Xu Mu ran at full speed, following the trail of the fallen vehicle down the mountain.
Miao He followed close behind — if it really was Zhao Pinglu down there, she didn't want Xu Mu killing him.
She still needed to learn where that powerful Gu insect was located.
Eventually, the two reached the foot of the mountain and found the wrecked BMW beside a large boulder.
The car was completely crushed flat. Xu Mu checked carefully — no one was inside.
He activated his Divine Eye perception, scanning the entire area, but detected no trace of Fang Chu or Zhao Pinglu.
"Looks like they got out before the crash," Xu Mu said, glancing at the thick mountain woods around them. "It won't be easy to find them here."
After all, Fang Chu's Fate Level was extremely high.
"You were careless," Miao He said with a faint smile. "You shouldn't have let them get too far."
Still, the fact that someone could tumble from such a height and escape alive proved they weren't ordinary people. Maybe Xu Mu was right after all.
[Favorability +10]
Seeing no better option, Xu Mu turned back up the slope. He kept his perception spread the whole way, but found no sign of Fang Chu.
When he finally reached the Wuling van, he got in and drove away.
"Why did you do all this for me?" Miao He asked quietly. "Or is Fang Chu your enemy?"
"Fang Chu isn't my enemy," Xu Mu replied. "Just a rival. I hate men who use dirty tricks to force women. A real man should make a woman move on her own."
[Favorability +10]
Miao He gazed out the window. This man… really was different.
Back at the Yangshan Villa.
After getting out of the car, Miao He hesitated before taking one of the Moutai bottles from the seat.
As a Gu cultivator, she was well-versed in poisons and toxins.
Spring Night Grass was colorless and tasteless, and the strong scent of white liquor easily masked it — normal people would never notice.
She still suspected Xu Mu was bluffing.
But she decided to test it herself. If what he said was true, then he had genuinely saved her life.
Before leaving, Xu Mu exchanged contact information with her.
Since he had already agreed to cooperate, he wasn't going to break his word.
All he needed from Miao He was to find the relic site and tell him its location — that way he wouldn't need to search for it himself.
Xu Mu said his goodbyes and left.
Miao He sat on her sofa and poured a bit of the white liquor into a glass.
Every poison depended on dosage; a small enough amount would be harmless.
Besides, Spring Night Grass didn't kill — it only caused uncontrollable desire.
She went to the kitchen, fetched a bowl of water, returned to the living room, and diluted the liquor.
After stirring it, she took a cautious sip, then lay down on the couch and closed her eyes.
After about ten minutes, she began to feel strange.
Her mind was calm — yet suddenly, images of passion and intimacy kept flashing through her thoughts.
To her shock, the man in those images was Xu Mu.
"So it really is Spring Night Grass… even this tiny, diluted bit causes a reaction."
Her head throbbed as she murmured to herself.
If she had drunk one or two full glasses, the consequences would've been unimaginable.
[Favorability +20]
She didn't know how Xu Mu had realized the liquor was poisoned — but he had truly saved her life.
Thinking of his tall figure and strong presence, something inside her quietly shifted.
She quickly stood up and splashed cold water on her face.
The drug's effects were frightening — she didn't even want to imagine what would've happened without Xu Mu's help.
Her makeup and the black teardrop mark beneath her eye began to fade.
Then, she reached to her face and plucked out a black contact lens.
In the mirror, her eyes glowed a deep crimson.
She brushed aside the silver hair covering her other eye and removed the second lens — revealing silver hair and crimson eyes.
Meanwhile, Xu Mu had returned to Muyue Group.
Because of Fang Chu's interference, Zhao Pinglu had barely survived — and since he was still alive, he might go after Feng Yue again.
Xu Mu decided Feng Yue should stay in the company for safety. If that wasn't possible, she'd have to move out and work remotely.
At the company entrance, Zhang Que sat smoking one of the cigarettes Xu Mu had given him.
Xu Mu greeted him with a smile, and Zhang Que nodded back pleasantly.
Walking inside, Xu Mu suddenly thought of what Feng Yue had said before.
According to the "plot," Zhang Que was supposed to be a villain — yet he'd treated Xu Mu quite decently, even trying to introduce him to women.
Could such a man really be evil?
When Xu Mu entered Feng Yue's office, she was packing her things.
"Moving out?" he asked with a grin.
"Boss, you're back?" Feng Yue glanced over her shoulder. "I'm not suicidal — can't beat them, might as well hide."
"What about your work?" Xu Mu asked.
"Relax," she said. "I've already delegated everything. I can still manage things online."
She zipped up her suitcase and smiled. "I just rented a villa. Mind driving me there later?"
"No problem," Xu Mu nodded.
Somewhere deep in the mountains.
Fang Chu punched a tree repeatedly, clutching his backside.
Humiliation.
This was the greatest humiliation of his life.
Even in the Guo family, he had never been this humiliated. Only one thought filled his mind now —
this could never be known to anyone.
If it ever got out, he'd rather die.
Even if he someday stood atop the world, there would always be whispers behind his back — mocking that he'd been violated.
Fang Chu's face was dark and twisted, his lips twitching uncontrollably.
Endure… endure…
Endure, my ass! I can't endure this!
"Brother, I'm sorry, I really didn't know what I was doing!" Zhao Pinglu stammered awkwardly. He'd realized midway what he was doing — but once the arrow had left the bow, there was no taking it back.
"Old Zhao, it's fine," Fang Chu said quietly, patting his shoulder. "We're brothers, after all."
Then, a thin blade flicked out between Fang Chu's fingers.
Slash!
It was too fast — a crimson line appeared across Zhao Pinglu's throat, blood spurting out instantly.
"Fang Chu… you—!"
Zhao's eyes bulged wide. He clutched his neck, but the blood wouldn't stop.
"Sorry, brother. If you live, you'll become my heart demon. You have to die."
Fang Chu's face was calm, emotionless.
In truth, he'd already planned to kill Zhao Pinglu — originally intending to do it after "enjoying" Miao He, right before Zhao's turn.
Such a woman was too fine to simply kill, and she was stronger than Zhao Pinglu.
After "deepening their relationship," she might even follow him.
But now, Fang Chu's hatred burned.
He wasn't going to let Miao He off, either.