"I thought I could finally have a satisfying fight, but it turns out you haven’t improved at all after all these years. What a waste."
Hearing Luo Yao’s taunt at Luo Bangsheng, Lin Ran wore a bitter expression.
If Luo Bangsheng was a waste, then what did that make him?
Luo Bangsheng couldn’t understand—no matter how hard he had tried, why did he still lose to Luo Yao?
Luo Yao stared down at Luo Bangsheng beneath her dagger.
"Speaking of which, you’re a traitor to the Luo family. As the current head, I have the right to deal with you—Liu Meng."
Liu Meng immediately restrained Luo Bangsheng.
"Take him back to the estate and hand him over to Uncle Fu for custody."
"Got it."
Luo Bangsheng sighed."Luo Yao, I admit defeat. But can you at least make it quick?"
Luo Yao didn’t respond. Instead, she turned her gaze to the stunned group led by Lu Lutong.
"Just now, you said I was acting lawlessly?"
Lu Youhu was too terrified to speak, but Lu Ludu quickly defused the tension.
"What my uncle meant was that you, Chief Luo, are the sky over the Luo family. Honestly, we have no real grievances with you."
Luo Yao’s expression turned icy.
"You once dared to lay a hand on me—how can you claim there’s no grudge? Your brother offended Ah Ran, your nephew crossed me, and as for your niece… I won’t even bother mentioning her. She deserved what she got."
At that moment, Lu Youqi stepped forward.
"Lu Ludu, never thought I’d be the last one standing, did you? Do you know why Chief Luo sided with me instead of you?"
"Because I can offer better terms. The Lu family’s external affiliates will listen to me, not you."
Liu Meng rolled her eyes. "Who said you won?"
Lu Youqi: "...???"
By then, Lin Ran had already positioned himself beside Luo Yao.
Luo Yao cast a sidelong glance at Lu Youqi.
"By harboring a traitor of the Luo family, are you trying to oppose me, Luo Yao?"
Lu Youqi’s face fell, his dignity as a family head completely shattered.
By now, he fully understood Luo Yao’s power.
The Lu family wasn’t even in the same league—she dominated not just the business world but was also terrifyingly formidable in combat.
"Chief Luo, I swear I had no idea Ah San was your family’s traitor! If I’d known, I would’ve handed him over for benefits long ago."
He wasn’t lying.
"Good. Remember this—today I can save you, and tomorrow I can wipe you out completely."
Lu Youqi let out a relieved breath.
Those words were his reassurance—though he knew it would come at a steep price.
But he had already accepted that outcome.
Just then, a young girl burst in from outside.
"Are Luo Yao and Lin Ran here? Move aside!"
The girl was none other than Lu Xiangshi, an avid shipper of Luo Yao and Lin Ran’s "Luo Shen Jiang Lin" pairing.
Freshly 18 and full of mischief, she was a beloved but politically irrelevant figure in the Lu family.
Having just returned from a wild outing, she saw the crowd and heard Luo Yao and Lin Ran were inside—so she charged in without hesitation.
As a favored granddaughter with a cheerful personality, no one stopped her.
"Oh my god, it really is Luo Yao and Lin Ran! Can I get your autographs? I’m a huge fan of your CP!"
Both Luo Yao and Lin Ran were stunned.
They had shippers now?
And what the hell was "Luo Shen Jiang Lin"?
Lu Youqi: "Ridiculous."
Lu Ludu: "Absurd."
Lu Lutong: "Insane."
Lu Xiangshi: "I love it."
Luo Yao ignored the girl, her disgust barely concealed.
"Liu Meng, bring out the contract."
At this point, Lu Ludu finally snapped.
"Chief Luo, this is a private matter of the Lu family. Isn’t this overstepping?"
"Don’t ask me. Ask the ones who’ll judge you."
???
Suddenly, the blaring sirens of police cars pierced the air as a fleet of vehicles swarmed the scene.
"You called the cops?"
Luo Yao looked at him like he was already dead.
"You should know I was the one who reported the Lu family’s drug trafficking. And you should also know the evidence I have is enough to bury you. Even I wouldn’t dare touch that filth in China—yet you did. How many bullets do you think you’ll get?"
Lu Xiangshi gasped. "Eighth Uncle, you’re that hardcore? You dealt drugs?"
Lu Ludu glared at Luo Yao. "Why?"
"I just love watching you despair."
Lu Ludu’s eyes darkened. "So you’ve never let go of that incident where I offended you years ago? I apologized, explained it was the old man’s orders, and you even broke my bones. Wasn’t that enough?"
Luo Yao smirked. "If apologies worked, we wouldn’t need police. Besides, I hold grudges."
A chill ran down Lu Youqi’s spine.
That unfilial son had pinned the blame on him, and Luo Yao just admitted she never forgets.
So what did that mean for him?
Suddenly, Lu Ludu burst into manic laughter.
"Hahahaha! You think it’s over this easily? Did you really think I had no backup plan?"
"This was meant as a last resort to take the old man down with me. Never thought I’d use it now."
Luo Yao’s pupils contracted—she sensed an unprecedented threat.
Police officers stormed in, their numbers overwhelming. Given the Lu family’s influence, the armed response was justified.
"Protect Ah Ran!"
Luo Yao’s bodyguards encircled the two, while she threw herself over Lin Ran.
Lu Ludu slapped his wheelchair three times.
A series of deafening explosions erupted across the Lu estate.
"If I can’t have it, no one will! Hahaha—let’s all die together!"
Lu Ludu descended into madness. Even his own allies stared at him in horror.
The newly arrived officers dropped to the ground in trained unison.
Lu Youhu, caught off-guard, was blasted away like a cannonball, landing motionless.
The bodyguards tightened their formation around Lin Ran and Luo Yao.
Liu Meng yanked Chen Qingtian behind a table, shielding them from debris.
In a flash, Lin Ran pulled Luo Yao aside—a sharp stone grazed his cheek, drawing blood, but he didn’t flinch.
He had protected her.
"Ah Ran… are you okay?"
"I’m fine. Don’t worry."
Before anyone could recover from the first blast—
"You thought that was it? Not a chance!"