Chapter 177: Chapter 177

[Ding… Yan Wumei’s heartbeat quickens, emotional value +999…].

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.

Luo Yan had been kicked to the ground three times by Red Rose and no longer had the strength to get up.

Staring at the brightly lit villa, he knew exactly what was happening inside—yet he was powerless to stop it.

The two women he admired… Yan Wumei was suffering under Xu Hao’s torment, while Red Rose had been reduced to his slave.

Sorrow flooded his heart like a raging river.

Red Rose’s mind was anything but calm.

If Xu Hao had already set his sights on Yan Wumei… would she be next?

The thought of being pinned down by her sworn enemy, Xu Hao, made her wish for death.

But without Xu Hao’s permission, she couldn’t even die.

Red Rose turned her cold gaze toward Luo Yan, who looked utterly broken and disillusioned.

Hatred surged in her heart.

If not for chasing this man, would she have returned from the underworld to the city?

If not for investigating why he had been beaten, would she have confronted Xu Hao and ended up in this helpless situation?

Before she knew it, dawn broke.

Only then did the villa’s lights finally turn off…

Yan Wumei was astonished.

She had only just broken through to the Peak Dark Force level, and her foundation was still unstable.

Yet now, she felt her realm miraculously stabilize…

Her expression turned strange.

But at Xu Hao’s request, she still rested for a while.

When she woke up near noon, her eyes flicked to the bedsheet.

Memories of last night slowly surfaced in her mind…

Her face shifted between embarrassment and resentment.

“Wumei, you’re awake?”

Yan Wumei quickly turned her head and saw Xu Hao already awake, smiling at her.

Overcome with shyness, she wanted to burrow under the covers.

“Do you still want to improve your strength?”

Hearing this, she froze, staring at Xu Hao intently.

With a flick of his wrist, Xu Hao produced two crystalline pills—Body Tempering Pill and Realm Breaking Pill.

On the verge of reaching the Transcendent Force level, Yan Wumei was ecstatic…

But seeing two pills, she frowned.

“This one is the Body Tempering Pill. It refines your meridians, enhances your physique, and improves your talent.”

Even talent could be improved?

Skeptical but willing, she took the pill and raised it to her mouth—only for Xu Hao to stop her.

“Go to the bathroom first…”

Confused, she obeyed.

A powerful aura erupted from the bathroom.

Red Rose’s eyes widened in shock as she stared at the villa.

Someone had just broken through to the Transcendent Force level.

Inside, there were only two people—Xu Hao, who was stronger than her, meaning the breakthrough had to be Yan Wumei’s.

Yan Wumei had only reached Peak Dark Force yesterday!

Such speed was unheard of, even for a martial arts prodigy.

Then, realization struck.

If Xu Hao had mystical pills that could control her… helping someone break through a realm was nothing.

Glancing at Luo Yan, who had suffered another night of torment and was now unconscious, she felt no pity.

If not for him, she would never have fallen under Xu Hao’s control.

She wanted nothing more than to kill him.

Thirty minutes later…

Yan Wumei stepped out of the bathroom, her face still filled with disbelief.

She had actually reached the Transcendent Force level.

The sheer power coursing through her felt unreal.

Not only that—the Body Tempering Pill had worked wonders.

Old scars from past battles had vanished, her skin now radiant and smooth.

She looked years younger.

For the first time, she looked at Xu Hao with genuine gratitude.

But before she could finish, she was pulled into a warm embrace.

[Ding… Yan Wumei feels shy and resentful, emotional value +789…].

Luo Yan groggily regained consciousness.

At first, he was disoriented—but when he heard Xu Hao and Yan Wumei’s voices, he jolted awake.

His eyes snapped toward the villa’s entrance.

There, Yan Wumei, glowing with vitality, was seeing Xu Hao off.

They chatted as they walked.

Red Rose pulled the car up to the door, and Xu Hao turned back.

“Alright, Wumei, no need to see me off. Go rest—you barely slept last night, and you didn’t eat much earlier…”

Yan Wumei rolled her eyes, her expression both alluring and exasperated.

“And whose fault is that?”

Red Rose opened the car door for Xu Hao, then drove off.

Watching this, Luo Yan’s heart clenched.

Red Rose had truly become Xu Hao’s slave.

Once, she had been the proudest of assassins, arrogant and ruthless—never hesitating to kill at the slightest provocation.

When had she ever been so… submissive?

What kind of hold did Xu Hao have over her?

His injuries had improved slightly from yesterday, so he forced himself up and limped toward Yan Wumei.

She was still staring absently at the departing car when she heard footsteps.

Frowning, she turned—then raised an eyebrow at Luo Yan.

“What are you doing here?”

Luo Yan didn’t answer, his gaze vacant.

From a distance, he hadn’t noticed—but up close, he could see Yan Wumei’s flawless skin, her radiant glow, the deepened allure in her eyes…

Had one night with Xu Hao really changed her this much?

Then he saw it—the subtle, mature charm in her expression.

Even though he had expected it, his heart twisted in pain.

Trembling, he whispered,

“Wumei… you really went with Xu Hao?”

Yan Wumei’s frown deepened.

Since he already knew about her and Xu Hao, she saw no reason to hide it.

“What’s it to you? Who are you to control me? What does my relationship with Uncle Xu have to do with you?”

It felt like a knife plunging into his chest.

Clutching his heart, Luo Yan choked out,

“Why? Just because of an alliance between two factions? If you needed help, you could’ve asked someone else! Why him? And why agree to such a shameless condition?!”

Yan Wumei blinked, momentarily stunned.

Seeing his devastated expression, irritation flared.

What right did he have to act like she’d betrayed him?

A cold smirk curled her lips.

“What nonsense are you spouting? I’m with Uncle Xu because of love—not some deal.”

Xu Hao was fifty, with a wife, a pregnant mistress, and seven daughters.

And she claimed this was love?

He knew she was just brushing him off—but to use her own reputation as an excuse…

Another imaginary knife stabbed into his heart, doubling the pain.

“You’re actually defending Xu Hao? That hypocrite! Look at my injuries—his bodyguard did this last night when I came looking for you. Does a good man attack people for no reason?”

Luo Yan suppressed his rage, his voice a low growl.

Yan Wumei glanced at his battered state, her eyes flickering with realization.

“Oh.” Her tone was dismissive. “Serves you right.”

Luo Yan’s breath hitched. His entire aura twisted into chaos.

“You came to ruin my night with Uncle Xu, didn’t you? Of course they beat you up. Right now, I want to punch you too.”

She waved a hand impatiently.

“Enough. I don’t have time for your nonsense. If you’re sick, go to a mental hospital. Don’t drag your delusions into my life.”

Without another glance, she turned and strode back into the villa.

SLAM! The door shut behind her with finality.

This time, it felt like a thousand knives pierced his heart, leaving it in tatters.

Luo Yan stood frozen, his face contorted in agony, body trembling uncontrollably.

He never imagined Yan Wumei had fallen this far.

Even with proof right before her eyes, she still shielded Xu Hao.

[Ding… Luo Yan’s hatred and fury reach madness, emotional value +1000…].

Time flashed forward to nightfall.

The sky was unnaturally dark. Thick clouds smothered the moon, and a cold wind howled through the streets.

A moonless night, a windy night… a night for killing.

The same street as ten days ago.

The Green Dragon Gang and Tyrant Sky Alliance had gathered, facing off against the Scarlet Roses.

At the front stood the leaders of both factions—along with two hired experts.

On the Scarlet Roses’ side, only Yan Wumei stood ahead of her forces.

But tonight, she radiated calm, her posture lazy, almost amused.

She didn’t just ignore the two factions and their experts—she looked through them.

And she had every right to.

She was now a Transcendent Force master.

Numbers meant nothing. She could crush them all with a wave of her hand.

The seed of ambition in her heart sprouted wildly.

These two factions wanted to wipe out the Scarlet Roses?

She’d wanted to annihilate them and rule the underworld for years.

Before, she lacked the strength.

Their extinction was guaranteed.

The scene mirrored the clash from ten nights prior—with one difference.

Yan Wumei was even more stunning than before.

Whispers rippled through the crowd.

“Does the Rose Queen look… hotter to you?”

“Holy shit, you see it too? I thought I was hallucinating.”

“Last time, I could keep my cool. Now? One glance and my legs turn to jelly.”

“Pity she won’t live past tonight. Wonder which boss’ll get to enjoy her—”

Men from both factions licked their lips, barely containing their lust.

The Body Tempering Pill hadn’t just enhanced her power—it had magnified her allure.

“Yan Wumei,” Tyrant Sky’s leader, Iron Tyrant, tore his gaze away with effort, voice icy. “We gave you ten days. Surrender the Scarlet Roses now, or this street drowns in blood.”

Green Dragon’s Wang Long added, “We heard you treat your girls like sisters. Do you really want to watch them die?”

The Scarlet Roses erupted.

“Boss Yan, don’t listen! We’d rather die than kneel!”

“Yeah! I’ll drag a few bastards down with me!”

“Fight them, Boss! No surrender!”

Their eyes burned with fury, hands tightening around weapons.

Yan Wumei finally spoke.

Iron Tyrant and Wang Long blinked.

Her next words froze their blood.

“Say your piece now… because after tonight, you’ll never speak again.”

Their faces darkened.

Was she claiming they’d die here?

Her confidence was unnerving.

Had she hired some hidden expert?

Their eyes darted around—but only Scarlet Roses stood behind her.

Not risking a repeat of last time’s chaos, the two leaders exchanged a glance.

Strike fast. End this.

Their men surged forward.

The Scarlet Roses held their ground.

The two hired experts locked onto Yan Wumei.

Luo Yan scanned the surroundings, frowning.

Despite his fury at Yan Wumei’s choices, he couldn’t abandon her to slaughter.

But where was Xu Hao?

Hadn’t Yan Wumei traded her body for his help?

Why was she standing alone at the brink of destruction?

The armies closed in—but neither side attacked yet.

They waited for the experts to clash first.

Iron Tyrant and Wang Long (both Mid Dark Force fighters) targeted the Scarlet Roses’ officers.

The two Peak Dark Force experts would handle her.

The assassins lunged, weapons gleaming.

Their killing intent spiked.

Luo Yan couldn’t wait anymore.

Unaware of her breakthrough, he feared she’d die before Xu Hao appeared.

Grabbing a blade, he charged between them.

Luo Yan flew backward, crashing to the ground, unable to rise.

His injuries from last night (courtesy of Red Rose) left him at Peak Bright Force strength at best.

Against two Peak Dark Force killers?

The battlefield stilled.

“HAHAHA! Yan Wumei, this is your backup? Pathetic!” Iron Tyrant roared.

Wang Long sneered. “We thought you had a trump card. Did you hire a clown instead?”

Their factions erupted in jeers.

Even the Scarlet Roses faltered.

Their boss seemed so confident…

Was Luo Yan really all she had?

Yan Wumei sighed, eyeing Luo Yan’s crumpled form.

“Let me give you a chance… to rephrase that.”

A tsunami of energy exploded from her—

The unstoppable aura of a Transcendent Force master.

The entire street shook.