Chapter 392: The Funeral Bell Tolls! The Villain's Lethal Assistance!
The luxurious banquet hall was bathed in the warm glow of crystal chandeliers, the air filled with the soft murmur of polite conversation and the clinking of champagne glasses. But in Shen Anyu's eyes, this was merely a hunting ground.
"System, spend 10,000 destiny value to activate the [Son of Destiny Identifier] and identify Chu Yun!"
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host, you have successfully spent 10,000 destiny value to identify the Child of Destiny, Chu Yun!]
As the crisp System notification sound fell, a waterfall-like stream of digital blue data cascaded down Shen Anyu's retina, overlaying the reality of the banquet hall with information that no one else could see.
[Target Analysis Complete]
[Name: Chu Yun]
[Age: 25]
[Identity: The Asura Demon King / Leader of Blood Skull Mercenary Group]
[Archetype: "Mercenary King Returns to the City" / "Vengeful Avenger"]
[Background Story: Five years ago, a orchestrated car accident led to his family's ruin and death. Chu Yun, filled with immense hatred and despair, fled abroad. He crawled out of the piles of corpses in the dark continent, forging himself in blood and fire. He eventually became the leader of the fearsome Blood Skull Mercenary Group, earning the terrifying title 'Asura Demon King'! He has now returned to Modu with one purpose: to deliver a funeral bell to his enemy's 80th birthday banquet and wash the city in blood.]
[Cultivation: Great Grandmaster (Early Stage)]
[Unique Abilities: Half-Step Crushing Fist (Martial Art), Killing Intent Fluctuation (Aura Suppression)]
[Personality Trait: Extremely Vengeful (Will not rest until enemies are destroyed)]
[Items: Blood Skull Token (Commands 100,000 mercenaries), Wolf King Dagger]
[Associated Heroine: Xu Ruoxue (Currently entangled)]
[Destiny Value: 2,000,000 Points]
Shen Anyu swirled the red wine in his glass, his lips curving into a playful, predatory smile. 'Two million points. A fat sheep indeed. And the backstory is classic. Parents died, fled overseas, became a King, returned for revenge. It's the standard template for a fast-paced cool novel.'
Suddenly, the heavy oak doors of the banquet hall were kicked open with a thunderous bang!
Amidst the shocked and horrified gazes of the crowd, a rather handsome young man stepped forward. He wore a simple black trench coat that contrasted sharply with the tuxedos and evening gowns around him. His expression was cold, his eyes burning with a suppression of violence that made the air temperature seem to drop by several degrees.
He exuded a powerful aura—the stench of blood and iron that only comes from the battlefield.
Behind this young man were several burly men, their muscles bulging through their clothes, their faces scarred and savage. Together, they carried a massive object covered in a black cloth.
The Ji Family bodyguards, usually arrogant bullies who preyed on the weak, tried to block them. But as soon as they met the young man's gaze, they felt as if they were being stared at by a prehistoric beast. Their legs went soft, faces turning pale with primal fear. They stumbled back, opening the path, and dared not block them again.
These people were naturally Chu Yun, the leader of the Blood Skull Mercenary Group, and his elite subordinates, the Blood Generals.
At this moment, Chu Yun sneered as he looked at the astonished and furious Ji Family members standing on the main stage. He stopped in the center of the hall, clapped his hands, and said with a voice that cut through the silence like a blade:
"Blood Dragon, Blood Tiger, deliver the gift! Let Old Man Ji hear the sound of his end!"
"Yes, Boss!"
As Chu Yun's words fell, Blood Dragon, Blood Tiger, and the other Blood Skull mercenaries grinned savagely. With a synchronized roar, they ripped off the black cloth and heaved the object forward.
It was a bronze bell. An ancient, oxidized, massive bronze bell taller than a person.
They didn't just place it down; they threw it.
DOOOOONG—!
With a crashing sound that resembled a thunderclap, the massive bronze bell smashed into the floor. It shattered several champagne towers on its way down, sending shards of glass and expensive liquor spraying everywhere like shrapnel.
Then, with a heavy, earth-shaking thud, it landed squarely in front of the Ji Family members. The marble floor cracked under the immense weight, sending spiderwebs of fissures spreading outward and scattering shattered stone fragments.
The vibration hummed in the air, resonating in the chests of everyone present.
Silence.
Dead silence.
Then, the realization hit.
Both the Ji Family members and the many distinguished guests and wealthy individuals present gasped, their faces showing deep shock and horror. Some noble ladies covered their mouths to stifle screams.
They had not expected—could not have imagined—that someone would dare to cause trouble at the 80th birthday banquet of the Ji Family's Old Master, one of Modu's top ten wealthiest families.
And to deliver a bronze bell?
In Yanxia culture, "Delivering a bell" (Sòng Zhōng) shares the exact same pronunciation as "Sending off a dying relative" (Sòng Zhōng). It was the ultimate curse. It was a declaration that 'Today is your funeral.'
This was clearly here to cause trouble! No, this was a declaration of war!
Without deep-seated hatred, a hatred that could not be washed away by the waters of the three rivers, no one would do such a resolute thing. This was clearly an intention to fight the Modu Ji Family to the death, to not rest until one side was completely exterminated.
Who exactly was this young man, daring to so brazenly disrupt the Modu Ji Family Old Master's 80th birthday banquet? Who gave him the courage to challenge a Titan of Modu?
At this moment, everyone's gazes uniformly turned to Chu Yun and his group. Speculation ran wild. Was he a rival business heir? A gangster from the north?
"This is truly a good show. Much more interesting than the opera."
An Zhiyue raised her heroic Phoenix brows, smiling faintly as she watched this scene. She swirled her drink, feeling a little surprised but mostly entertained.
As a General of the military, she despised these extravagant displays of wealth by the corrupt elite. Seeing their veneer of civility shattered by brute force was satisfying.
Although the Modu Ji Family was far from being a truly super-family like the Yanxia Shen Family and the Yanxia An Family—who stood at the apex of power—they were still one of Modu's top ten wealthy and influential families. They had deep foundations, connections in the underworld, and were not to be easily provoked.
For the Ji Family Old Master's 80th birthday to be disrupted by someone delivering a funeral bell... such an act of slapping their face in public would surely provoke the Ji Family's madness revenge.
"Who exactly are these people in front of her?" she wondered aloud.
Shen Anyu had an unsurprised expression, watching the scene with the interest of a director watching his actors perform the climax. He gently tapped his finger against his knee, keeping the rhythm of the bell's resonance.
At this moment, the Modu Ji Family Old Master, sitting in his wheelchair, was so angry he almost couldn't catch his breath. His face turned purple, his hands shaking violently.
Ji Jia Cheng, the head of the Modu Ji Family, and the others had ashen, extremely ugly expressions. It was as if someone had force-fed them a bowl of flies.
Ji Ba Duan, the Ji Family's prodigal Er Shao, was fuming. He jumped up with rage, pointing a trembling finger at Chu Yun, and roared:
"Bodyguards! Bodyguards! Where the hell are you?! You freeloaders, why aren't you quickly apprehending these troublemaking scoundrels! Break their legs! Throw them into the river!"
Dozens of security personnel rushed forward, batons drawn, ready to swarm.
But the next moment, Ji Jia Cheng, the head of the Ji Family, raised his hand.
"Stop!"
He directly stopped the bodyguards from acting. He was a cunning old fox; he realized that this young man dared to barge in, he must have reliance. A public brawl would only ruin the banquet further.
Then, with a gloomy face that looked like it could drip water, he looked at Chu Yun with annoyance and said in a low, dangerous voice:
"Friend, what deep hatred does my Ji Family have with you, that you would so disrupt my Old Master's 80th birthday banquet? Today is a day of celebration. You are courting death."
"If you cannot explain yourself clearly today, then I, Ji Jia Cheng, swear on the name of the Ji Family that I will absolutely not let this rest! I will make you regret being born!"
The threat was palpable. The pressure of a top-tier patriarch was unleashed.
Chu Yun sneered as he looked at Ji Jia Cheng. His eyes were red with the suppressed rage of five years of nightmares.
"Explain? You want an explanation? Good!"
He took a step forward, his voice booming.
"Do you remember, five years ago? On the rainy night of October 12th? Your eldest son, drunk and high on drugs, drove his sports car at 200 km/h and collided with a truck driver?"
The crowd whispered. A scandal?
"The primary responsibility for this incident originally lay with your eldest son! He was the one who broke the law! Yet your Ji Family, being vengeful and unwilling to accept the stain on your reputation, used your money and power!"
Chu Yun's voice cracked with emotion.
"You reversed black and white! You bribed the judges! You framed the truck driver! You caused that driver's family to be ruined and killed! His wife died of illness because you blocked her medical treatment! His son was forced into exile like a dog!"
"Do you deny this matter?!"
The accusation hung in the air, heavy and suffocating.
His eldest son's death in a car accident was an eternal pain in Ji Jia Cheng's heart; how could he not remember? It was the scar that never healed.
Hearing Chu Yun's words and seeing Chu Yun's somewhat familiar appearance—the resemblance to that stubborn truck driver—Ji Jia Cheng immediately understood.
It's that pest. The one that got away.
Seeing the strange expressions of the surrounding distinguished guests, especially seeing Young Master Shen's intrigued expression from the VIP area, Ji Jia Cheng's heart immediately skipped a beat.
He panicked. Not because of guilt—he had none—but because of reputation.
He couldn't afford to be slandered in front of the Shen and An families, or he wouldn't be able to mix in Modu's high society anymore. His facade of benevolence would be shattered.
"You... You are that driver's son, Chu Yun, aren't you?"
Ji Jia Cheng regained his composure. He straightened his suit, putting on a mask of righteous indignation.
"Don't spread malicious rumors! Slander is a crime! When did my Ji Family cause your family to be ruined and killed? Everything was decided by the court of law! The verdict was clear!"
"You need to provide evidence! If you talk nonsense without proof, my Ji Family's legal team is already drafting the lawsuit. We will certainly not let this rest!"
Ji Jia Cheng looked at Chu Yun with cold, mocking eyes, feeling smug in his heart.
Evidence? What evidence?
It was completely legal, without any violations!
He had always been cautious and meticulous in his dealings; even his revenge was watertight, leaving no room for error.
He had employed a top legal team to create indefinite delays in lawsuits, dragging the poor family until they ran out of money. He kept Chu Yun's father imprisoned indefinitely on false charges. Finding some faults in a poor man's life was not difficult. And incidentally, he had paid a few villains to be sent into the same cell to "take care" of him.
He had bribed the hospital administration not to admit Chu Yun's critically ill mother, leaving her to die in the hallway waiting for a bed that would never come.
With money and power, there were plenty of ways to persecute ordinary people to death without leaving any criminal evidence. It was the privilege of the elite. The law is a game for the rich.
The gazes of the surrounding crowd towards Chu Yun were mixed. Some were disdainful of the poor boy making a scene. Some looked playful, enjoying the drama. But many were sympathetic and pitying, able to guess a few things about the Ji Family's underhanded methods. They all knew how the world worked.
An Zhiyue shook her head, a hint of disgust and contempt flashing in her Phoenix eyes.
"Scum."
This was one important reason why she rarely attended high society banquets; she didn't want to see such things. The stench of hypocrisy was stronger than the smell of blood on a battlefield. Capturing and killing dark powerhouses who committed crimes was much purer. At least they admitted they were wolves. These people pretended to be sheep while eating human flesh.
Xu Ruoxue's pretty face was frosty. Standing in the shadows, her beautiful eyes looked at the Ji Family members with indignation. Her fists clenched.
"The Ji Family is hateful… truly a nest of vipers."
Shen Anyu smiled, sipping the last of his wine. He observed the stalemate. The "Child of Destiny" was trying to use morality against people who had none. It was inefficient.
He thought to himself:
'The Ji Family indeed isn't anything good. They are perfect villains to be harvested. But Chu Yun... you talk too much. Your rhythm is too slow.'
'If you want revenge, you kill. You don't debate.'
'Chu Yun, since you are a Child of Destiny, I'll help you get revenge. I'll speed up this boring plot. Don't thank me... just call me the Great Philanthropist Shen Anyu.'
At this moment, Chu Yun listened to Ji Jia Cheng's shameless denial and chuckled angrily. The sound was dry and harsh. He wasn't too surprised. Five years ago, he had already seen the Ji Family's despicable faces.
"Ji Jia Cheng, don't think that no one can touch your Modu Ji Family just because you have money. Don't think the sky is only as big as your wallet."
"Tonight, I, Chu Yun, will let you know that your doomsday begins now…"
Saying this, Chu Yun reached into his trench coat, preparing to take out the evidence of the Ji Family's crimes—the USB drive that Xu Ruoxue had given him earlier. He wanted to project the documents on the big screen, to make the Modu Ji Family infamous before he killed them.
Chu Yun had already planned his revenge perfectly: First, ruin their reputation. Second, bankrupt the Modu Ji Family. Third, make the entire Ji Family suffer a miserable death in despair. He wanted them to lose everything.
Chu Yun felt a thrill of satisfaction, sweeping his gaze over Ji Jia Cheng and the other members of the Modu Ji Family. Tremble, worms!
The tension was at its peak. The crowd held its breath.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Just then, a series of crackling gunshots suddenly rang out, tearing through the tense atmosphere like thunder in a clear sky!
Everyone froze.
Ji Jia Cheng was hit by several bullets.
Puff! Puff! Puff!
Blood blossoms erupted from his chest and back, staining his white shirt crimson in an instant. Warm blood splattered on the ground and onto the faces of the screaming guests nearby.
He staggered back, clutching his chest, blood bubbling from his mouth. He looked at Chu Yun with a face full of astonishment, his eyes bulging:
"You… You actually…"
Before he could finish his sentence, his eyes rolled back, and he fell to the ground with a thud.
The head of the Ji Family, a tycoon who controlled billions, died on the spot, his breath cut short, lying in a pool of his own blood next to the funeral bell.
Chu Yun stood there, his hand frozen inside his coat pocket, clutching the USB drive.
He was also stunned, looking at this scene with a bewildered expression.
I... I haven't even taken out the gun yet?
I haven't even given the order?
How did Ji Jia Cheng die? Who did it?
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