Chapter 921: The Qilin of Yan's Dali Temple! The Woman Devouring Super Spicy Hotpot!
"Cough. Cough."
Wei Yenwu slowly pushed himself up from the wooden washboard. He brushed the invisible dust from his impeccably tailored trousers, adjusted his collar, and clasped his hands behind his back. He kept his chin high, projecting the absolute authority of Lungmen's Chief Executive.
In reality, his dignity had just shattered into a million unrecoverable pieces.
"Your Excellency Ren, why did you not inform us of your arrival in advance so we could properly prepare?" Wei Yenwu asked, his tone carefully measured.
Ren leaned against the doorframe, a lazy, amused grin plastered across his face. "Haha, Governor Wei, if I had given you advance notice, how could I have possibly witnessed Lady Fumizuki's unique method of household management? It is quite a learning experience."
The moment those words left Ren's mouth, the atmosphere in the room shifted. Wei Yenwu, Fumizuki, and Ch'en all turned their gazes toward him, their expressions a mix of confusion and suspicion.
"Don't misunderstand," Ren casually waved a hand. "I want to learn the technique. Not Ch'en."
Ch'en blinked, her draconic tail freezing mid-sway. A second ago, she assumed Ren wanted her to learn how to be a proper, strict wife from Fumizuki. But the reality of his words suddenly clicked in her mind.
"Wait, so you want me to kneel on the washboard?!" Ch'en's voice pitched up, her face flushing crimson.
"Hahaha, just kidding." Ren laughed, his carefree attitude instantly cutting through the heavy, awkward tension in the room.
Following his lead, the group tacitly agreed to bury the washboard incident deep in their memories, pretending it had never happened.
Wei Yenwu cleared his throat again, shifting to a strictly formal posture. "Your Excellency Ren, what brings you to our humble residence this time?"
He absolutely dared not treat any matter involving Ren lightly. Even if the Emperor of Yan himself—his own brother—were standing in this room, Wei Yenwu would still defer to Ren. Ch'en had already briefed him on the sheer, world-breaking scale of Ren's power. It was a level of strength that completely shattered the imagination of any resident living on Terra.
"I came this time specifically to relieve Governor Wei's worries," Ren replied, stepping further into the room.
Wei Yenwu's eyes immediately brightened. "Could it be..."
"It is precisely about the engagement banquet we previously decided upon," Ren nodded. "Due to my personal matters, the date has been delayed again and again. For that, I am very sorry. So, I specifically came today to fulfill this agreement."
"Good!" Wei Yenwu practically shouted, his usual stoic facade cracking. If he did not need to maintain his image as a dignified leader, he would have slapped his thigh and cheered.
This single issue had been gnawing at his mind, causing him endless sleepless nights. And he was not the only one. The Rat King and that sick old feline from the Swire family were suffering the exact same anxiety.
Fumizuki stood quietly to the side, a warm, relieved smile blooming on her face. Out of everyone in Lungmen, she undoubtedly doted on Ch'en the most. Seeing her beloved niece finally secure her destined partner filled her heart with absolute joy.
"So, regarding the time arrangement..." Wei Yenwu asked, his voice carrying a rare hint of tentative hope.
"Tomorrow or the day after, anytime is fine," Ren answered easily. "The sooner it is settled, the more at ease you all will be, won't you?"
"Good, good, excellent!" Wei Yenwu let out a long breath, the heavy weight finally lifting from his shoulders. He was already itching to grab his encrypted phone and share the fantastic news with his old rivals. "We can definitely ensure every single detail is prepared by tomorrow evening!"
"Uh, won't... won't that be a little too rushed?"
Ch'en, who had been standing off to the side, her face burning red in absolute silence, finally managed to speak.
Fumizuki covered her mouth, her eyes crinkling with amusement. "Little Ch'en, are you trying to back out at the last minute?"
"I... how could I?!" Ch'en stammered, her tail wrapping nervously around her leg. "I just feel that with that Char Siu... uh, Swire and the others there, it will be very, very embarrassing!"
"Then come with me, Little Ch'en. Let your aunt chat with you for a bit." Fumizuki exchanged a knowing glance with Wei Yenwu, then gently took Ch'en's arm, pulling the flustered dragon out of the room.
The heavy oak doors clicked shut, leaving the spacious office entirely to Ren and Wei Yenwu.
"Haha, I apologize for that," Wei Yenwu chuckled, walking over to his desk to pour two cups of tea. "Ch'en has never experienced anything remotely like this since she was a little girl. She probably needs some time to mentally prepare herself."
"Fumizuki and Ch'en have always shared a deep bond. I have no doubt she can guide her properly," Ren accepted the teacup. "I am not worried about that at all."
Ren took a slow sip, his eyes locking onto the Lungmen Governor. "On the contrary, there is another matter that seems to be heavily troubling Governor Wei."
Wei Yenwu paused, the teacup halting halfway to his lips. The topic had shifted to him far too quickly. He set the porcelain cup down, his brow furrowing as he mentally sifted through his current affairs.
Given Lungmen's current political and economic climate, he genuinely did not have many pressing troubles. The younger generation—Ch'en, Swire, Hoshiguma, Shirayuki, Lin Yuhsia, and Exusiai—were all deeply connected to Ren, and by extension, firmly on his side. The old guard, including the Rat King, that immortal penguin Emperor, and the sick cat, were equally aligned.
They were all Lungmen's own people now.
To the older generation, the sheer capability of these youths was almost unfathomable. The entirety of Lungmen, whether in the legitimate business sectors or the sprawling underground networks, had been flawlessly managed by them. The old guys were practically ready to hand over the keys and retire.
When that day came, Ch'en would step up as the new Chief Executive. Hoshiguma would take over Ch'en's absolute authority in the Guard Department. Swire would inherit the sick cat's massive commercial empire, and Lin Yuhsia would officially don the mantle of the new Rat King.
Lungmen was poised to completely enter a golden new era.
But as for troublesome matters... it was not that they did not exist at all.
Knowing Ren's all-powerful and practically omniscient nature, Wei Yenwu made a calculated guess. "Is Your Excellency Ren referring to the guests who recently arrived in Lungmen from Great Yan?"
"That is right," Ren smiled faintly. "A Qilin, correct?"
Wei Yenwu let out a soft, heavy sigh. "Jingzhe. It is not wrong to call her a Qilin. She hails directly from the Dali Temple of the Yan Country."
The Dali Temple's status within the Yan Empire was absolute. Even as the Chief Executive of Lungmen, Wei Yenwu had to treat their emissaries with the utmost caution and respect. The core issue was that he had absolutely no idea why they were here.
Was it possible his brother, the Emperor, had issued some secret decree?
Unable to probe their true intentions without sparking a diplomatic incident, Wei Yenwu could only allow the envoys to temporarily reside in Lungmen, treating them as highly honored guests while keeping a watchful eye.
"Your Excellency, why did you suddenly bring this matter up?" Wei Yenwu asked, his sharp eyes studying Ren.
Ren set his empty teacup down with a soft clink. "I will help you solve this Qilin matter."
He stretched his neck, a predatory glint flashing in his eyes. "And incidentally, I will help you resolve an additional small problem."
"A small problem?" Wei Yenwu echoed, his guard instantly rising.
"A Nian Beast."
Deep in the heart of Lungmen's culinary district, inside a brightly lit hotpot restaurant.
"Delicious! So incredibly delicious!"
A woman with fiery, vibrant energy sat alone at a large table, devouring the boiling hotpot in massive, greedy mouthfuls.
The hotpot sitting in front of her, however, was a terrifying sight that would make any normal Terra resident turn pale and run. The thick soup base was a violent, bubbling crimson, packed to the brim with floating red chilies, peppercorns, and lethal spices. Just the sheer smell of the rising, capsaicin-laced steam was enough to make a grown man's eyes water and his stomach cramp in preemptive agony.
Yet, the woman ate with absolute, unadulterated relish.
She scooped up the chili-soaked meat, chewed happily, and even drank the blood-red, boiling soup straight from the ladle without a single change in her expression.
Standing behind the counter, the restaurant boss watched her with a mixture of sheer horror and deep respect. He was so utterly impressed by her iron stomach that he had already promised her the entire meal on the house.
But that was hours ago.
She had stayed, eating continuously until late into the night. Every other customer had long since paid their bills and fled, leaving only the fiery woman happily chewing away in the empty dining room.
Even though he had offered the meal for free, the boss was running on fumes. His eyelids drooped, his back ached, and he simply could not stay awake any longer. The woman, on the other hand, seemed to absorb energy directly from the lethal spices, growing more vibrant and energetic with every bite.
Helpless, the exhausted boss wiped his hands on his apron and slowly walked toward the woman's table. He needed to gently discuss the concept of closing hours with her. He desperately needed to get off work and rest his aching bones.
Just as he took a breath to speak, the wooden entrance door chimed.
A man casually strolled into the shop.
The boss froze in his tracks, staring blankly at the newcomer. Someone else was actually coming in to eat at this ungodly hour?
Before the boss could even open his mouth to remind the man that the kitchen was closed, the newcomer completely ignored him. The man walked with purposeful, unhurried steps directly toward the woman who was currently devouring the super, super, super spicy hotpot.
He did not pause. He did not hesitate. He simply pulled out the wooden chair directly opposite her and sat down.
"Excuse me," Ren asked, a charming, utterly shameless smile resting on his face as he ignored the dozens of completely empty tables surrounding them. "Do you mind if I share this table?"
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