Chapter 123-1:

There are many highs and lows in life. When happiness comes but gets heartlessly stripped away immediately after, with everything going back to square one or even worse than before, this isn’t something ordinary people can handle. Furthermore; this time, it was a betrayal to the soul, and even death!

Rose felt her surroundings chill. According to reason, the air conditioner wouldn’t be turned on during this time of year, but nonetheless she felt the chill seeping into her bones.

For the first time, Rose rather admired this father of hers that she has refused to accept…… This fellow was truly not simple.

Situ Mingze didn’t rush her and looked at her with a smile that wasn’t a smile, patiently awaiting an answer. With the other underbosses and bodyguards of West Union Society in the surroundings, he naturally had no need to feel rushed. He sardonically smiled as the encirclement had them completely surrounded within forty meters.

As long as Situ Mingze made the order, everybody would raise their guns to shoot, turning the four into bee nests.

Rose looked towards the man by her side. During such times, only he could maintain an indifferent smile. It was as if everything that happened here had nothing to do with him; as if he was just part of a crowd that’s watching; the most inconspicuous passerby in a movie.

“It seems like I have failed.” Rose laughed bitterly. She knew that although Yang Chen was powerful, this situation wasn’t one that could be reversed by a single person. Even if Yang Chen had three heads and six arms, he wouldn’t be able to keep them alive from over forty gunmen, could he!?

[TL: Three heads and six arms is a chinese idiom to say someone is really talented/powerful/strong]

Yang Chen held onto Rose’s chilly hands to console her, giving her some warmth, “You have failed. After all, the opponent is much older than you. When you reach his age, you’ll definitely have more prospects than him.”

“Will I even be able to live till that age?” Rose murmured to herself.

“Of course.” Yang Chen straightforwardly said with a smile, “I definitely won’t allow you to leave me.”

Rose’s moist eyes fixed their gaze onto Yang Chen for a moment. As if she made her mind, she turned to face Situ Mingze and said, “I can’t die today.”

“By that, you mean you’ll listen to me?” Situ Mingze showed a victorious smile, yet the viciousness in his eyes had increased severalfold. As long as Rose became his puppet, there would be many things that could be done…… His ambitions would receive a huge boost!

Rose sucked in a deep breath. This decision could protect her life, but it would be leaving her present life as she knew it. However, if she didn’t choose this, the chance to protect Yang Chen and the other two would be completely lost!

He didn’t allow her to leave him, but she couldn’t allow him to die because of her negligence!

Steeling her heart, Rose unwillingly nodded……

“Hold it right there!”

Yang Chen raised his hands and quickly shouted as if he had just witnessed something strange. Feeling a little confused, he stretched his hand to pinch Rose’s tender cheek, “Darling Rose, what were you about to say? Why admit defeat and listen to him for no reason?”

“I……” Rose’s eyes reddened and with a grieved smile she said, “I’m sorry. I can’t watch you guys die here with me, perhaps admitting defeat is the best way out.”

Yang Chen didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry as he found this both touching and funny. It turned out that this silly woman concluded that he was powerless in this situation and that she wanted to sacrifice herself to trade for the lives of the three of them……

According to reason, this was indeed checkmate. However, there are always exceptions……

“You’re really a cute fool. I said you’re not allowed to leave me, not let’s die together. It’s even more impossible for me to let you admit defeat and listen to him.” Yang Chen caressed Rose’s cheek with a smile.

Rose blinked in confusion, “What do you mean then? If I don’t admit defeat, he won’t let us go.”

Yang Chen cleared his throat and then said, “You’ve lost, but I haven’t.”

Rose was stunned. In the next moment, her eyes were filled with a strange emotion. She felt like Yang Chen wasn’t joking. Having known each other for the past half a year, she gradually understood this man’s train of thought as their relationship deepened. She could sense the truthfulness in Yang Chen’s words.

Does he really have a way out!? This notion made even Rose herself feel terrified!

Zhang Hu, who had been pressed down on the ground heard Yang Chen’s words. He raised his eyes to look at him with difficulty. Looking at the man who truly made him walk down this path and his indifferent expression. The discouraged expression on Zhang Hu’s face slowly changed as flames of excitement lit up inconspicuously in his eyes.

Situ Mingze was getting rather impatient. He felt like Yang Chen was a clown who was uttering nonsense. Situ Mingze sneered and said, “Little friend, you’re Yang Chen aren’t you? It seems like your martial arts are pretty good. To think that you could influence my daughter to make up her mind and admit defeat just for your sake. However, your brain is really dead. You don’t seem to understand how it feels like to be shot.”

Yang Chen calmly tapped on Rose’s palm, whispering to her, “Don’t worry and don’t move.” He nonchalantly turned to face Situ Mingze and said with a smile, “My martial arts are indeed pretty good. Unfortunately, you’re a man, an old one at that, so you won’t get to experience it.”

“You’ve got guts, but using your tongue in a foregone conclusion like this can’t change a thing. If you want to live, don’t affect my daughter’s decision.” Situ Mingze had the urge to pull out his gun and shoot Yang Chen immediately, but considering how much Rose cared about Yang Chen, he believed that it would be for the best to keep this youngster as hostage.

Yang Chen turned a deaf ear to Situ Mingze’s words, he minded his own business in observing his surroundings, and made a rough count of the people present. He murmured to himself, “Forty-one, that’s a little much, it seems like I’ll have to resort to extreme measures.”

Saying that, Yang Chen slowly stooped down to sit on the floor. He took off his shiny black leather shoes which he rarely wore, then proceeded to take off his white socks and stuffed them into the shoes.

With everyone watching, Yang Chen rolled up his pants till it was above his calves.

When the bare-legged Yang Chen once again stood up, everyone thought he had gone nuts. Is this guy’s brain filled with dogshit!? At the juncture of life and death, what is he taking off his shoes, socks, and rolling up his pants for!? Is he going to a field to farm!!?

In fact, Yang Chen still wasn’t done. While giving his surroundings an embarrassed smile, he took off his suit and shirt, leaving only the white vest on.

Pushing the bunch of clothes he stripped off into the arms of the dumbstruck Little Zhao, he said, “Help me look after these and don’t throw them away, I still want to wear them later.”

Rose, Little Zhao and Chen Rong bemusedly looked at him because they didn’t understand what he meant.

SItu Mingze realized that he didn’t understand what was on this young man’s mind. This development which wasn’t under his control made him feel very uncomfortable and he couldn’t help but coldly ask, “What are you doing!?”

Yang Chen jumped at where he was, loosening his muscles and bones, and said, “Nothing much, I just don’t want my clothes to be stained by the blood of you people, I enjoy keeping clean.” With that said, he made a good natured grin.

“Brat, your brain must be fried! Haha, what is he saying!?”

“I think he’s scared out of his wits, a little white face is a little white face, absolutely useless……”

[TL: Little white face is a derogative term for labelling an attractive young man, oftenly used on men who are taken care of by women.]

Several West Union Society underbosses felt that Yang Chen had gone mad because there was no logic in the words he spoke.

Situ Mingze’s angry face turned into one of smiles. Regardless of whether Yang Chen had gone crazy or not, he had already resolved himself to not allow Yang Chen to live.

“Oh? What means do you have that could make our brothers here bleed?” Situ Mingze teased Yang Chen with a question as if he was looking at an active little puppy.”

The smile on Yang Chen’s face gradually faded away, replacing it was a sudden bleak expression. It was an expression without happiness or sorrow, as if he was totally empty. What was even stranger was that Yang Chen’s pupils gradually changed from dark brown, to a beautiful scarlet……

The surrounding forty or so West Union Society members all felt a deathly chill!

This wasn’t an ordinary chill, this unknown and mysterious chill made all of them collectively think of one thing!

Death!