Chapter Twenty: Malignant Tumor

The less one possesses, the more essential it is to plan ahead—this was the resolution Chen Hongxu made the moment he first smuggled himself over. Even if Su Xiaoxiao truly was just an ordinary team leader, even if their mission went off without a hitch, he never intended to return with the others. At the heart of it, distrust was the primary reason.

Relying on the memories in his mind, Chen Hongxu ran relentlessly. Without pausing for a single moment, he arrived at the abandoned wharf by the afternoon of the following day.

Around the wharf, a jumble of derelict boats lay scattered in disarray, and the air was thick with a nauseating stench—a blend of rust and the decay of dead fish and shrimp—that made it hard to breathe.

Holding his breath, Chen Hongxu nodded toward an old acquaintance who had clearly been waiting at the wharf for some time.

This ever-unchanging old acquaintance was, of course, Uncle De, Xue Xi’s personal bodyguard. When he saw Chen Hongxu arrive, Uncle De smiled with relief. Without a word, he ushered Chen Hongxu onto a speedboat that had long been prepared. The vessel sliced through the waves, swiftly carrying the two men away from the forsaken pier.

...

The Tss was a yacht reserved exclusively for Xue Xi. As her personal property, it was a rare sight even for members of the Xue family—let alone anyone else. It had been a fifteenth birthday gift from Xue Baishu, given to her despite widespread objections.

A week earlier, Xue Xi had exuberantly invited the whole family aboard her yacht for a summer retreat to the international waters between China and Japan. Everyone accepted with pleasure. The summer was sweltering with few appealing destinations, and besides, who could refuse an olive branch extended by the direct line of the Xue clan?

They set off in grand procession, but the anticipated voyage never materialized. The Tss, as if stricken by some mishap, came to a halt at a certain point and remained motionless upon the sea. True, the yacht was replete with entertainment facilities and well-stocked with food and fresh water, but it was summer—the sea was at its most restless.

Days of unceasing rain had left the passengers increasingly anxious. Whispers circulated: perhaps Xue Xi had discovered she was terminally ill and intended to take everyone down with her? Why else would Xue Baishu himself not come on such a splendid trip?

Of course, these feelings were harbored in silence. The bodyguards aboard were personally selected by Xue Baishu for their loyalty to Xue Xi—there was no question of their allegiance.

But before the might of nature, fear of any person seemed to dwindle. In a standard lounge, a group of young collateral relatives of the Xue family sat together, faces disgruntled as they discussed:

“Baldy’s been missing for days now. Do you think he’s gone ashore?”

“You mean that hairless mutt who’s always by Xue Xi’s side? I remember seeing him only on the first day—he hasn’t shown up since.”

“This isn’t the time to discuss such things.” A man with a brooding expression, legs crossed on the sofa, rapped his fingers against the wall and said coolly, “Xue Xi has lost her mind. No one knows what she’s thinking, and no one can restrain her. If we keep letting her toy with us like this, even if we survive this ordeal, who’s to say she won’t look down on us in the future? Life will only get harder. Being away from the Xue estate now is actually an opportunity for us.”

“An opportunity?” The others looked at the speaker with a mix of scorn and curiosity.

The man’s name was Xue Guixing, an adopted child from one of the collateral branches, named so to remind him to value the family name above all. And Xue Guixing had not disappointed—he had always worked diligently for the Xue family. But deep down, he knew that no matter how hard he tried, he would never truly belong; he was just a tool for the Xue bloodline to amass wealth.

Despite this knowledge, he had endured for all these years for a reason: the Xue family’s treasured daughter. As the sole heir of the direct line, Xue Xi’s aura was unmatched, and she had her fair share of endearing qualities. Before bringing Chen Hongxu home, she greeted every family member with a smile; even when angered, she would only cry in private, never lashing out at others.

He had worked tirelessly, hoping to catch Xue Xi’s attention. Yet at that party, her every word and gesture shattered the heart of this man who had spent a decade in the Xue house, topping every class and earning a reputation as a workaholic. The emptiness he felt, as if a decade’s efforts had dissolved overnight, left a twist in his soul.

Xue Guixing was well aware that the other collateral relatives looked down on him as an adopted child, but he didn’t care. Smiling, he continued, “Back at the Xue estate, reaching the castle atop the hill takes passing countless checkpoints. We rarely even get to see Xue Xi. But things are different now. There are a hundred bodyguards on this trip, but they work in shifts, so only fifty are on duty at any given time.”

Seeing that everyone’s attention was now fixed on him, Xue Guixing narrowed his eyes and added, “And don’t forget, not all fifty are assigned to Xue Xi’s side. Some guard the bridge and other key locations, lest we get desperate. From my observations these past few days, since Baldy’s been gone, Xue Xi is left with just two bodyguards.”

“So what? Even if you get rid of Xue Xi’s guards, what then? If we do anything to her, our days will be numbered once we return to the Xue estate. And those bodyguards are all elite—what do you expect us pampered sons to do against them?”

Xue Guixing, pleased by the pointed question, smiled and said, “Naturally, I have a way to deal with the bodyguards—otherwise, I wouldn’t bring this up.” He drew a pale revolver from behind him and placed it on the table. “Everyone knows weapons aren’t allowed on this yacht, but not long ago, a client gave me this ivory pistol as thanks for solving a problem for him. Against bodyguards without firearms, it’ll suffice.”

“Even if you ambush the guards, then what?”

“Then?” Xue Guixing burst into laughter. “Then I’ll force myself on Xue Xi.”

At those words, everyone’s faces turned deathly pale. Several young men dropped their glasses, glaring at Xue Guixing. If he couldn’t offer a reasonable explanation, they looked ready to act. It wasn't out of any love for Xue Xi, but because if anything happened to her, Xue Baishu would surely tear them all apart.

Xue Guixing was unfazed, waving his hand as he explained, “I have my reasons. If one of you did it, given your blood ties to Xue Xi, she might be driven to suicide. But I’m an outsider—she’ll either swallow her resentment, or kill me. Even if she does kill me, the deed will be done, and if you all talk to her, perhaps she’ll accept it.”

“Listening to you, it’s not entirely impossible. But why should we take all the risk while you reap the rewards?” The group of collateral relatives folded their arms and sneered.

“If I marry Xue Xi and become head of the family, would you even accept me? I'd be nothing but your puppet. And it’s not as risky as you think—if Xue Xi insists on dying, I’ll go with her. It won’t have anything to do with you.”

The rest of the collateral branch fell silent for a while, then nodded in agreement, beginning to discuss the details of their plan.

These sycophants had no understanding of Xue Xi’s character, but Xue Guixing wore a faint smile, thinking to himself: If I can’t have you, then I’ll destroy you.

He had studied Xue Xi for years and knew that anyone who dared such a thing would find no path but death. He understood, all too well. But what did it matter? To destroy his goddess was worth it.