Want My Brain? Ask My Eight Dads First

The day my rich parents come to claim me, all eight of my godfathers weep while sending me off. But just two days later, because I score a whole hundred points higher than the fake heiress, Sharon Staton, on a mock exam, my parents drag me to some black-market underground hospital. They want to dig out my brain and transplant it into Sharon. "With your return, Sharon is no longer the only princess in our family. Giving her your smart brain is the least you can do to make it up to her." "Relax, we'll have them put an ordinary brain in you afterward. We'll care for you for the rest of your life!" Sharon giggles and says, "I'll let you in on a little secret. I already bribed the doctor. The brain they're putting in you belongs to an idiot. You're done for." I struggle with everything I have. Then, the second I'm dragged out of the car, I can't help feeling amused. Isn't this the hospital owned by my eight godfathers? When I left home, Big Pops, a CEO, had looked at me with bloodshot eyes. He'd told me that if the Stanton family so much as laid a finger on me, he would bankrupt them without hesitation. Second Pops, a surgeon, hadn't said a word. He had just quietly wiped down his scalpel. This time, it looks like Sharon and my parents won't be walking out of here alive. Chapter 1 At the entrance of the black market, I spotted my eighth and final godfather, Little Pops, in the distance. A rush of excitement swept over me. I bolted forward, about to call out to him, but my father, Jack, suddenly yanked me back and tied me up tight. My mother, Emma, took the chance to pry my mouth open. A bottle of medicine was forced down my throat. As the liquid trickled down, it left a path of fire in its wake. I gagged and spat out a mouthful of blood, then realized I couldn't make a sound anymore. My mother wiped the blood off the hem of her dress, looking disgusted. "You wanted to find someone to help you call the cops, huh? Don't blame us for this. You're the one who wouldn't behave!" Before I could catch my breath, an icy iron mask was strapped over my face. My parents and my adoptive sister, Sharon Stanton, also put on their own masks. I'd forgotten about that. Little Pops had told me before that these rich people wanted to do evil but didn't want anyone to know. So, the black market had a rule—every customer had to wear a mask to go inside. I guess that meant my parents knew as well that what they were doing wasn't exactly angelic. "Alright, let's get going. The earlier we get the surgery over and done with, the less you'll have to suffer." Little Pops came over to greet us. He was slim and stood with his back straight, and his signature smile was in place. He didn't look like someone who scraped by in a black market at all. "Customer number nine? This way, please." Both sides of the passageway were lined with rooms partitioned off by sheet metal. From inside came waves of screams, and blood slowly seeped out through the gaps under the doors. Jack pushed me forward and deliberately lowered his voice threateningly. "Hear that? If you don't behave, you'll be locked up in there, too. The man up ahead is the boss of this place. He may look amicable, but he's known for being vicious under that smile. He rounded up everyone here, so you'd better not cause trouble!" I almost burst out laughing. A man who looked amicable but was actually vicious? Was he talking about my Little Pops, who had once tracked a human trafficking ring for thousands of miles, rescued a truckful of kidnapped kids, and then personally sent each child back home? In this black market, the only ones who got beaten up were the real scumbags. I stared coldly at my parents and Sharon. I figured it wouldn't be long before it was their turn to get beaten. While Jack wasn't paying attention, I suddenly broke free from his grip and hurled myself at the wall beside us. As long as I got the iron mask off, Little Pops would recognize me! However, Jack quickly lunged after me and shoved my head straight into the brazier next to us. I screamed as the flames heated the mask in an instant, making a searing pain tear across my face. The stench of scorched flesh filled the air, and the mask fused directly to my skin. "Who said you could take off the mask on your own? If you break the black market's rules, you'll be dead before you even know it!" "What are you doing? You'll scare our daughter!" Emma quickly dragged Jack away and kept scolding him. Then, she turned and covered Sharon's eyes. "Don't be scared, Sharon. She was misbehaving, so your dad had to punish her. You're our sweetest, most well-behaved princess. We would never do that to you." My heart twisted painfully. All my life, the only family I'd had was my eight godfathers. They treated me so, so well, but I'd always heard people talking about how wonderful it was to be loved by a mother. I'd always wondered what it felt like to have one. That was why I'd been over the moon when the Stantons had first come to claim me. I'd carefully combed my hair and put on my prettiest dress, hoping my mother would like me. I never imagined that this was what she would be like. My face and throat burned, and even my eyes felt like they were on fire. I turned toward Little Pops and sobbed. If I could talk, I would tell him that I didn't want to be a part of the Stantons anymore. I wanted to go home. Chapter 2 Little Pops glanced at me and frowned, unable to stomach the torture I was being put through. He stepped between Jack and me. "You booked some kind of surgery, right? If you beat her up this badly, how's she supposed to have an operation? Come with me." The doctor hadn't arrived yet, so we could only wait in the ward. Little Pops flipped through the surgery forms, his eyes full of surprise. "You're doing a brain transplant? Did she agree to it herself?" He looked over at me. I shook my head as hard as I could. Jack's hand cracked across my face. I slammed into the metal cabinet, stars bursting before my eyes. Emma tried to smooth things over. "Of course she agrees. She's our own daughter. It's just that she was switched at birth. The one who's been living with us for over a decade is this one, my sweetheart. Naturally, my sweetheart is upset now that my daughter is back. We have to compensate her somehow." She affectionately wrapped her arm around Sharon. The tenderness between them hurt my eyes. Little Pops gave them a cold look, his brows drawing together as he muttered, "Another poor kid who got switched… I wonder how Maisie is doing right now…" When I heard that, I struggled even harder. I wanted to tell him I was right there. It was me! Little Pops looked at me, suddenly hesitant. He took a few steps closer, as if he wanted to see past the mask on my face. But Jack suddenly kicked me in the waist. I crashed to the floor, curling up from the pain. Tears filled my eyes, blurring my vision. I thought of the old days, when my eight godfathers doted on me. I'd grown up spoiled and pampered, and I'd never even scratched a finger. Who would've thought that as soon as I went "home", my life would turn straight into a living hell? Little Pops took pity on me. He reached down to pull me up and said, "Enough. How can you treat your real daughter like this for your adopted daughter's sake? You even want to take her brain out? What kind of parents are you? "Everyone has their own fate. Even if you risk everything to swap brains, there's no guarantee your adopted daughter will end up smart. I think you should forget about this surgery." My parents looked embarrassed. They exchanged a glance, both of them wavering. Right on cue, Sharon suddenly started to cry. "I knew you guys still cared more about her than you do about me. I really don't belong in this family. She's smarter than me, and she'll definitely be more successful than I am. I just wanted a smart brain so I could make a lot of money and take care of you guys…" Before she even finished, her body went limp, and she fainted on the spot. Emma was so worried that tears filled her eyes. "Sweetheart, sweetheart! She must have low blood sugar from not eating before the surgery. Quick, get her some glucose!" My parents hurriedly helped Sharon out of the room. But before leaving, Emma didn't forget to look back at Little Pops and say, "That wretch will be fine. She grew up suffering. She's used to it. It's not like she'll starve to death. Whatever you do, don't give her anything to eat. Don't mess up my sweetheart's surgery!" The ward quieted down. Little Pops crouched down and looked at me with pity. "I've got a precious kid at home with a background just like yours. Whose precious kid are you?" As he spoke, he untied the ropes around me. "Run. I can buy you two hours." Tears streamed down my face. Out of my eight godfathers, Little Pops was the one I'd met first. After Sharon's birth mother swapped us, she'd raised me for two years before getting sick of me. Then, she'd dumped me beside a trash can, and I'd started wandering the streets. That was when I'd met Little Pops, who'd also been living off the streets. After that, we'd stuck together and begged for food. He always said, "Ever since meeting you, I've gotten more food than before. Maisie, you're my lucky charm!" Later, we'd gradually met my seven other godfathers. Little Pops would always tell them, "Maisie is a lucky charm. You guys have to take good care of her!" I thought of those days. I remembered how each time we headed out to beg for food, Little Pops would bend down, and I would give a little hop onto his back. He would carry me through street after street, the setting sun stretching our shadows long on the ground. If I jumped onto his back again now, he would recognize me for sure, right? With that thought, I took a deep breath and jumped with all my might. Chapter 3 But my face was in too much pain. I misjudged my jump and crashed hard onto the floor. Little Pops stared at me, a bit dazed. He was just about to help me up when my parents suddenly pushed the door open and walked in with Sharon. "Sweetheart, once the surgery is over and a success, I'll treat you to a big feast!" my mother cooed. She and Jack spoke to Sharon with voices sweet as honey. But when they looked over at me, their faces instantly darkened. Jack snarled, "Trying to run, huh? You stole Sharon's place as our daughter and all the love that should've been hers. What's wrong with giving a little back? How can you be so selfish?" He lifted his foot and stomped down hard on my left leg. There was a sickening crack as my bone split. My scream got stuck in my throat. Pain arched my whole body off the floor, and I couldn't stop trembling. "Still thinking of running?" He raised his foot again, aiming for my right leg. Little Pops frowned and stepped in front of me. "The doctor's here." At the end of the hallway, a tall, slim figure in a white coat was walking toward us. My eyes lit up at the sight of him. It was Second Pops, the smartest person I knew. He would definitely recognize me! My parents and Sharon hurried over to him, their faces full of fawning smiles. Second Pops took the surgery order and casually flipped through it. His expression went cold almost immediately. "A brain transplant? Who accepted this case? Are you out of your minds? This surgery is extremely difficult, and there hasn't been a single successful case in the world. I can't do it." Emma quickly pulled a black card out of her bag. "Dr. Slater, you're the top surgeon in the world. We consulted many specialists, and they all said that only you can perform this surgery. The price is negotiable. As for the risk, we only need you to guarantee my sweetheart's safety." She glanced at me, then lowered her voice. "As for her… it doesn't matter what happens." My whole body burned with pain, but my heart turned ice-cold. Second Pops lowered his eyes and looked at me. I hurriedly lifted my fingers and tapped out the Morse code he had taught me. "Hurry… Save me… It's me, Mai—" Second Pops frowned slightly. But right then, Emma noticed what I was doing. Her high heel came down on my fingers without the slightest hesitation. I let out a bloodcurdling scream, but she still wasn't satisfied. She ground down on all ten of my fingers, one after another. "I knew it. You've been acting weird ever since we stepped into the black market. You were trying to get someone to save you, huh? Don't bother. We paid a fortune for this, so we're big clients here. They won't help you. "You'd be better off behaving yourself and obediently giving your brain to Sharon. Maybe we'll treat you a little better in the future if you do." Sharon leaned in, her voice full of smugness. "Yeah. I carefully picked out a really good brain for you, you know. I know you're jealous of me, but as long as you behave and do what you're told, Mom and Dad will like you, too." She pretended to help me up, but her nails dug viciously into the soft flesh at my waist. Not that it mattered. I was already numb from the pain. I let out a cold laugh, then suddenly lunged at her and clamped my teeth down on her ear. Chapter 4 Sharon let out a bloodcurdling scream as I sank my teeth hard into her ear with everything I had. I jerked my head hard, and with a tearing sound, I bit her ear off. "Sharon! How dare you, you bitch!" Emma went crazy and lunged at me, shoving me away with all her strength. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Second Pops' expression change. He was the one who had taught me that if I were losing a fight, I could jab at the eyes or bite the ear. Once the other person was in pain, they would let go, and then I could run. I stared at him for a long moment, but I didn't dare hope he would recognize me. Instead, I turned and ran. Little Pops only half-heartedly tried to block me. Dragging my broken leg, I darted straight for the small door at the end of the hall. It was a secret that my godfathers had told me about. "Maisie, remember that if something ever happens at the black market, you go out through here and just keep running. Don't look back!" Behind me, Second Pops and Little Pops both froze. "How does she know about the escape tunnel?" they asked themselves. I ran as fast as my single good leg could take me, everything familiar whipping past in my peripheral vision. My legs went numb, but my body kept moving on autopilot. My parents' furious curses and their pounding footsteps closed in from behind. My father roared, "Get back here, you brat! Where the hell did she go? She has to be in here somewhere. Worst case, we start a fire and smoke her out!" Then, Emma's annoyed voice snapped back at him. "What nonsense are you talking about? What if you burn her to death? I don't care if she dies, but then our sweetheart's surgery can't happen, can it? You know how much Sharon has been looking forward to this!" A wave of bitterness washed over me. I got distracted, and my left leg caught on something. I pitched forward and crashed face-first into the wet mud. The footsteps came closer. Second Pops stopped behind me and lifted me off the ground. He was strong, so I couldn't break free. All I could do was desperately try to hint to him that I was his Maisie and that I didn't want to be taken back. I would die in there! Back then, when I had taken a bullet for him, he'd sworn he would protect me for the rest of his life. Yet now, he put me down on the operating table. "I'll take this surgery," he said. "Get your precious daughter up here." My parents were overjoyed. With tears in their eyes, they said they wanted to watch the whole thing from start to finish. Sharon and I were laid out side by side on two operating tables. She turned and glanced at the tray next to her, where a brain was soaked in fluid in a glass jar. That was the "idiot's brain" that she had specially prepared for me. She let out a smug little laugh. Then, the anesthesia took hold. She slipped into unconsciousness, and her skull was opened. I stared at the gory scene, shaking uncontrollably, completely consumed by despair. And then, in the next second, Second Pops stopped. He set down the scalpel, took off his gloves, and pulled his phone out of his pocket. My parents panicked and started cursing him on the spot. "Why the hell are you on the phone in the middle of surgery? Can you bear the consequences if anything happens to our daughter?" Second Pops ignored them and suddenly looked over at me. His eyes were bloodshot. He sent out a voice message. "Still out there hustling for cash? Get your asses to the black market in the next ten minutes. Maisie's been abused so badly she's not even recognizable anymore!" Almost as soon as he finished speaking, the roar of motorcycles exploded outside. It was deafening, thundering in from every direction.