Li Yue Mei feared that Mo Lin might act impulsively, and if so, she would be dead without a doubt. She had no confidence in surviving the hands of a nightmare-level ghost.
Fuwansan, too, was visibly alarmed. He didn't know whether to advise Mo Lin to hold back or encourage him to strike. At that moment, he was in an excruciating dilemma.
Killing Li Yue Mei would certainly provoke the fury of the Li family, a storm of vengeance they could never survive. But leaving her alive would also mean no escape from the Li family's wrath.
It was a no-win situation, a deadlock where death awaited them either way.
In the next instant, Chen Xi had her hand around Li Yue Mei's throat. Li Yue Mei's feet dangled in the air, her face turning crimson as she struggled to speak. "I... I'm not here to... please let me explain..." But with Chen Xi's strength, her words were slurred, incomprehensible.
"Let go," Mo Lin said calmly.
Only then did Chen Xi release her grip.
Li Yue Mei's body crashed to the ground, gasping for air. She had almost been strangled to death.
Chen Xi didn't care about her identity. No matter who Li Yue Mei was—whether a noblewoman or a queen—if Mo Lin ordered it, Chen Xi would carry out the command without hesitation.
"That nearly killed me!" Li Yue Mei complained as she sat on the ground, trying to regain her breath. "I wasn't looking for trouble, but are you really going to kill me?"
Mo Lin sensed something unusual from her words.
"What do you mean?" Mo Lin asked slowly.
"This woman wasn't captured by me, nor did I harm her. It was my elder brother's people who did this to her," Li Yue Mei explained, glancing at Mo Lin. "She must be your friend, right?"
"Yes, she's my friend," Mo Lin replied, nodding. The bond between him and Hong Yan Xun had always been solid—she had never betrayed him, even when she could have revealed that Mo Lin had killed Li San. That loyalty alone was enough to consider her a true friend.
Li Yue Mei had initially come to cause trouble, but when she saw Mo Lin's contracted ghost, her plans shifted.
"I can help you rescue her, and I can also suppress the matter of you killing Li San," Li Yue Mei said, her tone composed.
Fuwansan, standing nearby, was so stunned his mouth hung open, eyes wide with disbelief. It was as though he had seen a ghost.
Mo Lin, however, remained indifferent, his expression cold. He knew that things were not always what they appeared to be.
"What's the catch?" Mo Lin asked, suspicious.
"Help me become the heir of the Li family," Li Yue Mei proposed calmly.
The Li family was vast and complex, with three sons and one daughter. The eldest brother was the heir, the second brother was next in line, and Li Yue Mei, the third daughter, was caught in a battle for power. Her mother was the third wife, and she had always been suppressed by her brothers.
Li Yue Mei had endured this for years, but half a year ago, she learned that her eldest brother planned to kill her and her mother. It was then she began to plot her resistance.
Resistance required power, and when she met Mo Lin, the spark of rebellion fully ignited.
Mo Lin was decisive, had strong willpower, and most importantly, he had the power to back it up. All of these qualities had captured Li Yue Mei's interest.
"I'm sure you won't believe me just because of my words," she said. "Tell me about your family situation."
Mo Lin, sensing the need for discretion, told Fuwansan and Zhuang Ruo to step outside.
"Wait here," Fuwansan quickly understood and left the room. Zhuang Ruo followed suit.
Li Yue Mei explained the internal struggles of the Li family in intricate detail, omitting only the parts where she was mistreated.
Mo Lin soon learned that the Li family was not united. Like most large families, it was filled with intrigue and power struggles.
"Will you help me?" Li Yue Mei asked again.
"I can help you, but I have one condition," Mo Lin said, not giving his answer just yet.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I want the Ghostly Fire of the Underworld," Mo Lin replied calmly.
"What?" Li Yue Mei stood up, shocked. "The Ghostly Fire of the Underworld? Are you serious?"
She had seen that fire before—it was terrifying. Not even humans could tame such a flame. It could burn everything to nothing.
Li Yue Mei remembered seeing others try to control the Ghostly Fire, only to die a gruesome death.
"I'm serious. I truly want it," Mo Lin said with unwavering resolve.
The Ghostly Fire of the Underworld was a rare and precious item.
"If you can subdue it, I'll give it to you," Li Yue Mei said after a pause. "But the condition is that I must become the heir of the Li family. Without that, I won't have access to it."
The Ghostly Fire of the Underworld was currently the Li family's treasure, and only the heir had the authority to approach it. Without the family head's consent, no one else could even get close to it. It was a dangerous artifact, coveted by many, but impossible to control.
After considering everything, Li Yue Mei agreed to Mo Lin's request.
"Alright, if you can tame the Ghostly Fire of the Underworld, I will ensure you become the heir of the Li family."
Mo Lin's spirit surged. The Ghostly Fire of the Underworld had always fascinated him, and now he had the chance to claim it.
"This is an opportunity that I won't pass up," Mo Lin thought.
"I'm glad we could come to an agreement," Li Yue Mei said as she pulled out her phone and exchanged contact information with Mo Lin.
"I'll tell outsiders that you're my bodyguard. I'll arrange for you to enter the Li family under that guise."
"No problem. I'm familiar with the role," Mo Lin replied, having done bodyguard work before.
"About Hong Yan Xun... I want to rescue her as soon as possible," Mo Lin added, his voice quiet but firm.
The sooner they rescued Hong Yan Xun, the better. Mo Lin hated waiting, and he didn't want her to suffer any more than she already had.
"Tomorrow... I'll take you to rescue her."
"I can't wait until tomorrow. We need to go now," Mo Lin insisted, his impatience evident.
"Alright, I'll take you now," Li Yue Mei agreed, seeing Mo Lin's determination.
They left the room, and Fuwansan, standing anxiously outside, rushed up to them.
"Brother Mo, what happened?" he asked.
"It's resolved. Everything's fine," Mo Lin replied, unconcerned.
Fuwansan glanced at Li Yue Mei, saw her smiling, and knew that the situation had been handled.
"Good. As long as it's resolved," Fuwansan said with a relieved sigh.
It was like a dream. How had everything been solved so easily?
Mo Lin's strength had made all the difference. Without him, Fuwansan and the others would have died many times over.
"Brother Mo, thank you. I will never forget this favor," Fuwansan said, his gratitude sincere.
4o