Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 704: Chapter 707: Are You Alright?

Aedlin wore a sour expression, regretting coming in. She should have slipped away earlier, but now it was too late to run, and touching the woman felt disgusting.

"Hurry up!" Yang Chen shouted.

Aedlin's nerves tightened, and she quickly ran over to start the task. Disgusting or not, she had dealt with worse, and besides, some teammates might envy her for being personally directed by this esteemed figure, even if the task wasn't pleasant.

Not wanting to touch too much, Aedlin roughly tore off Luo Cuishan's clothes in no time. Soon, Luo Cuishan's plump body was exposed under the lights.

Yang Chen clicked his tongue, marveling at Ning Guangyao's luck. Although Luo Cuishan wasn't as beautiful as his mother-in-law Xue Zijing, she was still quite attractive with her voluptuous figure and taut, fair skin that many young girls could only dream of.

Smiling, Yang Chen beckoned Aedlin. "Come here, I'll tell you what to do next."

Aedlin was puzzled. "Aren't we going to get a camera?"

"Do you think I'm that low-class?" Yang Chen feigned annoyance, shaking his head as he walked around. "Taking photos to threaten someone is a lowly tactic, too mundane. We need to be different. How have I taught you, Sea Eagles? You are my elite, meant to accomplish what others can't! We are not ordinary people. What sets us apart is art! Art is derived from life but elevated above it. If you think I just want to make a simple action movie with the so-called Prime Minister's wife, you're gravely mistaken. I'm making a sophisticated, deeply explored art film!"

Aedlin was bewildered by Yang Chen's grandiose speech but nodded, sensing its importance.

"So, Lord Hades, what should we do?" Aedlin obediently asked, standing before Yang Chen.

Yang Chen whispered in her ear with a sly smile. After hearing the plan, Aedlin's face turned strange. "Sir, couldn't we just kill her? This seems too cruel."

"Cruel? This is an art film! Art is about evoking emotional resonance. Cruelty is just one emotion," Yang Chen explained, raising his eyebrows.

Aedlin shivered, swallowing nervously but nodding in agreement. Reluctantly, she wrapped the naked Luo Cuishan in a blanket, lifted her effortlessly, and carried her out of the villa. Even if Luo Cuishan woke up midway, Aedlin's skills could easily render her unconscious again.

After Aedlin left with Luo Cuishan, Yang Chen's smile faded. Standing alone in the brightly lit hall, he seemed lost in thought.

After a long time, Yang Chen walked out, glancing at the misty night sky before disappearing from sight.

In the courtyard, Lin Ruoxi sat on a rattan chair. Since returning home from the office, she had been waiting for Yang Chen. Guo Xuehua, Wang Ma, and Zhenxiu couldn't understand why Lin Ruoxi insisted on staying outside. They tried persuading her to come inside, but she would always return to the courtyard after a few minutes, anxiously waiting for Yang Chen.

It was a tough night for Lin Ruoxi. She had thought everything would end after her confrontation, but the real challenge came after overcoming the company's crisis. Despite never meeting the Xue family members in Sam Country, blood ties and conscience made it hard for her to let go.

Discovering that her mother's marriage to the Lin family was a transaction and that Yulei initially belonged to the Xue family shattered her world, leaving her overwhelmed. Her mother's departure burdened her with the guilt that her privileged upbringing was built on the Xue family's misery.

Lost in her thoughts, Lin Ruoxi heard the front door open and saw a familiar figure step in. She immediately stood up and ran to Yang Chen, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked up at him, seeking answers.

Yang Chen smiled gently. "My dear Ruoxi, waiting for me so late?"

"What happened to them?!" Lin Ruoxi blurted out.

Yang Chen's smile stiffened. "Who are you asking about?"

"Of course, the woman who kidnapped the Xue family and Li Xue Minghe! Are they okay?!" Lin Ruoxi asked urgently, her face full of worry.

Yang Chen pressed his lips together, his expression darkening. "You waited anxiously for me because you were worried about them?"

Seeing Yang Chen's hesitation, Lin Ruoxi grew more anxious. "You didn't kill them, did you?"

Yang Chen fell silent, his gaze fixed on Lin Ruoxi's worried face. His heart felt as if it were being seared by a hot iron, on the verge of breaking.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Yang Chen, you promised you wouldn't kill anyone! Answer me!" Lin Ruoxi was on the verge of tears. If Yang Chen had killed Luo Cuishan and Xue Minghe, the Xue family would have been doomed. What had they, the innocent relatives, done to deserve this?

Yang Chen's lips trembled, his voice low and hoarse with suppressed emotions. "The Xue family members are safe. I've sent Xue Minghe and Wu Yue back to Sam Country. As for Luo Cuishan, I'll give her a punishment, but she won't be able to threaten anyone you care about."

Lin Ruoxi sighed in relief, her legs feeling weak as she stumbled back a step. "Thank you. That's all I needed."

Yang Chen laughed bitterly. "Lin Ruoxi, do you trust me so little?"

Lin Ruoxi looked up, puzzled by Yang Chen's words.

In the dim courtyard, Yang Chen's breathing was heavy.

"I don't know how you view me. Since we got married, and even now, I've always had to guess and ponder what's on your mind because you never openly share it with me.

Someone once told me that our relationship isn't good enough because I don't understand you well enough. So I went to your old school, met your teachers, and tried to learn more about you. But I realized that wasn't very useful because you've changed so much since your student days.

Remember when you said you wanted to get married, I mentioned that I hoped to pursue you, to have deep conversations, and truly get to know each other as a couple. I wasn't joking then, and I'm not joking now.

For my part, I've never intentionally hidden anything from you. My past is open to you if you're willing to listen, but you've never asked. I didn't want to burden you with unpleasant details, so I tried to show you the better side of things, hoping to give you a sense of security and trust, hoping that one day you'd be willing to let me know more about you.

But now, I suddenly feel exhausted. It seems like there's always an insurmountable wall between us. No matter how high I fly or how hard I try, the wall only keeps growing higher.

I can't see the real you, and you show no sign of revealing your true self to me. I admit, saying this might make me seem thick-skinned. I also admit that since we got married, I've done many things to let you down and make you sad.

But I can honestly say, from the bottom of my heart, that from the moment I met you until now, no matter how strong my desires are, my first consideration has always been your well-being.

Today, I faced a woman who wants to ruin you and a man who wants to kill both of us and take everything away. I don't know if you've considered how it felt when you called and told me to do nothing while I was confronting them, with a gun to my head. I was left utterly at a loss.

Maybe you think that someone like me, thick-skinned and all, can handle being humiliated and mocked for cowardice, and that it doesn't matter as long as the people you care about are safe. If that's truly what you believe, I have nothing more to say.

I can endure being mocked as weak and cowardly for your sake. I am your husband, after all.

But, Lin Ruoxi, can I ask that when I return home after handling such situations, the first thing you ask isn't about 'them' but instead, 'Are you alright?'"

The cool night breeze quietly flowed by as Yang Chen's words, each one like a needle, pierced Lin Ruoxi's heart.

Tears welled up in Lin Ruoxi's eyes. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found herself at a loss for words. She suddenly realized that she had spoken words that broke his heart.

Yang Chen smiled wryly, trying to comfort her. "Alright, just take it as me being overly sentimental and ranting. Don't take it too seriously. It's late, and you've been so busy these past few days. Go take a shower and rest; you haven't even changed your clothes." With that, Yang Chen turned and walked toward the door.

Lin Ruoxi couldn't hold back and called out, "Where are you going?"

Yang Chen paused. "I'm not ready to sleep yet. I'm going out for a drive and a drink. Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Lin Ruoxi watched helplessly as Yang Chen, who had just come home, walked out again. For some reason, it felt as if this step wasn't just through a door but left a deep chasm between them.

Hearing the car drive away, Lin Ruoxi felt her strength leave her, and she collapsed to her knees on the grass, silently sobbing as her tears splashed onto the grass blades.

To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8