Chapter Thirty-Two: The Engagement

Ruxia City, District B Hospital.

Inside the VIP ward, a young man with short golden hair lay on the hospital bed, his body wrapped in bandages, writhing in pain. This was none other than Zhou Haoran, who just last Saturday had nearly been killed by Nangong Yuchen. Due to the severity of his injuries, he had remained unconscious for two whole days before finally waking.

When consciousness returned and he saw his current state, feeling the relentless agony coursing through him, the only half of his face left exposed instantly twisted into a hideous grimace.

"Nangong Kexin! And your bastard brother! I swear I will kill you both!"

Never in his life had he suffered such wounds or humiliation. All because of a woman, he had nearly lost his life. If this hatred went unavenged, he’d be less than a man.

Just then, the door swung open and Zhou Lingtian walked in from outside. Upon seeing his son finally awake, the cold severity on his face softened into a trace of joy as he hurried to the bedside.

"Haoran!"

"Father!" Zhou Haoran’s eyes lit up at the sight of his father. With a surge of emotion, he cried, "Dad, you must avenge me! Kill that wretched woman and that brat! Kill them all!"

Seeing his son’s tormented expression, Zhou Lingtian fell silent. He opened his mouth to speak several times before finally saying, "Haoran, once your injuries heal, let this matter go. From now on, do not provoke that pair of siblings again."

Zhou Haoran had expected his father to promise vengeance, so at these words he stared in disbelief. "Dad, what are you saying? They nearly killed me!"

"Haoran, let this be the end of it. If you pursue this further, I won’t be able to protect you next time," Zhou Lingtian said, guilt heavy in his voice. His son had been beaten to this state, yet he could not seek revenge. The anger and frustration in his heart were no less than his son’s.

"Dad, what do you mean, ‘can’t protect me’? Are you out of your mind? Those siblings are nothing more than lowly commoners. You could crush them with a flick of your finger. Their parents are in prison, aren’t they? Kill their parents too! I want their entire family dead!"

A sharp slap cut Zhou Haoran off, Zhou Lingtian’s anger flaring.

"Enough! You useless fool, always causing trouble outside. Can’t you use your brain for once? Do you really not know how those siblings’ parents ended up in prison? If we could move against them, with Lu Shijie’s methods, they’d have been dead long ago. Why would he have waited until now?"

The slap cleared Zhou Haoran’s mind, dulling the hatred swirling in his head. He muttered, "Why?"

"The Mu family—Mu Ningxue! She’s been covertly protecting those siblings and their parents. Do you really think we can stand against the Mu family? Are you eager for both of us to end up dead at Mu Ningxue’s hands?"

At this, Zhou Lingtian recalled the warning he’d received that night.

"Mu...Mu Ningxue!" Zhou Haoran’s lips trembled at the name; it was clear he feared this woman deeply.

Silence settled over the room. After a long while, Zhou Haoran, desolate and lost, whispered, "So...that’s it? Your son’s beating counts for nothing?"

Zhou Lingtian stroked his son’s head, shaking his own in pain. Just as Zhou Haoran sank into despair, his father’s expression suddenly twisted, the scarred left side of his face turning even more menacing. In a cold, low voice, he said:

"Of course not. If the right opportunity arises, those siblings will die."

...

Meanwhile, in the luxurious living room of a grand villa in District A’s bustling area, two middle-aged men sat across from each other on the sofa, deep in conversation.

"Lu Bolong, surely you didn’t come all this way today just for a chat?" On the left sat a middle-aged man in a black suit. His features were handsome, but the beard on his chin and jaw, left unshaven for too long, gave him a somewhat unkempt appearance. He eyed Lu Bolong across from him with wary suspicion.

"Haha, in that case, I’ll get straight to the point!" Lu Bolong’s smile faded into a more serious expression. "Mu Yiyun, I imagine you’re still grieving your wife’s passing these days?"

At these words, Mu Yiyun’s face darkened instantly. His voice was tinged with displeasure. "Lu Bolong, if you’ve come to my home just to mock me, then kindly leave!"

"Not at all. I’m here today to bring you a message from your wife—Mu Xiyan."

"What? What did Xiyan say to you?" Mu Yiyun grew visibly agitated.

Seeing this, Lu Bolong allowed a faint smile to play across his lips before he continued, "Over a decade ago, your Mu family, my Lu family, and the Shangguan family were all evenly matched, jointly governing Ruxia City. But ever since Shangguan took the mayor’s seat, wielding power these past years, look at what’s left of our two families’ strength! At this rate, in another couple of years, Ruxia City will belong to the Shangguan family alone."

Mu Yiyun’s brows drew together in a frown; this was not what he’d hoped to hear.

"So tell me, Mu Yiyun, do you want to protect the Mu family for your wife—Mu Xiyan’s sake?"

"Of course. The Mu family was entrusted to me personally by Xiyan before she left. I have no choice but to shoulder the responsibility."

Lu Bolong had expected this answer and deliberately mocked him: "Heh, but how do you expect to protect the Mu family with mere mortal strength? Ever since Mu Xiyan’s gone, your family no longer has a second-tier cultivator. What do you have left to defend yourselves with?"

"You… Lu Bolong, what are you getting at?" Mu Yiyun’s face grew even gloomier.

"It’s simple. If our two families unite, we may not surpass the Shangguans, but at least we won’t be so passive as in recent years."

"Hmph! Do you take me for a fool, Lu Bolong? You’re just looking for an excuse to swallow up the Mu family under the guise of an alliance!"

"Swallow up?" Lu Bolong’s face turned grim as he shouted, "Mu Yiyun, do you know how your wife died? If it weren’t for Shangguan Yufeng ordering both our families to send our mech warriors to support the safety zone half a year ago, would Mu Xiyan have died? As her husband, you blame me instead of Shangguan Yufeng?"

"You—" Mu Yiyun’s grief twisted into a bitter smile. "Xiyan volunteered for that mission. The Shangguan family cannot be blamed. Besides... since childhood, Xiyan dreamed of protecting humanity. Though her strength was but low second-tier, she spent all these years guarding Ruxia, its people, every inch of human territory. How dare you compare her to yourself—a man who clings to life and fears death? Laughable!"

Lu Bolong’s face flushed with anger. "Mu Yiyun, what if I told you the idea of an alliance came from Mu Xiyan herself?"

"Utter nonsense!"

"Believe it or not, if there’s another call for support, will you send your daughter Mu Ningxue in Xiyan’s place? Will you let her blood be spilled beyond the crystal wall?"

Mu Yiyun shook his head firmly. "Ningxue is just a high school student. The Shangguan family would never make such an outrageous demand. I will never, against Xiyan’s wishes, agree to an alliance with your Lu family!"

"Fine! Truly worthy of being the man Mu Xiyan loved!" Lu Bolong’s anger faded, his face suddenly serene. "Since you’re so determined, let’s drop the matter. Instead, let’s discuss the engagement between Shijie and Ningxue."

"Engagement?" Mu Yiyun was caught off guard by the abrupt change of topic, stunned for a moment before asking in confusion, "What engagement between Ningxue and Shijie?"

"Heh, Mu Yiyun, you fail not only as a husband but as a father as well! Ningxue and Shijie have been together for half a year, and you didn’t know?" Lu Bolong’s tone carried a faint mockery.

Mu Yiyun grew even more puzzled. His daughter Mu Ningxue had never mentioned any romantic involvement with Lu Shijie.

As he hesitated, Lu Bolong pressed on, "Mu Yiyun, today I represent my son Shijie to formally ask for your daughter Ningxue’s hand in marriage. I trust you won’t refuse this time?"