Warm sunlight filtered through the foliage, casting dappled shadows beneath the tree. Ye Feng leaned against the trunk with his hands behind his head, leisurely gazing at the grass bending under the breeze. Li Mucheng sat with her knees hugged to her chest, quietly observing the scene.
"Miss, feel this moment. You'll discover the charm of nature," Ye Feng said.
Li Mucheng mimicked Ye Feng, closing her eyes. In that instant, everything seemed to quiet down, and her soul experienced an unprecedented uplift. The noisy urban chaos that had been weighing on her heart seemed to dissipate.
"So... peaceful."
"Yes, if you ever feel uneasy, you can come here to sit. Nature will soothe your mood."
"Mmm."
Li Mucheng peeked open an eye and glanced back at Ye Feng, who was still savoring the moment. For some reason, her heart felt warm, as if a gentle hand was melting away the ice within her.
"Ye Feng, why don't you teach me tomorrow too?"
Hmm?
Ye Feng suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Li Mucheng. Her serious expression made it clear she wasn't joking.
You want me to work overtime? No way! You rich people really love exploiting us poor folk's sweat and blood.
"I'm sorry, Miss, but I'm only free on weekends, so..."
"Enough, I get it."
Li Mucheng's previously calm mood instantly erupted like a lit fuse.
"Let's go back, I'm tired."
"Alright..."
Look at that! Once her true colors showed, she immediately blew up. Good thing I've watched those workplace dramas, or I would've been duped by this seemingly polished but inwardly dark woman!
Luckily, I outsmarted her.
When they returned, Ah Fu was waiting at the door. Upon seeing Li Mucheng, he respectfully said, "Miss, Master requests your presence at a gathering."
"No."
"But Miss..."
"I said no!"
Li Mucheng shot Ah Fu a glare and walked straight to her room.
"Uh..."
Ye Feng quickly distanced himself, shrugging and shaking his head.
"Kids these days are so stubborn. They get upset at the slightest thing."
"What happened? Did you make Miss upset?"
"She wanted me to work overtime. Of course, I refused."
"......"
Ah Fu pursed his lips in helplessness. Everyone would kill to be Li Mucheng's teacher, yet Ye Feng refused the opportunity.
"Ah Fu, does Li Mucheng have a lot of classes besides weekends?"
"Yes, that's what Master requires. After all, Miss will inherit Master's group someday, so she needs to be trained as a proper heir."
"No wonder that girl lives so depressed. I'd have collapsed by now."
"Well, someone has to inherit the family business, right?"
"True."
"Actually, Master feels deeply guilty about Miss. He couldn't see Madam before she passed, which is why their relationship has been strained."
"......"
"Anyway, why am I telling you all this? I need to report back to Master. I'll have someone drive you home later."
"No need, Ah Fu. I can go back myself."
"Alright then. If you need anything, just call me. Here's my number."
Ye Feng took Ah Fu's card, waved goodbye, and left the villa. Little did he know, his actions were being watched by a pair of eyes from a window.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean it..."
Li Mucheng murmured softly, staring at the spot where Ye Feng had disappeared. Only after confirming he was gone did she return to her desk and continue drawing herbs.
Underneath her sketches of several herbs were simple descriptions:
Anesthetic, pain relief, sedation...
"Woohoo!"
Back at home, Ye Feng lay on the sofa, enjoying his personal time. If not for the system threatening his life, he would have already started a peaceful, undisturbed new life somewhere far away. That was his dream.
【Ding】
【Progress updated in the compendium. Please check promptly.】
"Seriously? It updates every day now? Suddenly, little Miss Mucheng seems quite adorable."
Ye Feng quickly summoned the system and checked his rewards.
【Li Mucheng Information Progress: 30%】
【Obtained: Universal Key (consumable), Life-Saving Doll (consumable)】
"Oh? There are items too!"
Ye Feng had expected the system to just grant him a few days of life, but this time it gave him something he hadn't encountered before. He eagerly checked the backpack and found the two items, along with detailed descriptions.
【Universal Key: Can unlock any lock within visible sight, but only once】
Unlocking locks? Too bad it's not a permanent item; otherwise, I could become a locksmith.
【Life-Saving Doll: Evades fatal damage once when held, but only once】
This is great! It's like an extra life. Guess the system isn't completely useless.
Ye Feng was thrilled, but then he realized something, and his excitement gradually faded.
Wait, why would the system give me these items? It feels like a boss battle is coming, like in those movies where someone inevitably raises a flag before the fight.
Oh well, maybe I'm overthinking it. Li Mucheng is well-protected, and I don't need to worry. Just finish the task, save up some life time, and declare my freedom.
After closing the system, Ye Feng headed to the bathroom to shower, planning to take the next few days off.
......
Meanwhile, in a high-end hotel in the heart of Shu City, well-dressed and elegantly adorned people gathered, chatting and laughing. It seemed they were attending a party.
"Old Li!"
A loud voice suddenly boomed through the crowd, drawing the attention of many.
A waiter nearby sneered disdainfully, as if serving these upper-class individuals elevated his own status.
"Who's this uncouth fellow? Making a racket at such an event, how embarrassing..."
Before the waiter could finish, a slap landed on his face, leaving him stunned. When he regained his senses, he saw the hotel manager glaring at him.
"Manager...?"
The manager's expression was furious as he said through gritted teeth: "If you don't want that mouth of yours, you can cut it off! Do you know who he is? He's Su Wanli, the acknowledged boss of Shu City's underground. If someone with ill intentions hears you, our entire hotel is done for!"
The waiter finally realized his blunder, quickly bowing to apologize, but it was too late.
"You're fired. Get out now."
"Yes, yes, I'm leaving... I'm going..."
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
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.
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
