Chapter 97: A Great Harvest!
[Ding! The Child of Destiny, Xia Liu, is filled with grief and indignation! Plundering +30,000 Destiny Points!]
At this moment, hearing Shen Anyu speak to his childhood sweetheart, Ruan Lingshan—distorting facts, painting him as a monster, and spouting nonsense—Xia Liu felt as if his throat was blocked by a stone. He was unable to speak, his vocal cords paralyzed by Shen Anyu's Qi.
His eyes immediately turned red with a mix of grief, rage, and indignation. He struggled desperately against his bonds, his mouth opening and closing silently like a fish out of water.
Watching Ruan Lingshan's hateful gaze directed at him... Xia Liu's heart ached so much he could barely breathe!
'Lingshan! It's not like that! It's not! That scoundrel Shen Anyu is lying! The truth isn't like that…'
'Lingshan... I poisoned Shen Anyu at the banquet because he stole my fiancée Qin Ningbing! He ruined my life first!'
'Lingshan... I attacked him yesterday because he harmed me! He broke my bones and threw me in the trash! I was taking revenge!'
'Lingshan... I miss you so much. I came to this city for you. I wish you would smile at me one more time… just once…'
At this moment, Xia Liu had a thousand things he wanted to say to Ruan Lingshan. But he couldn't utter a single syllable.
Shen Anyu raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself that he was getting better at this game. Just like those unscrupulous reporters, using selective editing and taking things out of context to paint the narrative he wanted.
Partial truth is the best lie.
Next, Shen Anyu lifted his hand. The holographic projection from the [Nanometer Monitoring Robot] flickered to life in the dim dungeon. It played the video of Xia Liu in the restaurant kitchen, pouring the poison with a sinister grin on his face.
Ruan Lingshan watched, her eyes wide with horror. She became even more hateful, extremely annoyed and angry at the person in front of her!
In Ruan Lingshan's mind, Master Shen An'yu was a saint. A great benefactor who saved her from poverty and her mother from death. She had vowed to repay him for a lifetime.
As a result... this hateful villain actually tried to kill Master Shen An'yu? And after being let off once with mercy, he escalated his actions to lethal poison? He was truly too wicked! Irredeemable!
However, as Ruan Lingshan watched the video closer, her expression changed slightly.
She recognized something familiar in the man's posture, in his eyes.
That person in the video... seemed to be her childhood playmate. Brother Xia Liu.
Immediately, Ruan Lingshan's gaze towards the prisoner became extremely complicated. Confusion warred with her anger.
"You… are you Xia Liu?" she whispered, stepping closer to the bloody figure.
Shen Anyu flicked his finger subtly. He quietly unblocked Xia Liu's mute acupoint in his throat.
Xia Liu gasped, air rushing into his lungs. He was overjoyed to find he could speak. He looked up at Ruan Lingshan with desperate hope.
"Yes! Sister Lingshan! It's me! I am Xia Liu! Your childhood sweetheart Brother Xia Liu! I came to find you! I…"
Shen Anyu, however, directly interrupted him. He put on a very surprised, almost shocked expression.
"Lingshan... this bad person is your childhood playmate? The one you told me about?"
Ruan Lingshan's expression was pained. She looked apologetically at Shen Anyu, her small mouth mumbling, ashamed:
"Yes, Master... this bad person... is Lingshan's childhood playmate. I'm so sorry."
"This bad person?"
Hearing Ruan Lingshan's words, Xia Liu felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His face turned ashen gray. The label hurt more than the whip marks.
Shen Anyu, however, was amused in his heart. Another wave of Destiny Value credited to his account.
But on the surface, Shen Anyu remained calm. He frowned slightly, acting conflicted.
"I see... I originally intended to send this person to prison for life. Or perhaps execute him for attempted murder of a Shen family member."
"But... since he is your childhood playmate, Lingshan... I will let him go. For your sake."
Ruan Lingshan was immediately surprised to hear this. Her clear, black eyes looked at Shen Anyu in shock.
"Master! He almost killed you! And he attacked you more than once! He is dangerous!"
Shen Anyu sighed. He reached out and rubbed Ruan Lingshan's small head affectionately.
"Yes. He almost killed me. And it hurts to think about it."
"But... who told him he was Lingshan's childhood playmate? Your memories are precious. I don't want to make you sad by killing someone from your past. So... I can only let him go. I will bear the risk."
...
[Ding! Detected Destined Heroine Ruan Lingshan's favorability +3! Plundering +9,000 Destiny Points!]
[Ruan Lingshan's total favorability has reached 98! Only two points away from max level!]
At this moment, Ruan Lingshan was deeply moved by Master Shen An'yu's words. Her eyes brimmed with tears, her heart swelling with emotion.
Master was willing to let go of the bad person who repeatedly tried to kill him... just for her? Just to spare her feelings?
How could Master be so foolish… so kind… so loving?
"Master... don't be so good to Lingshan. Please. Lingshan is just an ordinary girl and isn't worth you doing this. Don't be so foolish with your safety…"
Shen Anyu's warm hand caressed Ruan Lingshan's cold little face, wiping away a tear. He said softly, his voice tender:
"As long as you're happy... I'm willing to do anything. Even face a thousand poisons."
"Master…"
At this moment, Ruan Lingshan was incredibly moved. She couldn't hold back anymore. She actively threw herself onto Shen Anyu's shoulder, hugging him tightly. She sobbed softly into his chest, unable to control her emotions.
At this moment, Xia Liu was completely stunned.
He stared blankly at the scene before him. The blood dripping from his nose went unnoticed.
Is Shen Anyu... such a devoted person???
Damn it! Bullshit!
Xia Liu reacted, his eyes red with fury. He wanted to speak, to scream the truth!
But his throat was suddenly blocked again by the mute acupoint. Shen Anyu had resealed it with a thought.
Xia Liu was rendered speechless, choking on his own rage.
All at once, Xia Liu understood everything. His gaze towards Shen Anyu was practically spitting fire.
He had personally seen Shen Anyu with Qin Ningbing, Su Hongmian, Jiang Linlin, and other women! He had seen him flirt with other beauties at the banquet! He knew this man was a demon!
You're telling me such a philandering playboy is devoted?!
What a joke! What a cosmic joke!
'Lingshan! Don't be fooled by him! Shen Anyu is a scumbag! A manipulator! He's not a good man! He's the Devil!'
At this moment, Xia Liu was roaring and shouting in his heart, screaming until his soul hurt. But unfortunately, he couldn't utter these words. He could only widen his eyes, glaring as if he wanted to kill Shen Anyu with his gaze alone.
At this moment, Xia Liu's anger was off the charts.
Tormenting him physically was one thing. He could take pain.
But now... he was even playing the good guy? Playing the saint? And moving Ruan Lingshan to tears with his lies??
Watching his childhood sweetheart actively throw herself into the arms of his enemy... watching her moved to tears by his sweet talk and manipulative words... Xia Liu was filled with extreme resentment! It tasted bitter like gall.
However, a small part of Xia Liu also breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.
If Shen Anyu really let him go... he would escape far away. He would flee abroad directly. He would change his name.
Once he accumulated wealth and power with his [Extraordinary Medical Skill] and [Extraordinary Poison Skill]... he would then find a way to take revenge. He would come back as a king.
However, Xia Liu still felt a bit unwilling. He knew that if he escaped now, beauties like Qin Ningbing, Su Hongmian, and Ruan Lingshan... would probably have several children by the time he returned.
'Never mind. Never mind. Where there's life, there's hope. Survive first, then consider other things. Revenge is a dish best served cold.'
However, Xia Liu didn't notice the playful curve of Shen Anyu's lips over Ruan Lingshan's shoulder.
How could Shen Anyu let the tiger return to the mountain?
Although Xia Liu was completely at his mercy now, easily defeated... the Child of Destiny was always capable of creating miracles. That was their nature.
As long as the Child of Destiny was alive, anything was possible!
Even if his entire family was wiped out, even if he was forced to jump off a cliff, no matter how great the predicament... the Child of Destiny could always make a comeback and counterattack!
As the [Destined Villain], how could Shen Anyu make the classic mistake of letting the hero go to fight another day?
He wanted Ruan Lingshan's favor!
But he also wanted Xia Liu's life!
At this moment, Ruan Lingshan sobbed for a while, then raised her head. She wiped her eyes.
Her beautiful eyes looked at Xia Liu with a complicated expression—pity, disappointment, and finality.
Then she looked seriously at Shen Anyu, her face resolute.
"Master. Those who do wrong must be punished!"
"Xia Liu harmed you. More than once. If according to the law, that is attempted murder! Premeditated!"
"You shouldn't be foolish for Ruan Lingshan. Lingshan is very grateful... but thinking about how Master almost died yesterday... she still feels lingering fear and is extremely scared! I can't lose you!"
"If Xia Liu is released... he might still poison you! He might come back!"
At this point, Ruan Lingshan hesitated. She paused, looking at the friend of her youth.
Then she took a deep breath and said firmly:
"Master. Call the police. Arrest Xia Liu and sentence him according to the law. Sending him to prison is the right thing to do. It is also a protection for you!"
After saying this, Ruan Lingshan looked at Xia Liu with complicated beautiful eyes.
She softly said:
"Brother Xia Liu... this is the last time I'll call you that."
"From now on, we have no more connection. The past is dead."
"In prison... reform well. Turn over a new leaf. And don't think about harming people anymore! Goodbye."
[Ding! The Child of Destiny Xia Liu's main emotional storyline is completely shattered! Plundering +300,000 Destiny Points!]
[Ding! The Child of Destiny Xia Liu's Destiny Value is below 30%! His Luck has fallen to a catastrophic low point!]
[The probability of successfully killing him without backlash has greatly increased!]
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