Chapter 176: Chapter 176

Luo Yan followed Xu Hao’s car to Yan Wumei’s villa.

When he saw the scene at the entrance, his eyes widened in shock.

Yan Wumei, usually cold and untouchable, the queen of the underground—stood there like a bashful bride-to-be, welcoming Xu Hao inside with a shy smile. She had even prepared dinner.

She was ready to offer herself to him.

The thought of Yan Wumei, so breathtakingly beautiful, surrendering to Xu Hao made Luo Yan’s heart twist in agony.

He couldn’t just stand by and watch.

Even if his strength hadn’t fully recovered, even if he was no match for Xu Hao—he had to stop this.

He refused to let Yan Wumei sacrifice herself just because she was cornered by circumstance.

But just as he rushed toward the villa—

A red-clad figure materialized beside him.

A vicious kick slammed into his stomach.

The attacker was too fast. Luo Yan, caught off guard and still weakened, couldn’t react in time.

His body flew backward through the air.

“Peak-stage Transformation Realm?!”

The force behind that kick was unmistakable.

This person was even stronger than he had been at his peak.

Xu Hao was only at the Transformation Realm—since when did he have a Peak-stage expert guarding him?!

Luo Yan had thought that even in his weakened state, he could at least disrupt Xu Hao’s plans.

With a powerhouse blocking him, he couldn’t even get close.

How was he supposed to stop anything?

Luo Yan crashed onto the ground, pain exploding through his ribs. His organs felt like they’d been rearranged.

Damn it… I can’t give up.

Yan Wumei was under Xu Hao’s spell, willingly offering herself.

If he didn’t pull her out now, she’d be lost forever.

Gritting his teeth, Luo Yan forced himself up and glared at his attacker.

The woman in red stood before him, her expression unreadable.

Luo Yan’s face twisted in disbelief.

They had trained in the same assassin program.

Her skills were on par with his—no, even better.

But last he heard, Red Rose was still in the underworld.

What was she doing here?

No… that couldn’t be it.

Red Rose  was a sadistic, unyielding force of nature. She never submitted to anyone.

She’s here to kill me again.

Luo Yan’s stomach dropped.

Back in their training days, they had tied for first place in the final exam.

Ever since then, Red Rose  had obsessively hunted him—not out of rivalry, but some twisted fixation.

She was beautiful, as stunning as Yan Wumei or his aunt.

But Luo Yan wanted nothing to do with her.

Because every time she found him, she tried to murder him.

No warnings. No hesitation.

He’d barely escaped with his life multiple times.

One of the reasons he’d accepted this mission back to the city was to avoid her.

Luo Yan wiped blood from his lip, his voice strained.

“Red Rose , I don’t have time for this. Move.”

At his peak, he could barely hold his own against her. Now? He stood no chance.

But Red Rose  didn’t attack.

She just stood there, blocking the villa’s entrance.

Luo Yan’s frown deepened.

“Since when do you care about fair fights? You’ve never hesitated to strike when I’m weak before.”

He tried to reason with her.

“Look—let me handle this first. Once I recover, we can fight properly. If you kill me then, I’ll accept it.”

Still, Red Rose  said nothing.

Then Luo Yan noticed something strange.

Her eyes—usually cold and murderous—were now filled with conflicting emotions.

Rage. Bitterness. Even… pain?

Since when did Red Rose  feel anything beyond bloodlust?

“What do you want?” Luo Yan demanded.

Finally, Red Rose  spoke.

“If you want to trouble my master, you’ll have to go through me first.”

Her voice was eerily reverent.

But inside, Red Rose  was screaming.

These weren’t her words.

She wanted to rip Xu Hao apart, not serve him!

Yet because of that damned drug he’d forced on her, her body obeyed him unconditionally.

And now, the most humiliating moment of her life was unfolding before Luo Yan—the one person who knew her true identity.

The infamous, merciless Red Rose …

Calling someone “master”.

Luo Yan’s mind short-circuited.

Had he heard that right?

Red Rose —the woman who lived only to kill—just called Xu Hao her master?!

[Ding… Luo Yan’s shock skyrockets. Emotional Points +876…]

It took him a full ten seconds to process.

Then another realization hit him.

“Your… master is Xu Hao?!”

Red Rose ’s eyes flashed.

“You dare speak his name so casually?”

In an instant, she was on him again.

Her foot slammed into his chest, sending him crashing back to the ground.

Red Rose  was screaming internally.

How could she possibly be defending that bastard Xu Hao?

Her eyes burned with fury, hatred, and an indescribable terror.

It felt like someone else was controlling her body while she remained fully conscious—a prisoner in her own mind.

If this continued, would she eventually be completely erased?

This time, Luo Yan hit the ground hard and stayed down.

He and Red Rose  had always been adversaries.

She would hunt him down relentlessly, trying to kill him at every opportunity.

But he had never truly hated her for it.

How could he? She was as stunning as Yan Wumei.

He had even fantasized about one day surpassing her in strength and subduing her.

But hearing her call Xu Hao master shattered him.

Luo Yan suddenly realized something.

That look of pain he had seen in Red Rose ’s eyes earlier—

It wasn’t directed at him.

But if it was because of Xu Hao…

Everything clicked into place.

There was no way a ruthless killer like Red Rose  would willingly submit to anyone.

She had to be under duress.

But what could Xu Hao possibly hold over her?

Red Rose  was infamous for her cold-blooded nature—what leverage did he have?

Were they being used against her?

Gritting through the pain, Luo Yan met Red Rose ’s gaze.

“Red Rose , I know this isn’t what you want. You’re being forced, aren’t you?”

She was being controlled.

“Red Rose , whatever Xu Hao’s holding over you, tell me. I swear I’ll help you break free.”

His voice was sincere.

He genuinely wanted to save her.

A woman like Red Rose —beautiful, deadly, untamed—should never be reduced to a slave.

But Red Rose’s expression remained blank.

Inside, she was drowning in despair.

If only it were just blackmail.

At least then, there’d be hope.

But Xu Hao had drugged her.

Her body obeyed him unconditionally.

No one could help her now.

“Cough… Red Rose, please. Trust me.”

Luo Yan spat blood, clutching his ribs as he struggled to stand.

He took a step forward—

And Red Rose  struck again, sending him flying.

“One more step, and I’ll kill you.”

Three brutal kicks later, Luo Yan couldn’t move.

[Ding… Luo Yan’s rage explodes! Emotional Points +999…][Ding… Red Rose’s despair deepens! Emotional Points +999…]

Meanwhile, the atmosphere was entirely different.

Yan Wumei had prepared an elaborate dinner for Xu Hao.

Soft lighting bathed the room in warmth, a stark contrast to the violence outside.

“Uncle Xu, please sit.”

She guided him to the table.

“What would you like to drink?”

She moved to the wine cabinet, awaiting his preference.

Xu Hao glanced at the spread of Chinese dishes.

Not that it mattered.

With other women, he might have used alcohol to lower inhibitions.

But Yan Wumei’s martial arts mastery made her immune to drunkenness.

With the promise of his Realm-Breaking Pill dangling before her, she was already eager to please.

Yan Wumei retrieved a prized bottle of Maotai, pouring for them both.

“Uncle Xu, a toast—to thank you for your guidance these past days.”

She raised her glass.

Xu Hao clinked his against hers.

As she turned to take her seat across the table—

His arm snaked around her waist, yanking her into his lap.

Yan Wumei gasped as she tumbled into his embrace.

“If you really want to thank me, a toast isn’t enough.”

Xu Hao’s voice was low, predatory.

His presence was overwhelming.

Flustered, Yan Wumei’s heartbeat raced.

“Uncle Xu… I already agreed, didn’t I?”

“But what if you change your mind?”

Yan Wumei exhaled, torn between anticipation and nerves.

“As if I could escape you now. How are we supposed to eat ?”

Before she could react, he picked up his chopsticks, holding a bite to her lips.

The moment the food touched her tongue, her face burned.

She felt like a pampered pet—being cuddled, fed, and played with.

[Ding… Yan Wumei’s embarrassment skyrockets! Emotional Points +987…]

Xu Hao seized every opportunity to farm emotions.

“I fed you. Shouldn’t you return the favor?”

Understanding dawned.

Blushing, she picked up her own chopsticks, feeding him in turn.

Their dinner became an intimate exchange—each bite shared between them.

At first, Yan Wumei squirmed.

Here she was, a woman in her thirties, acting like a lovestruck girl.

But gradually… she relaxed into it.

The meal lasted nearly two hours.

Xu Hao reveled in being hand-fed by the queen herself, his hands roaming freely.

Emotional Points flooded in.

Yan Wumei cleared the dishes while Xu Hao brewed tea at the coffee table.

She loved tea—her collection of exquisite sets proved it.

When she returned, the rich aroma made her eyes brighten.

She poured herself a cup, sighing after the first sip.

Having spent so much time at the Xu residence, she knew his skill.

No matter how many times she tasted it, the flavor was transcendent.

Divine didn’t even cover it.

Maybe being with him wouldn’t be so bad…

The thought flickered through her mind.

They chatted over tea, the TV humming softly in the background.

Yan Wumei grew restless.

The inevitability of what came next set her pulse racing.

Xu Hao’s hand landed on her thigh.

“It’s getting late,” he murmured, smirking. “Time for bed.”

Her gaze darted away, panic rising.

But there was no escape.

Steeling herself, she led him to her bedroom.

The room was opulent—crystal chandeliers, antique decor—

And filled with the faint, intoxicating scent of her perfume.

Xu Hao surveyed it appreciatively.

“Uncle Xu, wait here. I’ll… go shower first.”

She tried to bolt for the bathroom—

But his hand caught her wrist.

The proud queen of the underworld now trembled like a frightened rabbit.

Xu Hao’s grin widened.

“Why waste time? Let’s bathe together.”