Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 486: Not Important

The bodyguards outside had seen Lin Ruoxi and Yang Chen before, so they didn't stop or question them. They simply nodded and opened the door to let them in.

As Lin Ruoxi entered, Yang Chen hesitated for a moment, then took out a crumpled pack of cheap cigarettes from his jacket pocket. He looked at his meager stash, grinned, and cheerfully took out the only two remaining cigarettes. He handed one to each of the two bodyguards.

"Thanks for your hard work, brothers. Guarding the door isn't easy. Have a smoke to relax," Yang Chen said with a smile in Korean.

The two Korean bodyguards had received cigarettes from others before, but this was the first time anyone had offered such poor-quality ones. Nevertheless, for the sake of politeness, they couldn't refuse. With forced smiles, they reluctantly accepted the cigarettes and even managed to say thank you.

Lin Ruoxi, who had walked ahead, wondered what Yang Chen was doing at the door. When she turned back and saw this scene, she immediately wanted to hide in embarrassment.

"What are you doing?" Lin Ruoxi couldn't help but glare at Yang Chen with a frosty expression.

Yang Chen innocently responded with an "ah" and explained, "Didn't you say we should get along with Liu Yanxi? I thought I should start with the basics and get on good terms with her bodyguards, so I gave them a couple of cigarettes. If I'd known, I would have bought a few more packs. Now that I've given these two away, I don't have any left for myself."

Seeing Yang Chen's dejected look, Lin Ruoxi didn't know how to communicate with this "alien." She could only take a deep breath to calm herself before turning to walk inside.

Yang Chen helplessly rubbed his nose, thinking it wasn't his fault. After all, he only had these cheap cigarettes. He couldn't look down on common folk's consumption habits, right? Nevertheless, he quickly followed her.

After passing a screen, they finally saw the star of the concert, Liu Yanxi.

Liu Yanxi, who was sitting in front of a mirror, was having the finishing touches done by a hairstylist. Her long, black hair, though seemingly casually tied, had clearly taken a lot of effort to appear both stylish and simple.

Several staff members were busily moving around behind her, coordinating with the stage crew ahead. No one paid much attention to Yang Chen and Lin Ruoxi's arrival.

However, Liu Yanxi noticed them in the mirror and gestured for the hairstylist to stop.

After the hairstylist stepped aside, Liu Yanxi stood up from her seat. Dressed in a pink and white, sexy dance dress, she looked dazzling. Her fair shoulders, ample bosom, and slender legs were all like finely crafted works of art.

Even though Yang Chen had no fondness for this woman, he had to admit that if her beauty wasn't due to cosmetic surgery, then she was indeed extraordinary.

Unfortunately, even without makeup and dressed in a conservative business suit, Lin Ruoxi standing in front of Liu Yanxi didn't seem to be overshadowed at all. In fact, this made Liu Yanxi's extravagant attire seem somewhat lackluster.

Liu Yanxi, sensing the difference between herself and the woman in front of her, felt uncomfortable but didn't show it. Instead, she adopted a more open and welcoming demeanor, walking up with a smile.

"My manager told me that President Lin and Director Yang from Yulei would be here to support me. Despite our past misunderstandings, I still want to thank both of you for coming," Liu Yanxi said with a sweet smile.

"Miss Liu, the misunderstandings between us are not worth harming our relationship. There will be many opportunities for collaboration in the future. As sponsors, it's only right for us to be here," Lin Ruoxi said calmly, giving Yang Chen a look that signaled him to step forward.

Yang Chen forced a bitter smile but still moved ahead to greet Liu Yanxi. "Wishing you success in your performance, Diva Liu."

Liu Yanxi's confidence seemed to return, and she smiled charmingly. "I hope Director Yang is sincere in his words."

"Miss Liu, you jest. I've never been one to be insincere," Yang Chen replied with a smile.

Liu Yanxi's smile stiffened slightly. Yang Chen's words clearly alluded to his previous sarcastic remarks, and he didn't seem to have any intention of taking them back.

However, with the concert about to begin, Liu Yanxi knew it wasn't the time for a lengthy conversation. She turned to a female assistant waiting nearby and said, "Young-ri, bring me three glasses of champagne."

The Korean assistant, named Young-ri, dressed in a black professional suit and with an unremarkable appearance, showed great respect for Liu Yanxi. She immediately complied and went to fetch the champagne.

"Although it's customary to drink champagne after a concert to celebrate, I assume you two might not stay until then. So, please, let's share a glass now as a token of my appreciation for your visit," Liu Yanxi said with a smile.

The words sounded polite, but the underlying message was clear: drink up and then leave.

Lin Ruoxi didn't get angry at Liu Yanxi's attitude. Instead, she glanced worriedly at Yang Chen, expecting him to be displeased. Surprisingly, Yang Chen seemed distracted, thinking about something else.

When he noticed Lin Ruoxi's questioning gaze, Yang Chen shook his head with a smile. "It's nothing. I was just thinking how considerate Miss Liu is."

Lin Ruoxi didn't believe that Yang Chen was genuinely pondering such a matter, but she chose not to ask further.

Soon, Young-ri returned with a tray holding three glasses of sparkling champagne, the fragrance spreading around them.

As the host, Liu Yanxi was about to take a glass, but Yang Chen's hand reached out first, snatching the glass from in front of her.

"Hey, Miss Liu, this champagne looks good. Let me have a taste first," Yang Chen said bluntly, raising the glass to his mouth and downing it in one gulp.

Liu Yanxi frowned slightly. "I'm glad Director Yang likes it."

Yang Chen put down the empty glass and smiled. "It tastes great. Let me have these two as well."

Without waiting for a response, Yang Chen picked up the remaining two glasses, one in each hand, and drank them both in front of the two women.

Young-ri, the assistant, was visibly shocked by the scene, her ordinary face showing an expression of surprise.

Lin Ruoxi was also annoyed, unable to understand what had gotten into Yang Chen. They could have simply finished their champagne and left, fulfilling the social visit. Was he intent on causing a scene?

But before Lin Ruoxi could think further, Yang Chen's face suddenly twisted in pain, his features contorting, eyebrows furrowing, and his complexion turning pale.

"Ah—"

With a pained scream, Yang Chen suddenly clutched his abdomen, his eyes widening as he collapsed weakly to the floor!

The sudden change stunned both Lin Ruoxi and Liu Yanxi. Just moments ago, Yang Chen had been fine, but now he was supporting himself on the floor, trembling violently as if possessed!

"Yang Chen!" Lin Ruoxi was the first to snap out of her shock. She hurriedly knelt beside him, her previously calm demeanor vanished. Her face was now as white as a sheet, drained of all color.

She held Yang Chen's body with both hands, anxiously asking, "Don't scare me! What's wrong with you?!"

Yang Chen struggled to lift his head, his eyes bloodshot, his lips trembling as he gasped, "Poison... champagne..."

A series of crashing sounds followed as the tray in Young-ri's hands fell to the floor, shattering the glasses into pieces.

Young-ri's face had turned pale and stiff. She swallowed hard, unable to speak, her whole body trembling as if her soul had been completely drained. She muttered something under her breath but couldn't make any sound.

The bizarre sequence of events finally drew the attention of all the staff in the dressing room. Seeing Yang Chen on the floor and the terrified Young-ri, everyone was puzzled and urgently wanted to know what had happened.

Liu Yanxi, who had been in a daze, finally realized what was happening. She spun around to face Young-ri, her previously elegant and beautiful face now twisted in anger.

"Slap—"

With a sharp sound, Liu Yanxi's slap sent Young-ri sprawling to the ground!

"How dare you poison me?!" Liu Yanxi had forgotten to use Chinese, shouting angrily in Korean.

It dawned on the others that Young-ri had tried to poison Liu Yanxi but somehow ended up harming the visiting guest instead.

Young-ri, reeling from the slap, clutched her reddened cheek and burst into tears, wailing, "Miss Liu, I'm sorry! If I didn't do it, my parents, and my little brother in elementary school, would be killed!"

"And you thought you could just poison me on someone else's orders? Do you realize if I die, your whole family would still be doomed?!" Liu Yanxi, furious, kicked Young-ri hard in the chest!

The heel of her high-heeled shoe caused serious damage to Young-ri's chest, making her cough up blood and unable to speak from the pain.

At this point, the bodyguards outside finally rushed in. Seeing the chaotic scene, they quickly and efficiently cleared out those not involved, sternly warning them not to utter a word.

Most people were too scared to defy the bodyguards' orders, fearing they might become the next victims in this attempted murder case.

Young-ri, kicked multiple times by Liu Yanxi, had passed out from the pain, covered in blood. A strong bodyguard dragged her to another room for detention.

As Liu Yanxi calmed down, she remembered there was still the "victim" Yang Chen. However, when she looked around, she realized that the man who had drunk three glasses of poisoned champagne was nowhere to be seen.

"Are you looking for me?"

Yang Chen's voice came from the shadows of the room, startling everyone.

Liu Yanxi heard Yang Chen's voice coming from behind her. She turned around and saw Yang Chen sitting happily on a dressing chair, greeting her with a normal expression on his face. There was no sign of the poisoning he had just experienced!

Lin Ruoxi, who had been so anxious that she was about to cry, was now standing beside Yang Chen with a fierce expression on her face, looking like she wanted to devour Yang Chen out of anger.

"You... you... how... weren't you just..." Liu Yanxi was somewhat incoherent. She had thought Yang Chen was already dead, considering that a poison intended to kill her wouldn't give any time for rescue. But now, it seemed like everything earlier was an illusion.

"Why I am still alive is not important," Yang Chen said, shaking his finger. "Miss Liu, what we should be discussing now is who tried to poison you. After all, this nearly cost the lives of both of us."