Chapter 92: The Hell of Asura?
November 7, Thursday.
At C City International Airport, bustling with activity, all airlines were scrambling to take off or land, trying to make every second count. Meanwhile, certain private jets could bypass this frustrating chaos, receiving preferential treatment from the control tower more efficiently and directly.
Elvin had flown away back to Europe, leaving only Emma and Luca, two barons, in Huaguo.
“Lord Wanyue, thank you for seeing Lord Elvin off. In the coming months, if there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to call me or Mr. Luca. I shall take my leave today.”
After covering the wireless communicator and confirming the successful takeoff, Emma turned and walked in front of Wanyue, offering a polite farewell with impeccable courtesy.
“Sister Wanyue, this Elvin has been in Huaguo for a few months and then suddenly returns. The matter with Wan Qiaoli, I fear he is manipulating it from behind.”
In the parking lot, watching the two departing barons of the Engel family, Zhao Peng snorted coldly and slowly moved beside Wanyue.
“If he doesn’t leave now, he might not be able to. If it weren’t for the Engel family’s influence among the global orthodox bloodlines, given the mess he created—no need to mention the Wang family; even the Dark Arrows would stop at nothing to keep him here if they found out…”
Wanyue lit a cigarette and coldly watched the receding figures: “Let’s go back; I’ve scheduled to meet with Old Jin to discuss some matters this afternoon, and you should join. For the club, we can gradually let Xiaowen and Jiangjiao handle the management.”
“Are you referring to the division of the Liang family and the large-scale infiltration of overseas dark bloodlines being related to the Engel family?”
Zhao Peng pondered, “Even the Wang family might not be able to manage this; the Engel family’s foundation is in Europe.”
“As long as the stakes are high enough, there’s nothing strange about it. The secret bloodline drugs the Engel family has developed over the past half-century are enough to tempt some into risk-taking. Has this country seen fewer traitors since a century ago?”
Wanyue let out a cold laugh, turning her head southward, her words laden with meaning: “Six months ago, the Tang family was used as cannon fodder. Last month, a core member of the Liang family inexplicably defected to the dark bloodlines. A large family can split just like that, with chaos in several southern provinces.”
“A week ago, the dark bloodlines went wild in C City; how significant must the interests be to trigger this series of events… It has already put the target on the Wang family’s forehead.”
Once the conversation reached this point, and involving the Wang family, Zhao Peng found himself without the right to speak, merely opening the car door and waiting for Wanyue to get in.
…
Above the clouds, at an altitude of ten thousand meters, a Learjet 650 was flying westward at a speed of 0.85 Mach, the sunlight behind casting a brilliant golden glow on its snow-white fuselage.
“Lord Elvin, this is what Miss Emma sent before takeoff…”
A man dressed as a bodyguard entered the luxurious main cabin and respectfully placed a small leather case in front of Elvin, then stepped back to stand at the door, keeping his eyes straight ahead.
Elvin opened the small suitcase, revealing a torn and blood-stained black dress with a gown bodice, atop which lay a polyester container.
Opening the box, the vapor of dry ice surrounded him, and a blood sampling tube was prominently visible; bright red blood shimmered under the cabin lights.
Perhaps due to the distinct stench of dark bloodlines on the clothing, Elvin frowned tightly. After a cursory glance, he lost interest and instead took out the blood sample with a mysterious smile.
He turned on the overhead spotlight, repeatedly illuminating the blood tube, removed the seal, and brought it close to his nose to sniff, a look of ecstasy appearing on Elvin’s face.
“It’s a pity it wasn’t drawn in a boiling blood state… But lucky enough, this will suffice to validate some matters.”
Pouring himself a glass of red wine, he played with the blood tube, admiring the unexpected prize from various angles, before finally setting it back into the box reluctantly.
“Frank, stop in Dubai and send this blood sample to Yi Yuanyuan for purity and compatibility testing.”
Closing the box, Elvin drank down the glass of red wine in one go.
“Yes, Lord Elvin.”
“Frank, stop in Dubai and send this blood sample to Yi Yuanyuan for purity and compatibility testing.”
Maintaining his pace upon hearing the command, Frank carefully approached to gather the box and quietly exited the cabin.
At the Golden River Club, in the small garden across from the main street, Zhong Jing was confronting a girl in a formal dress.
“What are you following me for? It’s not the weekend; don’t you have classes?”
Zhong Jing stared at the silent Kawai Harumi, then at Bai Yu Qian Zhen who was standing with her head lowered a distance away, feeling a surge of inexplicable frustration.
“Jing-kun, didn’t you promise me that you would take me with you whenever you go out?”
Kawai Harumi looked up, smiling brightly at the young man’s face, speaking softly: “And it’s the glory of Hyacinth; if you take me along, you’ll face far fewer troubles.”
“Heh, when did I ever promise you? Aren’t you a spy sent by the Fujiwara family? Are you still worried that someone might steal your merit?”
Zhong Jing no longer gave her a glance, boringly lit a cigarette, hands in pockets, and turned to head towards the Golden River Club.
Kawai Harumi hastily took a few steps to catch up and naturally linked her arm with Zhong Jing.
The young man halted, his gaze slowly shifted to his arm with her little hand: “I’m going to the Golden River Club to drink and flirt with girls; are you going too?”
“Yeah, at least I want to see who would attract Jing-kun’s attention.”
Kawai Harumi said casually, but her expression was somewhat conflicted: “The Hyacinth should know of my existence, but I also wish to meet Lord Kuan Yue. Jing-kun, don’t worry; everything I do is for your consideration.”
“You think I would believe that? Do as you please… By the way, if you’re following me, let go of my hand. I don’t want to give people the wrong idea in public.”
Zhong Jing grumbled impatiently, but his body didn’t move.
As soon as he spoke, Zhong Jing felt a powerful tremor from the girl beside him, as if a volcano was about to erupt, the thin, fragile crust desperately suppressing the violent pressure from the mantle.
“Jing-kun, I’m sorry.”
After several seconds, Kawai Harumi’s hand slowly left Zhong Jing’s arm, taking a step back and slightly bowing, her expression downcast.
Your endurance truly exceeds my imagination… That group from the Fujiwara family trained you well.
Zhong Jing lowered his brows, sighing deeply, half-helplessly: “Let’s go. Today is an exception. But I can tell you that my master is unreachable today; whatever you want to talk to her about, you can tell me.”
“Jing-kun is just an ordinary person and shouldn’t get involved,” Kawai Harumi bit her lip, replying softly.
Heh, I’m an ordinary person? It’s too late; now I just want to be a common person who is utterly lazy.
Looking at the girl’s expression, trying hard to hold back tears, Zhong Jing could only shake his head with a wry smile.
Even if hated, being tolerant is Zhong Jing’s basic attitude towards women.
In an hour, the Golden River Club would officially enter its operating hours, but at this moment, it felt somewhat different than usual.
When Zhong Jing entered the hall with a mysterious girl, the atmosphere inside the club instantly erupted with uncontainable turmoil.
A chaotic, unclear aura reminiscent of Xiao Xiao’s seemed to flicker around the mysterious girl, deep and foreign, yet with one touch came a suffocating oppression.
Although there was no hostility present, it caused the vast majority of Hyacinth members to stand on edge.
The conclusion was that an unfamiliar bloodline, at least a baron, was casually brought into the Golden River Club by Zhong Jing!
Amidst the frequent exchanges of glances, the first to step forward was naturally the temporary head of the Golden River Club, Xiao Ai. Among all present, she was the only one with the longest tenure in Hyacinth, although she was still just a lower-tier knight.
“Sorry, miss, we’re a members-only club. If you intend to experience it, you’ll need a recommendation from an old member…”
Xiao Ai suppressed her inner fear, barely maintaining her composure in front of Kawai Harumi, though her voice trembled slightly. She cast furtive glances at Zhong Jing nearby, hoping to glean more accurate information from his expression.
Zhong Jing smiled silently, but Kawai Harumi took on a look akin to examining a toy, releasing an aura of testing.
As a sudden overpowering presence enveloped her entire body, Xiao Ai’s face began to pale; she could only grip her skirt tightly to maintain her composure, as a sense of despair, one she hadn’t felt for decades, started to spread throughout her body.
Without Wanyue or Zhao Peng present, if the opponent had any hostility, it was likely that within minutes, the entire Golden River Club would be destroyed.
Theoretically, besides dark bloodlines, neither orthodox nor rogue bloodlines would dare commit such acts in a bustling downtown area, but this tacit understanding was merely an assumption.
Looking around the first-floor hall at the scattered and faintly sensing figures of attendants or knights, Kawai Harumi regained her polite yet distant smile.
Casting another glance at Zhong Jing, Kawai Harumi gradually bowed, speaking in a soft, humble tone: “Good afternoon, I am Jing-kun’s fiancée, Kawai Harumi. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Ah? F-fiancée?”
The pressure from the opponent suddenly vanished, leaving Xiao Ai stunned, her brain lagging in processing as she turned her head to look at the awkwardly expressioned young man, her eyes wide, unable to believe what she had just heard.
“Is Master not here? Where’s Brother Zhao?”
After looking around the first-floor hall, Zhong Jing coughed lightly, stealing a glance at Kawai Harumi, who quickly lowered her head submissively.
“Wanyue and Brother Zhao are not here… How about you go to the second-floor private room?”
Seeing Zhong Jing’s strange expression, Xiao Ai racked her brain for possibilities, and seeing Kawai Harumi’s attitude was relatively courteous, she could only slightly step aside to clear a path.
“Ah?! Heinzmann piano!? St. Country one!”
Kawai Harumi’s gaze unintentionally swept past a corner, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she rushed over, even exclaiming joyfully in her native tongue.
Seating herself in front of the piano, Kawai Harumi took a deep breath, her face filled with joy as her hands rested on the keys.
After a few tone tests, the piece “Kikujiro’s Summer” flowed from her fingertips like clear water.
In the hall, apart from the beautiful piano music, there was silence, even Zhong Jing stood stunned.
…
In the female staff changing room, Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao sensed the change in atmosphere from the hall and entered a state of combat readiness.
Jiang Yan had a dagger in her left hand and a pistol in her right, her brows furrowed, but her expression still showed hesitation, as if she wasn’t fully committed.
Jiang Yao, on the other hand, had drawn a silver-plated Tang knife, exuding an extraordinary aura, eager to engage. Yet, several other Hyacinth girls changing clothes had already gone pale and were trembling.
The so-called numerical anomaly referred to a select few Hyacinth girls, especially the few female knights led by Xiao Ai, who privately nicknamed Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao.
Sister Jiang Yan had recently crossed into mid-tier knights, and sister Jiang Yao, under traditional standards, after her recent serious injury, her strength had not dipped but instead had smoothly transitioned into higher-tier knights.
But once the blood boiling was activated, these traditional standards meant nothing; the Jiang sisters felt as though their combat capability values were somehow miscalculated, as if the power limit of a “half-step baron” was being reset and rising daily, with no endpoint in sight.
As the saying goes, it’s easy to move from frugality to extravagance, but hard to return. After being around these two for so long, Zhao Peng’s peak state as a half-step baron knight suddenly seemed quite ordinary.
However, although the Jiang sisters displayed tremendous resolve and combat will surpassing most people at this moment, everyone could still tell that the pressure in their hearts was significant.
For example, Jiang Yao, dressed in a white blouse and black skirt, had even torn her pantyhose at the moment of crisis.
“Sis, the two of us should give it a try!”
Jiang Yao gritted her teeth, her eyes starting to redden as she activated boiling blood, and a powerful aura expanded in the changing room, directly reaching the half-step baron realm.
Whether one could win was an ability issue. Whether to fight was an attitude issue. Abilities can be lacking, but attitudes must be correct!
“Wait, don’t rush… This is a busy area. Even if the opponent has deliberately exposed some aura to test our reactions, they might not necessarily be enemies; let’s not show hostility too easily.”
Jiang Yan pressed down on Jiang Yao’s shoulder, her brows deeply furrowed. The other girls automatically stood behind Jiang Yan like birds seeking shelter from the rain.
Turning back to glance at the trembling other girls, Jiang Yan sighed inwardly.
Without Wanyue to keep the Hyacinth in check, it might not differ much from an ordinary rogue bloodline group, liable to be torn apart by a sudden storm.
“No, this isn’t good!”
Zhou Ping rushed into the female staff changing room, grabbing Jiang Yao’s arm, somewhat breathless: “Quick, baron, Zhong Jing, Xiaoyao…”
“Jing?”
Jiang Yao paused as if deciphering something, her pupils darkening with blood color, her body tensed, and she dashed out of the changing room before Jiang Yan could hold her back.
“No, it’s not… hey!”
Zhou Ping was red-faced, patted her chest, and finally managed to catch her breath: “That woman said she’s… Zhong Jing’s fiancée! A rival!”
“Ah?!”
Now even Jiang Yan was stunned, and a few seconds later, she humorously dropped the weapon she held.
After several piano pieces, in the first-floor hall, most of the Hyacinth members breathed a sigh of relief, as Kawai Harumi ceased to release her aura, and the tense, fearful mood gradually eased.
Even Zhong Jing hadn’t expected this white aristocrat, who instilled fear, loathing, rejection, and entanglement within him, to possess such captivating piano skills.
Among the onlookers, Jiang Yao was already entranced, her unsheathed Tang knife now held behind her, its boiling state lost somewhere in time.
As the last notes fell, Kawai Harumi stood up, smiling at Zhong Jing, then slightly curtsied, lifting her skirt.
It was unclear who began to clap, but soon after, a smattering of applause rang out.
Jiang Yao was about to clap when she realized the weapon in her hand; looking left and right, she directly grabbed Zhong Jing’s arm, pushing the Tang knife into his hands.
Kawai Harumi smiled and thanked the applause, slowly walking before Jiang Yao, scanning her up and down, smirking slightly, though her eyes revealed astonishment.
The familiar and rare fragrance of bloodlines only barons could vaguely sense was intertwined with some special aura, alongside a hint of unconscious warning that flashed through her mind.
“Mid-level… upper-tier aberrant, or perhaps just a facade. Your boiling blood aura was nearly nearing baron status, not quite resembling the Siberian bloodlines nor the Caucasian bloodlines.”
Kawai Harumi’s expression gradually turned serious, her beautiful large eyes locking onto the pale-gold-haired girl’s face, a cold smile forming at her lips: “You are Jiang Yao, the woman Jing-kun is fond of?”
“Him? Fond of me?”
Jiang Yao snapped back to her senses, her entire body jolting, and slowly raised her hand, pointing to Zhong Jing beside her, sporting a dramatically exaggerated and bizarre expression: “Are you mistaken? Are you sick?”
“What a lovely girl; no wonder Jing-kun cares so much, though it seems there are some upbringing issues…”
Kawai Harumi regained the proud demeanor of a bloodline baron, circling Jiang Yao, occasionally patting her hair: “It’s just a pity, such beautiful hair.”
“What are you pointing at me for?” Jiang Yao frowned and began to scrutinize her from head to toe, her expression turning unpleasant: “Who are you, lady!”
As soon as her words fell, apart from Zhong Jing scratching his nose, the distant onlookers couldn’t help but cover their mouths, stifling laughter, and many shoulders shook as they flushed and hurriedly retreated.
Kawai Harumi’s expression shifted slightly, taking a deep breath as she walked to Zhong Jing’s side, lightly linking her arm with his, turning to face Jiang Yao: “Jiang Yao, you’re a woman who easily attracts men, however, you might just end up harming Jing-kun.”
“What are you talking about?”
Zhong Jing’s expression soured as he forcefully shook off Kawai Harumi’s hand, delivering a mocking tone that turned unfriendly: “You make it sound as if everyone from the Fujiwara family are saints.”
“At least I wouldn’t harm you; my freedom is intertwined with your presence.”
Kawai Harumi murmured soft words only she could understand, lifting her head and continuing to gaze at Jiang Yao.
You are special, but you shouldn’t stay by Jing-kun’s side. You can’t protect him and might not even protect yourself.
Heh, this Japanese lady has quite the gusto; are you picking a servant for your future little husband? Are you out of your mind?!
Jiang Yao could no longer contain her temper, provocatively staring at the half-head shorter Japanese girl, launching into a verbal assault.
Where do you get your superiority? You really think you are the second lady of the Zhong family?
In terms of height, you’re shorter than me!
In terms of breast size, you’re smaller; exactly how much padding are you wearing? Do you even have an A-cup?
In terms of age, tsk tsk, calling you ‘auntie’ is already polite; you’re grazing on tender grass!
In terms of looks… just average, with no exceptional features.
Jiang Yao laughed continuously, playing the role of the reckless and fearless, tearing Kawai Harumi down from head to toe.
The onlooking girls surrounding them were in disbelief, witnessing a side of Jiang Yao that was bold and striking, starkly different from her once carefree and reckless demeanor.
Zhong Jing, after a moment of stunned silence, broke into a very mischievous smile.
Killing intent, overwhelming killing intent suddenly erupted from Kawai Harumi, enveloping everyone in the hall, causing all Hyacinth members below knight level to feel dizzy as they clutched their chests, collapsing to the side. Knights like Xiao Ai also struggled to breathe, their bodies gradually stiffening.
From childhood to now, even when Zhong Jing occasionally mockingly scorned her, she had never faced such a tone warming response.
Kawai Harumi trembled with rage, her blood-red eyes fixated on the pale-gold-haired girl before her, her flushed face crawling with murderous intent.
Although Jiang Yao also experienced intense discomfort, it was a far cry from the helplessness she felt when first meeting Wanyue. She immediately snatched back the Tang knife from Zhong Jing, activated her boiling blood, and ramped up her intensity, locking her blood-red eyes onto Kawai Harumi, relentless.
Enough! Kawai Harumi, how much ease do you intend to have? Do you wish to go to war with Hyacinth?
Seeing the situation about to spiral out of control, Zhong Jing swiftly pulled Jiang Yao behind him with a serious expression.
“I’m sorry, Jing-kun; I thought if two women displayed hostility before you, you would be pleased to see it.”
Kawai Harumi also coldly sneered, then turned her head towards the second floor. There, a girl in a black dress, with black hair, was holding a sniper rifle, also radiating a half-step baron level aura and emanating a chilling killing intent, aiming directly at her.
That must be Jiang Yan, similar to Jiang Yao but with more threat, are they the people Elvin is looking for…?
After a few seconds, Kawai Harumi withdrew her gaze, her boiling blood dissipating, and turned to Zhong Jing, sporting an odd smile. “Is it that men from China inherently defend against… defend against being a mistress? I remember there’s such a way to describe a third party in the Chinese language.”
You want me dead… don’t say a thing! I’ll send you back to school!
Feeling Jiang Yao’s Tang knife about to draw behind her, Zhong Jing’s back chilled, and he quickly took hold of Kawai Harumi’s arm, directly pulling her towards the exit.
“Damn you, little Japanese girl! Who the hell’s mistress! Dare to leave, and I’ll kill you!”
Jiang Yao’s face was flushed with anger; if not for being held onto tightly by Xiao Ai and the others, she would have charged over with her Tang knife by now.
Kawai Harumi, still holding her skirt, ignored Jiang Yao’s outburst as Zhong Jing guided her towards the exit, while also nodding back towards a girl on the second floor: “It’s a pleasure to meet you; since Lord Wanyue isn’t here, I’ll come back another day.”
Then, imperious and unconcerned, Kawai Harumi’s demeanor indicated that she would continue advancing unimpeded, though her palm holding her skirt was slightly sweaty.
Since I’m here, shouldn’t I sit a bit longer? Kawai Harumi, why didn’t you bring your brave cat along?
Suddenly, a figure appeared at the entrance, illuminated by bright light, charming and poised, exuding an air of contempt for everything with a pair of beautiful eyes shining with disdain.
All sounds paused at this moment, and Kawai Harumi’s body trembled, her expression changing drastically.
