Chapter 511: It's you, it's actually you!
Zhao Fansheng's face flushed with excitement, and he was about to step forward to pay his respects, but when Shen Anyu's gaze swept over him, he immediately sobered up, forcing a fawning smile. He probably didn't want him to expose his identity or be disturbed.
At this moment, a storm was raging in Zhao Fansheng's heart. He was utterly, overwhelmingly excited. Though he was objectively the most successful person among all his former university classmates, having built a company with a net worth in the hundreds of millions, he was acutely aware of his own insignificance in the rarefied air of true high society. His wealth, a source of immense pride among his peers, was nothing more than pocket change to the titans who truly ran the country. An asset base of several hundred million might buy him a nice car and a luxury apartment, but in the grand game of power, it barely qualified him to be a glorified errand boy, a follower clinging to the coattails of a genuine heavyweight.
He knew this because he had glimpsed that world once before. It was only by diligently following Da Shao Lu Xiuhan, a prominent figure in his own right, that he had earned the brief, fleeting privilege of being in the same room as Shen Anyu. Without that connection, a top-tier scion from the legendary Yanxia Shen Family was a celestial being, someone whose existence he would only read about in financial news, forever beyond his reach. The gap between them wasn't a matter of wealth; it was a chasm of legacy, influence, and raw, untouchable power.
'Zhou Luyao's ancestral grave isn't just smoking,' Zhao Fansheng thought, his mind reeling with a potent mix of shock and envy. 'It's not just on fire, it's a volcanic eruption! A raging inferno of cosmic luck! How in the world did she manage to land Young Master Shen as her boyfriend? With him by her side, soaring to the heavens and achieving unimaginable prosperity will be as easy as breathing.'
Zhao Fansheng, a man used to being the object of envy, now found himself looking at Zhou Luyao with a feeling so intense it was almost painful. He understood the implications instantly. Zhou Luyao's fate had been irrevocably altered. Of course, given her background, becoming the official young madam of the main Shen Family household was a pipe dream, a fantasy beyond even the wildest imagination. The matriarchs of those ancient families would never permit it. But that didn't matter. Even just becoming one of Shen Anyu's women—a cherished lover, a favored confidante—would grant her a status so far above her original station that it was breathtaking. She would wield more influence and enjoy more luxury than most provincial princesses.
His mind was already racing, gears turning as he calculated the possibilities. He had to build a bridge. He needed to find a way to solidify this connection through Zhou Luyao. If he could become someone Young Master Shen found useful, even in a minor capacity, the benefits would be astronomical. It would be a golden ticket, a shortcut past decades of grueling work and networking. The thought made his palms sweat.
Naturally, the first rule was absolute: he could not, under any circumstances, displease Young Master Shen. Acting rashly now, trying to show off his familiarity, would be the height of stupidity. It would be entirely counterproductive, branding him as a clueless fool in the young master's eyes.
His gaze drifted across the room, landing on the oblivious Tang Kun. A cold, contemptuous sneer formed on Zhao Fansheng's lips. 'Compete with Young Master Shen for a woman?' he scoffed internally. 'You? You pathetic worm. Do you even begin to comprehend who you're standing against? You're not just unqualified; you're not even in the same reality.'
...
'This rich second-generation, he must be the minor villain Tang Kun is supposed to face in his story. He's quite sharp, though,' Shen Anyu mused, his eyes calmly sweeping over Zhao Fansheng.
He registered the man's initial flash of recognition, the aborted step forward, and the immediate, subservient retreat. Seeing that he understood the unspoken command to remain silent, a flicker of approval appeared in Shen Anyu's gaze. That subtle acknowledgment was enough to make Zhao Fansheng feel as if a mountain had been lifted from his shoulders, his back straightening with relief and pride.
This world was a tapestry woven from multiple novels, a chaotic fusion of narratives. Shen Anyu was far from the only villain walking its stage. There was Han Xiu, the arrogant elder brother of the Dragon King Son-in-law protagonist. There was the entire Ji family, the sworn enemies of the Asura Demon King, Chu Yun. They were all antagonists in their own right, powerful and dangerous within their designated plotlines.
But in his presence, they were all rendered irrelevant. Before Shen Anyu, the Great Villain of Destiny, all other villains had to step aside. Their schemes were child's play, their power insignificant. More often than not, their designated Sons of Destiny were reaped and discarded by Shen Anyu long before these minor villains even had a chance to make their grand entrance. They were pawns in a game whose master they would never meet.
'I do wonder, though,' a cold thought surfaced in Shen Anyu's mind, a predator surveying his domain. 'Are there any others like me? Other transmigrators, other villains wielding a System? If there are, and if they dare to try and steal my business... I won't be soft-hearted.' He was the sole hunter in this forest, and he would tolerate no rivals.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, a raw, hysterical roar shattered the party's cheerful ambiance, ripping through the room and drawing every eye.
"Bastard! It's you! It's actually you!!!"
The voice belonged to Tang Kun. The moment he saw his goddess, Zhou Luyao, clinging intimately to Shen Anyu's arm, her expression a perfect portrait of sweetness and demure affection, his world broke apart. The initial shock was a physical blow, stealing the air from his lungs. It was followed by a wave of disbelief so powerful it made his head swim. And then came the rage—a volcanic, all-consuming fury that turned his vision red.
The scene from two days ago flashed through his mind with agonizing clarity. Zhou Luyao breaking up with him. His own pathetic desperation as he knelt and cried, begging her not to leave. And standing off to the side, a handsome, well-dressed stranger offering unsolicited advice. That stranger was Shen Anyu. He remembered the man's words, laced with condescending pity. 'A man should have some backbone. Stand up. There are plenty of good women out there. Make her regret this one day.'
The memory was acid in his veins. Egged on by Shen Anyu's words and the supportive murmurs of onlookers who saw only a man being heartlessly dumped, Tang Kun had, for the first time in their relationship, summoned a shred of dignity. He hadn't groveled further. He had let her go. And Zhou Luyao, without a single backward glance, had walked away.
But now... now he saw it all. His goddess, the woman he would have died for, was holding that very man's arm. The helpful stranger. The wise counselor.
'So, you fanned the flames of our breakup,' Tang Kun's mind screamed, the realization a dagger twisting in his gut. 'You engineered the whole thing, just to turn around and swoop in like a vulture? You took advantage of my lowest moment to steal her from me!'
Tang Kun's gaze locked onto Shen Anyu, no longer just angry, but filled with a murderous intent that was almost tangible. The air around him seemed to crackle with his hatred. He looked like a man who wanted to tear the world apart, starting with the smiling bastard in front of him.
[Ding! The Child of Destiny, Tang Kun, was struck by a critical emotional blow!]
[Destiny Value Plundered: +9999!]
[Ding! The Child of Destiny, Tang Kun's, mentality has exploded!]
[Destiny Value Plundered: +9999!]
[Ding! The Child of Destiny, Tang Kun's, defenses have been completely shattered!]
[Destiny Value Plundered: +66666!]
[Ding! The Child of Destiny, Tang Kun's, Destiny Value is now below 30%! His luck has plummeted to a low point. The probability of a successful kill has greatly increased!]
A cascade of notifications flooded Shen Anyu's consciousness, each one a sweet melody confirming his victory. The massive influx of power was a cool, refreshing stream pouring into his soul, reinforcing his very being.
Tang Kun's defenses were not just broken; they were annihilated. His mentality, once a fortress of ambition and youthful hope, collapsed into dust. The bright, spirited light that had always shone in his eyes, the look of a young man ready to conquer the world, flickered and died, leaving behind a dull, vacant emptiness. The world lost its color, his future dissolving into a bleak, gray haze.
He was on the verge of shedding tears of blood, his face contorting into a mask of pure agony. A physical pain seized his chest, so intense it felt as if an iron hand were squeezing his heart, twisting it into a mangled pulp. He stared, transfixed, at Zhou Luyao's face—at her rosy, peach-like cheeks and the astonishing, womanly charm that now blossomed between her brows, a charm he had never seen before. That look, that seductive glow, was the final nail in his coffin. His mind, his spirit, his very will to live, utterly shattered.
[Ding! The Child of Destiny, Tang Kun's, mentality has completely collapsed!]
[Destiny Value Plundered: +29999!]
...
The university classmate gathering devolved into an affair with an extremely strange atmosphere. The cheerful chatter died, replaced by awkward murmurs and averted gazes.
Tang Kun sat slumped on the sofa in a daze, a hollow shell of his former self. The inferno of rage that had pushed him to confront Shen Anyu had been completely extinguished, doused by a tidal wave of despair. The blow was simply too great, too devastating for him to process.
In stark contrast, Zhou Luyao nestled against Shen Anyu's shoulder, a picture of demure grace and watery tenderness. She played the part of the devoted girlfriend to perfection, occasionally peeling a shrimp for Shen Anyu with delicate fingers, a public display of her sweetness and gentle nature.
A faint, unreadable smile played on Shen Anyu's handsome face. He said very little, yet he was the obvious center of gravity in the room. His presence alone commanded attention. Seeing the way a successful businessman like Zhao Fansheng acted with such fawning reverence, the other classmates weren't fools. They quickly pieced together that this man was someone from a world far beyond their own. Moreover, for the famously cold and arrogant campus queen, Zhou Luyao, to be so gentle, so considerate, so utterly pliant—his family background had to be nothing short of extraordinary.
Shen Anyu's peripheral vision grazed over the broken form of Tang Kun. He did a quick mental calculation. The protagonist only had tens of thousands of destiny value left, a flickering candle flame against a hurricane. He would completely crush and harvest the last of it tonight.
At this moment, however, another piece of news occupied more of his attention. It was a report that had come in just before he arrived.
'Many unfamiliar strong individuals from Southern Xinjiang are pouring into Hangzhou, seemingly searching for a young, handsome man?'
Upon receiving the message from his subordinate, a playful, predatory glint had flashed in Shen Anyu's eyes.
'She must have sent them,' he thought with amusement. 'The peerlessly beautiful woman in red who was struck by the Divine Love Dream Talisman. Her identity is clearly extraordinary, and her power is considerable. But finding me in a city this size won't be easy. And even if she does... she'll just be walking into a trap I've already prepared.'
Shen Anyu chuckled inwardly. The woman's strength was indeed extraordinary; even within the surreal confines of the Love Dream Illusion, he could perceive that sharp, unparalleled Aura that could swallow thousands of miles like a tiger, an impressive momentum that only top powerhouses could cultivate.
However, Shen Anyu now cultivated immortality and no longer paid any mind to martial arts powerhouses.
[Akarin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/AkarinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/AkarinTL
🔗 All My Links: linktr[.]ee/AkarinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]