Chapter 219: The Dragon King's Impotence! Situ Yueying's Sweet Defeat!
"What? The... The Yanxia Shen Family?"
Qian Tianhu was dumbfounded. He looked up at Han Qi, his bloodshot eyes wide with a shock that eclipsed his physical pain.
The name hit him like a physical blow, heavier than the sword strike he had just endured.
How could he not know that name?
In the hierarchy of Yanxia, there were wealthy families, there were powerful clans, and then... there was the Shen Family. A super-giant entity, a thousand-year-old aristocratic dynasty with roots deep in the military and political bedrock of the nation. The Old Master of the Yanxia Shen Family, residing in the forbidden compounds of Beihai, overlooked the world like a silent emperor. The Shen Corporation controlled lifelines of the global economy.
They were the sky. They were the law.
Qian Tianhu's throat went dry.
'Could it be... that behind this masked maniac, behind this so-called Dragon King... is actually the Yanxia Shen Family?'
Han Qi saw the fear in Qian Tianhu's eyes. It was the absolute submission he had craved. But seeing why it was there, a bitter taste filled his mouth.
He suppressed the deep displeasure rising in his heart—the jealousy that gnawed at his bones—and calmly said, his voice dripping with borrowed authority:
"That's right. The person standing behind me... is the Yanxia Shen Family Young Master, Shen Anyu!"
"Qian Tianhu, you are a smart man. You've survived in this chaotic world for decades. You know exactly what the Yanxia Shen Family means."
Han Qi leaned down, his mask gleaming coldly in the dim light.
"I, Han Qi, might not be able to destroy the Black Tiger Gang without paying a price. But the Yanxia Shen Family... can crush you, your family, and everything you've built with a single pinky finger! They can erase you from history!"
Silence.
The chaotic headquarters of the Black Tiger Gang fell into a deathly silence.
Qian Tianhu's face changed continuously. It turned red with humiliation, then green with fear, then dark with despair, and finally... pale with resignation.
He let out a long, ragged sigh, his shoulders slumping as if he had aged twenty years in a single second. The fighting spirit drained out of him.
"...Alright. I surrender..."
He lowered his head, pressing his forehead against the blood-stained floor in a gesture of total submission.
"Master Hu!" his subordinates cried out in shock.
"Shut up!" Qian Tianhu roared, his voice cracking.
He didn't care about his own life. He was a gangster; death was an occupational hazard. But he cared about the brothers of the Black Tiger Gang. He cared about his wife and children.
He knew that Dragon King Mr. Han—on his own—wouldn't dare to exterminate them all. The state wouldn't allow a massacre of hundreds. The precedent of the War God Alliance was clear: Yan Lingxiao died because he crossed the line.
Han Qi was a mad dog, but he was a mad dog on a leash. He wouldn't dare to trigger a national crackdown.
But the Yanxia Shen Family?
They were the state. They wrote the rules. They could mobilize the army under the guise of "anti-terrorism" or "sweeping away darkness." They could legally, openly, and thoroughly wipe the Black Tiger Gang off the face of the earth, and the next day's news would praise them for it.
How could the Black Tiger of the Dark World—a mere rat in the sewer—possibly withstand the behemoth basking in the sunlight?
At this moment, Qian Tianhu even felt some resentment in his heart toward Han Qi.
'Surname Han, you bastard! Why didn't you say so earlier? If you had said from the start that the Yanxia Shen Family was your backer, would I have dared to fight you? I would have served tea and knelt at the door!'
'You beat me half to death just to show off? You sadist!'
Subsequently, under Qian Tianhu's command, the remaining members of the Black Tiger Gang threw down their weapons. The clatter of steel hitting the floor signaled the end of an era in Jinling.
They bowed their heads, surrendered, and pledged allegiance to the Dragon King Society.
It was a complete victory. A conquest that would shock the underworld.
However, standing amidst the surrendering crowd, Han Qi felt no joy.
His eyes behind the mask were filled with deep gloom, coldness, and a suffocating displeasure.
[Ding! Detected that the Child of Destiny, Han Qi, feels a deep sense of inferiority and frustration! Plundering +6,666 Destiny Value!]
[Ding! Child of Destiny Han Qi realizes his own insignificance compared to the Host! Plundering +9,999 Destiny Value!]
...
"Shen Anyu..."
Han Qi clenched his fists inside his pockets, his nails digging into his palms.
Qian Tianhu—a fierce Grandmaster who would rather die than surrender to Han Qi's sword—had knelt instantly merely upon hearing the name of Shen Anyu.
He didn't kneel to Han Qi. He knelt to Shen Anyu's shadow.
How could this make Han Qi happy? It was a slap in the face. It confirmed his worst fear: without Shen Anyu, he was nothing.
This meant that it would be too difficult—perhaps impossible—for Han Qi to break free from Shen Anyu's control.
'Even if I become the underground emperor of Jiangnan... even if I unite the entire Dark World of Yanxia... am I just a bigger dog for the Shen Family?'
The thought was terrifying. But Han Qi quickly suppressed it with his signature coping mechanism.
"Endure!"
"I still need to endure!"
"A true dragon can coil and hide! I am the protagonist! I have destiny on my side! Shen Anyu is just a stepping stone!"
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
"Yueying... I can only make you suffer a bit more for now. I know it's hard for you, lurking by that villain's side, enduring his gaze... but wait for me. I will reclaim you from Shen Anyu's hands sooner or later. I will wash away your humiliation with his blood."
"Qingyue... my wife. It's not time yet. When my power grows stronger, I will definitely reveal my identity. I will tear off this mask and make you a wife envied by women all over the world. I will hold a wedding that will shock the world..."
Han Qi stood with his hands behind his back, looking out the broken window in the direction of Magic City (Modu). His eyes behind the Bronze Dragon King mask swirled with complex emotions—ambition, self-pity, and a delusional hope.
He didn't know that while he was "enduring" in the cold wind, the people he wanted to "save" were... enjoying themselves.
...
On the other side.
Magic City (Modu).
[Location: Dream Night Bar - Top Floor Presidential Suite]
The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow on the chaotic scene inside the room. Clothes were scattered everywhere—a torn silk dress here, a discarded suit jacket there. The air was thick with the scent of hormones and expensive incense.
It wasn't until the afternoon of the next day that Shen Anyu finally walked out of the suite, adjusting his cufflinks with a joyful, satisfied expression.
He looked refreshed, radiant, and full of energy.
[Ding! Detected that the Destined Heroine, Situ Yueying, is extremely grateful and physically conquered! Plundering +9,999 Destiny Value!]
[Ding! Detected Destined Heroine Situ Yueying's favorability +6! Current Favorability: 95 (Devoted)! Plundering +18,000 Destiny Value!]
[Ding! Congratulations! You have breached the 90-point Favorability threshold! Plundering Bonus: +100,000 Destiny Value!]
Shen Anyu checked the notifications, a smirk playing on his lips.
"It seems my [God-level Steel Body] is truly tyrannical. Just by slightly exerting it... even a newly advanced Martial Arts Grandmaster like Situ Yueying couldn't withstand it. She begged for mercy five times."
Shen Anyu made his judgment with a contented expression. The "Grandmaster Stamina" she boasted about? It was nothing before his cheat-like physique.
He walked to the elevator, pulling out his phone. He accessed the [Nanometer Monitoring Robot] video feed.
The screen showed Han Qi standing amidst the ruins of the Black Tiger Gang, looking gloomy and "enduring."
Shen Anyu chuckled.
"Endure? Good. Then you can continue to endure!"
"Keep building my empire for me, Little Dragon. Keep thinking you are the hero."
Shen Anyu wasn't in a hurry to kill a "Ninja Turtle" like Han Qi for now.
Such a high-quality Child of Destiny was rare. He should be kept around like a dairy cow. On one hand, Han Qi was efficiently expanding Shen Anyu's influence in the dark, doing the dirty work Shen Anyu didn't want to touch. On the other hand, his constant mental breakdowns provided a steady stream of Destiny Value.
Han Qi wasn't a "System Flow" protagonist whose growth was explosive and unpredictable. He was a traditional "Urban God of War" type. His growth was linear and predictable.
He was safe to farm.
"I will wait until I have completely conquered his wife, Liu Qingyue, before dealing with him. The ultimate despair requires the ultimate betrayal."
"Before that, I can use him to deal with other threats. For example... Ye Yan, the Child of Destiny who is about to descend from the mountain. Let the Dragon King fight the War God. Dog eat dog."
Shen Anyu put the phone away.
"Today is Liu Mi's birthday. The banquet is tonight. And Liu Qingyue... the White Moonlight... will also be there."
"Let's go pick up Liu Mi first. I promised the little girl I'd play with her."
"As for Liu Qingyue..."
Shen Anyu's lips curled into an inscrutable, predatory smile. The net was cast; tonight, he would start pulling it in.
...
Back in the suite.
Situ Yueying lay amidst the messy sheets, her body limp and devoid of strength. Her skin glowed with a healthy, rosy flush, but she couldn't move a finger.
"Mmm..."
She let out a soft, husky moan, slowly opening her eyes. Her beautiful eyes were misty, unfocused, as if her soul was still floating in the clouds.
She recalled the storm of the previous night. The breakthrough to Grandmaster gave her immense energy, but Shen Anyu... he drained it all and demanded more. He was a monster. A beautiful, addictive monster.
"Really... you bad guy ~"
Although she cursed him softly, Situ Yueying couldn't help but smile. A hint of infinite tenderness and reliance filled her eyes.
She knew that she had completely fallen. Loyalty to Han Qi? That was a joke. She belonged to Shen Anyu now, body, heart, and soul.
That person... was worth it!
Just at this moment, Situ Yueying's delicate nose flared slightly.
Sniff.
A pleasant, savory aroma wafted over.
She turned her head with difficulty and found a small thermal bowl on the bedside table. Inside was wild mushroom and chicken porridge, kept perfectly warm. Its fresh fragrance was inviting, promising to restore her strength.
Next to it was a small, handwritten note. The calligraphy was elegant and powerful—Shen Anyu's writing.
[You worked hard last night. Eat this to recover your strength. Be good and rest. - Anyu]
"Anyu..."
Situ Yueying's eyes flickered. Tears of touched emotion welled up.
He was the Young Master of the Shen Family, a busy man, yet he remembered to order porridge for her? He cared about her recovery?
She struggled to sit up, taking a spoonful of the porridge. The warmth spread through her body, reaching her heart.
"Delicious..."
...
Downstairs.
Shen Anyu smiled slightly upon receiving the notification of gratitude from Situ Yueying's side.
As a qualified villain and a top-tier playboy, how could he forget the aftercare?
Conquering a woman wasn't just about the act; it was about the details. If he just left after doing the deed, even if the pleasure was great, there would be resentment. She would feel used.
But a bowl of porridge? A note? That turned "sex" into "love." It turned a transaction into a relationship.
"See? Favorability came again. It's so easy."
It was like raising pets. They all needed care, attention, and treats. Especially these beautiful, dangerous Destined Heroines.
Shen Anyu walked out of the elevator, humming a tune. He felt great.
"Oh dear!"
Just as he turned the corner in the lobby, a petite, soft body suddenly rushed out from the side, moving too fast to stop.
Thump!
She bumped straight into Shen Anyu's firm chest.
"Ah!"
The girl let out a startled gasp, stumbling back.
Shen Anyu raised an eyebrow. He reached out instinctively to steady her, his hand brushing against a soft arm.
He looked down, his expression turning playful.
"Well now... who is this rushing into my arms?"
[Akarin Note:
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