Free Web NovelChapter 383: Chapter 355: Isn’t This Contrast a Little Too Big?
The night was like a hazy veil, gently draping itself over the land.
Chu He slowly removed the mask and baseball cap from his face, revealing his true features.
He then thrust his face toward Lai Yu Yao’s, moving so fast she had no time to react.
The tips of their noses nearly touched, their every breath audible to the other.
The sudden move startled Lai Yu Yao.
Her heart seized, and her breathing grew slightly ragged.
It wasn’t because the young man was so close that she felt shy.
Rather, it was seeing his face clearly that sent a tidal wave of shock through her.
She couldn’t believe her eyes. It was Chu He!
The name echoed like thunder in her mind, representing a transcendent existence.
Although Lai Yu Yao’s father was a major figure in the Lighthouse Empire,
possessing astonishing wealth and influence,
what did any of that matter in the face of Chu He?
The realm Chu He had reached far transcended the secular world.
All the wealth and power of the mortal world were nothing but fleeting clouds to him, holding no sway whatsoever.
He was like a god standing above the clouds, gazing down upon the mortal realm.
"Nice perfume."
Chu He twitched his nose, a teasing look on his face.
Then, he slowly pulled away.
As for Lai Yu Yao,
a blush uncontrollably spread across her delicate, collagen-rich cheeks,
making them as vibrant as peach blossoms in full bloom.
Her heart pounded like a drum as her mind became a chaotic whirl of emotions.
To Lai Yu Yao, this whole experience felt like a bizarre, outlandish dream.
Not even the sudden attack by the Evil Spirit—
a scene of absolute terror—had made her feel like she was in a dream.
But now, discovering that Chu He himself was right beside her,
and that she had previously been stupid enough to frame him as a thief,
a profound sense of absurdity washed over her.
It made her question whether any of this was real,
as if the entire world had become an illusion.
Under the cover of darkness, Chu He no longer needed to wear his black baseball cap and mask.
Besides, there was another important reason he had been hiding his face.
He didn’t want the lurking Evil Spirits—or whoever was orchestrating these bizarre events—
to recognize him and flee.
Blue Star was vast and boundless; even as the most powerful person on the planet,
Chu He couldn’t possibly cover every corner.
Once those creatures fled, finding them again would be next to impossible.
There was another reason, too.
Chu He wanted to use this incident to temper the spirits of these young people.
He hoped that in this desperate situation, he could awaken their innermost potential
and force them to find their fearless courage,
like lighting a torch of hope in the darkness to illuminate their path forward.
"Keep my identity a secret for now."
Chu He said to Lai Yu Yao with a grin,
his smile like a twinkling star in the night sky, full of a mysterious charm.
"O-okay."
Lai Yu Yao stammered in reply.
Her eyes darted about guiltily, unable to meet Chu He’s gaze.
She looked away like a frightened deer.
Right now, she was more nervous than she had ever been.
This was a level of anxiety she had never experienced,
as if an invisible hand were squeezing her heart.
She lowered her head slightly, her face full of apology, and said softly, "I’m sorry."
After the tidal wave of shock had passed,
Lai Yu Yao’s heart was filled with a deep sense of dread.
She didn’t know the exact nature of the relationship between Chu He
and Sun Canxing,
but she knew one thing for certain: she had just blatantly offended Chu He.
In her eyes, if Chu He so wished,
he could crush her and her father as easily as an ant.
The thought alone
sent a wave of retroactive fear through Lai Yu Yao.
The fear of the unknown consequences coiled around her like a cold snake.
"It’s fine. I’m no saint.
"You have potential.
"But if you’ve done things to wrong other people,
"I will make you pay the price you deserve.
"However, the Great Xia Empire needs talented people like you right now,
"provided you can truly repent."
Chu He said, his expression calm.
His gaze was unfathomably deep, as if he could see right through to Lai Yu Yao’s soul.
Chu He’s meaning was clear. If, in the days to come,
Lai Yu Yao remained unrepentant and continued to act as she pleased,
he would not hesitate to deal with the problem personally.
No matter how powerful her background, it would be useless.
"I... I will."
Lai Yu Yao was so nervous she could barely speak.
She was just relieved that while she could be spoiled and willful,
she had never done anything truly depraved.
Otherwise, she would have been in for a world of trouble.
"Miss, are you alright?"
Yu Yingjie hurried over, his face etched with anxiety.
His large frame was like a wall
as he quickly shielded Lai Yu Yao behind him, his eyes full of vigilance.
He stared intently at Chu He, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
If Chu He made a single wrong move, he wouldn’t hesitate to strike.
By this time, Chu He had already put his black mask and baseball cap back on,
once again concealing his face, the mysterious aura returning to surround him.
A moment ago, Yu Yingjie had been horrified to find that he had lost control of his body.
It felt as if his soul had been ruthlessly torn from his physical form.
His body refused to obey his commands, yet his mind remained perfectly lucid.
He could only watch helplessly as Chu He suddenly moved toward Lai Yu Yao,
whose attitude had also taken a strange turn.
He was burning with anxiety, yet he was completely powerless.
The helplessness left him feeling utterly frustrated.
"I’m fine."
Lai Yu Yao shook her head and stepped out from behind Yu Yingjie.
She came to stand before Chu He, looked up at him, and asked, "What should we do now?"
"Since we’re being watched, we’ll withdraw from the village for now.
"We’ll wait at the entrance and then sneak back in.
"The villagers of Xia Shui Village are in for a restless night."
Chu He said with a lighthearted chuckle.
And so, the group slowly retreated from the village.
Seeing them leave,
the handful of able-bodied men who had been watching them
finally relaxed somewhat, the wariness in their eyes fading slightly.
"When you sneak back into the village to investigate, can I come with you?"
Lai Yu Yao blinked her large, watery eyes, looking at Chu He with an expectant expression.
She was now a far cry from the haughty, imperious young lady she had been before,
looking more like a well-behaved girl-next-door.
This sudden change made everyone who noticed it stare in disbelief.
Their eyes were wide with shock, as if they’d just seen the sun rise in the west.
"What in the world just happened?"
someone muttered under their breath.
"That’s a bit of a drastic change, don’t you think?"
another person added, their face a mask of astonishment.
