! She is sniffing you! What kind of sister does this!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She couldn't understand this man anymore. She had thought he was still somewhat stable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently, her assumption was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Is he already insane? Or was he insane from the start?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lucian brushed it aside like it was nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What's the big deal? She is my sister. She can do anything she wants.' He said it casually, as if it was not weird at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he hugged her back, his hand instinctively moving to pat her head. At the same time, he peeked over her shoulder to make sure the food wasn't burning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lia trembled faintly in his arms and clutched him tighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[He's already crazy.] Akasha muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could somewhat understand Lucian's strange justification—he clung to the few bonds he had left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dying once, losing too much, having too little stability… it made sense that he would latch onto the only warmth he had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what she didn't understand was Lia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her clinginess had increased. No—multiplied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before, she was affectionate, yes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sought his comfort, yes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>['She's getting attached too quickly…'] She thought to herself.\u003C\u002Fp>",1044,"2026-05-30T03:42:50.397Z","2026-06-01T04:30:13.202Z",1,"novelbin.me","6050ab838b610ba808edc1d7069bbd67fa1410ace28d434fec89f86774133d86","the-anomaly-beyond-the-system-chapter-17","the-anomaly-beyond-the-system-chapter-15",137,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-anomaly-beyond-the-system-cover.jpg"]