The Mighty Mage
Chapter 345: The Truth

Chapter 345: Chapter 345: The Truth

To everyone’s shock, the artifact glowed red once again, just as brilliantly as it had for Gu Jin.

Gasps echoed through the room. Mrs. Gu pressed a hand to her chest, her face pale.

"How... how can this be?" she whispered. "Only one of you can be our true daughter..."

Aihan’s face lit up with triumph. She turned to Gu Jin with a smirk.

"See? I told you! I’m the real daughter! You’re just a liar pretending to be part of this family!"

Gu Jin, however, didn’t react. Instead, her expression remained calm and thoughtful. She stared at the artifact, her mind working quickly.

Then, she turned to Aihan, who was practically gloating.

"If you’re so confident, then why don’t you give me your DNA test?" Gu Jin asked, her tone calm but sharp.

"Let me take a closer look."

Aihan’s smug expression faltered. She took a step back, clutching her bag tightly.

"Why should I? It’s already proven! The artifact glowed red for me too, didn’t it? That means I’m the real daughter!"

Gu Jin narrowed her eyes, her lips curling into a faint, cold smile.

Without a word, a green vine suddenly shot out from her sleeve, snatching the envelope containing Aihan’s DNA test from her bag.

The movement was so quick that Aihan didn’t have time to react.

"Hey! Give that back!" Aihan shouted, her face turning red with anger.

Gu Jin ignored her protests and carefully examined the document.

Her ruby-like eyes glinted as she studied it thoughtfully. After a moment, she lifted her gaze and turned to Mr. Gu.

"Dad," she began, her tone steady but serious.

"Is there an artifact in the Gu family that can test parentage using hair instead of blood?"

Mr. Gu’s brow furrowed in confusion.

"Hair? Why would you ask that?" he asked.

Gu Jin straightened, her expression sharp.

"Because there’s a problem with blood tests. They rely entirely on the blood itself. And if someone’s bone marrow has been replaced, their blood will match the donor’s DNA."

The room went deathly silent. Everyone stared at Gu Jin, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.

"What are you saying?" Mrs. Gu asked, her voice trembling.

Gu Jin’s eyes shifted to Aihan, who was now frozen in place, her face pale as a sheet.

"I’m saying that if Aihan received a bone marrow transplant from someone in the Gu family, her blood would match yours. That’s why the artifact and the DNA test both show a match."

Gasps rippled through the room. Aihan’s hands trembled as she clenched her fists.

"That’s ridiculous!" she shouted, though her voice wavered.

"Why would I do something like that? And how would you know about it?"

Gu Jin’s cold smile deepened. "I know because you’ve been desperate from the start," she said calmly.

"You’ve been trying to discredit me at every turn, even before I came to Beijing. It’s obvious you have something to hide."

Aihan’s panic was evident now, but she quickly turned the accusation around.

"If anyone stole bone marrow, it’s you!" she cried. "You must’ve stolen it from someone in the family to fake being related to them!"

Gu Jin raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by the accusation.

"Interesting theory," she said smoothly.

"But if I’d done that, I wouldn’t need to expose you, would I? I’d just sit back and let everyone believe your lies."

Aihan opened her mouth to argue but found herself at a loss for words. The room remained tense, all eyes on her.

Finally, Mr. Gu spoke, his tone firm.

"We’ll settle this once and for all. I’ll have someone bring the parentage-testing artifact that uses hair."

He glanced at Aihan, his sharp eyes narrowing. "If you’re telling the truth, you have nothing to fear."

Aihan’s face turned even paler, but she couldn’t find a way to refuse.

Mr. Gu didn’t waste any time.

He turned to one of the servants and ordered,

"Bring the parentage-testing artifact that uses hair." His voice was cold and sharp, leaving no room for argument.

The servant quickly left and returned moments later with a small, ceramic pot.

The artifact was plain compared to the glowing lotus, but it emitted a faint aura of magic.

The servant carefully handed it to Mr. Gu, who placed it on the table.

"This artifact is different," Mr. Gu explained.

"It determines parentage using hair instead of blood. If the person is truly related to the Gu family, the pot will glow red. If not, it will turn black."

He turned to Gu Jin first. "Gu Jin, you go first."

Gu Jin nodded without hesitation.

She reached up, plucked a strand of her hair, and dropped it into the artifact.

The room was silent, everyone holding their breath as they watched.

The pot shimmered for a moment, then glowed a bright red.

Mrs. Gu let out a gasp of relief, her hand clutching her chest. "It’s red," she whispered, her voice trembling. "She really is..."

But before she could finish, Mr. Gu turned to Aihan.

His expression was stern, his eyes like daggers. "Your turn," he said firmly.

Aihan’s hands clenched into fists, and she hesitated.

"Why do I have to do it again? Didn’t the blood test already prove I’m your daughter?" she argued, her voice unsteady.

"This will settle it once and for all," Mr. Gu replied.

"If you have nothing to hide, you won’t be afraid to try."

Aihan’s face turned pale.

She looked around the room, her gaze darting from one person to another, searching for support.

But all she saw were expectant stares.

Finally, she closed her eyes tightly and plucked a strand of her hair. Her hands trembled as she dropped it into the pot.

The room fell into silence again.

Everyone stared at the pot, waiting for the result.

For a few moments, nothing happened. Then, instead of glowing red, the pot turned black.

Gasps echoed around the room. Mrs. Gu stumbled back, her face pale with shock.

"Black..." she murmured, unable to believe what she was seeing.