Zou Long thrust the gleaming knife at his waist to Shen Lan Ni's throat, then backed away repeatedly until he was pressed against the wall. Only then, after creating some distance, did he feel somewhat safe.
"I'm afraid you're not faster than the knife in my hand."
The blade in Ren Yuan Hao's hand was no brighter than the glint in his eyes. He simply stood before the candle flame, which was emitting smoke and being extinguished by the wind, like a celestial body shining with brilliant radiance in the dark night!
"If you don't believe me, we can try. Come on, you bastard. If I can't have Shen Lan Ni, then you won't have her either." Zou Long, like a maddened beast, pressed the gleaming knife against Shen Lan Ni's delicate skin. A thin red line of blood, illuminated by the lightning, appeared tragically beautiful.
But it was precisely this thin red line that utterly enraged Ren Yuan Hao!
Without a doubt, he thought of Cheng Li, of the woman whose throat had been slit, of that silhouette etched into the depths of his childhood memories!
"If you dare touch Shen Lan Ni any further, I promise you will become the next scorched corpse struck down by lightning."
Ren Yuan Hao spoke each word with extreme clarity, a glint flashing in his eyes that was more dazzling and piercing than the lightning. That glint held not only fury but also an absolute, chilling confidence.
This confidence was enough to awe Zou Long.
However, for some reason, Zou Long's hand began to tremble inexplicably. His mind felt as if it were being gnawed by a thousand insects. He watched as the knife blade in his hand was about to cut Shen Lan Ni's throat due to his uncontrollable tremor!
"Seeking death!"
In his desperation, Ren Yuan Hao instantly gathered the surging internal energy into his hand. Man and blade became one. The knife shot out as if rehearsed countless times, and he himself lunged forward with lightning speed!
In a flash, the flying knife accurately plunged into Zou Long's shoulder, forcefully halting his movement. Yet, Zou Long, as if manipulated by some strange force, endured the pain and slashed towards Shen Lan Ni's throat!
"No, don't!"
Shen Wan Jun's eyes seemed about to weep blood from anxiety. The gleaming blade cut through the air in an incredibly sharp line, and instantly, a spray of blood mist erupted!
Shen Lan Ni had already prepared herself for death. But at this critical moment, she felt hot blood spatter on her face and heard a familiar man's muffled groan. Yet, she felt no pain. Astonished, she opened her eyes to see Ren Yuan Hao blocking her, his bare hand gripping the blade!
The blood, naturally, splashed from Ren Yuan Hao's hand, cut by the blade.
"Damn it, you actually dared to touch her! Don't you like her? Or is your liking merely possessiveness! You scumbag!"
Shen Lan Ni had never seen Ren Yuan Hao so enraged.
With his bloodied hand, he snatched the blade. With his other hand, he pressed down on the blade stuck in Zou Long's shoulder, like using some peculiar gun technique, and pinned him to the wall. Only when the man fainted from the pain did Ren Yuan Hao turn around, breathing heavily.
The moment Shen Lan Ni's eyes met his, she felt as if the man before her had crawled out of the deepest hell. Anyone who touched his inverse scale faced only one outcome!
"Zhang Liang, you've done countless evils. I will settle this score with you today!"
Ren Yuan Hao, with imposing dominance, carried Shen Lan Ni out of the inner room, steadily handing her to Shen Wan Jun. He then slowly straightened up and walked with extremely heavy steps towards Zhang Liang.
"I ask you, those assassins were hired by you, weren't they?"
"Heh heh, I didn't expect you to be so dumb!"
Ren Yuan Hao immediately slapped Zhang Liang hard across the face and stomped on the back of his hand with his heel.
"I'm asking you if it's yes or no. I didn't ask for all that nonsense. Dare to say another word, and I'll nail you under a typhoon's eye and tear you to shreds!"
Ren Yuan Hao gripped the knife behind his back, his face expressionless, his eyes reflecting the lightning. It seemed that merely meeting his gaze would cut one like his eyes! Zhang Liang felt his life threatened for the first time, and for the first time, he felt that he was very, very close to death, as if it were within reach.
"Yes," his voice was like a cat that had stolen fish.
"Very good. I'll ask you again, one of the assassins was named Cheng Li, correct?"
Zhang Liang thought for a moment. Generally, assassins would provide their real names as a guarantee of credibility, so he didn't ponder for too long before frowning and replying, "Yes."
As soon as Zhang Liang uttered such a definitive word, Ren Yuan Hao's face instantly turned ashen, pale as if he were no longer alive!
He gritted his teeth, his voice a heart-shivering sound originating from the root of his tongue, "Do you know who she is?"
"Why would I need to know the identity of a mere assassin? I paid, and she was responsible for killing you. Why would I care so much?" Zhang Liang suddenly realized he had said a string of things he shouldn't have, and with extreme trepidation, he closed his mouth.
Ren Yuan Hao made no move. His body trembled slightly, like a willow swaying in the wind. His tone also trembled. With the passage of lightning, his silhouette was imprinted on the wall, flickering uncertainly, like a ghost.
"She was my childhood friend."
"Childhood friend? No wonder she couldn't kill you."
"So you issued a new task, but do you know what? Because of this task, she lost her life..."
Zhang Liang, of course, did not know the critical nature of the matter, nor did he know that the assassin sent to assassinate Ren Yuan Hao had lost her life because of it!
He had kept this matter buried in his heart, telling no one, like an unhealing wound. Every time it was mentioned, it would bleed again. Shen Lan Ni, leaning in her father's arms, looked at Ren Yuan Hao's chilling gaze and his devastating sorrow and resolve. She seemed to sense the man's heart roaring and bleeding, and tears uncontrollably slid down her cheeks.
She herself didn't know when she had last shed tears. Even at her master's death, she had held back, but this time...
Ren Yuan Hao's hand holding the knife was still bleeding. The dried bloodstain on his forehead slowly trickled down his cheek onto the ground. The strong wind shook the windows violently, making them rattle. Lightning tore through the sky, illuminating the dark and sinister ruins as bright as day. The mold-spotted walls bore the long shadows of several people, flickering unsteadily like candle flames, as if in the apocalypse.
"Ren Yuan Hao, since you already know, can you give me a quick end!"
"Kill you? That would be too easy. I will make you suffer slowly, worse than death!"
Just then, thunder suddenly struck from the sky. The entire manor seemed to tremble and quake under the might of heaven and earth. As white light flashed, earth and stone flew, and debris formed a swirling vortex ascending upwards. A suffocating low pressure abruptly swept towards everyone in the house.