Tang Xiaomin hit Chu Chen's sore spot.
Anyone with eyes could see the vast difference between the two cities; they were worlds apart.
Faced with facts, any denial was weak and futile.
Chu Chen fell silent, his expression growing extremely grim.
Tang Xiaomin patted his shoulder.
"My media company will be established soon. Think about it carefully. If you don't agree, I won't force you. After all, the Underworld isn't lacking those who can sing, dance, and look handsome."
Having said what needed to be said, Tang Xiaomin didn't linger.
When it came to making money, Tang Xiaomin was serious.
Chu Chen's territory becoming part of the Underworld's was a perfect solution to the overcrowding problem.
This was all thanks to the current generation of young people, who were truly something else.
A large portion of them neither married nor had children, leading to queues for soul reincarnation.
...
In the Underworld, as Tang Xiaomin returned, Lu Xing was reporting to Yan Jue.
"Director Yan, King Taishan has retreated. He learned his lesson today and shouldn't dare to return anytime soon."
"However, the situation with the other Yama Kings is unclear, and the current circumstances are quite unfavorable for us."
In warfare, one needed both courage and strategy.
Yan Jue smoked, lost in thought for a while before finally speaking slowly.
"King Taishan seemed very interested in the sword I wield. Perhaps we can leverage that."
"Director Yan, you mean..."
"Spread the word that I possess a token left by Houtu, and my current actions are at her command."
If the other Yama Kings were to submit willingly, that would be ideal.
However, the chances of that were slim.
Lu Xing was dumbfounded by Yan Jue's words.
He thought, wasn't this utter nonsense?
Besides, shouldn't they have planned to release this news much earlier? They were already halfway through the conflict; wasn't this too late?
"Lu Xing, what are you still standing there for?"
"Uh..."
"Director Yan, if we release this news now, I doubt those Yama Kings will believe it. Moreover, there's still the issue of the Yama Lord causing trouble."
Yan Jue extinguished his cigarette and said with a teasing tone.
"Eight disorganized mobs, each with their own schemes. They were never truly united, and now with a sudden catalyst, what do you think will happen?"
Lu Xing was instantly enlightened, his eyes brightening.
"Director Yan, we shouldn't just release this news. We should release several more, continuously creating confusion for them."
"Go and do it."
"Yes!"
...
Tang Xiaomin walked in, hands behind her back.
"Yan Jue, I'm finding you smarter and smarter these days, what should I do?"
Yan Jue never feared any battle.
On the contrary, deep within his memories, a seed of defeating his opponents had been planted from the very beginning.
His master once described him as a natural-born killing machine.
But after his tribulation and disappearance last time, Tang Xiaomin's suffering during that period, while making Yan Jue's heart ache, also instilled fear.
He was afraid of causing her to experience that kind of loss again because of him.
That was his sin.
Peace and quiet, making her simply happy, was the best for her.
"If you don't like war, then I'll have to find a way."
In that instant, Tang Xiaomin's heart was deeply touched.
He was willing to change for her.
He used to fight at the drop of a hat; he wasn't as hesitant as he was now.
"Yan Jue..."
Tang Xiaomin couldn't resist burying herself in his embrace, desperately feeling the sense of security emanating from him.
In this embrace, she felt she could relax and fall asleep immediately.
"Since things have already come to this, no matter what happens next, I want you to promise me that you won't get hurt, okay?"
Yan Jue used to say that if Tang Xiaomin got hurt, he would go mad.
After Yan Jue's last tribulation, during the days when Tang Xiaomin thought she had lost him forever, wasn't she also gravely ill with pain?
Yan Jue held the person in his arms just as tightly.
She was his concern for the future and his only weakness.
The Underworld was currently unsafe.
"Okay, I promise."
"And if you can't keep it?"
"If I can't, you'll never speak to me again."
Her heart warmed, because he feared her saying she wouldn't speak to him the most. Although she was just pretending, he always took it seriously.
After a long while, Yan Jue was still reluctant to let her go.
After all, moments when she was so obedient in his arms were truly rare.
"Minmin, I'll handle things here. You should go home; you still have school."
Tang Xiaomin hesitated, remaining silent for a long time, her heart even more reluctant to leave.
"Minmin, your life was full of regrets. Now that you have a second chance, cherish it well. I can only give you this much time."
"After graduation, I will marry you. Then, it will be husband and wife singing in harmony, and you'll have to listen to me."
Tang Xiaomin pushed Yan Jue away, separating from his embrace.
"What husband and wife singing in harmony? How can we live like that? No."
"What! You want to go back on your word!"
Yan Jue's expression suddenly turned serious, and he grabbed Tang Xiaomin's wrist, looking at her intently.
The sudden seriousness startled Tang Xiaomin.
"Why are you so serious... What I mean is, after we get married, I don't want the husband and wife singing in harmony."
Tang Xiaomin withdrew her hand, her face slightly flushed, and said seriously.
"After we get married, I'll manage the money. Because men become bad when they have money, there's no room for negotiation on this matter."
"Also, after marriage, you'll lead in big decisions, and I'll lead in small ones."
After all, there weren't many big decisions in life.
"Also... I can't think of anything else right now, that's all for now, and I'll add more later if I think of anything."
"Can you... accept my conditions?"
Yan Jue looked at Tang Xiaomin with a profound gaze, his eyes filled with her at this moment.
His silence made Tang Xiaomin feel uneasy.
However, the conditions she had set were non-negotiable, not in the slightest.
"Why aren't you speaking? You don't agree?"
Yan Jue shook his head, the corners of his lips curling up into a smile that was both captivating and dangerous.
No promise could make him happier than her unintentionally including him in her future.
"I agree, I do."
He happily embraced her again, and then took her for a walk on the Bridge of Helplessness.
Looking down at the bridge, Yan Jue mused.
"Minmin, Buddha said that it takes five hundred glances in a past life to brush shoulders in this life. Do you think we've met before?"
Tang Xiaomin pondered but couldn't understand.
"Who knows? But metaphysics says it's better to believe than not to believe. So, we probably have met, right?"
Deep within Yan Jue's eyes, a hint of hidden worry flickered and vanished, instantly returning to normal.
Yan Jue patted his back, signaling Tang Xiaomin to get on.
And so, the scene became him carrying Tang Xiaomin on his back as they walked.
"Minmin."
"Mhm."
After a while.
"Minmin."
...
This time, the person on his back was breathing evenly, having fallen asleep quickly.
...
"Minmin, I hope everything isn't what I fear it to be."
...