Chapter 91 Substitute

Ruan Yi was still somewhat dazed when she left the club.

Half an hour later, she arrived with a large group of bodyguards, but they were all left idle.

She spent so many US dollars! Do you know how expensive one of these bodyguards is? She hired so many!

So she was sent out unharmed?

She stood there, lost in thought, when a car came to a steady stop in front of her, its urgency undeniable.

Fu Jingchen pushed open the car door and got out. Before she could react, the man pulled her into his arms.

"Oh my god! What are you doing here?" Ruan Yi was so startled that her voice almost cracked, and she inexplicably felt like she had been caught cheating.

How did you know I would come looking for Seren?

The man didn't answer, but just looked down at her, his eyes filled with genuine heartache and worry.

It felt like lukewarm water washing over her heart, so hot she wanted to run away.

She could accept these emotions from others, but with Fu Jingchen, she always wanted to escape.

Why does Xiaoyi always put herself in danger?

His voice was strained, filled with suppressed concern.

Ruan Yi was speechless when asked the question. She did feel lucky to be alive because her thought process was quite unique.

If she's a villainous female supporting character, then she's a minor villainous boss, right? She shouldn't die so easily, right?

The man tightened his arms around her, his palm gently stroking her back.

"Stop doing this, absolutely not."

The person in my arms was warm and soft, and perfectly unharmed.

But just now, when he thought about how she had come to find Seren alone, the wild thoughts that were growing in his mind almost devoured him.

If she were injured, he would kill Seren at any cost, then lock her up in a place where only he could see her, protecting her in the most extreme way.

This thought alarmed him.

He clearly despises this method the most; how is this any different from that man's approach?

But the idea kept popping up uncontrollably in her mind, and the man pressed her back a little harder.

"No, it must not turn out like that."

Only I know the weight of this emotion, as heavy as a shackle.

It has already gradually carved deep, bloody marks into my heart.

The night gradually deepened.

Inside the Anderson family's sprawling estate.

In the study, an old man with a gold-handled cane sat upright in a chair, his aged and profound face exuding a dignified and imposing presence.

He raised his hand, and his cane, accompanied by a strong gust of wind, swung towards the blond man kneeling in front of him, slamming heavily onto the shoulder of the man wearing the diamond mask.

A heavy, muffled thud made one's teeth ache.

The man's kneeling figure swayed only slightly, but he managed to stay steady without uttering a single groan of pain, and not even his shoulders trembled.

"You are just a substitute."

The old man's voice was hoarse and cold, and the tip of his cane jabbed at the ground.

"Just follow the script I gave you, and don't have any other thoughts."

The blond man lowered his eyes, and the eyelashes beneath his mask cast shadows under his eyes.

He was not particularly noteworthy among the Anderson family's men, but later, due to his outstanding abilities, he was transferred to the old man's side.

The real Seren Anderson remains in a coma after the explosion.

The Anderson family was already rife with undercurrents, with collateral branches eyeing the family covetously and countless illegitimate children eager to make their move.

As long as the position of Throner remains vacant, the risk of the regime falling apart increases.

The reason Mr. Anderson chose him was simply because of his clean-cut appearance and his similar physique to Seren.

It can both stabilize the situation and be "easy to control".

After all, Anderson's current situation doesn't allow him to worry about so much; having made too many enemies is not a good sign.

In particular, the report from that Eastern businessman, NovaVoy, an industry leader, launched a comprehensive and multi-pronged counter-sanction against the Anderson family.

The other side was more ruthless and resourceful than they had imagined.

It is undeniable that Thrallen was indeed very capable. In the early days of his rule, he was virtually unchallenged. Because of his eccentric behavior, he bullied many forces.

Too many retaliations have left the Anderson family in a predicament, and even with its deep roots, it cannot withstand the encirclement and suppression by various forces.

But the old man was determined to maintain the family's reputation.

The man's fingers curled into a fist, and the diamonds on the edge of his mask gleamed coldly in the dim light.

The air in the study was heavy. The blond man hung his head, and beneath his seemingly docile obedience lay a raging ambition, silently weaving his own web in the shadows.

The old man tapped his cane on the ground again.

"A woman came to see you today? Did she not give anything away?"

"No." The man's voice was steady, but his fingertips were gently stroking under his sleeve.

I learned from her that your "good grandson" had drugged her.

He has to kill Thrann.

The thought was like a poisoned hook, firmly seizing his heart.

That comatose bastard in the ward doesn't deserve to live.

The old man clearly didn't realize his thoughts and simply took it as a factual report.

In his eyes, this stand-in was nothing more than a lonely soul smuggled from a foreign country, without any special skills, a perfect pawn.

After all, the reason he was transferred to my side was only because he was excellent and efficient in his work, and also "obedient" enough.

He would never know that the person in front of him had been quietly weaving a web from the bottom up, and under Thran's tyranny, those minor leaders he had helped by chance, and the stewards he had unintentionally saved.

Now they've all become lines hidden in the shadows.

"Go to the company as planned tomorrow, but don't let anyone suspect anything."

The old man gave a few more instructions, and seeing that he agreed to them all, he finally got up.

As he passed by him, he actually raised his hand and patted his shoulder, which was sore from being hit. The force was full of contempt, yet it also revealed a condescending attempt to win him over.

"Do a good job, and the Anderson family will not mistreat loyal people."

The man nodded obediently, but his eyes were as cold as ice.

Only after the study door closed did he slowly straighten up, his gaze beneath the mask fixed on the empty doorway, as if staring at a dying object.

Back in my room, the dull pain in my shoulder was still lingering.

He took out his encrypted device, hovered his fingertip over the screen, and was about to edit a message when he received an anonymous message first.

"Serren Anderson, hospital, overdose, died in agony one minute ago."

The light from the screen reflected in his pupils, and a hint of shock suddenly cracked through his cold expression. He stared at the words on the screen, his fingertips tightening abruptly.

An overdose? In the VIP ward under the tight guard of the Anderson family, this was not an accident at all; it was blatant murder.

Who exactly did Seren offend?

It can inject poison into a person's still-healing, severely injured body until he dies in agony.

That's a ruthless method, and it's also very satisfying.

He was originally planning when to take action, but now he's saved himself the trouble.

Although I didn't kill him myself, the thought of that bastard who had drugged Ruan Yi ending up like this still lingered.

It's a good thing.

In a high-rise apartment building.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows is a dazzling city night view.

The man's fingertip swiped across the phone screen, and the words "Mission Completed" disappeared into the darkness.

The fact that someone is looking for a body double can't be kept secret from those who are interested.

In a masquerade party, a place teeming with all sorts of people, discovering that someone had tampered with the drinks took some time and wasted some time; it was still a bit too late.

He had just turned off the screen when he heard the soft click of the keypad lock being pressed.

The moment the door lock clicked open, he was already standing in the entryway, waiting for the girl to open the door and come in.

He wanted her to see him the moment she looked at him.

Before Ruan Yi could even finish pushing the door open, she was lifted into the air by a force.

The man's embrace carried a familiar scent of soap mixed with a very faint hint of mint, making one feel exceptionally at ease.

The man closed the door, ignoring her slight struggles, and gently pulled her into his arms, leading her to the sofa, his chin affectionately nuzzling her head.

"You must be tired from work, sister."

The last syllable was deliberately drawn out, gently scratching at the heart.

"The person who wants to hurt my sister."

"How could anyone possibly emerge unscathed?"