Chapter 520: Self-Humiliation
Chapter 520: Self-Humiliation
It was noon outside the famous Louvre Museum, located on the northern bank of the Seine River in Paris.
Having just finished watching the morning fashion show at the Carrousel Hall, Lin Ruoxi walked alone, carrying her bag and strolling past the famous glass pyramid. She wore a black short-shoulder pleated skirt and black crystal-heeled shoes, her long black hair gently swaying in the breeze. The simple design and straightforward outfit still managed to capture the attention of many passersby.
In this ostentatious city, where colorful outfits and avant-garde concepts are never lacking, people's aesthetic standards are particularly demanding. However, Lin Ruoxi effortlessly broke through the barriers of Eastern and Western beauty standards. Even without an extravagant getup, she stood out from the crowd.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that her seemingly simple attire was, in fact, a luxurious new spring collection worth no less than twenty thousand euros. Those who could afford such attire were undoubtedly wealthy and influential. If not for this, several scouts or photographers might have already approached her.
At this moment, a handsome white couple, intimately embracing, stood up from the poolside and greeted Lin Ruoxi.
"Hi, Miss Lin, you finally came out. We've been waiting for you," said the blond man, who was naturally Stern.
Lin Ruoxi, who had been contemplating the fashion show and selecting new brand suppliers for the upcoming year, was slightly startled to see Stern and Alice.
"Mr. Stern, Miss Alice, were you waiting for me?" Lin Ruoxi was puzzled. When she went out this morning, Yang Chen had his own business to attend to and did not accompany her. The Stern siblings had gone their separate ways the previous night, and she hadn't seen them in the morning.
She had assumed that the troublesome siblings from the Cromwell family had finally gone off to enjoy themselves elsewhere. She hadn't expected them to appear suddenly.
"We saw you in the hall earlier, Miss Lin, but we felt the air was too stuffy, so we came out early. We've been waiting for you for over an hour," Alice said with a hint of suffering.
Lin Ruoxi had a bad feeling and calmly asked, "Why were you waiting for me? Is there something you need?"
Stern grinned and asked, "Miss Lin, isn't Mr. Yang with you?"
"No, he went to visit a friend in Europe. He might not be back until tomorrow," Lin Ruoxi answered honestly.
Stern "oh"ed and asked, "So where are you going now, Miss Lin?"
Seeing the expectant looks on the siblings' faces, Lin Ruoxi grew even more curious and replied, "I plan to get something to eat and then visit little Harry, maybe buy some gifts for him. It's a rare coincidence to meet in Paris and have such an encounter."
"That's wonderful!" Stern suddenly exclaimed, looking touched. "Miss Lin, you are truly the reincarnation of the Virgin Mary. We are so moved. We also want to visit little Harry. Why don't we have a meal together and then go to the hospital together?"
Have a meal together?
Lin Ruoxi realized that this brother and sister duo were trying to freeload again, and probably hitch a ride too. Though she didn't understand why they kept clinging to her, she couldn't bring herself to refuse them outright. Thinking it over, she decided to let it go; it was just a few days anyway, so she might as well go along with it.
"Alright, since I'm alone anyway, it won't hurt to have some company," Lin Ruoxi agreed.
Stern and Alice both visibly relaxed. Stern, looking a bit shy, said softly, "Miss Lin, you are really too kind. Mr. Yang told us last night that you wouldn't mind hosting us for a few more days. I was worried you wouldn't be willing, but it seems I was overthinking. Don't worry, once we resolve some issues with our family, we'll be able to repay you promptly."
Hearing this, Lin Ruoxi suddenly understood—it was that blabbermouth Yang Chen! Who told him she was happy to host these siblings for several days?! Money wasn't the issue, but who could put up with these two?! What if they started doing "that" in her car again?!
Now it was done; these two really were sticking with her. After this start, could she suddenly refuse midway?
Lin Ruoxi's expression didn't change, but she was fuming inside. Damn Yang Chen! If he wanted to go out and mess around, fine, but why leave these two clingy siblings with her?!
No matter what, Lin Ruoxi could only chat casually with Stern and Alice as they walked towards the parking lot.
However, Lin Ruoxi didn't notice that several other figures were also tracking them through the crowd.
At the boarding gate of the Louis XVI super yacht at the port of Le Havre, Feodosa and his group, along with the seven members of the Sword in the Stone, were all looking at a man approaching from a distance.
The man's face was somewhat delicate but unkempt, as if he had forgotten to shave that morning. He wore a red and black plaid cotton shirt, loose beige casual sports pants, and a pair of dirty Nike sneakers.
He was walking casually, with a cigarette in his mouth and his hands in his pockets, looking like a complete delinquent.
"The devil? You mean that guy?"
Feodosa had already recognized the man—it was Yang Chen, the man who had been personally bailed out by the Queen of Wales a few days ago!
This mysterious man was full of questions, but Feodosa had been too busy with work to investigate thoroughly. To this day, he still didn't know what stance to take on Yang Chen.
A terrorist? He wasn't afraid of that. But the Queen of Wales? He had to be cautious even if he wasn't afraid.
When Yang Chen was about twenty meters away from the group, he held a cigarette between his fingers and greeted them with a wide grin, "Isn't this Deputy Director Feodosa? What a coincidence to see you again! I was worried the person in charge of boarding checks might stop me, but since it's you, Deputy Director, there shouldn't be any problems, right? Hahaha..."
Feodosa's face turned dark. Were they that familiar with each other?
"Devil! Duel with me! I'm going to kill you!"
Suddenly, a young man named Prince, his face full of anger, shouted and stepped forward. He raised his left hand, and a crystal-like light sphere appeared, floating above his palm and emitting brilliant light. Even in daylight, the beauty of the light sphere was mesmerizing. Feodosa and the others were stunned for a few seconds, not having time to think about what this sphere was or how it appeared so suddenly.
"Prince! Stop it!"
Storm, Laura, shouted sharply and pulled down Prince's left hand, causing the light sphere to dissipate.
"Laura! Why are you stopping me? You know him!" Prince shouted, his eyes glistening with angry tears.
Laura responded coldly, "Because I know who he is, and you are not his match."
Yang Chen, who had been quietly observing, flicked his cigarette butt into the sea and carefully scrutinized Prince. He then looked at Laura and the others, frowning, "What nonsense are you talking about? Do I have a grudge with this kid? Why does he want to duel me? Kid, do you even know what a duel means?"
"I know!" Prince's fair and handsome face showed a fierce expression, as if he wanted to tear Yang Chen apart, "A duel is a battle with life at stake, devil! I'm going to kill you!"
Yang Chen scratched his head, "I don't remember doing anything to you. You're so young, I couldn't have stolen your girlfriend, and I don't need your pocket money. Why do you hate me so much?"
Prince, burning with rage, shouted, "Devil, don't try to escape! You must know who I am! Don't try to escape!"
A worried girl named Emma stepped forward, holding Prince's shoulder and softly persuading, "Prince, please don't be like this. It's scary."
"Mind your own business! Get lost, woman!" Prince pushed Emma away with a wave of his hand.
Emma, pushed aside, could only look at Prince pitifully, not daring to say anything. Laura, feeling sorry for her, gently patted Emma's head, comforting her.
Seeing the previously cool Prince suddenly become so frantic, Feodosa and the others broke into a cold sweat. If not for Storm forcibly stopping him, there would likely have been a fight just now. What was the relationship between this young hothead and the rascal Yang Chen?
Yang Chen rolled his eyes, "How am I supposed to know what I did if you don't tell me? I don't even remember the last time I took a dump."
"King of Hell, you may not recognize Prince, but you surely know his father, 'Heart Demon' Leswin," Laura said with hatred in her eyes, enunciating each word carefully, though it was clear she was holding back her anger.
Yang Chen was taken aback. He scrutinized the seven people more closely, recalling their identities after a moment. With a self-deprecating smile, he slapped his forehead and said, "My apologies. Living a peaceful life for too long, I almost didn't recognize you. You're from Sword in the Stone. We had quite a few encounters years ago, but with so many people I've met, it took me a moment to remember."
He paused, then laughed, "I do remember Leswin quite well. After all, he nearly killed me once. But in the end, I killed him. A duel is inevitable, and someone always has to die."
Yang Chen then looked at the furious Prince and sighed, "No wonder your technique felt so familiar earlier. Your father was a psychic magician, and it seems you are too? Not bad. Judging by your power, you don't seem any weaker than your father."
"I have surpassed my father. I will kill you, you devil. I will avenge my father," Prince said in a low, determined voice.
At this moment, Wood, the burly man from Sword in the Stone, stepped forward and loudly addressed Yang Chen, "Lord Hades, do you remember me?"
Yang Chen looked up, recalling, "Are you the Stone Man from back then? You survived?"
Wood grinned, "Back then, I watched as you single-handedly slaughtered our elite unit of Sword in the Stone, including eleven supernatural beings. By some miracle, I survived my severe injuries. At that time, Prince had just joined the Merlin Magic Association as an apprentice. He only saw the beginning of the battle before we pulled him away. But he remembered your face—it was you who killed his father right in front of him."
Yang Chen fell silent, his mind drifting back to the bloody days in England.
After accepting Catherine's commission, he had almost single-handedly turned the English royal family upside down. The Queen, unable to bear it any longer, had Sword in the Stone intervene in the royal power struggle. The elite team of the Merlin Magic Association was led by the psychic magician known as the "Heart Demon," Leswin. Leswin's psychic magic was profound, summoning the negative emotions within Yang Chen, causing intense mental anguish and resulting in extraordinary physical pain. Yang Chen's dark side was triggered, plunging him into an abyss of despair almost instantly.
However, true warriors always find a way to fight back in desperate situations. With his last bit of clarity, Yang Chen forcibly stabilized his mind using the Mind and Soul Rebirth Sutra, purging distractions and seizing the opportunity to kill Leswin, who was unable to resist.
It was one of the closest calls to death Yang Chen had ever experienced. But it had been seven or eight years, and he hadn't remembered it immediately.
The scene grew cold and tense. The seven members of Sword in the Stone were filled with hatred and enmity towards Yang Chen but did not dare to act rashly. Yang Chen, lost in his memories, felt a mix of emotions about those days.
Feodosa and the others were the most shocked and unsettled.
Though they didn't fully understand what the title "King of Hell" signified, the fact that this man had single-handedly slaughtered Sword in the Stone's elite unit was staggering.
This unassuming man from Yanxia was the mysterious figure who helped the Queen of Wales reclaim her throne and solidify her dominance over the British royal family? That explained why the Queen of Wales personally came to bail him out at the police station. Feodosa was drenched in cold sweat, realizing that if this man were truly angered, the French security bureau could be in deep trouble.
After a moment, Yang Chen chuckled softly and looked up, "Now that you've brought it up, I do remember. It's understandable that you hate me for killing so many of your comrades from Sword in the Stone. But that doesn't mean I'll let you kill me. If you have the skills, come and avenge them. I've been cultivating my mind and body lately, so I probably won't kill you outright. But for now, I need to board the ship."
Seeing Yang Chen about to board the ship, Feodosa was alarmed and asked, "Mr. Yang, are you also a participant in this conference?"
Yang Chen smiled awkwardly, "I wasn't invited, but there's no rule that you have to be invited to attend, right? I've come all this way, and it would be embarrassing to be sent back to Paris. I drove for nearly three hours and took a while to find this place."
"We have guards at every entrance. Without a pass, you shouldn't have been able to get in. Did you...?" Feodosa felt frustrated and angry but didn't dare confront Yang Chen directly.
Yang Chen quickly waved his hand, "Oh no, they're just unconscious."
Feodosa's face twitched, unsure of what to do. Blocking this man seemed extremely dangerous, but letting him board might disrupt the conference's plans.
"Deputy Director Feodosa, let this gentleman board. Forcing him to use strength to get on board would only be a disgrace to yourselves."
A cultured male voice suddenly spoke from behind the group.
Yang Chen wasn't surprised. He glanced back and smiled, waving at one of the two approaching figures.
The man walking towards them wore a stylish black coat with intricate gold buttons. He stood about 1.9 meters tall, with neatly groomed light golden hair. His face was handsome and composed, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and his skin was fair and smooth, almost as delicate as a woman's. He was undeniably a strikingly handsome mature man.
Beside him was a sultry, attractive woman who looked quite similar to him, making it obvious that she was his daughter rather than his partner. She was pouting, seemingly upset with someone.
"You're... Prince Sargeras?!"
Storm, Laura, finally recognized the man, her eyes filled with tension.
The appearance of Prince Sargeras even made the three Round Table Knights, who had been silent, tense up.
"No need to look at me like that. I, like everyone else, am here to attend this meeting with my daughter, Lilith. An old man like me, living a reclusive life, shouldn't be worth such grand attention," Sargeras said amiably.
"Father, why bother talking to them? These cowards are just afraid of your reputation. They've never even seen you in action, yet they're already this scared," Lilith scoffed, her gaze locking onto Yang Chen. Pouting, she said, "Lord Hades, what an unfortunate coincidence to meet you again."