My Ares Son-in-Law

Zhou Keying had secretly wished countless times in the dead of night that if Xiao Chen hadn't come from the ancient city, but from a powerful and influential family in the provincial capital that could rival the Lü family, how wonderful that would have been. Perhaps then she could have mustered the courage to tear up that suffocating engagement and stand by his side without hesitation.

However, cruel reality repeatedly pulled her back into the cold abyss.

Xiao Chen was ultimately all alone. No matter how strong his personal martial arts were or how talented he was, how could he possibly fight against a behemoth like the Lü family? It was not just a family, but a local power entrenched in the provincial capital, with a network of connections spanning politics, business, and martial arts, and its power was terrifying.

In her view, a head-on confrontation with the Lü family would almost certainly lead to certain death.

This has nothing to do with whether she trusts Xiao Chen's abilities, but rather with a cold, despairing reality.

Even if Xiao Chen doesn't accept her, she still wants to protect him without any regrets.

“Xiao Chen…” Zhou Keying took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down and thinking of possible solutions. “Recently, it seems that the Lü family… has been using all their resources and connections to frantically search for someone in various places. I don’t know who they are looking for, but their internal situation seems to be a bit chaotic because of this, and their attention may not be entirely focused on you for the time being.”

She raised her eyes and looked at Xiao Chen with utmost seriousness, suggesting, "How about... you leave the provincial capital for a while, or even go abroad to relax and avoid the storm? Wait until things calm down a bit before we talk about it?"

In her view, the core of the Lü family's power was ultimately in the provincial capital and its surrounding areas. If Xiao Chen could go overseas, it would undoubtedly be the safest option.

Looking at the genuine worry in her eyes, Xiao Chen felt a warmth in his heart, but then shook his head helplessly.

Although he had never dealt directly with the Lü family in the provincial capital and did not know much about their specifics, it was absolutely impossible for them to take his life.

Zhou Keying's disbelief at this moment was perfectly normal. After all, she didn't know she was the God of War, nor did she know that those so-called strong people were like ants in her eyes.

Even if he were to reveal all of this now, Zhou Keying would probably only think that he was trying to comfort her, or even that he was under too much pressure and was having delusions.

Since that's the case, there's no point in saying more. Some things ultimately need to be proven with facts and facts.

It seems I'll have to find trouble with the Lü family myself.

Just then, Xiao Chen's expression shifted slightly as he sensed a subtle movement coming from the stairwell outside the door—footsteps that were deliberately kept quiet, yet still couldn't escape his keen hearing. Moreover, there was more than one person, their auras heavy and carrying a hidden, barely suppressed ferocity.

His expression remained unchanged as he said to Zhou Keying, "We'll discuss this later. Wait for me in the room for a moment; I think I forgot something for you in my car."

Zhou Keying vaguely felt that Xiao Chen's excuse was a bit abrupt, but seeing his calm expression, she couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong, so she could only nod and say, "Okay, you... come back soon."

Xiao Chen opened the door, went out, and gently closed it behind him.

In the corridor, two middle-aged men, dressed in ordinary black jackets, with plain looks but sharp eyes, stood casually on either side of the stairwell, effectively blocking the path up and down the stairs. The moment Xiao Chen stepped out, their gazes locked onto him like hawks, cold and scrutinizing.

Xiao Chen initially thought these two might be guards from the Zhou family, but upon closer inspection, he realized their aura was completely different from the well-trained bodyguards of the Zhou family; it possessed a more ruthless and bloodthirsty quality. Clearly, these were not benevolent people and were after him.

"You two came here specifically to see me, didn't you?" Xiao Chen asked in a calm tone, as if inquiring about the weather. "In that case, let's find another place to talk. This is the Zhou family home; bloodshed here is considered unlucky, and it would be best to avoid disturbing the host family."

After saying that, he stopped looking at the two men, turned around and walked towards the side corridor leading to the back garden of the villa, his steps were unhurried, as if he was certain that they would follow.

The two middle-aged men exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of surprise in each other's eyes. They were ordered to secretly monitor Zhou Keying and keep an eye out for any suspicious individuals who came into contact with her. Their instructions were clear: Zhou Keying was the future "young mistress" and could not be easily offended. Monitoring was permissible, but no action was to be taken within the Zhou family residence, lest any unforeseen complications arise.

The fact that the target had offered to leave the Zhou family before dealing with the matter was exactly what they wanted.

The two nodded slightly in tacit agreement and followed Xiao Chen at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

Before long, Xiao Chen passed through the side corridor and arrived at a rather exquisite and quiet garden behind the Zhou family villa. The garden had an exquisite rockery, winding paths, and seasonal flowers and plants. It was afternoon, and the sunlight was warm, making it exceptionally tranquil.

Xiao Chen stopped in the middle of a relatively open lawn and slowly turned around.

The two powerful middle-aged men also stopped a few meters away from him, their eyes like knives, coldly cutting into Xiao Chen. Faint energy began to flow around them, locking onto Xiao Chen's aura.

"Who sent you to monitor Zhou Keying?" Xiao Chen asked directly, getting straight to the point.

One of the men, who had a faint scar on his cheek, scoffed upon hearing this, his tone filled with undisguised contempt: "Kid, what are you pretending to be stupid for? You don't know who Miss Zhou works for?"

"I know." Xiao Chen nodded, his tone remaining calm and even.

The scarred man and his companion wore expressions that said, "You're smart to know what's good for you." They were about to warn him to stay away from Zhou Keying when Xiao Chen continued, his voice echoing clearly in the quiet garden:
“Zhou Keying is not anyone’s woman, nor is she a commodity. She is simply herself, my friend Xiao Chen.”

The air suddenly solidified.

The expressions on the two middle-aged men's faces froze instantly, as if they had heard the most absurd and unbelievable words in the world. A few seconds later, their astonishment turned into furious rage at being so deeply offended!
"How dare you! You dare to lay a finger on the woman chosen by Young Master Lü? You must be tired of living!" the scarred man roared, his eyes flashing with murderous intent!
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly pushed off with his foot!
"boom!"

He stepped into a shallow pit on the gravel-paved ground, sending gravel flying everywhere! Using the violent recoil, his figure shot out like an arrow, so fast that it left a faint afterimage in his wake!

His right hand's five fingers were bent like hooks, and his nails suddenly gleamed with a strange metallic luster, tearing through the air with a piercing shriek, aiming straight for Xiao Chen's heart! This claw was the culmination of his years of hard-earned "Gold-Splitting Claw" skill, enough to split stone tablets and shatter rocks. If it gripped firmly, it could pierce not only flesh and blood but also steel plates!

Before the fingertips even arrived, the sharp wind from the claws already forced the strands of hair on Xiao Chen's forehead to flutter backward! (End of Chapter)