Chapter 760: A Predator's Gaze, A Lover's Game
"Brother Leopard, look at that girl. She's unbelievably beautiful!"
Across the street from the Ling Group's headquarters, a scrawny young man with twitchy, simian features stared at Zhang Yaqian, his mouth practically watering. He had dropped out of school in the fourth grade to make his way in the world, and his vocabulary was as thin as his frame. He didn't have the words to describe a woman of her caliber.
But he swore on his life that this was the most exquisite woman he had ever laid eyes on. "Unbelievably beautiful" was the best his meager education could muster.
"Monkey, don't go looking for trouble. We're in Hangzhou to handle important business!" The man he called Brother Leopard had a thick neck and fierce, round eyes. His burly frame radiated a evident ferocity, making him seem formidable, yet his words were laced with an uncharacteristic steadiness.
Skinny Monkey held Brother Leopard in high regard, but he couldn't stop himself from nudging again. "Brother Leopard, just turn your head. Just one look, I'm telling you. She's so beautiful she practically glows. If we could just snatch her up for a bit of fun... man, I wouldn't trade that for a life as an immortal. I'd gladly give up twenty years of my life for it!"
A tall, lanky man standing beside them overheard Monkey's words and cast a casual glance in Zhang Yaqian's direction. His eyes immediately widened, a look of pure astonishment seizing his face. "Monkey's right," he breathed. "She's stunning. Like a fairy who's descended to the mortal realm."
"See, Brother Leopard? Even Deer says so! I promise, you won't be disappointed," Monkey urged with a lecherous grin.
Brother Leopard's brow furrowed in annoyance, but he finally followed their gaze. The moment he saw her, his eyes locked, his breath catching in his throat. He had handled the underworld for over thirty years and had his share of beautiful women, including some who could rival A-list celebrities. He had always prided himself on his self-control.
But he had never, ever seen a woman of this caliber.
It was a natural reaction. Even among the ranks of Destined Heroines, Zhang Yaqian's beauty was top-tier. She possessed a unique aura, like that of an elven princess from some deep, enchanted forest, her charm almost supernatural. It wasn't just these street-level thugs; even a man like Shen Anyu found it impossible to let her go.
"Brother Leopard, what do you say? Why don't we just grab the girl and have ourselves a good time?" Monkey suggested, his voice thick with anticipation.
For a moment, Brother Leopard was tempted. An act like that was nothing to him; he already had a laundry list of arrest warrants to his name. After this job, they were planning to flee the country anyway. What could anyone do to him then?
However, after a moment of consideration, Brother Leopard shook his head. "No. We can't afford any distractions. Abducting someone in broad daylight in the middle of Hangzhou would cause too much of a stir."
He lowered his voice, a serious edge creeping in. "We accepted a high-stakes mission from the Martial God Hall to cause a major incident in Yanxia. If we pull this off, we can officially join them, live a life of luxury with a powerful backer, and never have to worry again."
"If we grab that girl and get spotted by the Yanxia Special Department," he continued, his gaze hardening, "the consequences will be severe."
"The Special Department has been on a roll lately. That 'Female War God,' An Zhiyue, has been cleaning house ever since she broke through to the Celestial realm. She's taken down first-rate powerhouses like Yan Lingxiao, the Leader of the War God Alliance, the Shura Demon King Chu Yun, and even the Half-Step Celestial Master Yao Qi. If they catch us, it's a death sentence, no questions asked."
At the mention of An Zhiyue's name, the expressions on Skinny Monkey and Deer's faces shifted, a flicker of genuine fear replacing their earlier bravado.
Seeing his brothers flinch, Brother Leopard offered a grim smile. "I'm just reminding you not to be reckless, but don't get too spooked either. It's not like we're going up against the Female War God herself."
"As long as we finish the mission quickly and get out of Yanxia, we'll have the Martial God Hall protecting us overseas. What's there to be afraid of then?" He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I'll let you in on a little secret, but keep it to yourselves. The Hall Master of the Martial God Hall has already broken through to the Land Immortal realm. With a backer that powerful, a life of luxury is guaranteed."
The news sent a jolt of excitement through Skinny Monkey and the others, and they began chattering eagerly amongst themselves.
But as they prepared to move on, Skinny Monkey cast one last, longing glance over his shoulder. He grumbled, "Brother Leopard, why don't we at least put a tracker on her? It's too risky to make a move in broad daylight, I get it. But once night falls... a dark and windy night... grabbing her would be easy, wouldn't it?"
Brother Leopard paused, stroking his chin. "Hmm... Fine," he conceded after a moment's thought.
None of them were weaklings. They were well-known mercenaries in the international underworld, all at least at the Innate Peak, with several Grandmasters among them. He himself was at the peak of the Grandmaster realm. Snatching a single person, even a wealthy heiress, was a trivial matter for them.
"Hehe, I'll be right back," Skinny Monkey chirped, his energy instantly returning. He darted across the street, closing the distance to Zhang Yaqian in a few quick strides.
"Can I help you?" Zhang Yaqian asked, looking at the scrawny young man who had suddenly appeared before her with a hint of confusion.
"Beautiful lady, you're just so pretty, hehe," Skinny Monkey complimented her with a dopey grin. He turned to leave as quickly as he had arrived, but as he did, he flicked his pinky finger. A tracker, no bigger than a grain of rice, silently adhered to the back hem of Zhang Yaqian's dress.
Zhang Yaqian was left feeling bewildered but didn't give it a second thought. Having been beautiful since childhood, she had lost count of the number of times she had been approached by strange men.
Unseen, the female guard secretly protecting Zhang Yaqian had already noted Skinny Monkey's subtle movement. The information was instantly relayed to Shen Anyu.
Shen Anyu glanced at his phone, his eyes scanning the report. He casually ordered one of his guards to keep an eye on the group. A motley crew of Innate and Grandmaster cultivators might seem like a major threat to ordinary people, or even to common billionaires, but to Shen Anyu, they were utterly insignificant.
If he hadn't heard the words "Martial God Hall," he would have already had his guards erase them from existence. Each of his women was protected by at least one Grandmaster and several other powerful guards—artificial humans from his Destiny Plunder System, completely loyal and more than willing to serve as human shields.
'The Martial God Hall wants to cause trouble? Interesting.' A glint appeared in Shen Anyu's eyes. The Martial God Hall was the primary antagonist of the Sword God, Ye Linyuan—one of his seven Senior Sisters' designated Sons of Destiny. For them to appear in Hangzhou... could they be targeting the Goddess Doctor, Murong Jieyu?
Shen Anyu didn't dwell on it. He didn't have the time.
At that very moment, he was "suffering" a great humiliation, pinned down and unable to rise.
The office sofa wasn't particularly wide, which prevented certain... further actions. President Ling, for her part, seemed to have reached the limit of her knowledge on the subject.
Shen Anyu rested his head against the armrest of the sofa, a playful and interested glint in his eyes as he looked up at Ling Qingcheng, who was straddling him.
President Ling's crimson lips were pressed into a firm line, her cheeks flushed a captivating shade of rose, her charm utterly stunning.
But what man would allow himself to be oppressed for long?
With a smooth, effortless motion, Shen Anyu turned the tables, initiating a new movement of his own.
The hours bled from morning into afternoon, time melting away in the confines of the office.
"Ling Qingcheng, how could you do this to me?" Shen Anyu said, his tone one of mock heartbreak as he broke the silence, making the first accusation as if he were the one who had been wronged.
Ling Qingcheng's beautiful eyes, which had been swirling with complex emotions, snapped into focus. Her red lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but she hesitated, unsure how to even begin a conversation with him. She had wronged Zhang Yaqian again, and the guilt was a bitter taste in her mouth.
But Shen Anyu's words shattered her contemplative mood. President Ling's phoenix eyes sharpened, and her simmering shame and guilt erupted into pure fury.
"Shen Anyu, get out!"
He simply chuckled, adopting a teasing, sing-song tone. "Tsk, tsk. Have your fun and then refuse to even acknowledge me? What a heartbreaker you are."
"SHEN ANYU!!!"
Seeing that she was about to truly explode, Shen Anyu laughed and gracefully dodged the barrage of pens, stamps, cups, and other miscellaneous items she began hurling at him.
[Ding! Detected Destined Heroine Ling Qingcheng's favorability +1. Plundering 3,000 Destiny Value!]
[Ding! Detected Destined Heroine Ling Qingcheng's favorability +2. Plundering 6,000 Destiny Value!]
'Feelings really are cultivated through interaction,' Shen Anyu thought, a self-satisfied smile curving his lips.
The next moment, a clear, sweet voice cut through the chaos.
"Ling Qingcheng... you... you and Brother Shen..."
Seeing Zhang Yaqian standing in the doorway, her eyes wide with shock, Ling Qingcheng's beautiful face went deathly pale.
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