Chapter 429 - 365: Does My Ugliness Scare You?
A faint smile touched Chu He’s lips.
He praised her inwardly.
’This Lai Yu Yao is certainly bold and meticulous.’
’She was sharp enough to realize which of her traits I admire...’
’...and had the nerve to use it as a bargaining chip to seek a partnership.’
’Such courage and intelligence are a far cry from what you’d find in an ordinary girl.’
"Thank you, Mr. Chu!"
Upon hearing his words, Lai Yu Yao was ecstatic, and a hopeful light gleamed in her eyes.
She knew Chu He was a man of his word.
Now that he had agreed,
there was finally hope of avenging the hatred that had tormented her for years.
It was as if some of the gloom in her heart had been instantly dispelled.
"If you have nothing else to attend to, stay by my side for now."
As he spoke,
Chu He picked up his phone and sent a quick text to Liu Yuzhu.
She hadn’t been sent to directly participate in the mission to root out the Dark Holy See’s moles.
She had been asked to remain in the Royal City to handle overall coordination.
Chu He had just given her a new assignment:
investigate everything that had ever happened to Lai Yu Yao.
He demanded the report be thorough, flawless, and completely airtight.
For Liu Yuzhu,
this was obviously a much easier task than rooting out Dark Holy See moles under a hail of gunfire.
"What are your plans for the future?"
Chu He turned his gaze to the man in the suit beside him—Lone Wolf.
"My future? I’ve never really thought about it."
Lone Wolf lifted his head slightly, his expression calm and candid. "We of the Shadow Guard..."
"...were all taken from orphanages as children and subjected to rigorous training from a young age."
"If it weren’t for the grace of Her Majesty the Queen and the old king,"
"our lives would have been filled with suffering."
"In a world where the strong prey on the weak, we would have been endlessly bullied and oppressed."
"Therefore, our lives have long since ceased to be our own."
"Instead, we pledged them to Her Majesty the Queen and the old king long ago. We obey their commands, and our loyalty is unwavering."
His voice was steady and strong, and though his words had an air of nonchalance,
they were filled with boundless loyalty to Her Majesty the Queen and the old king.
It was a loyalty etched into the depths of his soul, a mark that could never be erased.
"I’m impressed by your character. Why don’t you work for me from now on?"
"I’m planning to establish a new department,"
"and it’s time for you, the Shadow Guard, to evolve and transform."
Chu He looked at Lone Wolf and said slowly, "The new department I’m setting up is short-staffed and in urgent need of talented individuals."
"If Her Majesty the Queen agrees, then I have no objection."
Lone Wolf remained perfectly composed, showing no trace of greed or impulsiveness.
He was like a deep, tranquil lake.
Seeing this, Chu He’s admiration for Lone Wolf grew.
He knew that an ambitious person, upon hearing such an invitation,
would have been ecstatic and accepted without a second thought.
After all, in a newly forming department,
one that was short on staff,
the first members to be invited would surely be carefully groomed for important positions.
It was an undeniable shortcut to the pinnacle of power and glory.
Yet, Lone Wolf showed no desire for such things.
His heart was as still as water,
unmoved by worldly temptations. This was exactly what Chu He valued most.
In this complex and materialistic world,
maintaining such a pure heart and unwavering loyalty was a rare and precious quality.
Chu He turned his gaze back to Lai Yu Yao. "Does your father know you plan to return to the Royal City?" he asked softly. Though his voice was quiet, it seemed to carry a piercing power that made the very air around them stand still.
Lai Yu Yao lifted her delicate chin slightly, her red lips parting. "He knows."
"He didn’t object. I suspect he might even be quite pleased deep down."
"I didn’t tell him specifically,"
"but he has numerous spies around me, like an invisible web."
"It’s hard for the slightest thing to escape his notice, so it’s no surprise that he knows."
She paused, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "Over the years, I’ve subtly influenced Yu Yingjie without him even realizing it."
"He’s now completely my confidant, utterly loyal and willing to go through hell and high water for me."
"That Yu Yingjie certainly does care for you deeply."
Chu He nodded slightly, his mind flashing back to the perilous situation in Xia Shui Village.
Back then, Xia Shui Village had been shrouded in a strange gloom, with danger lurking at every turn.
His face a mask of anxiety and resolve, Yu Yingjie had sought to protect Lai Yu Yao’s safety.
He had resolutely shouldered a pressure as immense as Mount Tai...
...to reveal some long-hidden secrets to Chu He.
His eyes had been full of pleading and hope,
praying that Chu He would show mercy,
that he would hold back and not let the unfortunate Lai Yu Yao suffer even the slightest bit of further harm.
"Once the next phase of the plan is underway, you can bring Yu Yingjie to assist me,"
Chu He said.
"That’s fantastic!"
"If I tell Yu Yingjie, he’ll be so excited he’ll be dancing on air."
A smile as brilliant as the spring sun instantly bloomed on Lai Yu Yao’s face.
Her smile was filled with boundless hope and eager anticipation for the future,
as if she could already see the dawn of victory shining before her.
"However, before Yu Yingjie comes to work for me,"
"have him train Sun Canxing first."
"When Sun Canxing is able to exact her revenge through her own strength and wits,"
"that’s when he can come directly to my side to serve."
"If Sun Canxing is unwilling and refuses the training, then just let her take the Martial Arts college entrance exam on her own."