Chapter Forty: Private Mansion

Sweet Love Villas was a cluster of English-style homes, all built in the uniform fashion of the medieval era. Though it couldn’t quite compare to the opulence of the Tomson Golf Villas, it was still one of the most prestigious villa districts in the entire city of Huhai, with property prices starting at no less than fifty thousand per square meter. Its location was exceptional, nestled against Lu Xun Park; from the balcony, one could gaze out over the park’s serene lake.

The only flaw of Sweet Love Villas was perhaps the cramped spacing between houses.

Villa T-75 stood out among them—a grand, solitary red manor spanning four floors and some seven or eight hundred square meters in total. Anyone who could afford such a mansion was, without a doubt, exceedingly wealthy. The villa alone was worth forty to fifty million, and its interiors were the very picture of extravagance.

Xiao Cheng arrived at the entrance, but did not rush in. Instead, he swept his divine sense over the villa, discovering five or six burly, bodyguard-like men inside. On the third floor, two people were tightly entwined in the master bedroom’s bed, clearly indulging in a midday tryst.

Xiao Cheng found nothing that could threaten him; the strongest among them was merely an external martial artist—not nearly a match for him.

He couldn’t be bothered to knock. After surveying his surroundings and deftly avoiding the security cameras, he formed a hand seal and simply passed through the wall. His earth-phasing technique had improved greatly, and now he could traverse distances up to a meter and a half—ordinary walls posed no obstacle.

Not wanting to alert the guards, he moved soundlessly up the stairs after passing through the wall, using his ethereal walking technique. In the span of a single breath, he appeared on the third floor.

Yuan Xinghan was in high spirits today. The woman he had long coveted had finally thrown herself into his arms of her own accord. The woman beneath him was none other than Yu Qiu’er, the forbidden mistress of the Nine Unions’ president.

Yu Qiu’er was not only stunningly beautiful, but her figure was the finest he had ever seen—especially the tightness of her body, which he found utterly irresistible. He hadn’t felt such pleasure in years.

The only regret was his age; his prowess was not what it once was. Even with the aid of potent stimulants, he could only last a dozen minutes or so.

As he labored, he suddenly realized Yu Qiu’er had fallen silent. Opening his eyes, he saw her staring fixedly at something behind him. Yuan Xinghan frowned—was she so absent-minded now? Had his abilities really declined so far?

A touch of annoyance flared in him as he looked back, and his pupils contracted in shock, a chill running down his spine.

Seated leisurely on the sofa opposite the bed, legs crossed, was a young stranger, smiling as he watched their act. Yuan Xinghan swallowed hard, his heart pounding. How had this youth gotten in? No one had reported a thing, and there hadn’t been a sound.

Startled, Yuan Xinghan’s passion instantly shriveled.

“Who are you? How did you get in here?” Yuan Xinghan’s mind raced, but he could not fathom it. The door was closed, the windows shut—there was simply no way for anyone to enter his bedroom without a sound.

“No need to be nervous. Go ahead and finish—don’t mind me. We can talk when you’re done; I can wait.”

The speaker was, of course, Xiao Cheng. Having just passed through the wall, he’d found an old man and a beautiful woman in the throes of passion. He guessed the old man was Yuan Xinghan. Now that he had found his target, there was no rush. He had no desire to drag the old man off the bed—he found it distasteful.

Let him enjoy himself one last time before he dies.

“You—!”

Yuan Xinghan hadn’t expected Xiao Cheng’s calmness, nor his invitation for them to continue. But being watched, he had lost all mood for pleasure. And the fact that this man had entered his bedroom silently meant he was no ordinary visitor. Yuan Xinghan had no idea what his purpose was.

“This is a private residence. Please leave at once!” Yuan Xinghan commanded, though his voice trembled, betraying a lack of confidence.

“No need to be afraid. I’m just here to kill you,” Xiao Cheng replied coolly, as if Yuan Xinghan hadn’t spoken at all. He had come specifically for Yuan Xinghan—why would he leave just because of a demand?

Just here to kill me, and I shouldn’t be afraid? Yuan Xinghan couldn’t make sense of it. Was there anything in this world more terrifying than death? Yet, he was no stranger to peril and quickly regained his composure.

To kill him in his own home? Impossible. He could tell the young man had no gun on him. Without a gun, there was nothing to fear.

He’d hired several ex-special forces as bodyguards, all armed. Why should he fear a mere youth?

“Hmph. You want to kill me? I was killing men before your mother was even born,” Yuan Xinghan sneered. “Speak—why are you here? Who sent you?”

Xiao Cheng shot him a mocking glance, with no intention of answering.

“Young man, could you step out for a moment? Big sister needs to get dressed,” Yu Qiu’er finally recovered, batting her eyes coquettishly at Xiao Cheng as she spoke.

As she did, her hand slid toward the handgun she always kept nearby.

“Don’t worry. I have no interest in you,” Xiao Cheng replied with a cold smile, regarding her with disdain. Her beauty was undeniable, but to Xiao Cheng, she was nothing special; he’d seen countless women far more beautiful.

Yu Qiu’er felt a stab of indignation. For someone to declare he had no interest in her—especially a mere youth—was infuriating. Still, with her gun in hand, her confidence returned.

Xiao Cheng noticed her every movement; she was nothing but a petty trickster in his eyes.

Being so thoroughly ignored, Yuan Xinghan’s expression soured. He sneered inwardly, vowing to make this intruder suffer later.

Xiao Cheng’s senses remained fixed on Yu Qiu’er. When she finally raised her gun to aim at him, he merely smiled. Her speed was laughable to him. True, he still feared bullets, but only if the shooter was fast enough—she certainly wasn’t.

“You’re far too slow.” He smiled, flicking his wrist. A willow-leaf throwing knife shot from his hand, leaving a fleeting shadow in the air before sinking with a soft thud into Yu Qiu’er’s brow.

Yu Qiu’er’s eyes widened in terror as she stared at Xiao Cheng. Even in death, she could not comprehend how a man could be faster than a gun. Reflexively, she pulled the trigger as she died; the silenced weapon gave only two muffled pops, the bullets flying harmlessly astray.

“You—!” Yuan Xinghan stared at Xiao Cheng in shock and fury, unable to believe what he’d just witnessed. He knew Yu Qiu’er was no novice, yet she’d been effortlessly killed before she could even fire.

And the killer’s eyes hadn’t even flickered, as if he’d merely swatted a fly.

Now, at last, fear gripped Yuan Xinghan’s heart. He realized the man before him was truly ruthless; the slightest misstep and he would be dead, with no hope of escape.

“Who are you?” The words were out before he could stop them, and he instantly regretted it. What good would knowing do? If he truly learned the answer, it would surely mean his own death.

Xiao Cheng stood, found a bottle of dry red wine and a disposable cup, poured himself a drink, and took a sip before speaking. “Curious who I am? It’s no secret—I am Xiao Cheng.”

As he spoke, he watched Yuan Xinghan’s reaction closely. At the mention of his name, Yuan Xinghan’s expression changed dramatically. Xiao Cheng could tell he had been recognized.

Yuan Xinghan was filled with horror. This young man was Xiao Cheng? He’d heard Xiao Cheng was a useless second-generation heir, good for nothing—how could he possess such skill and such a chilling composure, killing without the slightest hesitation?

Yuan Xinghan was a clever man. With Xiao Cheng appearing here in person, it could only be about that matter. Yet he couldn’t understand—he had covered his tracks flawlessly. How could Xiao Cheng have found out?