Lu Qi trembled all over and nodded repeatedly, like a chicken pecking at rice.

"I understand... I understand..."

Asō Tarō stood up in satisfaction and adjusted his expensive suit, as if he had just touched something filthy.

He turned and walked toward the staircase.

After taking two steps, he seemed to remember something. He paused and said without turning his head,

"Tonight, have your mother come to my room."

"I've had a lot of pent-up frustration lately."

Lu Qi, who was lying on the ground panting, suddenly froze.

He lowered his head, burying his face deep in his arms, his voice as quiet as a mosquito's buzz.

"...Yes."

Zhou Huai almost laughed out loud.

He couldn't help but sigh with emotion in his heart.

Back then, how incredibly arrogant and overbearing Lu Qi had been in Donghai.

As the young master of the Zhou Family and the grandson of the Liu Family, he had been flanked by entourages, throwing his weight around.

In front of his "useless" older brother, he had done everything he could to mock and bully him.

Back then, his eyes always held a lofty contempt, as if the entire world should crawl at his feet.

But what about now?

Having come to this Sakura Country, what kind of trash was he?

In front of those unarmed ordinary citizens, he drove sports cars, flaunted his power, and vented his sense of superiority like a madman.

But the moment he faced his true Sakura Country masters, he didn't even dare to fart.

He was beaten like a dog and trampled underfoot like trash.

He even had to personally deliver his own biological mother to someone else's bed.

How was this still the wealthy young master of the past?

This was clearly a stray dog whose spine had been completely broken, only able to survive by wagging its tail and begging for mercy.

Zhou Huai pulled back his thoughts. There was not a shred of sympathy in his heart, only a faint indifference.

What goes around comes around.

Lu Qi's current fate was nothing but his own doing.

At this moment, what deserved Zhou Huai's attention more was not Lu Qi or his mother Liu Yuru,

but rather, this man named Asō.

Tang Qi said he was Kujo Koji's confidant.

For someone of high status and power who deeply enjoyed Kujo Koji's trust, the information he could access was absolutely the core of the core.

Perhaps he could be used to stir up some trouble.

At this moment, a not-so-detailed plan was silently brewing in Zhou Huai's mind.

...

Night fell.

Asō Tarō sat in his study, still busily making phone calls.

His study was extremely luxuriously decorated, with an entire wall of bookshelves behind him filled with various gold-embossed hardcover books, though it looked more like a pretentious decoration.

"Be a bit gentler with your methods."

Asō Tarō's voice was very low, trying his best to remain restrained.

"The public opinion outside is already bad enough. We absolutely cannot kill anyone else."

The person on the other end of the line seemed to be arguing or explaining something.

Asō Tarō's brow furrowed even tighter.

"You can cripple them, you can injure them, make them bleed a little."

"Especially those few ringleaders—you can torture them well to make an example of them."

"But don't beat them to death."

"Just handle it like that."

After speaking, he hung up the phone in annoyance, casually tossing the communicator onto his expensive solid wood desk.

Just then, there was a soft knock on the study door.

"Come in."

Asō Tarō didn't even look up, his tone unfriendly.

The door hinge made a soft sound, and a graceful figure walked in.

In an instant, a faint, lingering scent of perfume filled the air.

Asō Tarō subconsciously raised his head, and when he saw who it was, a flash of surprise crossed his small eyes.

He saw Liu Yuru wearing a tight black lace dress, which perfectly outlined her well-maintained, voluptuous figure. Beneath the deep V-neck was a tantalizing expanse of snowy white skin.

This outfit made her look like an entirely different person compared to her usual dignified, noble lady persona.

Asō Tarō sized her up from head to toe with some surprise.

"You... seem a bit different today?"

A charming smile curled at the corner of Liu Yuru's mouth as she slowly walked up to him and asked in return,

"Different in what way?"

Asō Tarō's gaze wandered wantonly over her body, finally resting on her face, which still retained its charm.

"You never used to wear this kind of clothing before."

Liu Yuru giggled, her voice carrying a hint of deliberate coquettishness.

"I wanted to change the mood today."

Asō Tarō subconsciously licked his dry lips, the desire in his eyes almost overflowing.

"No matter how you look, I like it."

Asō Tarō walked up to Liu Yuru, the annoyance on his face completely gone.

He tried his best to keep his tone gentle.

"Don't take what happened during the day to heart."

"That son of yours is far too ignorant."

"What time is it right now? It's the critical moment when Lord Koji is about to unite the world."

"I just don't want any mistakes to happen."

"I treated him like that just to teach him a lesson and make him understand his place."

"I hope you can understand."

Liu Yuru chuckled, "Lord Asō, you misunderstand. That little brat Lu Qi deserved a good lesson from you."

"Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease."

As he spoke, Asō Tarō closed the distance between himself and Liu Yuru.

The scent on her body made his mind wander.

Taking advantage of the moment, he slid his hand down, wrapping his arm around Liu Yuru's voluptuous shoulders to pull her into his embrace.

However, she didn't budge.

It was as if the person standing before him was not a weak woman,

but a stone statue rooted deep in the earth.

"Huh?"

The desire in Asō Tarō's eyes receded a bit, replaced by a hint of surprise.

He couldn't help but re-evaluate the charming woman in front of him.

She was looking at him as well.

She said expressionlessly,

"Just talk. Why are you getting all touchy-feely?"

Asō Tarō's pupils shrank suddenly, and he subconsciously took a step back.

This was wrong!

This reaction was wrong!

"You..."

Asō Tarō pointed at her, the color rapidly draining from his face as he was filled with shock and suspicion.

"You're not Liu Yuru?"

"Who are you?!"

He turned, wanting to run and press the alarm under the desk to summon the guard team.

However, it was already too late.

A hand that looked fair and slender, yet carried the force of a thunderbolt, appeared.

Slap!!!

Liu Yuru's incredibly heavy slap landed squarely on Asō Tarō's face.

Asō Tarō himself was merely a Support Professional with little combat capability.

Living in luxury, his body had long been hollowed out by wine and women.

How could he withstand such a terrifying blow?

He didn't even have time to let out a scream.

His entire body spun twice in mid-air like a whipped top.

Several bloody teeth flew out of his mouth, drawing a tragic arc in the air.

Bang!

His plump body slammed heavily onto the expensive Persian carpet, rolled a few times, and finally lay there face down, motionless.

He had been slapped clean out cold onto the ground.