My Ares Son-in-Law

The old man stood alone by the window, his gaze seemingly piercing through towering buildings and vast landscapes, settling on the direction of the western region. A chilling aura emanated from him, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the patina on the walnuts, and a sudden, cold glint flashed in his eyes:
"I hope you're not the God of War, Xiao Chen, otherwise... I'll make you regret ever stepping back into this mortal world."

He paused, the mocking smile on his lips deepening, carrying an indifference as if looking down on ants: "However, with your meager skills acquired by luck, you dare to dream of finding Jiang Meng? Like an ant trying to shake a tree, you're overestimating yourself. If you're going to seek death, at least choose the right place."

……

In the dead of night, the villa area was completely silent, with only the streetlights casting a dim yellow glow that stretched the shadows of the trees long.

When Xiao Chen returned to the villa, he found that the living room light was still on, and the warm yellow light spilled out through the crack in the door, mixed with the faint sounds of television programs, giving it a homely feel.

The moment the door was opened, a wave of warmth washed over you. In the warm yellow light, two slender figures nestled together on the large leather sofa, breathing evenly, already asleep... Yun Yuyan was curled up on one side, her head gently resting on the armrest of the sofa, while Zhou Keying rested her head on her shoulder, her soft hair lying against her cheek.

In the center of the coffee table, several plates of food were carefully sealed with plastic wrap, still retaining a little warmth, clearly left especially for him.

The familiar and heartwarming scene before him instantly washed away the lingering chill of the night and the faint smell of blood on his body, like the warm sun melting snow. The softest corner of his heart was gently touched, and the murderous aura around him that could make even a grandmaster tremble quietly dissipated, leaving only a warm and peaceful feeling.

Seemingly sensing the movement, Zhou Keying's long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, and she opened her eyes first. Her eyes were still misty with sleepiness, and as her gaze slowly focused, she saw Xiao Chen standing not far away. Her pretty face tightened, and she angrily nudged Yun Yuyan beside her, her voice soft and sweet from sleep, yet tinged with a hint of reproach:
"Yu Yan! Wake up! That heartless bastard has finally come home! We spent the whole afternoon putting together a housewarming party, and all he did was not answer the phone, disappear without a trace, and only sneak back in the middle of the night!"

She glared at Xiao Chen, hands on her hips, her tone unfriendly: "Where's the promised 'family discipline'? Give it to me!"

Yun Yuyan rubbed her sleepy eyes, and when she saw that it was Xiao Chen, a smile instantly bloomed in her eyes, as gentle as spring water. She got up and walked to the dining table, picking up the dishes: "It's good that you're back. The food is cold, I'll go heat it up. But Keying is really angry, as for the consequences... you'll have to consider them yourself." She winked at Xiao Chen, her tone teasing.

Just as Xiao Chen was about to explain, Zhou Keying turned her face away, gave a soft snort, and softened her tone: "Fine, I'll let you off this time since you saved my grandma's life before. Hurry up and eat. Look how thin you are, like a bamboo pole. Did you go out and starve all day? Yu Yan and I have eaten our fill of snacks. We were planning to celebrate moving into our new house, but you ruined it all."

Xiao Chen touched his nose, a warm feeling welling up inside him, and a faint smile unconsciously appeared on his lips: "I had some urgent business to attend to, which caused the delay. You... have been waiting until now?"

"Don't be so self-indulgent!"

Zhou Keying's ears turned slightly red, and she quickly turned her face away to deny it, but her voice was a few decibels lower: "Who was waiting for you? We just lost track of time while watching our show! Go wash your hands and eat, stop talking so much nonsense!"

Yun Yuyan turned around at the kitchen doorway, watching the two bickering, her eyes full of smiles. The kitchen range hood started up, making a soft sound, adding a touch of warmth to the villa late at night.

……

Inside the villa, warm yellow light enveloped the aroma of food, and soft laughter drifted through the gaps between the sofas, completely isolating the outside world from the storms and dangers, creating a rare sense of peace. However, at this very moment, in the western region, a colossal storm had been unleashed due to Li Sheng's death!

The headquarters of the New Martial Arts Association in the Western Region was brightly lit all night, as bright as day. Even the air was thick with a stagnant killing intent in the shadows cast by the pillars.

Inside the emergency meeting room, the air pressure was so low it felt like water could be wrung out of the vessel; even breathing carried a heavy, oppressive feeling.

Almost all the heads of the top martial arts families in the western region were present, with people in suits and ties mixed together with martial artists in martial arts attire; in addition, representatives of several top financial groups closely associated with the martial arts world, such as the Zhou family and the Lü family, were also present with solemn expressions, each one silent and trembling.

At this moment, almost half of the forces that control the lifeline of the western region have gathered here.

Everyone's gaze instinctively avoided that figure on the podium... Ao Tianchen.

This leader of the martial arts world in the western region, who was known for his authority and protectiveness, now had a face ashen as a piece of poisoned iron, veins throbbing on his forehead, and knuckles clenched so tightly they turned white.

He remained silent, yet a raging fury surged from him, almost overflowing, like a dark cloud brewing a thunderstorm, enveloping the entire area and chilling everyone to the bone.

His wife's brother-in-law, Li Sheng, whom he protected like the apple of his eye, had only been in the western region for half a month when he died such a tragic death... his body was separated from his head, and his head is still missing!
"My brother-in-law, Li Sheng, was tortured to death!"

Ao Tianchen's voice finally boomed out, like the roar of a wounded lion, shaking the dome of the conference hall and causing dust to fall, echoing back and forth in the deathly silent hall: "You must have all heard about this, right?!"

Before he could finish speaking, he could no longer contain the violence surging in his chest and slammed his palm on the heavy obsidian podium in front of him!
"boom……!!"

The obsidian tabletop, which was incredibly hard and could withstand a full-force attack from a Xiantian realm cultivator, exploded into dust! The dust and debris, carrying a violent force, shot into the sky, covering the faces of the people in the front row with ash. Many people instinctively shrank back, not daring to even breathe.

Seconds later, the dust settled, revealing Ao Tianchen's bloodshot, almost manic eyes. He swept his gaze across the silent, trembling crowd below, his eyes meeting none of his gazes. He spat out a chilling command, each word distinct and uttered through clenched teeth:
"I've called you all here today for only one thing! Use all the resources of your families, businesses, and territories to dig! Dig three feet into the ground and drag that bastard out! I want to personally skin him alive, pull out his tendons, and crush his bones inch by inch! I want his entire family to be buried with my brother-in-law!"

He pressed down hard on the remote control in his hand, his knuckles turning white from the force.

The huge electronic screen behind him suddenly lit up, and in the blinding white light, a pixelated surveillance screenshot appeared... The image was distorted and blurry, and the angle was awkward, barely revealing the back of a man in black cloth. He was walking quickly out of the corridor, his right hand hanging at his side, carrying a small, dark package. His outline was blurry, but it exuded a cold and resolute air.

"This is the only clue we have right now!" Ao Tianchen pointed at the screen, his voice hoarse like sandpaper scraping, filled with a frantic obsession. "Investigate! Detain all men who wore similar clothing and had similar builds today! Interrogate them one by one! Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, pull them out of their rat holes!" (End of Chapter)