Beautiful CEO's Top Expert

Su Guyan didn’t say a word. She just quietly lay against Ye Xunhuan’s chest, feeling the strong, powerful beating of his heart.

Before this, Su Guyan had been staying peacefully in Jiangzhong City, with no idea what was going on. A group of people from some unknown force suddenly appeared in her home and seriously injured Ah Li, then, without another word, took her away.

At the time, Su Guyan had no idea what was happening, didn’t know what any of it meant. It wasn’t until just now, when she saw Ye Xunhuan, that she finally realized she’d become someone else’s hostage to threaten Ye Xunhuan.

She had become a burden, a dead weight.

In that moment, Su Guyan’s heart was a tangle of emotions. She knew Ye Xunhuan now was no longer the man he used to be. She didn’t ask to be able to help him, but she also didn’t want to be a drag on him.

At that moment, Su Guyan even thought about just dying. But the old man beside her didn’t give her the slightest chance to seek death.

"Ye Xunhuan, are you going to have her walk out on her own, or keep her here to watch how you die?" the Monarch said coolly.

Hearing the Monarch’s words, Ye Xunhuan lightly patted Su Guyan and said softly, "Gu Yan, you leave first."

"I..."

"Leave!" Ye Xunhuan’s face went hard at once, his tone filled with unshakable resolve.

"No, I want to be with you."

"I’m telling you to leave." Ye Xunhuan said heavily, "If you stay here, you’ll only be a burden, a drag. Do you want to pull the two of us down into death together?"

Ye Xunhuan’s words were harsh, so harsh that they were like a sharp blade, stabbing over and over into Su Guyan’s heart.

Su Guyan could never have imagined that the Ye Xunhuan who’d been so gentle to her just a second ago would suddenly turn like this.

But she had no way of knowing that Ye Xunhuan didn’t want to be like this either. It was just that if he didn’t act this way, Su Guyan would never leave.

And if Su Guyan didn’t leave, then staying would truly make her a burden.

If Su Guyan left, he and Lian Xing together might still have a sliver of chance to survive.

"Xunhuan..."

"I don’t want to hear anything from you. Leave at once. Disappear from my sight!"

As he spoke, Ye Xunhuan turned his gaze to the Monarch. "Monarch, you don’t want anyone interfering either, do you?"

The Monarch let out a light chuckle. "I understand what you mean. I’ll agree to that."

The next instant, the Monarch swept his right hand. "Throw her out."

The Monarch’s words had barely fallen when someone immediately moved to take Su Guyan away.

Su Guyan of course didn’t want to go. She wanted to live and die together with Ye Xunhuan. But no matter how she struggled, it was all useless.

Once Su Guyan had been taken away, the Monarch said, "Not bad. To keep the woman you love safe, you’re willing to say something that harsh."

"But Ye Xunhuan, don’t you know that women are nothing more than ornaments on a crown?" The Monarch lectured Ye Xunhuan. "They’re just playthings. Don’t get truly attached, or you’ll end up like you are now—utterly passive."

"Cut the crap." Ye Xunhuan snorted coldly. "Today either you die or I do!"

As he spoke, the sword in Ye Xunhuan’s hand rose.

"Don’t be in such a rush to make a move. You still have one more ally." The Monarch said blandly.

Ye Xunhuan froze for a second, and Olivia’s figure flashed through his mind.

Could Olivia have come?

The next moment, the Monarch said in an even tone, "Ke Qinghong, I know you’re hiding in the dark. Since you’re already here, come out. I’ll give you three a chance to join forces to kill me."

Ke Qinghong!

Hearing those three words, Ye Xunhuan’s expression tightened. He’d thought it was Olivia, but who would have guessed that the one in hiding was Ke Qinghong.

As the Monarch’s words landed, a hearty laugh rang out around them at once. "Monarch, you really do know me best."

Then, a man in a Zhongshan suit wearing a mask appeared with a swish at Ye Xunhuan’s side.

Seeing the newcomer, the Monarch said calmly, "I knew you wouldn’t pass up this chance. If I’m not mistaken, the area around us is already surrounded by your people, isn’t it?"

"What do you think?"

"Ke Qinghong, you’ve really gone all in this time." The Monarch said with an easy smile. "But do you really think the three of you can kill me?"

"Monarch, those two might not see it, but I can. You’re already heavily injured. Calling you a spent crossbow might be a stretch, but the three of us joining forces to kill you shouldn’t be too hard." Ke Qinghong said with firm confidence. "Besides, there’s also a Blood Phoenix lurking in the shadows behind all this."

"Ke Qinghong, since I could guess you’d show yourself, you should know I never fight an unprepared battle." The Monarch said, brimming with confidence. "Today, the three of you—no, including that damned bat—none of you is getting away."

"Monarch, I know exactly what the Protectors of the Nation are like, and I know what experts you have, including in your Jun family." Ke Qinghong said with disdain. "Stop playing your empty-city ploy. Today you die for sure."

As he spoke, Ke Qinghong turned his gaze on Ye Xunhuan and Lian Xing. "You two, let’s strike together and kill him."

Although Ye Xunhuan knew Ke Qinghong was using him and Lian Xing, the two of them had no choice, because right now they did indeed need to join forces.

"Fine!" Ye Xunhuan didn’t hesitate in the slightest.

Lian Xing didn’t refuse either, and directly nodded in agreement.

The next instant, the sword in Ye Xunhuan’s hand swung up at once. "Shattered Star River!"

As he spoke, the sword in Ye Xunhuan’s hand slashed out in a blur.

"Rain Falling on Cold Sand!" Lian Xing also let out a low shout.

"Sword Shatters Nine Provinces!"

A cold, eerie sword suddenly appeared in Ke Qinghong’s right hand, and he too slashed out in a swift strike.

The three struck together, each unleashing their strongest move, all aimed straight at the Monarch. The immense force was like a sandstorm seen only once in a hundred years in the desert—terrifying to the extreme.

But faced with this horrifying assault, not a flicker of fear appeared on the Monarch’s face. He didn’t even show the slightest intention of dodging. Instead, his expression carried a trace of contemptuous amusement.

Just as the three attacks were about to land on the Monarch, a bizarre scene abruptly unfolded.

The two sword beams and the rain of hidden weapons seemed to be blocked by some invisible force. They stopped dead in front of the Monarch, and it was as if they were being firmly held by that unseen power. Everything was frozen in midair.

This sudden, jarring sight made all three—Ye Xunhuan and the others—drastically change expression, and in their hearts, waves of shock crashed.

"Shatter!"

A low, oppressive shout rang out, and then the two sword beams and the countless hidden weapons seemed to collide with something terrifying, instantly shattering apart.