Chapter 327: But What About You

The damned wedding that Anxin was set on having would take place in two days' time aboard the Yanagiya cruise ship in Ishikari Bay, Otaru City, Hokkaido. This precise intel came from Macedonia's meticulous surveillance. Knowing this, Yang Chen decided not to rush into causing trouble and calmly arrived early in Sapporo, Hokkaido, to meet with Jian who had just finished a seminar at the Royal Society in England. Despite not speaking, she was the ultimate judge. Upon receiving Yang Chen's email asking for help, she was worried, but Yang Chen assured her temporarily that everything was fine. Suppressing her impatience, she waited for several days until the academic seminar ended before coming to Sakuramoto.

Yang Chen had just left Sapporo Airport wearing a brown coat and a red scarf. Jian, with her amber-tinted slightly curled long hair, always stood out in a crowd, not just due to her young age but also her unique family background and detached intelligence. These qualities gave her the charm of a mature Western woman. Her flawless appearance made most men feel extravagant merely with a glance, so typically there were no rampant admirers to provoke her.

Seeing Yang Chen unexpectedly walk out of the airport with another woman from Sakuramoto, Jian visibly furrowed her brows slightly, showing some resignation toward Yang Chen's romantic inclinations.

"Is this another new lover of yours?" Jian glanced at Banra and then looked away.

Yang Chen chuckled, "Do I look like someone who's that casual?"

"Not really, but you are," Jian said bluntly.

Yang Chen touched his nose. "Let's get in the car first."

"Fine," Jian nodded respectfully and watched as Yang Chen got into her car.

After Jian drove out of the airport, Yang Chen said, "That's the new head of the Yagami Association, named Banra."

Jian seemed completely caught off guard. "The head of the Yagami Association? Wasn't it Tokugawa Kozue?"

Then she immediately thought of something else. Jian gasped, "Yang Chen, you didn't kill that old man Tokugawa, did you?"

Yang Chen shrugged. "He's dead, but it wasn't me who killed him. I'll explain the details later. First, take me somewhere to check my physical condition. I feel quite uncomfortable all over."

Jian nodded, still somewhat skeptical. "How did you get poisoned? I find it hard to believe anyone could successfully poison you."

"It's complicated," Yang Chen sighed.

"I've already had one of my students clear out a biological research institute before I arrived. We can go there immediately for a comprehensive examination," Jian replied without pressing further.

"You seem to have students all over the world," Yang Chen glanced at Jian oddly. Despite her young age, this girl had a bunch of students who could be her uncles or aunts.

Jian seemed a bit smug. "It's not like I wanted to take them in; they begged me, and I couldn't refuse."

Observing Jian's relaxed demeanor, Yang Chen couldn't help but wonder, "Why do you seem different this time compared to last time I saw you?"

Jian chuckled mischievously. Since they were meeting privately, she hadn't put on makeup, making her flawless face appear fresh and charming. Turning to Yang Chen, she winked, "That old woman said the same thing. Maybe I've aged another year. You know, a woman's psyche is quite susceptible to change. I used to feel a bit nervous around you, but since we met in Hong Kong last time, I realized you're not that scary. Rather than our benefactor and leader, you're more like a very powerful friend."

Yang Chen grinned. "Katherine certainly has a good eye. But I've never said I wanted to be your leader or benefactor; you've put me on a pedestal yourselves. In reality, I'm quite ordinary, not wealthy, and my reputation isn't as long-lasting as yours."

"It seems you have a good understanding of yourself," Jian replied seriously.

Yang Chen chuckled awkwardly. "Eight years ago, when I saved you and Katherine, I never thought this little girl would end up helping me so much."

"Don't call me a little girl," Jian suddenly glared at Yang Chen. "I'm not younger than you."

With that, Jian stepped on the gas pedal aggressively, and the Nissan Z370 coupe shot forward like a white arrow, speeding down the highway.

The research institute Jian mentioned was situated on a mountainous bay, a vast flat area hosting a silver-gray building—a research center owned by Jian's students. However, her students had already been chased away by their unscrupulous and eccentric scientific genius of a teacher.

Following Jian into the sterile workspace of the research institute, Yang Chen watched as she proficiently collected his blood sample herself.

However, it wasn't easy to draw blood from Yang Chen using regular tools, given his remarkably tough skin. Yang Chen had to use his own techniques to cooperate, allowing a drop of blood into the test tube.

"In about half an hour, I'll be able to analyze all the information inside. You can wait outside," Jian said as she switched to work mode, becoming extremely serious and even issuing an eviction order for Yang Chen to wait outside.

Knowing Jian's temperament—genius in her own field often entailed a kind of obsessive madness—Yang Chen complied, walking out of the laboratory.

He found the nearest staircase and ascended to the rooftop of the research institute.

The rooftop featured wooden flooring, offering an expansive view of the distant sea and the coastline dotted with traditional Japanese houses. Although Hokkaido's winters were bitterly cold, Yang Chen didn't mind and enjoyed the dry, chilly sea breeze, quietly awaiting Jian's analysis results.

In less than half an hour, Jian, now in a white coat, ascended the rooftop with a report in hand.

Turning around, Yang Chen was surprised to see Jian's expression unusually grave, her deep blue eyes smoldering with suppressed anger, as if she could devour him alive.

"From your expression, it seems the situation is more serious than I imagined?" Yang Chen asked with a sheepish smile. At this moment, he was the patient, and Jian was his doctor—how could he not feel apprehensive?

Jian spread out a stack of documents and skimmed through them, her voice cold and trembling slightly, clearly agitated. "Tell me the truth. What exactly happened to you? Why did you end up drinking that kind of thing?"

Yang Chen knew he couldn't hide it from her, especially since it concerned his own life. So, he began slowly recounting how he encountered "Shi Qi" during his travels, and was subsequently drawn into a plot orchestrated by Tokugawa Kozue, the Blue Storm, and Takamagahara, two yokai. He explained how, due to emotional instability and carelessness, he inadvertently drank tea laced with fake "Shi Qi," containing drugs. However, he avoided mentioning the breakthrough he had achieved with the "Way of the Ancients," which had pushed him to the brink of death and then rebirth. Yang Chen also omitted how he had single-handedly eliminated the group and how Banra had killed an unprepared Tokugawa before taking over the Yagami Association, swearing loyalty to him.

Before Jian could hear the entire story, her beautiful eyes were already slightly moist, her eyes reddened as she stared at Yang Chen, biting her lip and speaking with a cold voice, "Is Shi Qi really that important to you? Important enough that you can't even see through such a shallow conspiracy, important enough that you refuse to believe she's really dead?!"

Yang Chen couldn't meet Jian's eyes directly. Indeed, there had always been a shadow in his heart, accompanied by a glimmer of hope that Shi Qi hadn't died. Obviously, the Nine-Tailed White Fox had used his psychology against him.

"Do you know how many people will suffer enemy fire without your protection if you fall? How many regions will turn into hell on earth again without a spiritual leader? How many people will be driven mad by the God Stones because of your death?!" Jian's voice trembled with anger, and suddenly she slapped Yang Chen across the face!

"Smack!"

Yang Chen didn't dodge but silently endured the slap.

Tears streamed down Jian's cheeks. "You only think about yourself. Have you ever thought about how devastated the people who care about you, who love you, will be because of your death?! Your Shi Qi is dead! She died long ago! Must you make everyone who loves you suffer endlessly because of her death?! No one can exist forever. You're a god; you can live forever, but we can't! We just hope that while we're alive, we can see you by our side. Whether in love, hate, sadness, or sorrow, don't avoid us! Because whether we're in danger or life and death, we're willing to trust you! But what about you!?"

"You retreat to the flames of summer alone, leaving us behind! Do you think this is protecting us?! You're hurting us, Yang Chen! You're too selfish..."

Yang Chen stood motionless, staring at Jian, who was now sobbing uncontrollably. His mind was in turmoil.

Was he too selfish? Retreating alone to the flames of summer, claiming to be tired of the life of slaughter. But deep down, was he not also afraid of seeing those around him die because of him—friends, subordinates, all those he cherished?

"Of course, there are also those women I love and who love me," Yang Chen thought of the woman with the same gaze and aura as Shi Qi. She must hate him now, just as Jian had said—how selfish he was.

"Yang Chen," Jian wiped away her tears and steadied her emotions. "Do you know, you really, really might die."