Lin Li sensed the danger and immediately turned to run back to his car.
Just as his hand touched the car door handle, a bodyguard kicked him from behind, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Trying to run? Don’t even think about it!"
Sitting on the ground, Lin Li glared at them, gritting his teeth. "Who the hell are you? What do you want?"
"Who we are isn’t something you need to know."
The bodyguards wasted no time on further words. One of them swiftly pulled a burlap sack over Lin Li’s head.
"Let me go!"
"Help! Someone help!"
Lin Li struggled violently, shouting at the top of his lungs.
One of the bodyguards frowned and asked, "Do we have tape or a rag or something?"
"No," another replied, shaking his head.
None of them wanted to tear their own clothes to gag him, so one simply delivered a sharp chop to the back of Lin Li’s neck, knocking him unconscious.
Before darkness took him, despair flashed in Lin Li’s eyes.
His mind replayed scenes from the two previous times he’d been locked in a basement and tortured—each experience worse than death.
He never wanted to go through that again.
He should have hired bodyguards, but he was broke now. He couldn’t afford any.
Was he really about to endure that unbearable agony once more?
The first time, they’d forced him to drink a potion that rendered him a eunuch.
The second time, they’d ripped out his fingernails and toenails.
So what would they do to him this time?
After Lin Li passed out, the bodyguards dragged him into the trunk of a car.
Then, they called Feng Weimin.
Feng Weimin listened to the report on the other end of the line and nodded. "Good. Understood."
He hung up.
"Dad, who was that? Someone from the company?"
Feng Yaya was sulking as she picked at the bland meal in front of her—plain boiled greens, hard-boiled eggs, and tasteless chicken breast.
It was disgusting.
If not for her determination to become someone worthy of Lin Xuan—to make him notice her—she wouldn’t be forcing this down.
Feng Weimin answered, "Yaya, my secretary just called. They’ve captured Lin Li."
"So soon?" Feng Yaya’s eyes lit up.
Feng Weimin nodded. "Didn’t you say you wanted to teach him a lesson yourself? Still interested?"
"Absolutely." Feng Yaya’s gaze darkened.
If Lin Li dared to scheme against her, he’d better be ready to face the consequences.
She wasn’t someone to be trifled with!
Meanwhile, Su Hua had people keeping tabs on Lin Li. The moment something happened, Jiang Qing immediately called her—right in the middle of a heated kiss with Lin Xuan in the movie theater.
The ringing shattered the intimate moment.
Su Hua pressed the phone to her ear, her voice icy. "This better be important."
Jiang Qing shivered.
She rubbed her arms.
Damn, the boss was in a foul mood today. Had she swallowed explosives or something?
Wait.
Su Hua was with Young Master Lin Xuan. Those two were always all over each other.
If Su Hua was this pissed… had she interrupted them in the middle of—
Jiang Qing shuddered.
Disturbing Su Hua’s fun? She must have a death wish.
She rushed to explain, "Boss, you told us to monitor Lin Li and report any developments immediately, right?"
So she had a valid reason for calling.
This wasn’t her fault.
Jiang Qing continued, "I just got word—the Feng family knocked Lin Li out and stuffed him in a sack."
Su Hua’s voice remained frosty. "Unless it involves Xuan, don’t bother me with his affairs again."
She hung up.
Jiang Qing exhaled in relief.
The boss was terrifying.
Especially when her… activities were interrupted.
Even though Su Hua hadn’t punished her, Jiang Qing feared retaliation later.
Back in the theater, Lin Xuan asked curiously, "Hua, what happened to Lin Li?"
Su Hua replied, "The Feng family took him."
"No way!"
Lin Xuan stroked his chin, intrigued. "After all the lies he fed them, Lin Li’s in for a world of pain."
He smirked. "This’ll be fun to watch."
Then he turned to Su Hua. "Hey, Hua, can your people record whatever the Fengs do to him?"
Su Hua nodded. "I’ll arrange it."
She typed out a message to Jiang Qing:
[Su Hua, the Demon Boss]: Get footage of Lin Li being tortured. Xuan wants to see it.
[Jiang Qing]: Understood, Boss.
Jiang Qing finally relaxed.
So Young Master Lin Xuan was interested in Lin Li’s suffering. If he was happy, Su Hua’s anger would fade.
Looks like she’d survive this interruption after all.
Lin Xuan really was her savior.
Lin Xuan mused, "I wonder how the Fengs will mess him up this time."
Whatever they did, he just hoped they didn’t kill Lin Li outright.
That would ruin his entertainment.
Seeing Lin Xuan’s eager expression, Su Hua’s cold aura vanished completely.
As long as Xuan was happy.
"Hua." Su Hua leaned closer, her voice low. "Jiang Qing will contact us once there’s footage. Let’s finish the movie, hm?"
"Sure." Lin Xuan nodded.
Su Hua rested her head against his chest as the film played on.
The romantic leads on-screen shared passionate kisses before tumbling into bed together.
The scene cut to a shot of their clothes scattered on the floor, the rest left to the imagination.
After a while, Lin Xuan couldn’t resist stealing a glance at Su Hua’s lips under the dim theater light. He swallowed hard.
The sharp-eyed beauty noticed instantly. A smirk curled her lips as she whispered in his ear, "If you want me, Xuan, I’ll gladly oblige."
Truthfully, she wanted him too.
Su Hua tilted her head up, pulling Lin Xuan down into another deep kiss.
Meanwhile, Lin Li found himself in a familiar nightmare—dragged into yet another basement.
He remained unconscious until Feng Yaya arrived.
Lin Xuan and Su Hua had already returned to Night Garden. The live feed from the basement streamed directly to Su Hua’s phone.
She had the staff project it onto the TV.
Su Hua remembered Feng Yaya all too well.
Lin Li’s bride-to-be.
The same woman who’d once set her sights on Xuan.
Su Hua’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
Lin Xuan, however, sounded thrilled. "Here we go. It’s starting."

tions: attribute allocation, analysis, proficiency, and simulation. Specializing in mechanical alchemy, from crafting sorcerous battle armor to handcrafting mechanical maidens, his mechanical legion conquers endless realms... Relying on his wits, he begins with a student-teacher romance, wins over a female director, enslaves a female assassin and a underworld queen, becoming the husband of a Grand Duchess... He enslaves the Goddess of Magic from the divine realm, developing his power simultaneously in both the Wizard World and the Realm of Gods...

Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"

grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)

for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?