Lin Yan reached in, unlatched the window, and slowly squeezed through. "Your window is pretty hard to get into."
Feng Yue's brows knit. "Mr. Lin, why break my window when there's a front door?"
"I don't want anyone to know I was here."
Once inside, Lin Yan drew the curtains. "There aren't any cameras in here now, right?"
"Y-You… what are you going to do?"
Seeing the look in his eyes—and the black gloves he pulled on—Feng Yue instinctively backed away.
"I hate being lied to," Lin Yan said evenly as he walked toward her. "Yet people keep doing it."
Sensing danger, Feng Yue bolted for the door. Lin Yan grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her backward; she toppled helplessly.
He slammed her head to the floor with a thud. Skin tore across her face; blood oozed out.
"Help—ugh!"
Before she could shout, his knee drove into her abdomen. Feng Yue coughed a mouthful of blood and went limp, unable to make a sound.
"Beautiful women get privileges with me—but you're not one of them."
Lin Yan held her by the hair, studying her ruined face. "In my eyes, beauties are pure. You're filthy."
"Lin Yan…" Tears streamed from the pain. She panted, "W-What did I… do to you?"
Unhurried, Lin Yan took out his phone and played the recording he'd gotten from Xu Mu.
Hearing it, terror flooded Feng Yue's eyes.
She hadn't expected that Xu Shou had planted a bug on Chen Bei.
"Anything else to say now? You teamed up with that Qian Gang to trick me—and planned to 'keep him company' a few nights after it worked."
Lin Yan sneered. "I'm guessing you've climbed this far by 'keeping company' with a lot of old men."
He had once considered adding her to his harem. After hearing this, he felt only disgust.
He wasn't about to eat leftovers from a bunch of old men.
"Even if I did keep them company, what's it to you?"
Crack!
His slap split her lip; blood filled her mouth. He had no intention of going easy—mercenaries see enough femme fatales to know mercy gets you killed.
"Feng Yue. Hand over the real data."
"I won't! Kill me if you can!"
"'If I can'? Sorry to disappoint—I can." He twisted her shoulder; a sickening pop sounded.
Feng Yue gasped, her pretty features contorting in pain.
"I'll take your limbs apart and toss you in the river for the fish."
He reached for her other arm.
"N-No… don't…"
Now she was truly afraid. She was just an ordinary person; her nerve couldn't compare to a mercenary's.
If she died, everything was gone. If she lived, there was still a chance to turn the tables.
"Tell me everything you know and I'll spare you. Try to lie again…"
He walked to the wooden bar, pressed his palm to it—
Boom!
The whole counter shuddered, spiderweb cracks racing through it, nearly collapsing.
"You… are you an ancient martial artist?" she stammered.
"No wonder you, an illegitimate daughter of the Fengs, know a thing or two." He lifted his chin. "Let me be clear: play games with me again, and death will be the least of your worries."
Her head drooped; tears kept falling. She couldn't accept it.
A moment ago she'd dreamed of trampling the Feng family; the next, reality slammed her down.
She regretted it—regretted ever partnering with Lin Yan. If she hadn't met him, she might already have succeeded.
And then she understood:
Not everyone is like Xu Mu, who treats her well with no strings attached.
Xu Mu had known she was using him, harming him—yet still helped without hesitation.
A bitter smile tugged at her lips. Xu Mu had been right: she was a beast.
She'd teamed up with those who treated her badly to bully the one who treated her well.
Damn it.
She deserved damnation.
She decided to find Xu Mu and tell him she regretted it.
—
Xu Mu and Ye Tong were already under the covers, listening to the audio. They couldn't see the scene, but the sounds were vivid enough.
"So this is the owner of that bar you used to frequent?" Ye Tong whispered.
"Yeah. I got close to her because I knew she had planted someone in our company—I was investigating," Xu Mu said, choosing a kinder lie. The old, scummy Xu Mu was long gone; he himself would never be that kind of bootlicker.
[Favorability +20]
"I misunderstood you before… but I don't mind," Ye Tong murmured, hugging his arm. "You're the only family Yan and I have. As long as you treat us well, I don't care if you have other women."
"Wife, you—"
He was at a loss for words. Were there really women like this in the world?
"Enough. Let's drop it." She pressed her cheek to his arm. She couldn't bring herself to admit that Xu Mu was simply too overwhelming for her; she felt guilty about not keeping up, so better to let him… spend that energy elsewhere.
"I'll treat you well. You're my wife—no one's taking you from me."
[Favorability +20]
"Is it over on their side? Turn off the phone. I almost feel sorry for that woman," Ye Tong said softly.
"Okay."
Xu Mu nodded. The bug had auto-record; he could review anything important tomorrow. At least one detail had stuck: Feng Yue was the Feng family's illegitimate daughter.
Suddenly, his expression shifted—this bold Ye Tong was "raiding the vault" again.
With her period slowing his gain of Fate Points, Xu Mu had finally built up enough for a ten-draw.
Why not? He opened the system and started drawing while being "raided." Time is like water in a sponge—squeeze and you'll find some.
He checked his panel first:
Name: Xu Mu
Role: Villainous Sacred Body; HR Manager, Xu Group
Realm: Early Hidden Force
Physique: 170
Spirit: 170
Cultivation Points: 60 (200 max)
Fate Power: 40
Strange. Turning the female lead Feng Yue against Lin Yan should've cost Lin Yan Fate Power—and netted Xu Mu some. Maybe he needed to confront him in person to siphon it?
Whatever. Draw first.
Ten-draw initiated. The wheel spins…
[Ding! Congratulations, Host: +20 Cultivation Points]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host: Grade-3 Self-Healing Pill]
…