Xia Li watched this scene, feeling as if her heart had been seared through by scalding blood.
She had lived amidst blades and blood in the past; she didn't believe in people, she didn't believe in love, and she certainly didn't believe in redemption.
Regarding her previous ambiguous back-and-forth with Jiang Cheng, she had once thought it was just a performance.
A casual flirtation from someone in a high position.
To Jiang Cheng, she was nothing more than a momentary novelty or a habitual possession.
But it wasn't until today that she understood.
This man could pull her out of the mire with a wave of his hand and crush her enemies just as easily.
He was even willing to personally hold the blade, stain his hands with blood, and endure the discomfort to shoulder all the gore for her sake.
The scar on her chest still throbbed, but for the first time, a barren and cold corner of her heart was seared with warmth.
She was a die-hard loyalist bound by the system, her loyalty already at 120%.
Yet at this moment, those extra, overflowing emotions were no longer the forced loyalty of the system, but the complete infatuation and surrender of a woman.
She didn't dare speak of love, nor mention affection.
Covered in scars and blood, having rolled in the mud and crawled through hell, she was not worthy of someone as clean and powerful as him.
So she didn't speak, didn't cling, and didn't draw near.
She only suppressed these feelings deep within her heart, turning them into her life's sole obsession.
Xia Li suddenly dropped to one knee, her head bowed as her long hair hid the surging emotions in her eyes. Her voice was low but trembled violently:
"Young Master Jiang, Xia Li's lowly body and wretched life are not worth mentioning.
But from this day forward, no other man in the world will ever catch my eye.
My life, my blade, and my everything belong only to you.
If you want them, I shall give them; if you do not, I shall guard them, until death, never to leave."
The moment she finished speaking, the system let out a 'ding' notification.
Detected that Xia Li's affinity value toward the host has reached 99 points! Unlocked the title [Inseparable in Life and Death].
[Current Loyalty: 120% (Absolute Loyalty)]
[Affinity: 99% (Inseparable in Life and Death)]
[Note: Body and soul fully devoted; in this life, there is no one else but the host.]
[The host has received a special gift pack.]
After clicking to open it, the system 'dinged' again.
"49% equity in the world's top private medical group, 'Nexus of Life'."
[Reward Details — Nexus of Life Medical Group]
This group is a top-tier global private medical alliance, serving only royalty, top political figures, and the ultra-wealthy of various nations.
It encompasses core global resources such as top-tier cardiovascular and cerebrovascular care, critical care, chronic injury repair, deep anti-aging, and cancer screening.
It is equipped with private medical jets, overseas health resorts, and academician-level expert teams.
The host holds 49% of the equity, making him the largest shareholder with absolute decision-making power.
The underlying shareholders include old Western financial magnates, royal trusts, and top international capital.
This serves as a natural link for the host to step into international elite circles in the future.
Stable annual dividends of 1.8 billion RMB can be obtained.
"One Divine Offspring Card!"
[Card Explanation: The host can obtain cash rewards by spraying offspring onto moist soil.]
Beside them, Wang Sheng and Qing Zhong also dropped to one knee simultaneously.
"We are willing to follow Young Master Jiang to the death!"
They had followed Jiang Cheng for a long time and had seen his power, his methods, and his strategic planning, but this was the first time they had seen him personally hold a blade and stain his hands with blood.
He did not avoid the gore nor fear the killing, yet he still maintained the calmness and restraint of a superior.
Such a lord was worthy of them entrusting their lives to him.
The room fell silent for a moment, leaving only the faint scent of blood lingering in the air and the voices of the three pledging their unreserved loyalty.
He turned around, not looking at the Snake Woman...
At this moment, Jiang Cheng had no mind for things like rewards.
"Let's go," Jiang Cheng said.
His voice was slightly raspy, but it remained steady.
Although the Snake Woman had the blood of many on her hands and deserved to die.
Jiang Cheng felt no sense of pleasure at this moment.
Xia Li followed behind, looking at Jiang Cheng's stiff back.
She didn't speak, nor did she try to catch up.
She knew that some things needed to be processed alone.
Jiang Cheng walked to the door and pushed it open.
The outside air rushed in, carrying the lingering dust, blood, and the faint scent of gunpowder from the courtyard.
All eyes in the courtyard turned toward him in unison.
Kun Dui and his underlings knelt straight, their foreheads touching the ground, yet they couldn't help but steal glances into the room out of the corners of their eyes.
Leaning against the wall, Zhou Guanshan's fingers holding his cigarette suddenly paused. His gaze pierced straight through the doorway, landing in a corner of the room.
Everyone saw it clearly.
The Snake Woman was slumped crookedly against a pillar, dark red blood dripping continuously down her clothes.
It pooled into a sticky puddle on the ground, soaking the blue bricks beneath her, and even the air was filled with a pungent, metallic smell.
Her eyes were wide open, her face frozen with the panic and resentment she felt before death.
Her lifeless corpse looked exceptionally hideous in the dim light.
Kun Dui and his underlings stiffened, their kowtowing movements pausing for half a second.
Their Adam's apples bobbed subconsciously; no one dared to make a sound, and even their breathing was kept extremely light.
Although they lived on the edge in Northern Myanmar and were accustomed to slaughter.
They still felt fear when it was their own lives on the line.
Zhou Guanshan's gaze darkened, and he almost crushed the cigarette between his fingers. He didn't speak, merely casting a glance at the Snake Woman's body.
Then his gaze returned to Jiang Cheng, his eyes filled with an indescribable complexity.
Jiang Cheng didn't look back; after stepping over the threshold, he only heard the people in the courtyard shout in unison and respect: "Young Master Jiang..."
As soon as they finished speaking, the system 'dinged' again.
As soon as they finished speaking, the system 'dinged' again.
[Ding! Final settlement for the special mission.]
[Mission: Assist Xia Li in her revenge and personally execute the traitor.]
[Deep mission assessment synchronized.]
[The host has long relied on power and subordinates, acting too cleanly. His mindset has not been tempered by slaughter. No one who reaches the top of the world's shadows can remain uninvolved forever.]
[Without holding the blade personally, one does not know the temperature of blood; without facing death directly, one does not understand what fear is; without suppressing nausea and tremors, one cannot weather greater storms in the future.]
[This mission was not for revenge, but to forge the heart.]
[Having the host personally stain his hands with blood, experience a scene of slaughter, and suppress his instinctive cowardice is to ensure that when he truly faces a desperate situation in the future, he will not panic or fear.]
[You may not like gore, but you must possess the qualification to face it.]
[With this, the tempering of the host's mindset is complete, and he officially possesses the fundamental state of mind to step into the world's top tier.]
[Completion: 100%]
[Evaluation: Crossing regions, acting personally, and facing the threat of a shadow organization; rated as an S+ rank mission.]
[Reward 1: 30% control over Northern Myanmar's underworld.]
Kun Tui and his entire power chain pledge permanent loyalty.
Control over Northern Myanmar's arms, ports, and Dark Web channels, linking with Thailand's underworld to form a Southeast Asian domain.
[Reward 2: Underworld Exemption Order]
International underworld bounties and organizational rewards against you are automatically invalidated.
Shadow forces cannot launch unprovoked assassinations against you...
[Reward 3: Remodeling of the Old Body · Slow Healing (Xia Li Exclusive)]
Deeply repairs old internal organ injuries, rib damage, and heart-lung sequelae. The body will steadily recover year by year, with endurance and stealth talents awakening. Scars will slowly fade, and she will no longer suffer from old injuries.
The system's notifications were still echoing in his mind, and Jiang Cheng's brow furrowed slightly...
Naturally, it wasn't because of the rewards, but because of what the system had said.
You may not like gore, but you must possess the qualification to face it.
If he didn't have the 'Sit Like a Clock' skill, would he be able to maintain his current composure next time?
Jiang Cheng didn't know...
All he knew was that right now, he just wanted to be alone for a while...
Kun Dui's knees had gone numb from kneeling, but he didn't dare move.
With his forehead pressed against the cold ground, a single sentence kept repeating in his mind.
Would Young Master Jiang hold him accountable?
His blind subordinates—of all the people to kidnap, they just had to kidnap one of Young Master Jiang's people.
Although he had personally handed over the Snake Woman, and although the trash who came to snatch her had been cleaned up by Young Master Jiang's men, was this matter... over?
He didn't know, because from then until now, Jiang Cheng had only said two words to him.
Those were, "Where's the person?"