Chapter 391: Ji Family Birthday Banquet, The Chosen One Presents a Bell!
"You... if you keep doing this, I won't help you anymore!"
Xu Ruoxue's usually cool and composed face instantly flushed a deep crimson, resembling a ripe peach. She glared fiercely at Shen Anyu, her eyes wide with a mixture of embarrassment and feigned anger.
However, although she spoke harshly, her actions betrayed her softness. Her slender hands remained pressed firmly against Shen Anyu's chest and back. She continued to channel her pure, icy-blue Martial Dao True Qi into his meridians, meticulously guiding the energy to soothe his "turbulent" Qi and blood.
The sensation was akin to a cool stream flowing through a scorching desert, bringing immense comfort to Shen Anyu's supposedly injured body.
Shen Anyu looked down at the young girl in front of him. Even in her flustered state, her temperament remained distinctly cool and proud—like a lotus blooming on a snowy peak. Her attempt at being fierce only made her look more adorable, like a kitten baring its milk teeth.
He smiled, a playful glint in his eyes.
"I can't blame myself. I blame your charm for being too great. It disrupts my concentration."
[Ding! Detected that destined heroine Xu Ruoxue's favorability +1!]
[Ding! Plundering +3,000 Destiny Value!]
...
"I don't care! You're not allowed to look! Close your eyes! Turn your head!"
Xu Ruoxue's pretty face burned even hotter under his intense gaze. She stomped her foot lightly, her voice rising an octave in a rare display of girlish panic.
"Alright, alright, I won't look. Your wish is my command."
Seeing Xu Ruoxue genuinely getting angry, Shen Anyu chuckled softly and obediently turned his head away, though the smirk remained plastered on his lips.
The secret chamber fell into a comfortable silence, broken only by the soft hum of energy transfer.
A few minutes later, Xu Ruoxue felt the chaotic turbulence in Shen Anyu's meridians subside. She slowly withdrew her hands, exhaling a breath of turbid air. She shrunk her delicate body, breaking free from Shen Anyu's semi-embrace, and quickly put distance between them.
She adjusted her glasses and clothes, her face regaining its customary frost.
"Young Master Shen," she asked, her voice regaining its professional detachment, "why are you here?"
Shen Anyu leaned against the cold metal of the safe, crossing his arms casually.
"What about you?" he countered, his tone amused. "I remember you were a small, timid assistant to Ji Meilan, the Young Miss of the Modu Ji family. A nobody."
He took a step closer, his eyes sharp.
"Why is a 'nobody' in the secret underground vault of the Ji family? And possessing the strength of a Martial Arts Grandmaster? You usually pretend to be so inconspicuous and rustic... not acting anymore? Are you trying to steal something from the Ji family's safe?"
Shen Anyu tilted his head, his handsome face smiling yet carrying an oppressive pressure.
Xu Ruoxue froze. A flicker of genuine surprise crossed her eyes behind the thick lenses.
She didn't expect Shen Anyu to recognize her.
To the outside world, she was the "Ugly Duckling" assistant—dowdy clothes, thick glasses, fake birthmark. She had perfected her act, blending into the background so well that even the Ji Family members treated her like furniture. Ordinary people, even other martial artists, would never have connected the lethal "Blood Skull" executive with the clumsy girl spilling coffee.
'He saw through me?' she thought, her heart racing. 'Or has he been watching me all along?'
Looking at Shen Anyu's handsome face, Xu Ruoxue felt a complex mix of emotions. She really wanted to punch that smug smile off his face. But then, her gaze drifted to the floor.
Dozens of poisoned darts—lethal hidden weapons coated in nerve toxins—lay scattered on the concrete. Just moments ago, Shen Anyu had shielded her with his own body, blocking the trap that she had carelessly triggered.
'He saved my life...'
Her heart softened against her will. The hostility she tried to muster evaporated.
"I am here to find evidence," Xu Ruoxue admitted quietly, deciding to trust him partially. "Evidence of the Modu Ji Family's crimes. According to multiple investigations by my... organization, there are clues in this safe. The Ji Family is not as clean as they pretend to be."
She looked up at him, her expression tense, her fingers hovering near her hidden dagger.
"Are you going to help the Ji family? Are you going to stop me?"
At this point, Xu Ruoxue looked at Shen Anyu with apprehension and nervousness.
The weight of his answer was immense. If Young Master Shen of the Yanxia Shen Family—the supreme power of the region—decided to shield the Modu Ji Family, then everything was over. Even if she obtained the evidence, and even if the entire Blood Skull Mercenary Group came out in full force, they would be crushed like bugs. The Shen Family's influence could turn black into white with a single word.
Chu Yun's carefully laid revenge plan tonight would be completely ruined.
Shen Anyu's expression shifted. The playfulness vanished, replaced by a solemn, awe-inspiring mask of justice. He straightened his posture, looking like a judge descended from the heavens.
"Help them?" Shen Anyu scoffed, his voice filled with righteous indignation. "Miss Xu, you underestimate me. I, Shen Anyu, cannot tolerate any wrongdoing under the sun!"
He stepped forward, his eyes burning with a holy light (thanks to his acting skills).
"If the Modu Ji Family is indeed guilty—if they have harmed the innocent and violated the laws—then let alone helping them, I will be the first to bring them to justice! I will personally drag them to the guillotine!"
"This is what my grandfather has repeatedly told me since I was a child. Power comes with responsibility. Our Yanxia Shen Family stands at the peak not to oppress, but to protect. We must be the backbone of this nation!"
"We are... the Light of the Righteous Path!"
[Ding! Detected that destined heroine Xu Ruoxue's favorability +5!]
[Ding! Plundering +15,000 Destiny Value!]
...
Xu Ruoxue was stunned.
Looking at Young Master Shen, who was now radiating an aura of absolute righteousness, seemingly as pure and unblemished as jade, her apricot eyes glowed with a strange light.
'So... this is the true Young Master Shen?'
The rumors said he was arrogant and domineering. But rumors were often false. The man before her was principled, just, and brave.
'The Yanxia Shen Family, a thousand-year-old family... indeed, they have a reputation for order. Perhaps I judged him too harshly.'
Moreover, Shen Anyu had just risked his life to save her—a "nobody"—without hesitation. Actions spoke louder than words. This made Xu Ruoxue trust Shen Anyu's character deeply.
But immediately after, a new worry gnawed at her.
'He is too righteous.'
Although the Blood Skull Mercenary Group wasn't purely evil—they often punished bad guys the law couldn't touch—their methods were bloody. They were vigilantes, killers. They had caused too much collateral damage and were wanted by international governments.
If this Young Master Shen, who was the embodiment of law and order, knew that she was working with Chu Yun—the infamous Asura Demon King—he would probably not tolerate them either.
Looking at Shen Anyu, Xu Ruoxue suddenly felt a little guilty. She felt like a stain standing next to a pristine white sheet.
Shen Anyu, observing her micro-expressions, nearly laughed out loud internally.
'Light of the Righteous Path? Me? Hahahaha!'
'Silly girl. In this world, the greatest villains are always wrapped in the most dazzling robes of righteousness. But keep thinking that. It makes you easier to manipulate.'
Outwardly, he seemed not to notice her internal conflict. He gestured toward the open safe.
"Aren't you looking for evidence of the Modu Ji Family's crimes? Hurry up. The banquet is about to peak. If we stay here too long, the Ji family guards will discover us."
"Ah! Yes!"
Xu Ruoxue snapped back to reality. She nodded gently, grateful for his reminder.
She quickly pulled out a high-tech miniature camera hanging around her neck. Her fingers flew as she flipped through the ledgers and secret documents inside the safe.
Click. Click. Click.
"Tax evasion... illegal land annexation... collusion with black market arms dealers... hiring killers to eliminate business rivals..."
As she read the contents, Xu Ruoxue's pretty face flushed with excitement and anger. She waved her small fist in the air.
"Scum! Beasts! If these crimes are exposed, the Ji family will definitely be infamous! They will be ruined!"
She quickly uploaded the encrypted photos to a secure server, sending the evidence directly to the leader of the Blood Skull Mercenary Group, Shura Demon King Chu Yun.
Shen Anyu watched this, finding it amusing.
'Making them infamous? That's the plan?'
He shook his head internally.
'Did a female author write Chu Yun's character? If you're going to get revenge, just kill them. Why the drama? Why the "social death" approach?'
'Why not just scatter their ashes, cut the earthworms in the garden in half, and shake the egg yolks in the fridge? Wouldn't that be cleaner?'
These evidences could indeed tarnish the Ji Family's reputation. But this was the real world. The top ten richest families in Modu had deep roots. They had lawyers, they had scapegoats, and they had politicians in their pockets. A few scandals wouldn't kill them; it would only annoy them.
To truly destroy a family like this, you needed to strike with thunderous force. Wipe them out physically and economically in one blow.
Chu Yun's plan—to make them infamous, then bankrupt, then slowly drive them to despair—was classic "Protagonist Torture Porn." It was inefficient.
And it risked alerting the prey.
'Whatever. Getting revenge so slowly... I can't stand it. It offends my efficiency.'
A faint, dangerous glimmer flashed in Shen Anyu's eyes.
'I'll help you out, Chu Yun. I'll speed up your schedule.'
[Location: Ji Family Birthday Banquet Hall]
The crystal chandeliers cast a brilliant light over the opulent hall. Champagne flowed like water. The air was filled with the scent of expensive perfume and the murmur of polite, hypocritical conversation.
"Greetings, Young Master Shen!"
"Oh my, Young Master Shen is back! You look dashing as always!"
As Shen Anyu re-entered the hall, the atmosphere shifted. The elite of Modu bowed and scraped, their smiles plastered on like masks.
Shen Anyu smiled and nodded, a picture of aristocratic grace. Beside him walked Xu Ruoxue.
She had changed back into her "disguise"—the dowdy grey suit, the thick black-rimmed glasses, and the hunched posture.
However, Shen Anyu was holding her hand.
This sight caused a ripple of shock through the crowd.
"Who... who is that?"
"Isn't that Ji Meilan's little assistant? The ugly one?"
"Why is Young Master Shen holding her hand? Is he... does he have a unique taste?"
Everyone looked at Xu Ruoxue with surprise and disdain. With Young Master Shen's status, he could have any supermodel or heiress he wanted. Why was he being so intimate with such an inconspicuous, rustic girl?
Some even whispered, wondering if Young Master Shen had developed a fetish for "rural simplicity."
Shen Anyu heard the whispers, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
'Are these NPCs blind?'
'Just wearing black-rimmed glasses... does that seal her beauty completely? Is this the legendary "Superman Disguise Effect" at work?'
'And that red mark on her face... it's obviously makeup. Can't they see the bone structure? The skin quality?'
One could only say that the [Halo of Stupidity] forced by the plot was strong. It lowered the collective IQ of the world to ensure the Protagonist's hidden identity remained hidden until the dramatic reveal.
"Damn it!"
At this moment, a shrill internal scream rang out.
Ji Meilan, the star of the night, stood near the stage holding a wine glass. Her knuckles were white.
Seeing her little assistant—her servant—so intimately by Young Master Shen's side, Ji Meilan was so angry that her face turned ashen. She gnashed her teeth, her perfect smile cracking.
'That bitch! That rustic village girl!'
'I planned to hook up with Young Master Shen at this birthday banquet! I dressed up for hours! I prepared everything! And now... I'm actually intercepted by my own ugly assistant?!'
Xu Ruoxue felt the stabbing gazes. She tried to pull her hand away, feeling embarrassed and exposed.
"Young Master Shen... people are looking..."
But Shen Anyu held firm.
"Stay close," he whispered, his voice brooking no argument. "It's for your safety. If you wander off now, the guards might check the vault. Staying with me is your best alibi."
Xu Ruoxue couldn't refuse his logic, nor his kindness. She lowered her head, her face burning, allowing him to lead her through the crowd like a princess in rags.
"An'yu? What is this?"
A gentle, teasing voice came from the VIP section.
An Zhiyue, Shen Anyu's aunt, looked at her nephew with raised eyebrows. She scanned Xu Ruoxue up and down, genuinely surprised.
'Has my nephew, accustomed to delicacies like abalone and shark fin, suddenly decided he wants to try wild vegetables?'
Shen Anyu smiled. He pulled Xu Ruoxue to sit beside him on the velvet sofa, ignoring the gasps of the onlookers.
"Aunt," he said softly, checking his watch. "Don't worry about the small details. The main event is about to start."
"The excitement is here."
Just as Shen Anyu's words fell, the heavy oak doors of the banquet hall were kicked open with a thunderous Bang!
A gust of cold wind swept into the warm hall, extinguishing the candles near the entrance.
A chilling, voice, seemingly originating from the depths of hell, boomed through the silence:
"Chu Yun congratulates Old Master Ji on his eightieth birthday!"
"And specially presents... a Clock!"
[Akarin's Note: In Chinese culture, "giving a clock" (sòng zhōng) sounds exactly like "sending someone to their end" (sòng zhōng). It is the ultimate death threat.]
[Akarin Note:
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