Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 508: - Red Hair

Lin Ruoxi was about to take out her documents and pen from her briefcase to record the details of the fashion show when she noticed a group of people blocking the light around her. Curious, she looked up.

In front of her stood a tall woman, about 1.75 meters, wearing a light pink brimmed hat and a Milan-style sheer dress. She exuded an air of innate pride and nobility. The woman had chestnut hair, dazzling crystal lipstick, a high nose, and long, curved eyelashes visible behind light-colored sunglasses. Her delicate foundation carried a hint of Yves Saint Laurent perfume. Flanking the woman were two tall bodyguards in suits and sunglasses, exuding an air of intimidation.

Lin Ruoxi frowned. She sensed hostility from this woman but didn't recognize her.

"Get out," the woman said in perfect London-accented English.

Lin Ruoxi was momentarily stunned. She hadn't expected such a crude remark from someone who appeared so elegant. But she quickly regained her composure, her face growing cold as she lowered her head and resumed searching for her materials, choosing to ignore the woman.

"Hmph," the woman sneered. "Pretending not to hear? Or are you just deaf or blind?"

Lin Ruoxi paused, then looked up. "I don't know who you are, but I don't want to argue with an arrogant, unreasonable, and senseless woman in this setting. This is my seat. I don't know what reason you have to ask me to leave, but I can tell you it's not going to happen."

The woman removed her sunglasses and looked down at Lin Ruoxi with her cat-like eyes. "The front row isn't for a small-time businesswoman like you. Everyone in the front row, except you, knows who I am. The reason you don't recognize me is that you're not qualified to sit here."

"Meryl, calm down with your bad temper. This seat belongs to Miss Lin. You didn't reserve it, so you have no right to ask her to move," Stern interjected, clearly familiar with the woman named Meryl.

"Stern, why don't you go back to clinging to your sister Alice and mind your own business? If I were either of you, I'd be too ashamed to show my face outside. Do you really think you, the disgraceful noble siblings, have the right to lecture me?" Meryl retorted coldly.

Alice tossed her silver hair over her shoulder and smirked at Lin Ruoxi. "Miss Lin, this woman with a big chest and no brain is Meryl, a relative of the English royal family and the Queen's granddaughter. Her bad temper is just because her grandmother, the Queen, dotes on her and she relies on the influence of her family, the Stuarts. She's nothing but a foolish woman with no merits of her own, so the wise Miss Lin can just ignore her."

"Alice! How dare you insult me?!" Meryl screamed. "Do you think just because you're from the Duke of Cromwell's family, I'm afraid of you? This is an affront to our family!"

The loud argument naturally attracted the attention of many guests around them. Those with high enough status recognized Meryl and the Stern siblings and knew that Meryl was causing trouble again. However, no one was willing to step in for the "newcomer" Lin Ruoxi.

Yang Chen sat in his seat, watching Meryl yell at Lin Ruoxi with great interest. Although he had decided to teach this woman a lesson, he wasn't in a hurry. After all, this was a public setting, and acting rashly could harm Lin Ruoxi's professional image, considering she had business dealings with many people present. A violent outburst could lead to numerous headaches for her.

However, the event staff did not dare let the situation escalate. A man in a white suit, responsible for maintaining order, hurried over to Lin Ruoxi and Meryl, bowed, and greeted Meryl before asking, "Miss Stuart, what has made you so angry?" Clearly, Meryl was a familiar and valued guest, as his tone was extremely obsequious.

"I can't believe that after a year, the first row at the Tuileries Garden has lowered its standards so much. What is this woman, and what gives her the right to sit in the front row?" Meryl pointed at Lin Ruoxi.

The staff member forced a smile and said, "Miss Stuart, please allow me to explain. Originally, this seat was reserved for you, but you informed us that you would be in Sweden and unavailable, so we arranged for Miss Lin, the president of Yulei International, to sit here. Yulei International is currently one of the largest fashion companies in the world, and Miss Lin is one of our honored guests. We ask for your understanding."

"Haha, Yulei International? What a joke! It's just a company that could go bankrupt any year. And you treat this woman like some treasure? Ridiculous!" Meryl sneered. "Yes, I went to Sweden for the Crown Prince's wedding, but I'm back now. Are you telling me I have to sit behind this woman?!"

The staff member broke into a cold sweat, unsure of what to do, glancing between Meryl and Lin Ruoxi, unwilling to offend either party.

Lin Ruoxi quietly listened and watched. Faced with Meryl's unreasonable demand, she finally smiled mockingly and said coldly, "I am sitting here because it is my job and my rightful place. What you think or want has nothing to do with me."

With that, Lin Ruoxi ignored Meryl, took out the documents from her briefcase, and began reading.

Being blatantly ignored, Meryl flew into a rage. "You lowlife! Do you really think I can't do anything to you?!"

"Meryl, you should stop, or you'll regret it," Stern warned with a sly smile.

"Shut up! You can't scare me!" Meryl snarled. "Since the staff won't act, I'll throw you out myself. If you had given up this seat that doesn't belong to you, everything would have been fine. But you chose to challenge the honor of the Stuart family. Women from your country, don't think that earning some money gives you any real status. I'll show you how insignificant you are!"

Meryl clapped her hands, signaling her four bodyguards, "Throw this woman into the Seine. I'll take full responsibility for the consequences."

"Yes, Miss!"

The four bodyguards responded loudly and decisively, clearly accustomed to such tasks.

Lin Ruoxi never imagined that this woman named Meryl could be so crazy. In this venue, with so many social celebrities watching, she actually dared to act in such a way.

Hearing the four bodyguards respond, Lin Ruoxi finally started to panic. She was just an ordinary girl; how could she withstand these tall and strong white bodyguards?!

Looking around, she noticed that the Stern siblings were sitting with strange expressions on their faces, not knowing what they were thinking. Meanwhile, other guests and staff either acted as if they had seen nothing or whispered among themselves, waiting to see the show of Lin Ruoxi being thrown into the river. No one was willing to step forward and stop Meryl!

At this moment, Lin Ruoxi's heart sank. Her only hope was Yang Chen behind her!

However, when Lin Ruoxi turned her head, she saw Yang Chen standing with his arms crossed, wearing a leisurely expression as if enjoying the show, even raising an eyebrow at her!

This hateful guy, was he really going to watch her being thrown into the river with open eyes?! Was it because she expressed her dissatisfaction with him about this morning's incident?! Or was he also afraid?!

"Ah!"

Suddenly, a scream came from behind Lin Ruoxi.

Lin Ruoxi turned around abruptly and was stunned to find that among the four bodyguards who were about to step forward, one had a contorted face and let out a cry of pain, then collapsed softly to the ground.

A tall, burly red-haired man appeared behind the bodyguards. It was his hand that silently grabbed the back of the bodyguard's neck, using his grip to directly press on the bodyguard's arteries, instantly causing the bodyguard to faint.

"Tsk tsk, what a splendid takedown," Stern, who was watching the scene, clapped his hands in admiration, breaking the silence.

The remaining three bodyguards turned around and saw the red-haired middle-aged man. They were so scared that their legs went weak, and they stepped aside with pale faces.

When Meryl saw who it was, her face turned pale, her lips trembling as she barely managed to stammer, "Soren..."

The sudden change in the situation left many guests in awe, but most of them were experienced and weren't too shocked or frightened by a fainted bodyguard. Instead, some who didn't know Soren began to discuss who this red-haired man was.

"Soren? He actually came. What's going on? Why would he come to a place like this?"

"Bro, you know him? Who is this red-haired guy? He looks really fierce."

"You don't even know him? His nickname is the Red Eagle King, but the things he does are so terrifying that many British aristocrats privately call him the Red-Haired Devil."

"Him?!"

"No wonder he dared to lay hands on someone from the Duke of Stuart's family. I've heard of him. He was the ace commander of MI5 in the UK. Back in the day, due to political conflicts, he was hunted by opposition figures and fled overseas for more than a month. Miraculously, he returned to the UK and secretly slaughtered dozens of key opposition members, overwhelmingly forcing the government to cancel his arrest. He was even awarded a hereditary count title by the Welsh royal family, and the English royal family, who previously wanted to kill him, unprecedently compromised. To this day, no one knows what kind of power he used to achieve those impossible killings. This man is not an ordinary character. Meryl is in trouble this time."

Many nobles and local European tycoons around were whispering about Soren's identity. Such a formidable figure appearing at a fashion show was indeed rare.

However, Soren ignored the various looks of reverence directed at him and took a step back, bowing his tall frame respectfully, placing one hand on his chest and the other behind his back.

Facing Lin Ruoxi, whose eyes were wide open and still in shock, Soren, expressionless like a steel sculpture, spoke in an archaic English tone that only Lin Ruoxi could clearly hear, "It's an honor to meet you for the first time. My name is Soren von Ibro Lanca. It's an honor to serve you, noble Persephone."

Persephone? That name again?!

Hearing this name, Lin Ruoxi finally calmed down, recalling that the bank manager at the Swiss bank in Zhonghai had also called her by this strange name.

Although Soren's words were not heard by those around them, everyone clearly saw him bowing reverently and performing a salute of allegiance to Lin Ruoxi.

At this, the more astute nobles were left in a state of stunned silence, unable to comprehend why an ordinary Yanxia businesswoman would receive such a gesture of allegiance from the Red-Haired Devil.

But before they could figure it out, another scene made their eyes almost pop out.

After straightening up, Soren bypassed Lin Ruoxi and approached a seemingly insignificant young man, who was lazily half-lying in a chair. Soren bowed slightly and respectfully greeted the man.