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*****
{Chapter: 372: Examination!}
Chen Yu, standing a short distance away with her blood-stained blade, blinked in surprise.
Her cold eyes softened slightly, more curious than shocked. After all this time working under Lin Yuan, she had only seen glimpses of his combat ability. Until now, she had thought of him mostly as a strategist, a mastermind who pulled strings from the shadows.
She'd seen him snipe Ye Feng with terrifying accuracy—but this was raw, physical power.
And it seemed to rival her own.
"Unbelievable..." Chen Yu murmured under her breath, eyes narrowing as she looked at Lin Yuan as if trying to understand just how deep his abilities went.
Meanwhile, Jiang Rou, Xiao Lian, and Xiao He had stopped in place, stunned.
Chen Yu's daggerplay had already shaken their hearts.
But what Lin Yuan had just done…
He didn't use a weapon. He didn't use a technique.
He just kicked—and sent a fully grown man flying like a ragdoll.
Even Xiao He, the most expressive of the group, could only stare wide-eyed with her mouth hanging open. "He... he flew... like a kite…and.. bounced.. like.. a ball.. "
"Is he even human?" Xiao Lian mumbled, blinking rapidly.
Jiang Rou, for her part, felt her face heating up rapidly. Her thoughts were jumbled, spinning in circles.
'He's... he's even more than I imagined.'
All the domineering CEO characters she had admired in novels—none of them could compare.
Not the General with military might.
Not the billionaire with cold eyes and an ice heart.
Not even the godlike boss of the underworld.
Because Lin Yuan didn't just talk dominance—he embodied it.
Elegant in silence. Lethal in motion.
In her mind, the scenes replayed like fragments of a dream: the overwhelming kiss in the hospital room, the accidental bathroom encounter, the playful intimacy on the sofa, the gentle touch while applying the facial mask...
And now, this explosive power that could send a man flying effortlessly.
Tonight, Jiang Rou knew one thing for sure:
Her dreams would never be the same again.
---
After sending Brother Gang flying with a single, effortless kick, Lin Yuan calmly led Qiu Wanxi forward to regroup with the others—Xiao Lian, Xiao He, Jiang Rou, and Chen Yu—who were already approaching from the riverside.
The wind had shifted slightly, carrying with it the metallic scent of blood.
The concrete path was splattered with crimson.
Broken glass shimmered faintly under the pale glow of the streetlights, and dismembered hands lay twitching like grotesque props in a horror film.
It was a gruesome sight.
Chen Yu, however, walked across the carnage without flinching. Her eyes were steady, cold as ever. This wasn't even close to the worst scene she had seen in her lifetime. She was used to blood, used to death, used to violence dressed in silence.
But Xiao Lian and Xiao He were not.
The two girls, who usually joked around and giggled freely, now had their hands over their mouths, faces pale and green.
"I-I think I'm going to throw up…" Xiao He muttered shakily.
"Don't look. Just keep your eyes on the sky," Xiao Lian whispered, clutching her stomach and trying hard not to break down.
Even Jiang Rou—who had experience in the surgical field and had seen a lot of blood in the operating rooms—was visibly shaken. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and her breath was uneven. It wasn't the blood that unsettled her; it was the suddenness—the violence, the danger, and the thought that they could have been hurt.
"Young Master… these people… they're horrible…" Xiao Lian finally said, her voice trembling.
"They reeked of alcohol, and they dared to try that kind of thing..." Xiao He added, almost in disbelief.
Lin Yuan, sensing their distress, gently stepped closer and placed a reassuring hand on their backs, offering a warm smile.
"It's over now. Nothing happened to you. You're safe," he said softly.
His words were calm, yet powerful—like an anchor pulling them back from the storm.
Xiao Lian and Xiao He looked at him, their fear slowly melting away under his soothing presence. His steady demeanor and soft pats on their backs worked better than any words could.
In their hearts, the fear began to ebb.
They trusted Lin Yuan. Deeply.
They always had.
Jiang Rou was faring better than the girls, but the adrenaline of the moment hadn't quite left her yet. Her hands were cold. Her breath was shallow. Her eyes—clear and intelligent—were fixed on Lin Yuan without blinking.
He walked over to her.
"Doctor Jiang," Lin Yuan said in a gentle tone. "Are you alright?"
Jiang Rou hesitated for a second, then nodded slowly.
"Yes… I'm okay. Just… shaken. It all happened so fast."
Her voice wavered slightly, but she forced a small smile.
"That's understandable," Lin Yuan replied, offering a comforting hand to her back as well.
But what he didn't expect happened the next second.
Without warning, Jiang Rou reached forward and hugged him tightly.
The embrace wasn't casual—it was full, close, and trembling.
"Umm… I was really scared just now," she whispered, her face buried in Lin Yuan's chest, her arms wound around him like she was trying to hold herself together.
Everyone froze.
Qiu Wanxi blinked, stunned.
Chen Yu raised a brow but said nothing.
Even Xiao Lian and Xiao He, who had just been patting down their panic, stared with wide eyes.
Why… is she hugging him?
He only patted our heads... but she gets a full hug?
And… does she really need to hold him so tightly? For so long?
Lin Yuan was surprised as well.
Of course, he knew Jiang Rou had deep feelings for him. The signs were there—her eyes, her tone, her behavior.
He liked her too, in his own way.
But until now, all their interactions had been subtle. Teasing moments. Quiet tension. Hidden smiles. A glance too long. A kiss too fleeting. A touch of mischief. But only alone.
But this? This was bold.
And in front of everyone.
Still, as he felt Jiang Rou's trembling body and heard her shaky breath, he understood.
It wasn't just fear.
It was a mix of vulnerability and longing.
She had been truly terrified just moments ago when the drunkard reached for her. And now, in this raw moment, she reached out for warmth—and perhaps, to make a quiet declaration.
And if Lin Yuan pushed her away now, it would wound her deeply.
So instead, he gently raised his arms and returned the embrace.
He held her close, resting his palm between her shoulder blades, offering slow, reassuring pats.
"It's alright now," he said, his voice warm and steady. "I've got you."
From the corner of his eye, Lin Yuan noticed Qiu Wanxi.
She was smiling.
But that smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
She stood still, her hands folded in front of her, watching quietly.
Jealousy was natural.
Though she said nothing, Lin Yuan could feel a slight tension in the air around her.
Still, Qiu Wanxi remained calm. She reminded herself that Jiang Rou had been scared. And Lin Yuan was simply offering comfort. That was all.
That has to be all.
Thankfully, Jiang Rou didn't cling for long.
After a few quiet seconds, she slowly let go, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
"S-sorry… I lost control for a moment…" she murmured, stepping back with her head lowered.
Lin Yuan didn't comment on it further. He simply smiled and nodded.
"It's fine."
Xiao Lian, Xiao He, and Qiu Wanxi exchanged glances, each with different thoughts swirling in their hearts.
"Young Master, I'm so sorry… I couldn't restrain myself. I caused trouble for you…" Chen Yu said as soon as she approached Lin Yuan, her tone unusually apologetic.
Her face remained calm, but her eyes—normally cold and composed—flickered with concern.
Lin Yuan understood her reasoning without needing further explanation.
Moments ago, Chen Yu had ruthlessly amputated the limbs of those gangsters. The wounds she inflicted were precise and irreversible. Even if those men survived, their futures were likely destroyed—crippled both physically and mentally.
She wasn't apologizing out of guilt.
She simply thought she had made things more troublesome for Lin Yuan.
She assumed he would now have to clean up the mess.
But Lin Yuan wasn't angry at all.
In fact, he found her decisiveness and brutality reassuring.
He knew very well that Chen Yu had actually held back.
If it weren't for the presence of the other girls, Chen Yu would have shown no mercy—her blade would've taken heads instead of hands.
This… was restraint.
And Lin Yuan liked it.
"It's fine," he said with a relaxed smile. "You did well. I'll have someone deal with it soon."
His voice was casual, but it carried weight.
The area they had walked through earlier was remote, poorly lit, and scarcely populated—a perfect spot for petty thugs to lurk.
But that also made it easier to erase what had happened.
Lin Yuan could have those scum dumped in the river, never to be seen again—or he could feed them to the justice system.
Either way, he wouldn't lose sleep.
Chen Yu nodded wordlessly. She trusted his capabilities. She had seen how he operated. The more she interacted with him, the more she realized Lin Yuan wasn't just a clever young master. He was someone who could match, even surpass, her ruthlessness.
Her cold gaze lingered on Lin Yuan's profile.
That kick from earlier… it had cracked ribs, maybe even collapsed the chest. The man might not survive more than three days. And Lin Yuan had done it casually—like he was brushing dust off his shoulder.
That was true strength hidden behind elegance.
Chen Yu felt something unfamiliar stir in her heart. Respect, perhaps? Or something deeper?
Still, the atmosphere had shifted.
The earlier peaceful, romantic river walk had been completely soured by blood and violence.
The soft wind, the shimmering city lights across the water—all of it was gone, replaced by tension and fatigue.
Noticing this, Lin Yuan quietly guided Qiu Wanxi, Jiang Rou, Chen Yu, Xiao Lian, and Xiao He back to the villa. He didn't say much along the way, just stayed close, occasionally glancing at their expressions.
Once they were safely inside, Lin Yuan stepped out again, pulling out his phone.
In the shadows of the veranda, he made a few short but decisive calls.
*****
Hey, where are the power store donors and commenters this week?
Get those stones going boys and tomboys, we need to get those numbers up!
If you want to discuss the story or just meme about join my discord server:
*****