War God Otto Long really wanted to fight.
This was his chance to show off his strength!
But that damn Fyren Zhang—why wasn't he playing along?
He kept pulling left and right, single-handedly stopping a dozen of his own men, sweating profusely from the effort.
"Just let them come at me, please!
I'm desperate for this wave of experience points!
If I don't get to fight them, my whole day will be ruined!"
Fyren Zhang had made up his mind:
[I can't let you farm your experience points! No way, no how!
[From now on, you're the sky, you're god—whatever you say goes. I won't oppose you in anything.]
[Eliza Leng, if you can take her away, do it. If not, that's your problem. Just leave me out of this!]
Otto Long was going crazy.
"Young Master Fyren... do you have some grudge against me?"
Fyren Zhang finally managed to calm the crowd and spread his arms to block the bodyguards:
"No no! I'm cool, I'm great! I think you and Eliza are perfect for each other. Send me a wedding invitation—I'll pay for the whole thing!"
Otto Long, with no outlet for his strength, grew frantic:
"Why won't you let them come at me? They're here for you after all."
"No no no, don't worry! With me here today, none of them will get past!"
Fyren Zhang turned to the bodyguards and growled, "Anyone who moves will regret it!"
Eliza Leng finally realized Fyren Zhang truly seemed able to predict future events.
And now the whole dynamic had changed.
Fyren Zhang was determined to defuse the situation, while Otto Long appeared dissatisfied unless he could make a grand spectacle.
Having seen through Otto Long's facade, Eliza Leng said angrily: "Otto Long, that's enough! Get out! Leave right now, or I'll call the police!"
Otto Long's face darkened.
I am the Returned God of War—no one in the entire Outer Frontier dares humiliate me like this.
Yet today, I've been disgraced beyond belief!
"Fine! I'll leave. But Eliza, please believe this: no matter when or where you face danger in the future, I'll stand up for you—even if I have to fight the whole world!"
Eliza Leng suppressed her nausea and raised her hand. "Get lost."
Otto Long had nothing more to say.
His face darkened as he turned around, shooting a vicious glare at Fyren Zhang.
Fyren Zhang wanted to cry but had no tears. Carefully, he said, "It really doesn't depend on me. I... I don't understand either. Are you... feeling suffocated enough?"
Otto Long snorted and walked away with a gloomy expression.
Fyren Zhang nearly vomited in the bathroom.
After several rounds of transmigration, he had summarized the three iron laws of villain survival:
First: Never try to outshine the protagonist—that's the fastest path to death.
What kind of person is the protagonist? Do you think he'll tolerate you messing with him? Even if you don't provoke him, he'll come after you. If you do provoke him... he'll destroy you.
Second: Never touch the protagonist's woman. Stay as far away from her as possible. Those brain-damaged women are poisonous. When the protagonist kills you, they'll only clap and praise how heroic and invincible he is before throwing themselves into his arms.
Third: Never do anything bad.
If the protagonist catches you doing evil—congratulations, you've hit the jackpot. You'll become his experience points, contributing to his grand mission of showing off.
Ding dong!
The system prompted:
"Pro! Congratulations, host, on completing the initial transformation test phase with a one-star difficulty rating! We've prepared a first-phase reward for you, pro!"
Fyren Zhang: "Reward for what?"
"Rewarding you with a sports car!"
Fyren Zhang's eyes widened. "Are you kidding me? I'm the heir of the Zhang family, one of Crystalpeak City's four major clans, and the wealthy director of Dasheng Group! I barely escaped with my life from that animal Otto Long, and you're rewarding me with a luxury car?"
"Don't get excited, host! This luxury car is special!"
"What's so special about it?!" Fyren Zhang shouted.
"This sports car has four whole wheels, pro!"
"You damn—"
Fyren Zhang suppressed his anger. "What's wrong with that dead girl Eliza Leng? According to the plot, shouldn't she have left with the God of War? What's going on now?"
"We don't fully understand Eliza's situation yet. For detailed information, please take the initiative to chat with her, oh."
"Chat with her my ass! Otto Long's glare just now was already murderous!" Fyren Zhang was going crazy.
Fyren Zhang finished her tantrum and then wimped out again, "Please find a way to reunite them quickly. If this continues, you guys will be the death of me sooner or later!"
"Please don't worry about it. The feedback from our side is that we want to play with you to death!"
"Your great master ah—!"
...
Hong Zhang's study.
Hong Zhang's face was stern: "Sit down."
Fyren Zhang sat down properly.
"Tell me, what's going on? Up to no good again?"
"Nothing." Fyren Zhang was genuinely confused.
"Hmph! You think you can fool me? Do you think I don't know what kind of person you are?" Hong Zhang said authoritatively. "Let me tell you something! You'd better pull yourself together and treat Eliza properly, or I won't let you off easily."
Fyren Zhang replied, "She doesn't want to marry me. The whole of Crystalpeak City knows how much she can't stand me."
"Then why did she suddenly do a complete 180 today and agree to marry you?"
"I really don't know! I'm wondering the same thing!"
"Then why did you suddenly take a stand and refuse the marriage?"
"I... have great love in my heart!"
Hong Zhang narrowed his eyes. "You're really becoming shameless now."
Fyren Zhang was so depressed he didn't even bother speaking.
"Bring a gift with you. You'll visit your god-grandfather later."
Fyren Zhang froze. "My god-grandfather?"
Oh, right.
The primary setting of the book:
Crystalpeak City has four major families: Zhang, Chen, Xu, and Leng.
Among them, the Zhang family is the most powerful, followed by the Chen and Xu families. The Leng family nearly collapsed in recent years due to poor management.
Fortunately, Eliza Leng took over against all odds and, after two years of hard work, turned losses into profits, stabilizing the Leng family's situation and preventing complete bankruptcy.
Therefore, the Leng family was very positive about this union.
It wasn't that the Leng family was unaware of Fyren Zhang's character, but currently, the Zhang family was the only one in Crystalpeak City both capable and willing to save the Leng family.
Thus, they had no choice but to form this alliance for the sake of family interests.
Deep down, they actually despised Fyren Zhang.
This is what makes this book's setup so pitiful.
This villain character is almost perfect—tall and handsome, wealthy and powerful, ambitious and talented, having led Dasheng Group through thick and thin across the business world.
Yet it is precisely such a man—one who in the real world stands at the top of the human food chain—who becomes the pathetic lapdog of the heroine Eliza Leng.
All for the sake of making the protagonist's triumph over him more satisfying.
The better the villain is, the more impressive the protagonist appears!
As for Eliza Leng, she was designed as the protagonist's love interest with a tragic backstory—someone to be humiliated and disciplined by the protagonist before ultimately being casually slapped to death...
This is the destined fate of this perfect little villain.
To survive, he must avoid all conflict with the protagonist.
The primary conflict, of course, is his relationship with Eliza Leng.
He must stay far away from her—as far as humanly possible.
If he can just survive until the grand finale, he'll return to reality with generous rewards: becoming a dashing high-flyer, marrying a wealthy beauty, and reaching the pinnacle of life!
And most importantly—curing his mother's illness.
The Zhang family has long been established in Crystalpeak City, maintaining good relations with the Chen, Xu, and Leng families.
Particularly with the Chen family's patriarch—Hong Zhang even became his godson, making the old man Fyren's god-grandfather.
Recently, God-grandfather Qiushou Chen has been bedridden. While other Zhang family members have visited, Fyren—being the spoiled playboy he is—hasn't shown up yet.
His plan: drop off a gift, pay his respects, then make a quick escape!
Perfect! Decision made!
Just as he stepped outside, he spotted the big guy he'd restrained at the engagement ceremony—Zaring—mustering troops.
Zaring, face dark with rage, barked: "Is everyone accounted for?"
Over thirty bodyguards stood in formation and roared: "All present!"
"Good!"
Zaring's expression was thunderous. "Young Master Fyren's engagement was ruined by that Otto Long bastard! Can we tolerate this?"
The crowd bellowed: "NO!"
"Damn right! In Crystalpeak City, only Young Master Fyren gets to steal women and bully men! Nobody humiliates Young Master Fyren!"
The mob raised their fists, chanting: "Steal women! Bully men! Do no wrong! Steal women! Bully men! Do no wrong!"
Zaring made a dramatic silencing gesture—the crowd fell silent instantly with military precision.
"Therefore! We'll find Otto Long, beat him to a pulp, and restore Young Master's honor!"
"Find Otto Long! Beat him dead! Steal women! Bully men! Do no wrong! Steal women! Bully men! Do no wrong..."
[The chant continues as Fyren watches in horror...]
Fyren Zhang rushed over and yanked Zaring aside. "What are you doing?"
"Oh! Young Master Fyren, you're here!" Zaring said excitedly. "Young Master Fyren, I've got nine different ways to destroy that Otto Long, nine! Just you watch!"
Fyren Zhang kicked him in the rear. "Don't you have anything better to do?"
Fyren Zhang looked at the thirty-plus muscular young men. "From now on, stop shouting crap like 'stealing women and bullying men' so loudly. Do I not want to maintain any dignity?"
Zaring scratched his head in confusion. "But Young Master Fyren, you used to... not care about face at all!"
Fyren Zhang trembled with anger. "Well I care about face now, okay?"
"Oh!" Zaring announced loudly. "Do you all understand? Now our Young Master Fyren wants to be a saint while still maintaining his badass reputation! Understand the spirit!"
The crowd raised their fists and chanted: "Be a saint! Stay badass! Be a saint! Stay badass!"
Fyren Zhang roared, "Get out! All of you, get out of here!"
One kid walked away still pumping his fist, muttering under his breath: "Be a saint... stay badass..."
Fyren Zhang moved to kick him. "Don't walk away, you little punk! I'll fight you today!"
Zaring pulled him back. "Now now, Young Master Fyren, Young Master Fyren, we trained them exactly according to your instructions! Everyone's just used to the old ways."
Fyren Zhang panted heavily. "You trained them?"
"Yes, don't worry, I know what you mean. That bastard Otto Long, I'll make sure he—"
Fyren Zhang pulled him close. "Zaring."
"Young Master Fyren."
"We're brothers."
Fyren Zhang said this sincerely. He had no choice—this reckless idiot was too damn stubborn. No matter what you told him, he wouldn't understand anything else.
The key problem was that if this continued, all the blame would fall on his head, and Otto Long would still come after him. So his only option was to coax and deceive.
Zaring was deeply moved. "Young Master Fyren, I'm not worthy... I'm just a..."
Fyren Zhang said, "If we're brothers, don't screw me over! Listen, don't mess with that Otto Long anymore. Tell everyone to avoid him when they see him. Understand?"
"Why?"
Zaring said, "I don't understand."