The villa was magnificent and grand, located in the very heart of the city.
It was a residence of honor, bestowed upon him by the Royal Family after Chu He revealed his astonishing talent in Martial Arts.
Now, it had become an outlet for public outrage.
The gathered crowd was seething with anger. Banners fluttered in the air as rotten vegetables and eggs rained down upon the once-glorious residence.
Chu He appeared in the living room.
His figure moved like the wind, without a sound.
A young woman was already in the living room, dressed in well-tailored designer clothes that highlighted her extraordinary air.
She sat with her legs crossed and arms folded, her face a mask of coldness and detachment.
This woman was Chu He's wife, Gu Shuling.
Ever since their marriage, she had been the mistress of this villa.
Gu Shuling stood up and handed a divorce agreement to Chu He. "This is the divorce agreement. Sign it.
Due to your special status, we can skip the tedious procedures. As soon as you sign, this agreement will take effect immediately.
It's in duplicate. We'll each take a copy."
Chu He looked at Gu Shuling, at that familiar yet strange face now filled with complex emotions.
Taking a deep breath, he took the pen and signed his name on the agreement.
Gu Shuling watched as Chu He signed his name.
The anger, resentment, relief, and a mix of other emotions on her face coalesced into a soft sigh. "Do you remember the days you fought those bloody battles?
To protect this land, you killed one powerful and terrifying Evil Spirit after another.
In the end, you didn't hesitate to give up everything to stand guard alone over the Demon Cave, keeping those Evil Spirits from daring to act recklessly.
It was because of your sacrifice that our Great Jing Empire was able to return to a state of peace and stability.
Back then, I was just a girl. Looking at your photos and the footage of your heroic battles, my heart filled with reverence and adoration.
I disregarded everything to go to the Demon Cave to find you, hoping to become your wife and bear your children.
However, I never thought that people could change."
A deep sense of disappointment and resignation laced Gu Shuling's voice. "The Demon Cave clearly isn't that dangerous anymore, yet you refused to come back and live a happy life with me. You wouldn't even tell everyone the truth.
Were you afraid that if the news got out, your honor as the National Guardian War God would gradually fade into obscurity?
But now everything has been exposed, and you don't even have your last shred of dignity left."
After signing, Chu He gently put down the pen and asked faintly, "So you also believe those rumors?"
The Demon Cave, a forbidden land that made countless Martial Artists shudder in fear, was like a walk in the park to Chu He.
Back then, the Demon Cave had not yet been completely suppressed by Chu He. Evil Spirits ran rampant, and it was exceedingly dangerous.
Even those Martial Artists with outstanding talent found it difficult to remain in the Demon Cave for long.
Only Chu He could.
He stood guard alone in that dark land, protecting the peace of the Great Jing Empire.
For ordinary people, the Demon Cave was a place to be avoided at all costs.
The cities that once surrounded it had been abandoned due to the rampage of the Evil Spirits, left as desolate ruins.
But on one clear morning, a graceful young woman resolutely appeared at the Demon Cave. She said she wanted to marry Chu He and face the terrors and dangers with him.
At that moment, Chu He's withered and lonely heart felt as if it were being nourished by a clear spring. He felt an unprecedented sweetness and warmth.
So he agreed to the young woman's request, and the two held a simple yet grand wedding.
The entire nation was stirred, blessings poured in from all over the country, and their union became a celebrated tale in the Great Jing Empire.
A stark contrast to the scene today.
Time flew by, and the years passed in a flash.
Under the halo of Chu He, the National Guardian War God, Gu Shuling's life also underwent an earth-shattering transformation.
She attended prestigious schools, founded a company after graduation, and gradually became a glamorous, wealthy woman in the Great Jing Empire.
"In the face of these iron-clad facts, what can you possibly say to defend yourself?"
Gu Shuling took a bank card from her designer bag and placed it on the table. "I suggest you stop wasting your breath. It will only make me look down on you even more.
This villa is still yours. There are ten million in the card, which is enough for you to live on. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other."
With that, she turned to leave.
Her high heels clicked crisply on the floor, as if announcing the end of a relationship.
Chu He watched her retreating back, feeling no great turmoil in his heart.
He wasn't the type of man to be driven to despair by a woman's departure.
'Perhaps, deep down, there was just a hint of regret.'
Chu He had once hoped a new, outstanding generation would emerge in the Great Jing Empire, capable of taking his place guarding the Demon Cave. Then he could finally lay down his arms and return home to enjoy the simple happiness of a normal family.
However, reality had shown him that people's hearts change, and some hopes are destined to be nothing more than a Mirror Flower Water Moon.
...
The moment Gu Shuling stepped out of the villa, she was met by the agitated crowd and a swarm of reporters with their cameras and microphones.
Like cats that had caught the scent of fish, they all swarmed forward, their eyes gleaming with curiosity and a thirst for answers.
"Gu Shuling, has Chu He returned?"
"What did you two just talk about?"
"What do you think of what your husband has done? Your vast business empire, was that also built on his dereliction of duty and use of special privileges?"
The sharp voice pierced through the surrounding clamor.
Facing these aggressive questions, Gu Shuling appeared unusually calm.
She had long anticipated such a scene, so she didn't feel the slightest bit of panic.
From her designer bag, she took out the freshly signed divorce agreement and held it high for all to see.
"This is my divorce agreement with Chu He."
Gu Shuling's voice was clear and firm. "I chose to marry him back then because he was a hero. Now, however, I see that I was mistaken."
The reporters rushed forward, passing the divorce agreement around, looks of surprise on all their faces.
They showed the agreement to their livestream audiences, all nodding to confirm its authenticity.
"Chu He has been up at the Demon Cave all these years, as you are all well aware."
Gu Shuling continued, "There's not even a signal up there. Due to the influence of a Mysterious Power, Chu He and I had no contact whatsoever.
We never even shared a bed.
Therefore, my companies and my wealth were all gained through my own hard work, and mine alone."
The confidence and conviction in her words moved the reporters and the crowd.
This was especially true for the female reporters and citizens.
"The newly appointed Queen has already said that we women have power too."
Gu Shuling's voice grew louder. "Anything a man can do, a woman can do too, and we do it just as well.
So I don't want you to attribute my current achievements to Chu He.
That is an insult to all women!"
As soon as she finished speaking, a wave of applause and cheers erupted from the crowd.
Gu Shuling, meanwhile, held her head high and, surrounded by her bodyguards, departed.
No one noticed a car parked in a corner.
"The Great Jing Empire... is finished."
A soft chuckle drifted out from inside.