This was the closest Lu Chengwen had ever come to death.
The system had warned him: he had seven chances, each time as a villain, each time fated to die if he followed the script.
In his first two lives, he was clueless, stumbling blindly to his demise.
By the time he understood the situation and tried to play smart, he realized a villain's fate was nearly impossible to change. He died twice more.
From the fifth life onward, he was consumed by anxiety.
No one else had experienced this—dying five times across four worlds, plus his original reality!
Death, even once, was enough to terrify anyone to their core.
For Lu Chengwen, dying five times had pushed him to the brink of fear.
His fifth life was his best performance—he survived three days.
But a single tiny mistake cost him everything.
Through repeated "deaths," Lu Chengwen learned a brutal lesson: as a villain, he couldn't afford a single error.
One small misstep could lead to catastrophic consequences, with no chance of recovery.
Now, this was his final shot. If he died at the protagonist's hands this time…
No rewards, no returning to the real world—nothing.
He'd have to accept his fate as a true corpse.
So, Lu Chengwen stayed calm, kept his head down, and played humble. He knew that losing his cool could ruin everything.
He had no room for mistakes.
One slip, and it was eternal doom.
And now, Long Aotian stood before him.
Lu Chengwen's rage was indescribable.
Long Aotian!
You're the protagonist!
You're powerful! Loaded with treasures, allies, techniques, tricks, connections— you've got it all!
Every beauty belongs to you!
Generations of hard work from great families all end up in your hands!
This world is yours!
Everything is yours!
And me? I'm just meat on your chopping block, right?
My purpose is to struggle, compromise, and dodge, only to be a forgettable footnote in your glorious saga, isn't it?
Laughable!
This damn system just wants to see a nobody like me—a poor delivery boy turned rich— make a fool of himself, right?
It wants to watch me grovel, humiliated, scrambling to survive like a pathetic dog, doesn't it?
It wants to see me bow and scrape before the protagonist, living a wretched life just to stay alive, huh?
Lu Chengwen's eyes burned red as he glared at Long Aotian, fury raging within.
"Nice look in your eyes," Long Aotian said casually. "But I've never met an enemy who beat me with a stare."
He stepped closer. "How about this: be my dog, and I'll protect you."
Lu Chengwen's eyelid twitched. "Why do you want me to fund the amusement park?"
"The amusement park will become Xuecheng's landmark—a new hub for shopping, leisure, and entertainment. Its potential is limitless."
Long Aotian lounged on the sofa, legs crossed, sipping his drink. "Once it's done, I'll review the project's accounts. All profits go to me. No one else can know—just you and me. You spend the money, but I keep the earnings."
Lu Chengwen's fists clenched. "And if I say no?"
"Heh." Long Aotian stood, patting Lu Chengwen's shoulder. "You'll agree. Think about your family—your dad, your mom, oh, and your little brother, right?"
Inside, Lu Chengwu tried to rush out, but Chen Mengyun held him back, and Xu Xuejiao clamped a hand over his mouth, glaring to keep him quiet.
Long Aotian smirked arrogantly. "Tie Tuo Wang's a dead man walking—a useless meddler. But there's Copper Tuo Wang, Silver Tuo Wang, Gold Tuo Wang… over a hundred 'kings' waiting for you. I don't even need to get my hands dirty to ruin your family. Think carefully."
When Long Aotian mentioned "mom," Lu Chengwen's rationality kicked in.
You can't fight a beast like this head-on. You have to outsmart him!
"Fine. I agree."
"Good. Remember, your life—your family's lives—are in my hands." Long Aotian's tone was menacing. "Try anything funny, and I'll make your whole family disappear."
He left.
Lu Chengwen sat on the sofa, expressionless.
No anger, no anxiety, no joy, no sorrow—just calm. A terrifying calm.
He held his glass, staring at the night view outside, his face caught between a smile and a scowl.
The group filed out from the room. Lu Chengwen didn't spare them a glance.
Xu Xuejiao approached, smiling. "Brother Lu…"
"Leave."
He cut her off.
She persisted. "What's he got to be so smug about? If we team up, I don't believe we can't take him—"
Lu Chengwen turned, his gaze piercing. "This is between me and him. It doesn't involve anyone else. Stay away from me."
Xu Xuejiao opened her mouth to argue, but Chen Mengyun pulled her back, shaking her head.
Chen Mengyun had never seen Lu Chengwen like this.
He was always an open book—ecstatic when he made money or got a win, furious when he took a loss, making everyone around him suffer.
But today, his silence was unsettling.
Frighteningly so.
Lu Chengwen kept staring out the window.
"Zhao Gang, see them out."
Zhao Gang knew his boss was at an all-time low.
He whispered, "Everyone, please go rest. The boss needs a break."
Zhang Shen'er exhaled, pulling out her recorder. "He threatened you. By procedure, you can press charges."
Lu Chengwen smiled—a smile that felt oddly chilling.
It was an ordinary smile, yet somehow, Zhang Shen'er realized she'd never truly understood this man.
That smile made her pause, sensing the commanding presence of the Lu family's heir, the CEO of Dasheng Group.
He carried a storm in his chest, yet his expression was calm, his smile serene.
But in that serenity lay strength, restraint, resilience, and defiance.
Zhang Shen'er, unaware her voice had softened, said, "If you feel a real threat, call the police immediately."
Lu Chengwen smiled. "Thanks."
As he passed Tang Yiyi, he paused.
She froze, thinking she was done for.
This is trespassing! My detective friend's right here—if Lu Chengwen makes a fuss, she'll have to arrest me herself.
"I…"
"Miss Yiyi, you've worked hard. Go rest."
"I'm sor—"
"Sorry, I didn't get to talk with you today. Let's meet another time."
Even Zhang Shen'er was stunned.
Tang Yiyi was invited!?
Lu Chengwen retreated to his bedroom, lying on the bed, pondering his life.
Being controlled like this feels like absolute crap.
Everyone left with their own thoughts. Zhang Shen'er and Tang Yiyi shared a car. Chen Mengyun and Xu Xuejiao, realizing they both liked Lu Chengwen, grew awkward, exchanged a few stilted words, and went their separate ways.
…
The next day, Mayor Zhao called another meeting.
But at the government building's entrance, Lu Chengwen was met by a mob of shantytown residents.
Many opposed Dasheng Group taking over the project, convinced Lu Chengwen was a crooked businessman out to bleed them dry. The scene was chaotic.
As Lu Chengwen stepped out of his car, the crowd surged. Zhao Gang and a few bodyguards formed a tight circle around him.
Leng Qingqiu, nearby, ordered her team to help, fearing the uninformed crowd might tear him apart.
Lu Chengwen, stone-faced, said nothing as he pushed toward the building. But a few steps in, he saw a security guard roughly shoving an elderly woman. His pent-up emotions erupted. "Let her go!"
Ignoring his own safety, he rushed over, pulling the stunned guard away. "She's old enough to be your grandmother! Are you insane, pushing her like that?"
The old woman didn't appreciate his help. She hurled a rotten egg at his face, cursing, "Three years! This project's been dragging for three years! We haven't seen a cent, forced to rent places everywhere. My grandson can't even enroll in school! I'm out of medicine! You rich folks in your villas and fancy cars—do you ever think about us poor people? My son broke his leg delivering food, and he's still in the hospital!"
A guard moved to push her again, but Lu Chengwen roared, "Don't touch her!"
The guard let go, and the woman lunged, scratching at Lu Chengwen's face.
Several guards stepped in, gently separating them while trying to calm her.
"Three bosses already! They take the money and run! You leeches feed on our blood…"
…
The two hundred meters to the building took Lu Chengwen over twenty minutes.
In the bathroom, Jiang Shihan, eyes red, helped clean his clothes, muttering, "What kind of people are they? It's not like we stole the money! If they want to lash out, pick the right target. What did we do to deserve this…?"
Lu Chengwen looked at his disheveled reflection and suddenly laughed.
Jiang Shihan's phone rang. "You here? Hurry up, use the back entrance. Tell the guard—Boss Lu's clothes are ruined, and he smells like rotten eggs. He can't go to the meeting like this! Move!"
She hung up, apologetic. "Boss, just wait a bit. New clothes are almost here."
"No," Lu Chengwen said. "I'm going in like this."
"Boss…"
…
In the meeting room, all eyes locked onto Lu Chengwen as he entered.
Word of the commotion outside had spread, and many had videos of him getting pelted with eggs.
His face, scratched and red, glowed with determination as he smiled. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
Mayor Zhao looked guilty. "Boss Lu, I'm so sorry. The people don't know the full story—they got carried away. Please understand."
"I do, I do." Lu Chengwen sat nonchalantly, ignoring the people covering their noses.
The stench of rotten eggs was pungent.
Mayor Zhao said, "I've heard rumors that Dasheng Group's pulling out. Boss Lu, we called you here to confirm with everyone…"
"Confirm what!?" Hu Shuhui jumped up. "It's all over the circle—Dasheng's trying to back out after making a mess! Listen, if Dasheng pulls out, our thirty-million donation's off the table!"
Hu Shuhui's outburst stirred the room. Companies chimed in, some accusing Lu Chengwen of being shady, others mocking Mayor Zhao and Secretary Wu, others saying Dasheng only chased profit and was using the project for clout before bailing. Some even called Lu Chengwen a troublemaker who'd never done anything worthwhile.
The room descended into chaos.
But the four major families stayed silent.
Leng Qingqiu said nothing, just watching Lu Chengwen.
Chen Mengyun and Xu Xuejiao ignored the others, their eyes fixed on him.
Mayor Zhao was furious.
Secretary Wu bellowed, "Order in the room, please!"
Mayor Zhao sighed, his eyes betraying suppressed anger. "Boss Lu, please speak."
Lu Chengwen stood, smiling again.
_
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