Xu Mu believed in taking precautions before trouble came.
After finishing his morning routine, he opened his system panel.
Name: Xu Mu
Identity: Villain's Sacred Body — HR Manager of the Xu Group
Realm: Early Stage of Gang Qi Realm
Physique: 330
Spirit: 330
Cultivation Points: 180 / 400
Fate Power: 155
Xu Mu nodded in satisfaction. As expected, advancing into a new realm drastically increased the cultivation points required to progress further.
That was normal—progress should always become harder the higher one climbed.
Meanwhile, in an abandoned factory on the outskirts of a small county under Jiang City's jurisdiction, Feng Yue was bound to a steel frame with rope.
Lin Yan and the two men beside him were growing uneasy.
They had thought Xu Mu's indifference was an act—that he'd surely come rushing to rescue her.
But after all this time, he still hadn't even returned their call.
"Hahaha!"
Feng Yue's hair was a tangled mess, her lips bloodstained.
Despite her disheveled state, there was a strange, tragic beauty to her.
"I told you already, Xu Mu and I have nothing to do with each other. You think he'll come for me?"
Though she said it calmly, her eyes flickered with a trace of sadness.
If it had been the old Xu Mu, he would have come—brain-dead as he'd been, he'd always treated her sincerely.
But now… it was far too late.
She gave a bitter smile. Perhaps this was the price she paid for toying with men.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a black projectile shot through one of the shattered factory windows.
Lin Yan reacted instantly, snatching it from midair.
It was shaped like a human finger, but the tip was sharpened into a conical spike.
"Nine-Fingers, how dare you! Is this how you treat your savior?" Lin Yan's voice turned frigid as he hurled the weapon aside.
"Jie jie jie!"
From the same window, a thin, wiry man leapt inside.
He looked to be in his fifties—white short-sleeved shirt, black track pants, and a pair of old man's walking shoes.
He could have passed for any soon-to-retire janitor on the street.
His left hand was missing the middle finger.
His long, narrow eyes gleamed with mischief.
"Lin Yan, if you die, then my debt to you disappears, doesn't it?"
"I could end your life right now!" Lin Yan snarled.
"Jie jie jie! Don't be so tense. It was just a joke—my little greeting wasn't enough to kill you."
Nine-Fingers glanced around, and his eyes widened when he saw Feng Yue.
"Such waste! Tying up a beauty like this?"
"I don't like using other people's leftovers," Lin Yan said coldly.
"To me, this woman is nothing more than scraps fought over by a pack of men."
"I'm not picky," Nine-Fingers grinned, stepping closer. "Untie her. It's been a while since I've had such fine company."
Though Feng Yue tried to stay composed, her legs trembled uncontrollably.
If she were violated by such a man, she'd rather die.
For all her flaws, she had never betrayed herself physically.
She liked manipulating men—but she'd never given herself to any of them.
Not even her first kiss.
As Nine-Fingers reached toward her, tears welled in her eyes.
"Wait."
Lin Yan's voice cut through the air.
"What's this, you want a turn first? I don't mind waiting." Nine-Fingers turned with a smirk.
"I know you well," Lin Yan said calmly. "Even though you owe me a favor, to make you work, I need to show sincerity. This woman is my sincerity."
He pulled out a phone and tossed it to Nine-Fingers.
Catching it, the assassin saw a photo displayed on the screen.
"This man's name is Xu Mu, son of Xu Shou, chairman of the Xu Group in Jiang City. I want him dead."
"Kill him," Lin Yan continued coldly, "and this woman is yours."
Feng Yue shut her eyes, tears streaming silently.
The more vile Lin Yan became, the nobler Xu Mu seemed in her heart—
and the deeper her regret.
"Fine," Nine-Fingers said with a grin, "but I want a little taste first."
"No. I told you—I know you. The moment you touch her, you'll vanish without a trace. Kill Xu Mu first."
Nine-Fingers' expression soured. "The Xu Group has the money to dig deep. If they trace me, I'll be on the Cleaners' kill list."
He eyed Lin Yan warily. "I won't kill him in public. You'll have to lure him somewhere isolated."
"Deal." Lin Yan nodded.
Luring that brainless rich boy out would be the easiest thing in the world.
Later that day, Xu Mu mentioned the situation to Ye Tong over lunch.
He told her to stay cautious—keep to public areas, places with surveillance cameras, and never go out alone.
Xu Mu knew this world's logic well.
The Dragon Nation was safe because of a certain profession: the Cleaners.
Ordinary cleaners disposed of everyday trash.
These Cleaners disposed of the martial world's trash.
Backed directly by the state, they wielded immense authority, divided into three ranks:
Junior Cleaners, Intermediate Cleaners, and Senior Cleaners.
Senior Cleaners were exceedingly powerful—few in number, yet capable of rivaling or even surpassing the heads of the top sects.
When Xu Mu had first "transmigrated," he'd still been listening to the original novel this world was based on.
He hadn't reached the end, but by the mid-to-late chapters, there were several Senior Cleaners whose strength exceeded even the Dragon King himself.
If any martial artist dared to openly kidnap Ye Tong, it would absolutely alert the Cleaners.
Ye Tong's expression grew tense.
If Lin Yan had already kidnapped Feng Yue to threaten Xu Mu, he could just as easily target her next.
She would have to be extremely careful.
After breakfast, Xu Mu went to the company.
Not long after he arrived at his office, Meng Wanyue entered with a stack of files.
"President Xu, this is today's work report."
She placed it neatly on his desk.
"Wanyue, have you heard what's been happening lately?" Xu Mu asked.
"I have. Our slimming pills are selling like crazy—the whole group's thriving. The chairman said the year-end bonuses will be much higher than usual."
Her tone was calm—she had never cared much about material things.
"Listen to this."
Xu Mu played the recording from his phone, the one capturing Lin Yan's threat.
When it ended, he said quietly,
"This morning Lin Yan tried to use Feng Yue to threaten me. Since that failed, he might target someone else—Ye Tong or Ye Yu. I need you to help protect them."
Text appeared above her head: [Favorability +15].
Xu Mu was stunned. A fifteen-point increase? That was a first.
He hadn't even realized what he'd done to earn it.
"President Xu," Meng Wanyue said softly, "I truly admire you. Even knowing Lin Yan's goal is you, you still worry only about others—never yourself."
Xu Mu blinked, then smiled faintly.
She was right—he hadn't even thought about protecting himself.
After all, compared to Ye Tong or Ye Yu, he was a Gang Qi-realm martial artist with a Heaven-tier technique.