The floor shattered, dust flying everywhere.
"Cough, cough."
Zhou Luan lay on the cracked floor, her whole body soaked in blood, covered in horrifying wounds.
Even in her dreams, she couldn't have imagined that in her own house, in front of so many people, someone would actually dare to make a move.
A profound silence, stealthily spread across the scene.
Instantly, the air in the entire hall seemed to freeze.
Not only Zhou Luan was caught off guard, but who else could have seen this coming? On the stage, the expression on Zhou Qingyang's deeply wrinkled face changed again and again, and then he looked to the side, at the elder crouched on the ground.
"Family, Family Head, I, I am no match!!" The elder tried to straighten his back, his body trembling violently, his eyes full of terror, staring intently at Chen Yang.
The young man, back facing the crowd, held a bowl and chopsticks, eating at a leisurely pace.
From start to finish, he hadn't turned around.
Indifferent, calm.
Magnificent beyond comparison.
The once extraordinary, frightful elder hadn't moved an inch from start to finish.
A single "I am no match" left the long silent Zhou Qingyang thoroughly chilled, his face turning from green to white.
For a long while, Zhou Qingyang, with his two fists clenched tightly, softened his attitude towards Chen Yang, "Our Zhou Family has no feud with you, Chen Yang. This time we brought you here just to act as a mediator, to resolve your grievances with Princess Ling'er."
"As Zhou Luan just mentioned, we will do our utmost to plead with Princess Ling'er to spare your life."
Between the lines, the Zhou Family was portrayed as being purely benevolent, considering Chen Yang's best interests, and how could Chen Yang repay their kindness with enmity?
"So I am supposed to say thank you?"
Chen Yang, who hadn't uttered a word from start to finish, put down his bowl and chopsticks, wiped his mouth, then turned around, smiling subtly with a tilt of his head, asking seriously.
Zhou Qingyang's expression froze, he opened his mouth a few times but didn't know where to start.
Being a mediator?
Worried that Chen Yang would be killed by Princess Ling'er, thus openly making remarks, setting a deadline for the other party to come voluntarily?
Was this treating someone as a stepping stone or intentional humiliation?
Or maybe they just thought everyone was fools?
The truth was already evident on the surface, why go through the trouble of searching for excuses, claiming the Zhou Family was acting for Chen Yang's good?
"This, this..."
Zhou Qingyang opened his mouth, letting in cold air.
In Shisu Town, Zhou Qingyang was at least a notable figure, yet at this moment, he was rendered speechless by a single sentence, shivering.
Aside from feeling wronged, he was also extremely angry.
"This mediation, perhaps you're unwilling, but our Zhou Family truly acted for your benefit. Even if you don't appreciate it, there's no need to act violently here, right?"
"Moreover, you've already killed my grandson and gravely wounded my granddaughter. Even though I'm not a petty person, I won't hold it against you. Aren't you afraid the outside world will say you're ungrateful?"
"We're not children, some things don't need to be taught by others, right?"
Zhou Qingyang calmed himself, delivering a long speech, emotionally and logically convincing, his back straightened in confidence.
Chen Yang maintained a slight smile, silent.
"You..."
Zhou Qingyang's corner of the mouth twitched, cold sweat poured from his forehead, he lost any semblance of authority, and as for the others flattering him, no need to mention.
Ah!
Taking a deep breath, Zhou Qingyang continued, "Chen Yang, Princess Ling'er is arriving shortly, you'd better leave now. I can pretend nothing happened."
At this point, having been through enough, he couldn't care about anything else. Surviving this hurdle was the priority.
"Chen Yang, cease now, or when Princess Ling'er arrives, you won't be able to leave." Zhou Luan forced through her pain to shout loudly.
Hiss!
Lines of crimson blood burst from her chest and abdomen.
In an instant, her entire body was covered in gruesome wounds, as if her claim of acting for Chen Yang's well-being was shattered, leaving her terrified and fearful.
"This..."
The clear feeling of life slipping away made this once overbearing Zhou Family miss, plead bitterly, "I'm sorry, it's all my fault. Please spare me."
Crack.
The wounds extended, bursting, blood flowing freely.
"No, no!!"
Zhou Luan struggled, her body writhing and rolling like a severed worm in the pool of blood.
Zhou Qingyang's mind fell apart, thoughts exploding in his head, his legs trembled almost to the point of collapse.
"You publicly called for me, and now, I am here." Chen Yang lit a post-meal cigarette, stared at Zhou Qingyang, and said calmly, "So, what do you want?"
Zhou Qingyang collapsed to his knees, his forehead knocking against the ground repeatedly, muttering, "Spare me, please, have mercy."
"Not to mention, whatever the true purpose for Princess Ling'er visiting your Zhou Family is, even if she's backing you, in my eyes, judgment will be upon the deserving." Chen Yang stated.
Zhou Qingyang: "..."
Tat-tat-tat.
Heavy footsteps accompanied by the clattering sound of armor approached from afar.
Soon, a troop of Silver Armored Guards crashed into everyone's sight.
"This, this is..."
"Princess Ling'er is here?"
First was a moment of silence, then the scene erupted with exclamations of extreme excitement and enthusiasm.
Especially Zhou Qingyang, whose previously dim eyes suddenly shone brightly as the scorching sun.
"Zhou Family Head Zhou Qingyang, welcomes Princess Ling'er."
Zhou Qingyang took a few steps towards the door, respectfully kneeling, performing a kowtow.
Others followed suit.
Instantly, only Chen Yang and his group remained standing, appearing somewhat like a crane among chickens.
"Didn't see that little Mu Ling'er girl!" Shen Shaotian glanced over at the Silver Armored Guards ahead, then leaned towards Chen Yang and said.
Not only him, but Zhou Qingyang and others also noticed this.
"Sir, may I ask where is the Princess..."
Zhou Qingyang got up, walked forward to inquire, but before he finished, a guard violently pushed him aside, causing him to stagger backward, eventually landing on the ground.
"How could my princess, with her esteemed status, attend your birthday feast?"
The elder, the bodyguard of Mu Ling'er, briefly glanced at Zhou Qingyang, said indifferently, "The previous response was only that I would come to your Zhou Family to assign a task."
"Seems everyone has assumed too much?"
Zhou Qingyang: "..."
Everyone: "..."
"A person must have self-awareness. Even if the City Lord's Mansion seeks an agent, would your Zhou Family qualify?"
Zhou Qingyang saw darkness, almost spitting old blood.
It turns out the whole thing, from start to finish, was just self-delusion?
In the end, not only gained nothing, but Zhou Yang lost his life, Zhou Luan's life is uncertain, the entire Zhou Family nearly destroyed, this...
Caught nothing, lost the bait too.
"Pft."
Rage consumed Zhou Qingyang, causing him to vomit a mouthful of blood, his blood-soaked eyes glaring at Chen Yang, "The one who killed your City Lord's Silver Armored Guards, it's him!"
At this point, how could Zhou Qingyang let Chen Yang off easily?
Using someone else's hand to kill, indeed a good choice.
However, the elder didn't even glance at him again. Instead, stepped forward and said to Chen Yang, "Mr. Chen, our princess invites you, would you kindly accompany this old man?"
Zhou Qingyang: "..."
Everyone: "..."
This, what is happening?!
"..."