By the time Xicheng Xun was brought in, Chen Nuo had already finished his drink.

If the order to cut off a finger every ten minutes had been followed, by this time, Kobayashi's fingers on both hands would probably have all been chopped off.

However, at this moment, Kobayashi still had seven fingers left.

After Ishii Hisako's remarks, Chen Nuo feigned agreement with her request.

Xicheng Xun was brought in by ambulance.

She was carried to the entrance of the courtyard on a stretcher, and then the people who brought her immediately withdrew, leaving only Xicheng Xun on the stretcher.

Chen Nuo had already put his helmet back on and walked to the courtyard entrance.

The girl lay on the stretcher, injured but clearly treated and bandaged with gauze.

She was also on an IV drip, with a needle inserted into the back of her hand.

"Just some simple medical treatment—antibiotics to prevent infection and some nutrients," Ishii Hisako said, walking up beside Chen Nuo. "You can rest assured; she has suffered absolutely no additional harm."

Chen Nuo looked at Xicheng Xun, who was still unconscious.

"We only used some sedatives on her," Ishii Hisako quickly explained. "Ms. Xicheng is very strong. To avoid unnecessary injury if she resisted, using sedatives was also for her own good. I believe she will wake up after a while."

As she spoke, Ishii Hisako stepped closer and lowered her voice. "She... is your lover, isn't she?"

Chen Nuo turned to look at the woman and smiled coldly. "You asked a question you shouldn't have."

"Sorry, I was presumptuous."

Chen Nuo gently picked up Xicheng Xun and carried her into the courtyard. He then directly pulled out the needle from the back of her hand and the IV tube.

"The ambulance was driven to just outside the courtyard, parking to the east of the gate. I have ordered everyone around to withdraw," Ishii Hisako said slowly. "If you want to leave, no one will stop you."

Chen Nuo glanced at Masuo and Kobayashi on the ground; both were still blindfolded and dared not make a sound.

Chen Nuo walked over and gently kicked each of them, knocking them unconscious.

Excitement gleamed in Ishii Hisako's eyes. Pointing at the two men, she made a throat-slashing gesture to Chen Nuo.

Chen Nuo looked at this woman and smiled faintly.

Suddenly, with a flick of his hand, the knife from Ishii Hisako's belt flew into Chen Nuo's hand!

Chen Nuo shook his head, then stuffed the knife into Ishii Hisako's hand and pointed at the two men on the ground.

The message is clear: Do it yourself.

Ishii Hisako's eyes widened as she stared at Chen Nuo.

Chen Nuo merely squinted at the woman.

As their eyes met, Ishii Hisako bit her lip hard and bowed her head, seemingly struggling internally.

After a moment, the woman raised her head, her eyes filled with a resolute look, and slowly walked towards the two men on the ground.

Chen Nuo stood still, holding Xicheng Xun in his arms, squinting as he watched.

Ishii Hisako first walked up to Masuo. She bent down slowly, stared at Masuo for a moment, took a few deep breaths, and then...

The knife in her hand plunged into Masuo's heart! Then, as if afraid of failing, she twisted the handle forcefully! That single motion directly shredded Masuo's heart!

Poor Masuo, the Truth Society's number three, died in his unconscious state without so much as a groan.

Then, the woman pulled out the knife, walked over to Kobayashi, and repeated the same actions.

Chen Nuo watched every move the woman made, a strange feeling stirring in his heart.

What a ruthless figure!

After Ishii Hisako killed the two men, blood began to flow across the floor. She was breathing heavily, as if completely drained of energy. She lifted her head, gave Chen Nuo a complicated look, and walked over to the coffee table. Picking up the liquor bottle, she poured the last drop of alcohol into her mouth. Then, as if her last bit of strength had been sucked away, she weakly sat on the floor.

But the woman rested for less than ten seconds before climbing to her feet again.

She slowly walked towards Chen Nuo, handed the knife back to him, and then pointed at her own chest.

Chen Nuo frowned.

The woman reached out and wrote on Chen Nuo's hand, "Stab me once, or they'll suspect."

Huh?

Chen Nuo laughed. This woman really thought of everything.

"Stab the left side, where the heart is," the woman slowly wrote. "I was born with my heart on the right!"

When Chen Nuo walked out of the courtyard with Xicheng Xun in his arms, sure enough, the armed members of the Truth Society had all retreated tens of meters away.

Seeing Chen Nuo carry Xicheng Xun to the car, start the vehicle, and drive off, the Truth Society members dared not obstruct or pursue. Instead, they swarmed into the courtyard.

In the courtyard, Ishii Hisako lay in a pool of blood, struggling on the ground. Her trusted aides who rushed in quickly helped her up.

A doctor, already on standby, was also rushed in.

Ishii Hisako gasped, "Quick! Check on Lord Kobayashi! Lord Masuo!! Quick!!"

"Minister Ishii… both lords are already dead!"

Ishii Hisako swayed and started to fall backward, but her subordinates caught her.

"Doctor! Doctor!! Treat the minister quickly!!"

The doctor frantically examined Ishii and immediately made a diagnosis. "Thank goodness her heart wasn't hit! But the minister's lung is punctured, and she needs immediate surgery! Quick! Get Minister Ishii to the medical room!!"

Of course, the Truth Society headquarters had a medical room. As Ishii Hisako was lifted onto a stretcher, a group of Truth Society core members, some loyal to Kobayashi or Masuo, roared their demand to pursue Chen Nuo.

"No, do not pursue!"

On the stretcher, Ishii Hisako panted and shouted, "Order everyone to strictly defend the village! No pursuit allowed! This is my command!"

"My Lord!!"

"We face a formidable enemy; do not act recklessly! The urgent priority now is to firmly guard the village! Anyone who disobeys is to be killed on the spot!"

"?!?!"

Everyone looked shocked, but Ishii Hisako was already being carried away swiftly.

However, Ishii's trusted subordinates were on the scene. Although they didn't understand her reasoning, they immediately began shouting orders to enforce her command.

Chen Nuo drove the ambulance at full speed. By the time he returned to Tokyo, it was already night.

Along the way, he confirmed that no one from the Truth Society was following.

Chen Nuo also stopped the ambulance once en route to check for tracking devices, but found none.

Before entering Tokyo, Chen Nuo pulled over at a spot on the roadside. Soon after, a convoy arrived.

Higashida Ichiro personally drove over with his team, bringing another ambulance.

Chen Nuo directed his men to transfer Xicheng Xun into the ambulance Higashida had brought, abandon the Truth Society's vehicle, and then head back to Tokyo.

Xicheng Xun woke up in a hospital room in a private hospital owned by Higashida Ichiro.

It was already morning when she regained consciousness.

The sedative the Truth Society members had injected into her wasn't supposed to last this long. However, upon arrival at the hospital, Higashida Ichiro's personal doctor treated Xicheng Xun and administered some sleeping medication, ensuring she slept until morning.

When the girl woke up, she initially felt slightly dizzy, but soon the pain in her body made her groan involuntarily.

The room was empty.

After regaining her senses, Xicheng Xun immediately sat up in bed and warily scanned the room.

It was clearly furnished like a hospital ward.

She looked down at herself and then, grinding her teeth, yanked out the IV needle from the back of her hand and struggled out of bed.

At that moment, the sound of a toilet flushing came from the bathroom in the room.

Xicheng Xun tensed. Reversing her grip on the IV needle, she held it between her fingertips, then cautiously moved to hide behind the bathroom door...

The moment the door opened and a figure took a step out, Xicheng Xun lunged, jabbing the needle straight for the person's eye!

SMACK!

Her wrist was seized.

Chen Nuo, holding a magazine in one hand, grasped Xicheng Xun's wrist with the other.

"Hey! Is this how you treat your savior?"

Xicheng Xun stared wide-eyed at Chen Nuo.

Chen Nuo's smile was as lazy as ever.

That smile, so familiar just the day before, now struck Xicheng Xun as strangely surreal.

But she quickly bit her tongue hard. The pain assured her she wasn't dreaming.

The man in front of her was that guy.

Xicheng Xun let out a sigh of relief and muttered softly, "Ah Xiu..."

Before she could finish speaking his name, Xicheng Xun's eyes rolled back, and she fainted again.

Chen Nuo caught her, sighing. "Sigh! It's so troublesome for you to exert yourself like this right after waking up."

He carried the girl back to the bed, propped her up, checked her pulse, and patted her cheek.

When Xicheng Xun came to, she found Chen Nuo patting her face.

"Hey... is this how you treat an injured person?"

Chen Nuo stopped and looked at Xicheng Xun.

"You fainted again just now."

Xicheng Xun bit her lip. "But... on TV, when they see a patient faint, shouldn't you be panicking and calling for a doctor?"

"The doctor already saw you. Your injuries have been treated well. You're not going to die."

"..." Xicheng Xun rolled her eyes irritably. "You..."

"Alright, even if you're not going to die, your injuries are still serious. You should talk less now that you've woken up."

Chen Nuo turned, but Xicheng Xun suddenly grabbed his hand.

He looked at the girl on the bed.

"How... did you rescue me?"

"Nonsense. If you didn't think I could save you, you wouldn't have sent Rongben to find me, would you? I have my ways; no need to ask."

"..." Staring at Chen Nuo's face for a while, Xicheng Xun spoke softly, "Thank you! When those people caught me, I thought it was all over for me."

Chen Nuo saw the gratitude brimming in the girl's eyes but just curled the corner of his mouth.

"I told you before. Those half-baked skills you secretly learned are just child's play. Now do you believe it? From now on, behave and be a good top student. Don't go looking for trouble anymore. Otherwise, next time, you might not be so lucky to have me save you."

Those harsh words fell on Xicheng Xun's ears. Yet, unlike their previous interactions where she would have retorted when provoked, she just continued to stare dreamily at Chen Nuo.

"Just seeing you again... makes all these injuries worthwhile."

"..." Chen Nuo was slightly stunned, then looked away, intentionally avoiding her soft, affectionate gaze.

"Hey! Xicheng Xun! Don't tell me you're smitten with me. Let me tell you, I'm a total scumbag and a womanizer. I've got a wife at home and several mistresses on the side. I always love 'em and leave 'em! If you don't mind, once you've healed, we could have a... close encounter. How about it?"

Hearing this, Xicheng Xun didn't get angry. She just smiled faintly and said softly, "Ah Xiu... you seem... a bit flustered."

"Pfft! Why would I be flustered?" Chen Nuo put on a stern face. "You probably don't know how bad men can be! Come on, let me show you!"

Saying this, Chen Nuo deliberately raised his hand and reached toward Xicheng Xun's chest.

Xicheng Xun just watched Chen Nuo with a smile, not dodging in the slightest.

"..."

Chen Nuo's hand froze, an inch from the girl's chest.

Under her calm gaze, Chen Nuo gave a sheepish smile and withdrew his hand.

"Why don't you continue? I didn't dodge."

Xicheng Xun's eyes held a smile.

"Hmph! I almost forgot, I'm not interested in flat chests."

As Chen Nuo spoke, he turned to leave. When he reached the door, Xicheng Xun called out anxiously, "You... you're just leaving like this?"

Sighing, Chen Nuo looked back at the girl. "Stop fussing. I've watched over you all night. Now that you're awake, I'm going to get something to eat and then have the doctor check on you again."

After a pause, he added, "What do you want to eat? I'll bring it back for you."

"...I want... the deep-fried bread slices and fried eggs you make at home..."

Chen Yanluo rolled his eyes. "This is a hospital! Where am I supposed to find a deep fryer for you?"

He paused, then barked, "Want a sandwich?"

"...Yes!"

Chen Nuo left, and soon a doctor came in to examine Xicheng Xun.

The girl knew she was out of danger and on Chen Nuo's turf. She calmly let the doctor examine her, and then a nurse came in to change her dressing and medication.

When Chen Nuo returned, he brought not only sandwiches but also a box of Lan Mei.

"Eat the sandwich first. Eat the Lan Mei after your meal."

After speaking, Chen Nuo placed the items on the bedside table, walked over to the sofa in the room, leaned back, and picked up his magazine, continuing to read without saying anything more to Xicheng Xun.

The girl didn't speak either, but her face held a faint smile as she picked up the food and began to eat heartily.

It wasn't until Xicheng Xun was halfway through her food that Chen Nuo finally spoke.

"Those people who captured you—you don't have to worry about that trouble anymore. I've resolved it. There won't be any more trouble in the future," Chen Nuo said slowly. "You can live a good life now."

"Mhm, I know. If you take action, you can definitely solve anything." Xicheng Xun seemed to have immense confidence in Chen Nuo.

"You don't need to think about revenge... I've already taken revenge for you as well."

"Okay."

"Study hard in the future, and do well on the entrance exams for Tokyo University."

"Okay."

"Also, no more fighting. And stop pretending to be some kind of hunter or assassin."

"Okay."

"Stop saying 'okay' to me!"

"...Okay."

「Tokyo Narita International Airport.」

International arrivals exit.

Lu Xixi walked out, dragging her suitcase. At the exit, someone was already waiting to greet her.

A very old-looking man with white hair stood ramrod straight at the exit. Despite the hot weather, he wore a suit.

Seeing Lu Xixi approaching from a distance, the old man immediately went up to her and bowed. "You've arrived! You must be tired from your journey."

Lu Xixi glanced at the old man, and a faint smile finally touched her icy face. "You've worked hard."

"It is my duty!" the old man nodded, then said, "Accommodations have been arranged. Please come with me."

As he spoke, several subordinates came up from behind and took the suitcase from Lu Xixi's hand.

They reached the roadside outside the airport, where a luxury limousine was already parked.

The old man personally opened the car door for Lu Xixi and invited her to get in.

Inside the spacious limousine, Lu Xixi sat down directly on a sofa.

The old man followed and sat on another sofa beside her.

"Did you take care of the things I asked you to?"

"Yes!"

The old man immediately nodded. "Following your instructions, I had people discreetly investigate all major hotels in Tokyo using the sketch you sent me. A waiter at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel reported seeing the man in your sketch."

"Good!" Lu Xixi bit her lip.

"So... shall I take you to your accommodations to rest now?"

"No! Take me to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel! Now! Immediately! Right away!!"

"Uh?" The old man was somewhat surprised.

"Take me there now! After you drop me off, you and your men leave at once! Understood?"

"Yes!!"

「Mandarin Oriental Hotel.」

Outside the door of a suite on the top floor.

Lu Xixi stood before the door and gently rang the bell.

After a moment, Lu Xixi snorted.

When no one answered, she used her spiritual power to scan the room and confirmed it was empty.

Where have you run off to...

The Star Sky Empress was somewhat irritated.

Just as she was about to turn and leave...

CLICK.

The door to another room not far down the hallway opened.

Maki emerged from the room, wearing a snow-white dress.

She was planning to go down to the café for a cup of coffee when she suddenly saw Lu Xixi standing at Chen Nuo's door.

Maki froze for a moment.

Instantly, she felt as if she had encountered her natural enemy.

The woman before her was dazzling. Even to another woman's eyes, Maki immediately felt an invisible pressure suppressing her.

Especially with the woman's stern face and powerful aura, Maki instinctively felt a sense of inadequacy.

Lu Xixi also turned her head. Her gaze rested on Maki's face for just a second before she nonchalantly looked away.

"Um..." Maki hesitated for a moment but still spoke. "Are you... here to see the gentleman?"

Huh?

Lu Xixi's eyes lit up! Her gaze snapped back to the woman.

She recognized Maki's voice!

Is this the woman she heard over the phone, the one who was supposed to 'serve' that bastard tonight? Hmph! Her looks... Just this?

With a proud glance, the Empress withdrew her gaze once again.

This is so infuriating!! I was tricked by you in so many ways! I even called you 'husband' for days! You even saw me completely naked! And in the end, I didn't even kill you!! Don't you understand what that means?!! What's so great about this Japanese woman! Are her breasts bigger than mine? Is her face prettier than mine? Is she stronger than me? How dare he!!!!

Lu Xixi narrowed her eyes and walked towards Maki.

Maki suddenly felt a chill run through her entire body.

"You know him, right?"

"...Uh, yes. May I ask who you are?"

"I'm the one asking questions now," Lu Xixi said indifferently. "Is this your room? Go inside. I want to talk to you."

With that, the Empress gently pushed the door behind Maki.

The door had been closed, but with a push from the Star Sky Empress, the lock shattered and it burst open!

Before Maki could react, Lu Xixi touched a finger to her forehead.

"Go inside. I have questions for you!"

"...Yes," Maki replied, her eyes unfocused, her voice sounding distant and vague.

「A few minutes later.」

So, he likes to see *her* in a white dress?! That bastard!!

Chen Nuo returned to the hotel in the evening.

Xicheng Xun was still in the hospital, though her injuries were no longer critical.

Naturally, Chen Nuo wouldn't be spending another night at the hospital—the way the girl looked at him was becoming increasingly unsettling.

Better to leave!

Arriving at his hotel room, he took out his key card to open the door.

The moment Chen Nuo stepped inside, he froze!

Instantly, every hair on his body stood on end!!

In the living room, a seductive figure leaned provocatively on the sofa, a pale, slender leg exposed through the slit of her dress.

Her slender fingers held a fruit knife, peeling an apple.

When she saw Chen Nuo enter, her stunningly beautiful face bloomed with a sweet smile—yet her eyes held an undeniable chill!

"Husband~~ You're back~~"

Chen Nuo was completely stiff!

His first thought: If I turn around and bolt now, can I still make it out?

Gently placing the peeled apple on a plate, Lu Xixi, still holding the fruit knife, stood up and sashayed towards Chen Nuo.

Her movements seemed deliberately designed to be incredibly enticing.

Walking up to Chen Nuo, Lu Xixi smiled sweetly at him, then pointed to herself...

"I heard you like to see women in white dresses, do you? Look at my white dress. Isn't it pretty? Husband~~ I wore this just for you! Aren't you touched?"

Was Chen Nuo touched?

Chen Nuo didn't dare to move!