Lu Ruoxi's heart leaped into her throat as she gripped her fountain pen, ready to stab the nearest assailant.
Yet, just as the three thugs' fists were about to crash into Su Yang—
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Two shadowy figures darted into the alley like phantoms, their movements swift as lightning.
Their strikes were precise, their forms agile, and their efficiency brutal.
Within seconds, the sound of dull impacts and the sickening crack of dislocated bones filled the air. The three hoodlums, who had been so arrogant moments ago, now writhed on the ground, moaning in agony.
It all happened too fast—Lu Ruoxi and Su Yang barely caught a glimpse of how the two strangers had intervened.
Silence returned to the alley, broken only by the groans of the defeated thugs.
The rescuers were two unremarkable young men in plain jackets, the kind who could vanish into a crowd without a second glance.
One of them stepped toward Su Yang, gave a curt nod, then pulled out a phone and dialed the police with practiced ease.
"Hello, 110? This is Alley No. 3, Guangming Road in the urban village. Three armed assailants attempted a robbery but have been subdued. Please send officers to handle it."
His tone was eerily calm, as if reporting a trivial daily occurrence.
Lu Ruoxi studied these sudden "good Samaritans," her wariness deepening instead of fading.
Too convenient.
Their timing was impeccable, their skills too professional, their demeanor too composed.
These were no ordinary passersby.
She turned to Su Yang beside her, her piercing gaze demanding answers. "Su Yang, who are they? Do you know them?"
Su Yang's face flushed instantly. His eyes darted away as he stammered, "Th-they're... friends I met at the computer mall. Just happened to be passing by..."
"Friends?" Her voice dripped with skepticism. "What a coincidence."
"Y-yeah..." He forced the lie, unable to meet her eyes. "I helped them out once before. They... said they owed me."
Just then, one of the black-clad men finished his call and approached.
"Su Yang, it's handled. You two should head home now. Stay safe."
With that, he exchanged a glance with his companion, and without another word, they vanished around the alley's corner in a flash.
Lu Ruoxi stared at the spot where they'd disappeared, her brow furrowed in thought.
She didn’t buy Su Yang’s explanation.
Those men moved like... professionally trained bodyguards.
Was this arranged by that man—Lu Chenyuan?
What else was hidden beneath his so-called "investment"?
---
Meanwhile, several hundred meters away on a main road...
Inside a black Audi A6, Li Jinchuan slammed his palm against the horn in frustration.
Ahead, a fruit-laden tricycle had overturned, scattering oranges and apples across the narrow street and blocking traffic entirely.
A middle-aged woman wailed on the ground, arguing with the tricycle driver while a crowd of onlookers clogged the road further.
"Damn it!" Li Jinchuan hissed, checking his watch.
His father’s timeline had demanded his arrival at that alley thirty minutes ago.
Now? He was too late.
Unseen by him, a man in a baseball cap murmured into an earpiece:
"Target successfully delayed. Estimated obstruction: thirty minutes minimum. Repeat, target has been intercepted."
This "accidental" street dispute was no coincidence—it was the handiwork of Lu Chenyuan’s operatives.
Simple. Effective. Untraceable.
By the time Li Jinchuan finally broke free from the gridlock and reached the alley, it was deserted.
Only a few cigarette butts littered the ground, the faint metallic tang of blood lingering in the damp, musty air.
In the distance, fading sirens narrated the aftermath of what he’d missed.
He was late.
Someone had called the police. The girl—Lu Ruoxi—was gone.
Li Jinchuan punched the steering wheel, the dull thud echoing his fury.
The sting of a thwarted plan ignited a fire in his chest.
Was this bad luck... or deliberate interference?
He grabbed his phone and dialed his father.
"Failed," he bit out.
A pause. Then Li Xiujian’s voice, icy: "Explain."
"Got held up. By the time I arrived, the cops had already taken her away."
---
Jingzhou, Lu Corporation Headquarters.
Lu Chenyuan had just concluded a cross-continental video call when Lin Yuan entered with a report.
"Sir, updates from Anhe County." He handed over the briefing. "Mission accomplished."
Lu Chenyuan skimmed the details.
"Li Jinchuan was successfully intercepted. The target remains unharmed. The three hired assailants are in police custody—initial interrogations confirm they were paid anonymously via a burner phone."
"Trace the number?" Lu Chenyuan asked.
"Prepaid black-market SIM. Dead end," Lin Yuan replied. "But our surveillance confirms Li Jinchuan left for Anhe this afternoon."
"It’s him," Lu Chenyuan said, setting the report down, his eyes glinting like frost. "The old fox Li Xiujian couldn’t resist making his move."
From the moment he’d decided to shield Lu Ruoxi, he’d known this clash with the story’s "protagonists"—the Li family—was inevitable.
He just hadn’t expected their desperation to surface so quickly.
"Next steps, sir?" Lin Yuan asked. "Should we reinforce Anhe?"
"No." Lu Chenyuan’s lips curved. "The bait’s set. Now we wait for the fish to bite. Why guard against thieves when you can lure the snake from its hole?"
He rose, striding to the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city’s glittering skyline.
"Lin Yuan, instruct Zhang Qi to dig up dirt on Shengtian Real Estate."
"Shengtian?" Lin Yuan blinked. "Their connection to the Li family is...?"
"Not yet. But soon." Lu Chenyuan’s gaze darkened. "Isn’t Li Xiujian’s brother-in-law a Shengtian executive?"
Lin Yuan’s breath hitched—the boss wasn’t playing defense anymore.
He was declaring war.
"Understood. I’ll arrange it immediately!"
As Lin Yuan exited, Lu Chenyuan’s focus returned to the horizon.
Li Jinchuan, your script is outdated.
Since you're determined to join the game, I'll play along—properly.
But this time, I'll set the board. And the rules? Those are mine to write.
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
ng to die together with you." Lin Xuan is dead, his body thrown into the river by his scumbag lover and her accomplice. She, the president of the Su Group, is decisive, ruthless, and ice-cold. For three days and three nights, she had his body fished out of the river, and without hesitation, she kissed the bloated corpse of Lin Xuan. She laid down beside him in a cold coffin, their fingers intertwined, a smile lingering on her lips as she closed her eyes. The noble and cold-hearted woman, only bending for one man—Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan, with his golden finger, is reborn and returns to the day of his wedding to the treacherous woman. Su Qiang comes to steal the bride. Lin Xuan's eyes light up, eager to pledge his loyalty on the spot, but instead, her kiss transfers a glass of drugged wine into his mouth, causing him to pass out... 【Male Protagonist with Single Female Lead】【Yandere Tycoon】【Action-Packed】【True vs. Fake Heir】
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.
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?"
