Xiao Ran could only let out a bitter laugh upon hearing this, unsure of how to respond.
She suddenly remembered Fang Chu's words from earlier.
Fang Chu had said that the two subordinates of the Dragon King refused to reveal any information not out of loyalty, but out of fear.
Upon careful thought, it made sense. If they truly leaked information, even if Fang Chu let them go, the Dragon King would not spare them.
Since death was certain either way, it was better to leave behind a good reputation.
Could it be that she was the same?
Was the reason she had been following Ye Chen all this time fear of him?
"Where should I drop you off?"
Xu Mu's voice pulled Xiao Ran out of her thoughts.
"My car is parked about a kilometer ahead of this estate. Just take me there. I'll call Zhong Qianqian to pick me up."
As she said this, Xiao Ran suddenly paused, then smiled. "Are you planning to take Zhong Qianqian with you?"
"If I wanted to, would you let me?"
Xu Mu glanced at Xiao Ran through the rearview mirror as he countered.
"I... would."
Xiao Ran hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"For your sake, I'll let her off. After all, the prescription she got is fake anyway."
Xu Mu proactively revealed this matter.
If Xiao Ran wasn't foolish, she could easily guess it.
Because she knew that Meng Wanyue was now following her, so Meng Wanyue must have long since told Xu Mu about Zhong Qianqian's identity.
Knowing Zhong Qianqian was Ye Chen's person and still letting her steal the prescription was clearly intentional.
However, Xu Mu saying it proactively was completely different from Xiao Ran saying it.
Xu Mu taking the initiative made it easier to bring the two closer, proving he trusted Xiao Ran.
"Is it really okay to tell me directly? Aren't you afraid I'll turn around and tell Ye Chen?"
Xiao Ran asked with a smile.
"Not afraid. No matter what, I am your lifesaver."
Xu Mu smiled, started the car, and drove towards the front of the estate.
Xiao Ran closed her eyes, her mind once again tangled in conflict.
After thinking for a long time, she took a deep breath, as if having made a significant decision.
"In the conflict between you and the Dragon King, I will remain a spectator. I won't help either side."
This was the only thing Xiao Ran could accept.
Just like this time, it was Xu Mu who was more skilled, having long ago turned Meng Wanyue into his own person.
He also used a method to deliberately leak the fake prescription to Zhong Qianqian. This round of confrontation was Xu Mu's victory.
"Good. I'm very happy that you can remain neutral."
Xu Mu nodded.
In his view, getting Xiao Ran, who was so loyal to Ye Chen, to remain neutral was already significant progress.
Xu Mu parked the car not far ahead of the estate. Xiao Ran pushed the car door open and got out alone.
"Be careful."
After saying this, Xu Mu drove away.
Xiao Ran got into her car and sat in the back seat. She took a deep breath before taking out her phone to call Zhong Qianqian.
...
On the highway heading to Yang City, Xu Mu received a call from an unknown number.
He answered and asked, "Who is this?"
"Xu Mu! It's me, Fu Jinyu."
A cool voice came from the other end.
Hearing this, Xu Mu remembered he had previously saved an Empress and promised to help treat her injuries.
"Who? Do we know each other?"
"Do you want to die? Believe it or not, I'll kill you!"
Fu Jinyu's cold voice came through.
"Oh, I remember now. So it's you."
Xu Mu revealed a smile.
"When are you coming to treat my injuries?" Fu Jinyu asked calmly.
"Anytime is fine for me. But as you mentioned before, you would provide the rare treasures. How about I first tell you what I need? Once you find them, I'll come over."
Xu Mu spoke into the phone.
"Fine."
Fu Jinyu agreed.
"Eighth-grade rare treasure, Dragon Spine Blood Vine. Eighth-grade rare treasure, Divine Heartwood."
Xu Mu paused. "Those are the main two. I'll bring the rest myself, free of charge."
"What? Eighth-grade? Dragon Spine Blood Vine and Divine Heartwood?"
Upon hearing these treasures, Fu Jinyu's voice trembled. "I only have a small meridian broken, and it requires eighth-grade rare treasures?"
"Just a small one? Let me tell you, if a major meridian were broken, forget eighth-grade rare treasures, even ninth-grade and divine herbs might not necessarily cure it."
Xu Mu spoke into the phone. "A broken meridian is the same as a broken arm or leg; it cannot heal on its own."
Fu Jinyu's voice was silent for a long time. After a while, she said, "These elusive eighth-grade rare treasures... if luck is bad, one might never find them in a lifetime, right?"
"Don't say that. Perhaps some powerful sects or other races have them?"
Xu Mu wasn't lying.
To treat meridians, these two rare treasures were absolutely necessary.
"Xu Mu, I hate you!"
"Huh? What did I do?"
Xu Mu was somewhat puzzled.
"You assumed I couldn't find eighth-grade rare treasures, so you deliberately said you would treat my injuries if I helped you rescue those cleaners."
Fu Jinyu's tone now changed, seeming to carry a slight sob. "You never intended to treat me! You were using me!"
"I did not."
Xu Mu spoke into the phone. "I know of a sect that has these two rare treasures. I'll do my best to obtain them for you, how about that?"
"Do your best? I won't believe you anymore! Damn men! You people of the Yan Huang race are all liars!"
"As long as you agree to five things for me, I will definitely get them for you."
Xu Mu spoke into the phone.
"Fine! As long as you can get them and heal my injuries, I'll agree to ten things, let alone five."
Fu Jinyu said from the other end.
"Then it's ten. Just send me the address directly. Once I get the herbs, I'll come find you."
Xu Mu agreed immediately.
"Ah? I just now..."
"If you say you were just joking, then I was joking too."
Xu Mu directly interrupted Fu Jinyu's words.
"Alright..."
Fu Jinyu's voice continued, "Let me be clear first, I won't agree to any disgusting things."
"Don't worry, I said it before. As a married man, I'm not interested in you."
Xu Mu said with a laugh.
"Then I'll send you the address!"
Fu Jinyu hung up after saying this.
Xu Mu shook his head slightly. In the original storyline, there was no description of the Heavenly Demon race.
He didn't know if his approach was right.
But, the boat will straighten itself when it reaches the bridgehead. Since he promised this woman back then that he would save her if she rescued those cleaners...
He would definitely keep the promise he made.
...
Yang City Antique Market.
Xu Mu arrived at Dai Xingluo's antique shop.
Through his perception, he found that neither Dai Xingluo nor Bai Yi were there.
Only Li Zizai was sitting behind the counter.
After walking in, Xu Mu asked, "Is Xingluo here?"
"She was called away by the Dai family at noon today."
Li Zizai looked up at Xu Mu. "Her father, Dai Xuan, came personally to take her."
Hearing this, Xu Mu asked, "Was she called away, or was she taken away by force?"
Li Zizai revealed a faint smile. "It should be considered taken by force, because what Dai Xuan took away was Bai Yi."
"You're also an employee here. Didn't you help?"
Xu Mu walked further into the shop, carefully sizing up Li Zizai. "You're not very considerate, are you?"
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."
ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!
orn and Humiliation】【Forced Love】 In his past life, Lin Ran was betrayed and murdered by his girlfriend and family, while the yandere female aristocrat, who had treated him as a mere plaything, avenged him by doing in his enemies. Upon seeing the yandere female aristocrat lying in the same coffin, ready to die with him, Lin Ran realized how profoundly mistaken he had been. Reborn, he abandoned the fickle campus beauty and wholeheartedly embraced the yandere female aristocrat's arms. "Ran! If I dig out your eyes and turn them into a specimen, you'll only be able to look at me!" Lin Ran: "Darling, kiss me!" "Ran! If I break your legs, you won't run away anymore, right?" Lin Ran: "Love, hold me tight!" "Ran! If..." Lin Ran: "Hush now! Love me more!" Luo Yao: ... Seeing his scumbag dad: "Take him out!" Seeing his stepmother: "Get rid of her!" Seeing his brother: "Eliminate him!" Seeing his white moonlight: "Send that to Southeast Asia!"
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.
