Chapter 130: 147. Ah Rou's Final Day
Titan asked, "Master, do you need me to capture that spirit beast for you?"
Tang Hao shook his head. "No. This is still within the city. If that hundred-thousand-year spirit beast draws the attention of Spirit Hall, it'll be troublesome. We'll wait and strike when the time is right."
"Understood, Master," Titan replied.
By the lakeside of Coconut Grove, Ah Rou stood with her back to Wang Dafu, gazing out over the shimmering water. Countless lanterns floated upward into the sky, their reflections like a river of light scattered upon the lake's surface.
With her back still turned, Ah Rou asked softly, "You say you love me… are you truly willing to give up everything for me?"
"I am," Wang Dafu said dreamily, lost in her silhouette.
Ah Rou's voice lowered. "What if one day many people want to kill me—and you're too weak to protect me? What then?"
"I'd ask them to step over my corpse," Wang Dafu answered firmly.
Ah Rou turned around. Her long hair swayed gently in the evening breeze as she stepped closer to him, watching his slightly plump face. "Dafu, you're so good to me," she whispered.
Together, they left Coconut Grove City in separate carriages, heading toward the next destination.
Wang Dafu had wanted to share a carriage, but Ah Rou declined, explaining that she wished to appear reserved. Helpless, he'd hired two more carriages.
Inside hers, Ah Rou once again used her soul guide communicator to speak with Xiao Wu from afar.
"Mother, I think Dafu is really good to you," Xiao Wu said softly, feeling a strange warmth in her heart.
"Xiao Wu, how many times have I told you? Men's words are lies. Don't easily trust their sweet promises. All those so-called vows of eternal love—they're just ways to get your body." Ah Rou's tone dripped with disdain.
"But… maybe not every man is like that," Xiao Wu said hesitantly.
"Just wait and see, Xiao Wu," Ah Rou replied coldly.
The carriage suddenly stopped as it reached a forest path. Ah Rou lifted the curtain to look outside—and froze.
A group of burly, one-armed men surrounded them.
Wang Dafu and Ah Rou stepped down from the carriage. Approaching the men cautiously, Wang Dafu asked, "Excuse me, what do you want from us?"
At their head stood a broad-shouldered, one-armed elder. "Our master wishes to speak with you," he said flatly.
Then he stepped aside. From among the one-armed warriors emerged a full-bodied, bearded man whose towering presence radiated strength.
"Mother, who are they?" Xiao Wu asked nervously through the communicator.
"I don't know," whispered Ah Rou.
Without hesitation, the tall man pointed directly at her. "Hand her over, and I'll let you live."
Ah Rou went pale. Far away in the Star Dou Forest, Xiao Wu felt her own heart clench in fear. "Mother, run—quickly!"
Despair filled Ah Rou's voice. "Whoever can recognize what I am must be a Titled Douluo. Where could I possibly run?"
Wang Dafu turned from her to the man and back again. "She… she's a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast?"
Tang Hao walked up to him and asked indifferently, "Knowing that, do you still like her?"
"I…" Wang Dafu faltered, trembling.
"Now, you have two choices," Tang Hao said coldly. "Stay with her and die together, or leave and live. Which will it be?"
A massive hammer appeared in Tang Hao's hands. Eight soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black—glowed around him.
"I… I want to live," Wang Dafu stammered. His eyes darted to those glowing rings, cold sweat drenched his body, and his legs gave out beneath him.
"Since you've chosen life, then leave," Tang Hao snapped.
"Y-yes, yes!" Wang Dafu stumbled backward, crawling away toward his carriage. He threw a final guilty glance at Ah Rou, then turned and fled.
The carriage rolled off into the distance.
"Hmph. That kind of trash thinks himself qualified to court a spirit beast woman like me? How laughable," Tang Hao said disdainfully.
He turned to Titan. "Send some men after him. Clean up the loose ends. No one can know about this."
"As you command, Master," Titan answered respectfully.
Of course, Tang Hao had never meant to spare Wang Dafu. The so-called "choice" had only been a test—to prove that in this world, only he and Tang San were truly capable of loving a spirit beast. Only they, the Tang family, were worthy of women with hundred-thousand-year rings.
Meanwhile, knowing her death was inevitable, Ah Rou stared in the direction of Wang Dafu's escape and said bitterly to Xiao Wu, "You see now, Xiao Wu? The man who, just moments ago, swore that he'd let my enemies step over his corpse—he ran at the first sign of danger. So remember, Xiao Wu, never believe men's promises. They're all lies."
"Xiao Wu… Xiao Wu understands. Mother, are you going to leave me?" Tears streamed down Xiao Wu's face as she yelled desperately into the communicator, "Please, don't kill my mother! I beg you—let her go!"
But Ah Rou and Xiao Wu didn't know that their communicator was one-way. No one outside could hear Xiao Wu's voice.
Tang Hao ignored the pleas, walking toward Ah Rou, his eight soul rings gleaming, his level-ninety aura pressing down like a mountain.
Realizing there was no escape, Ah Rou decided to try one last desperate move. "Great sir, please spare my life. I'll serve you for the rest of my days," she said, batting her eyes seductively.
Ah Rou was indeed beautiful, but Tang Hao's heart already belonged to another spirit beast. Her flirtation stirred nothing in him. "Rather than serve me, you'll serve me better as a spirit ring," he said coldly.
He raised the Clear Sky Hammer.
"I—I don't want to die!" Ah Rou cried and bolted toward the forest, her movements swift and graceful. But before she could escape, she was surrounded by Titan's one-armed Spirit Douluo warriors waiting in ambush.
Sweat drenched her brow as she looked around in terror. Behind her, Tang Hao's heavy footsteps approached slowly—each step making her heart quiver violently.
(END CHAPTER)
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