Tick-tock! Tick-tock!
The rhythmic ticking of the wall clock echoed through the silent, darkened room.
Su Chen remained trapped in his erotic dream. The dream itself wouldn't have tormented him so deeply, but what truly tormented him was the woman's wanton behavior within it.
In reality, she had always been the epitome of purity and nobility, especially to him—a goddess transcending the mundane. Yet in his dream, she had been so utterly debauched. And since dreams are entirely products of one's own mind, didn't that mean he had imagined his goddess as a harlot?
Stumbling out of bed in a daze, Su Chen staggered into the bathroom, ripped off his semen-stained underwear, and carelessly turned on the shower. Without adjusting the temperature, he let the icy water cascade over his head.
The shock of the frigid water jolted Su Chen's mind awake, temporarily easing the knot in his chest. After a hasty rinse, he returned to the dressing room.
Standing before the massive full-length mirror, Su Chen stared blankly at his reflection, completely naked. Objectively speaking, Su Chen possessed an excellent physique. He stood around 1.86 meters tall, with long, well-proportioned limbs.
Though his muscles weren't overly developed, they radiated strength. Perhaps due to his superior genetics, Su Chen also possessed strikingly handsome features. This ruggedly handsome appearance made him immensely popular both at school and in society.
Beauty is justice!
Yet Su Chen knew all too well that he was merely a silver-plated spear with a wax tip—all show and no substance. He was adopted into the Ye Family, one of Pallet City's four most prestigious aristocratic clans. His grandfather, Ye Zhenhua, was the commander of the Pallet Military Region and the current head of the Ye Family.
His grandmother, Feng Ziling, was the current head of the Feng Family, another of Pallet City's four great aristocratic clans, and also the nation's highest leader, the State Chairman. His father, Ye Yaoyang, was the president of Pallet City's largest media and film company, with a net worth exceeding 100 billion yuan.
His mother, Luo Xue, was the second daughter of the Luo Family, another of Pallet City's four great aristocratic clans. Once hailed as the "Capital's First Beauty," she now served as the Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Pallet City's First People's Hospital.
As the direct heir of this prestigious family, he had been given the imposing and meaningful name "Chen," clearly reflecting the high expectations placed upon him. Yet, for reasons unknown, Ye Zhenhua, the family's most powerful figure and Su Chen's grandfather, had never warmed to him. From childhood, he had been strictly forbidden from practicing the Ye Family's cultivation techniques, and his mother, Luo Xue, had been ordered to take her children far away from the Ye Family.
From that moment, Luo Xue's heart had grown cold toward the Ye Family. Though she maintained little contact with Ye Yaoyang, she divorced him and settled into a quiet life as the head of obstetrics and gynecology at a regular hospital, living the life of an ordinary family and an ordinary person.
Fortunately, while Luo Xue doted on her foster son as much as one would for a real son, she was also extremely strict about his upbringing. Otherwise, even with his parents divorced and without the influence of the Ye Zhenhua patriarch, but still under the care of his maternal grandfather, Luo Wentian, he might well have become one of the Imperial Capital's notorious second-generation heirs—and, given his family background, perhaps one of the most dangerous among them.
Reflecting on his life's journey, Su Chen lowered his head slightly, only to inadvertently catch sight of his dejected member between his legs. He instinctively reached down to grasp it, and as it slowly stiffened, he couldn't help but recall the vivid scenes from his dream.
Perhaps because some time had passed, Su Chen's self-reproach wasn't as intense as before. He quickly began to notice some inconsistencies. Though his life was somewhat restrained, it was undoubtedly happy. While other noble-born youths his age were either making their mark in the world or indulging in clubs and drugs, Su Chen remained as pure as a blank sheet of paper. His closest physical contact had been limited to his mother and sisters.
Why did her body in my dream feel so real?
Su Chen shook his head, abandoning these perplexing thoughts. He slapped the now-hardened member, muttering, "It's all your fault!" before hastily dressing. It was unclear whether he was blaming it for its lack of restraint or for intruding into places in his dream where it absolutely shouldn't have been.
The night deepened, the moon bright but the stars scarce.
The clear sky resembled flawless crystal, and a fine rain drifted gently down, sprinkling the trees and earth. The verdant grass and leaves, nourished by the rain, emitted a faint, ethereal glow.
This rain should bring some relief from the sweltering heat of Pallet City, right?
Unfortunately, Su Chen paid no attention to this rare and beautiful sight.
After showering, Su Chen emerged from the bathroom and stood by the window, gazing blankly outside for a long time. Eventually, he snapped out of his daze, grabbed the lukewarm water from the bedside table, and took a large gulp. His eyes drifted to the photo frame on the nearby desk.
He gently stroked the glass surface, gazing at the family portrait of five. It had been taken when he was six years old, his first and last photo with his father, Ye Yaoyang, and now the only family photo he had preserved intact.
In the picture, Ye Yaoyang sat in the center, dashing and charismatic, his features radiating confidence. His mother, Luo Xue, stand beside her husband, her gentle smile revealing her peerless beauty, her right hand holding Su Chen's small hand.
His elder sister, Ye Qing, stood to Ye Yaoyang's left, graceful her delicate features exquisitely lovely. His younger sister, Ye Rou, clung to their father's broad, sturdy back, her petite frame brimming with lively charm. As for Su Chen, he clung to Luo Xue's legs, his body mostly hidden behind her, only his small head peeking out, his shy, reserved expression adding to his innocent charm. The entire photograph radiated a warm, tender atmosphere.
Sigh...
Su Chen sighed deeply and shook his head vigorously, his mind still hazy from waking up from a vivid dream. Fragments of memories flashed through his mind, shattering the tender moment.
He vaguely recalled the day when he was six years old, when his mother, Luo Xue, left the Ye Family with him and his two siblings, choosing to divorce Ye Yaoyang. The once-envied "couple" of country elite families had failed to stay together until old age, leaving Su Chen with a bitter sense of life's impermanence.
Beep! Beep! The alarm on his phone suddenly went off.
Midnight. Taymor Riverbank. Bring the woman.
Su Chen remembered his mother and aunt asking him to help rescue someone earlier that afternoon. His body tensed, his expression turning serious.
Midnight? Now...
He glanced at the time: 11:35 PM. This was the alarm he had set earlier that day.
Twenty-five minutes left, and the Taymor Riverbank isn't far. I can still make it.
He raced toward the garage. Fortunately, he had got Yamaha R1 motorcycle earlier that day. Only by riding the motorcycle now could he reach the riverbank in time.
The Taymor River, a wide and mighty waterway, flowed ceaselessly across the land, nurturing boundless vitality and prosperity.
Along the banks of the Taymor River, in the heart of the Central Plains, verdant mountains encircled the land, their peaks layered in emerald hues. Old trees towered skyward, while jade-green bamboo swayed gently in the breeze. Crystal streams gurgled through the valleys, carving out mysterious pools and deep gorges.
On Mist-Rain Peak, the evergreen pine forests roared with the mountain winds, their sounds ranging from the gentle murmur of flowing water to the thunderous roar of crashing waves, their melodies endlessly captivating.
Pallet City, nestled between mountains and sea, boasts picturesque landscapes, abundant natural resources, and a strategic location at the heart of the Central Plains.
Yet even on such a day, unexpected storms brew. Clouds charged with positive and negative electricity lock in a passionate embrace, their lightning flashes like fleeting, amorous glances.
The night was deep, the moonlight like water, the clouds thin, and the stars few. Halo Port in Pallet City had lost its daytime bustle. The trees lining the riverbanks stood like silent guards, protecting the dikes, while the river flowed quietly, its surface rippling. Only the lights of a few large ships punctuated the desolate night.
A red sedan parked on the riverbank. A woman leaned against the car, constantly looking around, as if anxiously awaiting someone's arrival.
The blinding headlights of an approaching SUV forced her to shield her eyes with a hand. The SUV screeched to a halt near her.
Two burly men leaped out of the SUV, glanced around, and fat, tan-skinned one asked coldly, "Madam Lu, did you bring the item?"
The other man, tall and gaunt, stared at the woman, swallowing hard as he thought to himself, So this is Luo Shuang? What a beautiful young woman! That bastard Lu Wenxiong sure is lucky. What a waste...
"I've brought the item," Luo Shuang said anxiously. "Chen Liwu promised me that he would release Lu Wenxiong as soon as he saw it."
"Madam Lu, President Lu is perfectly safe with us!" Fatty sneered. "Once I take this back, President Chen will naturally order his release!" He glanced at the skinny man beside him. "Mule, check if what Madam Lu brought is what President Chen wants." He casually slapped Mule's arm.
Mule understood Fatty's signal: once he had the item, he was to eliminate Luo Shuang. That was President Chen's order before they came. But now, staring at the alluring and breathtakingly beautiful young woman before him, he hesitated. At least, he thought, he should have some fun with her first before silencing her permanently.
He leered at Luo Shuang, swaggering toward her with a lewd grin. "Looks like Madam Lu is quite concerned about President Lu," he said with a sneer. "Don't worry, you'll be reunited soon enough. After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder. President Lu will have a busy and enjoyable night ahead of him."
"Wenxiong was truly blind as a bat. I kept warning him not to partner with Chen Liwu, but he wouldn't listen. He insisted on making a deal with the devil, and now he sees what a heartless bastard that guy really is."
Luo Shuang completely ignored the skinny man's leering gaze and his crude remarks. Distracted and agitated, she focused on retrieving a briefcase from the car. She placed it on the hood, adjusted the combination lock, and opened it. A translucent jade pendant, emerald green, glowed with an otherworldly radiance under the moonlight.
The lewd grin froze on Mule's face. Nearby, Fatty's small eyes widened as he swallowed hard, murmuring in awe, "It's even better than I imagined..."
Seeing that Luo Shuang wasn't going to try anything, Fatty approached and snapped the briefcase shut with a cold laugh. "Madam Lu, we'll be taking this back now. Rest assured, we'll ensure you and President Lu are reunited tonight!"
With a nod to Mule to finish things quickly, he grabbed the briefcase and turned to return to the car.
Luo Shuang knew she was at their mercy, like a fish on the chopping block. All she could do was go back and patiently wait for her husband, Lu Wenxiong, to be released.
As she was about to get back into the car, Mule, standing beside her, smirked. "Madam Lu can't wait to get back to President Lu for some intimate time, huh? They say women in their thirties are the most in heat. How about Madam Lu lets me help her relieve some of that heat first?"
"WTF! Bullshit! You bastard!" Luo Shuang spat, disgusted.
To her surprise, Mule's lustful audacity knew no bounds. He grabbed her wrist and leered, "Let's see if you really talks shit. And I'll show you just how much of a bastard I can be. Hahaha..."
"What are you doing? Mmmph!" Luo Shuang tried to scream, but Mule's filthy hand clamped over her cherry-red lips.
"Mule, what the fuck are you doing?" Fatty growled, his brow furrowed. "If you screw up President Chen's plans, you know how he'll deal with you."
"Come on, Fatty," Mule pleaded, pressing Luo Shuang against the car hood. "This woman's gorgeous and dressed so damn sexy. Just let me have my fun! I'll treat you to a night out. Besides, she's a goner anyway. Let's give her one last taste of a man before she dies. Hehehe..."
Luo Shuang finally understood that they were acting on Chen Liwu's orders to silence her. She had underestimated the man's ruthlessness. Though he had run rampant in Pallet City, committing countless atrocities, she never imagined he would resort to murder over a jade pendant.
Judging by their words, her husband, Lu Wenxiong, was likely already dead. Regret washed over her for not seeking help from her elder sister, Luo Ning. She had hesitated, considering the conflict between the Luo and Chen families and fearing her sister's anger over Lu Wenxiong's shady dealings with Chen Liwu. But now, she realized she had been foolish to believe Chen Liwu capable of any decency.
"Please... no! Don't... Help! Someone, save me!" Luo Shuang's heart pounded with terror. Her husband, Lu Wenxiong, collected antique porcelain and jade artifacts, and she usually assisted him with financial matters. She had only heard rumors of underworld violence, never witnessed it firsthand.
Now, because of a jade pendant, her husband had been kidnapped, and she was about to suffer the unspeakable horror of rape and murder. She twisted her head frantically, her limbs thrashing wildly, but the riverbank remained deserted in the dead of night. Her cries for help echoed unanswered into the darkness. Was this how her life, still in its prime, would end—at the hands of these two thugs?
Luo Shuang struggled desperately, but she couldn't break free from the wiry, muscular Mule. His massive, calloused hand clamped down on her delicate arm, his thick fingers digging deep into her tender skin. With his other hand, he gripped her calf, the flesh beneath her sheer, flesh-toned stockings feeling as smooth as silk, radiating a cool, soothing sensation.
"Shut up, bitch! Keep screaming!" Mule roared, slapping Luo Shuang across the face with his hand. "Even if someone was around in this deserted riverside ditch, who'd dare interfere with us?"
Fatty squinted at Luo Shuang's shapely legs, encased in sheer, flesh-toned stockings, as they twisted and writhed on the car hood. The headlights repeatedly exposed glimpses of her bare skin, making him swallow hard. He slapped the briefcase beside him and barked at Mule, "Hurry the fuck up, Mule! We need to get back and report to President Chen! You can get your kicks at the nightclub later—why waste time on this dying woman?"
"Fatty, you'll never find a woman like this in a nightclub!" Mule said, gripping Luo Shuang's arm tightly and pressing her voluptuous body against the car hood, cackling lewdly. "Fatty, want me to hold her down while you take a shot? I'd rather have your leftover, haha!"
"Just hurry the hell up!" Fatty growled, instinctively reaching out to pin Luo Shuang's other arm.
The two men pinned Luo Shuang's limbs, ignoring her desperate struggles. Her slender waist twisted like a snake, but she couldn't escape their clutches. The more she fought, the more Mule's rough hands intensified their brutal caresses in her face and back.