Chu Lintian sat inside a van.
The people around her were all her trusted subordinates.
Their eyes were fixed on the comings and goings of vehicles at the factory.
No one spoke; they simply waited in silence for Chu Lintian’s orders.
Gazing out the window at the factory, Chu Lintian remembered how her older brother used to bring her here to play when they were younger.
Back then, her brother had already begun handling factory matters, helping their ailing father with many responsibilities.
Later, her brother’s close friend invited him to start a business together.
Her brother mortgaged the factory to raise capital for the venture.
Thus, Dajiang Company was born.
Eventually, it grew into the Dajiang Group.
But then, her brother and sister-in-law died in a car accident, leaving only her and Miaomiao to rely on each other.
Miaomiao inherited her brother’s shares, while Chu Lintian acted as her guardian, managing the shares on her behalf.
All these years, Chu Lintian had never stopped investigating the truth behind her brother and sister-in-law’s deaths.
Yet the deeper she dug, the more horrified she became—because the trail led straight to her brother’s old friend, Jiang Beihe.
There was no concrete evidence, only circumstantial signs.
But those signs strongly suggested that Jiang Beihe was the one responsible for their deaths.
Though he hadn’t done the deed himself.
Among the pile of anonymous evidence was information about this very factory.
Originally, the factory produced clothing, leather bags, and shoes.
After her brother mortgaged it, he never managed to reclaim ownership.
Now, the factory belonged to Jiang Beihe.
And what was being produced here? Counterfeit goods—some of which bore the branding of Dajiang Group’s products.
“Have you made contact?” Chu Lintian asked from inside the van.
“Yes, they’re on their way.”
Just then, her phone rang.
She glanced down—the caller ID read “Jiang Beihe.”
Taking a deep breath, she answered.
“Hello, Brother Jiang. What’s the matter?”
Playing along had been how she’d survived in the Dajiang Group for so long.
But this time, Jiang Beihe’s tone lacked its usual warmth. Instead, it carried a venomous edge.
“Chu Lintian, I know you’ve been digging into me. If you keep investigating, I can’t guarantee what might happen to Miaomiao.”
The call ended abruptly.
A second later, a photo arrived on her phone.
It showed her home—and in the corner, a pair of feet.
Chu Lintian recognized them instantly. They were Miaomiao’s.
She immediately called back. The moment the line connected, she screamed, “Jiang Beihe, if anything happens to Miaomiao, I swear I’ll make you pay!”
“Leave Guancheng. Sell me your shares. Take Miaomiao and get out of Guangdong. I wouldn’t want my old friend’s bloodline to end, after all.”
Jiang Beihe’s voice was calm, almost magnanimous. He was confident he held all the cards.
After a long pause, Chu Lintian spoke again.
“Fine. But I need proof that Miaomiao is safe.”
“Of course. Once the paperwork is done, she’ll be returned to you.”
The call ended.
Chu Lintian slumped to the floor.
Had she been discovered?
Would it have been simpler to just hire someone to kill Jiang Beihe outright?
She had always intended to bring him down within the rules.
But Jiang Beihe didn’t play by the rules. He had crossed the line—targeting her, and now Miaomiao.
Her fists clenched.
Calling the police now would only put Miaomiao in greater danger.
---
Miaomiao and Xie Yuling were tied up—but not at Miaomiao’s home.
Jiang Beihe had prepared another apartment in the same building. He had planned this kidnapping meticulously.
Their phones had already been confiscated.
The man who had taken them, Wei, had locked them inside and was now waiting for further instructions.
If the police showed up, he would kill both girls and flee.
After all, he was just a hired hand.
The TV displayed surveillance footage. Wei had tapped into the building’s cameras long ago, giving him full visibility to coordinate his moves.
His phone vibrated silently.
He answered but said nothing.
“Wei, good work. Once that woman signs the contract, release the girls.”
Wei frowned.
“Release them?”
“Yes. The share transfer will take months. We can’t keep them that long. But before you let them go, take some photos. Once the transfer is complete, we’ll deal with them.”
Jiang Beihe’s tone was unshakable.
He knew he had Chu Lintian cornered.
She played by the rules—he didn’t.
After hanging up, Wei stood from the couch.
The photos were for leverage, so he strode into the room where the girls were held.
He knew which one was the real target.
Holding a homemade pistol, he untied Miaomiao’s hands.
“Take off your clothes.”
Miaomiao’s eyes welled with tears behind the gag. Xie Yuling immediately threw herself in front of her.
Wei’s expression darkened. “I’d rather not get rough. Do it yourself, or I won’t be gentle.”
But Xie Yuling refused to move.
With a snarl, Wei raised the pistol and brought it down hard—
A faint glow erupted from the amulet around Xie Yuling’s neck.
The force sent Wei flying backward.
He landed hard, stunned. “What the hell was that?!”
The power behind it terrified him. Without hesitation, he aimed the gun at Xie Yuling.
Xie Yuling squeezed her eyes shut. Miaomiao yanked her aside, shielding her instead.
Just as Wei pulled the trigger—
A searing pain lanced through his skull, dizzying him.
The door burst open.
A figure appeared.
Wei tried to shoot, but a fist smashed into his face, sending him crashing to the floor.
Despite the blow, Wei was tougher than Su Mingzhao. He tried to rise—
Lin Mo’s next punch shattered his shoulder.
“Aaaagh!” Wei howled.
Hearing the commotion, Xie Yuling and Miaomiao opened their eyes.
They saw Lin Mo systematically breaking Wei’s limbs, bone by bone.
The cracks were sickeningly crisp.
Lin Mo’s expression was ice-cold.
Jiang Beihe… Since you’ve gone this far, you’ll pay the price.
He turned to the two girls.
“Don’t worry. It’ll be over soon.”
With a flick of his fingers, a surge of spiritual energy washed over them, easing their fear and tension.
Both girls slumped into unconsciousness.
Only after the young girl had fallen asleep did Lin Mo lift his foot and crush the man's throat with a single step.
uld barely embark on the path to immortality. Just as he was on the verge of death, his golden finger awakened. No matter whether it was poison, drained blood and vital energy, diminished lifespan, or any other physical debuff caused by paying a price—once midnight passed, everything would be refreshed. From then on, whenever someone asked what kind of person Chu Ran was, the answer was simple: Forbidden arts that other cultivators dared not learn? Chu Ran would learn them. Prices that even demonic cultivators dared not pay? Chu Ran would pay them. Lifespan that even righteous cultivators dared not burn? Chu Ran would burn it. All the blood essence in his body? Take it. Want both his hands and feet? He would cut them off and send them to you. You say he’s finished? He wasn’t built to sit idle. You think he’s gone mad? No—he was simply waiting for midnight. From that day onward, Chu Ran would respect neither Heaven nor Earth, bow to neither gods nor ghosts. He had only one wish: For midnight to arrive a little sooner.
lanned to earn money steadily and take life at a slower pace. But he never expected... his father's remarriage, and the stepmother bringing along a dependent, would completely disrupt his life's plans...
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
