Chapter 178: Because of Love? A Humble Maid! The Queen's Surrender:
[Ding! Yan Wumei's heartbeat accelerated, emotional points +999.]
Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.
…
Outside—
Luo Yan lay on the ground, having been kicked down three times by Hong Qiangwei. He no longer had the strength to get up. Staring at the brightly lit villa, he knew exactly what was happening inside, but he was powerless to stop it.
Of the two women he admired, Yan Wumei was now in Xu Hao's grasp, and Hong Qiangwei had become his servant. Sadness flooded his heart like a never-ending river.
Hong Qiangwei, on the other hand, felt restless.
Xu Hao had already made his move on Yan Wumei—how long would it be before it was her turn?
The thought of being controlled and oppressed by her sworn enemy made her want to die, but she couldn't even choose death without Xu Hao's permission.
She turned to look at Luo Yan, who lay on the ground, devastated and doubting his very existence.
A wave of hatred surged in her heart.
If she hadn't chased him back from the dark world, none of this would have happened. If she hadn't followed the trail of his injuries, she wouldn't have fallen into Xu Hao's trap.
Time passed slowly, and eventually, the lights in the villa went out.
…
Inside—
Yan Wumei was surprised.
She had just reached the peak Dark Strength Realm, and yet her strength now felt stable, consolidated as if by magic. She stared at Xu Hao in confusion but, following his instructions, soon drifted into a nap.
She woke up near noon, groggily glancing at the sheets.
Memories of the previous night flooded her mind, and her face turned a deep shade of red, a mixture of shame and resentment.
"Wumei, you're awake," Xu Hao's voice came from beside her, making her turn quickly.
He had been awake for a while, smiling at her.
Yan Wumei blushed and instinctively wanted to hide under the blanket.
"Do you want to enhance your strength further?" Xu Hao asked casually.
She froze, then slowly turned to look at him.
Xu Hao flipped his wrist, revealing two crystal-clear pills in his palm—the Marrow Cleansing Pill and the Realm-Breaking Pill.
Yan Wumei's eyes widened. She was on the verge of breaking through to the Transforming Strength Realm, and these pills could help her achieve that goal.
"Why are there two pills?" she asked curiously.
"This one is the Marrow Cleansing Pill. It will cleanse your meridians, improve your physique, and even enhance your talent," Xu Hao explained with a smile.
Talent enhancement?
Yan Wumei hesitated for a moment but eventually took the pill. She was about to swallow it when Xu Hao stopped her.
"Not yet."
Confused, Yan Wumei obediently went to the bathroom.
A few minutes later—
A powerful aura erupted from the bathroom.
Outside—
Hong Qiangwei's face was filled with shock. Someone had broken through to the Transforming Strength Realm. There were only two people inside the villa, and since Xu Hao was already stronger than her, the only possibility was Yan Wumei.
But how?
Yan Wumei had only reached the peak Dark Strength Realm yesterday. Even with her incredible martial arts talent, such rapid progress was unheard of.
It didn't take long for Hong Qiangwei to figure it out. If Xu Hao had pills capable of controlling her mind, it wouldn't be surprising if he also had ones to accelerate cultivation.
She glanced at Luo Yan, who had suffered a night of torment and was now unconscious.
…
Half an hour later—
Yan Wumei stepped out of the bathroom, unable to hide the astonishment on her face. She had successfully broken through into the Transforming Strength Realm.
Feeling the surge of power within her, everything seemed surreal.
The Marrow Cleansing Pill's effects were beyond her expectations. Not only had it enhanced her physique, but the old scars from past battles had miraculously disappeared. Her skin appeared younger and more radiant than before.
At this moment, Yan Wumei looked at Xu Hao with sincere gratitude in her eyes. Before she could express it, Xu Hao pulled her into his embrace.
[Ding! Yan Wumei's shyness increases, emotional points +789.]
Some time later—
Luo Yan slowly regained consciousness. At first, he was disoriented, but when he heard the voices of Xu Hao and Yan Wumei, he instantly sobered up.
Looking toward the villa entrance—
Yan Wumei stood there, sending Xu Hao off with a radiant expression. The two of them chatted happily as they walked.
Hong Qiangwei drove up and stopped by the entrance. Xu Hao turned to Yan Wumei and said, "Alright, Wumei, you don't need to see me off. Go back and rest well. You didn't sleep much last night, and you didn't eat properly just now..."
Yan Wumei rolled her eyes charmingly. "You still have the nerve to say that? Wasn't it all because of you?"
Hong Qiangwei stepped out of the car, opened the door, and Xu Hao got in.
With a step on the accelerator, the car sped off.
Luo Yan's heart tightened as he watched the scene unfold.
Hong Qiangwei had truly become Xu Hao's servant. Once an arrogant and proud assassin, she had always considered herself invincible, looking down on everyone. She never hesitated to take a life when displeased... Had she ever been this humble before?
What kind of leverage did Xu Hao have over her?
Feeling that his injuries had improved slightly from the previous day, Luo Yan struggled to his feet and walked towards Yan Wumei. She was still gazing in the direction where Xu Hao's car had disappeared. Hearing approaching footsteps, her eyes sharpened.
Seeing Luo Yan, she was surprised. "Why are you here?"
Luo Yan remained silent, his gaze empty. From afar, he hadn't seen clearly, but now that he was close, he could see Yan Wumei's skin was delicate and radiant, her eyes moist with a newfound allure.
He was bewildered.
Had just one night with Xu Hao changed her so much?
Could one night really have such an effect?
Seeing the undeniable glow on her face, Luo Yan felt a sharp pain in his heart. He closed his eyes and spoke in a trembling voice, "Wumei... are you still with Xu Hao?"
Yan Wumei frowned.
She knew that Luo Yan was aware of her relationship with Xu Hao.
Without hesitation, she said, "Who are you to me? Why do you care what I do? What does it matter to you if I'm with Uncle Xu?"
Her words cut deep, like a knife piercing Luo Yan's heart. He clutched his chest, feeling the sharp ache.
"Why?" he asked bitterly. "It's just an alliance of two forces. If you couldn't handle it, you could have found someone else. Why did you go to Xu Hao and agree to his shameless conditions?"
His voice was filled with sorrow and anger. He couldn't believe that Yan Wumei could have advanced to the peak Dark Strength Realm in such a short time. He was convinced she had sought Xu Hao's help.
Yan Wumei was stunned by his words.
Seeing the pain and grief on his face, she grew angry.
What did she owe him? They had no ties. It wasn't as if she had betrayed him.
Rolling her eyes, she sneered inwardly and said, "What are you talking about? I'm with Uncle Xu because of love, not conditions."
Love?
Luo Yan was dumbfounded. Xu Hao was fifty years old, with a pregnant wife and seven daughters. And yet, Yan Wumei claimed to be in love with him? Was this a joke?
He realized she was trying to avoid the real issue, but why tarnish her own reputation to do it?
A sharp pain shot through his heart. "You're still defending Xu Hao. He's a hypocrite! Look at my injuries. When I came to see you last night, I was beaten up by his bodyguard. Would a good person do that for no reason?"
Luo Yan suppressed his anger, his voice trembling.
Yan Wumei glanced at his injuries, feeling a twinge of pity. A flicker of realization passed through her eyes. "Oh," she said lightly.
Luo Yan's breath hitched. His whole body trembled.
Yan Wumei sneered. "Are you trying to ruin things between me and Uncle Xu? Who else should I beat? I feel like hitting you right now."
"Enough. I don't have time to argue with you. If you're sick, go to a mental hospital. Don't waste my time with your nonsense."
She turned around and walked back into the villa, slamming the door shut behind her.
This time, it felt like countless knives stabbing Luo Yan's heart. He stood there, stunned, his face filled with pain, his body trembling uncontrollably.
He never imagined Yan Wumei would fall so deeply. Despite the clear evidence, she still defended Xu Hao.
[Ding! Luo Yan is furious, emotional points +1000.]
Time passed quickly, and soon, night fell.
The sky was pitch black, with thick clouds hiding the moonlight. A cold wind howled through the empty streets.
It was the same place as before, the same players in this deadly game.
The Qinglong Hall and the Tyrant Gang had assembled once more, facing off against Red Rose. Standing at the front were the leaders of the two major forces and the two masters they had invited.
On Red Rose's side, Yan Wumei stood alone at the forefront.
She appeared calm, leaning lazily with an air of confidence. She didn't take the two forces or their masters seriously. And why should she? She was now at the Transforming Strength Realm.
Even though they had numbers, with a mere flick of her hand, she could obliterate them.
The seeds of ambition sprouted wildly in her heart.
They had once sought to destroy Red Rose. Now, she would be the one to crush them and take over the underground world.
Before, her strength hadn't been enough. But tonight, it would all change.
The scene from ten days ago repeated itself.
However, tonight, Yan Wumei looked even more stunning than before, stirring murmurs among the crowd.
"Do you think Queen Yan looks even more beautiful and charming than before?"
"Damn, you noticed too? I thought I was the only one!"
"I used to stay calm, but now when I look at Queen Yan, I feel like I can't move."
"It's a pity that tonight will be the end of her reign. I wonder which boss will get the upper hand..."
The underlings of both factions whispered among themselves, their gazes fixated on Yan Wumei, practically drooling. Her charm had reached new heights after taking the Marrow Cleansing Pill.
"Yan Wumei, I gave you more than ten days to consider. Will you lead Red Rose to surrender and avoid unnecessary bloodshed?" Tie Batian of the Tyrant Gang suppressed his greedy gaze and spoke coldly.
Wang Long of the Qinglong Hall followed suit. "I've heard that you treat your subordinates like sisters. Do you really want them to die here tonight?"
These words enraged the Red Rose members.
"Sister Yan, don't let them intimidate you! Even if we die tonight, so what?"
"Yes! We'll take a few of them down with us..."
"Sister Yan, fight them! We'll never surrender!"
Their eyes blazed with fury, eager to tear their enemies apart.
Yan Wumei glanced at the two leaders indifferently and asked, "Are you finished?"
Tie Batian and Wang Long were stunned.
Yan Wumei continued with a smirk, "If you have anything else to say, do it quickly, because after tonight, you won't get another chance."
The two leaders' faces darkened.
Was she implying their defeat was inevitable?
Yan Wumei's calm demeanor under such circumstances was unsettling. She showed no fear despite facing hundreds of enemies and two top Dark Strength Realm masters.
Had she called for reinforcements?
They exchanged wary glances and scanned the area around Yan Wumei, but all they saw were Red Rose members—no unfamiliar faces.
Where did her confidence come from?
Determined not to repeat past mistakes, Tie Batian and Wang Long nodded at each other and decided to strike quickly.
Without hesitation, they ordered their men to attack.
Red Rose's sisters stood their ground fearlessly.
The two masters locked onto Yan Wumei and lunged forward.
Luo Yan stood at a distance, watching with confusion.
Yes, he was here too.
Despite his anger at Yan Wumei, he couldn't ignore the fact that Red Rose was facing annihilation.
He was puzzled—where was Xu Hao? Hadn't Yan Wumei made an agreement with him, offering herself in exchange for his help?
Why wasn't he here at such a crucial moment?
As the enemies drew closer, both sides held back, waiting for their top fighters to clash.
Tie Batian and Wang Long took on Red Rose's higher-ups with their mid-stage Dark Strength Realm strength, confident they could crush them.
Yan Wumei, however, was left to face the two masters alone.
The masters charged at her with weapons in hand.
Yan Wumei remained in her relaxed stance, yawning as they approached.
The killing intent from the two masters was overwhelming.
10 meters!
5 meters!
Luo Yan couldn't stay idle any longer.
He had no idea about Yan Wumei's recent breakthrough. He feared she would be overwhelmed before Xu Hao arrived.
Grabbing a blade, he rushed forward to block the attack.
Within two exchanges, Luo Yan was sent flying by a single strike.
His strength hadn't fully recovered. After being beaten half to death by Hong Qiangwei the previous night, he could barely exert the power of peak-stage Force Control.
How could he possibly match two peak-stage Dark Strength Realm masters?
The unexpected interruption left everyone momentarily stunned.
"Hahaha... Yan Wumei, is this your backup? How pathetic!"
"Seriously? I thought you had someone powerful on your side. This fool is the best you could find?"
Tie Batian and Wang Long burst into laughter, filled with ridicule and disdain.
The subordinates from both factions sneered, while the Red Rose members began to worry.
They had trusted their leader's confidence, thinking she had a trump card. Seeing Luo Yan fall so quickly shattered their hopes.
Yan Wumei glanced at Luo Yan lying on the ground, unable to get up, and let out a sigh.
Frowning, she turned her gaze toward the two major forces.
Suddenly, an overwhelming aura exploded from her body—the aura of the Transforming Strength Realm.
The entire crowd was left in shock.
"I'll give you one last chance to rethink your words..."