{Chapter: 232 A reward of 10,000 counterattack points! Ruthless! Too ruthless!!!}
"I… I can only hear from one side now? I can only see with one eye?" he asked, trembling. His fists slowly clenched beneath the hospital blanket.
"…Yes." Chen Meng's voice dropped, heavy with helplessness.
A long silence followed.
But then Ye Feng loosened his fists and exhaled sharply.
He had changed since Gu Qingshan's death. The impulsive fire that once ruled him had dulled. He was no longer the boy who screamed before thinking. He had learned to endure.
Ye Feng forced a weak smile onto his face and bowed his head. "Thank you, Uncle Chen. If you hadn't come when you did, I'd be dead. You saved my life."
He moved slightly, attempting to rise and bow.
Chen Meng immediately stopped him. "Don't. You don't owe me anything. It's the least I could do. Years ago, you saved me. I've never forgotten that. Now it's my turn."
"But that little devil Lin Yuan… he's more dangerous than we imagined. Even with us in the same car, he didn't hesitate. He pulled the trigger, used a sniper rifle—without the slightest fear of collateral damage."
"Lin Yuan… Lin Yuan…!" Ye Feng's voice trembled with hate as he repeated the name. His hands clenched again, tighter than before.
"I'll kill him," he growled. "I'll kill him with my own hands. For Brother Qingshan. For myself."
Chen Meng nodded, his gaze darkening. "We will kill him. I swear it. Xiao Feng, that Lin Yuan is too ruthless, That boy's cruelty knows no bounds, and his attack is too cruel. Not only did you hate him and wanted to kill him. I also want to kill him. I will definitely help you! I underestimated him once—but never again."
Ye Feng's single eye shimmered. He looked at Chen Meng, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you, Uncle Chen. You didn't just save my life… you're also willing to stand with me when I'm at my lowest."
Chen Meng waved dismissively, but there was genuine warmth in his eyes. "Xiao Feng, you don't need to thank me. This isn't about just repaying a debt. The Chen family has been planning to confront the Lin family for a long time."
"I've wanted to lead my family back to Yanjing for years—but the strength of the Chen family has been too limited. In Jiangbei, the major families hoard most of the resources. There's no room for us to grow—unless we take it by force."
"My plan has always been clear. Start by dismantling the Lin family, claim their wealth and influence, then expand outward until Jiangbei is ours. From there, we return to Yanjing."
"I've been plotting this for seven, eight years now. So make no mistake—this isn't just about helping you. It's about taking what belongs to me, and to the Chen family."
Ye Feng looked at him, realization dawning.
This wasn't just a personal vendetta anymore.
It was the beginning of a war.
Chen Meng leaned forward slightly, his voice calm but purposeful. "In addition, Xiao Feng, do you know anyone influential from Demon City or Yanjing? If so, now's the time to reach out. We need every possible advantage. If they can lend a hand, together we might just be able to crush the Lin family completely."
This final suggestion from Chen Meng peeled back the last layer of his intentions.
It wasn't just about repaying an old debt. The truth was, Ye Feng's act of saving Chen Meng in the past had already repaid itself many times over. Especially now. At most, what remained was a sense of appreciation and mild goodwill. But in the current situation, sentiment alone wasn't going to drive their actions.
Ye Feng understood this clearly. He didn't feel bitter or resentful. In a world like theirs, nobody helped anyone without a reason—and that was fair. What mattered most was that they now had a common enemy.
An enemy that neither of them could afford to ignore.
Ye Feng nodded solemnly. "Uncle Chen, you don't have to worry. I do know a few people from both Demon City and Yanjing. I'll reach out to them and see who's willing to help. Together, we can increase our chances of dismantling the Lin family piece by piece."
Chen Meng's lips curled into a pleased smile. "Good. That's the kind of resolve I wanted to hear. For now, focus on recovering. When your condition improves, I'll personally pick you up and bring you to my estate. From there, we can make our plans."
"Understood," Ye Feng responded with determination.
The two had now forged an alliance. No matter how different their motivations were, their goal was the same: destroy Lin Yuan and his family.
---
Meanwhile, Lin Yuan had already returned home.
After taking a long, hot shower that helped wash away the fatigue of the day, he stepped out and noticed his phone buzzing on the table.
He wiped his hands, picked it up, and saw the caller ID. It was Yan Ruyue.
He raised an eyebrow with interest and answered, "Hello?"
From the other end, a soft, slightly nervous voice drifted through. "Do... do you have time tomorrow?"
Lin Yuan leaned against the couch, amused. "Tomorrow? What's going on? Something important?"
"Umm... I have two movie tickets. A friend gave them to me. I thought... maybe you'd like to go with me?" she asked, almost stumbling over her words.
Before she could say anything more, Lin Yuan interrupted jokingly, "Should we sell them to scalpers instead? Might make a nice profit."
Yan Ruyue was stunned for a brief second, then suddenly burst into laughter. Her laughter was like a spring breeze, fresh and warm.
"No, of course not! I meant... do you want to see a movie with me?" she said more directly this time, with a bolder tone.
Lin Yuan smiled. "I'm not free tomorrow. But the day after tomorrow, I could be."
"Okay!" Yan Ruyue quickly agreed, sounding relieved.
"Wait," Lin Yuan added, teasing again. "Will your friend's tickets still be valid the day after tomorrow?"
"Yes! I mean... they won't expire. Or... I can get new ones... I mean—"
"You mean you can buy more, even though they were gifts?" Lin Yuan said with a knowing chuckle.
Yan Ruyue's voice dropped, flustered. "N-no... they really were gifts..."
Lin Yuan laughed out loud, clearly enjoying her reaction.
---
On the other end of the line, Yan Ruyue realized instantly that Lin Yuan was teasing her.
Her cheeks turned red, and feeling too embarrassed to continue, she quickly ended the call.
It was such an old and clichéd excuse—"a friend gave me tickets". But coming from a cold and elegant beauty like her, it felt fresh and genuine. She had taken the first step, invited him out, only to be playfully mocked in return.
Still, had Lin Yuan said yes?
Was that a yes?
She wasn't sure. So, just to be certain, she picked up her phone, opened WeChat, and sent a follow-up message: Can you come to the movie with me?
Lin Yuan saw her message a few seconds later and replied with a single word: Yes.
When she read the message, Yan Ruyue's eyes lit up like stars in the night. She squealed softly, hugged the stuffed bear on her bed tightly, and even tossed it into the air out of sheer joy.
Her heart felt as if it had been filled with melted sugar.
---
Lin Yuan set down his phone and smirked. Even without seeing her, he could imagine how delighted Yan Ruyue must be.
"At this rate," he mused aloud, "one more week and the ice-cold beauty will be mine."
He remembered the feel of her long, smooth legs wrapped around his waist in a daydream he once had. The softness, the elegance... they might just rival the allure of Mei Yuxian's curves.
Lin Yuan thought about how Yan Ruyue's perfectly long legs felt when curled around his waist.
It should be comparable to the touch of Mei Yuxian's buttocks.
He didn't overthink it, but the idea of how those perfect legs could be used in far more intimate ways lingered in his mind.
How a foot job, thighjob will feel with those heavenly legs.
Still, despite the tempting thought of meeting her sooner, he chose to delay.
Tomorrow, he had something much more important to do.
Something that couldn't be delayed.
Just as he was about to put his phone down again, WeChat chimed.
Another message.
Lin Yuan looked at the screen and was genuinely surprised by who sent it.
*****
You can support me by joining my Patreon and get upto 60 chapters in advance.
patreon.com/Eden_Translation