There's an old saying: a starved cal is still bigger than a horse.
Although Xiao Xuanye's martial abilities were crippled, his physical constitution was still far stronger than that of an ordinary person. Lin Tang's slap rely knocked him over, sending him tumbling face-first into the dirt. He wasn't seriously injured, nor did he have a concussion.
He scrambled to his feet, enraged, and bellowed, "Who?! How dare you strike ! I'll fucking kill you!"
He was about to draw his gun when he turned and froze.
"Lin… Lin Tang? How can it be you, you cur? How did you get in here? Aren't you supposed to be rotting in the Ten Directions Absolute Prison?!"
Lin Tang strode forward and kicked him, sending him flying several ters. He rolled across the floor like a winter lon.
"You, you, you—"
Xiao Xuanye exploded in fury again, screaming at the top of his lungs, "Guards! Get in here and shoot this bastard dead!"
However, no one ca. It was utterly silent outside.
Xiao Xuanye glanced around, noticing for the first ti that the dancers had all passed out. A chill went down his spine as he reached for his gun again.
BANG!
He pulled the trigger. The bullet flew from the chamber, striking Lin Tang squarely between the eyes.
"You asked for this… huh?!"
Xiao Xuanye's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
What did I just see? The bullet! It bounced off! It didn't even break his skin! How is this possible? Weren't his martial arts crippled? Even if they weren't, he was only at the Innate realm! How could his body withstand a bullet?
Heh, I must be drunk… I'm dreaming…
Xiao Xuanye staggered toward the bed, intending to sleep it off.
"Xiao Zhanchong, take another look at who I am," Lin Tang said coldly.
As he spoke, his face slowly morphed, taking on the features of Long Tianji.
"No, no, impossible!" Witnessing this, Xiao Xuanye was so terrified that he collapsed to the floor and scrambled back on his rear, his legs flailing wildly. His face turned a sickly green as he stared at Lin Tang. "Who are you? Why are you impersonating Lin Tang and Long Tianji? What is your sche? Don't co any closer! Stay away from !"
Lin Tang looked down on him, his voice dripping with contempt. "I never expected that not only were your martial arts crippled, but your mind and personality would beco such utter trash. Are you really this pathetic?"
"I…" Xiao Xuanye hung his head, a bitter taste filling his heart. Lin Tang and Long Tianji… so they really are the sa person. We've been played from the very beginning!
Since his enemy had already seen him at his most pathetic, Xiao Xuanye threw all caution to the wind. He scrambled around, knelt, and began to grovel. "Lin Tang, for the sake of being Youling's adoptive father, spare my life! Please, don't kill ! From now on, I'll be your dog! I'll obey your every command and never oppose you again. I won't try to separate you and Youling!"
"Getting wise now?" Lin Tang said disdainfully. "But it's too late."
Xiao Xuanye was speechless. Regret! Extre regret! Resentnt! Supre resentnt! If I'd known from the start that Lin Tang was this terrifying, would I have repeatedly targeted him? I could have flattered him, pleased him, even used him… but instead, I played a winning hand into a complete disaster…
When Lin Tang brazenly changed his face into Long Tianji right in front of him, Xiao Xuanye knew his fate was sealed. Lin Tang was not going to let him live. Begging for rcy had just been wishful thinking.
With a long sigh, Xiao Xuanye stood up and straightened his clothes, maintaining his last shred of dignity.
Lin Tang watched indifferently as he made his final preparations. Then, he flicked his finger.
BANG!
Xiao Xuanye's pupils contracted, then imdiately beca vacant.
And yet, he didn't die. Lin Tang had rely erased his consciousness.
"Your identity, your resources… they still have so use to . So, beco my puppet!"
Lin Tang's fingers ford a seal as he cast a spell. The light in the room flickered, brightening and darkening in turn.
A few monts later…
THUD!
Like a robot, Xiao Xuanye dropped to one knee before Lin Tang. "Your orders, Master!"
Lin Tang said calmly, "Find out the exact whereabouts of Gan Leixin and Qiu Yuxian."
"Yes!"
Xiao Xuanye accepted the command and stood up. The next mont, the dancers began to stir.
"Ugh…"
"What happened to ?"
They looked around in confusion, but Lin Tang was already gone.
"Soone, attend !" Xiao Xuanye called out. His eyes were still empty, but his expression was animated, looking no different than usual.
His adjutant hurried in, bowing respectfully, completely unaware that the man he served had beco a lifeless shell. Of course, he also failed to notice that Lin Tang had restored Xiao Xuanye's martial arts in the process, returning him to the Grandmaster realm.
Hearing the order to investigate Gan Leixin, the adjutant was taken aback. "General Xiao, this Mr. Gan hasn't offended us. Plus, his network is vast. Why would we target him?"
In the past, I would never have questioned any of the General's orders. I would have carried them out without a second thought. His strength gave him that authority! But now… he's crippled. I have to consider the consequences…
"Hmm?" Xiao Xuanye's gaze turned cold. "Just go. Or is my word no longer good enough?"
"I wouldn't dare, General! Please forgive !" The adjutant shuddered and quickly knelt. Why did I just get the feeling I was facing the old General Xiao?
After the adjutant humbly withdrew, he tasked soone with the investigation. His contact agreed, but their tone was laced with condescension, making their thoughts clear. He's already retired and put out to pasture, why is he still stirring up trouble? The adjutant could only smile wryly.
It's predictable. As ti goes on, both General Xiao and I will be held in less and less regard. It's what happens when a man like him is crippled.
「anwhile.」
Shen Youling left the Ten Directions Absolute Prison. She had wanted to go into hiding back in Jiangbei, but she feared that would only infuriate Xiao Xuanye more. She had no choice but to brace herself and go see him again.
Even the adjutant, who knew General Xiao far better, couldn't see the change in him. So, of course, she was completely unaware of the situation.
She spoke with nervous deference, "Father, I have followed your demand and proposed a divorce to Lin Tang."
Xiao Xuanye sat with his eyes closed, resting, and didn't respond.
Shen Youling waited a mont before trying again. "Father, I implore you, please don't arrange a new marriage for just yet. I'm not ntally prepared to remarry, and I'm afraid I would be disrespectful to your friend's family."
Xiao Xuanye remained silent.
"...So, may I return to Jiangbei and go back to work? I'll see myself out, then!"
Shen Youling carefully backed out of the room. Only when she was safely outside did she let out a huge sigh of relief. She was also incredibly surprised.
His attitude seems to have changed so much...
She was about to put more distance between them when a car ca tearing toward her, screeching to an abrupt halt. A young man chewing gum leaped out. He had a swaggering, rebellious air about him.
The mont he saw Shen Youling, his eyes lit up. He imdiately stepped forward to block her path. "Hey, Youling, what a coincidence!"
"Who are you?" Shen Youling asked, taking a cautious step back in confusion.
The young man grinned. "Hasn't Uncle Xiao told you? I'm Wen Liangjue. My dad is Wen Dingchen. You've heard of him, right?"
"Wen Dingchen? You an the… Night King?" Shen Youling gasped, covering her mouth.
She didn't recognize the na Wen Liangjue, but Wen Dingchen's na was legendary. He was a monuntal figure.
Wen Liangjue puffed out his chest with pride. "That's right, the Night King! And congratulations, you'll soon have the honor of becoming his daughter-in-law. Which is to say, my wife!"
"What?" Shen Youling was even more shocked. She had never imagined that the marriage Xiao Xuanye had arranged for her was with the Night King's Wen Family. "Uh, Mr. Wen, are you joking? How could I possibly be worthy of marrying you? Not to ntion I've been married once before. I'm really not a match for you!"
"Haha, you've got so self-awareness, at least," Wen Liangjue sneered, waving a dismissive hand. "But don't get the wrong idea. You won't be my principal wife. You'll be a concubine. To be blunt, my official wife's status is impeccable, but she's a bit of an eyesore. For the sake of the next generation's looks, and because Uncle Xiao and my dad are old friends, I reluctantly agreed to take you. Your only job is to give eight or ten sons."
Shen Youling was aghast.
Eight or ten? What does he think I am?!
"I'm sorry, this is completely unsuitable," she said, shaking her head.
She turned to walk in the other direction, but Wen Liangjue blocked her again with a mocking smirk. "This matter is already settled. Do you really think you have the right to refuse?"
"I…"
"Don't tell you're still hung up on that piece of trash, Lin Tang. Hmph. If you're going to be my woman, the most important thing is loyalty! You will have no other man in your heart but . Not even an ex-husband!"
"But…"
"Fine. Words are useless. I'll just have to conquer you with my actions."
Wen Liangjue grabbed her arm and forcibly dragged her into the sanatorium. He picked a room at random and kicked the occupants out.
BANG!
The door slamd shut and was locked from the inside.
CRASH!
He swept all the decorations off a table, sending them shattering to the floor.
"Get on the table and bend over!" Wen Liangjue ordered, pulling out his belt. He lashed it viciously across Shen Youling's body as if he were driving a donkey.
Shen Youling shivered in pain and scrambled to the other side of the table, pleading, "Please, don't co over! Even if I have to marry you, things like this should wait until after the wedding! Why don't you go see my adoptive father first?"
"Enough of this bullshit! I'll deal with you first, then go see Uncle Xiao!" Wen Liangjue snarled. Despite a na that suggested he was gentle and kind, he was violently irritable.
He lunged at Shen Youling, who scread and darted around the table to evade him.
The more she dodged and resisted, the more excited and amused he beca. Ever since he'd matured, every woman he'd been with had been exceptionally eager. After a while, it just got boring. But Shen Youling was a breath of fresh air, stirring his primal instincts.
The two of them chased and fled until the table was overturned. The water dispenser and jugs tipped over, spilling water all over the floor. In her desperation, Shen Youling grabbed a water glass and smashed it against Wen Liangjue's forehead.
"HISS—"
Wen Liangjue winced in pain and slapped her hard across the face. "You bitch! You dare try to murder your own husband? I'll teach you a lesson!"
He grabbed her again and was about to tear at her clothes when the door was kicked open.
The adjutant burst in, his face stern. "Who dares to be so insolent as to bully the General's foster daughter—oh! Young Master Wen!"
His expression instantly beca sycophantic, and he practically bowed in half.
"Save ! Save !" Shen Youling cried, trying to hide behind him.
But the adjutant unhesitatingly pushed her back toward her torntor. "Miss Youling, this man is your fiancé. You'll be sharing a marriage bed sooner or later, so a little 'interaction' right now is fine. My apologies, Young Master Wen, I'll see myself out!"
With that, he turned and scurried away, leaving Shen Youling in utter despair.
Lin Tang, I'm so sorry…
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