My Ares Son-in-Law

The moment the shard pierced Cole's body, it emitted a chilling sound, as if it were the prelude to death.

Cole didn't even have time to scream. His body was like a tree snapped in a gale. The huge impact sent his massive frame flying backward, crashing heavily against the wall with a dull thud.

Then, he slowly slid down onto the carpet, blood gushing out like a fountain from the huge gash in his neck and several bloody holes in his chest. The blood quickly stained the expensive carpet beneath him, like a blooming blood-red flower, a shocking sight.

His eyes were wide open, filled with extreme fear and bewilderment, as if at this moment he truly realized what a terrifying existence he was facing.

He never understood why a bullet fired from his own gun would return in this way to end his life, as if it were an inescapable cycle of fate.

The strong smell of gunpowder was like a ferocious beast that had just rushed out of the battlefield, carrying heat and violence, rampaging wildly in this small space.
The pungent smell of blood, like a cold, venomous snake, snaked out from Cole's mangled corpse, seeping into everyone's nostrils and making their stomachs churn.

There was also the strange smell of burning human tissue, like a putrid wind drifting from the depths of hell, mixed with a chilling, burnt sensation. The three smells intertwined, creating a nauseating aura of death, like an invisible net, heavy and pervasive in the air, making it hard to breathe.

The man holding the laptop, named White, was now like a frightened bird, his eyes wide with terror as he stared intently at Cole's still slightly twitching corpse.

The corpse was twisted beyond recognition, and blood had soaked into a large patch on the carpet, resembling a blooming, blood-red evil flower.

White felt his heart was about to jump out of his throat; his last bit of psychological defense completely collapsed in the face of this terrifying scene.

His legs seemed to have lost all strength, and with a "thud," he knelt straight down on the carpet. His knees hit the soft carpet with a dull thud, as if it were an outward release of his inner fear.

Immediately afterwards, a warm, viscous stream of urine slowly seeped out from his trouser leg, leaving a small wet patch on the carpet and emitting a nauseating stench.

He was crying and sneezing, his face covered in snot and tears, making his once neat appearance look disheveled.

He pleaded in a shrill, distorted Chinese voice, a voice as sharp as a rusty saw tearing at one's eardrums: "No! Don't kill me! I'm the Black Hawk Chairman's nephew! You can't kill me! If you kill me, the Black Hawk will never let you off! You can't bear that responsibility!"

His voice was incoherent with fear, and his body trembled uncontrollably, like a leaf drifting in a storm.

As he spoke, he hurriedly pulled a large wad of brand-new US dollars from his pocket.

Those dollar bills were brand new, still smelling of ink, but to White at that moment, they seemed like a lifeline.

He flailed his arms wildly, scattering the dollars like petals at Xiao Chen's feet, muttering, "Money! Here's your money! Lots and lots of money! Buy my life! Please! Let me go!"

His eyes were filled with despair and pleading, as if Xiao Chen would spare his life if he accepted the money.

Green US dollars fell like autumn leaves.

Some rained down on the carpet, some gently landed on Xiao Chen's shoes, and some swirled in the air before slowly falling, like an absurd and bloody rain of money.

However, Xiao Chen simply stood there quietly, his eyes cold and calm, as if all of this was irrelevant to him, as if all of White's struggles and pleas for mercy were nothing more than a laughable farce in his eyes. "Money?"

Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow slightly, the tip of his eyebrow lifting gently with a hint of disdain and mockery. A faint, icy smile curved his lips, like the coldest winter wind that could instantly penetrate to the bone.

He didn't rush to respond to White's frenzied money offensive, but instead slowly reached out his right hand and into the inside pocket of his sharp suit.

His movements were elegant and composed, as if he were performing a solemn ceremony.

A moment later, he slowly pulled his fingers out of his pocket, holding a shiny one-yuan coin in his hand.

The coin gleamed with a cool luster under the light, like a lonely star in the night sky.

The coins flipped and bounced nimbly between his slender fingers, like a skilled dancer performing on stage, producing a subtle and crisp metallic clanging sound.

The sound was exceptionally clear in the deathly silent conference room, like heavy hammer blows striking White's already fragile heart.

The coin's edge reflected the light from the chandelier, the light like sharp daggers casting a cold arc on White's face, which was contorted with extreme fear, making his appearance even more ferocious and terrifying.

"Look, I have money too."

Xiao Chen's voice was very soft, as soft as a feather falling, yet it carried a resolute determination, like a sharp blade that directly severed White's last hope of survival.

He raised his head slightly, looking at White with a calm and firm gaze, and continued, "Moreover, I prefer the scenery of my hometown printed on it."

That scenery carries my childhood memories and is the warmest harbor in my heart, something that cannot be compared to cold money.

White opened his mouth in despair, his lips trembling as if he wanted to say something more, perhaps to continue pleading, perhaps to invoke a more powerful backer, or perhaps to hurl meaningless curses.

However, fear had completely taken over his body and soul. His throat felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, and he could not make any sound except for a muffled "woo-woo" sound, which sounded like a wounded beast struggling in its death throes.

Xiao Chen's gaze suddenly became incredibly sharp, like a peerless divine weapon unsheathed, carrying a fierce aura that pierced through the void and firmly fixed on White's face, which was filled with terror.

That gaze seemed to see through every corner of White's heart, leaving him nowhere to hide.

"The ancient city is a wonderful place!"

Xiao Chen spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice not loud, but containing a power strong enough to freeze the soul, clearly reaching everyone's ears like a verdict.

His eyes revealed a deep longing and pride, as if the ancient city were the most precious treasure in his life. (End of Chapter)