Volume One, Chapter 17: Call Me Husband.

Chen Shu spoke to himself, "Five years ago, a boy smashed his head in begging heaven to show mercy so his parents might live a smoother life, but fate played its cruelest trick—both parents died in a single day, leaving him an orphan."

He paused. "Once orphaned, he was hungry, cold, and shunned wherever he went. Do you know how those people looked at me? You'll never understand, after all, you privileged heirs and CEOs—how could you ever feel our bitterness!"

Ning Rou opened her mouth but kept her words buried deep inside.

Chen Shu's gaze was nearly frenzied. "You say fate toys with people—if I fight against heaven, doesn’t that make me fate itself? Doesn’t that turn me into the capricious master of all destinies?"

No one knows what a madman might do, just as Ning Rou now found herself at the mercy of such madness.

"Everyone inside, listen up! This is the Da Xia police." The chemical plant was surrounded, with Wu Wei and his team in position.

Chen Shu crouched down and whispered, "Stay here, don’t move. Otherwise... bang!" He clenched his fist, then suddenly opened it, wild and crazed.

In her heart, Ning Rou had already sentenced herself to death. Yet she thought, perhaps this was best—death would free her from worries, from the family ties that turned her life into a puppet show. Perhaps freedom was only found in death.

From the second-floor platform, Chen Shu leaped down as the electric gate slowly opened.

"The show... is about to begin!"

Wu Wei murmured, "Snipers ready. The rest, follow me in to rescue the hostages."

Chen Shu stood there, fully exposed to the sniper’s sight. Watching the crowd enter, his smile grew deeper.

"Welcome to my stage," he said, spreading his arms as the electric gate began to close.

Wu Wei raised his hand, "On guard!"

Chen Shu removed his top hat and bowed slightly. "Sorry, everyone, tonight’s curtain call will be hosted by me!"

Wu Wei spoke, "Release the hostages immediately, and we’ll be lenient."

Chen Shu seemed to hear something hilarious. "Lenient? You seem to forget your place."

Liu Chongming, beside Wu Wei, couldn’t help but speak out. "Who do you think you are? How dare you shout at us? You’re surrounded—do you really think you can walk away unharmed?"

"Surrounded? Ha! You’ve been away from the real world far too long. Do you truly believe guns are truth? Real truth is known only to a select few. People like me!" Chen Shu wasted no more words; with a flick of his wrist, a deck of cards sliced through the air.

Before anyone could react, blood splattered from their hands and their guns fell to the ground. Nearly twenty officers, without exception, were left weaponless.

The situation shifted so rapidly that the military hadn’t even been deployed yet—only a few SWAT units were setting up outside. In an instant, the attackers became the trapped.

Wu Wei took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. "What is your real goal? Is it just murder?"

Chen Shu blinked. "What else? Don’t you think killing is a delight? Killing those arrogant heirs and tyrant CEOs, punishing evil—isn’t that exhilarating?"

Wu Wei ignored his words. "What are your conditions for releasing the hostages?"

Chen Shu smiled as if amused. "Release them? Sure, go ahead, use your guns. If you can kill me, I’ll let them go."

Liu Chongming retorted, "Don’t be arrogant. Dare you come over here?!"

In the blink of an eye, Liu Chongming paid a price. A visible handprint appeared on his face, though no one saw when it landed.

Stunned by the pain, Liu Chongming finally realized what had happened, but it was too late—his body gave out and he collapsed, unconscious.

...

Ning Rou looked below, already resigned to her fate.

"Ning Rou, perhaps your destiny is just this—a lifetime controlled by others, never able to live your own life."

At that moment, Jiang Chen had sneaked up behind her, listening to her lament, unsure how to comfort her.

"Maybe we should save the sorrow for when we’re out of here. If the bomb goes off, there won’t be any time left for regrets," Jiang Chen said.

Ning Rou turned around, tears instantly filling her eyes. "Why are you the one here to save me?"

Jiang Chen whispered, "I’m your husband. If I don’t save you, who will? Should we wait for the Monkey King instead?"

Ning Rou turned away, refusing to look at him. "Go. I don’t need you to save me. If I die, that’s fine—it’ll free me from the family."

In the face of life and death, Jiang Chen paid no mind to her words, treating them as a young woman’s tantrum.

"Shh, keep quiet. I don’t know what’s troubling you, but as long as we’re married, I’m your husband. As for breaking free from the family, as long as I’m here, no one can force you to do what you don’t want." As he spoke, his hand reached for the bomb.

Listening to his bold promises, Ning Rou felt something stir in her heart.

"Maybe I’ve misjudged him? Perhaps he really is a responsible, reliable man?" she wondered, not dismissing the possibility.

But what good are those qualities? He’s just an ordinary man—how could he possibly fight the Ye family, who can block out the sun with one hand? When the time comes, the Ye family will never let him go. Ye Qingfeng, ruthless and bloodthirsty, would chase Jiang Chen to the ends of the earth if they ever had a relationship.

Jiang Chen, busy defusing the bomb, had no time for Ning Rou’s worries. His mind focused on dismantling the bomb’s inner structure.

This bomb was unlike any he’d encountered before, nothing like what he’d studied in the past. Yet, drawing on his experience—he once defused a water-pressure bomb with a custom code in under a minute—he was confident he could handle this new model, even if it took more effort.

Ning Rou watched the man leaning close to her chest, her cheeks suddenly flushing as she instinctively leaned back.

But that movement triggered the electronic timer to switch from thirty minutes down to ten seconds!

Jiang Chen’s gaze hardened. "There’s only one option left. Cover your ears and ignore everything else."

Ning Rou didn’t understand, but Jiang Chen had already ripped the bomb away.

"Call me husband, just once?" Jiang Chen said, charging away without looking back.

That word never left her lips.

Only now did Ning Rou realize what Jiang Chen meant, but it was too late—he had already disappeared outside the chemical plant.

Boom!

A thunderous explosion erupted, and a small mushroom cloud rose above the factory.