Chapter 020

Wu Zhishang wasn’t surprised by Zhang Xiaolong’s stunned reaction. When Lin Ran had first told him about these things, he too had thought Lin Ran was insane.

He patiently explained to Zhang Xiaolong the plans and ideas about how he could become a top-tier streamer with millions of followers, which finally made Zhang Xiaolong somewhat believe in the company’s potential.

However, deep down, Zhang Xiaolong still didn’t feel optimistic about it, but he would follow through with the plan. After all, he was just a streamer under the company’s banner. His job was to listen and do as he was told. As for whether he could really become a million-follower streamer?

Who knows what the future holds?

To him, all of this was just empty promises. Wu Zhishang wasn’t much different from those bosses who painted grand visions.

As long as he could make money, that was all that mattered.

If the money was good, even a pie as big as the sky could be eaten.

What he didn’t know at the time was that many great things often started with grand promises…

After leaving the company, Lin Ran planned to meet Luo Yao but didn’t directly enter the Luo Corporation building.

He wasn’t sure if Luo Yao wanted him to appear in public.

After some thought, he sent her a message.

[Where are you? I miss you.]

Luo Yao’s reply came quickly.

[Just finished a meeting. I miss you too.]

Lin Ran smiled, just because of Luo Yao’s simple “I miss you.”

[Inviting my princess to lunch.]

There was a brief silence before Luo Yao replied.

[Sure. Find a place, and I’ll come over.]

Lin Ran found a well-rated Western restaurant nearby and sent her the location.

Ten minutes earlier…

Luo Yao’s office was divided into two areas: one for work and one for rest.

But very few people knew that behind the bookshelf in her office was a hidden room.

Inside this hidden room were photos and detailed information about one person, including their habits and preferences.

Today, this hidden room welcomed a man with a sinister appearance, dragged in by bodyguards.

The man trembled like a leaf upon seeing Luo Yao, as if he already knew his fate.

The bodyguards remained silent, watching quietly.

Luo Yao held a steel knife and slowly, almost tenderly, severed the man’s tendons in his hands and feet.

“Ah…”

The man’s screams were heart-wrenching, enough to make anyone who heard them weep.

“Who sent you?”

Even with his tendons severed, the man clenched his teeth and refused to speak.

Luo Yao seemed to be in the mood to play. She methodically cut off his fingers, one by one, then his toes.

“Since you won’t talk, you’ve lost your chance.”

After the man passed out, the bodyguards revived him with saltwater, and Luo Yao continued her slow, deliberate torture, no longer asking questions.

Everything felt so natural, as ordinary as eating or drinking.

Finally, the man couldn’t take it anymore and twisted in agony, crying out, “I’ll talk! I’ll talk!”

Luo Yao shook her head.

“No need. You’ve already lost your chance.”

“And I can guess—it was the old man who sent you to follow Lin Ran, wasn’t it?”

“He really doesn’t learn, does he? Breaking his legs was too lenient.”

“I’ll have to go back and give him a little punishment. Hmm… since he likes spying so much, I’ll pluck out his eyeballs and keep them with me. No need for middlemen.”

The man’s eyes widened in shock. He hadn’t expected Luo Yao to figure it out so quickly.

Remembering the crazy things Luo Yao had done in the past, the man was terrified and began begging for mercy.

“Kill me! Please, just kill me!”

Luo Yao smiled, a devilish grin that seemed to come straight from hell.

“Hehe… daring to target Lin Ran? Your fate will be quite… delightful.”

She then slowly cut off the man’s nose and gouged out one of his eyes.

Holding the eyeball on the tip of her knife, Luo Yao seemed lost in thought.

“Lin Ran has been overworking himself lately. This eyeball could be used to make wine to nourish him.”

But then she shook her head. “This one’s too dirty. Lin Ran wouldn’t like it.”

With that, she tossed the eyeball to the ground and crushed it under her foot.

“Kill… kill me… please…”

The man, now on the verge of losing consciousness from the pain, only wanted a quick death.

Just as Luo Yao was about to start on the man’s other eye, Lin Ran’s message arrived.

Husband: [Where are you? I miss you.]

Seeing the message, Luo Yao’s lips curled into a smile. But when she read the second message, her brows furrowed.

Opening her phone’s location app, she panicked when she saw Lin Ran was near her office building.

She was covered in blood. How could she let Lin Ran see her like this?

Lin Ran would be scared, horrified, and might even run away.

She couldn’t let him see her in this state. No, absolutely not.

After a moment of thought, she replied.

[Sure. Find a place, and I’ll come over.]

After sending the message, she ignored the bodyguards and the mutilated man on the floor, focusing only on cleaning herself up quickly.

“Miss! What should we do with him?”

Luo Yao glanced at the man writhing in agony on the floor, her expression cold and emotionless.

“Pack him up and send him to the manor. Lock him in the basement and throw in some rats to keep him company.”

She took a few photos with her phone and then left.

The bodyguards followed her orders, cleaning the hidden room spotlessly, leaving no trace of blood.

After cleaning up in the restroom and disposing of her bloodstained clothes, Luo Yao happily walked out of her office.

Lin Ran had come to see her. He said he missed her and wanted to have lunch together.

As she stepped into the elevator, she sent another message.

[Photos. Photos. Old man, clean your neck. I’ll be back to deal with you.]

The recipient of the message, however, remained silent.

…

At the Luo Family Old Mansion, Old Master Luo sat in his wheelchair, his face dark.

“That crazy girl dares to threaten me?”

“If she really wanted to deal with me, she would have done it years ago. Breaking my legs was as far as she’d go.”

A soft-spoken man beside Old Master Luo spoke up.

“Old Master, Monkey probably won’t survive. What should we do next?”

Old Master Luo was silent for a moment before speaking slowly.

“That useless fool.”

“I didn’t expect that girl to have someone skilled enough to catch Monkey.”

“But it doesn’t matter. She won’t really do anything to me. After all, I’m her grandfather.”

The soft-spoken man hesitated before saying, “But she didn’t spare her own parents. Second Uncle is imprisoned, and Third and Fourth Uncles are dead or crippled. None of the younger generation dares to oppose her.”

Old Master Luo rubbed his forehead, knowing the man was right.

Luo Yao’s methods were no less ruthless than his own. With his current weakened position, taking on the crazy girl was too risky.

But at least he was her grandfather and the former head of the family. Luo Yao would still have some reservations when dealing with him.

Otherwise, he would have died when she went on her rampage years ago. At least now, she wouldn’t take his life.

To succeed, he needed to bide his time.

Once he regained power, he would make her pay with the harshest punishment imaginable.

Old Master Luo: “Don’t provoke the crazy girl for now. Since we’ve found her weakness, we’ll find our opportunity.”

The soft-spoken man: “Understood.”

Old Master Luo: “Hehe! Who would have thought? You actually care about someone?”