Chapter 324: Su Wanqing's Advice! A Billion-Dollar Bounty Shakes the World!
The next morning, bright and early.
The morning sun pierced through the gaps in the curtains, scattering gold across the floor.
Su Hongmian walked out of the master bedroom holding Shen Anyu's arm intimately. She looked refreshed, her skin glowing with a healthy, rosy luster that only a well-nourished woman possessed.
"Brother Shen, Mianmian will make you breakfast. What do you want to eat?"
Evidently, Su Hongmian was in an exceptionally good mood. She wasn't the jealous, prickly young miss anymore, nor did she call him 'bad guy' or 'scoundrel.' She called him 'Brother Shen' with a sweetness that could melt sugar.
A stunning charm appeared between the girl's brows—a mix of a girl's innocence and a woman's newfound allure. Her eyes, as they shifted towards him, seemed to hold a myriad of unspoken affection.
Shen Anyu was also in a good mood, feeling refreshed physically and mentally. The unique Yin energy of the Su Family's daughter had completely relieved him of his pent-up fire.
They walked down the spiral staircase to the living room.
Suddenly, Shen Anyu's gaze swept around, and he paused. He smiled politely and said, "Auntie, you're home."
"Oh!"
Su Hongmian gasped. She saw her adoptive mother, Su Wanqing, sitting on the sofa. She immediately blushed a deep crimson, the heat spreading from her neck to her ears. Like a startled ostrich, she shyly hid behind Shen Anyu's broad back, peeking out guiltily.
"Mm."
Su Wanqing's beautiful eyes held a knowing, gentle smile. She didn't tease them excessively. She simply nodded gently and said, "I've already prepared morning tea and dim sum. Come and eat. You must be hungry."
At this moment, Su Wanqing was sitting by the coffee table brewing tea.
She was dressed in a sky-blue silk cheongsam embroidered with white clouds. The traditional dress perfectly outlined her voluptuous, graceful figure—the kind of S-curve that was ripe like a peach ready to be plucked. Her proud assets were particularly eye-catching, straining against the silk, while her slender waist was so delicate it looked like it could be held in one hand.
Yet, despite the alluring curves, there was not a hint of vulgarity about her.
Her long, beautiful legs, wrapped in sheer stockings, were placed together to the side, slanting elegantly.
Splosh.
The verdant tea poured from the clay pot into the porcelain teacups with a gentle trickle. The fragrant steam of high-quality tea leaves wafted around the room, mixing with the faint scent of mature orchid perfume on her body.
This scene was like a classical lady stepping out of an ink wash painting.
Beautiful but not common. Enchanting but not demonic. Dignified but not rigid.
A hint of astonishment flashed in Shen Anyu's eyes.
The Su Wanqing before him was the definition of a "National Beauty." She was dignified and noble, graceful and elegant, full of charm. She was like a fully bloomed peony, possessing a beauty capable of toppling kingdoms and making emperors skip their morning court sessions.
Every one of her movements—lifting the pot, pouring the tea, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear—was so graceful. Every smile and frown exuded an extreme charm that attacked a man's instincts.
From her appearance, one would never guess Su Wanqing's true age. She possessed the tender, collagen-filled skin of an eighteen-year-old girl, the mature charm and fashion sense of a twenty-eight-year-old older sister, and the wisdom, stability, and aura of a thirty-eight-year-old strong female CEO.
Such a woman was undoubtedly the ultimate fantasy of all men and also the object of admiration and emulation for all women.
Shen Anyu glanced at the girl behind him.
Su Hongmian was undoubtedly a stunning young beauty, a rose just beginning to bloom. But compared to Su Wanqing before him, she lacked the depth and flavor accumulated by the passage of time.
It was the difference between grape juice and a vintage red wine. Just like the premium Pu'er tea in front of him, the aged fine wine of the tea world, it becomes more flavorful, mellow, and intoxicating with the passage of time.
Interesting, Shen Anyu thought. The Su family really produces top-tier beauties.
Shen Anyu withdrew his appreciative gaze, careful not to be rude. He gracefully held Su Hongmian's small hand, pulling her out from behind him, and sat on the sofa opposite Su Wanqing.
Looking at the exquisite morning tea and Cantonese dim sum before him, he expressed his thanks, took a sip of the tea, and nodded.
"Good tea. Auntie's brewing skills are impeccable."
Meanwhile, Su Hongmian, her face still flushed, sat beside Shen Anyu like a quail. Her head was bowed low, studying the patterns on the rug, not daring to look up.
She was extremely shy. She hadn't expected her adoptive mother to be home so early on a Sunday. And considering the noise they made last night... her mother definitely heard everything.
Watching her adopted daughter in this state, a doting smile flashed in Su Wanqing's eyes. To break the awkwardness, she initiated the conversation, her voice soft and melodious:
"By the way, I've already booked the plane tickets."
"Next Saturday, Mianmian and I will go to Sichuan (Shu Province) together to officially annul Mianmian's engagement."
At this point, Su Wanqing looked at Shen Anyu seriously. Her gaze was soft but carried the weight of a mother entrusting her treasure.
"An'yu... Mianmian is already yours now. I saw it."
"I feel relieved entrusting Mianmian to you. You are a capable man, and I know you will protect her."
"The engagement was left by Mianmian's biological parents before they passed. It's an affair from the previous generation, a verbal agreement. I will help resolve it properly so it doesn't affect your future."
Shen Anyu put down his teacup. He looked at Su Hongmian with deep affection, squeezed her hand, and then met Su Wanqing's gaze with unwavering confidence.
"Auntie, please rest assured. I will definitely take good care of Mianmian. She is my woman now."
Hearing this, Su Hongmian's heart sweetened like honey. She lifted her head slightly, her eyes shining, and clutched Shen Anyu's big hand tightly with both of her hands.
Then, Shen Anyu continued, his tone shifting to one of unquestionable decision:
"However, next Saturday, I will also make time to go to Sichuan with you."
"Mianmian needs to annul her engagement, and as her man, I definitely need to be there to support her."
"If Mianmian's fiancé—the one she was betrothed to at birth—tries to cause trouble or refuses to accept reality, I can also lend a hand to... persuade him."
Shen Anyu smiled warmly, but inwardly, his thoughts were cold and calculating.
The "Betrothed at Birth" Fiancé.
According to the laws of web novels, this fiancé was very likely a [Child of Destiny].
Specifically, the "Trash Fiancé gets Dumped" trope.
[System Analysis] suggested that this type of Child of Destiny is usually not weak. In fact, they are often dangerous.
[+] Possibility A: He has a mysterious "Old Master" ring/pendant guiding him.
[+] Possibility B: He has a System Cheat (Sign-in System, etc.).
[+] Possibility C: He is a Rebirth Cultivator playing the pig to eat the tiger.
Shen Anyu had previously sent subordinates to investigate this fiancé in the remote mountains of Sichuan. However, his subordinates—who were Martial Arts Grandmasters—sensed a powerful, ancient aura protecting the area and, fearing to alert the enemy, did not probe further.
That alone was enough to confirm the suspicion.
An aura capable of making a Martial Arts Grandmaster tremble from a distance is definitely extraordinary. It implies a power level at least at the [Great Grandmaster] or even [Heavenly Human] realm.
Today is Sunday. Next Saturday is the deadline.
At that time, Shen Anyu decided he would personally go to test this protagonist.
With his newly acquired [Love Infinite Teleport] skill and his [Foundation Establishment] strength disguised by the System, Shen Anyu now acted with absolute confidence. If the fiancé was sensible, he would live. If he was arrogant... he would become fertilizer for Shen Anyu's Destiny Points.
Su Wanqing looked at the affectionate young couple before her. Seeing Shen Anyu's responsible and protective demeanor, she was also very satisfied and relieved.
He is indeed the Young Master of the Shen Family. Domineering yet caring.
Afterward, the three of them enjoyed their morning tea and dim sum, chatting casually about life and business.
Su Hongmian was not a timid person by nature. Once her initial shyness subsided and she realized her mother wasn't going to scold her, she spoke openly and gracefully.
She brought up recent news headlines and interesting anecdotes to enliven the atmosphere.
"By the way, have you guys seen the international news? Sakura Country (Japan) has been quite unlucky recently."
"Besides the usual earthquakes and tsunamis, there's also a terrifying 'Bomb Fiend' causing many terrible incidents in Tokyo."
"They say this Bomb Fiend is a lunatic who is very fond of money. He's been extorting major banks and conglomerates with bombs, kidnapping billionaires, and blowing up landmarks if they don't pay up..."
Su Hongmian narrated vividly, taking a bite of a shrimp dumpling.
Shen Anyu smiled, listening politely.
But suddenly, his heart stirred. His eyes narrowed slightly.
Sakura Country. Bomb Fiend. Extortion.
According to his subordinates' intelligence report from the [Dark Web] and entertainment news:
Zhong Lingyin, the Fifth Sister of the protagonist Ye Linyuan, the International Heavenly Queen superstar and Yanxia Country's national goddess, was currently on her World Tour.
And tonight... she would be performing at the Tokyo Dome in Sakura Country.
Coincidence? No, in a novel world, there are no coincidences.
Shen Anyu's mind worked rapidly, connecting the dots.
Ye Linyuan's Seven Goddess Senior Sisters were his targets.
[1] First Senior Sister: Pei Changli (Female Sword Immortal).
Status: Cultivating in seclusion. Top-tier expert (Heavenly Human). Repelled the Martial God Hall alone.
Strategy: Too strong for direct confrontation right now. Play it safe.
[2] Second Senior Sister: Liu Ruyan (The Fire-Play Mistress).
Status: Intimate with Shen Anyu, but not fully conquered (Favorability < 80).
Strategy: Continued seduction.
[3] Third Senior Sister: Murong Jieyu (Goddess Doctor).
Status: Traveling. Whereabouts known.
Strategy: Wait for the opportunity.
[4] Fourth Senior Sister: Ye Liyou (Blood Shadow Rose).
Status: Unknown, but clues exist.
[5] Fifth Senior Sister: Zhong Lingyin (The Superstar).
Status: Currently in Sakura Country. Vulnerable.
[6] Sixth Senior Sister: Lu Chanxi.
Status: Unknown.
[7] Seventh Senior Sister: Yang Luoluo.
Status: Living in Shen Anyu's home. Effectively conquered.
Among them, Zhong Lingyin was currently the easiest target to approach. She was a public figure, surrounded by fans, but physically a mortal compared to her martial artist sisters.
Shen Anyu thought for a moment, sipping his tea. Then, the corners of his mouth curved into a mysterious, slightly villainous smile.
If there is no crisis, the Villain must create one.
The Bomb Fiend is making noise? Let's make it louder.
He excused himself calmly.
"I need to make a call."
He walked to the balcony, took out his encrypted satellite phone, and logged into the administrator account of the [Dark Web] using the System's hacking capabilities.
He composed a message. Simple. Brutal. Tempting.
[Bounty Mission]
[Target: International Heavenly Queen - Zhong Lingyin]
[Location: Tokyo, Sakura Country]
[Objective: Kidnap alive. Do not harm her.]
[Reward: 1,000,000,000 USD (One Billion US Dollars)]
[Time Limit: 24 Hours]
He hit send.
Then, he quickly erased all traces of his IP address and information using the System's [God-Level Hacker] skill.
...
[Location: The International Dark World - Encrypted Forum]
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
One billion USD!
The moment this astronomical bounty was released in bold, crimson text on the top of the mission board, the entire international Dark World was shaken to its core!
This wasn't a joke. The funds were verified in escrow.
One billion USD.
It was a fortune that could not be spent in several lifetimes. It meant private islands, yachts, villas, legions of servants, and absolute freedom. It was enough for any assassin to wash their hands of blood and retire as a king.
"Is this real?!"
"A billion for a singer? Is the client crazy?"
"Who cares! I'm booking a flight to Tokyo NOW!"
Numerous dark organizations, top-tier mercenary groups, retired assassin kings, and desperate lunatics in the international Dark World were all tempted by this blood-red bounty!
Greed overcame fear.
Once the news was confirmed to be true, countless strong individuals—Grandmasters, weapon experts, and kidnappers—immediately packed their gear and headed towards Sakura Country like a swarm of sharks smelling blood in the water.
Their target was the same.
To kidnap the International Heavenly Queen superstar, Zhong Lingyin!
Tonight, Tokyo would not sleep.
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