Li Chen's eyeballs felt like they were about to burst.

HUFF... HUFF...

Gasping for breath, his legs trembled violently. After seeing Xu Jing's gruesome corpse, he could no longer support himself and collapsed to his knees.

"I... my Li Family in Cangyun City…"

His family had always been his greatest support and his trump card, but for some reason, he found himself unable to finish the sentence.

Who was this man? That was the former Nine Gates Admiral, the Zhennan Prince!

Even though he had retired.

But who in the world didn't know that when he stepped down, all eight hundred thousand Martial Guards of the Former Hanyun Valley ignored every temptation of promotion and titles, resolutely choosing to retire with him. Those eight hundred thousand men obeyed only him!

He couldn't have imagined in his wildest dreams that he would provoke such a formidable figure. Most crucially, he had targeted his woman.

He wanted me to personally deliver Qin Qiu? This... this...

At this thought, Li Chen felt utterly devastated. He lost control, and a puddle of pale-yellow liquid spread out beneath him, dripping onto the floor.

Forcibly abducting women was a routine matter for him.

But today, he had kicked a steel plate!

The... the Zhennan Prince. Damn it...

Terrified out of his wits, Li Chen propped his hands on the ground and frantically shuffled backward. His face was ashen, his eyes bulging as if he had seen the most terrifying thing in the world.

Chen Yang looked down, staring at him indifferently. "Speak. Who did you give your payment to, and what does this have to do with Su Ling?"

"I... I'll talk! But... if I tell you, can you…" Li Chen nodded desperately, seeing a glimmer of hope. If he could just grasp it, perhaps he could escape death.

However, Chen Yang raised his hand and slapped him across the face.

SMACK.

Li Chen was sent flying, spinning several times through the air before crashing heavily onto the ground, blood spraying from his mouth.

With that single blow, half the bones in his body were broken. He looked as if he'd just been fished out of a pool of blood, his pupils dilated to their limit, his breathing labored.

The esteemed young master of the Li Family—when had he ever been treated so miserably? When had he ever been beaten like a dead dog?

"It was Jiang Ying! She approached me!"

At this moment, Li Chen was completely despondent. He would rather die than continue to exist in this half-dead state, enduring inhuman torture.

"Jiang Ying?"

Chen Yang's eyes narrowed. He vaguely recalled that on his first day at the villa, a woman named Jiang Ying had shown up, claiming the house was hers before Su Ling drove her away.

So that's how it was.

"Where can I find her?" Chen Yang asked.

"She's at a friend's birthday party. Right, it's in the same residential community where you live." Li Chen dared not hide anything, spilling everything. Finally, he added, "Her friend's name is Tang Lan, I think."

「Outside the clubhouse」

Night had already fallen.

Chen Yang lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.

BOOM!

The three-story building behind him split down the middle and collapsed. The rising dust and smoke billowed out like a monster, devouring everything in its path.

Chen Yang strode away without a single glance back.

After all, real men don't look at explosions.

The van sped along the central avenue, heading for Mountains Rivers Villa.

He truly hadn't imagined that this matter would be connected to Tang Lan.

But it no longer mattered.

This time, Chen Yang was truly enraged.

***

Cold moonlight slanted down.

At this moment, the Tang Family Villa was bustling with excitement.

The seat of honor, which should have belonged to Tang Yuan, was now occupied by Tang Lan, while he, the head of the family, sat to the side, accompanying the guests.

To Tang Lan's right sat a young man in martial attire. He was brimming with vitality, his eyes sharp and spirited, and his entire being exuded an aura of iron-willed discipline.

He was thirty-two or thirty-three years old and nearly 1.9 meters tall. Even while seated, he resembled an iron tower, inspiring awe.

Tang Feng.

Tang Yuan's eldest grandson and Tang Lan's older brother.

Having joined the Martial Department, he had already risen to the rank of an Eighth Rank Military General. He had taken advantage of the recent reorganization of the Hanyun Valley Martial Guards to successfully become one of the four Commanders of Hanyun Valley.

This was an unparalleled honor.

However, it was a source of great regret that all the subordinates who once served the Zhennan Prince had left. Not a single one remained.

"Lan, happy birthday. I hope you find your perfect man soon."

"May you stay forever young."

Around the table, seven or eight people raised their glasses, offering their sincerest blessings.

"Thank you, everyone."

Dressed in a pink gown, Tang Lan was undoubtedly the brightest star of the evening. She stood and bowed to everyone in thanks. She hadn't wanted a big celebration; everyone present was one of her closest friends.

Afterward, the group began to chat enthusiastically, with the conversation always revolving around Tang Lan.

Only Jiang Ying kept her eyes fixed on Tang Feng, who was seated beside her. Occasionally flashing a flirtatious smile, she whispered, "Mr. Tang, you're so handsome. You look especially strong and manly in that uniform."

"Thank you."

Tang Feng nodded slightly. He wasn't averse to the woman giving him constant attention; after all, she was quite attractive.

"No, no, thank you. I'm just telling the truth," Jiang Ying said, blinking as she leaned toward Tang Feng. "Mr. Tang, I'll be moving into this community soon, so we'll be neighbors."

"When I do, I'll ask you out for a drink. You won't refuse, will you?"

Tang Feng inhaled her charming fragrance. This seductive woman certainly had her appeal.

"Of course not," Tang Feng grinned. "The honor would be all mine."

Just then, Chen Yang walked in from outside.

The crowd furrowed their brows.

"You… you came!"

Tang Lan shot to her feet, a mix of delight and resentment in her eyes. Remembering how he had rejected her before, she subconsciously pursed her lips.

"Come in, come in, have a seat," Tang Yuan beckoned warmly.

In his eyes, the young man had clearly come to his senses, and his previous refusal was simply a matter of pride.

"I'm not here for you."

Chen Yang's gaze swept across the room, finally settling on Jiang Ying.

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