Chapter 211: The Trap in the Sewer! A Beauty's Deadly Grilled Fish!
"So fragrant!"
"This grilled fish is so delicious, so fragrant…"
Xu Ping'an held the hot grilled fish, eating with oil dripping from his mouth and a silly grin on his face. The heat from the skewer seeped into his freezing, grime-covered fingers, a sensation so foreign after days of damp cold that he almost wept.
The fish wasn't anything high-end. It was a common carp, likely caught from a cleaner section of the underground waterways, grilled over a simple pile of dry wood. The skin was slightly charred, blistering with black bubbles, but to Xu Ping'an, it was a delicacy that surpassed the Michelin-starred feasts of his past life as a Young Master.
He tore into the white meat, ignoring the small bones. The rich, savory grease coated his tongue, washing away the lingering taste of bile and despair.
"You really are a strange person!"
Across the crackling bonfire, a voice rang out—crisp, melodious, and laced with amusement.
A tall, beautiful young girl with an exotic, almost mixed-race appearance propped her chin on her hand, smiling at Xu Ping'an. The firelight danced in her amber eyes, casting long, flickering shadows against the mossy brick walls of the sewer tunnel.
Xu Ping'an paused, a piece of fish meat hanging from his lips. He looked at the girl in front of him, and his vision blurred. Hot, stinging tears welled up in his eyes, threatening to spill over.
It wasn't just the food. It was the humanity.
He hadn't expected that in such a desperate situation—when he was reduced to a rat hiding in the gutters, hunted by the police and mocked by the world—he could still experience such warmth. He hadn't expected to eat such delicious grilled fish or to see such a beautiful girl's smile.
She didn't pinch her nose at his stench. She didn't look at his matted hair and dirty clothes with disgust. She just looked at him with curiosity and a hint of kindness.
"I will repay you… I will definitely repay you…"
Xu Ping'an repeated the words, his voice trembling at first, then growing firmer with each syllable. He clutched the wooden skewer as if it were a holy relic. "I swear it."
"Repay? No need!"
The beautiful girl, however, wagged her slender finger. She tilted her head, her dark hair cascading over her shoulder like a waterfall of silk. She smiled, revealing pearly white teeth.
Xu Ping'an was immediately puzzled. He blinked, wiping the grease from his mouth with his sleeve.
Then, the beautiful girl's next sentence astonished him.
"From now on, you are my little brother. Your life is mine. If I tell you to kill, you must kill!"
Her tone was light, almost playful, as if she were talking about shopping or playing a game.
"Of course, I won't let anyone bully you either. I've got your back."
Xu Ping'an widened his eyes. The grilled fish was forgotten for a moment. He repeated the word, his voice barely a whisper:
"Kill?"
He couldn't believe his ears. How could such a young, beautiful, and sunny girl speak of killing so lightly? It was a jarring dissonance, like seeing a bloodstained dagger in the hands of an angel.
"That's right, killing!"
The beautiful girl nodded, her smile never faltering. She pointed a thumb at herself, her chest puffed out slightly in pride.
"I am the second assassin of the international assassin organization Baroque, code-named Miss. My real name is Feng Kelei."
"I specialize in boxing, stealth, gun-fu, and disguise."
She leaned forward, the firelight illuminating the mischievous glint in her eyes.
"And grilled fish, too. It's very delicious, isn't it?"
Feng Kelei suddenly leaned closer to Xu Ping'an, invading his personal space. The scent of wild orchids and something metallic—perhaps the smell of a blade—wafted toward him, overpowering the stench of the sewer.
"Hmm?" she hummed, waiting for an answer.
Xu Ping'an was startled. His heart hammered against his ribs. He looked at the beautiful girl with her bright, pure smile, then looked down at the hot, delicious grilled fish in his hand.
He fell silent.
A complex mix of emotions churned within him. Gratitude, shock, fear, and a strange sense of belonging. He bit his lip tightly, tasting iron, refusing to let the tears fall. He didn't want to look weak in front of her. Not now.
"What's wrong? Did someone bully you?"
Feng Kelei squatted down, moving closer. She propped her chin on her knees and looked up at Xu Ping'an with genuine concern. Her gaze was penetrating, as if she were trying to see through the layers of grime to the broken soul beneath.
Xu Ping'an took a shaky breath. The dam broke. Not the tears, but the words. He needed to tell someone.
"I also killed someone… but I was framed…"
Xu Ping'an recounted the matter of Zheng Qingqing. He spoke of his grievance, his anger, and the injustice of it all. He spoke of how he was hunted like a dog.
Finally, he looked at Feng Kelei uneasily, his body tense.
"I'm wanted now, with a bounty of 500,000 Yuan. Are you… are you going to arrest me for the reward?"
At this moment, Xu Ping'an was extremely nervous. He held his breath, his muscles coiled tight.
It wasn't out of fear for his safety. With his [Damage Reflection Aura], he wasn't afraid of physical harm. Even if this girl was a top assassin, if she attacked him, she would only hurt herself. He was invincible in that regard.
But he was terrified of the betrayal.
He didn't want to see the smiling girl who appeared in his most desperate moment turn into another enemy. He didn't want the light in his dark world to be extinguished. If she pulled out a weapon now, it would break him more than any bullet could.
Smack!
However, Xu Ping'an's response was a crisp smack!
The beautiful girl reached out and slapped Xu Ping'an on the forehead. It wasn't a heavy blow, but it was sharp.
"Ouch! Your forehead is so hard, it hurts my hand!"
Feng Kelei shook her hand, blowing on her fingers with an exaggerated expression of pain. She glared at him, but there was no malice in her eyes, only a playful annoyance.
"I told you, I'll protect you from now on, and you'll follow me."
She stood up, placing her hands on her hips, her silhouette framed by the firelight. She looked like a queen of the underworld, arrogant and dazzling.
"As for that 500,000 bounty? Hmph! Do you look down on me? The price for me to act is starting at 5 million US dollars! 500,000 Yuan isn't even enough to buy my cosmetics!"
Xu Ping'an stared blankly at Feng Kelei.
He looked at her arrogant posture, her disdain for the money, and her protective declaration.
Then, he laughed.
"Hehe… hehehe…"
He laughed foolishly, scratching the back of his head. The tension drained from his shoulders.
He felt his heart stir—a violent, powerful thumping that echoed in his ears. It was a feeling he had never experienced before, not even with Xu Ruoshui.
It was as if the Red Luan Star had moved in the heavens, and the Old Man Under the Moon had descended personally to tie a thick, unbreakable red thread of fate around his ankle.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
In his most desperate, pathetic, and lonely moment, he had met her. A girl who was dangerous yet kind, beautiful yet approachable. She was like a fairy who had descended into hell solely to save him.
I must protect this smile!
Xu Ping'an looked at Feng Kelei's bright and pure smile, and a fierce, possessive fire ignited in his chest. He secretly vowed in his heart, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white.
This time… this time is different.
He had failed to protect Sister Ruoshui. He had let Shen Anyu snatch her away, let her heart be corrupted. He would definitely not let that tragedy repeat itself.
He would not allow anyone to take this girl away!
No one!
Whoever dares to touch a hair on her head… I will kill them!
"Good. There's Killing Intent in your eyes. You will definitely become a very good assassin… just a little bit less good than me, of course!"
Feng Kelei sensed the change in his aura. She smiled at Xu Ping'an, nodding in approval.
Xu Ping'an rubbed the back of his head and chuckled foolishly, his face flushing slightly under the dirt. He quickly finished the grilled fish, savoring the last bite, before wiping his mouth.
"Miss… you don't look like a Yanxia person?"
Feng Kelei's code name was 'Miss', and she had instructed Xu Ping'an to address her as such. It felt intimate, like a secret between them.
Feng Kelei sat back down, propping her chin on her hand again. She looked at the flames, her expression softening.
"Hmm. I'm Thai. But my ancestors also had some Yanxia blood, so I can speak the Yanxia language fluently."
"This time, the Baroque organization sent me to the Magic City Ye Family in Yanxia to carry out a mission. They considered my language skills and my… adaptability."
Upon hearing this, Xu Ping'an's expression turned serious. He leaned forward.
"What mission?"
Feng Kelei narrowed her eyes. The playful atmosphere vanished instantly. A cold, sharp glint flashed in her amber eyes, transforming her from a cheerful girl into a lethal weapon.
"Kill the Young Master of the Netherworld Palace… Ye Yan!"
The name hung in the damp air of the tunnel.
"He is a very dangerous person. This mission is a matter of life and death. The Netherworld Palace is a terrifying organization hidden in the shadows of the martial world."
Her voice dropped to a whisper, filled with a mixture of fear and determination.
"But I must kill Ye Yan. Because… my parents were killed by the Netherworld Palace!"
Feng Kelei clenched her fair hands into fists. She bit her lower lip tightly, turning it white. Tears of hatred welled up in her eyes, making them glisten like diamonds.
Xu Ping'an looked at the beautiful girl trembling with suppressed rage. Her bright, pure smile was replaced by a heartbreaking expression of vengeance and sorrow.
He felt a sharp pang in his heart, as if an invisible hand were squeezing it.
"Miss…"
He stood up abruptly.
"I will help you! I will help you avenge your parents and kill Ye Yan!"
He didn't care who Ye Yan was. He didn't care about the Netherworld Palace. He didn't even know if he could win. He only knew one thing: he couldn't let the girl in front of him be disappointed or sad. He wanted to wipe away her tears and slaughter anyone who caused her pain.
"You?"
Feng Kelei looked up, wiping the corner of her eye. She let out a short, self-deprecating laugh.
"I don't believe it!"
She snorted arrogantly, lifting her chin.
"Even I am not Ye Yan's match. I'm walking into a death trap. How could you be of any help? You're just… a guy who likes grilled fish."
Xu Ping'an stared blankly at the beautiful girl in front of him. Her doubt didn't discourage him; it fueled him.
She doesn't know.
She doesn't know about my power.
I'll definitely surprise you then!
Xu Ping'an clenched his fists. A smug confidence returned to his face.
No matter what Ye Yan or Netherworld Palace Young Master… they are no match for my [Damage Reflection Aura]. If he hits me, he dies! I am the perfect shield for her!
…
[Location: Presidential Suite, Top Floor of the Shen Corporation Hotel]
The room was bathed in the soft glow of luxury lighting.
"Good son, you have ambition. Dad thinks highly of you!"
Sitting on a velvet sofa, Shen Anyu swirled a glass of red wine, his lips curled into a devilish smile.
In front of him, a holographic projection floated in the air, displaying the scene inside the sewer tunnels in high definition. Through the [Nanometer Monitoring Robot], Shen Anyu watched every expression on Xu Ping'an's face, heard every heartbeat of his newfound love.
Feng Kelei, of course, was arranged by Shen Anyu.
"She" was a masterpiece.
Feng Kelei was a top-tier creation drawn from the System—a specialized character card. Shen Anyu had customized "her" with [Martial Arts Grandmaster] cultivation, master-level disguise techniques, Thai boxing, stealth, and Oscar-level acting skills.
But the most twisted part of this "gift" was something only Shen Anyu knew.
On the surface, Feng Kelei looked tall, beautiful, and exotic. Her skin was flawless, her curves were enticing, and her voice was feminine.
But in reality… what "she" had under that skirt was longer than a ruler.
"Pfft…"
Shen Anyu chuckled, taking a sip of the wine. The crimson liquid stained his lips.
If Xu Ping'an were lucky enough—or unfortunate enough—to see it one day, he would surely be "pleasantly surprised" beyond words. It would be a psychological impact far greater than any physical blow.
Furthermore, Shen Anyu hadn't left this romance to chance.
He had taken advantage of Xu Ping'an's Destiny Value being less than half and his mental state being at an all-time low. Shen Anyu had directly used a System Item: [The Red Thread of Fate (Counterfeit)].
He had bound Xu Ping'an and Feng Kelei together artificially.
That was why Xu Ping'an felt such an intense, sudden surge of love. That was why the "Red Luan Star" moved so violently. It wasn't fate; it was Shen Anyu's script.
Without this item, Xu Ping'an, despite his desperation, wouldn't have been so easily moved to the point of risking his life for a stranger he met ten minutes ago.
"It should be interesting to have Xu Ping'an deal with Ye Yan."
Shen Anyu tapped his finger on the armrest, his eyes cold and calculating.
Originally, he had planned to kill Xu Ping'an in one go after draining his value. But thinking about the [Damage Reflection Aura], he felt it was a bit wasteful and regrettable to discard such a unique tool.
Besides, Xu Ping'an was different from a growth-type Child of Destiny like Zheng Qingqing. He didn't have terrifying potential to backfire. He was a static variable—a meat shield.
Since that was the case, treating Xu Ping'an as a chess piece to clash with other Sons of Destiny was a brilliant move!
"Next weekend is the fifth anniversary of the Magic City Ye Family's memorial day. That guy, Ye Yan, should come down the mountain to pay his respects."
Shen Anyu stood up, walking to the floor-to-ceiling window. He looked down at the bustling city of Magic City, his gaze piercing through the neon lights.
"I'm going to prepare some more surprises for him, hehe…"
His reflection in the glass smiled, a predator looking at his hunting grounds.
At that time, the fake young master Child of Destiny Xu Ping'an, and the Dragon King Son-in-law Child of Destiny Han Qi, will gang up on Ye Yan. Let's see who is the strongest Child of Destiny!
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