Feng Yue wasn't actually a timid person—but what happened last night was just too terrifying.
If Zhang Que had simply killed those bad guys outright, she wouldn't have been this frightened.
But he didn't.
He ripped a man's arm off with his bare hand—like tearing a wing off a roast chicken.
Feng Yue regretted it; why had she gone down to look?
"It's okay. I told you before—he's a killer. A very vicious one," Xu Mu patted Feng Yue's back. "But don't worry, you're not his target."
"Even so, I'm scared. What if he gets drunk some night and comes after me?" Feng Yue sighed.
"Then don't sleep here at night. Clock out and go home like everyone else," Xu Mu said. He didn't have any better solution—he couldn't exactly stay here every night to protect her. Besides, at the moment, he wasn't a match for Zhang Que anyway.
"Right—being scared made me forget the main point." Feng Yue pulled Xu Mu to the sofa. "The three who came for me last night were sent by the Chai family."
Xu Mu nodded inwardly. So Miao He hadn't lied—the killers were indeed hired by the Chais.
"That's… not great," Xu Mu murmured.
He recalled what Yun Wu had said: organizations like that often care about their reputation and raise their mission success rate whenever possible. Since those punk-styled goons were routed yesterday, Miao He might step in personally.
If that happened, the safest place for Feng Yue would still be the company.
"What's wrong, Boss?" Feng Yue asked.
"Stay here today. I've got something to take care of," Xu Mu said, turning to leave.
He needed to find Miao He and make it clear their current target was his friend. Miao He wasn't Yun Wu. Xu Mu had shown Yun Wu lenience because she wasn't a bad person and had done plenty of good. But he knew nothing about Miao He—if she insisted on moving against Feng Yue, he wouldn't be polite.
Leaving the office, Xu Mu headed down the stairs toward the main entrance, hands in his pockets, planning to drive to the Yangshan Villas to look for Miao He.
At the gate, a woman caught his eye—and very few women could make Xu Mu do a double take.
She wore a white dress; delicate, serene, breathtakingly beautiful, with a fresh, otherworldly air. Skin like jade; eyes clear as a spring—pure and crystalline. Her long black hair fell like a waterfall, with a few dark-red ribbons tied amid the strands.
She was standing at the gate chatting with Zhang Que.
Xu Mu opened the Divine Eye to observe; from their conversation, they clearly knew each other.
Anyone who knew Zhang Que wouldn't be ordinary.
Name: Shingū Fuka
Identity: Priestess of the Shintō Society; inheritor of Shintō-ryū sword arts; heroine of The Dragon King's Return
Favorability: 0
Fate Level: 9 (max 10)
Good grief.
So the Dragon King's harem even included one from the island nation—and judging from that profile, she was anything but simple.
What surprised him was why Shingū Fuka knew Zhang Que. Had Zhang Que joined some organization from the islands?
He shook his head. Unlikely—Zhang Que's profile still said "farmer." Maybe they'd cooperated in the past; after all, he was a notorious villain.
By now Xu Mu had walked outside.
Shingū Fuka glanced at him, then placed her hands before her and gave Zhang Que a slight nod before turning to leave. She walked to a nearby Lexus LM and got into the back seat.
The car rolled past Xu Mu and pulled away.
"Island nation?" Xu Mu asked Zhang Que with a smile.
"You can tell that?" Zhang Que took a drag on his cigarette.
"I guessed," Xu Mu grinned.
"Interested? I could put in a word," Zhang Que said with a crooked smile.
"I've got a wife at home," Xu Mu waved it off and headed out. Still, he wondered whether this woman had met Ye Chen yet. If not, he really wanted to intercept her.
He didn't even need to win her over—just making her miss the encounter with Ye Chen would be enough. According to the system, people with high Fate Levels who admire, like, or respect the protagonist would further boost the protagonist's Fate Power. If Xu Mu could cut in halfway, he could keep the protagonist from leveling up.
"Forget it—deal with her later," he muttered, shaking his head and driving off to find Miao He first.
Right now, the priority was the people close to him.
Feng Yue was his—her safety came first.
—
Yangshan Villas.
Xu Mu rushed over. At Miao He's villa, his senses told him she wasn't home. But the neighboring villa housed several punk-styled types.
Since they lived together, they were obviously on the same side.
Xu Mu rang the left villa's doorbell. Before long, a yellow-haired "peacock-cut" guy came out.
"Who are you looking for?" the blond asked.
"I'm looking for your Second Boss. I'm her friend," Xu Mu said.
"Who do you think you are? You're not one of us at all, and you dare claim you're Second Boss's friend?" The blond jabbed a finger at him.
Xu Mu didn't waste words. He lifted a hand and released Gang Qi—but not too much—just enough to jolt the blond backward five or six steps.
"Gang Qi!" the blond blurted, eyes wide.
"Relax. Call her and tell her to come back," Xu Mu said calmly. "If you don't, I'll kill you—and then you'll have plenty of time to panic."
Terrified, the blond fumbled out his phone and dialed. Then he sidled up, scratching his head. "Big bro, our Second Boss will be here soon."
Xu Mu nodded and waited.
About ten minutes later, a Wuling Hongguang pulled up in front of him. The door opened, and the first thing out was a long, straight leg.
Miao He wore yesterday's outfit: white shirt, denim shorts.
"I figured it was you. What is it—have you agreed to cooperate?" she asked evenly.
"No. I'm here to save your life," Xu Mu said, hands in his pockets. "I already know what hit you're running—the target happens to be my friend."
Miao He's brows knit.
"I know your organization cares about its success rate. Since yesterday's attempt failed, today it should be your turn to act, right?" Xu Mu asked.
"It's not me—it's Qingshang, the Third Boss. The commission went to his subordinates," Miao He replied, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You planning to kill him?"
"He lays a hand on my people, I'll make sure he dies. Simple logic," Xu Mu said, voice like ice.
"Fine. Suit yourself. I don't get along with him anyway," Miao He said, unconcerned.
That caught Xu Mu off guard—so the Mourning-Love Family wasn't monolithic.
"Where were you just now?" he asked. "Out hunting for the ruin?"
"No. I was headed to the Chai family. They've invited a number of guests today—us included," Miao He said.
Xu Mu's face changed. Ye Chen was very likely at the Chai estate. If Miao He met him there, sparks could fly.
He decided to go along—to stop the plot from unfolding between Miao He and Ye Chen.