Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 509: Punishment

A series of unimaginable scenes for the guests and officials present led to the fashion show starting time being delayed. Nobody dared to begin the event. Everyone's eyes were on Yang Chen and Soren, but no one dared to approach them, straining their ears to catch what Soren and Yang Chen were saying.

While Soren's notorious reputation in European high society was well-known, Yang Chen was completely unrecognized. Some even speculated that this man might be a secret member of the Welsh royal family, as Soren's direct allegiance was to the Welsh royalty.

"Really, although I knew you'd make a move, was it necessary to knock someone out right from the start? This guy's cerebral hemorrhage will probably leave him bedridden for a good while, if not make him a complete idiot," Yang Chen commented on Soren's approach, smiling but not seeming to blame him.

Soren, with a stoic expression, asked, "Your Excellency, should we kill this Stuart family woman here or outside?"

Soren's question sent chills down the spines of those who could hear, making their bodies go limp.

Here or outside?

The esteemed lady of the Stuart family had fallen to the point of being slaughtered at will, with the only consideration being the location?

A devil, this man truly was a devil!

Even more pitiful was Meryl, who had been so arrogant just moments ago. Recognizing Soren, she had lost all will to resist.

The remaining three bodyguards had retreated to who knows where, completely abandoning their professional duties in favor of preserving their own lives.

"Please, please don't kill me. I know I was wrong. Count, please spare me this time," Meryl pleaded, standing there alone. She wanted to run but lacked the courage, her legs seemingly glued to the ground.

Seeing Meryl's tears welling up, many guests felt a mix of pity and disdain. An aristocratic woman bullying the weak was nothing new.

Soren ignored Meryl's pleas, still waiting for Yang Chen's instructions.

Yang Chen thought for a moment, then leaned down towards Lin Ruoxi, smiling gently. "Ruoxi darling, this woman bullied you earlier, so I'll let you decide. Do you want to kill her here or outside? Do you want a quick shot to the head? Or would you prefer to run her over with a car? If that's not enough, we could throw her into a shark tank. My old friend Soren has a lot of great white sharks that love human flesh. We can start by dipping her feet in the tank and let the sharks bite her piece by piece, making her watch as her body gets shorter and shorter, starting from the feet."

Yang Chen's deliberate use of English ensured everyone present could hear him clearly. Many women started to gag, and even the men turned pale, looking at Yang Chen with fearful eyes.

Lin Ruoxi couldn't care less who Soren was anymore, nor did she remember her resolve to not show Yang Chen any goodwill. Seeing Yang Chen saying such things with a cheeky grin, her mind was in turmoil. After hesitating for a while, she finally managed to speak as calmly as possible, "There's no need for that. What she did wasn't that serious."

"That might not be certain. Today, she wanted to throw you into the Seine. If the people she encountered before were of lower status than you, she might have just killed them directly. Moreover, her temper isn't a recent thing. You're not the only one she has harmed," Yang Chen said.

Lin Ruoxi knew that Yang Chen was right. If she had really been thrown into the Seine in front of everyone, it would have been more painful than being killed.

Meryl initially thought Lin Ruoxi would let her go, but seeing Lin Ruoxi remain silent, she almost went crazy. Her legs gave way, and she knelt on the ground, crying loudly.

The event organizer, though terrified, thought Yang Chen might be joking. He stepped forward and timidly said, "Sir, please don't make such jokes. Miss Meryl is already begging. Let's ask her to apologize sincerely and make peace."

"Get lost."

Before the organizer could say more, Soren had already taken a step forward, his massive, imposing figure looming over the organizer, uttering the cold word.

The organizer felt an overwhelming chill, as if he could smell blood in the air, and was scared to the point of running away.

"Miss Lin, you need to make a decision quickly. Everyone's waiting," Stern, who had been watching with glee, laughed. He and Alice seemed completely unafraid.

For the first time in her life, Lin Ruoxi had the power to decide someone's life and death. In the end, she shook her head and said, "Don't kill her. Let her go, but give her a lesson so she won't act like this again."

"I knew you were too soft-hearted," Yang Chen said with a knowing smile.

Hearing that Lin Ruoxi didn't intend to kill her, Meryl was overjoyed and cried tears of relief, crawling to Lin Ruoxi's feet and repeatedly saying, "Thank you."

Lin Ruoxi frowned, feeling disgusted at Meryl's sycophantic behavior.

"Miss Lin, I will never forget your mercy. Our Stuart family will definitely repay you!" Meryl sobbed.

"Hmph, shut your mouth, you foolish woman. Your family's name isn't worthy of being mentioned here," Soren said coldly.

Meryl immediately shrank back, nodding constantly to indicate she wouldn't bring it up again. Although she was inherently arrogant, she knew her own limits. Faced with a madman like Soren, who even the royals feared, her life was truly worthless.

"Since my dear says not to kill her, we won't kill her," Yang Chen said, pursing his lips thoughtfully. He then told Soren, "Let's hand her over to the people below. Tell her family we're going to discipline her on their behalf."

"Your Excellency, how should we discipline her?" Soren asked.

"Nothing too bloody or violent. My wife said a small punishment, so break all her fingers and toes," Yang Chen said casually.

Meryl, who had just caught her breath, felt as if she had fallen into an abyss again, stunned and forgetting to breathe.

But Yang Chen hadn't finished yet and continued, "Don't crush all her fingers and toes in one day. Do one a day, twenty days per cycle. This way, as they break and heal, it will take three cycles, just about two months. Make sure to have a doctor watch over her so she doesn't die."

"Understood," Soren responded crisply.

Hearing these words, Meryl's eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the spot.

Everyone in the hall held their breath. Yang Chen's so-called "small punishment" made their scalps tingle.

Two sturdy soldiers in blue uniforms emerged from somewhere, efficiently carrying the unconscious Meryl out of the venue. No one dared to stop them along the way.

Lin Ruoxi watched the series of events unfold before her with mixed feelings. She glanced at Yang Chen, who was also smiling at her.

"Let's find a quiet place to talk," Yang Chen said, smiling, and without waiting for Lin Ruoxi to respond, he walked towards a resting area by the river.

Lin Ruoxi bit her lip, took a deep breath, and stood up, leaving her bag and documents on the chair, following Yang Chen.

The recent events had made the people in the venue wary of Yang Chen and Lin Ruoxi. As the two walked towards the resting area, the guests who had been sitting there quickly dispersed.

Yang Chen walked to the river railing and looked out at the water for a while. When Lin Ruoxi approached, he turned around.

"Do you think I'm too cruel, or do you have a lot of questions?" Yang Chen asked.

Lin Ruoxi brushed the wind-tousled hair from her face and shook her head. "I don't know if I should be happy that you did this for me or regret that I didn't stop you."

"Is that all? Don't you have other questions?" Yang Chen smiled wryly. "Honestly, I've always wondered, darling, don't you have any curiosity?"

"I remember telling you that if you want to tell me something, you will. If you don't want to say it, I won't ask," Lin Ruoxi said calmly.

Yang Chen smiled bitterly. "But I think that's not good. If you don't ask, it's often hard for me to explain."

"Alright then, what do you think I should ask?" Lin Ruoxi asked, adjusting her mood.

Yang Chen was slightly taken aback and thought for a moment before nodding towards Soren, who was standing quietly not far behind. "For example, who this guy is. For example, why I know him. For example, why I always seem unconcerned about killing people. And aren't you curious about the woman who walked out of my room this morning? You should have asked these questions long ago."

"And what difference would it make if I had the answers?" Lin Ruoxi's eyes showed a hint of bitterness. "Even if you don't tell me, I can feel it. You're not an ordinary person. The longer I'm around you, the more I feel like we're not from the same world. You can casually take a billion euros from a Swiss bank, far richer than I am. My wealth might be astronomical to ordinary people, but to you, it's just a small sum.

When it comes to power, there's no need to think much. You can kill whoever you want with impunity, cause gang upheavals in Zhonghai, and make Rose the underground ruler of Zhonghai. I know you must have an extraordinary status, which is why the government tolerates your actions.

But so what? Just because you have more money and power than me and can do things I can't, does that mean I should happily accept you being with other women, watch a strange foreign woman walk out of your room with a smile? Or should I graciously accept every woman around you, thinking you were born to live among women?"

Lin Ruoxi's words were gentle, but to Yang Chen, they exploded like thunder.

Yes, why should she ask? Even if she did, what difference would it make? Didn't she already know enough?

Would knowing everything about him make her happy and willing to stick to him, giving him everything?

If that were the case, she wouldn't be his wife, but just a woman he "bought" for a high price.

"Your words are really hurtful," Yang Chen said with a bitter smile.

Lin Ruoxi took a deep breath, her eyes slightly moist. She gazed at the boats slowly passing on the river in the distance and said softly, "If you really want me to ask, then I'll ask one question."

"Go ahead, ask. I'll tell you everything I know."

"Who is Seventeen?"