Chapter 280: You Are the Executioner

As Yang Chen walked out of the hospital and returned to his car, he locked the doors, rolled down the window, and began to silently smoke a cigarette.

White smoke drifted from the car window, dispersing into the air of the deserted parking lot, making the place seem all the more quiet and serene.

Yang Chen tried to wipe away the words Li Jingjing had just said, along with the heart-wrenching expression she wore, and began to sort through his thoughts, reviewing the events and the current situation.

Although it was a form of revenge by Zeng Xinlin, it was also his own mishandling that had given Zeng Xinlin an opportunity to exploit.

Yang Chen didn't feel much hatred toward Zeng Xinlin; that would be giving him too much credit. Of course, he didn't like him either, but whether in business or in matters of the heart, scheming and competition are entirely normal. This time, he stumbled, which wasn't surprising.

However, Yang Chen also realized that although Zeng Xinlin's company had left Zhonghai, the trouble associated with him might not necessarily end. It seemed that some measures needed to be taken.

Of course, the simplest and most direct way would be to kill him. But the Zeng family was in Yandu, and Zeng Xinlin was not the only one. Killing one person would affect the whole family. Even if he secretly killed Zeng Xinlin, with the Zeng family's power, it wouldn't be difficult for them to trace it back to him.

Even if they didn't dare or couldn't confront him directly, targeting the people around him would be hard to guard against perfectly.

A cornered dog will jump over a wall; even a rabbit will bite when it's desperate.

Since returning to the country, hoping to live a peaceful and comfortable life, the days of killing anyone who displeased him like before were no longer feasible. Not to mention, while his brain condition was stable now, once the killing intent stirred too much, he might lose control.

If he lost his sanity, and there was no one around who knew him, it wouldn't be impossible for him to do something terrible and irreversible.

If there was one thing in this world that Yang Chen truly feared, it was only his own loss of sanity.

After thinking it over, it seemed the best approach would be to have someone else deal with Zeng Xinlin for him. But who to get to do it was a question that required careful consideration.

Just as Yang Chen was deep in thought, his phone vibrated.

Yang Chen glanced at it and saw that it was Morin, the captain of the Sea Eagles, calling again.

"Hades, there's an unusual situation at your residence," Morin said in a serious tone.

Yang Chen frowned. "Explain in detail."

"We discovered via surveillance equipment and reports from the rotating team that ten minutes ago, there were no fewer than twenty individuals, professionally trained and resembling foreign mercenaries, lurking near your residence. Additionally, an unfamiliar Lincoln sedan with unknown occupants was spotted parked behind your house, seemingly waiting for you to return to the villa."

Yang Chen's face turned cold. It seemed that some people couldn't wait for him to make a move. Could this be what they call 'striking first'?

"Keep an eye on them for me. Make sure they don't make any dangerous moves."

"Yes, Lord Hades. With just one command, our two rotating team members can eliminate those mercenaries within five minutes. Their skills are only of second-rate international standards," Morin said with a hint of anticipation.

Yang Chen chuckled. "No need. I know you're itching for action, but I'd rather handle it myself right now."

"But they don't deserve for you to deal with them personally," Morin seemed somewhat surprised.

"Morin, sometimes the reason for taking action is more important than the action itself," Yang Chen said calmly.

Morin said no more, sensing that Yang Chen was not in the best of moods.

A dozen minutes later, Yang Chen returned to his villa in Longjing Garden, acting as though he was completely unaware of the ambushes hidden in various concealed spots around him. He merely walked into the house with a somewhat displeased expression on his face.

Inside the house, Wang Ma, noticing the unusual atmosphere, asked with concern, "Son-in-law, what happened just now? Why did Miss suddenly run into her room and not come out?"

Yang Chen gave a gentle smile. "Don't worry, things are a bit complicated, but I'll handle them."

Seeing that Yang Chen wasn't willing to say more, Wang Ma didn't press the issue, but she remained anxious, clearly unable to put it out of her mind.

At this moment, the doorbell of the villa rang.

Wang Ma, slightly surprised, was about to answer the door but was stopped by Yang Chen.

"Wang Ma, I'll get the door," Yang Chen said.

Walking to the door, Yang Chen opened it, revealing two familiar faces. However, seeing them now gave him a slight sense of surprise.

One of them was, as expected, Zeng Xinlin, still looking suave and somewhat smug as he glanced at Yang Chen with a hint of mockery.

The other person was none other than Xu Zhihong, who had fled overseas after the fall of Tong Party East, and had never been captured!

Xu Zhihong looked several years older. Though he was in his twenties, his face bore the marks of time, his beard was unkempt, and his hair had grown long. He was wearing a slightly shabby suit and looked at Yang Chen with eyes like those of a venomous snake, ready to strike and devour.

"Long time no see, Yang Chen," Xu Zhihong said with a sinister smile.

Yang Chen smiled, neither happy nor sad, and stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter with a courteous "please" motion. "It's been a while. You don't seem to have been eating well lately. Why don't you come in and have a seat?"

Zeng Xinlin replied with a hint of mockery, "It seems you didn't quite like the gift I sent you, or are you pretending not to like something you actually 'enjoy'?"

"What do you think?" Yang Chen asked.

"That, I really don't know. By the way, Ruoxi should be home too, right? Why isn't she coming out to greet an old friend?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a cool voice came from inside the house.

"I just came downstairs. I hope I'm still in time to welcome you, Senior."

Lin Ruoxi indeed walked down slowly from upstairs, with Wang Ma following her. Wang Ma must have gone upstairs to call her upon seeing the guests.

Lin Ruoxi's eyes were slightly red, but she seemed to have regained her composure. However, the icy expression on her face was reminiscent of when Yang Chen first met her, as cold and unyielding as eternal ice.

Seeing Xu Zhihong, Lin Ruoxi didn't appear very surprised and asked calmly, "You're still a fugitive. Aren't you afraid of being caught?"

Xu Zhihong's eyes flashed with a cold light as he looked at the woman he once pursued. "With Young Master Zeng's support, it won't be easy to catch me."

"It seems you've made some sort of deal," Lin Ruoxi glanced at Zeng Xinlin. "Senior, although I have been ruthless towards your company, I have always respected you on a personal level. But I have a question for you: was the matter with Jingjing orchestrated by you?"

Zeng Xinlin's eyes flickered with a strange light. He glanced at Yang Chen before replying to Lin Ruoxi, "Although I didn't plan to hide anything today, I'm impressed by how quickly you figured out that I set this trap. But so what? Yes, I orchestrated the incident with Li Jingjing. But if it weren't for Yang Chen's guilty conscience and his actual involvement with Miss Li, none of this would have worked. Where there's one, there's bound to be another, which you should be able to figure out too. So, you should actually thank me for helping you see what kind of man your husband really is."

"Who He Is, That's My Business"

Lin Ruoxi, having received the confirmation, spoke without hesitation, "Who he is, that's my business. Zeng Xinlin, you are despicable."

Zeng Xinlin laughed as if he had heard a joke. "Despicable? Lin Ruoxi, I brought opportunities for your Yulei's development, but you crushed my Changlin Media and sabotaged my brother Xu, causing the Xu family's decades-old foundation to crumble. Do you think you have the right to call anyone despicable?"

"In the world of business, it's survival of the fittest. If you choose to play the game, you must accept the rules and acknowledge your defeat. Venting your business frustrations on personal matters, and dragging others into your schemes, only makes you more disgusting," Lin Ruoxi retorted mercilessly.

Zeng Xinlin and Xu Zhihong's expressions darkened, while Yang Chen felt a pang of reflection. He had underestimated Lin Ruoxi's emotional resilience; she quickly realized that the incident with Li Jingjing was no simple matter. But even so, forgiving him would be no easy task.

"You Are the Executioner"

Zeng Xinlin's mocking tone gave way to a chilling earnestness. "You are like this, with your pride and ruthlessness. Don't pretend to be righteous when you're responsible for others' misery. Don't you see? You are the executioner here. I hate Yang Chen, but he's just an accomplice, a sacrificial pawn entangled by you! Lin Ruoxi, don't think that just because you're beautiful and good at business, you can defeat others and they'll simply accept it in silence. Let me tell you, today you'll realize just how wrong you've been!"

Xu Zhihong, unable to contain his fury any longer, bellowed these words. His eyes burned with hatred, and with a swift, practiced motion, he pulled a black automatic pistol from the inside of his suit, aiming it squarely at Lin Ruoxi's forehead.