'Humiliation in the Main Hall,' huh? Heh. Good name for a slaughter. I could feel the adrenaline starting to pump through this new body's veins. This was a feeling I never had as Jing An. Not anxiety, not fear. This was pure anticipation. The anticipation of a predator about to play with its food.
"System," I said, smirking at my reflection in the bronze mirror. The young man in the mirror smirked back, and his gaze looked downright evil. "If this is the first event, then give me my first mission. I need some starting capital to kick off this story-destruction business."
The blue screen responded instantly, as if it had been waiting for my command.
Cling!
[First Main Mission Issued: Turn the Tables of Humiliation.]
[Description: Your arrogant fiancée, Xiao Linyu, and her shameless father intend to humiliate you and the Luo Clan publicly. Do not let that slut and bastard get what they want. Show them who the real dog is and who the master is.]
'Wow, System. I like the way you describe things. So... honest.'
[Mission Objectives:]
[1. Foil the engagement annulment in the most dominant way possible.]
[2. Insult Xiao Linyu and her father back until they have no face left to show.]
[3. Reclaim the Luo Clan's honor and elevate your status.]
[4. (Optional) If the Original Protagonist appears, make him suffer a loss.]
[Completion Reward: 1,000,000 Villain Points, Newbie Gift Pack x1, Unlock Forced Conquest Path for target 'Xiao Linyu'.]
One million VP. A gift pack. And... a Forced Conquest Path? I chuckled softly. This system really understood what I wanted. This wasn't about love or romance anymore. This was about possession. Conquest.
Knock, knock, knock!
A hurried knock sounded on my large bedroom door, followed by the panicked voice of a young servant.
"Y-Young Master! Young Master Luo Chen! Patriarch Xiao has arrived in the Main Hall. The Great Master... the Great Master summons you immediately!"
According to the original Luo Chen's memories, this servant's name was Ming. A timid kid who was often bullied by the senior servants. The original Luo Chen would probably have answered nervously, "I-I'll be right there."
But I wasn't him.
I walked leisurely towards the door, my silk robes rustling on the floor. I yanked it open. Ming, the servant, jumped back startled, bowing his head deeply.
"So noisy," I said in a cold, flat voice. I deliberately imitated the tone of arrogant CEOs in cheap dramas. "Do you think I'm deaf?"
Ming trembled. He didn't dare lift his face.
"F-forgive me, Young Master! I... I just..."
"Lead the way," I cut him off, giving him no chance to finish his useless sentence. I stepped out of the room, brushing past him.
I could feel the kid's confusion and fear behind me. Good. Let them all be confused. Let them all be scared. The meek Luo Chen was dead. Welcome to the new era.
The corridors of the Luo Clan residence were long and grand. Every pillar was intricately carved, every lantern glowed warmly from low-grade Spirit Stones. Luxury I could only imagine when writing trashy descriptions in my novels. Now, all this was mine.
'Alright, readers out there. According to DragonInk's original script, this is where I'm supposed to walk with my head down, shoulders slumped, like a dog about to be slaughtered. Every step heavy, filled with fear and shame. But look at me now.'
I walked with my back straight, chin up, hands clasped casually behind my back. Every step was firm and confident. This wasn't a walk toward humiliation. This was a walk toward my first stage.
As we approached the Main Hall, I could hear the murmur of voices from within. My father's voice, Luo Tian, sounding slightly tense. The arrogant voice of a middle-aged man—that must be Patriarch Xiao. And... the clear but cold voice of a young woman. Xiao Linyu. My beautiful, shameless fiancée.
Ming stopped a few meters from the grand entrance of the Main Hall, not daring to go further. He bowed.
"Young Master, the Main Hall is ahead."
I didn't even glance at him. My eyes were fixed on the massive doors ahead. I could feel the gazes of the clan elders and important members from inside. They were all waiting. Waiting for the show. Waiting to see their useless Young Master humiliated.
Fine then. I wouldn't disappoint them. I'd give them a show.
A show they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
With a devilish smirk plastered on this handsome face, I took my first step across the threshold of the Main Hall.
The atmosphere inside the Luo Clan's Main Hall was heavy, filled with almost unbearable tension.
On the seat of honor, Luo Tian, the Luo Clan Patriarch, sat with a hardened jaw. His usually calm face now showed a storm of suppressed anger. Beside him, the clan elders wore sour expressions, a mix of shame and fury.
Across from them sat the source of all this tension. Xiao Zhan, Patriarch of the Xiao Clan, wore a faint, arrogant smirk. Beside him, his daughter, Xiao Linyu, sat as straight and cold as an ice fairy. Her sky-blue dress highlighted her beautiful curves, and her flawless face could start wars between kingdoms. However, the expression on that pretty face was as cold as the harshest winter, her eyes clearly showing disgust at the mere thought of her fiancé's name—Luo Chen.
"Brother Luo," Xiao Zhan finally broke the silence, his tone condescending. "Your precious son, where is he? Is he too scared to meet his own fiancée?"
Luo Tian clenched his fists under the table.
"He will be here shortly."
Xiao Linyu snorted softly. "Father, just get this over with. I don't have time to wait for a coward."
That blatant insult was the last straw. Just as Luo Tian was about to explode and slam the table, the sound of steady, unhesitating footsteps echoed from the entrance. The steps weren't hurried, nor were they hesitant. Calm, confident, and rhythmic. Everyone in the hall, without exception, turned towards the door.
Ah, what a grand welcome. The moment my foot crossed the threshold, I could feel dozens of pairs of eyes stabbing into me. I could feel their expectation—a fragile young man, red-eyed, ready to beg and cry. Too bad, you're all going to be sorely disappointed today.
I swept my gaze across the hall. On the main seat, there was my new father, Luo Tian. His face was tense. Poor old man, having a loser for an original son. Around him, a bunch of living fossils called clan elders stared at me anxiously. Useless.
Then my eyes landed on the guests. First was the old fart, Xiao Zhan. His face was so arrogant, practically begging to be stomped on. And beside him...
'Holy shit.'
That damn novel wasn't lying. Xiao Linyu was the perfect definition of 'stacked'. Face like an angel, body like a succubus. Her skin was snow-white and those lips... Damn. Her cold, disdainful face somehow made her ten times hotter. Oh, it was going to be so much fun watching that expression break when she's screaming my name in bed later. Yep, she's my main target.
I walked casually to the center of the hall, ignoring their shocked stares. I knew my current appearance—straight back, chin up, arrogant aura—was a stark contrast to the original Luo Chen's image. Let them be confused. Let them wonder.
I stopped right in the middle, letting the awkward silence hang for a few seconds. Then, to add a little dramatic flair, I yawned. A wide, lazy, completely unconcealed yawn. I could see Xiao Zhan's eyes widen in disbelief. Perfect.
'Okay, stage is set. Actors are in place. Time for my first line as the main villain.'
I looked straight at Xiao Zhan, putting on a bored expression.
"Sorry I'm late," I said, my voice calm and deep, not the trembling voice they expected. "I was having a really good nap. So, what's the big deal? Why does everyone look like someone just died?"
Total silence. You could hear a fly fart from the other end of the hall. My father, Luo Tian's, face froze in shock. The elders gaped like goldfish out of water. Even the ice-cold Xiao Linyu's eyes widened slightly in disbelief. But the best reaction came from the old fart, Xiao Zhan. His previously arrogant face went from white to red, then to a deep purple.
'Ah, look at that. The vein on his temple is popping. If this were a classic wuxia novel, he'd have coughed up three liters of blood by now.'
"HOW DARE YOU, YOU INSOLENT BRAT!"
His furious roar shook the entire hall, making the teacups on the tables rattle.
'Bingo. The mandatory first line from every low-level side villain. "How dare you!". So original.'
Just as I thought that, a crisp notification sound echoed in my mind.
[Ding! Target 'Xiao Zhan's' anger detected. +10 Villain Points.]
[Ding! Target 'Luo Tian's' confusion detected. +5 Villain Points.]
[Ding! Target 'Xiao Linyu's' shock detected. +20 Villain Points.]
Huh. So I get points just for making them confused and shocked? This system... I really, really like it.
Faced with Xiao Zhan's fury, I wasn't intimidated at all. Instead, I put on a fake confused expression, tilting my head slightly.
"Insolent?" I asked innocently. "I was just asking. Patriarch Xiao, you come to my Luo residence uninvited, looking like you just lost your entire family, and interrupt my precious nap. Now tell me, who exactly is being insolent here?"
Every word was spoken calmly and clearly, yet laced with piercing venom. My argument was simple but devastating. This was my territory. They were the guests. Logic was on my side.
Xiao Zhan's face turned even more purple. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. He was too angry to form a sentence.
"You..."
I didn't give him a chance. I shifted my gaze away from him, as if he was no longer worthy of my attention, and looked straight at Xiao Linyu.
I looked her up and down, blatantly and shamelessly, my gaze like a merchant assessing the quality of goods. She looked uncomfortable, a faint blush of anger appearing on her jade-white cheeks.
"And you," I said, my voice softening to a more personal, yet still cold, tone. "Xiao Linyu... you really are very beautiful."
A flicker of pride appeared in her eyes. Of course. Compliments, even from someone she despised, were still compliments to an arrogant woman.
"...It's a shame," I continued, letting a thin smirk appear on my lips. "That pretty face is decorated with an expression like you just stepped in dog shit. It ruins the view."
SLAM!
Xiao Linyu slammed her hand on the table beside her. Her beautiful eyes now radiated killing intent.
"You... how dare you insult me!"
"Luo Chen!" My father finally found his voice, his tone loud and warning. "Watch your manners! Apologize to Patriarch Xiao and Young Miss Xiao!"
I ignored my father completely. My gaze was still locked on Xiao Linyu, who was trembling with rage.
"Insult you? I was just stating the truth. You walk into your fiancé's house with that expression. Is that proper etiquette?" I took a step forward. "Or maybe you came for other business?"
I looked back at Xiao Zhan, who was now breathing heavily.
"I heard from the servants that you came here to discuss our engagement," I said lightly. "Good timing. Coincidentally, I also have something I wanted to discuss regarding that matter."
I paused, letting the tension in the room reach its peak. I looked straight into Xiao Zhan's eyes, my smile disappearing, replaced by an expression of absolute coldness.
"Honestly, I'm sick of it."
"I came here to cancel this engagement."
If my previous words were sparks, then my last sentence was a bucket of gasoline poured onto them.
The explosion I expected didn't happen. Instead, what happened was something far more satisfying—an absolute, suffocating silence. The silence born from total, utter shock.
My father, Luo Tian's, face looked like he had just been struck by lightning on a clear day. The elders were frozen in their seats. And the Xiao father-daughter duo? Oh, that was the most beautiful sight. Xiao Zhan's arrogant face was now wide open, his eyes bulging as if they were about to pop out.
But my gaze was fixed on my main target. Xiao Linyu.
Her beautiful face was deathly pale. Her gorgeous eyes, which moments ago radiated contempt, were now filled with disbelief.
She, the Phoenix of the Xiao Clan, the worshipped genius, had just been... dumped? No, this was worse. She had just been rejected. By the trash she despised the most. This was a humiliation a thousand times more painful than what she had prepared for me.
Amidst the silence, only I could hear the sweetest sound in the world.
[Ding! Host has seized the plot initiative! The original storyline "Humiliation in the Main Hall" has been significantly deviated!]
[Reward: +50,000 Villain Points!]
[Ding! Target 'Xiao Linyu's' pride has been shattered. You have dealt a Critical Mental Blow!]
[Reward: +10,000 Villain Points!]
[Current Total VP: 60,035]
'Heh. Sixty thousand points just from a few sentences. This business is more profitable than I thought.'
"W-what..." The first voice to break the silence belonged to Xiao Linyu. Her voice trembled, not from fear, but from uncontrollable rage. "What did you just say, you trash?"
I smiled faintly.
"See? This is one of the reasons. Your manners are absolutely zero. Don't you have ears? Or perhaps your IQ isn't high enough to process that simple sentence?"
"LUO CHEN!" This time it was my father shouting, his voice echoing through the hall. He stood up from his chair, his face red with anger and embarrassment. "STOP THIS NONSENSE RIGHT NOW! APOLOGIZE!"
I turned to him, my gaze remaining calm.
"Father, sit down. I know what I'm doing."
"You don't know anything!" he snapped. "You're risking the relationship between the Luo and Xiao Clans!"
"Relationship?" I chuckled softly, a laugh filled with scorn. I pointed at Xiao Zhan. "What kind of relationship are you talking about, Father? A relationship where they can come into our house whenever they want and act like kings? A relationship where their daughter can insult the Luo Clan heir in front of everyone? If this is what you call a 'relationship,' then I'd rather not have it."
My argument silenced my father. He looked at me, then at Xiao Zhan, and he couldn't deny the truth.
Finally, Xiao Linyu managed to regain control. Her face turned icy cold again, but her eyes burned with a hatred that could incinerate the entire city.
"Luo Chen," she hissed, each syllable spoken with deadly emphasis. "Who do you think you are? You think trash like you has the right to cancel this engagement? Let me tell you, I was the one who came here to dump you!"
"Really?" I raised an eyebrow. "But that's strange. From what I heard just now, I was the one who said it first. In my dictionary, whoever speaks first is the winner. You... were too late."
I stepped closer to her, ignoring the murderous glare from her father. I stopped right in front of her, close enough that I could smell the faint floral scent of her hair. I leaned forward slightly, lowering my voice so only the two of us could hear clearly.
"Let me tell you a secret, Linyu," I whispered, intentionally using her first name for the first time. "I know you look down on me. I know you think I'm trash. And you know what? I don't give a damn."
I looked straight into her beautiful, hate-filled eyes.
"Because starting today, this trash is going to show you just how wrong you are. I will become the nightmare that haunts your every step. And one day," I smirked, the most wicked smirk I could muster. "You will regret this day. You will kneel and beg me to take you back. But by then... you won't even be worthy of being my slave."
After dropping that final bomb, I straightened up. I didn't wait for their response. I didn't care about their reaction. I turned around, and with the same casual stride I entered with, I walked out of the Main Hall.
I left behind a room filled with deadly silence, a confused father, an enraged patriarch, and a beautiful girl whose pride I had just stomped into a million pieces.
My first stage was complete. And I had passed with flying colors.