The blond-haired youth who had been expressionlessly stared at by Lian Qiguang for a long while began to feel uneasy. The little bit of courage he had finally mustered instantly scattered. He had not forgotten the oppressive feeling from earlier under the tree.
“My name is Shentu Sihao.” The blond youth forced himself to stand straight, legs slightly weak, neck stiff as he tried to act calm.
Shentu Sihao? Lian Qiguang quickly searched his memory. Unknown. Stranger. After reaching this conclusion, Lian Qiguang lowered his head again.
“You….” Being ignored again, Shentu Sihao grew irritated and stepped forward, raising his voice. “Do you really not know who I am?”
Seeing him step closer, Lian Qiguang slowly lifted his head again and looked at him expressionlessly. Under that gaze, Shentu Sihao’s legs began to tremble again. “I-I’m the Fourth Prince of the current dynasty.”
Seeing him still stiff-necked and pretending to be calm, Lian Qiguang lowered his gaze again, already calculating in his mind: if he kept making noise, should he kick him from the left… or the right?
Having spent many days together, Lian Xiaozhu—who had already become somewhat familiar with Lian Qiguang’s temperament—noticed his hand slowly moving upward and immediately felt something was wrong. She quickly grabbed his arm and nervously looked at Shentu Sihao.
“You should leave. If you stay any longer, my brother will kick you.”
Kick? Shentu Sihao shivered.
“I’m telling you, my brother can kick a robot flying in one hit.” Lian Xiaozhu hurriedly added, afraid he wouldn’t believe her. “He’s destroyed five training robots in a week at home. Someone like you? He’d deal with you like playing around.”
“D-destroyed five robots?!” Shentu Sihao’s legs were now visibly shaking. At this moment, he completely forgot he was an ability user; his memory was still stuck on the fear from that first gaze from Lian Qiguang.
Suddenly, Lian Qiguang moved. Shentu Sihao jolted in fear and stepped back quickly.
“I—I have no bad intentions! I just want to ask which family you’re from, and your name!”
Lian Qiguang looked at him calmly, then suddenly had a faint realization. No wonder he felt familiar—it was somewhat like the little crown prince.
His thoughts drifted briefly. The first time he met that little crown prince, he had been just as arrogant. Later, after his injuries healed and he taught him a lesson, he became much more obedient. Afterward, when the crown prince’s grandfather died, the old man had entrusted him to Lian Qiguang, and the boy gradually became clingy toward him.
“Lian Qiguang.” He came back to himself and said flatly. “That’s my name.”
“Ah?” Shentu Sihao blinked, still not fully reacting. “Oh! N-nice to meet you, I’m Shentu Sihao.”
“Hahaha…”
A loud laugh came from not far away.
Lian Qiguang looked over. A richly dressed old man was holding a coquettish young man half in his arms, laughing arrogantly. Opposite him stood Lian Yucheng.
“Third district? A commoner from the third district dares to come to a place like this? Sneaking in, perhaps? It looks like security needs to be tightened again.”
The old man’s voice was loud on purpose, drawing everyone’s attention. After hearing his words, the surrounding gazes toward Lian Yucheng changed—disdain, contempt, and distance, as if he carried some kind of disease.
Lian Yucheng’s expression remained cold as always, but Lian Qiguang saw the humiliation and unwillingness hidden deep in his eyes.
“Third district? How could someone from the third district come here?” Shentu Sihao frowned slightly at the scene.
“Big brother?!” Lian Xiaozhu was shocked and tried to rush forward, but Lian Qiguang grabbed her collar with one hand.
“Second brother….”
“Stay here.”
Lian Qiguang stepped out from the shadows.
Because of the dim corner, Shentu Sihao had not seen his face clearly before. And the first time they met, he had worn a hat.
Now, as he stepped into the light, his appearance was fully revealed.
Shentu Sihao froze completely, stunned by the breathtaking beauty before him.
“You piece of trash… do you want me to slice your skull open?”
His cold voice cut through the silence, drawing everyone’s attention. When they saw him clearly, all of them froze.
A white suit wrapped around his tall, slender frame. His slightly raised eyes glowed faintly under the light. His black glass-like pupils were cold and distant, and every blink seemed like falling tears. Perhaps from alcohol, a faint crimson stain touched his lips, making him dangerously alluring.
Step by step, he walked forward from the backlight. A dense killing aura and bloodlust seemed to surround him, as if he had walked out from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
Everyone knew he was dangerous—approaching him might mean utter destruction. Yet there was an inexplicable force drawing them closer, urging them to breathe in his presence.
As he approached, everyone held their breath.
Lian Qiguang stopped beside Lian Yucheng and took his cold hand.
“I didn’t want to get angry tonight… but.” His cold gaze swept across the faces around him. “I will remember every single one of you. Not a single one will be missed.”
He led Lian Yucheng away.
“Dark Light” was notorious for holding grudges and brutal retaliation. Everyone in Wolong knew it well.
If you offended Dark Light and he exploded on the spot, that might be better. But if he said nothing and left quietly… that was far more terrifying, enough to make people lose sleep in fear of retribution.
The crowd stood stunned, unable to speak. Even the old man trembled, cold sweat dripping down his face. He knew—just that one glance earlier had almost convinced him he was already dead.
Music resumed, breaking the suffocating silence. The banquet slowly returned to activity, though everyone’s thoughts were no longer at ease. Their eyes kept drifting toward Lian Qiguang, trying to guess his identity.
—
“Boss, he’s really different from what we found in the reports.” Xuan Lang frowned at the projection.
Xiahou Shaoxuan tapped his fingers lightly on the sofa, expression unreadable.
“Investigate again. See what has happened during this time.”
“Yes!”
—
“You stay here with her.”
Lian Qiguang led Lian Yucheng to the food table in the corner and gestured toward Lian Xiaozhu, then turned to leave.
“Qiguang.”
“You can rest assured.”
He paused and looked expressionlessly at the people on the dance floor.
“I won’t openly deal with him. I still know a word called—sack over the head.”
“……”
Lian Yucheng.
“Just wait.” Lian Qiguang turned back, still expressionless but very serious. “One day, I will make all these people kneel before you.”
Seeing his serious expression, Lian Yucheng suddenly felt an emptiness in his chest, as if something important had been lost in that instant.
Lian Qiguang left.
Passing by the still-dazed Shentu Sihao, he left a low instruction:
“If you don’t want to get beaten, find a way to lure that old man into the restroom.”